Jakarta – The government should be more serious in handling problems in Papua following foreign intervention like the support given by an American senator for Papuan freedom.

"Although the Papua problem has not yet become a big issue, it does not mean that the government does not pay enough attention to this province, especially after support has been given by a certain party for a free Papua," a member of the House's Foreign Affairs Commission, Marzuki Darussman said here on Sunday.

The government, he added, should re-arrange its policies so that Papua issue can eventually be solved within the fold of the unitary state of Indonesia.

Furthermore, Marzuki said the most important thing to do now is to instill a sense of justice in the Papuan people. "However Indonesia's position is prone to conflict if it comes to the issue on injustice to the Papuan people," he stressed.

In this regard, the government should immediately implement the autonomy policy in Papua and gain the support of all national components including non governmental organizations (NGOs).

A similar view was also expressed by another legislator, Djoko Susilo, who said that all the nation's components have to be united in dealing with Papua including non governmental organizations.

In addition, the government must be able to convince the international world like the UN and the US that the Papua issue is an internal affair of Indonesia.

"Indonesia, on the other hand, must be able to convince the UN and the US about the Indonesian attitude and position with regard to Papua. The US and other countries should also respect it (Indonesian attitude).

"On a different occasion, Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono said the government never plays down or discards the problems in Papua. Such vertical conflict in Papua, Aceh and Poso are issues which have emerged as the government focuses on in preserving the unitary state of Indonesia," the minister said.