By: Datuak Tjumano, Papua Issues Observer and Researcher in Politics, and Master Candidate

A pamphlet on behalf of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) dated on 16 May 2016 signed by Mecky Yeimo and Ones Suhuniap was reported to be spread on Kampwolker Street Perumnas III Waena, Yabansai, Heram District, Jayapura. It contains national peace action appeal for 31 May 2016.

The material on the pamphlet clearly contains agitation and provocation a la KNPB. It is written on the pamphlet that the formation of United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) is to be the representative of the Papuan people in Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as it has been recognized in the forum. Meanwhile, IPWP and ILWP have a role as the political and legal institution that represent Papuan interests in international forum. All these organizations are mandated to bring Papuan issue to international discussion aiming to gain support for referendum as a solution to the prolong conflict in Papua. They do not recognize the Act of Free Choice (Pepera) of 1969 as they consider that it was engineered by the Indonesian military.

Furthermore, the notice suggested that some world leaders have made a statement that supports political status of West Papua. Some of them are PM Tonga Samuela Akilisi Pohifa, PM Guyana Musa Nagamootoo, PM Salomon Island Manase Sogavare and PM Vanuatu Charlot Salwai. However, whether the support to ULMWP is real or not is still questionable because those countries are highly likely not going to ruin their relationship with Indonesia just because of ULMWP.

Another thing mentioned in the pamphlet is the meeting of Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security Luhut Pandjaitan with Lord Harries accompanied by Vice Chair of House of Representative (DPR) Fadli Zon and Chief of National Counter-terrorism Agency Tito Karnavian at British Parliamentary House London on 11 May 2016 during their attendance at Global Anti-Corruption Summit. Lord Harries was known as one supporter for Papuan referendum. He is also known close to Benny Wenda, ULMWP spokesperson. The issues of Papua has become a hot topic recently following the meeting organized by IPWP in London on 3 May 2016. In this meeting attended by the Chair of UK Labor Party Jeremy Corbyn, the demand for Papua’s referendum was raised.

The response of Lord Harries after listening to Luhut and Fadli Zon arguments is however not clear. An online media satuharapan.com tried to contact Fadli Zon for some statements regarding the meeting but has not received any response. Meanwhile, Luhut seems to counter the ULMWP’s campaign in international stage.

KNPB assessed that recently there have been some group of people on behalf of traditional leaders, youth leaders, and others have tried to ruin the situation. Therefore, it persuaded the Papuan to not getting provoked by any movement as it is only a signal of politically loosing.

At the end of the pamphlet, KNPB that claim itself as the media of the Papuan appealed to the people of Papua for general mobilization in whole area of what they called Land of Paradise from Sorong to Merauke campaigning for: the demand for the freedom of some political detainees such as Alex Nekenem and Steven Itlay and friends; rejection of the existence of Human Rights fact-finding team created by Jakarta; Papuan support to MSG leader decision to bring the issue to the UN; and Papuan support to ULMWP to be the full-member of MSG.

Do not Support

            The appeal of KNPB clearly intends to burn the spirit of separatism in Papua. In order to realize that spirit, KNPB must face many problems, so they will highly likely fail in the end of the day. There are some reasons to conclude so. First, there is no indication of support for the separatism both in Papua and abroad because Papua is officially a part of Indonesia recognized by both Indonesian and International Law. Therefore, dreaming of getting separated from Indonesia is a non-sense. If there is any foreign politician that supports KNPB, ULMWP, or Benny Wenda, it is natural because he might need to build positive image of his own even though it was just a bullshit. The Chair of British Labor Party Jeremy Corbyn is not also that serious in supporting ULMWP, MSG, and other shadow organizations because he will not want to be the common enemy of the British due to his support towards separatism in Papua. Any official support from any country towards separatism in Papua will indeed ruined the diplomatic ties between the country and Indonesia.

            Second, the protest appeal of KNPB on 31 May 2016 only shows that they do not have sufficient mass base spreading all over Papua. This might support the argument that it does not get any support from Papuan society. Should there be any protest on 31 May 2016, it is highly likely invoving only a small group of people. No repressive action is needed to handle them as long as they are not anarchist because any repression will be exploited as their propaganda material in international forum. In fact, the people of Papua and all security officers do not need to care about the protests and just ignore it, consider them as “democracy stupid haters in Papua.”

            Third, the indigenous people of Papua might, in fact, chase KNPB activists away from Papua or even Indonesia because the indigenous people and the youth in Sentani as well as Jayapura and Jayawijaya have rejected the existence of KNPB and ULMWP that have spread many lies to the Papuan.