Jayapura, Jubi – Three religious intellectuals and leaders from Ecumenical Working Forum of Papuan Churches made a clear statement today, Monday (May 29) expressing their concern of the ongoing killings, shootings, hunting, battles, as well as stigma and sorrow that have experienced by their congregations.
“This week we (as previous weeks, months and years before) our congregations have experienced sorrow, death, hunting, shootings and battles; As well as the stigma in which the state institution (the weak one) always comes out with the politics of ‘talk and act differently’. Therefore we issue today a ‘Shepherd Letter’,” as written in their statement to public.
It consists of six part, from concern related to various actors who playing out in the dynamic of Papua insecurity recently, to a strong statement of rejection to what they call as Indonesian system. It said, ‘there is no future for the people of Papua in the Indonesian system’.
Here is sections of statement signed by Pastor Dorman Wandikbo, Pastor Socrates Yoman and Pastor Benny Giay today.
“The first section, the pastoral letter is aimed at various parties who are playing out in dynamic in various levels (from Jakarta) up to Papua which consequently affect the lives of congregations/civil society in Papua.
The second and fourth sections show how the face of Indonesia State shows itself in the way they deal cases of violence. The theme of adoptive racism is applied here. This is also our adoption once again in part 4, where we show the institutionalized racism of the State through TNI/POLRI which is trying hard to lead us all (public) to ‘support the TNI/Police to denounce National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) and higland people’.
Our third part reflects the experiences of the struggle activists and the churches’ works that has shaped us in the past that continues to shadow us.
On the fifth part, we state our position as Church relate to OPM, KNPB or ULMWP. As we had submitted on December 16, 2011, that OPM and KNPB or ULMWP are infants (nationalism) born as a result of forced marriage (Act of Choices 1969) between Indonesia and Papua which both parties must guard. Like Soekarno and Moh Hata which according to Indonesia is supporting Nationalism, so do we. We positioned the OPM, KNPB, and ULMWP as flag bearers of Papuan Nationalism; which has been labeled separatists, as the Dutch used to send Sukarno to jail on separatist charges.
Sixth, we tell the congregation that based on the experience and events that we have experienced in the last few days, “there is no future for the people of Papua in the Indonesian system. Papua must build itself; by learning from Persipura. We, Papua, create our own agenda. Learn from Persipura with discipline, continuous training, focus and direction; be on time to follow fixed schedule, with spirit of fire. No other nation will come to help. Papuans should help themselves by making a commitment to prioritize education in all fields. Education, Education. Keep that commitment to put children to school and fight to the end.
We invite the whole congregation: “Let us bury the culture of waiting, for good that come from heaven; or that particular nation or particular parties will come to the rescue “. We have to say “we are facing a cultural and ideological wall and racism”. We are facing the ideology and development policy of “migrant bias”.
We say good luck. Fight to create theologians and lawyers and the future Papuan economists ‘with eyes fixed on Christ’ (Iberani 12: 7)
Have a good fight!”(*)
Reporter: Zely Ariane
