Masariku Network, 04 December 2003
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 249 - Wed 03 Dec 2003
Papua: A Christian People Seriously at Risk
The indigenous people of Papua (Irian Jaya) are Melanesian and predominantly
Christian, estimated by Operation World at over 90%, and mostly Protestant. They
have been living under Indonesian rule since 1963. The Indonesian military (which has
invested heavily in Papua's resources) has been involved in gross human rights
abuses against the oppressed indigenous Papuans. In recent years, primarily since
East Timor achieved independence, Papua has seen a dramatic influx of
pro-Indonesia militias and Islamic militants, particularly Laskar Jihad. Islamists saw
East Timor as 'part of the Islamic world' (bin Laden, November 2001). They no doubt
see Papua the same way.
In 2001 the Indonesian government decreed autonomy for Papua. However the
government reneged and divided Papua into three provinces against the will of the
Papuans, thus violating the Special Autonomy Law. This division of Papua has
created extreme tensions. Over the past 40 years, Javanese transmigration has
seriously altered the ethnic and religious demography of Papua. One consequence of
this division will be the Islamisation of Papua, with two of the new provinces being
majority Muslim.
The feared militia leader Eurico Guterres is reported to be living now in Papua, where
he has established a 200-strong - and growing - Laskar Merah Putih (Red and White
Warriors) militia. Guterres was convicted and sentenced to ten years' jail for his role in
leading his militia in the August 1999 referendum massacres in East Timor, but was
released pending an appeal. During his trial, Guterres boasted that his militia was
supported by the Indonesian military and funded by a government official in Jakarta.
Complementing his presence will be Inspector-General Timbul Silaen, as police chief
of Papua. He was East Timor's police chief during 1999, and had been implicated in
the attack on Bishop Belo's compound, as well as the Liquica church massacre,
amongst other crimes. In August 2002 an Indonesian court acquitted Silaen of gross
human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in East Timor.
Sources report that the Indonesian military are actively trying to provoke an incident
so they can justify a full-scale military assault, with militia and Laskar Jihad support.
Papuan Church leaders fear if that happens, Papua might be closed off to the outside
world and an ethnic cleansing and jihad unleashed. This could result in literally the
genocide of a Christian people.
Received from malukuwashdc via MASARIKU NETWORK
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