Hieronder de mening van een dimplomaat in Londen, die er in elk geval wel over nagedacht heeft, maar de feiten naar zijn hand zet. En niet het minste van zijn "diplomatieke" vergelijkingen: hij vergelijkt de Morgenster met de Nazivlag. Hij toont zich een echte diplomaat van de kolonialistische schurkenstaat Indonesië( de webmaster)
The call by Eni F. H. Faleomavaega and Donald M. Payne in The Jakarta Post on Nov. 18 on Indonesia to “Step up and end systematic abuses in ‘West Papua’” is another example of one those apparently eloquent opinion pieces, full of emotion but short on facts, produced by supporters of secession of the Indonesian part of the island of Papua.
Let’s try to deal with Faleomavaega’s and Payne’s arguments, where emotion and misinformation, either due to ignorance or as a deliberate move, have replaced the facts.
There is no country, and there has never been a country, called West Papua; neither has there been a country with a similar name.
Historically, there was the Dutch — or western — part of the island of New Guinea, as it was called, of the former Netherlands East Indies (NEI), in the same way as there is now an Indonesian part of the island of Papua. The eastern half is now the independent state of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Inhabitants of both halves of the island are now being called Papuans, who are indeed related to the Melanesian peoples of the South Pacific. But, over the centuries and increasingly in recent times, other peoples from nearby East and Southeast Asia and Europeans have settled in both parts of the island of Papua.
Without any substantiation, Faleomavaega and Payne allege that on Oct. 19, “Indonesian security forces opened fire” on so-called “West Papuans”, killing “at least three”, who had gathered at the third Papuan People’s Congress. The facts regarding these tragic deaths are still under investigation. Such an isolated incident cannot be regarded as systematic abuse without substantial evidence.
In contrast, systematic attacks by the Free Papua Movement, which have killed many Papuan police officers, were never raised by Faleomavaega and Payne.
Indonesia’s media and public relations in regard to its domestic problems might not be as thorough as the US media management in detailing the cases of military abuse in Afghanistan and Iraq, but Indonesia is indeed moving forward to strengthen its democracy and protect its own people.
Other people were apparently detained after the Papuan Peo-ple’s Congress, including Forkorus Yaboisembut, the self-styled, newly elected “President” of the so-called “Republic Federal State of West Papua”.
People who are intent to start an insurgency and a secessionist movement can expect a firm response under the jurisdiction of any state; Filep Karma was imprisoned in 2004 for raising a flag that symbolizes insurgency and secession.
For instance, in the respective federal republics of Germany and Austria, displaying flags and symbols of the former “Third Reich” is illegal and is a punishable crime! In this particular case, the level of punishment may need further judicial review to create balanced justice and security.
Faleomavaega and Payne continue with the usual misrepresentation of the historical facts to suit the narrative of the supporters of the secessionist movement, the minority in the Indonesian part of the island of Papua, and their equally small but vociferous foreign supporters.
So-called “West Papua” was not “handed over to Indonesia” by what some are trying to ridicule as the 1969 “Act of No Choice”.
On the contrary, this was the end of a long, slow and painful — for all those concerned — process of decolonization in the former NEI, following the proclamation of Indonesian independence on Aug. 17, 1945, because of Dutch intransigence and obstructionism in recognizing that the Republik Indonesia was the legitimate sovereign successor of the territory, including the western part of the island of Papua, under the principle of uti posseditis juris, which was endorsed by the UN as the guiding legal principle for decolonization.
The Dutch authorities had to be brought kicking and screaming by the UN, the US and Australia between 1945 and 1949, and again during 1959-1962, before accepting the legally and historically inevitable.
And it is equally unhistorical by Faleomavaega and Payne to suggest that prior to the Dutch colonial conquest there were no historical and cultural ties between the peoples of Papua and those of Sumatra, Java and Bali; archaeological, historical and anthropological evidence, in fact, point to long-standing and lively contacts.
It was the Europeans, such as the Portuguese and the Dutch, who gave the name of New Guinea to the island of Papua because the skin color of its inhabitants reminded them of the peoples they had met on the Guinea littoral of West Africa.
Indeed, the peoples of a Pacific (Melanesian and Polynesian) ethnic and cultural background live in the “Great East” of Indonesia, as they have historically done so in the past; in the same way as people with cultural and ethnic links to Southeast Asia and beyond have historically lived in the western part of the Indonesian archipelago.
It is Western colonialism and imperialism that ultimately divided peoples of similar ethnic and cultural backgrounds, such as, for instance, the Malay of Sumatra and the Malaccan Peninsula, or the peoples of northern Kalimantan, all of which now make up the Malaysian federation, from the rest of Kalimantan, as much as the peoples of the island of Papua became divided.
The desire to undo the course of history unilaterally and through physical force will only create mayhem and havoc.
It is therefore disingenuous and duplicitous of Faleomavaega and Payne to allege that whatever grievances as exist in Papua are caused by “racism”, invoking as they do the words of Nelson Mandela to support their argument, when he fought tooth and nail against the division of South Africa along racial lines and for the establishment of the Republic of South Africa as a “Rainbow Nation”!
The Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia equally cherishes diversity and officially guarantees equal rights, culturally and otherwise, for its people of different cultural traditions.
Whatever grievances may exist in the present, or may have taken place in the past, about the “1969 Act”, or allegations of human rights abuses, environmental degradation and economic underdevelopment, they must be solved peacefully and constitutionally within that context.
The writer is an Indonesian diplomat based in London, UK. The views expressed are his own.
