West Papuans pushing ahead

from left: Moses Werror, OPM Chairman, Theys Eluay, Praesidium Chairman and two other West Papuans at the West Papuan Congress in Jayapura early this year.

West Papuans determined to push ahead

By Patrick Matbob

West Papuan leaders are determined to push ahead to secede from Indonesia despite opposition from Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid.

The West Papuan Congress, held in Jayapura in June with the blessing of President Wahid, is not however calling for Indonesia to grant West Papua independence.

Instead the Congress passed a resolution declaring that West Papua has been independent since December 1, 1961. The Congress believes that an international agreement of 1962, which Indonesia believes approved its annexation of West Papua, is not valid.

The Congress is now asking Mr Wahid to recognise this. However, Mr Wahid has responded by disapproving of the Congress’s resolution.

Mr Wahid said in the press last week that the separatist movements in West Papua and Aceh did not represent the views of the broad society.

He said that his government is considering special autonomy for West Papua and another Indonesian province, Aceh, by the end of this year. However, he warned that while his government would continue to use persuasion and to address welfare problems in the two provinces to help quell separatism, the law against secession would also be enforced.

Veteran Oparesi Papua Merdeka (OPM) Revolutionary Council Chairman, Moses Werror, who attended the Congress, said West Papua is determined to sever ties with Indonesia peacefully.

He said the Congress resolved that the people of West Papua have been independent ‘as a sovereign nation and state’ since December 1, 1961.

The Congress rejected the New York Agreement of 1962 which it said lacked legal and moral basis, because West Papuan people were not represented.

The Congress also rejected the United Nations-sponsored process in 1969 in which 1,025 community leaders voted unanimously to integrate with President Suharto’s Indonesia. It claims the so-called Act of Free Choice was carried out under threats, intimidation, sadistic killings, military pressure and immoral conduct.

The Congress has demanded that the United Nations revoke its United Resolution of 19 December, 1969, and has called on Indonesia, the Netherlands (the former colonial power in West Papua), the United States of America and the United Nations to acknowledge the political rights and sovereignty of the People of West Papua.

The Congress has set December 1, 2000 as the deadline for the execution of these resolutions and others which have been made.

Mr Wahid at first supported the congress to the extent of promising to open it. He then pulled out at the last minute, although he still gave one billion rupiahs ($115,000) to help finance it.

He has intensified development programs in the province, and agreed to let the Papuans fly their flag in public so long as it is together with and below the Indonesian flag.

Last December he declared that the province, until then called Irian Jaya (Indonesian for eastern-most island), should revert to its original name, Papua. He also promised to set up an independent commission to investigate past human rights abuses.