Reduce military presence in Papua: Observer

Reduce military presence in Papua: Observer

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri needs to reduce the presence
of the military in Papua because it causes local people live in
fear rather than bringing them peace, according to an Australian
expert on Indonesia.

Chris Ballard of the Australian National University in
Canberra said the military operations would only continue to
worsen local anti-government sentiment and would be detrimental
to the implementation of autonomy in Papua.

"Apart from its function to safeguard the nation's integrity,
excessive military operations in a remote area like Irian Jaya
cause trauma for local residents," Ballard said in an interview
with Antara in Canberra.

Indonesian military operations in certain areas in Irian Jaya
explain why the socio-political problems remain in Papua, Ballard
pointed out.

Combat troops roaming the eastern-most province, have been
scaring people, he said. "Such a condition is not conducive for
implementation of the special autonomy," he said, "which is said
to be a gift from President Megawati."

The central government has repeatedly said that the autonomy,
which the House of Representatives passed on Oct. 22, will be
effective as of Jan. 1, 2002, despite rejection from pro-
independence groups.

"The opposition comes from a small bunch of people," Minister
of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said last week. "The scheme will go
on."

Ballard warned that all development programs associated with
the new autonomy would not be effective, and might even aggravate
people's antipathy, if the military's oppression is not ended
first.

Continuing military operations in Papua only add to the
widespread, pessimistic belief that the autonomy status is
something that the Central Government wants to impose to its own
ends, against the good of the Papuan people.

In fact, he added, the military, was part of the government
structure which is equipped to function most effectively in
remote areas like Papua.

"In many cases, the military becomes the only party which
becomes the field operator of government policies in Papua," he
said, adding that it is also Megawati's main source of
information about what happens in the territory.

It is the military which has initiated all the dialogue
between Jakarta and Papua, so the central government sees Papua
from the military's perspective on security.