By: Satya Dewangga
RADAR ACEH | The separatist group of Papua incorporated in West Papua National Committee (KNPB) of Ha-Anim area just creates another new political propaganda. Through leaflets circulating in the regency of Merauke, they sought for publics attention.
Its written on the flyer that a meeting of Pacific countries was carried out on 2 September 2016 in East West Center, Honolulu Hawaii. During the meeting, countries of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia come together in Pacific Island Forum (PIF) to support the independence of West Papua.
The participants have reached an agreement to bring up the issue of West Papua to the New Yorks UN General Assembly that is going to be held on 15 September to 5 October 2016, in which the government of Indonesia along with Solomon Island and Vanuatu would facilitate the side event in the occasion, also it is going to be the first time for ULMWP representative to deliver a speech.
Moreover, it is stated on the leaflet that KNPB as a national media of Papua conveys that you are the owner of the country and therefore, to provide tremendous supports on the Pacific countries struggling to bring up the Papua issue on the UN event is a must. In line with this, KNPB has planned to undertake a rally on 19 September 2016 at the local lawmaker office in the area.
Meanwhile, the executive director of Pacific Island Association NGO (PIANGO), Emele Duituturaga reveals that the PIF-47 communique result does not describe the urge of civilians, particularly towards the rights of West Papua Self-Determination. Hence, its clear that geopolitics plays a role on this issue.
He assumes that our leaders are not that dauntless and decisive before some big neighbor countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. The insistence of civil society, so that PIF push the issue of West Papuan self-determination to the United Nations, has not been reflected in the results of PIF-47 communiqué. However, the issue of Papuan Human Rights violation that is still in the agenda of PIF is a significant achievement.
"We are aware that some PIF member are even expecting the issue of West Papua to be removed from the agenda while the communique result is a political and influential fight.
The communique result on West Papua issue in point 18 mentions that the leaders acknowledge the political sensitivity of West Papua issue and agree to put the alleged human right violation in West Papua in the agenda of PIF. The leaders also agree the importance of a constructive and open dialog with Indonesia regarding to this issue, he said.
According to Duituturaga, they will cooperate individually with those countries in future so that United Nation will interfere the West Papua Human Right Issue as well as to encourage the agenda of West Papua Self-Determination to UN General Assembly, Human Rights Councils, and Secretary General of the UN.
Other than that, the following chairman of PIF Premier Samoa has shown the signal that he would carry out a meeting of 16 CSO members along with all the leaders in the next year Samoas PIF meeting.
Be Not Discussed
The 47th PIF Meeting in Federate State of Micronesia (FSM) ended on 11 September 2016 has been claimed by Free Papua movement groups that the issue of human right violation in Papua has remained an important agenda of the Pacific countries leadership while its clear that their claim is merely hoax and just a political joke.
There are at least several reasons that include their (Papua separatist movement group) belief of how hard it is to grab a significant influence in PIF regarding to the West Papua political issue due to the economic and political relations among developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand with Indonesia. Its obvious that Australia and New Zealand may not commit a political blunder to support the liberation of Papua as it would bring a crucial impact to their economy. Just imagine what happened when Indonesia closes the Lombok strait as their trade lane.
Rumor has it that there are two types of attempt of Papua separatist movement groups to expand and gain more support to realize the West Papua self-determination right to the UN forum, namely social and political movement support in Pacific and the support from the countries that put sympathy on them. However, they expect more on social and political movement support as it is considered as the significant determiner factor.
The Separatist Propaganda under the Cover of Civil Society
If we take a look on this, these people are organizing themselves through a number of action committee on political diplomacy both in the country and international forum. They are directed in the same purpose to gain support to separate from the Unitary State of Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) through any means, either moderate ways like referendum and political diplomacy, or hard line through armed separatist group.
The group existing in the country seizes the issue of democracy, freedom, and human rights. They intensively hold extra parliamentary actions by throwing rally, demonstration, discussion forum, seminar, advocacy, propaganda, and opinion forming to discredit the government and raise referendum support to secede from Indonesia.
Propaganda and fact distortion have become strategy to discredit the government.
The issue of human right violation, repression on the freedom to gather and get involved in politics, Indonesia stigma as colonial power, and Papua integration as a legitimate territory of NKRI are such annexation spread to gain sympathy both in the country and in the global community.
These groups image themselves as if civil society have struggled hard for humanity and human rights. In fact, it is no more than a bunch of activists spreading hate speech towards NKRI both directly and indirectly which can be categorized as support on subversive and separatist efforts.
Everyone should be vigilant on the action of some groups, such as PRD, KNPB, ULMWP and their sympathizers as they bring with them a threat on national interest of Indonesia, especially on the sovereignty and existence of Papua Development. These groups are such elite groups which has no clear mass base, unaware of Papua history, and ignore the comprehensive aspiration of Papuan. Even there is a big possibility that these groups work for foreign interest by exploiting the issue of Papua as a cover for them (hidden agenda) to control and take over the strategic resources in Papua.
The author is a researcher on domestic current affairs living in Karawang, West Java.