Comments (53)
Soetran | Thu, 24/11/2011 - 12:11pm
I think this guy doesn't know the fact about Papua. It is amazing that an Indonesian diplomat of this quality stationed in London. He has no data, no argument whatsoever ... except blaming other Faleomavaega and Payne for their 'ignorance.' I know these Congressmen has learn more before they open their mouth. It's a shame for Indonesia!
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Andrew | Thu, 24/11/2011 - 17:11pm
Manifesto First Papuan Peoples' Congress, October 19, 1961
We, the undersigned, residents of the western part of Papua, representing various groups, tribes and religious denominations, knowing that we are united as a people and a nation,
DO HEREBY DECLARE
To all our fellow countrymen that we,
I. in pursuance of Article 73a and b of the Charter of the United Nations;
II. on the strength of the declaration of principle regarding the independence of non-self- governing territories and peoples, as laid down in the resolution No. 1514 (XV) adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations at its Fifteenth Meeting from September 20 to December 20 1960;
III. by virtue of the inviolable right we, inhabitants of the western part of Papua, have to our native country;
IV. in accordance with the ardent desire and the yearning of our people for our own independence, through the National Committee and our parliament, the New Guinea Council, insist with the Government of Netherlands New Guinea and the Netherlands Government that as of November 1, 1961,
a) our flag be hoisted beside the Netherlands flag;
b) our national anthem ("Hai Tanahku Papua") be sung and played in addition to the Netherlands national anthem;
c) our country bear the name of Papua Barat (West Papua), and
d) our people be called: the Papuan people.
In view of the foregoing, we, Papuans, demand our own position, equal to that of the free nations and in the ranks of these nations, we, Papuans, wish to live in peace and to contribute to the maintenance of world peace.
Through this manifesto we summon all inhabitants who love this country and its people to rally round this manifesto and to uphold it, as it is the sole basis for the freedom of the Papuan people. Hollandia, October 19, 1961.
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Jeremy Balder | Thu, 24/11/2011 - 18:11pm
Maybe this Indonesian diplomat should get a better grasp of the FACTS before writing such an article.
The reality is that the people of West Papua have NO desire to be ruled by the Javanese. There will NEVER be peace in West Papua until the people are given their right to self-determination.
Here are the facts that Mr Sadadi should swallow:
- Indonesia colonised West Papua in the 1960s, ran a rigged referendum in which only 1025 people were allowed to vote, and have gone on to steal the mineral wealth of West Papua.
- Over 400,000 people have been killed in West Papua by Indonesian security forces.
It is a pity that Indonesia is staining its reputation with the ongoing human rights atrocities that are being committed in West Papua. Articles like this show how out of touch the Indonesian administration really are, and reassert the belief for many that the only way that peace will come to West Papua will be through foreign intervention and a re-run of the Act of Free Choice.
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Alhanro | Thu, 24/11/2011 - 18:11pm
What a load of balls! How can this writer make a comparison between that the West Papua flag is like the Nazi flag.
I am ashamed to be an Indonesian when we have such morons writing article like this that bring shame on our country.
If we want to show the world that we are a democracy, then let the Papuan people choose their own futures. Don't put them in prison for 15 years for raising a flag. Why are we so scared of that? Is it because we know that Papuans are not Indonesians?
Anyone that thinks Indonesia is a democracy is living in cloud cockoo land.
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Job | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 01:11am
Come on folks - what do you expect from a paid lackey of the government? Independent thought and analysis? This is simply trotting out the party line, defending Indonesia's colonial policy, all designed to exploit the 'province' of Papua free from scrutiny (no free press allowed remember?), in order to fill the pockets of the bunch of crooks who masquerade as our government.
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John | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 01:11am
Western people think they are much more smart than Indonesian. Flying swastika flag is also an offence in Australia. Here is the related information from APP News agency.
CANBERRA, Feb 21 AAP -
" Prime Minister John Howard did say there were occasions when displaying a swastika flag could result in prosecution.
"Under current commonwealth legislation there may be particular circumstances such as displaying the swastika at a polling place or flying the swastika with seditious intent which may already constitute an offence," he said in answer to a question on notice from
Kelly Hoare (ALP, NSW).
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Molly | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 02:11am
In response to the comment: "without any substantiation, Faleomavaega and Payne allege that on Oct. 19, “Indonesian security forces opened fire” on so-called “West Papuans”, killing “at least three”, who had gathered at the third Papuan People’s Congress."
What do you have to say about the videos coming out of West Papua on that very day?
http://westpapuamedia.info/2011/11/11/more-brutal-footage-emerges-from-congress-crackdown/
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Mario | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 02:11am
Regretfully, people can be a victim in the name of security even in the developed country like UK. Here is the news from the Guardian. "The Guardian obtained this footage of Ian Tomlinson at a G20 protest in London, shortly before he died. It shows Tomlinson, who was not part of the demonstration, being assaulted from behind and pushed to the ground by baton-wielding police Link to this video
Dramatic footage obtained by the Guardian shows that the man who died at last week's G20 protests in London was attacked from behind and thrown to the ground by a baton–wielding police officer in riot gear".
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Antonius | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 02:11am
Alhanro: Are you really Indonesian? Any Indonesian would know that Indonesia right now is different than Indonesia 13 years ago.
Back then, I cannot vote for anything else but Golkar. Now, there are so many choices that sometimes I scratch my head.
Papuans are Indonesians, so you should mention them as Indonesians, not Papuans. As an Indonesian, I love our brothers and sisters there and there is nothing more that I would like to see but peace and prosperity there.
