Indonesia should not have made Benny Wenda and his campaign an issue by summoning the British ambassador to Indonesia, Mark Canning, to protest the opening of a Free Papua Movement (OPM) representative office in Oxford. The more Indonesia reacts to Benny’s activism, the more he gains from the publicity. That was exactly what he wanted to get: the world’s attention.
There was no need to mention his support for Scotland’s independence from Britain. But as a British citizen, he has the right to express that opinion. Britain can’t act against its citizens. He can do whatever he wants. Even if he wants to set up OPM representative offices in other countries, Britain can’t stop him. In that part of the world even nude protests and blasphemy are tolerated as part of the freedom of expression.
There should be no overreaction from the part of Indonesia — like asking rhetorically if Britain would protest if the Irish Republican Army were to open a representative office in Jakarta.
According to analyst Connie Rahakundini Bakrie, the Indonesian government should maintain a tough stance given that Benny’s campaign received the support of Oxford Mayor Mohammed Abbasi and member of parliament Andrew Smith. “If Britain accused the Irish Republican Army of having carried out terrorism against the state, we also accuse the Free Papua Movement of carrying out terrorism against the state,” she said.
But as a British citizen, Benny can’t represent the people of Papua. If he wants to stage a protest, he should have raised the Union Jack, not the Morning Star flag, or Bintang Kejora.
As London-based Indonesian TV correspondent Devi Triana reported from Oxford, hardly anyone paid attention to Benny and his campaign. Why all that fuzz, protesting to the British government? It would only embarrass the ambassador.
Summoning envoys is normally done in more serious cases, such as if two countries are looking to end their diplomatic relations or even go to war. But over Benny?
This was just an exaggeration. Indonesia has far more important domestic problems to take care of. The Foreign Affairs Ministry still has a lot to learn.
Still, Benny should have been arrested a long time ago. He is wanted in Indonesia on charges of the murder of two police officers and arson. He previously escaped from jail in Indonesia, fled to Papua New Guinea and ultimately was granted political asylum by Britain.
Indonesia was able to track down fugitive Muhammad Nazaruddin and bring him back from Colombia. Why can’t Indonesia bring Benny back? Because there has been insufficient political will.
What Indonesia should do is improve its human rights record and the people’s welfare in Papua. Although Indonesia has spent plenty of money on development in Papua, the money didn’t reach the people who needed it most.
Indonesia provided at least Rp 33 trillion ($3.4 billion) between 2001 and 2012, but not much has been achieved. A lot of the money has been misappropriated by Papuan officials, some of whom live in outrageous luxury.
Indonesia needs to focus on how the funds are spent. There should be more than enough. No other Indonesian province gets as much attention as Papua. But first Indonesia needs to weed out corruption and separatism.
Newly-elected Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe has said that the Papuan People’s Council (MPR) and the Papuan Regional Assembly (DPRD) have vowed to work together to distribute funds for projects to the districts instead of the governor. “This is a good new beginning,” he said.
Indonesia
and Britain now enjoy excellent relations in a wide range of areas,
from investment, education, creative industry, infrastructure and
transportation to energy.
Both countries want to cement a long-term
cooperative relationship. Both countries just can’t let people like
Benny Wenda get in the way of forging a better and hopefully sincere
relationship.
Yanto Soegiarto is the managing editor of Globe Asia, a sister publication of the Jakarta Globe.
Comments:
adWorld
Your column is confusing.
If, it is true according Devi Triana hardly anyone paid attention to Benny, so, why are Indonesian government making all that fuzz?
If, Britain granted Benny political asylum,it shows Britain is right, because Britain have a democratic governance . Indonesia keep up the appearances of implementing a democratic facade.
TRUTH, not AUTHORITY, makes THE LAW.
friend
You should inform your readers about the true history & how West Papua came under Indonesian rule. The Indonesian reaction does expose their guiltiness. The current human rights abuse is only a continuation of the human rights abuses since the original invasion.
PsyBorg
The Papuan Self-Determination movement is active in South America, Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Pacific.
The Papuan independence movement has millions of supporters all over the planet, including many people in Indonesia. The Free West Papua Campaign office which was opened recently in England is only the first of many such developments which aim at bringing the issue of the so called "Act of Free Choice" (actually the act of no choice) back to the United Nations where it will be finally recognised as a usurpation under International law.
The Papuan people will then exercise their right under international law to vote for their independence in a fair manner with one person one vote as opposed to the false "Act of Free Choice" where Indonesia forced merely a thousand Papuans at gun point to accept Indonesian colonialism.
As for the comparison of Indonesian colonialism and Papua with the British, the Irish Republican Army and Northern Ireland this maybe be closer than you think. There was a peace agreement and part of the agreement is for a referendum on independence whenever the republicans want it.
Duncan
Summary
1. RI officials look rabid, insecure and above all guilty
2. Indo exposed as a puppet democracy
3. OPM get lots off high profile attention and world sees what RI is doing
4. Ambassador uses the word 'pillocks' in his daily report
NFA ... what a juvenile administration -
Otis Kirakla Orlando
FREEDOM FOR WEST PAPUA WE FULLY SUPPORT ANY THING TOO. I was created by God, my life with you.
we think the future of mankind in which the right to expression and argues for splitting the rights and dignity of the human family utu
blightyboy
" In that part of the world even nude protests and blasphemy are tolerated as part of the freedom of expression."
'EVEN'? that is freedom of expression. Understanding is a long way off.
michel de wilde
fortunately for wenda, indonesian decision makers are emotional and reacted without thinking the consequences. hopefully it will increase more publicity.