“The Problem of Papua awaits God’s decision” - Djoko Suyanto
by Selpius Bobii | Abepura Prison
9 August 2013
“The problem of Papua awaits God’s decision” were the words of the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political
and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto. Suyanto’s statement was responded to by Rusdi Mathari in his recent article when he raised the questions ‘”What is wrong with a nation desiring to be independent? Or must the matter of Papua be
surrendered to God as was stated by Coordinating Minister Suyanto? Whilst meanwhile as they wait for that answer Papuans
are allowed by Indonesia to keep living but in this most tragic way?”(As translated). A similar response was published in Islam Times with the comment “So The Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs
Djoko says ‘Let’s allow Papuans to continue to live tragically and later a miracle of God will set them free’ “(3)(as translated)
When we look closely it’s clear Djoko Suyanto’s statement is full of implicit meaning and unanswered questions. Behind
his words are matters domestic and international for Indonesia and implicit are meanings of both politics and faith.
POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
From a political perspective there are recognised three possible analyses that could explain the implied meaning behind
the Coordinating Minister Suyanto’s words. The first possibility is that Suyanto’s words could have been referring to
the unwillingness of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) to discuss at length the various problems regarding Papua with a
view to finding a suitable solution. Not only has the world to date seen an unwillingness of RI to enter dialogue but in
fact RI has clearly made continual efforts to prolong the period until that time when the problems of Papua will finally
be discussed. For instance the unilateral application of Special Autonomy regulations; RI’s present efforts to revise
the earlier Special Autonomy arrangements so as to create governance regulations for Papua (known as Special Autonomy
Plus); the Unit for Acceleration of Papuan and West Papuan Development Strategy (UP4B); the creation of new provinces,
kabupaten, cities, districts and villages in the land of Papua; and so the list goes on. These are all efforts by RI to
prolong the time until the issue of Papua is dealt with at length and a solution found.
Although there has been pressure on RI to date from a number of countries in the world together with the international
community in solidarity with Papua to enter into dignified dialogue with Papua to find a solution, the State of
Indonesia nevertheless has to date been unwilling to do so. In fact RI has actually been working to the opposite end and
taking unilateral steps - such as the recent revision of the Special Autonomy arrangements to create regulations for the
Governance of Papua – which rather than bringing an end to the problems will for certain create new problems for the
nation of Papua.
The second possibility of what was behind Suyanto’s words is an implied reference to an inability of the State of
Indonesia to handle and bring an end to the Papuan problem. Clearly RI has to date been avoiding facing up to those pits
which have been and are still being dug by RI and its allies, by applying a number of security, legal and socio-cultural
and welfare illusion approaches to try and hide the problems. However instead of ‘smoothing-over’ the problems, RI’s
measures have had the effect of instead widening and deepening that first and primary pit created by the annexation of
Papua into RI and furthermore creating new pits. New massive problems that must one day be overcome.
The lack of ability of RI to bring an end to the problems in Papua is not because RI is incapable in terms of political
diplomacy; and neither is it because RI does not possess the means in terms of the financial resources or government
systems required (domestic and international) to bring the Papuan problems to an end. Rather Indonesia’s inability lies
firstly in its inability to face up to and move through the very pits that it has dug and continues to dig; and secondly
in its inability to face up to the non-violent Struggle of the nation of Papua. A struggle that has been committed to
non-violence since the National Papuan Congress in the year 2000. Every one of RI’s approaches to ‘smooth-over’ the
massive pits has failed to date and will continue to fail as the reality is that RI can never ‘Indonesianize’ the
indigenous peoples of Papua. So the massive open pits remain and meanwhile despite severe repression by the Indonesian
armed forces in Papua, the Struggle for the liberation of the nation of Papua continues to grow and become stronger. To
that point that Papuan Freedom political aspirations are now being echoed in a number of countries around the world.
The third possible explanation of what was behind Suyanto’s words is that RI is intentionally allowing the problems to
continue in Papua without looking for a solution. That RI is intentionally not organising dialogue between the two
nations as Indonesia actually doesn’t want the problems in Papua to come to an end. For in allowing the problems to
continue indefinitely the people or Papua are in the meanwhile being butchered, increasingly marginalised, discriminated
against and becoming more of a minority, together amounting to a slow moving but certain genocide against the ethnic
West Papuan race.