You should be ashamed of saying that you are an Indonesian if in fact you are not! No Indonesians would want Papua out of Indonesia but WE Indonesians want to resolve issues there peacefully.
Or perhaps you are ashamed of admitting your nationality because your country made so much more human rights violations but because of its power then nobody can do anything about it?
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The Winnder | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 02:11am
There is an irony in attacking people's lack of understanding of history through appeals to shady interpretations of events. The pot is calling the kettle black, and this is nothing but the rhetoric of a political elite towing the company line.
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Job | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 03:11am
Antonius - never, ever assume that all Indonesians share your viewpoint. I, along with many Indonesians, do NOT believe that the indigenous people of Papua are Indonesian - they are no more Indonesian than the people of E Timor. Furthermore - how many people from Papua do you know who regard themselves as Indonesian?
If anyone posting here should be ashamed, it is those who blindly follow the propaganda pumped out daily by the Indonesian government (as well as their allies in American business), telling us that all is well in Papua,so that they can continue to pillage that land, exploit its resources and murder and torture with impunity those who object.
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Hans | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 05:11am
Oh, Mr Sadadi, Iki ora dadi lho, mas Sadadi !
You still live in the Cave of the Past. You thought Papuans are Orang-Utans or Sumtran Tigers, so you can just go and slaugther the Papuans as you wish. No Wonder, Malaysians could beat you on the latest Soccer Game at Sea Games.
You only exploit the Papuans,plunder the natural resources and being protected by USA as your master and betrayed your muslim brothers as Terrorist... Poor you "Kuli" of the Whites !
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Antonius | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 06:11am
Job: Do forgive me for assuming all Indonesians share my viewpoint. If Indonesians are like you that considers their brothers and sisters in Papua as not Indonesians, then by all means I do not consider you to be an Indonesian.
I do not claim to know all Indonesian-Papuans. The few that I know comes mostly from church, college friends and neighbors in Jakarta and they seem to consider themselves as Indonesians. Of course, they feel sad to see injustices and violence happening in their hometown, but never ever have they mentioned that they do not consider themselves to be Indonesian.
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filippo giancarlo | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 08:11am
The author of this article, Puguh sadadi, has written a nice but all-too-usual piece of propaganda that portrays the West Papuan people as savages who are said to perform "systematic attacks" against Indonesian se"curity forces whereas those same forces are absolutely innocent of any misdeed and just offer a "firm response" to "separatist calls.
Will it or notr, West Papua is not genuinely a part of Indonesia. A referendum should have been organized to decide whtehr West Ppaua should join Indonesia and instead a bogus vote has been hastily organized by the Indonesian military junta in 1969. That was not a referendum.
The author is not entitled to affirm that West papua is part of Indonesia.
The author also writes: "People who are intent to start an insurgency and a secessionist movement can expect a firm response under the jurisdiction of any state": there is a peaceful call for independence: the firm response consisting of torture, beatings and murder (at least 7 dead, not 3) only occurs in military dictatorships.
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Nelson | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 09:11am
I think all international communities, UN, should pay attention Papuan people by organizing referendum. So, people can have their own fredom of choices. Referendum was hold by Indonesian on 1969 were totally unfair and a lot of Indonesian military intimidation. People of Papuan will raise their voices freely while UN presence there in Papua.
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P. | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 11:11am
"Indeed, the peoples of a Pacific (Melanesian and Polynesian) ethnic and cultural background live in the “Great East” of Indonesia, as they have historically done so in the past; in the same way as people with cultural and ethnic links to Southeast Asia and beyond have historically lived in the western part of the Indonesian archipelago."
Oh brother. As if a black Papuan is to a Javanese what, say, a Thai-American is to a Thai or a British-Indian is to someone who was actually born in India? As if Indonesia, which in itself began as a colonial concept, is some kind of ancient fatherland to the Papuan people.
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John Hargreaves | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 12:11pm
It is inappropriate to compare the Nazi flag with the Papuan Morning Star flag. The Nazis were perpetrators of genocide, while the Papuans are victims of genocide. Over the last four thousand years ethnic Papuans have gradually been wiped out from Western Indonesia and confined to a “last refuge” in Papua. Even there their resources are now stolen, their culture despised and their voices strangled by Indonesian occupiers.
Regarding flags, a relevant analogy is with the Aboriginal flag which flies beside the Australian national flag atop many public buildings. The Indonesian government should follow that example.
The author’s criticism of Indonesia’s “media and public relations” is also incongruous. An especially egregious feature of Indonesian pr on Papua, as previously in East Timor, is the denial by diplomats of the gravity of abuse, thus demeaning the dignity of victims, prolonging impunity and giving cover for torture and murder.
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Job | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 12:11pm
Wow - nice definition of "Indonesian" Antonius - "someomne who agrees with me". I guess that makes the number of Indonesians in the world a lot fewer than previously thought. By your definition I am very happy not be an Indonesian - the Indonesia that I know is one where we have differences of opinion, and are not obliged to conform your fascist standards.
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Kobe Oser | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 15:11pm
Speaking of facts: To what extend does West Papua needs to be a part of the barbaric thief-RI state? It is only with US-backing, that RI with these lies & deceit, maintains its stance in the ever since 1961 declared West Papuan Nation-State.The West Papua's Melanesian territorial borders were declared with the 1947 Caberra Agreement: RI violated this and lives in denyal by considering West Papua as its territory The Morning Star flag has been presented to the international community in 1961 by the installed provisional governement of the new Republic of West Papua, the New Guinea Council.
