New York – The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission I delegation visiting the US, called on US congressmen to help correct understanding on Papua issue as some Congressmen still considered the issue problematic.
Theo L Sambuaga, who led the Commission I delegation, made the request in the meetings with their counterparts in the US Congress, when visiting Washington DC, from September 22 to 25, 2008.
"We ask them to help correct view of other US congressmen who still have negative opinion on Papua," Theo Sambuaga told Antara in New York, on Friday evening in a meeting with the Indonesian community in New York.
In Washington DC, the Commission I delegation had met with a number of Senators and Congressmen both from the Republic and Democrat. "Many of them (members of the US Congress) have actually shared the same understanding, that the situation in Papua has been conducive," he said.
Accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to the US Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, the Indonesian legislators held meetings among others with Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Senator Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Representative Dan Burton (R-Indiana) – who is concurrently Co-Chair of the Indonesian Congressional Caucus in the US Congress, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Michigan), Rep. Michael Conway (R-Texas) and Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa).
In the meetings with the US senators and representatives, the visiting Indonesian legislators also discussed about a letter signed by 40 members of the US Congress asking President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to free two Papua separatists currently being jailed.
The Indonesian Parliament considered the letter as an intervention of the US Congress in Indonesian internal issue.
"Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to meet US congressmen signing the letter. However, at least we asked the help of other members of the US Congress to correct the view on the Papua issue," Theo Sambuaga said.
The DPR delegation included Marzuki Darusman, Djoko Susilo, Yorrys Raweyai, Marcus Silano, Andi Jamaro Dulung, Pupung Suharis Soegito, Suryama Majana Sastra, and Abdullah Afifuddin Thaib.
The delegation also held meetings with some US officials such as Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, Deputy Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Scot Marciel, and Senior Director for Asia Affairs at the National Security Council Denis Wilder.
They also visited several think-tank institutes such as The Brookings Institute, The Heritage Foundation, The US-Indonesia Community Group (USINDO), the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the National Defense University (NDU).