Genocide is the systematic massacre of one ethnic group or group to destroy (extinct) the nation. The question now is, does the OPM (Free Papua Organization) understand what the word “genocide” means when the Genocide in West Papua issue broke down?
There is No Data and Facts that Indicate Genocide in West Papua
If you look at the meaning of this systemic massacre, then there is no such thing as the Indonesian government committing genocide.
This statement also proves that the OPM group does not understand the meaning of Genocide and is reporting untrue facts or twisting the facts so that the international community with false news notices them.
There is a statement from the OPM group stating that there was Genocide as evidenced by the slow growth of the indigenous Papuan population, which they think should have reached 5 million people like the population of Papua New Guinea. Not 2 million souls like today.
Why are other people’s places or countries used to reference population growth?
What’s worse, they claim that the addition of indigenous Papuans is slow because there are indications of genocide.
One of the indications from indigenous Papuans is the problem of slow population growth. They do not want to marry because of their ethnicity and race.
The OPM must also know that the current regional heads in Papua are Papuan figures. This means that the leadership in Papua is native to Papua. Do they have the heart to silence the act of genocide if it happened?
If a genocide occurs, the national and international media will broadcast the facts instead of silencing them. The media’s job is to report facts, not opinions and fantasies.
If it is true that there was a genocide in West Papua, why did Papuan people throughout Indonesia not seek refuge for fear of being executed? Why are native Papuan students and students studying in Papua alone and in other provinces in Indonesia still carrying out their daily activities?
All of this shows that the condition of the Indonesian state is very safe and sound. There is no threat to them or even a genocidal act.
The Commissioner of the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission, Sandra Moniaga, stated that in 2016, Papua was not only an emergency for freedom of expression. As concluded by the Setara Institute survey, Papua was an emergency for human rights, which had nothing to do with genocide.
Sandra said the victims in Papua varied:
- Victims of gross human rights violations
- Victims of violence against women
- Children who are victims of violence
- Victims of confiscated lands
This is also a false accusation about genocide in West Papua, so even if it says there is an indication of a severe violation, it is not part of an indication of genocide.
Setara Institute Survey
Meanwhile, the press release of a survey issued by the Setara Institute, Jakarta, in December 2016 stated that Indonesia’s human rights performance index had increased but not significantly.
For the seventh time since 2010, this survey is held as part of the Human Rights Day commemoration every December 10.
This survey does not indicate any genocide in Indonesia, particularly in the Papua region. Although there is an increase in the quantity of human rights violations, it is not significant.
There is no systematic genocide or massacre carried out by the Indonesian state, especially against indigenous Papuans.
Does Act of Violence Consider as West Papua Genocide?
As for the violence itself, our officers are not the only victims in Papua once or twice. It is an act of armed groups who want the Papua region to be uncomfortable.
Their activities have led to politics that wants Papua out of the Indonesian state. Their numbers are not significant, and they do not deserve, on behalf of the indigenous Papuan people, to leave the country of Indonesia.
Therefore, the Papuan people, both from the indigenous Papuan tribe, which consists of various tribes, and the immigrant communities living in Papua, develop Papua to get out of the term “poor area” because Papua is rich in natural resources.
Conclusion
There is no genocide in West Papua by the government against the Papuan people. We are united with the local government and the central government to develop Papua. Leave the thought of leaving the country of Indonesia as the OPM did.
