Many responses have
arisen following the opening of the Papua separatist organization’s office
(OPM) in the city of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Two camps are dealing with
this issue: those who are calling on the Indonesian government to take decisive
actions toward the British government, even if it means freezing diplomatic
relations; and those who are standing for the right of freedom of expression.
Looking closely at this issue, two arguments emerge, namely the inability of
Indonesian government to counter the second-track diplomacy that has been
undertaken by Benny Wenda and, more importantly, the effects of this situation
on the future of peaceful dialogue between the central government and the
Papuan people.
What happened most
recently by opening the Papua separatist organization’s office is not
inconsistent with what Wenda has done for more than decade since he left Papua
for the United Kingdom in 2002. Since Wenda took diplomatic actions by
establishing international parliaments for West Papua in 2008 (IPWP) and
traveling to Melanesian countries in the South Pacific (such as Fiji, Vanuatu,
Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea) to get support, the Papua’ issue has become
more international, with more international intentions to examine what is
happening in this eastern province of Indonesia. The latest journey of Wenda to
Melanesian countries followed the lifting of his Interpol Red Notice status in
2012. One of the purposes of his undertaking those diplomatic actions has been
to pressure the Indonesian government to abandon the security approaches it has
been taking to solve the Papua problems.
All of these actions
and Wenda’s opening the office in the United Kingdom highlight the
weakness of the Indonesian government to exercise its diplomatic instruments.
In the first track diplomacy, Indonesia seems unable to raise its image as a
sovereign state over Papua. As we know, the government has strengthened its
efforts to cooperate with Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) since this group of
countries has spoken very frequently about human rights conditions in Papua.
However, this growing Indonesian diplomatic effort in the region cannot prevent
these countries in the Pacific region from supporting the expressions of the
Papuans toward obtaining their independence. The Papuan goal was fortified by
the MSG’s plan to give Papua observer status in the MSG in their June 2013
meeting in New Caledonia. Meanwhile, human rights conditions in Papua have also
become a main concern for many international agencies, such as Human Rights
Watch and Amnesty International, and for certain outstanding figures, such as
Bishop Desmond Tutu and MIT Professor Noam Chomsky, who have urged the
Indonesian government to respect Papuan indigenous rights.
Furthermore, it is
noteworthy to look at the Oxford office’s impact on the future of peaceful
dialogue through actions it has been undertaking since 2010. Initially, the
idea of peaceful dialogue was launched by the Papuan intellectual Neles Tebay
in accordance with The Indonesian Institute of Science. This effort has
embarked on an initiative to use active dialogue to rectify ongoing historical,
political, cultural and economic grievances in the eastern half of the island
of New Guinea. By holding workshop and public discussion within the
province as well as lobbying the national government for support for the
enterprise, this strategy pushes for a positive environment in which dialogue
can take place from both top-down and bottom-up approaches. However, the
challenges are still numerous, including the fragmentation of the large number
of parties.
One of the biggest
obstacles for consolidating a dialogue is bringing all the parties concerned
with Papua to sit together and start discussing and eventually find the best
solution. Looking back at Papua's history, there have been many initiatives,
from central and local government as well as from the non-governmental
organizations, to arrange an active dialogue, but these efforts have faced
similar obstacles related to political fragmentation among Papuans. Benny
Wenda’s involvement as an actor involved in Papua’s independence raises a concern
about the role of the party in the dialogue between the national government and
the Papuan people.
Moreover the
existence of OPM's office in Oxford, England makes the road to peaceful
dialogue more complex. On the hand, the process becomes more complex
because Wenda will literally refuse the dialogue scheme under the provincial
authority of Papua. On the other hand, until now, the British government can do
little to disband the activity within the OPM office, because of national laws
that respect and guarantee its citizens’ rights—and Wenda is a British citizen.
In this situation, ignoring the existence of Free West Papua office is
impossible. All the British government can do is to make a public statement at
a diplomatic level affirming its respect for the sovereignty of Indonesia over
Papua. Wenda and his group will continue to campaign for the separation
of Papua at the international level. Wenda’s involvement is a real
challenge for the Indonesian government and for other parties who are
struggling to achieve a peaceful dialogue in Papua. Constructive communication,
including with those who have been exiled, is more likely to occur through
discussions as one united country.
It is hoped that the
consternation over the opening of the Free West Papua office does not incite an
escalation of conflict in Papua. This concern is all the more grave considering
the recent military shooting and killing of several Papuans on May 1, coincided
with the peaceful commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the handover of
Papua to the Indonesian government by the United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority. Although it has no direct correlation, the
issue of opening the Free West Papua office in Oxford can lead to a high degree
of oversight over the Papuan people by the security apparatuses that in turn
can cause friction within the society.
By: HYRW & Agustinus Kambuaya
First
published in the Jakarta Post http://m.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/05/15/effects-oxford-opm-office-papua.html
