Jakarta – Secretary-general of the Presidium of the Papua Council (PDP) Thaha Alhamid said Christmas would serve as a good opportunity for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to discuss and find peaceful solutions to issues in Papua.
"Christmas is the right time for President Jokowi to discuss his strategy on how to settles issues in Papua peacefully, persuasively and elegantly," Thaha said in Jayapura on Friday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
He was commenting on the planned visit of Jokowi to Papua to attend Christmas celebrations to be held in Papua's capital city.
"President Jokowi should not come to Papua only to commission markets, attend Christmas celebrations, etc. But he should address the long unsettled problems besetting Papua since 1961," he said.
Thaha said he was impressed by a statement Jokowi made in August in which he said that a majority of the problems in Papua were caused by the wrong perceptions held by the central government in Jakarta.
Jokowi made the statement when he visited Papua in August as president-elect, Thaha said. "This is interesting. The statement was promising and gave new hope for the people of Papua," he said.
Thaha said he had taken the opportunity on that occasion to tell Jokowi that when he took the reins of the presidency he should prioritize changing the perceptions of the central government in regards to Papua.
As long as the people of Papua are seen as the enemy, separatists, stupid, lazy and drunkards, there will be no solution to the problems," he said.
He said that he hoped to hold talks with Jokowi during his upcoming visit. "Christmas should be a peaceful time, don't scare the people with armored cars and military guards everywhere. Give room for the people to meet their President," he added.
Thaha also urged Jokowi to release all political detainees from prison and reactivate the law on special autonomy related to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"If all these [recommendations] could be accepted and implemented, the people of Papua would have confidence in the President," he said, adding," promises do not solve anything."
Jokowi is scheduled to attend Christmas celebrations at Sentani Airport in Jayapura on Dec. 27, according to Antara news agency.
He is also to commission a number of traditional markets and visit Wamena to meet with a number of Papuan leaders. (hhr)ts and visit Wamena to meet with a number of Papuan leaders. (hhr)