Indonesian president ‘must woo Pacific for Papua’s sake’, say analysts

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono faces challenges on his Papua New Guinea visit after Australia next month. Photo: ETAN

Pacific Scoop:
By Lilian Budianto in Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should use his visit to Papua New Guinea next month to discuss ways to work with Pacific nations to solve the issue of Papuan separatism, say analysts.

“Foreign countries scrutinise Indonesia over how it could solve the insurgency problem because they regard Papua as an international concern,” said Adriana Elisabeth, a researcher from the Indonesian Institute for Sciences (LIPI).

“The more we shut down, the more suspicious they are and it doesn’t help in efforts to embrace Papua.”

She said Indonesia had to open up and cooperate with other countries to solve the Papuan issue because the nature of the problem partly arose from an international resolution.

Then Western New Guinea became part of Indonesia based on the 1969 Act of Free Choice, which is not recognised by many Papuan people.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will visit Port Moresby from March 11-12 after visiting Australia from March 8-11.

LIPI has prepared a roadmap on how to solve the Papuan issue, including a plan to conduct an international conference, but it has not yet been implemented due to the government’s resistance to
internationalise the issue.

‘Domestic issue’
The Foreign Ministry said that Papua was a “domestic issue” and should not see international interference.

A number of civil society groups in Papua New Guinea and other Pacific nations continue to support the Papuan independence movement because of shared Melanesian roots.

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the President would seek to enhance cooperation with Pacific countries during his visit to Papua New Guinea and Australia, although stopped short of saying what areas
could be enhanced.

“Jakarta would seek to project its policy on the Southwest Pacific during the visit. because it has strategic value [for Jakarta] regarding separatism,” said Marty during a visit to The Jakarta Post.

Sociologist Tamrin Amal Tomagola said support for Papuan independence was still strong among Pacific Islands countries despite waning support elsewhere.

Choirul Anam, deputy executive director for Human Rights Working Group, said Jakarta had to strengthen its diplomacy over the Papua issue because its freedom movement gained wide international support such
as when Timor-Leste sought independence.