West Papua tragedy: will Pope Francis break the silence?

On November 12, 2017, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai informed Pope Francis at the Vatican about the plight of the predominantly Christian West Papuan people under Indonesian occupation since 1963.

Now in 2024, the Catholic Church's supreme leader has yet to take a stand on this grave humanitarian tragedy that has allegedly claimed hundreds of thousands of victims. Why is that?

Pope Francis, the reformer?

The appointment of Pope Francis in 2013 raised great hopes for renewal in the Church. For many, Francis embodies the spirit of simplicity, peacefulness, and love of nature as demonstrated by St. Francis of Assisi who lived amidst the depravity of the Church in the 12th century. However, for West Papuans, Pope Francis' stance in favor of humanity and ecology has no impact at all. This has not stopped the Indonesian regime from marginalizing indigenous West Papuans and destroying their environment, compounded by the silence of the Indonesian Church hierarchy.

Overall, Francis' pontificate itself has been colored by a number of controversies. To this day, the Catholic Church seems to endlessly revolve around its internal problems surrounding rites and morals. Something that seems ironic, given that there are more serious issues than that, such as the rampant persecution of 365 million Christians worldwide. Many wonder where the Pope's prophetic voice is for these voiceless Christians, like those in West Papua?

Palestine-West Papua: is the Vatican applying double standards?

It's disappointing that the Pope's appeal only addresses humanitarian issues that are covered in the mainstream media, such as the Israeli occupation of the Palestine's Gaza, while the Indonesian occupation of West Papua is not. It's not just a matter of blaming Pope Francis, as previous popes have also remained silent despite being aware of Indonesia's atrocities against West Papuans. 

Has the Pope become a tool of the globalists? Is the Vatican reluctant to confront capitalism, given the multinationals operating in West Papua? Or to Islam, given that Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country, holding West Papua hostage? So many embarrassing questions.

My God, why?

Sometimes I ask, "God, why such evil?". In this deep sadness, I am reminded of the moving words of the late West Papuan campaigner Filep Karma. When interviewed by France 24 journalists in Abepura prison in 2015, Filep said, "One thing is certain: Jesus, our Lord, bears witness to what Indonesians are doing to Papuans. Therefore, one day we will achieve independence, an independence blessed by Jesus Christ."

Whether the Pope will speak out is not the main issue. At the end of the day, it's up to each of us whether we choose to speak out or remain silent.