APSN Banner

Will West Papua finally see its freedom?

Source
Post Courier - August 20, 2024

Indonesia's incoming president Prabowo Subianto is in Australia. From there, Subianto, a former army general, will return to Jakarta via Port Moresby.

General Subianto says it's a reciprocal trip to honour PNG Prime Minister James Marape's visit to Indonesia in recent times.

Last month, Marape and Subianto shook hands in Jakarta at the 3rd Leaders Summit between the two countries. All good for the 800 kilometres of border pegs.

On a broader scale, it is good to keep in touch with our closest neighbours, Australia and Indonesia.

We believe our relationships should be much stronger because of the common boundaries we share including one border and two oceans.

But it's what Subianto is bringing to the table that will be interesting and Indonesian watchers will be keeping their antennae on PNG and Indonesia.

According to PNG's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko, Subianto has hinted at more than just discussions on trade, foreign policy, and border issues. If that hint is translated into regional border security on talks on West Papua, this will open a new front for regional security cooperation.

Whether that translates to concessions for West Papua's indigenes is something only Subianto can reveal to the world.

But the world has watched and waited, PNG has held its breath and waited silently, the West Papuans have fought and hoped for something tentative from Indonesia and have gotten no leeway except bloodshed.

The United Nations has never budged since a 1969 self-vote rule did not include the entire Papuan plebiscite. Instead, the UN has accepted the result of 1000 elders as the voice of West Papuan Melanesians to be part of Indonesia.

This as the world knows has sparked an ethnic war between OPM freedom fighters and the Indonesian army in which tens of thousands of innocent civilians have been caught in the crossfire.

Perhaps Subianto's 'surprise' package is to appease the West Papuans and give his war weary nation some breathing space and perhaps forge a new direction on how to make the costly 50 plus year internal struggle melt into the jungles.

We believe that if this is something on peace and freedom, we suggest that common sense prevail.

West Papuans are fellow Melanesians. They, like Kanaks of New Caledonia, feel short changed by their Melanesian brothers PNG, Solomons, Vanuatu, Fiji in their struggle for freedom.

PNG has to come out of its shell at this time in history. It's time to remove the shackles of colonialism and stand up for what is right and tell Indonesia, on behalf of our Melanesian brothers, to do more than continue the fight against the indigenes.

It's time PNG stands up and acts as a go-between for permanent peace between Indonesian armed forces and the OPM and be the catalyst for a new deal.

If a sniff of Subianto's breath of fresh air is to accept that West Papua's political ambitions to self-determination or autonomy is something that needs to be reshaped in a different light, then PNG should also revamp its political thought into supporting the ideals of a freer West Papua.

We will leave it with Subianto's own thoughts. The General reckons he will be the 'game changer' for West Papua. Game set and match!

Source: https://www.postcourier.com.pg/will-west-papua-finally-see-its-freedom

Country