Syafii Maarif
The Fears of Papua's Secession from Indonesia
Selasa, 2 Februari 2010 | 05:37 WIB
KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO
Three kids row with oars while standing up in their boat on Asewts River, Agats District, Asmat Regency, Papua
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Former Muhammadiyah leader Syafii Maarif said he feared Papua may eventually secede from the Republic of Indonesia because of the local people’s discontent about perceived injustices. "Conditions in Papua are like a simmering fire in a stack of chaff. If Papua separates from Indonesia, I am afraid to imagine what will happen in the other provinces," Syafii told newsmen at the Maarif Institute here on Monday.
He said the order of justice aspired to by the nation’s founding fathers had until now not been established. "Justice is still a far cry in Indonesia ," he added. Papua’s natural resources were being ruthlessly exploited by the government without regard for the local people’s welfare and prosperity, he noted.
"Mineral deposits are taken away and forests decimated but the local people’s interests are ignored," he said. If only the government applied the paradigm of justice in Papua’s development , Syafii said he was sure the Papua people would abide in remaining citizens of Indonesia.
"I express this fear of Papua’s secession although I also think they are not ready for independence because of human resources constraints," he said. In the case of Timor Leste, a former Indonesian province, the people were in 1999 also not ready for independence, and there were later actually regrets about having seceded from Indonesia, he said.
He said the order of justice aspired to by the nation’s founding fathers had until now not been established. "Justice is still a far cry in Indonesia ," he added. Papua’s natural resources were being ruthlessly exploited by the government without regard for the local people’s welfare and prosperity, he noted.
"Mineral deposits are taken away and forests decimated but the local people’s interests are ignored," he said. If only the government applied the paradigm of justice in Papua’s development , Syafii said he was sure the Papua people would abide in remaining citizens of Indonesia.
"I express this fear of Papua’s secession although I also think they are not ready for independence because of human resources constraints," he said. In the case of Timor Leste, a former Indonesian province, the people were in 1999 also not ready for independence, and there were later actually regrets about having seceded from Indonesia, he said.
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