Paras Indonesia, December, 22 2005 @ 02:02 pm
Governor Jaap Solossa: Not Quite The Obituary
By: Hans Gebze
When I was sipping warm coffee while discussing the Yahukimo famine with friends in
Yogyakarta, suddenly my mobile phone was flashing with an SMS from a colleague in
Port Numbay (or what Indonesia calls Jayapura), capital of West Papua. The
message says: "The Papua Governor has died of a heart attack". We were of course
surprised, but skeptical since news such as this was quite common during the
gubernatorial campaign. They were either sent out by Salossa's opponents as well as
by parties trying to spark conflict between those in favor of the special autonomy
package and those who were against it.
Our other theory was that the news was just a black propaganda by the Salossa
camp since the governor, mastermind of the special autonomy, was campaigning for a
third term in office. The 2005-2010 Papuan gubernatorial election was only months
away.
But after some crosschecking to other friends in Jayapura, the news turned up to be
true. Governor Jaap P. Solossa was rushed to the Dok II Public Hospital, Jayapura on
Monday (19/12) afternoon but announced dead later at about 9.45pm.
(Editor's Note: Immediately after the governor was announced dead, Filep Karma
waved the Morning Star flag at the Abepura Prison. He was later beaten badly by
police and brought to the same Dok II hospital.)
So, immediately, our Yahukimo discussion turned into a reflection of the governor's
life. So many things were said about the governor. But for us Melanesians, we were
all children of Papua and its traditions. We must respect all Papuans, even though we
might part ways as we grew up to become Papuan men and women.
J.P. Solossa was a political figure involved in the preparation of the National Dialog. In
1999, Solossa was chair of the Papuan chapter of the National Sports Committee
(KONI) and was one of the members of "Team 100" (led by
once-radical-turned-Freeport-commissioner Thomas Beanal) that met with then
President BJ Habibie. The team urged the president to allow Papuans to organize the
National Dialog to resolve the political problems of West Papua. "Team 100" itself was
found by the Papuan Reconciliation Forum (Foreri) chaired by Willy Mandowen. The
forum also came up with the concept to form the Papua Presidium Council (PDP)
during the Second Papuan People's Congress in 2000. Theys Eluay later chaired of
the council but was assasinated in November 2001.
After the Second Papuan People's Congress, Solossa took another route and
prepared himself as governor candidate following the discharge of then Governor Fredy
Numberi who was called to Jakarta to take up a ministerial post. Numberi was later
appointed as Indonesian Ambassador for Italy and Malta, and eventually Minister for
Maritime Affairs to this day. Meanwhile Solossa fulfilled his ambition to be Papuan
governor to the day he died.
It is no secret that Solossa was temperamental. When he chaired of the Papuan
chapter of KONI, he ousted another top figure in the committee, Brigadier General
(retired) Bram Oktovianus Aturury, and started years of political feud. Both figures
politicians had mass following, and the conflict became more apparent when each
became top authoritative figures – Salossa became Papua governor and Aturury was
elected West Irian Jaya governor. The feud continuous conflicts between three fronts.
Salossa and his supporters wanted special autonomy, Aturury wanted expansion of
Papua provinces, and of course, there was also mass following wanting an
independent Papua.
The political interests, particularly that of Salossa and Aturury, were accommodated
by the central government. Trillions of rupiah were spent to campaign both concepts.
Salossa was temperamental, and Aturury was militaristic. Supporters of both clashed
frequently. Papuans were sacrificed for the interests of the political elites.
Solossa has died but he left a ticking time bomb. He has started a fight, who knows
how his supporter is going to finish off his interest. But hopefully Salossa's death
could give us time to remember the 36 years of violence and suffering in Papua since
the cheated Act of Choice in 1969. Papuans have suffered through poverty, famine
(recently) corruption, illiteracy, HIV/AIDS, repression from the Armed Forces TNI, and
through the through various political interests of the central government. Papuans are
still waiting for the central government to change its policies on Papua. Still hoping
democracy would arrive one day to our land.
It was clear from the start that Salossa's interest was against the interest of the
United West Papua Front of Struggle (Front PEPERA Papua Barat). However a death
is always a loss, even the death of the enemy. Salossa was a Papuan, brought up by
Papuan parents and Melanesian customs. I, therefore, pay him my last respect.
Copyright (c) 2005 - PT Laksamana Global International. All rights reserved
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