Along with the National Anthem, and the PVK Papuan Volunteer Corps (Corps device "Persevero").
under the 1945-1962 Dutch colonial rule period these aspirations of a people on the way to self-determination have been given body. This Papua-development plan has begun and had been temporarily stopped with two international agreements: the 1947 Canberra Agreement and the 1962 New York Agreement. The development of an independent Republic of West Papua Melanesia has been a cliffhanger ever since.
See link: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB128/
See link: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/08/201182814172453998.html
How RI organises its nation is of NO CONCERN WHATHOWEVER to the people of West Papua Melanesia.Under international law and standard, and with a UN in function, with active participation of EU-channelled funds and ASEAN development funding, we believe that the world community can actively take a stand in the re-establishing of the West Papua Melanesia state. 40 more years of autonomy-promises under RI's barbaric military regime is NO OPTION.
The US should withdraw its carte blanche to Indonesia on the Papua- territory and step up to its responsibility (also for US-Freeport's sake), by taking back West Papua with help of the UN-C24, furthermore re-implement the 1962 New York Agreement on its merites and purpose (the Referendum-obligation).
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J | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 15:11pm
popular demand to kick out freeport from papua and indonesian growing power in the region today surely terrifies US. it is understandable that they now support the independence of West Papua. new independent state is weak and easire for US to control, i.e. exploiting Papua for decades more. there you go, this is our momentum. grab it.
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sheldon | Fri, 25/11/2011 - 18:11pm
"Indonesia’s media and public relations in regard to its domestic problems might not be as thorough as the US media management in detailing the cases of military abuse in Afghanistan and Iraq" Know any more jokes? Has the writer ever seen a photo of a dead woman or child in the controlled US media, out of the thousands killed by US forces?
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Andrew | Sat, 26/11/2011 - 04:11am
Legal fact is that Papua is a Dutch colony for the same reason East Timor was a Portuguese colony, they remain a "colony" until they exercise self-determination as defined in UN General Assembly resolution 1514 and 1541.
Historical fact is that Suharto wanted glory for adding another island to those being exploited by Indonesia; and too many Indonesian citizens remained silent while Indonesia became a colonial power in the Pacific.
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Harry Potter | Sat, 26/11/2011 - 08:11am
This "opinion" is nothing but RI propaganda.
It's written by someone on the RI payroll.
This is complete horseshit.
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Dancy Andrews | Sat, 26/11/2011 - 10:11am
I am afraid that even those who are not on the RI payroll hold similar a similar position. Nothing surprising, really, given the level of indoctrination and the use of history for the formation of an uniform national identity prevalent more or less since the birth of the country. Believe it or not, they actually sincerely believe what they say...
So long as the Indonesian state refuses to admit publicly to its own people that its annexation of Papua was done through a rigged referendum and the force of arms, the problem will persist. So long as Indonesians continue to hold on to this "harga mati" of Indonesian territorial integrity, the problem will persist. I'm not holding my breath because the Indonesian consensus around Papua was created largely through indoctrination under the auspices of two dictatorships. It will take generations to undo the damage.
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michael cleary | Sat, 26/11/2011 - 12:11pm
When you listen to the rumblings and the" just cause" attitude of the diplomat who wrote this piece on Papua, you could easily feel there will be another East Timor. The Indonesian armed forces will likely behave in the same way as they did back then, at least that's what the evidence is suggesting
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Mauricio | Sat, 26/11/2011 - 15:11pm
Amen. Indonesia has not learnt from its sorry playbook in Aceh and in Timor. It's akin to Greek tragedy in which the chorus foretells the fate of the hero who, despite the warnings, cannot avert the fate foretold.
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NKRI Harga Mati | Sun, 27/11/2011 - 10:11am
Wow, so much hatred expressed towards Indonesians here, what have Indonesians done to you to provoke so much hatred .. What's wrong with it if Indonesian inherit the land was previously occupied by Dutch ? Everyone in Indonesia knows that the country was born out of struggle, if they don't get united and fought for independence, there will be none called Indonesians. Get the facts straight.
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John Ralph | Sun, 27/11/2011 - 11:11am
Indonesia invaded West Papua and as such are a colonial power. The politicians and bureaucrats have made fortunes from Freeport and are still raping and pillaging West Papua. It might be against Islam but since when has that ever stoped Indonesian politicials and bureaucrats making money. Indonesia should get out of West Papua even if Freeport is Indonesias number 1 tax payer.
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Donny | Sun, 27/11/2011 - 18:11pm
The West Papua seperatist supporters fail to see the reality of demographics. A large percentage of Papua's population are the offspring of transmigrants nowadays. No matter what you think of them, many have made a living in Papua, many were born there, all of them have a right to stay there. Any scenario's of Papuan independence will have to deal with a huge number of non-papuans living in that country. So what to do then? Mass deportation? A Malaysian style bumiputera system for ethnic papuans? Racial conflict on the scale we've seen in Ambon? Even if the Indonesian government would leave today, ethnic Papuans would still have a huge social and economic disadvantage compared to their transmigrant countrymen. Even after ten years of Papuan independence, people would still be complaining about 'Javanese domination'. Mark my words. The time that an independent West Papua was feasible is over. So keep on dreaming and keep writing your commentaries from the safety of your home. The REAL Papuan heroes are the Papuans that try to achieve succes and fortune within the framework of the Republic of Indonesia. Such as the talented Papuan footballers that got Indonesia to the SEA games final.
