Peaceful Resistance: The True Power of the Oppressed

Peaceful Resistance: The True Power of the Oppressed

There is a widespread misconception that peaceful struggle is a privilege reserved only for established democracies—countries like the United States and other Western nations. This belief ignores the reality lived by millions across the globe: that oppressed peoples, even under the harshest authoritarian regimes, hold an incredible power when they unite in non-violent resistance. History has proven, time and again, that violence is not the only, nor the most effective, path to liberation.

Over the last century, we have witnessed the collapse of some of the most brutal and bloodthirsty dictatorships — not through armed rebellion, but through courageous, persistent, and peaceful resistance movements. Take the Philippines in 1986, where the Marcos regime, infamous for its corruption and repression, was brought down by millions who refused to succumb to fear. The People Power Revolution was a peaceful, mass uprising that galvanized the nation, shining a light on the power of unity and peaceful defiance.

Similarly, in Indonesia itself, the fall of General Suharto in 1998 was not the result of a violent civil war but a sustained campaign of peaceful protests, student movements, and public outcry that exposed the rot of corruption and military domination. The people’s voice, raised collectively and without arms, proved mightier than tanks and guns.

These examples are not mere historical anecdotes—they are lessons carved in blood and hope for every oppressed community worldwide. Like fire can only be extinguished by water, weapons of mass destruction can only be neutralized by the mass power of democracy, the collective will of the people standing strong without violence.

This is precisely why the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), since its foundation in 2014, has embraced a peaceful struggle for Papuan independence. This is not an insurgency waging war with weapons. It is a profound commitment to brotherhood, to the shared humanity that unites all peoples. It is an invitation to dialogue, justice, and reconciliation.

The struggle in West Papua is not a confrontation between Papuans and Indonesians. It is a call for cooperation—between two peoples historically bound together by geography and shared hopes. A peaceful, free Papua does not mean division or chaos. It means justice fulfilled, wounds healed, and prosperity shared. It means Indonesia, liberated from the stain of unresolved injustice, becoming a stronger and more respected nation on the global stage.

Imagine a future where Papua’s vast resources are developed sustainably, where the indigenous peoples can thrive in dignity, and where the wounds of decades of conflict are transformed into bridges of friendship and cooperation. This is a vision where freedom and peace are inseparable. When Papua is free, Indonesia does not lose — Indonesia wins.

Let no one mistake peaceful struggle for weakness. It is, in fact, the greatest demonstration of strength: the strength to resist hatred without hatred, the strength to persist without resorting to violence, the strength to build a future where all can live in harmony.

The path is long and often painful. But it is the path of justice, the path that history shows us ultimately prevails.