Maintain Papua’s Dignity

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Conditions in Jayapura, Manokwari and Sorong are returning to normal following protests in the cities. The government is committed to maintaining Papua’s dignity and prosperity.JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Jayapura in Papua along with Manokwari and Sorong in West Papua began returning to normal on Monday (19/8/2019) evening following protests earlier in the day. Mutual appreciation and openness are necessary to avoid any unwanted repercussion from incidents Papuan students were subjected to in Surabaya and Malang, East Java.

“My brothers and sisters, pace, mace, the mothers of Papua and West Papua, I know that there’s a feeling of being offended. Therefore, as brothers and sisters of one nation and one homeland, forgiving one another is the best way to go,” President Joko Widodo said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

The President reaffirmed that the government would continue to be committed to maintaining the dignity and prosperity of all the people in Papua and West Papua. “Emotions may rise but forgiving is better. Patience is also better,” the President said.
Separately, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said that she had called Papua Governor Lukas Enembe to apologize following an incident of hate speech targeted at Papuan college students in Surabaya on Aug. 16 and in Malang.
“I called the governor of Papua and apologized as the incident did not represent the people’s voice in East Java,” Khofifah said, adding that her administration had enjoyed good communication with Papuan students in East Java so far.
According to her, Lukas asked her over the phone to protect all Papuan students in East Java.
Lukas said that he appreciated the peaceful protests in Jayapura on Monday. No violence was involved in the protests, which went on from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Indonesian Time. Protesters got the chance to meet with Lukas.
KOMPAS/FABIO MARIA LOPES COSTA
Thousands of people throng the street leading to the Papua governor’s office on Monday (19/8/2019) in Jayapura. Several public rallies took place in the Papua capital to voice anger over the treatment of Papuan students in Surabaya, Malang and Semarang.
In the meeting, the protesters delivered several statements. These included deploring the persecution and racism Papuan students had been subjected to, asking President Jokowi and National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to act firmly against people and law enforcers involved in racist attacks and persecution, asking for protection for all Papuan students studying in all regions in Indonesia and demanding an official apology from the Malang city administration.
“I will deliver these points when I meet with President Jokowi in Jakarta,” Lukas said.
In the protest in Manokwari, the West Papua regional legislative council and the West Papua People’s Council offices were burnt. The protest was from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Indonesian Time.
“Apart from the two offices, there were several other buildings, like houses, hotels and shops, that were damaged by locals,” West Papua Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Mathias Krey said.
At around 3 p.m. Eastern Indonesian Time, dozens of people broke into Sorong’s Domine Eduard Osok airport and damaged the building. At around 4 p.m. Eastern Indonesian Time, things returned to normal and flights resumed.
KOMPAS/FABIO MARIA LOPES COSTA
A large crowd throngs the Papua governor’s office on Monday (19/8/2019) in Jayapura to protest the treatment of Papuan students in Surabaya, Malang and Semarang.
Background
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that the incidents in Surabaya and Malang, which triggered the protests in Papua and West Papua, should be explained clearly.
Kompas records on Aug. 15 showed that around 30 persons claiming to be from the Papuan Youth Alliance (AMP) had planned to hold a protest at Malang city hall to voice their aspirations on the agreement between the US and Indonesia. However, AMP members then clashed with locals who did not want the protest to occur.
The next day, on Aug. 16, a group of people from a certain mass organization visited the Papuan student dorm in Jl. Kalasan, Surabaya, after hearing reports of the Indonesian flag being damaged in the dorm. That was when the alleged hate and racist speech toward the Papuan students occurred.
In order to prevent the incident from spiraling further into chaos, the police then protected the dorm and moved its 43 residents to the Surabaya Police headquarters. The police released all the students on the evening of Aug. 16.
“If we did not move the students from the dorm, there were concerns that things could get ugly. There were no criminal charges as the case was still under investigation at the Surabaya Police,” East Java Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Frans Barung Mangera said.
ANTARA FOTO/TOYIBAN
Tires burn on Monday (19/8/2019) during a demonstration on Jl. Trikora Wosi in Manokwari, West Papua. People in Manokwari expressed their anger over the physical and verbal attacks on Papuan students in Surabaya, Malang and Semarang.
Provocation
The National Police chief said that certain parties were spreading hoaxes regarding the incidents in Surabaya and Malang, such as that Papuan students died from police violence in the incident in Surabaya.
National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said that the cybercrime directorate of the police’s criminal investigation division had found two accounts on YouTube and Facebook that first spread the hoaxes.
(INA/BRO/WER/FRN/ARN/EDN/SAN/FLO/SYA/REN)

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