The Jakarta Post, July 11, 2007
Government must change its approach in Papua, says forum
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A forum on Papua has called on the government of President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono to thoroughly change its approach to the country's easternmost region.
The Forum for Papua said that it was time for the government to shift its policy on
Papua, which has been dominated by a security approach, to one that catered more
to the people's welfare.
"The approach to Papua has to be fundamentally changed from security-oriented to
human security-oriented, which means that the government should respect the human
rights of the people there and meet the demands for their well-being," said forum
member Tommy Legowo of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in a
discussion Tuesday.
The forum agreed that the security-oriented approach to Papua had resulted in the
prevalence of insecurity among the people in the region.
"In the wake of the implementation of regional autonomy, the intimidation of civilians
continues to persist," forum member Zoemrotin K. Susilo said.
He said many activists who had spoken out on human rights abuses in the region had
come under threat from security forces there.
"A number of people were subject to intimidation after they spoke to Hina Jilani during
her visit recently. You can see that such an intimidation was not carried out in a
tactical way," she said, referring to the visit of the special representative of the UN
secretary general on human rights defenders.
The forum also noted that another indication of Jakarta's preference for old security
methods was the decision to increase the number of soldiers assigned to the region.
The forum said that the number of soldiers had increased in recent years from three to
five battalions.
It also warned the government against taking action against those who were
responsible for flying the Morning Star flag of the separatist Free Papua Movement
during a conference of the Papuan Tribal Council.
"It's just a cultural expression of their frustration with the blatant injustices that they
have suffered," forum member Wiryono Sastrohandoyo said.
Wiryono said that the flag-waving incident was merely the pinnacle of their frustration
with the lack of economic improvement, despite the billions of funds allocated by the
Central Government to bail Papua out of poverty.
Economist H.S. Dillon criticized the central government for not doing enough to
ensure that the special autonomy fund went to the needy.
"All this time, the money only goes to those who are already empowered, migrants
from other provinces. The government should change its strategy, the money should
go to the people in the villages first," said Dillon, of the Partnership for Governance
Reform.
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