Jakarta – Indonesian House of Parliament Technical Delegation for Inter-parliamentarian Bilateral Cooperation warned the government to take serious preventive actions towards the separatist tendencies in the Province of Papua.
The warning was addressed after the delegation visited the US Congress from the 25th February to the 5th March 2005 where they received information that there are efforts from members of the US Congress to support the independence of West Papua.
Efforts to support the independence of West Papua were inspired by Congressman Eni H Faleomavega and was supported by around 28 Congress members and groups from territorial nations in the Pacific and Africa.
Member of the Inter-parliamentarian Bilateral Cooperation, Angelina Sondakh from Democratic Party (F-PD) who was a member of the delegation reported the issue in the plenary meeting of the Indonesian House of Parliament on Thursday (24/3).
"Preventive actions are needed to be taken against the effort to support the West Papua independence before the problem becomes the main issue and becomes prominent at the international surface level." said Angelina, member of parliament from Central Java Electoral Regional (Region VI) in the plenary meeting.
In their report, the delegation also reported that when they met with Congressman Eni who is a US Congress member from American Samoa, he questioned them about West Papuan territory which has not got its independence from Indonesia.
The Congressman compared West Papua conditions, which used to be the Dutch colony with the conditions of East Timor, which used to be the Portugal colony and East Papua [PNG], which used to be British colony. The later two nations have got their independence.
They said "The Congressman also express his worry about the illegal logging in West Papua which he thought as an evidence of the Indonesian colonialism.
Comprehensive approach
Another member of the Inter-parliamentarian Bilateral Cooperation delegation, Effendi MS Simbolon, who was also taking part in the visit, explained that the Indonesian delegation had explained to the US Congress that in 1969 an Act of Free Choice had been conducted in West Papua. The result of the Act of the Free Choice was that the people of West Papua voted to join Indonesia.
The delegation also explained that the people of West Papua have been placed as an integral part of the nation who have the same degree and position as other Indonesian citizens, (one) even become member of the Cabinet.
However, Mr Simbolon said that in the future comprehensive actions must be taken to handle West Papua. In this way Indonesia will not lose (have something stolen) like what has happened with East Timor.
"The view of Congressman Eni can influence the view of the US Congress. This is dangerous. In the East Timor Case, only one Congress member could defeat us [made us feel cornered]", said Effendi who is (also) a member of the Indonesian Struggle Democratic party from DKI Jakarta Electoral region (region I).
He also read that the foreign intervention in West Papua is very big, beginning from the government of New Zealand, Australian Parliament, until the nations in Pacific regions and Africa who feel that they are one ethnic group with the West Papuans.
Therefore, Effendy suggested that the welfare of the people of West Papua must be taken into consideration seriously. The government must implement special autonomy in West Papua seriously.
Show of force
However, the son of the Indonesian veterans (MS Simbolon and Martha br Tobing) said that defence force need to be increased. He supports a show of force of a strategic army division reserve in West Papua. The role of the army (TNI) is not repressive but preventive.
"Even the United States who has an advanced nation, in their white book, it is said that they allocated two divisions of their personnel in two of their states, Alaska and Hawaii. These two states have different ethnics. Thus, although Hawaii and Alaska people are already enjoy a welfare life, the US keeps alert and they do not want to lose [have something stolen]", he said. (SUT)