Public radio in the early 1960s aired patriotic songs every one hour or so. The lyrics of one song were "Liberate Irian, Liberate Irian" (Seize Irian, Seize Irian). It was around the time when the country had yet to win Irian Jaya – now Papua – back from the Dutch colonial government.
Unfortunately, the song is still relevant today to some Papuans, especially those who aspire to secede from Indonesia. Resentment against Jakarta has not waned 40 years after Irian Jaya was liberated in 1963, mainly because of Jakarta's mishandling of this resource-rich-province.
Last week the government decided to send more troops to Papua, not to liberate it but to boost military strength there, according to Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto.
Only two weeks ago, a communal conflict broke out in Timika killing five people and injuring a dozen others. It was partly triggered by the government's recent, controversial decision to divide the huge province into three provinces. Critics say that the government's decision – to divide the province into West Irian Jaya, Central Irian Jaya and Papua – was made to weaken the separatist movement in the easternmost province. Nevertheless, the decision has been temporarily suspended due to the conflict.
The addition of four battalions to the existing three battalions in the province looks rational, especially if one considers the enormous size of the province. But it is a disturbing image if seen as an attempt by the military to preserve its infamous territorial command structure.
For 30 years, under the rule of autocrat Soeharto, the structure had been an instrument to ensure the military's political supremacy, as well as the root of numerous human rights abuses. This was the reason why the reputation of the military reached its zenith right after Soeharto's downfall.
The people's suspicion toward TNI today stems from this period. Bad elements in this otherwise very important institution have been suspected to have engineered communal clashes in the former province of East Timor, Maluku province and the town of Poso, Central Sulawesi in post-Soeharto years. Too bad our legal system has significantly failed to bring these cases to light.
Past experience shows that sending troops to conflict areas – despite the otherwise noble intention of bringing peace – only creates more problems. Military solutions to political problems are most likely to flop.
The military operation in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) in the 1990s failed to subdue the decades-old struggle of Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (Free Aceh Movement). Ironically, the post-Soeharto government under President Megawati Soekarnoputri – breaking their past promise, to pursue peaceful means – launched another operation, starting on May 19 this year.
The military, who promised to end the current war in NAD in six months, has to eat its own words. It has now hinted that the conflict – that has brought so much misery to the Acehnese – might extend to next year. In the meantime, at least 319 civilians have been killed and more than 100 others injured, according to the police.
In Papua, the government has been waging sporadic battles against the separatist movement since the 1960s without success.
What needs to be done by the government, the people and the military in both these troubled provinces is to embrace the local people in an honest and genuine manner, to talk to them from the heart, to listen to their grievances patiently and to find ways to fulfill their demands. Bullets do not pay and they will never win the hearts of the people.
The first step in this direction is the willingness of hard-liners within the TNI to abandon their old way of doing things. This entails a redefinition of responses to numerous challenges facing TNI. Only then will the TNI recoup its glorious reputation in its journey to become a professional institution. Otherwise, God forbid, will we witness the days where Papuans and Acehnese see their struggle as a war to free themselves from Indonesian colonizers?