ARTICLE
THE GIFT FOR MEMBERS OF THE INDONESIAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF INDONESIA WHO HAVE DEAF EARS, BLIND EYES AND HAVE NO CONSCIENCE AND ARE HUMANS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY.
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Political Reality Article
EXTENSION OF SPECIAL AUTONOMY AS A MASK OF RACISM, MILITERISM, CAPITALISM, MODERN INDONESIAN COLONIALISM & MACHINERY OF MURDERING & ETHNIC DESTRUCTION OF INDIGENOUS PAPUAN PEOPLE
By Pastor Dr. Socratez Yoman,MA
“The Indonesian people are good at hiding their racist character.” (Pdt. Dr. Benny Giay, Moderator of the Papuan Church Council (WPCC), 31/06 2021).
Theo van den Broek describes militarism in Papua well. “President Jokowi is moving backwards and slowly getting out of the complexities of the Papuan issue, while the stage is increasingly occupied by retired military personnel: Moeldoko, Ryamizard, Hendropriyono, Prabowo, and Wiranto. And this is NOT good news for Papua.” (Source: Demand Dignity, Papuans Sentenced: 2020:35).
Dandhy Laksono, rightly said: “Papua’s situation continues to deteriorate because politicians in Jakarta are poor at innovation, drunk on narrow nationalism, and not smart enough to make political breakthroughs. They have left Papua’s affairs to the soldiers who for 50 years have not brought any change.” (Source: Mantra Sukabumi, 27 June 2021).
Prof. Dr. Cahyo Pamungkas in the introduction to the book Against Racism and Stigma in Papua, intelligently said:
“The main problem in Papua since integration with Indonesia has been racism against Papuans. These racist attitudes and policies have fuelled the development of the Papuan independence movement. This racist attitude is also seen in the stigmatisation of Papuans who are critical of the government as separatists, traitors and OPM. Although not all Indonesians are racist towards Papuans, there is a tendency that the racist attitudes appearing in public spaces is never prosecuted.” (Yoman, 2020:xxi).
Theo van den Broek in his book entitled: Demanding Dignity, Papuans are Punished” writes as follows:
“The fact that Papuans are seen as ‘a bunch of monkeys’ is indeed unacceptable for both Indigenous Papuan (OAP) and non-indigenous Papuans. This assessment is experienced as a serious insult as well as an extreme contrast to the attitude that the Papuan people have always shown in accepting thousands of people from outside Papua (migrants) who want to settle and earn a living in Papua. The experience that they (OAPs) are described as ‘monkeys’ is a very hard blow, is very unacceptable and demeans the Papuan people.” (2020:5).
What is clear and certain: Indonesia is a modern colonial nation with a racist character that has occupied, colonized and oppressed the people and nation of West Papua. Indonesian colonialism in Papua has been running naked with violent militarism since May 1, 1963 up to the present when it ratified the continuation of the Special Autonomy Law on July 15, 2021. The Special Autonomy Law, which was unilaterally ratified on July 15, 2021, enables the continuation and prolongation of the occupation of the people and nation of West Papua.
Dr. Veronika Kusumaryati, in her doctoral program dissertation entitled: Ethnogaphy of the Colonial Present: History, Experience, And Political Consciousness in West Papua stated:
“For Papuans, contemporary colonialism is marked by the experience of militarization in everyday life. This colonialism is also felt through acts of violence that are disproportionately directed against Papuans, as well as the narrative of their lives. When Indonesia had recently arrived, thousands of people were detained, tortured, and killed. Offices were looted and houses burned. These stories of ‘State violence and atrocities’ have never appeared in history books in Indonesia, or in the Netherlands. (2018:25).
What Veronika Kusumaryati stated was reinforced by Pastor Frans Lieshout, OFM in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant (Koran Rakyat) and in the book Pastors and Teachers for Papua:
“I was on one of the last KLM flights to Hollandia, and on May 1, 1963 the Indonesians arrived. They gave the impression of a bunch of robbers. The soldiers who had been sent were quite a terrible group It was as if they were simply picked up from the side of the road in Jakarta. Maybe that’s what happened.”
