Papuan independence activist Benny Wenda has been granted asylum by the United Kingdom and now seeks to promote his cause in forums around the world. (AFP Photo/Leon Neal)
Military chief of staff Agus Suhartono has sought to downplay Papuan separatist Benny Wenda’s activities overseas, saying he is not worried because the firebrand activist is getting little support from Papuans at home.
The Papuan independence leader recently roused the ire of Indonesian politicians following a talk he gave at a TEDx conference in Sydney in which he advocated freeing Papua’s people from Indonesian control. TEDx conferences are independently organized, volunteer-driven local events designed to stimulate dialogue. Its forums are devoted to the mission of “spreading ideas,” according to the website of TED, which licenses its brand.
Speaking at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday, Agus urged domestic media to not “blow up” news about Wenda’s activities. He said the military receives frequent intelligence reports about separatist movements and shares them with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has to handle this really well,” he added.
Agus said Wenda’s accusations of human rights violations in Papua were misleading. Agus said he would prepare accurate data to counter the accusations.
Wenda has accused the Indonesian government of human rights violations against the people of Papua.
“The facts are not like that,” Agus said. “[Wenda and others] presented the wrong data. We will prepare the real data to help the Foreign Ministry. Let the Foreign Ministry explain everything.”
Not worried, but still watching
Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Nadjib Riphat Kesoema said the embassy in Canberra monitored the activities of Wenda and his lawyer Jennifer Robinson when they appeared at the May 4 TEDx forum in Sydney.
“I don’t think we should worry about it. They didn’t get wide public attention,” Nadjib was quoted as saying by detik.com on Monday.
Nadjib said that the Australian government has firmly stated its support for Papua as part of Indonesian territory.
Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro also played down Wenda’s efforts to attract foreign support on Tuesday.
“They have asked neighboring countries to take a stance against Indonesia, but they haven’t been effective,” Purnomo said.
Purnomo said Indonesian embassies around the world continue to monitor Wenda’s movements.
He added that recent events may serve as a wake-up call for the government, which he said should start intensifying diplomacy overseas.
“We have also tried to keep this issue from creating a stir on the international scene to prevent it from becoming a triggering factor for international intervention,” Purnomo said.
Strategic surprise
Jonah Weyah, a spokesman for the Free Papua Organization (OPM) Military Council of National Defense, said he was unaware of Wenda’s activities overseas.
Jonah added that OPM was likewise unaware of Wenda’s recent Sydney appearance that upset Jakarta officials.
“That’s Benny Wenda’s diplomatic affairs. We, from the Military Council, are more focused on the domestic West Papua [freedom] movement,” he said on Monday.
Jonah believes Wenda’s appeals in Sydney are a strategic step toward the movement’s long-term goal of gaining broad support.
“It was planned. There’s no way he would have attended it without planning it. But to be honest, we don’t know what his next move will be,” Jonah said.
West Papua National Parliament chairman Buchtar Tabuni said that their struggle will continue both overseas and at home.
“Yes, that’s right. The struggle overseas continues to go on and our activities in Papua will also continue,” he said.
Buchtar declined to elaborate on details of OPM’s overseas plans.
Measuring their response
Marzuki Alie, speaker of the House of Representatives, urged the Foreign Ministry on Monday to take a stronger stand against domestic separatist groups operating overseas, arguing that the country’s reputation and sovereignty are at stake.
Marzuki said the ministry should lodge a formal protest with the government of Australia. “The Foreign Ministry, as the spearhead of diplomacy overseas, has to improve its performance,” Marzuki said.
Tjahjo Kumolo, a member of House Commission I, which oversees foreign and defense affairs, agreed that the government should raise the issue with the Australian government.
“I think the Foreign Ministry needs to lodge a protest with Australia if Australia acted to protect Wenda and the speech,” he said on Monday.
Allowing Benny into Australia was inconsistent with Canberra’s stated aim of nurturing close ties with Jakarta, Tjahjo said. He warned that bilateral relations could be undermined by the incident.
“Australia and Indonesia have stated their commitment to forge stronger ties,” the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislator said.
According to his website, Wenda, who lives in Oxford, England, was granted political asylum by the British government following his escape from custody while on trial for murder and arson in Abepura, West Papua.
In August 2012, Wenda celebrated the removal of an Interpol red notice issued in 2011 at the Indonesian government’s request, seeking his arrest and extradition.
Wenda’s organization operates from offices in Oxford and in Germany, and lobbies internationally for Papuan independence.
Despite Indonesia’s insistence that the move was purely a legal matter, legal campaigners labeled the move as political. “They must think that this is the only way to stop me, because I am telling the truth,” Wenda said at the time.
The recent opening of the Oxford office was a source of diplomatic friction.