DAP to Launch an International Appeal

DAP to Launch an International Appeal

The Papuan Traditonal Council (Dewan Adat Papua) has decided to abandon underground or concealed ways of struggling for Papuan sovereignty and intends to make an open approach to the international community as its strategy for the year 2010.

The chairman of DAP, Forkorus Yobisembut told the press in Abepura on Friday, 19 March, that he was taking forward the contents of the speech he made on the occasion of the murder o Kelly Kwalik. One of the points made in that speech was that DAP had set a deadline of the end of February 2010 for the Indonesian government to respond to the Papuan people's struggle for their political rights.

It has now become clear that this has not happened which has convinced the organisation to take the matter forward. Up to now, DAP was hoping that the government would to take action to deal with the dispute regarding Papua's political status as well as the exploitation of its natural resources and social and economic problems confronted by the Papuan people.

Now that the February deadline has passed and there are no signs of anything positive happening since then, DAP has decided to take the matter forward while rejecting any attempt by the government to question their motives.

It is already time for DAP to take clear steps in it struggle over the political status of West Papua that was lawfully established on May 1, 1961.

Forkorus said that the public appeal being made to the international community is focused on humanitarian problems, as well as political, social and economic problems. The strident voice of the Papuan people is what has triggered DAP's decision to ensure that the voice of the Papuan people is heard. DAP has issued an appeal No 005/Ketum-DAP/III/2010 regarding the solution to the dispute between the Papuan people and the Indonesian government, an appeal which is directed at the regional and international community, to all those concerned with the interests of the Papuan Homeland, regarding its natural resources and the rights of the indigenous Papuan people who have waged a peaceful struggle, always upholding the principles of democracy and human rights.

This appeal will be sent to all people throughout the world stating that the Papuan problem that has continued since 1963 is not an internal or domestic issue, an affair for the Indonesian government to resolve but is a dispute between two states, the People of West Papua and Indonesia state, regarding the political status of the Papuan people and the seizure of their natural resources.

The dispute has meant that the day-to-day living conditions of the Papuan people have not brought a tranquil and healthy life, with the result that the [indigenous] population has not increased to any significant extent, either regarding the quality of life or the number of its people. This is abundantly clear from the fact that whereas the indigenous population of West Papua amounted to 900,000 in 1969, and increased only to 1.5 million at present, in the eastern part of the island, in PNG where the population in 1969 was more or less the same, about 900,000 but increased in the same period to seven million.

The slow growth in the number of indigenous Papuans is accounted for, according to DAP, by a creeping genocide, which is happening slowly but surely.

With regard to the law on Special Autonomy, known as OTSUS, and the various regulations adopted since then, all have failed to secure the basic living rights of the indigenous Papuan people. The indigenous people have been marginalised and are becoming a minority, which is evident from conditions in the kampungs in Papua whcih are leading to their annihilation. They are losing ownership of their traditional lands which is the basis for the economic livelihood for Papuans with the exploitation of the forests being agreed without the consent of the traditional land owners of each tribe, while their cultural traditions are facing extinction.

In view of the social, economic and political conflicts being faced by the Papuan people, DAP intends to conduct political lobbying with the international community, while the Indonesian government is warned against branding this as a separatist struggle.

DAP supports the efforts of Father Neles Tebay and LIPI, the Indonesian Academy of Sciences. The dialogue should uphold the principle of justice and should not go the way of the Act of Free Choice in 1969, when the Papuan people were not involved whereas what was at issue was a problem that involved the Papuan people.

ENDS

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