Tue, 06 Jun 2000

Puzzling government

If I am not mistaken the government has shown, more or less, its agreement the people of Irian Jaya to convene a Papuan people's congress by giving a donation of Rp 1 billion to the organizers and the promise that the president himself would attend. A picture also appeared in Suara Karya on May 30, 2000 showing the vice president reading the name tag on the chest of the commander in chief of the Papua Liberation Army, Gen. Bernadus Mawen in the Merdeka Selatan Palace.

At that time the Papuan delegation already had expressed their wish that the Republic should give back their freedom and sovereignty which was proclaimed in 1961 by the Papuan people. Their integration with the republic after a "referendum" in 1969 was just a conspiracy between the republic, the Dutch government, the USA and the United Nations.

The recent action and attitude of the two most important people of the republic is a puzzle and cannot be understood. The president promised to attend the congress and they both know the aim of the Papuan people. From that moment, they should declare this congress illegal as expressed by the official of the Functional Group (Golkar) Effendy Yusuf and a prominent member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Prof Dimyati Hartono and former Commander of the XVII Cendrawasih area Maj. Gen. Samsudin.

I remember what the president said in an interview, broadcast nationwide by TVRI. He said: "If people expressed their will to be independent, let them do that, that is just talk. But if they organize themselves, make up a time schedule of action and arm themselves, then they must be arrested. The government is serious".

Effendy Yusuf is of the opinion that what the Papua congress aspired can already be classified as subversive action and the government should act. If the government does not take firm steps, it can be interpreted as silent approval, which might create serious consequences for other "hot" areas. A political observer from the USA also expressed that he is more concerned about Papua than Aceh.

Surprisingly Gen. Bernadus Mawen voiced his opinion, which sounds mature, that everything depends on the decision of the People's Consultative Assembly. He did not mention what the Papuan people will do if their demand is refused.

I hope that our top leaders will take measures to avoid further problems and remain firm.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta