West Papua: Violence Reinforces Merdeka Aspirations
Bintang Papua, 2 June 2011 - According to the three Papuan church leaders, Rev. Benny Giay of the GKI, Rev Socrates
Sofyan Yoman of the Papuan Alliance of Baptist Churches and Pastor Elly Doirebo, the acts of violence being continually
committed by the security forces are a deliberate tactic to radicalise Papuan people and reinforce the freedom
aspirations of the Papuan people.
They mentioned several recent incidents such as the raising of a banner with the words 'Papua, a Land of Peace', by the
TNI/Polri (army and police) on 1 June. Things like this are happening time and again. 'It's as if the security forces
have been given a blank cheque, for these actions that are completely outside our control.' they said in a press
conference.
Yet, when there was a meeting attended by the bishops and all the church leaders, to launch the book 'Mission of the
Church and the Culture of Violence in Papua', in 2006, some good ideas were formulated about giving space to our
congregations, to our flock, to discuss Papua as a Land of Peace, they have never responded to these ideas.
Pastor Elly Doirebo said they were discussing these matters because conditions in Papua have indeed been peaceful for
many years.. The indigenous Papuan community was living peacefully. 'We Papuans are living within the framework of the
special autonomy law, OTSUS, but Indonesians see us in a different light,' he said.
At Easter time, we ask all people to think about these acts of violence.
From 30 May - 2 June, three Papuans, Anggen Pugu, Tunaliwor Kiwo and Telengga Gire were tortured by members of the TNI
at Kwanggok Nalime in the district of Tingginambut.
On 15 September 2010, a member of Brimob shot two civilians, Naftali Kwan, 50 yrs, and Sapinus Kwan, 40 yrs who were
injured when they fell into a ditch while fleeing from the security forces. Then there was the murder of Derek Adii in
Nabire on 14 May, 2011, and the stabbing of Gerald Pangkali outside the korem command by two members of the army, and
acts of violence in Abepura and the unfurling of the banners referred to above, with many false public statements being
made by the authorities.
'We see all these actions as an attempt by the state apparatus to radicalise the Papuan people and inflame the Papuan
people's aspirations, which they can then use to arrest or murder our people. They inflame these actions and then they
are the ones to reap the harvest. They are sowing the seeds of hatred so as to be able to give themselves license to
conduct security operations, as well as to promote themselves and raise their ranks.
When asked what the churches were doing to try to prevent such things from happening, Rev Benny Giay said they were
trying hard to raise people's consciousness because as things stand at present, we feel we are not in control of the
situation. 'These acts of violence foster yet more acts of violence.'
Rev Socrates said that the people want dialogue. Our problems cannot be solved with the use of arms and spreading
violence was just a waste of energy.
He said that the Indonesian government was discriminating between different movements. Why for instance was the NII (an
Islamic movement) which was clearly a subversive movement being allowed to continue with their activities without being
handled with violence?
He also said that Indonesia was pursuing economic interests and security interests, with the Papuan people being the
victims.
The church leaders used the occasion of Easter to follow the call of Jesus Christ and his message of peace.
ENDS