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filippo giancarlo | Sun, 27/11/2011 - 21:11pm
To Donny:
The demand of West Papuans for a referendum is legitimate. Perhaps the referendum could be enlarged to the non-ethnic Papuans who were born in West Papua. This has to be discussed between their representatives and the West Papuan representatives. If West Papua chooses independence, those transmigrants who really love West Papua will stay. The others can go back to their kampungs in Indonesia if they want.
When you write that a time for referendum in West Papua is over, you seem to ignore the example of New Caledonia. The French have colonized this territory since 1853 and they are now ready to let the people in New Caledonia choose their own destiny. About 40% of the population there is ethnic Melanesians. The rest is made of the offspring of French colons and of transmigrants from the Pacific islands, Japan and Java.
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Besi Bersih Bendera Perkasa | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 02:11am
John Ralp, your comments are the same old songs which your point of view repeat over and over without merit.
I don't care which country you came from, and you trying to say in the past against Islam for Indonesia to control a rich natural resources of Papua, what kind of history books do you read, or you just envied or igonarence of the fact surrounding you. Do you think againt Christian for Ueropean annexted many country around the world, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii Islands, and many more around the world.
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Kobe Oser | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 05:11am
Dear all, the standard argument of Indonesians hating their Dutch colonisers is OUTDATED, as RI's Generals regime and its STATE TERROR reveals to be THE COLONIZER of the past 50 years. How RI deals with its past or organises its nation is of NO CONCERN WHATHOWEVER to the people of West Papua Melanesia. The deal as from 1962 in West Papua Melanesia untill this very day is pure STATE-TERROR by RI, how can any one deny this and being ignorant to the numerous killings, rapings better to describe as GENOCIDE which has overcome Papuans ever since 1962?
The West Papua's Melanesian territorial borders were declared with the 1947 Canberra Agreement: RI violated this and lives in denyal by considering West Papua as its territory The Morning Star flag has been presented to the international community in 1961 by the installed provisional governement of the new Republic of West Papua, the New Guinea Council. Along with the National Anthem and the PVK Papuan Volunteer Corps (Corps device "Persevero"),all this was created based on Rule of Law & mutual respect between the Dutch and Papuans. See some moving pictures of the peacefull co-existence of Papuans and their Dutch teachers in below link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LdzFFeb5rs
40 more years of autonomy-promises under RI's barbaric military regime is NO OPTION. Deploying US- troops to Darwin is a welcoming first step, the US should now move ahead & withdraw its carte blanche to RI on the Papua- territory and step up to its responsibility (also for US-Freeport's sake with a daily 6 MLN USD-loss ever since its closing last september). The US has to take-back West Papua through the UN-C24. The US should urge the Dutch as co-signers of the 1962 New York Agreement to get an ICJ verdict over RI's administration over Papua,and RI's breach of contract of the international 1962 New York Agreement. Negotiations on neutral soil in Swiss Geneva have to start immediately.
When time comes for the ILLEGAL RI (at the time declared by Sukarno) to say goodbye to West Papua, Indonesians can truly live up to their own Pancasila and give the Republik Indonesia Serikat (RIS) a fair chance (Papuan advice free of charge).
RI should travel light by cutting loose West Papua Melanesia,inorder to be taken seriously as a nation throughout the world. West Papua can easily finance a better democracy of the non-corrupt kind from whoever offers. As development-knowledge can be bought, Future Indonesian advice from a paternalistic angle needs to stop: Let's roll out this tender for the free world to subscribe on.
Setia Djudjur Mesra, Persevero!
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Carsten Jorgensen, Ubud coffee and silver | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 06:11am
Indonesia goverment is corrupt and you is the pen look here and there will come more that can confirm that you is full of lie many from papua have phone with video look here http://theync.com/search.php?search=papua&go;.x=13&go;.y=9
militar is so nice to the people in papua
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Brad | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 06:11am
After having read the above article and the replies, I studied the data from a number of reputable sites without bias, and from sites with specific agendas from both extreme opinions.
It is patently obvious that this diplomat is either self-deluded or has his own personal agenda.
Since WWII the modern ideal of freedom and liberty from colonialism has been the main theme throughout the world. Many polyglot nations have been broken down into their ethnic, religious or racial groups. This trend must extend to the Papuan people of West Irian. The Papuans are anthropologically a different race. In fact Papuans are treated like the 'niggers' of Indonesia.
Republik Indonesia is NOT the legitimate sovereign successor of the territory. This is still the colonial mindset.
To use ‘uti posseditis juris’ shows that the author has not done his homework as this principle has a specific purpose in nation building and is not applicable with the case of Indonesia and the Papuan people.
Furthermore, to compare the use of a flag by a freedom seeking group to the symbol of a maniacal murderous regime like the Nazis is ludicrous and an insult even to the mentality of a half-wit.
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Mauricio | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 07:11am
You kill an Ahmadi, as in the case of Cikeusik, and you get a couple of months in jail. You kill a judge, as in the case of Tommy, you get a couple of years in jail. You unfurl your flag, as in the case of Papua nationalists, and you get a couple of decades in jail. No wonder Papuans are fed up with your so-called "justice".
Let's assume, for argument's sake, that the way forward is to develop Papua through infrastructure, health services and education. Based on the Indonesia state's track record in other provinces, what are the real chances for success of this in Papua? Good luck!