“At that time I myself saw their tantrums. Looting things not only in shops, but also in hospitals. All kinds of goods were taken and sent by ship to Jakarta. There were bonfires everywhere: Dutch archives and documents were burned.” (2020:593).
With the power of racism, militarism, colonization, ABRI (now: TNI) burned all history books related to the Papuan people.
“Within the framework of ‘equalizing’ the people of West Irian (Tanah Papua), on 2-3 May 1963, after UNTEA handed over government administration to the Government of Indonesia, the Government collected books and magazines, related pamphlets: ethnographic history, law, and other printed materials about Papua and then burned them, while giving speeches and singing the Indonesian national anthem. There seemed to be concern that the thoughts in these prints would prevent the elite of the Republic of Indonesia from imposing the Indonesian regime’s ‘imagined new identity’ into the minds of the people of West Irian at that time. ” (Source: Quoted from the Papuan Church Council’s Open Letter to President Joko Widodo Always the Supreme Commander of the TNI/Polri, 07-3 October 2020: see in the book: Traces of State Violence and Militarism in Papua: Yoman, 2021:177).
Cypri J.zp & John Djonga in the book Paradox Papua:
“…the injustice against indigenous Papuans is serious and systematic. …affirmative policies are still limited to rhetoric;…the machine of injustice and marginalization continues to work to increase the suffering of indigenous Papuans.” (2011:xxv).
Prof. Dr. Franz Magnis and Pastor Frans Lieshout, OFM, about the real situation in Papua.
“The situation in Papua is bad, abnormal, uncivilized, and shameful, because it is closed to foreign media. Papua is a rotting wound in the body of the Indonesian nation… we will be exposed in the civilized world, as a savage nation, a nation that kills Papuan people even though they have no weapons.” (Source: Prof. Dr. Franz Magnis: Nationality, Democracy, Pluralism Anthology of Current Political Ethics, 2015:255,257).
Meanwhile, Pastor Frans Lieshout, OFM, said:
“Papuans have become a minority in their own country. It is very, very sad. Papua is still a festering wound in Indonesia.” (Source: Pastor Frans Lieshout, OFM: Teacher and Pastor for Papua, 2020:601).
Tamara Soukota in her article on August 28, 2019 entitled: “COLONIALISM AND RACISM, THE FOUNDATIONS OF INDONESIA’S ATTITUDE TO PAPUA” stated:
“…RACISM against Papuans comes with many faces, from the scarcity of teachers and doctors in many areas of Papua to development projects (including roads and bridges) that benefit Indonesian migrants more than indigenous Papuans.”
Theo van den Broek describes militarism in Papua: “It turns out that the leadership of the State, through its security agencies, chose a security approach in Papua, while the racist actors in East Java have been left alone.” (2020:21).
The original nature of the racist colonialists is that they never listen to the voice of the occupied and colonized nation. Indonesia has shown its face as a racist modern colonial nation since August 15, 1962, when the New York Agreement was made by the Dutch and Indonesians mediated by America. At the time of the New York Agreement on August 15, 1962, indigenous Papuans were never involved.
Was there no educated Papuan natives at the time of NYA 15 August 1962? The colonial nations of Indonesia, America and the Netherlands with racist and capitalist characters, ignored educated people such as: Markus Kaisiepo, Elias Papare, Herman Wayoi, Fritz Kihirio, Nicolaas Jouwe, Herman Womsiwor, F. Torey, Nicolaas Tanggahma, Mohammad Achmat (Raja Ampat) , Abdullah Arfan, A. Gebze, Baldus Mofu, Penehas Torey, Bertus Burwos, FJS Rumainum, W. Zonggonao and many other great educated Papuan people who are not named in this list.
