Papuana opt stay with Indonesia

Papuana opt stay with Indonesia
JP/7/let

Papuans opt to stay with Indonesia

I refer to Jusuf Wanandi's article entitled Papua problem and
the international community (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 1,) about
the so-called Act of Free Choice conducted by the Indonesian
government in 1969, variously known in Papua as the Act of No
Choice, Act Free of Choice, et cetera.

To say that the decision for integration under the Act was
"confirmed by representatives in the representative assemblies
across Papua" is to propose a purely mythical basis for the
legitimacy of the Indonesian presence in Papua. It would be more
accurate to say that the Act was confirmed by a thousand or so
carefully (but sometimes casually) selected Papuans who were
variously bribed and/or intimidated into voting for integration
as the Indonesian Army and government directed them.

Gallons of scholarly ink have been spilt on this topic since
1969, most importantly by John Saltford in his book on the UN and
the Act of Free Choice. One marvels at Jusuf Wanandi's chutzpah
in advertising his ignorance (or ignoring) of it. As one of the
architects of Papua's fate under the New Order but now a keen
critic of Indonesian government policy toward Papua one might
have expected better. It is late in the day to deplore government
neglect of Papua and failure to implement special autonomy there
without also mentioning Papua's 42-year history of military
repression and government exploitation.

Yes, an Aceh-style peace agreement would be some sort of
advance in Papua, but Papuans unlike Acehnese have never regarded
themselves as Indonesians or (in truth) been regarded as such by
Indonesians. Yes, the international community can "help" a
solution in Papua, but Indonesian policy is slowly but steadily
ensuring that such help may take the form of an East Timor style
humanitarian intervention. There is little doubt (even among many
Indonesian settlers in Papua) that the best way forward for the
Papuans and Papua would indeed be self-determination and
independence.

PETER KING
Leiden
The Netherlands