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Donny | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 08:11am
@Filippo
Your first paragraph is an example of the naivety surrounding the controversial but real issue of demographics in Indonesian Papua. You say that 'perhaps' the referendum could be enlarged to include non-papuans. I say that every civilized institution in the world would DEMAND an inclusion of non-papuan residents of Papua and Papua Barat. Some are implying that only ethnic papuans should have the right to vote in a referendum. But excluding people from a democratic vote because of their race is racialist, illegal in most countries, and has no place in the modern world. Besides, Indonesian ID's do not require ethnicity to be on it. Even if you would organise a ethnic papuan only vote, how in earth would you organise such a monstrosity? Will there be racial councils deciding who is papuan and who isn't? The sheer idea is ridiculous. Not to mention time consuming and costly.
Think of non papuan transmigrants what you want, but they're in Papua now, and they're there to stay. You also say that transmigrants can simply go back to their kampungs. We're not talking about a busload of people who could simply pack their bagpack and go 'home'. You're talking about hundreds of thousands of families who would have to give up their entire livelyhood and possessions to go to a place where they don't even HAVE a home. Even if one would support this hideous idea, there's still the financial and social catastrophe that would go along with it.
New Caledonia has been ruled by anti independence political parties for the last few decades, so I don't see why you would want to bring that one up. The fact is that from a practical point of view, achieving West Papuan independence will in any scenario be bloody, unfair, and unrealistic. So keep on dreaming, keep on writing commentaries on websites, and keep on saying things that don't make sense. West Papua will always be Indonesian.
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filippo giancarlo | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 10:11am
To Donny:
You are totally misunderstanding the situation and instead stick on your idea that West Papua is already Indonesian (ID cards) whereas this is exactly what is questioned here. The problem of transmigrants should be discussed in that way:
- how many are they exactly?
- were they born in West Papua?
- if not, do their moral and material interests lie in West Papua?
We have seen with East Timor that most of the tens of thousands of transmigrants there (they were allowed to vote) chose to go back to Indonesia after the vote. That means that few of them really wanted to stay in the occupied colony after a referendum opened its path to independence.
Last, New Caledonia is still ruled by the French, not by "independentist" parties. The popular referendum will be open to only those who have made their life in New Caledonia, which means that new immigrants will not take part to it.
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KampungHighlander | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 11:11am
"There is no country, and there has never been a country, called West Papua; neither has there been a country with a similar name."
I hear similar arguments made all the time by Pro Israel propagandists about Palestine. Their argument does not hold water and neither does yours. There was no country called Timor Leste, until a few years ago and just like Timor Leste the more the Indonesian government tries to oppress the people of Papua the louder will grow the calls for Independence as the only way to guarantee their civil rights.
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filippo giancarlo | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 11:11am
The author, Puguh Sadadi (an Indonesian official) speaks about West Papua so it is legitimate to question his version of the facts.
To justify the ban of the West Papuan flag by the Indonesian authorities, the author mentions the official ban of the Third Reich flag in some European countries today. The Third Reich (or Nazi) flag flew over the Sudetenland after the invasion of this province by Hitler, and over Varsaw, Oradour, Treblinka or Auschwitz, to cite a few places where the Nazis committed unqualifiable crimes. That flag symbolizes the barbarity of a regime that wrecked havoc throughout Europe in 1939-1945 and carried out the genocide of millions of Jews. On the contrary, the West Papuan flag represents the hope of a people who aspires to be united and freed from the oppression of the military who occupy their land. As John Hargreaves writes, the comparison made by Puguh between the Third Reich and the West Papuan flags is inappropriate.
However, a parallel should be drawn here between the Nazi flag and the Indonesian flag. The Indonesian flag flies over a militarily occupied West Papua since 1962 and it similarly used to fly over East Timor from 1975 after the invasion of that tiny territory by Soeharto, until 1999. It also flew over the concentration camp of Buru Island and over torture centers in Aceh; it still flies over infamous jails in Java where political prisoners endure harsh sentences, and so on. Both the Nazi swastika banner and the Indonesian red-and-white flag are the symbols of staunchly nationalistic and militaristic powers that have little regard to human rights. The Nazis considered Jews as subhumans: many Indonesian officials similarly consider Papuans as “not totally human” as I have heard it a number of times from the mouth of TNI officers and even from a university professor. The Indonesian regime still outlaws communists, after having sent them to concentration camps in the sixties and seventies, just as the Nazis did thirty years before. The Indonesian security forces use torture and murder as means to achieve political objectives, just as the Nazis were.
A fact is that several genocides have been perpetrated by the Indonesian regime, including the slaughter of a million or more communist sympathizers in 1965-1966; the continued ferocious repression of the East Timorese population from 1975 to 1999, resulting in the death of between 180,000 and 300,000 people (out of a population of 600,000); the systematic military harassment of the West Papuan population which since 1962 has led to the death of at least one tenth of its population – possibly a serious underestimate of the actual toll.
Altogether, this makes Indonesia a champion of genocide since the end of the Nazi period. This is a relevant fact when addressing the long-standing problem of West Papua. If Puguh Sadadi actually expresses the official view of the Indonesian government, then the so-called “dialogue” allegedly engaged by the latter towards West Papuans certainly is a joke.
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Mauricio | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 14:11pm
Are you suggesting, Filippo, that it is not the Papuan flag, but rather another country's flag that would more appropriately stand a comparison to the Nazi genocidal regime?
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filippo giancarlo | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 16:11pm
To Mauricio:
Responding to Puguh Sadadi's affirmation that the ban of the West Papuan flag by the Indonesian authorities is as much legitimate as the ban of the Nazi flag by some European countries, I do not suggest, but I argue that the Indonesian red-and-white flag has much in common with the Nazi swastika banner, whereas the West Papuan flag, which symbolizes the emergence of a free nation, has no relationship to either.
