Managing The Conflict in Papua

 Opinion

As the global world struggle from its changes, Papua, Indonesia has been struggle from becoming a victim of asymmetric war strategy conducted by the West union as response of the genesis of their glooming era.

Dear Readers,

Like the General Petraeus said, “ There’s all sort of stuff going on, The cowboys are straining to keep up, to restore control and that’s the most important quality that our troopers need going into asymmetric combat situations; they’ve got to be comfortable in the chaos.”

This is the trend of the global strategy. Something that every country must deal with it, in order to keep up and gain control to adapted (more likely to be than comforted) in the chaos. As we all aware, Papua as a part of the unitary of the Republic of Indonesia since 1962, have fought years for being remained in Indonesia or repeat the act of free choice (referendum) in order of self-determination as independent nation. Obviously, the government of Indonesia wouldn’t very much enjoy on the term of referendum since the traumatic event on East Timor. But domestically, the government has be up against the pro independence movements and the separatist as its supporters. Nowadays, those movements have become larger as the international community start to take notice on what happen in Papua.

What Happen?

The changes of global situations which follow by the issues of the human rights, global environment and law enforcement have changed the face of the world, it became the world in order, which West and its allies have became the world domination. But that won’t last for long, since the collapse of the west economic in 2008, an exhausting war on terror, the pursuit of World’s oil resources that lead them sink in their own greed and the Middle-East has start to leave them. The current situations have mentioned that the west economic union is unraveling, London is in blaze because of social gap and its
own vanity, Germany and France as the two strongest in the Euro zone don’t yet have the stomach to commit to saving the common currency and the continental’s once dependable trading partner the “Uncle Sam” is too feeble to save the day or the euro since the Obama administration has asked to downgrade the US debt by standard & Poor’s. According to the situations, the west and its allies has started a new strategy by implement the asymmetric global war strategy in order to regain their domination after those shortfall. Meanwhile, the third world has started to gain its own development. Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) have started to take the lead in global economy and soon will become “the new world domination”.

Furthermore, Indonesia as the world new economy, start to savor its economic advancement in global free market. Indonesian production competitiveness in the world trading has become increase in quality and price. This is in line with the step-up of the public consumption. The World Bank noted that Indonesia’s economic growth has reached 6,5% per year and might be increase in the next term. This economic growth has even bigger than the Russia as BRIC countries which only 4% per year. On the other hand, Papua as one of the richest territory in Indonesia which has contribute to the economic growth with its abundance natural resources, has become a target by the west union as one of the “imminent resources” while the middle-east has no longer benefit to the west. The US has started to realize this earlier since 1960s-1970s and so its colleagues in the region Australia. Historically, Australia was one of the countries that supported the Dutch for giving the Papuan independence. It has become obvious, since Australia pre-assumed that Indonesia is the “forthcoming threat” to its national interest, and the perimeter is going to be Papua.

Managing the Conflict in Papua

For so long, Australian has been trying to manage the Oceania under its controlled to secure the west interest in the region. The Australian’s effort has supported by the United States Pacific Command (US PACOM) in Hawaii to make sure the geo-strategy in the region will be on track. But the world has changed recently, the “old” west seems no longer dominate the region caused by its lack on economy, so that’s why they’ve started with a new pack of strategy by using “new soldier” which comfortable with the trend issues of the world. Since then, the “new soldier” has spread all over the world with the cover of NGOs, Human Rights personals and associations, democracy activists, environment activists, workers, artists, missionaries and many others. They have brought each of their national interest to the target countries all over the world. Nowadays, it seems they’ve become “the spearhead” of the West countries and its allies to implement their global strategy. In Papua, those foreigners have snatched and scrambled Papua to their own national interest. They have played outside their own territory even region to taste and even dominate Papua natural resources in order to secure their countries from more damage. According to the wikiLeaks, Australian has sent more than 6000 intelligence-trained civilians since 1970s to Papua and Indonesia as missionaries, activists, journalists and many other professions for a primary task to monitor, sponsor, doctrine and recruit local activist against the government of Indonesia. This is the clandestine operation that has arranged systematically for years. According to that, I believe, by supporting the separatist and pro independence movements, they have deliberated to manage the conflict in order to keep their interest secure in Indonesia especially Papua. For instance, Freeport Mc Moran company have been operated in Papua since 1974, in that period, the company had been maintained the separatist by funding them with proper budget. Why? They’ve realized that the government of Indonesia has discover the unbalanced of the mine’s profit. And the possibility the Government of Indonesia to call off the contract or even worse to nationalize the mine and all the US companies in Indonesia. By funding the separatist properly, the separatist in Papua were kept to remain small force and so the pro independence movements. They can live but remain minor in order to easily controlled. At this term, the company (US) has a bargaining position to Indonesia, by managing the conflict they can assure the profit will benefit the country and keep the Indonesian steady, otherwise they could revoke they endorsement to Indonesia and with its power, bring the issue of Papua to the international community.

In overseas, those “new soldier” also featured their role in supporting the pro independence activist by uplifting the issue of human right violation. As the conference held in Oxford, England few weeks before, the pro independence activist Benny Wenda and friends were helped by the international activists such as an Australian lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, a British Doctor of Philosophy, John Saltford and Lecturer in Oxford University, Charles Foster that also the co founder of International Lawyers For West Papua (ILWP). They have appointed the Papua matters on human rights violation and invalid of Papuan Self- Determination in 1969 even though it has been decided by the UN resolution under the UN assembly number 2504. By blurring the facts and covering up with deceit and deception they have confidently convinced Benny Wenda and friends to become their puppet by luring them with freedom or more budget of their action. I believe, Benny itself has difficult position since he was arrived in Britain as asylum seeker, he has no status as a permanent citizens in Britain and no longer admit as Indonesia. The uncertain status of Benny has become bargaining by the international activists “to employ” him in addressing the messages. This low behavior not to different with how the Australian has been done to Aborigin for years. They lured them with money, housing, and a few square field each, but keep remain them illiterate, uneducated and unbreed/barren. This is how the west did and still do and will be in the future as their long term strategy, if you can’t outrun them, then outsmart them.

Distinguished Readers,

I would say that this situation must be response wisely and carefully since we’ve realized this conspiracy have been largely involve well-known countries that once dominated the world since years ago. In doing so, Indonesia should forward oncoming persuasive with combined match with comprehensive internal security by way of early detection and early prevention. Since we realized that Papua has become one of the international’s objects of natural resources, we need to deal with this problem properly without damaging relationship with the international community.

At last but not least, it might be inferiority wishful to the west and those “new soldier” that has been created, let the Papuan resolve their own problems within Indonesia without interfering from other countries especially the west and its allies. And try to learn to launch a good relationship bilaterally or multilaterally based on mutual trust and respect. It might be changed the way we think about the west all this time."Rafli Hasan