A wise person once said ‘If a problem is created by humans then humans also have the means to bring an end to that
problem’. RI has been audacious enough to with full awareness dig massive pits so now RI must look for solutions that
uphold the dignity of all that will close those pits. To do so RI is going to need to have the courage to involve those
from the Papuan Freedom Struggle. As there was international involvement in the annexation of Papua into RI so
accordingly RI is also going to have to find the courage to also involve the international community in solving the
problem and in particular the Netherlands, USA and United Nations (UN. As they were the international parties that
together with RI that dug the first and primary pit with the annexation of the nation of Papua into RI culminating in
the morally and legally flawed Act of Free Choice in 1969. If the various players within the Papuan Struggle and those
relevant international parties (specifically the Netherlands, USA and UN) are not involved in the handling of the
problems in Papua, then the reality is that those pits both dug in the past and still being dug in the present, will not
be closed and rather the number of new pits will continue to increase.
So often we hear question raised ‘The problems of Aceh were able to be overcome through negotiations between RI and the
Free Ach Movement (GAM) in Helsinki by entering into an agreement together, so why can’t the problem of Papua be
resolved through dialogue between Papua and RI facilitated by a neutral third party?’ Indeed the question needs to be
asked what are the real reasons it so difficult for Indonesia to agree to enter into dialogue with the nation of Papua
and this points to some aspects of what lies behind Suyanto’s statement. In summary Papuan problem is so very different
in essence from that which existed in Aceh. The problem in Aceh was much less complicated and therefore able to be
brought to an end so much more easily than that of Papua. As International parties have been and continue to be involved
in creating the problems in Papua, so the problems will not be solved without RI involving the UN and other
international parties in finding the solution.
From a political perspective Suyanto’s statement is clear evidence that RI is not yet ready and willing to act to bring
an end to the problems in Papua. Due partly to RI not finding it easy to find a way through the matter of the massive
problems that it once created and has continued to create, due also to RI not being capable of thoroughly dealing with
the problems in Papua. Whether Indonesia will find the courage or be given the ability by other parties to be able to
deal thoroughly with the problems in West Papua is yet to be seen and remains an unanswered question.
A FAITH PERSPECTIVE
Indeed Suyanto’s statement remains something of a puzzle with many questions about his words unanswered. Was he speaking
as someone wrestling with the matter of Papua? Or was he but acting as the mouthpiece to express the struggles of a
particular party with the matter of Papua? Only Suyanto and God will ever know the answer to that. Behind his statement
however it does seem to the Writer as if the Minister received some type of revelation from God that the problem of
Papua is a matter that is God’s business and will be dealt with by an act of God.
We have looked earlier at the possibility that behind Suyanto’s words is an implicit admittance that RI is not capable
of dealing thoroughly with the problems in Papua so that RI has surrendered the problem to God. That RI is waiting on
God to arrive at a decision regarding the problem of Papua and that at some point God will take action to deal with the
problems in Papua. If this was Suyanto’s implicit meaning it indeed amounts to a statement that challenges God. That
‘puts God to the test’ as to whether God will in fact act to deal with the problems of West Papua or not.
Indeed that is true the period ahead for the nation of Papua is not something that lies within the palm of any nation on
this earth. The period ahead lies only in the palm of God. According to Dr Benny Giay the ‘Struggle of the nation of
Papua moves from episode to episode’ and for certain will continue until that episode which will be determined according
to not the plan of humans, but rather the plan of God.
When Reverend Ishak Samuel Kejne on 25 October 1925 (in a place called Automeri in Papua) put in place a symbol of
civilization of the nation of Papua, he prophesied:
“On this rock I place the civilisation of West Papua. Even though other nations of the world will come to develop this
place with wisdom yet they will not be able to develop this country. The moment will come when this nation will rise up
to develop itself” (as translated).
Kejne’s words are not just rhetoric or some merely fictitious statement or conclusion of scientific research or similar.
Rather his words are a prophecy, a revelation from God that came about as a result of Reverend Kejne’s lifetime of
servant hood in Papua. This prophecy is well known in Papa and has given inspiration and hope to every Papuan to keep
struggling towards the fulfilment of that revelation. In the conviction that in God’s time that prophecy will be
incredibly fulfilled. A time that will be determined by God and not by humans. So many prophecies have been given by God
about Papua through those who serve the people, none of which are mere hallucinations or daydreams. They are revelations
by God to those who have dedicated their lives to serve God and the people and in God’s time they will be fulfilled.