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Donny | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 19:11pm
@ Filippo
I am fully understanding the situation. One can argue about Papua being Indonesian or not, but fact is that all residents of Indonesian Papua carry an Indonesian ID. Organising a referendum would have to use this existing infrastructure to register voters. Are you suggesting that there could be any other way in deciding who's eligible to vote? Do you really want to do a completely new census among millions of people in the world's most rugged natural terrain? And how in earth would it be transparant? One could easily plant complete strangers who could lie about their place of birth. No matter how abject you find an Indonesian ID, an Indonesian birth certificate, and an Indonesian ID are the things that you'll need in any referendum. Your entire response is proof of the lack of realism among Papuan independence supporters.
You call on the example of East Timor, but the East Timorese were never on the point of being outnumbered in their own country as the Papuans are. And we've seen the pro-Indonesian Timorese languishing in refugee camps in West Timor, and the loss of knowledge and financial capital that happened when the Indonesians left.
But mentioning East Timor is a mute point because this is about Indonesian Papua. An area with completely different factors to consider compared to East Timor, and God forbid New Caledonia which is probably the most illogical place to compare Papua with. New Caledonia is a prime example of a nation that has been taken over by francophone political parties, and where the native Kanak will lose the referendum on independence. And by mentioning that New Caledonia is 'ruled by France', you're showing a deep lack of knowledge of the inner workings of the French Republic.
I'm not one for analogies, but I do see another one. There's a rather large island to the south of Indonesia where the country has been completely taken over by immigrants. Immigrants who love the country, and have developed a deep bond with the land. It's an island where you could't imagine it without its immigrants and their offspring. That island is called Australia.
We're at the point of no return for Papua. In the nearby future, Papuans won't constitute an absolute majority in their land anymore. No, it's not pretty, and it's not fair, but it IS the reality on the ground. What Papuans should do is to take advantage of what Indonesia can offer them. Or, they can keep on dreaming and continue to chase fantasies that are don't longer feasible in real life. In the latter choice, at best they can become an interesting tourist attraction. In the former choice, they can excel and become succesful and happy like Bas Suebu, Titus Bonai, and other Papuans who'd happily represent Indonesia.
Your dreams are beautiful Filippo, but I do urge you to wake up.
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filippo giancarlo | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 20:11pm
Dear Donny, there are three points in your logic that are faulty.
(1) “... the East Timorese were never on the point of being outnumbered in their own country as the Papuans are. “ – Do you really know the statistics? Many transmigrants who claim themselves as Papuans would go back straight to their villages of origin in Indonesia if they were to live in an independent West Papua.
(2) “Do you really want to do a completely new census among millions of people in the world's most rugged natural terrain?” – Yes, of course, a thorough census of the population is a necessary step before organizing a fair referendum. I know Indonesian officials are not friends with statistics, so a UN-supervised census and referendum will be necessary.
(3) “What Papuans should do is to take advantage of what Indonesia can offer them.” – Perhaps you need to recall what Indonesia has offered to West Ppauans for the last 49 years: systematic harassment, rape, torture, mass-murder, neglect, diseases, poverty, loss of land, environmental degradation. Are you suggesting this is the best that West Papuans should hope to get?
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Mauricio | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 20:11pm
"What Papuans should do is to take advantage of what Indonesia can offer them"
I'm confused. Is that supposed to allay our unease or to stoke it?
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Donny | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 21:11pm
@Filippo
1: The relocation of transmigrants from East Timor has lead to social unrest in West Timor, and abject poverty for the transmigrants in question. Hundreds of thousands of people have languished in West Timorese refugee camps. The notion that Indonesian transmigrants 'could simply go back to their village' is detached from reality. FYI, Jardine and Pinto have estimated the number of Indonesians in East Timor at less than a quarter of East Timors total population at the height of the Indonesian occupation. In the case of Indonesian Papua which has almost three times the size demographically speaking, all these problems would lead to a human tragedy that no-one in the world would be willing to accept. That, AND the fact that demographics in Indonesian Papua are showing a growing decrease in the percentage of ethnic Papuans, proves that the reality is not as simple as you make it out to be. There will be no referendum in our living memory. And if there will be one, the seperatists will lose it because they'll be outnumbered in massive numbers.
2: Let's just skip the part of the practicality of actually organising a new census among millions of people in the world's most rugged terrain. When it comes to proving that you were born in Papua, where would the UN people look at? The answer is: an Indonesian birth certificate. And in deciding who would be eligible to vote, they would look at the place of residence. And where would they get that information? The answer is: an Indonesian KTP card. You're asking for things that can't be done.
3: The Papuans aren't the only ones who have suffered. I myself was robbed by a thug police officer last month, when I drove home from a quality night's out with my ladyfriends at Dragonfly, Jakarta. Other Indonesians have been murdered, raped, and robbed as well. The question is what you do now. You could further engage in illegal activities and pay the price. Or you could obey the law, and work hard to get a better life. The Acehnese are doing it right now, they're thriving after a horrendous period in their history. Papuans could do the same, and a lot of Papuans are. The latest SEA games are an example of that. Onfortunately, some Papuans continue to run around in the jungle, raise illegal flags, and screaming out racialist theories about how modern nations should be determined by genetics instead of shared history and common language. In other words, they continue to lose again and again.
My logic is sound. Your logic is based on a very bad dream. I'll say it again: Wake up. Wake up and smell the coffee. The coffee brewed in an Indonesian Papua, that will remain Indonesian till the end of time.
