INDO-PACIFIC Papuans Hope for Independence, but is it Possible? OE Watch Commentary: Violent clashes broke out in August in the restive region, which has been plagued with ongoing tension since the 1960s. These clashes were sparked after reported racial discrimination against Papuan students went viral. While protests and tension between the indigenous people and the Indonesians have been an ongoing problem, the latest protests, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, are different because they are the largest ones held in the region in years and have drawn support from across . Also, while previous protests had been spearheaded by exiled Papuan liberation leaders, the current protests have been erupting from within West Papua and then spreading to other provinces. During the first week alone, protests took place in some 30 cities, both inside and outside the region. The accompanying passages offer insights into the ongoing tension. Papua was formally a Dutch colony, which declared its independence in the early 1960s before being incorporated into Indonesia in 1969. There are now over 1.8 million people calling for an independent referendum in West Papua. However, Indonesia is not close to giving up the territory. The South China Morning Post points out that “the region is of economic significance to Indonesia,” due to it being home to the world’s largest gold mine and its natural gas reserves. The country had previously held a referendum in 1969 to allow West Papuans an opportunity to decide their future. The initiative did not pan out, with military coercion against “the small portion of the Papuan population who were allowed to vote” being blamed, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The former Dutch colony ended up being incorporated into Indonesia instead. West Papuan independence fighters in 2012 (Jenderal Goliath Tabuni). Source: Tpnpb via Wikimedia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jenderal._Goliath_Tabuni.JPG, CC BY-SA 4.0 The report does not indicate much optimism for a successful referendum today. According to the South China Morning Post, over the past few years, demographics have changed as Indonesian settlers grew 10.8 percent and indigenous Papuan grew only 1.8 percent. This shifting population appears to have put the indigenous population at a disadvantage. While the indigenous population is clearly at a disadvantage, they keep pressing forward. Three primary political groups, namely the Federal , the West Papua national Coalition for Liberation, and the National Parliament of West Papua, have joined forces to form the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). According to China Post, there are claims that the racism has escalated since the formation of ULMWP. Benny Wenda, who chairs the ULMWP has warned that a militia group has been recruited by Indonesian intelligence and that it is “already forming in Jayapura. Wenda has called for UN intervention to “avoid a ‘Santa Cruz-like massacre,’ in which 250 East Timorese pro-independence demonstrators were killed.” There are differing accounts of what might be happening in the region. The article published in Republika, reports that Indonesian police “have determined that there is a terrorist group network, which is affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), building power” in the region and trying to recruit members. Meanwhile, another report, published by Jakarta Globe, reported that the security situation in the region has returned to normal. Regardless, the region is fragile and will likely remain so until a resolution is reached. End OE Watch Commentary (Hurst)

“Papuans have long faced discrimination in Indonesia – a factor which has driven some young people to join rebel causes.”

OE Watch | October 2019 37 INDO-PACIFIC Continued: Papuans Hope for Independence, but is it Possible?

Source: “Tracey Shelton and Tasha Wibawa, “Why West Papua’s Latest Protests are Different from the Ones Before,”Australian Broadcasting Corporation Net, 4 September 2019. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-04/west-papua-latest-protest-over-referendum-for- independence/11471016

But these latest protests are not only the largest held in the region in years, but they have also drawn support from across Indonesia. While previous movements have been largely orchestrated by Papuan liberation leaders in exile, these recent protests have erupted from within West Papua and have since spread to other provinces. Mr Harsono said he counted protests in 30 cities both inside and outside of the region during the first week. “The spread of the protests indicates the deep frustration among indigenous Papuans against Indonesian rule,” Mr Harsono told the ABC.

Source: Amy Chew, “Explained: What has Led to the Violent Riots in Indonesia’s Papua?” South China Morning Post, 21 August 2019. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3023640/explained-riots--papua-region

Explained: What has Led to the Violent Riots in Indonesia’s Papua? Riots broke out on Monday in the restive Papua region, where a separatist movement has simmered since the 1960s. Indonesia’s resource-rich Papua region, home to the world’s largest gold mine, saw violent riots break out in several cities on August 19, following allegations of racist abuse and mistreatment of Papuan students on Java island. There have been three main political movements seeking independence for West Papua – the Federal Republic of West Papua, the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation and the National Parliament of West Papua. Since 2014, the groups have united to form a single umbrella organization called the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). According to Andreas Harsono, a researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW) Indonesia, Papuans have long faced discrimination in Indonesia – a factor which has driven some young people to join rebel causes. Racism against Papuans appear to have escalated since the formation of ULMWP, according to Harsono.

Source: Bambang Noroyono, “Benarkah Ada ISIS dalam Kerusuhan di Papua dan Papua Barat? (Is There a Possible Connection Between ISIS and the Riots in Papua and West Papua?),” Republika, 7 September 2019. https://www.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/politik/pxfp88385/ benarkah-ada-isis-dalam-kerusuhan-di-papua-dan-papua-barat

Is There a Possible Connection Between ISIS and the Riots in Papua and West Papua? [Brigadier General Prasetyo]Dedi [Chief of Public Polri Headquarters] explained that the police have analyzed the track records and movements of some of the Jemaah Ansarut Daulah (JAD) members in Papua and West Papua in the last two years. So far, JAD has become a religious extremist group that pledges itself to the ISIS’ network. This past year, the activity of this group has increased,” explained Dedi. Some of the areas that have been identified as the group’s fields of recruitment are in Jayapura, Wamena, Manokwari, Fakfak, and Merauke. “There are indeed cells from this group, meaning that they recruit for control,” explained Dedi. However, he said, up to now, the police have not made a sufficient analysis to prove the involvement of a global terrorist knot and network in the country with the series of riots in the main cities of Papua and West Papua that have taken place since Monday (19 August). The accusation that ISIS “played” a part in the riots in Papua and West Papua was initially expressed by Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu on Thursday (5 September). He said an intelligence analysis showed that three groups intentionally created riots in the Land of the Birds of Paradise. The first one is an armed rebel group. The second one is a pro-independence political wing and a clandestine rebel network. However, outside the three groups, said the former Army Chief of Staff of 2002, there was another group affiliated with ISIS. “There is another group affiliated with ISIS, which has called for a jihad in the Land of Papua,” said Ryamizard at the House of People’s Representatives Building in Jakarta on Thursday (5 September). However, the chief of Polri, General Tito Karnavian, delivered a specific but different analysis.

Source: Telly Nathalia, “Indonesia Clarifies ‘Distorted Information’ about Papua to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,”Jakarta Globe, 9 September 2019. https://jakartaglobe.id/context/indonesia-clarifies-distorted-information-about-papua-to-un-high-commissioner-for- human-rights

Indonesia Clarifies ‘Distorted Information’ about Papua to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Chief Security Minister Wiranto said on Monday that security situation in the two provinces has returned to normal. According to the minister, markets, offices and schools have reopened after almost two weeks of violent demonstrations in which government buildings and public facilities were damaged. “We admit there are still threats. Some people have distributed pamphlets encouraging people to conduct more rallies and provoking anarchy,” Wiranto said.

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