Peace is merely one word that is somehow hard to accomplish. However hard it is to make it real, it is still everybody’s job. The conflict in Papua is an example. The West Papua annexation conflict had been going on for so long. Now that it has already been 30 years, it has somehow been forgotten by many.
The Papuan war of resistance against the government of Indonesia has been going on for a long. Some new generations might not be familiar with it. It is 30 years, and we still have not found any conclusion. Even so, everyone still wants the best for both parties.
West Papua Annexation Story
West Papua was formerly known as the Dutch New Guinea and was under the colonization of the Dutch Kingdom in the early years of independence. Only after the Act of Free of Choice in 1969, This region become one with Indonesia. With this act, this region is also called Irian Jaya and has gone through several changes until this time.
From 1973 to 1975, there was some resistance from the OPM or Organisasi Papua Merdeka that recruited people from West Papua. They tried to separate themselves from Indonesia and become a nation like Papua New Guinea at that time. The organization itself has been growing significantly. Several acts of movement attempted to solve this problem. However, many people see this as an act to destroy the community.
In 1984, the government made some military action that ended up seeing the property of the people in the region. These actions made west Papuan cross the border into Papua New Guinea at that time.
Moreover, this West Papua annexation was the plan of the government to provide the transmigration plan. So people from Java, Madura, and Bali could move to Papua.
After that time, the west Papuan resources were acquired by many people from the government. There are many resources in this area, such as forests and minerals. Clearing the forest was the job at that time. It was a quick way to gain cash, especially in that region. Moreover, the villagers seem to not know about this situation.
Canadian and Australian logging company seems to be part of it. They destroy the forests and gain money from them. It seems that the deforestation of Papua land is quite the same as in the Amazon forest. This vast logging activity seems to make many people from Papua get away from their homes and go to the neighboring country.
Besides benefiting from the forest, many people exploit the mining industry on this land. In the aftermath of the Dutch withdrawal from the area, an American mining company saw an opportunity. Freeport negotiated with the Indonesian government in 1963 and operated the copper mine in this region.
Much Indonesian police and military accompanied the operation. And until today, this mine is still not finished with their part in Papua. For thirty years, they continued to gain more and more money for their profit and left the native people in West Papua with nothing.
This mining is still getting its hand on the very part of Papua. As a part of Indonesia, we need to hand in hand help, so our brother and sister get their right the same as other Indonesian people.
Wrapping Up
Indonesia and West Papua resistance has been in conflict for a long. Decades are wasted because of this conflict. It is time to end this West Papua annexation conflict with peace and hospitality. Do not let your ego control you and make everybody else suffer the consequences. Everybody is a human. Therefore we are one.
