Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – The Indonesia Military was urged Wednesday to be softer in its handling of the separatist movement in Papua as the threat the movement posed was minimal and lacking in significant external support.
"There are no effective insurgent groups nor political network in Papua that are strong enough to create a serious threat," said researcher Muridan S. Widjojo of the Center for Political Studies at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.
"However, we have to realize that deep inside, almost every Papuan wants to be free from Indonesia," he added.
Speaking at a public discussion, Muridan said that the insurgent groups would become debilitated on their own, without any military force or intrusion.
"Papua is a big island geographically. Moreover, the infrastructure there cannot support any underground threat," Muridan said, adding that there was no international help that could really bolster the movement.
The soldiers and paramilitary police members had been careful with the people in Papua when it came to using force, he said.
The most notable separatist organization in the area is the Free Papua Movement, which has been fighting for independence since 1965.
Australian academic Richard Chauvel of Victoria University said that the chances of Australia helping a separatist movement in Papua to gain independence were small.
"If you compare the situation with East Timor, Australia had a personal connection with East Timor compared with Papua because there were more Australian soldiers being deployed there," Chauvel said.
"With Papua, there is no personal connection at all. However, there is no regulation from the Australian government that prohibits local NGOs from supporting Papuans in getting their independence," he said.
In March 2006, the Australian government granted temporary political asylum to 42 out of 43 Papuan refugees, who came to the country by boat. The event caused a stir in the two countries' diplomatic relations.
Chauvel added that the best cure for the separatist threat was political will from the central government in enacting special autonomy, which was granted to the region in 2000, along with the establishment of the new province of West Irian Jaya.
"The (Indonesian) government has to be serious in handling the area, especially in eradicating poverty, increasing the health and education of the people," said Chauvel, who often conducts research in Papua. Currently, he said, the Indonesian government was not committed to allowing Papua to receive its special autonomy.
In 2006, both Australia and Indonesia's governments signed the Lombok Agreement on security operations. The agreement was based on Indonesia's desire for Australia's recognition of its sovereignty and a statement that Australia would not support any separatist movement in Indonesia.
An article of the agreement states that neither country will support separatist movements in the other or allow their territory to be used as a base for separatist movements.