The face and character of Indonesian racism, militarism, CAPITALISM AND COLONIALISM were also evident in the implementation of the 1969 Pepera which was won by ABRI (now: TNI). The political rights and the right to life and voice of the indigenous Papuans were completely ignored in the political process of implementing the 1969 Pepera. The 1969 Pepera was a victory for ABRI, which was racist and criminal and barbaric.
Sintong Panjaitan in his book: ‘The Journey of a Commando Soldier’, admits: “If we (TNI) had not carried out Combat, Territorial and Authority operations before and after the implementation of the Presidential Act of 1965-1969, then I believe that at the 1969 Pepera in West Irian the Pro Freedom Papua group would have won” (see: Yoman, Traces of State Violence and Militarism in the Land of Papua, 2021:151).
Papua is a rotting and festering wound in the body of the Indonesian nation, because of racism, injustice, and gross violations of human rights committed by the modern colonial rulers of Indonesia since May 1, 1963 until now, we are in 2021.
The rotting and festering wounds in the body of the Indonesian people are the 4 main root problems formulated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) which are contained in the book Papua Road Map: Negotiating the Past, Improving the Present and Securing the Future (2008).
The Indonesian government authorities and the security forces who are racist do not listen to the voices of the Papuan people who reject the continuation of the failed Special Autonomy and the expansion of new autonomous regions.
This RASIST ruler tries to avoid and run away from the problems and is busy taking care of the evaluation of Special Autonomy and decentralisation of which almost 100% has no benefit for indigenous Papuans. This is because the evaluation and continuation of Special Autonomy and the expansion of new autonomous regions is not an urgent need for indigenous Papuans.
The momentum or opportunity for Special Autonomy to build indigenous Papuans has passed and it has been a TOTAL FAILURE. The Special Autonomy era has been filled with remilitarization and gross violations of human rights. The end result of Special Autonomy over 20 years is suffering, drops of blood and tears. Special Autonomy brought havoc after the Pepera 1969. All of this happened because of the Indonesian rulers are racist. RACISM gives birth to injustice, state violence/military operations, capitalism, crimes against humanity/gross human rights violations, discrimination and marginalization that cause Papua to remain rotten and fester in the body of the Indonesian nation.
The people and nation of West Papua, do not depend on the colonists for their hope of life. The colonial rulers never helped to redress the grievances of the occupied and colonized nations. Therefore, it is stupid for the oppressed to ask for mercy from the colonizers. A more dignified and honourable way is that there MUST be awareness, awakening and unity among the oppressed to build themselves up. Stop complaining to the colonial nation, he is always present as the face of the devil who is evil and cruel and brutal. He uses all kinds of means, even violating the laws he made in order to perpetuate colonialism. But in the end the colonial power always collapses because of it’s foundations of violence, crime and lies. Perhaps, the Indonesian rulers fall into this category.
There is no other solution, a more dignified and conciliatory solution is that the Government of Indonesia and the ULMWP sit on an equal footing at the negotiating table mediated by a neutral third party. These peaceful and equal negotiations should have the objective to resolve the roots of the Papuan conflict, which are rotting and festering wounds in the body of the Indonesian people.. These wounds are the 4 main root causes of conflict formulated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) which are contained in the book Papua Road Map: Negotiating the Past, Improving the Present and Securing the Future (2008). The four roots of the Papuan conflict are:
1) The history and political status of Papua’s integration into Indonesia;
(2) State violence and gross violations of human rights since 1965 that have not yet been resolved;
(3) Discrimination and marginalization of indigenous Papuans in their own land;
(4) The failure of development including education, health, and the economy of the Papuan people.
The author’s prays and hopes that the readers will get the blessing of enlightenment.
Waa…Waa….Kinaonak!
Ita Wakhu Purom, Friday, 16 July 2021
Author:
1. President of the Fellowship of the Baptist Churches of West Papua;
2. Founder, Board and Member of the West Papua Church Council (WPCC)
3. Member of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC)
4. Member of the World Baptist Alliance (BWA)
