December, 22 2005 @ 09:41 am
When I was sipping warm coffee while discussing the Yahukimo famine with friends in Yogyakarta, suddenly my mobile phone was flashing with an SMS from a colleague in Port Numbay (or what Indonesia calls Jayapura), capital of West Papua. The message says: “The Papua Governor has died of a heart attack”. We were of course surprised, but skeptical since news such as this was quite often circulated during the gubernatorial campaign, either by Salossa’s opponents as well as by parties trying to spark conflict between those in favor of the special autonomy package and those who were against it.
Our other theory was that the news was just a black propaganda by the Salossa camp since the governor, mastermind of the special autonomy, was campaigning for a third term in office. The 2005-2010 Papuan gubernatorial election was only months away.
But after some crosschecking to other friends in Jayapura, the news turned up to be true. Governor Jaap P. Solossa was rushed to the Dok II Public Hospital, Jayapura on Monday (19/12) afternoon but announced dead later at about 9.45pm.
(Editor's Note: Immediately after the governor was announced dead, Filep Karma waved the Morning Star flag at the Abepura Prison. He was later beaten badly by police and brought to the same Dok II hospital.)
So, immediately, our Yahukimo discussion turned into a reflection of the governorÂ’s life. So many things were said about the governor. But for us Melanesians, we were all children of Papua and its traditions. We must respect all Papuans, even though we might part ways as we grew up to become Papuan men and women.
J.P. Solossa was a political figure involved in the preparation of the National Dialog. In 1999, Solossa was chair of the Papuan chapter of the National Sports Committee (KONI) and was one of the members of "Team 100" (led by once-radical-turned-Freeport-commissioner Thomas Beanal) that met with then President BJ Habibie. The team urged the president to allow Papuans to organize the National Dialog to resolve the political problems of West Papua. "Team 100" itself was found by the Papuan Reconciliation Forum (Foreri) chaired by Willy Mandowen. The forum also came up with the concept to form the Papua Presidium Council (PDP) during the Second Papuan PeopleÂ’s Congress in 2000. Theys Eluay later chaired of the council but was assasinated in November 2001.
After the Second Papuan PeopleÂ’s Congress, Solossa took another route and prepared himself as governor candidate following the discharge of then Governor Fredy Numberi who was called to Jakarta to take up a ministerial post. Numberi was later appointed as Indonesian Ambassador for Italy and Malta, and eventually Minister for Maritime Affairs to this day. Meanwhile Solossa fulfilled his ambition to be Papuan governor to the day he died.
It is no secret that Solossa was temperamental. When he chaired of the Papuan chapter of KONI, he ousted another top figure in the committee, Brigadier General (retired) Bram Oktovianus Aturury, and started years of political feud. Both figures politicians had mass following, and the conflict became more apparent when each became top authoritative figures – Salossa became Papua governor and Aturury was elected West Irian Jaya governor. The feud continuous conflicts between three fronts. Salossa and his supporters wanted special autonomy, Aturury wanted expansion of Papua provinces, and of course, there was also mass following wanting an independent Papua.
The political interests, particularly that of Salossa and Aturury, were accommodated by the central government. Trillions of rupiah were spent to campaign both concepts. Salossa was temperamental, and Aturury was militaristic. Supporters of both clashed frequently. Papuans were sacrificed for the interests of the political elites.
Solossa has died but he left a ticking time bomb. He has started a fight, who knows how his supporter is going to finish off his interest. But hopefully SalossaÂ’s death could give us time to remember the 36 years of violence and suffering in Papua since the cheated Act of Choice in 1969. Papuans have suffered through poverty, famine (recently) corruption, illiteracy, HIV/AIDS, repression from the Armed Forces TNI, and through the through various political interests of the central government. Papuans are still waiting for the central government to change its policies on Papua. Still hoping democracy would arrive one day to our land.
It was clear from the start that SalossaÂ’s interest was against the interest of the United West Papua Front of Struggle (Front PEPERA Papua Barat). However a death is always a loss, even the death of the enemy. Salossa was a Papuan, brought up by Papuan parents and Melanesian customs. I, therefore, pay him my last respect.
By: Hans Gebze | Category: Politics
****************************************
Hans Gebze
Ketua Umum Eksekutif Nasional
Front Persatuan Perjuangan Rakyat Papua Barat
[Front PEPERA Papua Barat]