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IN 2024, THE CHURCH MUST VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE REFERENDUM AND FIGHT FOR BASIC POLITICAL RIGHTS OF SELF-DETERMINATION FOR JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE AND NATION OF WEST PAPUA
"Don't be afraid to write about the truth" (Barnabas Suebu, SH)
By Dr. A.G. Socratez Yoman
Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo as a Pastor and spiritual leader in Timor Leste said:
"The position of the Catholic Church in East Timor (now: Timor Leste), in any choice, is to accept the situation chosen by the people of East Timor. In this situation, the options recommended by the Church are the option of holding a Referendum. The Church recommends this option because believes that the choice of a referendum is a democratic choice capable of accommodating all the aspirations and consciences of the people of East Timor". (Source: For the sake of justice and peace, Peter Tukan-Domingos de Sousa, 1977:338).
As a valuable gift for the people and nation of West Papua as we enter the New Year, January 1 2024, I present this article.
My question is whether the Church can fight for an independent West Papua in the Church pulpits?
The answer to this question is as follows:
First, God, the Bible and the Church do not prohibit the Right to Self-Determination or an independent West Papua. But what God, the Bible and the Church forbid is not to kill and not to steal (Exodus 20:5, 7).
Second, Dr. Andriana Elisabeth in the foreword to my book entitled: "The Steep Cliff of Peace in the Land of Papua" says:
"The Church must not engage in politics. However, in the context of defending humanity, the Church must demonstrate and act firmly in defending humanity to maintain and respect the most essential human dignity, including in the context of protecting and fulfilling the human rights of the Papuan people. In this context, the Church in Papua must always be united, so that we can continue to voice the conscience of the Papuan people." (Source: Steep Cliffs of Peace in Papua: Yoman, 2019: viii).
There are several key words from Dr. Adriana Elisabeth as follows:
(1) The Church must act firmly to defend humanity to maintain and respect the most essential human dignity, including in the context of protecting and fulfilling the human rights of the Papuan people.
(2) The Church can continue to give voice to the conscience of the Papuan people."
What is meant by defending humanity to maintain and respect the most essential human dignity, including in the context of protecting and fulfilling the human rights of the Papuan people and being able to continue to voice the conscience of the Papuan people is the political right to self-determination or recognition of December 1, 1961, the Independence Day of the West Papuan people. which was annexed by military invasion on December 19, 1961 through the Trikora Declaration.
Third, Rev. Dr. Phil Erari says:
"...The Church remains loyal and consistent in fighting for justice, freedom and human rights, in the context of liberation and peace for all Papuans".
"The Decade of Liberation, as a commitment and promise in which the entire program of the Church in the field of testimony becomes a liberating witness, the field of service, becomes a liberating service, and Koinonia or communion, becomes a liberating Koinonia" (p. xxxiii).
"The churches in Papua and Indonesia understand the Papuan problem as part of their pastoral duties. Therefore, essentially, the church is on the side of the people who are fighting for renewal and transformation. So when the people fight for independence, which is free from fear of oppression and colonialism, the church's position is required to speak critically and responsibly." (Source: Jubilee and Liberation Towards New Papua: Erari: 2006:175).
Fourth, Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo as a Pastor and spiritual leader in Timor Leste said:
"The position of the Catholic Church in East Timor (now: Timor Leste), in any choice, is to accept the situation chosen by the people of East Timor. In this situation, the options recommended by the Church are the option of holding a Referendum. The Church recommends this option because it believes that the choice of a referendum is a democratic choice that is able to accommodate all the aspirations and consciences of the people of East Timor". (Source: For the sake of justice and peace, Peter Tukan-Domingos de Sousa, 1977:338).
"...in reality, when it comes to human persons, even for reasons of national security, the Church will side with the person. Because the value of the human person is higher than state security or national interests." (Source: Voice of the Voiceless: Frans Sihol Siagian and Peter Tukan, 1997: p. 127).
Fifth, Bishop Msgr. Leo Laba Ladjar, Former Bishop of Jayapura, once stated:
"The Papuan people are determined to fight without violence but through negotiation and diplomacy, in a peaceful and democratic way. We hope that this very sympathetic attitude will not be answered by the government with guns, bombs and prisons. The response to a democratic, fair, honest and definite dialogue ", while also reducing the efforts of provocateurs who incessantly provoke violence, whether from the government/military or the Papuan people." (Leo Laba Ladjar: Papuan Congress: Deciding What? quoted in late Neles Tebay: Dialogue Jakarta:Papua:2009:16).
