Free West Papua: a possible dream?

An Indonesian living abroad once told me that he knew many Papuan intellectuals who were proud to be Indonesians. He deduced that it was legitimate for West Papua to remain part of Indonesia.

I reminded him that he was using the wrong criterion. To find out whether West Papua deserves to be subject to Indonesian authority requires the opinion of all Papuans. Therefore, a referendum is the only solution. 

Since invading West Papua in 1961, Indonesia has refused, under various pretexts, to grant Papuans a fair referendum. In fact, this reluctance is nothing more than an admission of weakness: the Indonesian authorities know that the majority of Papuans do not want to stay with Indonesia. An independent research even suggests that almost a third of Indonesians born in Papua are uncomfortable with the presence of the Indonesian army. They are in favor of an independent Papua.

Many indonesians assumes that holding a referendum will only be a waste of money and energy. I think this is a wrong opinion. We should have learned from the Indonesian occupation of East Timor (1975-1999): holding a referendum proved to be the best solution in ending twenty-four years of conflict between the Indonesian military and Timorese freedom fighters. 

History shows us that militaristic approach has never resolved any separatist conflict. For over than sixty years, Jakarta has launched dozens of military operations to contain the Papuan independence movement. These bloody and costly operations still continue today, with the number of casualties rising. 

In the last ten years, Indonesia has regularly been criticized in various international forums, including at the UN assembly. Indonesia has not been sanctioned yet. But the day will come when all of her lies and crimes are exposed before the eyes of the world. At that moment, Indonesia will be humiliated as an uncivilized nation.

To quote Jesuit Father Frans Magnis Suseno: "The situation in Papua is bad and shameful. Therefore it is closed to foreign media. Papua is like a festering wound on the body of the Indonesian nation ... We will be exposed in front of the civilized world as barbarians who kill Papuans, even though we do not use sharp weapons."