Must We Trust to KNPB?

National Committee of West Papua (KNPB), an organization campaigning for the right to self-determination for the people of Papua and West Papua provinces, denied allegations by Papua Police that supporters rallying on Monday had committed vandalism. KNPB head Victor Yeimo told The Jakarta Post Monday evening that the KNPB believed in fighting without violence.

Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said Monday they arrested two people during the KNPB rally in Jayapura. “Both were arrested because they committed [violence], blocking the streets with wood, burning tires in the middle of the streets and damaging street vendors’ goods,” said Waterpauw.

The police reported KNPB staged a rally, marching 15 kilometers from Perumnas Tiga to the Papuan Council. Security apparatuses blocked them and Waterpauw said when the police blocked them, rally participants started throwing rocks at the police, burned tires and blocked the streets. “They have staged rallies that disturbed public order several times,” Waterpauw said.

KNPB supporters staged a rally to mark the New York Agreement signed on Aug. 15, 1962, which decided that Papua would join the Republic of Indonesia. They said the agreement was made not by Papuans themselves.

Veronica Koman, a Jakarta lawyer from Papua Itu Kita, a solidarity movement for Papuans, said the KNPB had denied that the two people arrested were among their supporters. She said she had received reports from her Papuan contacts that about 100 KNPB supporters were rounded up in a police truck in Jayapura. They were subjected to police violence on the truck and later released.

Victor accused the police of violence. “They shot at us in Waena [Jayapura],” he said. Victor said five people were injured by rubber bullets. Waterpauw said the police had to fire warning shots into the air during the rallies.

Must We Trust To KNPB ?

Actually, a National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) to realize their mass rallies on August 15, 2016 was planned to be vandalism mass rallies because previously a number of a Papuan activist had been made a negative comment regarding to an edict demonstration in Papua which has been releasing by Regional Police of Papua since on 1 July 2016 to minimalizing the more frequent anarchist demonstrations in Papua, including those raising separatism issue.

Such release received mostly negative responses from various groups in Papua. One of traditional leaders in Papua said that the release of the edict is a strategy to hinder the democracy in Papua. He further suggested that Polda Papua should not deter democracy practices and should give similar opportunities to every group in society to express their aspiration in public. “All this time, there have been many negative views towards Indonesian Government because they limit the Papuan to express themselves publicly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Markus Haluk declared that the free-Papua activists in Papua and West Papua will ignore the edict of Papua Police Chief. The circular issued on 1 July 2016 contains the ban on protests and withdrawal of the permission from the police to the supporters of Papuan independence in Papua and West Papua. “The ban will increase sympathy for the struggle for independence. Papua Police Chief issued a circular to restrict actions in Papua,” he said.

I think a Papuan’s people doesn’t need to trust to KNPB because whatever mass rallies which is done to supporting a separatist movement or to urge the Indonesia government to fulfill their demand should be rejected.

I think mostly of Papuan’s people are still enjoy to join to Indonesia moreover Jokowi’s administration has been taking a huge   attention to build Papua since Jokowi’s had been sworn to be Indonesia’s President.

Different with KNPB’s stance, an indigeneous Papuan’s which is stayed in Merauke bhas been declared their loyalty to Indonesia at Tugu Pepera, Merauke. The statement of loyalty had been readed by youth prominent figure, Beni Kaize, the representative of a Papuan’s women, Adelia Sambalu, the representative of a Papuan’s national hero, Yeremies Papare and the representative of Merauke informal figure such as Eliy Lebehibiu and those event has been attended by the entire of Merauke residents.

They had been declared that all of circle in Papua was loyal to Indonesia and their had been rejected all of threats such as a political intervention from whoever and wherever which could be broken the unitary of Indonesia from Sabang to Merauke (http://www.papuapos.com/index.php/utama/item/6325-ratusan-warga-merauke-nyatakan-setia-kepada-nkri).

Meanwhile, an indigeneous Papua’s informal leader who is also as a chairman of Barisan Merah Putih (BMP) of Papua, Ramses Ohee had been asserted that all of circle in Papua, especially Papua’s youth communities should be understand about Indonesia’s independence day.

“Indonesia’s independence including in Papua had been legally and accepted by United Nations since November 19 th, 1969, so that whoever didn’t allow to separate Papua from Indonesia.

Ramses Ohee feels like disgusting about Papua’s youth stance especially who has been joining to KNPB or whoever inwhich they had a special task to study in Java or wherever place in Indonesia, but they had been supported an anarchies and a vandalism mass rallies which was done by KNPB in Papua and several places in Indonesia.

I think the Regional Police of Papua were arrested KNPB’s supporters must be done because they committed [violence], blocking the streets with wood, burning tires in the middle of the streets and damaging street vendors’ goods.

However, the mass rallies which was done by KNPB, its should be ended with vandalism, chaotic or an anarchies, because if ones had been happened, their hope its could be the efforts to make an internationalization on Papuan issue would be done smoothly.

Related with KNPB’s “ a bad intention”, the author has been inviting to all of circle in Papua didn’t support to all of KNPB’s action, because the Papua people must not trust to KNPB. Take care peaceful condition in Papua with stay away from KNPB’s propaganda.

*) BR Rajo Nagari is an indigeneous leader in West Sumatera. He concerned to Papua issues. Residing in Payakumbuh, West Sumatera.