Sixth, Theo van den Broek and J. Budi Hermawan, OFM emphasized:
"...it is not only necessary, but an obligation for the Church to be involved in this mission (defense and protection of humans) so that the basic rights of society are recognized, respected and prioritized. We also experienced for ourselves that society really expects the Church to be able to take a stand in their struggles and suffering; more recently the people of Tanah Papua have placed great trust in the Church, and in this Church they feel recognized and respected as true human beings." (Source: Memiria Passionis in Papua: Human Rights Conditions and the Free Aspiration Movement, 1999 Picture).
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The Church has been 168 in the Land of Papua since 5 February 1855 until 2023 and has failed to fight racial discrimination, colonialism, capitalism, imperialism, militarism, injustice, gross human rights violations, genocide, ecocide, marginalization, occupation and domination as a result of which the people and nation of West Papua have been systematically destroyed , structured, programmed, widespread, massive and collective.
More precisely, the DEGENERATIVE Process Program implemented by the modern pharaonic colonial rulers of Indonesia who occupied, colonized and oppressed the people and nation of West Papua with an iron fist in a cruel and brutal manner.
The church also failed to speak out against large-scale robbery and theft by building a smelter on the island of Java, in Gresik Regency, East Java.
The Church has failed in opposing the oppression of the people and nation of West Papua which demeans our human dignity with stigma, labels and myths of separatists, treason, kkb, opm and terrorists.
The church failed to fight for the freedom rights of the people and nation of West Papua.
Robin Osborn said:
"....that the incorporation of the former Dutch colony into Indonesian territory was based on a false premise, namely that when 1,025 delegates selected by the Indonesian government and military cast their votes under UN supervision it was interpreted as the political aspirations of the entire West Papuan people. Today, the validity of this premise is questionable under international law" (2000:×××).
While Rev. Dr. Karel Phil Erari firmly said: "Legally, the integration of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia is problematic.
Is it true that the Indonesian people do not have sovereign rights over the LAND, people and nation of West Papua?
Answer: Yes, that's right, the Indonesian people have no sovereign rights over the LAND of the people and nation of West Papua.
Because, the people and nation of West Papua do not or have never accepted, acknowledged and legitimized the Indonesian nation as being in the LAND of Papua. The Indonesian people annexed and robbed the LAND of Papua and occupied, colonized and destroyed the Papuan people with guns.
The Indonesian nation's lack of sovereignty over the Papuan nation is also supported by several facts as follows:
1. On 19 December 1961 Indonesia annexed or military invaded the sovereignty and independence of the people and nation of West Papua 1 December 1961 with the proclamation of the Three People's Command (Trikora). One important piece of evidence as recognition by the Indonesian nation is that the country was dissolved: "Dissolve the Dutch-made State of Papua."
2. The New York Agreement of 15 August 1961 did not involve Indigenous Papuans. The agreement was made by foreign nations, Indonesia and the Netherlands, mediated by America through its diplomat Ellsworth Bunker and secret negotiations were carried out in Virginia, United States.
3. The Rome Agreement of 30 September 1962 did not involve Indigenous Papuans.
4. The handover of Papua from UNTEA to Indonesia on 1 May 1963 was illegal because it did not involve or had no POAP agreement.
5. The 1969 Act was won by the Indonesian military with guns and did not give Indigenous Papuans the opportunity to vote democratically.
6. Special Autonomy Number 21 of 2001, almost 98% of the Indigenous Papuan Population rejected it but it was implemented through force.
7. UP4B's tricks from President Haji DR. Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono to respond to requests or pressure from the international community regarding the failure to implement Special Autonomy Number 21 of 2001.
8. Evaluation of Special Autonomy Number 21 of 2001 without involving the Indigenous Papuan Population and the modern colonial rulers of Indonesia against or trampling on their own laws. The Special Autonomy evaluation process carried out by the MRP in TANAH Papua was obstructed.
9. Special Autonomy volume 2 Number 2 of 2021 is processed and ratified without involving Indigenous Papuans.
10. DOB (New Autonomous Region) Puppet Indonesia without involving the Indigenous Papuan Population and processed, legalized and enforced by the Indonesian people
11. The Indonesian authorities produce myths, stigmas and labels: GPK, GPL, separatist, makar, OPM, KKB and terrorist as an effort to maintain false legitimacy in the Land of Papua.
12. From all of this description it is evident that there is no involvement of Indigenous Papuans who have rights to this LAND as a form of ACCEPTANCE, SUPPORT AND LEGITIMATION of Indonesia's existence. The Indonesian nation has no sovereignty over the people and nation of West Papua. Indonesia illegally occupied and colonized the Papuan people and nation.
