Stop deceiving Papuans!

I once asked a wise man, “What is a swindler?”

He answered: "A swindler is essentially a despicable man, but he is so cunning that he convinces those he deceives to worship him as a savior."

Hitler and the 3rd Reich

In the last century there was Adolf Hitler who hypnotized the German people by promising a glorious Germany for a thousand years. It is true, at the time of his rise, Hitler was revered by most Germans as a hero thanks to his innovative economic and military projects. However, in just twelve years, Germany was on the brink of destruction the likes of which it had never experienced before. That Hitler was a swindler, almost no one today can dispute.

Prabowo and Golden Indonesia

On a different scale, currently in Indonesia, fourth most populous country in the world, Prabowo Subianto, a former general suspected of numerous war crimes, is running as leader promising Indonesian glory for its people with a priority free lunch program. While Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, continues to be hit by a war of independence, Prabowo blames foreign interference and vows to quell it with large scale military operations. I leave you to think about what will happen to Indonesia under this new leadership.

Papuans cannot be fooled

Papuans are not stupid: If Indonesia sees Papua as its future, given its vast land and natural resources, Papuans, with the exception of the pro-Jakarta elite, do not see Indonesia as a promised land. If many Indonesians believe that their country will become a superpower as Prabowo promised, the Papuan people are not lulled by this daydream. An anonymous Papuan activist couldn't take it anymore:

"Enough is enough. When we were colonized by the Dutch, we never begged for bread. With Indonesia, we never asked for rice, let alone a free lunch from Jakarta. For six decades, Indonesia has only made Papuans poorer and miserable. If Indonesia wants to make Papua prosperous, it must first restore Papua's right to self-determination. Indonesia, stop deceiving us with your sweet promises!"