LP3BH calls on President Jokowi to immediately deal with conflict in West Papua

 

 

As yet, there has been no response from the President to reports about an armed conflict that is currently underway between the Indonesian security forces (Army and Police) and the TPNP (Papuan National Liberation Army) in the vicinity of Freeport's massive Grasberg mine.

 

However, there have been a few statements  from the TPNP, who are thought to be involved in the armed struggle at Tembagapura. This would suggest that they regard these actions as part of the movement by the people of West Papua for the struggle for self-determination of the OAP (Traditional Papuan People). 

 

We should at the same time not forget that in the last two years, at the United Nations, there have been statements by the leaders of countries in the Pacific and Caribbean countries have made strong statements condemning the serious human rights abuses that have occurred in West Papua.

 

At the UN General Assembly in September this year, four countries called on the United Nations to discuss the right of the people of West Papua to self-determination and the grave human rights violations that have occurred in West Papua for the past fifty years which threaten to result in the genocide of the Papuan people.

 

In the opinion of the LP3PN, the armed struggle that is underway cannot solve the Papuan people's struggle for self-determination.

 

The LP3BH calls on President Jokowi not to continue increasing the security forces in West Papua and instead to focus on dialogue as the way to resolve the crisis in West Papua.

 

Three people, Pastor DR Neles Tebey, Wiranto and Teten Masduki, have already been named on 15 August this year to participate in preparing for dialogue between Papua and Jakarta. which in the first place should deal with the current conflict underway in Tembagapura. 

 

The efforts to resolve the problem in Tembagapura should involve not only representatives of the stakeholders in Tembagapura but also representatives in the diaspora.

 

A number of investigations have been  carried out such as the one by Professor Drooglever was entitled 'The Act of Free Choice'.

 

Dr. Greg Poulgrain also undertook an investigation which was entitled The Incubus of Intervention which dealt with the conflicting Indonesian Strategies of John F. Kennedy and Allen Dullles.

 

The result of these investigations was that the huge copper and gold project in Tembagapura was the factor that triggered the political conflict between the USA, Netherlands and Indonesia which was mediated by the United Nations during the years from 1960 - 1969, and is increasingly clear today with the actions taken by the TPNP (which is part of the OPM).

 

The result of all this is that it is necessary for President Jokowi to promote peaceful dialogue between all 'stakeholders' involved in the conflict.

 

The LP3BH would finally like to once again urge President Jokowi to make use of the three people 'in charge', namely Pastor Neles Tebey, Wiranto and Teten Masduki to take measures to promote all-inclusive dialogue before Christmas 2017.

 

Peace,

 

Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive-Director the LP3BH-Manokwari

Recipient of  the John Humphrey Freedom Award (2005)

 

14 November 2017