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filippo giancarlo | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 21:11pm
Sorry Donny, I do not buy into your biased arguments. I am not sure whether you are an Indonesian (you write English too well for an Indonesian) or Australian or else, but one sure thing is that you are not West papuan, and as such you are not entitled to decide what is the best for West Papua.
Only a fair referendum will tell what West Papuans believe what the best for them is.
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Mauricio | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 21:11pm
The Acehnese are "thriving"? That's a good one...
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Donny | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 21:11pm
@ Filippo
'You write English too well for an Indonesian'. Considering the fact that you're reading an English language newspaper that is made and printed in Indonesia, that remark of yours is rich indeed. Just like your arguments that will never make sense. It was nice telling you the truth though, have a nice day.
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Xiang | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 21:11pm
The writer name is Puguh Sadadi. He is a diplomat in London.
Well....
We all know what Indon government official is...
They are corruptors. They rob people's money for their own benefit. They are criminals
And, Indon military are animals. They are racist and barbarian. They are Indon Nazi.
So, it is about credibility.
How can we trust the words of a kind of people who are criminals and Nazi like Indons?
Are we stupid or what?
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Mauricio | Mon, 28/11/2011 - 22:11pm
Indonesians never thought that the Timorese would vote to go their own separate way. The 79% vote for separation came as a total surprise. To this day, many don't believe it, remain in denial and chalk it up to fraud. The 79% was the more remarkable for the fact that it came in the face of widespread intimidation and the not-so-veiled veiled threats.
The displacement of tens of thousands was the result of Indonesia's own mistakes. First, to transmigrate people and allow migration in. Second, to the brutality of its rule. The displacement of people in a hypothetical referendum in Timor would likewise be the making and responsibility of Indonesia. After all, this is a situation wholly of Indonesia's making.
More than determining voting eligibility, the main obstacle in Papua, as in Timor, would be for TNI to really sit it out in the barracks, and not instigate militias and surreptitious repression and intimidation. After all, TNI acts largely outside the control of the civilian government. The fact that no legal, peaceful and orderly way to provide for a refendum is implicit a damning indictment of Indonesian rule in Papua.
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Kobe Oser | Tue, 29/11/2011 - 00:11am
Please do note the first fact: The original 1945 Proklamasi Sukarno-Hatta was from “A till A” (Atjeh till Ambon) and DID NOT INCLUDE West Papua. Because on that same day in 1945, according to the 1944 Atlantic Charter, West Papua tribal leaders led by Marcus Wonggor Kaisiëpo, issued a statement in Kota Nica to RADEN Colonel AbdulKadir Widojojoatmodjo of the NICA (Netherlands-Indies Civil Administration) which was governing West Papua at the time. The message was simple: “West Papua Melanesia would determine its own future and therefore will never be a part of any new Indonesian state”.
As from that moment any historical claim of Indonesia on West Papua is not funded as this 1945 Kota Nica statement widely expressed the Will of the West Papua people. On this basis the 1947 Canberra Agreement between Pacific States and western states (U.S., Netherlands, France, Ireland Australia, N-Zealand) was signed, recognizing West Papua as a Nation and recognizing it’s Melanesian territorial borders and establishing the South Pacific Commission. As from that moment West Papua leaders attended the plenary sessions of the SPC. So Indonesia is living in denyal by considering West Papua as an internal question and within it’s own territorial integrity, as from 1963 Indonesia is ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING the since 1945 undisputed territorial Melanesian borders of West Papua Melanesia.RI therefore has no reason to consider West Papua as a part of the Indonesian state.
Furthermore Indonesia is seriously violating International practice and law by disregarding the 1962 New York Agreement on the article of the Referendum obligation. Because of its bad development job the past 40 years,RI has lost all legitimacy in claiming West Papua, the TNI/ BRIMOB/KOPASSUS atrocities aside. The THIEF-RI STATE must obey international agreements on West Papua.
Do keep in mind that the failed democratic state of Indonesia with its barbaric Militaryis allowed untill this very day by the US, to keep West Papua Melanesia under its influence by using brutal military forces with impunity for those responsible.
As back in 1962 the US with help of the Dutch handed over West Papua to RI,the US NOW should urge the UN C-24 to set a solution- agenda on the neutral soil of Swiss Geneva, as the 1962 New York Agreement turns out to be the Indonesian DEALBREAKER.
Neithless to say that how RI is managing its Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is OF NO CONCERN WHATSHOWEVER to the people of West Papua Melanesia.
Setia Djudjur Mesra, Persevero!
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lali | Tue, 29/11/2011 - 06:11am
I was raised up with other Indonesians, and they were from different religions and ethnic groups, including people from eastern side of Indonesia who are darker and with curlier hair. And to tell you the truth, I am confortable with that, I feel of them as my brothers and sisters Indonesian, too. So, please please don't say that Papuans are not Indonesians, etc. It hurts our feeling, the Indonesians. You westerners might have problems with racial problem within your own country, but your problem is different than ours, don't mix it up!
I hope that Indonesian government will treat our Papuan brothers and sisters better than before, and develop Papua better for Papua..after giving much benefits to Indonesia (especially for some corrupted people) and to US (who seems to want having direct access to Papua in gaining Papua's wealth now. Papua, be careful!).
My pray for the better of Papua's condition!
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Mauricio | Tue, 29/11/2011 - 08:11am
That you consider them Indonesian is, at best, secondary and at worst, irrelevant for the issue of whether they themselves feel they are Indonesians and want to be Indonesian.
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