I refer to an article titled “What hope is there left for the betterment of Papua?” (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 28, p. 6) by Vidhyandika D Perkasa of Jakarta.
There is an ignorant attitude from the central government. Papuans are not the governor, vice governor, and other provincial authorities. Toward the end of 2010, President SBY and a number of ministers visited Papua but their visit was worth nothing for Papuans.
They did not manage to have a meeting with the MRP, religious leaders, Papua Customary Council (DAP), and NGOs in Papua. They also did not meet the DPRP. SBY did not raise the hot issues of human rights abuses and the failure of special autonomy at all with the governor.
It is no wonder that Papuans considered the visit an “expensive picnic”. They came to see Jayapura and returned to Jakarta with the rest of their pocket money. Papuans did not understand why such a big group had no intention at all of talking with Papuans.
But, at last they understand through President SBY’s own statement a week ago which implicitly means that each problem in Papua is “minor”. Demand for dialogue with the central government is “minor”.
Handing back Special Autonomy Law symbolically to the central government via the Papua Local Legislative Council (DPRP) last year was also considered “minor”.
International outcry for the release of Filep Karma is also “minor”. Church leaders’ demand to talk with SBY may be considered “minor” as well. Complaints and demos by the Marind ethnics in Merauke due to a giant national food supply project is also “minor”. Cutting down all the “sago palms” planted by God for the Marind people in Merauke and replacing them with soybean, corn, etc was also “minor”.
Scientific research on how to develop Papua by Muridan and friends from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) was also “minor”.
In short, everything is minor in the eyes of President SBY, his ministers and military. Thus, if the central government authorities will never change the way they see each problem in Papua they will never embrace Papuans by working hand in hand to develop a better future for Papua.
Izak Morin
Jayapura, Papua