Djoko Suyanto as the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs through his statement
the Writer perceives was both challenging and testing God in relation to God’s actions to save God’s creation. At the
same time however the Writer perceives there was also a sense of RI’s submission to God to deal with the problem of
Papua because RI is simply not capable of bringing the problems to an end. This surrendering of the problem to God is
about faith.
The Writer also is convinced that God in time will act to rescue the sovereignty of God’s people in Papua who are now
suffering under the colonial domination of RI. That God will bring that about by working through those who have given up
their lives to serve the people together with the entire community in Papua and those who support Papua internationally,
whether privately, through an organisation, a government body or the U.N.
It’s clearly recognisable in this life that God needs human beings to work together with God to bring about the
realisation of God’s Will in this world. Just as God sent out the prophet Moses from the land of Egypt to save the
nation of Israel from the colonialism of Pharaoh and his followers; just as God raised up Joshua to lead the people of
Israel into the land of Canaan. God also needs human beings in this era to be sent out in the same way in order to bring
about the liberation of the nation of Papua from the many present forms of tyranny of oppression. Just as the Hand of
God was upon the prophet Moses and Joshua, so the Hand of God will accompany all those who dedicate themselves in
response to the call of God to bring about the liberation of the nation of Papua that is presently enchained by the
colonial domination by RI and its allies. Miracles of God always accompany the sacrifice of self in service in response
to the call of God, just as it did with the miracles from God that accompanied the prophet Moses and Joshua.
God will call who God wills to call and within that call God does not distinguish between persons based on their
background, tribe, race, grouping, gender, their work, age or religion. Rather God needs a readiness and willingness of
heart from humans who have a desire to partner with God to bring about God’s Will.
God is always calling people and waiting on the readiness and decision of people so as to act to liberate God’s people
from the chains of colonialism wherever that may be. In the case of Papua internally, in the same way God is forever
calling people and waiting on the readiness of every individual. Waiting on Papuans to develop a national unity between
Papuans and the restoration of selves so we can step forward together heading towards the victory of the faith
revolution. For Indonesia, God is also always calling and waiting on Indonesia as a nation to open its heart and to be
ready and willing to deal with the West Papua issue. God is also always calling and waiting on the willingness of heart
from the international community whether as individuals, organisations, government bodies or U.N, to hear and act in
response to the cries for freedom from the West Papuan nation.
God has heard the screams of pain and the cries for freedom of the nation of Papua from the oppression the people are
suffering and God has and continues to call human beings whoever they may be to work to set free God’s people in the
land of Papua. Those who have experienced themselves, or who have seen or heard or perhaps read of the suffering and
cries of God’s people in the land of Papua. Whoever hears the voice of God and opens their heart, God will use them in
bringing about the liberation of God’s people in the land of Papua, whether directly or in terms of direct or indirect
support.
Djoko Suyanto’s statement that “The problem of Papua awaits God’s decision” implies not only a challenge to God but also
presents a challenge to the wider community of persons who value truth, justice, honesty, human rights, democracy and
peace. A challenge to have an attitude that will enable the taking of real steps that will bring an end to the problems
in Papua.
Suyanto’s words as the Indonesia Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs the Writer believes
also constitutes a cry for help to the international community including the PBB, to implement a humanitarian / security
intervention within the framework of dealing with the problems in Papua. As it has come to the point that the State of
Indonesia is no longer capable of handling and bringing an end to the problems in Papua. The Writer believes that
implicit in Suyanto’s words is that Indonesia has surrendered the matter to God with the words “The problem of Papua
awaits God’s decision.”
To those who care, to those who have a good heart, to those who hold in high esteem the above values; and to those who
feel the effects of colonial domination by RI wherever you may be, it is now the moment to take on an attitude and to
unite firmly together so we can act together with peace to rescue the nation of Papua.
‘The savings of human souls from the chains of the tyranny of oppression is the highest of laws.’
*************
Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of The United Front of the Struggle of the Nation of Papua. He is a Papuan
Freedom Political Detainee in Abepura State prison, Jayapura.