Press Release*
In 2009, the assessment team for Papua of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI Papua Team) has published the book Papua Road Map as the result of the team’s studies since 2004. Subsequently, at the beginning of 2010, the LIPI Papua Team in cooperation with the Papua Peace Network (JDP) started carrying out public consultations in 26 districts and organized 6 exploratory meetings with the goal to facilitate the peace building process and reconciliation through dialogue. The exploratory meetings, which were attended by parliament members, government representatives and civil society figures, took place in Jimbaran (Bali), Manado, Lombok, Yogyakarta, Semarang and Jakarta.
During the first meeting in Bali, the participants examined various issues and problems, which have so far become the source for the tensions, suspicion and the ‘communication impasse’ between Jakarta and Papua, and agreed that a similar follow up meeting should be carried out. At the follow-up meeting in Manado participants discussed three aspects of the Papua conflict: (1) politics, security, and human rights, (2) socioeconomic aspects, and (3) sociocultural aspects. These three topics were explored in detail during the meeting in Lombok, and compiled as indicators for Papua as a Land of Peace. The next meetings were held in Yogyakarta and Semarang with the aim to discuss an action plan and identify the actors/ institutions, having the authority for its implementation. The 6th exploratory meeting in Jakarta came to the conclusion that there should be a sectoral dialogue for an implementation of the follow-up action plan by related Ministries/ Agencies.
Based on the results of the exploratory meetings one to five, the team compiled eleven recommendations, which have also been shared with President Jokowi. Two of these recommendations have been adopted as government policies in 2015, namely the granting of amnesty for political prisoners and free access for international journalists to Papua. These policies show the president’s political commitment to seek a solution for the Papua conflict, even though the interpretation of these policies in Papua and amongst government agencies is still divers.
The governments commitment to seek a peaceful solution is obstructed by the increase of violence in Papua, particularly after the Tolikara incident in July 2015. National and local media has reported 12 cases of violence during the past 3 months. The cases of violence range from abductions, shootings, arrests, killings by state security forces as well as civil society actors in various regions in Papua and Papua Barat. The escalation of violence in Papua seemed to have increased with the regionalisation of the Papua conflict, the situatuon prior to the direct regional elections in December 2015, and the establishment of the new military base in Manokwari (KODAM). Facing the current potential for the increase of violence in Papua, immediate measures should be taken to stop and prevent the violence. These steps should not only consider short term interests, but also support the peace process towards a peaceful reconcilliation in Papua.
The resolution of the Papua conflict undoubtedly won’t be achieved if the escalation of violence in Papua continues. The Indonesian government should therefore begin with the dialogue process in order to build a peaceful Papua. Broadly speaking, the dialogue approach towards a peaceful Papua should be implemented in several stages, like a sectoral dialogue (related to the acceleration of development in various fields in Papua), an internal dialogue (between Papuan civil society and the regional government), a political dialogue (between the government and Papuan civil society to seek a solution for political, security-, law- and human rights-related problems, and build trust between Jakarta and Papua). The dialogue approach’ s goal is the support and strengthening of the unity and integrity of Indonesia.
*This Press release was compiled as an update of the “Papua Roadmap” book.
Jakarta, 30 October 2015