13. Indonesia occupied, colonized, oppressed, marginalized and exterminated the Indigenous Papuan Population with false sovereignty which was strengthened by the spirit of racism, fascism, militarism, colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism and injustice.
14. Do you forcefully teach Indonesian history, memorize Indonesian heroes, memorize Pancasila, UUD45, Bhineka Tunggal Ika, respect the red and white flag, sing the song Indonesia Raya, the song Satu Nusa Satu Bangsa, the song From Sabang to Merauke, the song of our mother Kartini, this Can it be said that Indonesia has sovereignty over the Papuan people?
15. There are still 16,000 refugees from Nduga, Maybrat, Puncak, Intan Jaya, Yahukimo and the Bintang Mountains who have not returned to their hometowns. Displacement within one's own country is a very embarrassing event for the Indonesian people.
16. Four roots of Papua's problems
Papua's problems, such as rotting and festering wounds, have been formulated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) which has been stated in the Papua Road Map book, namely 4 root problems as follows:
(1) History and political status of Papua's integration into Indonesia;
(2) State violence and serious violations of human rights since 1965 which have not yet been resolved;
(3) Discrimination and marginalization of indigenous Papuans in their own land;
(4) Development failures include education, health and the economy of the Papuan people.
17. Opinions of experts, scientists and clergy
Seeing the humanitarian tragedy and serious human rights violations committed by the State, Prof. Dr. Franz Magnis-Suseno describes it as follows:
“There is an impression that Papuans are treated as if they are not yet recognized as human beings. We remember the cruel murder of Theys Eluay in the car offered to him on his way home from a Kopassus reception.”
“The situation in Papua is bad, abnormal, uncivilized and shameful, therefore it is closed to foreign media. Papua is a rotting wound on the body of the Indonesian nation." (p. 255).
"...we will be naked in front of the civilized world, as a nation of savages, a nation of murderers of Papuans, even though we don't use sharp weapons." (p. 257). (Source: Franz: Nationality, Democracy, Pluralism, Anthology of Actual Political Ethics, 2015).
Meanwhile, the late Pastor Frans Lieshout, OFM as Pastor and Teacher for Papua said:
"..People don't want to hear Papuans, what's in their hearts, their aspirations. Those aspirations are extinguished with weapons, we must condemn that. We must condemn Indonesia's approach to Papua. Papuans have become a minority in their own country. Papua remains a wound festering in Indonesia." (Reading source: Pastor Frans Lieshout. Shepherd and Teacher for Papua. pp. 399, 601).
Papua's problems, such as rotting and festering wounds, have been formulated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) which has been stated in the Papua Road Map book, namely 4 root problems as follows:
Meanwhile, Dr. Anti Soleman at the launch of 5 books in the Series of History of Politics, Human Rights and Democracy in West Papua by Markus Haluk at Graha Oikoumene, Jakarta, Thursday (15/6/2023) stated, "This book (by Haluk) is a story about wounds. "The wounds about Papua are not only with us as I am 71 years old, but the wounds are already there in the lives of our children and grandchildren, they are 17 years old."
In the foreword to my book entitled: "The Steep Cliff of Peace in the Land of Papua" Mrs. Dr. Adriana Elizabeth says:
"Various events that occurred in Papua show that the discrimination and unfair treatment that befell Papuans still continues to this day.
Senator from Aceh Fachrul Razi said:
"We must be honest and brave enough to state the truth that there are serious human rights violations in Papua.... I see that the current Special Autonomy for Papua is not true autonomy. So don't promise any more special autonomy. I see that special autonomy ends up being a hoax Also".
(Source: Fachrul Razi Senator from Aceh, Law Justice.co; Mediatimor.com, 11/24/2019)
What is clear and certain: Indonesia has no sovereignty in the Land of Papua. Because there is no involvement, approval, support and legitimacy of the Papuan people and nation. The majority of 98% of the people and nation of West Papua reject the illegal occupation and colonization of the LAND of Papua.
The incorporation of Papua into Indonesian territory was the agreement of foreign nations and thieves, robbers and murderers, namely: Indonesia and the Netherlands, mediated by the United States for the purpose of robbing mines in Mimika (Tembagapura) and gas in Bintuni and many others. Only economic and political motives, the Indonesian people are in the Land of Papua without the support and legitimacy of the Indigenous Papuan Population.
It is my prayer and hope that this short article will open a new perspective for the Church in West Papua regarding the political status of West Papua within the territory of Indonesia.
Happy reading. God bless.
Happy New Year January 1 2024
Ita Wakhu Purom, January 1, 2024
Writer:
1. President of the West Papua Baptist Churches Fellowship.
2. Member: Papuan Church Council (WPCC).
3 Members of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC)
3. Member of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA).
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