Letters: Papua is always like a project

Sat, 02/06/2010 1:03 PM  |  Reader's Forum

I totally agree with Izak Morin (This time, Papuans speak louder, The Jakarta Post, Jan. 29).
There's obviously something missing in the handling of the Papuan case. Indonesia can claim to be a state, but certainly not a nation since the "sense of belonging to Indonesia" is one thing many parts of Indonesia lack.
Raising the West Papua flag is not just a way of getting heard but an act to gain recognition as a different race with a different culture, but they should still be treated equally. One thing the government doesn't seem to care much about.
I, myself, spent more than 25 years in Papua. I grew up there, although, due to my physical appearance, many would consider me an immigrant. But what I learned from living there is that there is a strong feeling of resentment toward the government.
A feeling often called "Papuan nationalism": A sense of belonging to a minor, differently treated and peripheral society within a country.
Papua is not just a case of economic and social injustice. It also involves issue of human rights, race and cultural problems which require not only government help but help from the larger Indonesian society as well. For those who haven't realized it, Papuans have always had a hard time integrating into the larger Indonesian society. It's often not just because of the Papuans' lack of confidence but involves their treatment by the larger community.
Comments like "Oh yeah, you wouldn't know. You're just from Papua" is certainly not something that helps us integrate into the larger community.
We're still Indonesians, you know, only with a different race and culture. Papuans lack "recognition" in many senses. We have to admit when you look at Papua, it looks like a poor, marginalized and uneducated people. Papua is always like a "project" for the government. Look beyond that, please.
Erza Killian
Malang, East Java