Foreign Interference Discourses on Politics in West Papua

Foreign interference for global security, political and human rights development became very sophisticated matter to delivery very trouble region of West Papua. A little foreign government reaction on massive escalation of extra judicial murder and custody was remarked since many state members reminded Indonesian government to uphold human rights law for West Papuan during Human Rights Council meeting on last May. Currently after international warning to Indonesia, on 14 of June extra judicial murder of West Papuan independence leader of Mako Tabuni was involved global anti terrorists unit or 88 detachments heavily funded by Australia and USA. This incident became public critics to the government of Australia, foreign minister promised to send a special representation, but more importantly is encouraging Indonesia for foreign journalist, activists, and diplomat freely access into conflict region. While US government has been pushing Indonesia to open dialogue agenda and effective implementation of special autonomy status, and other donator countries for 88 detachment unit clearly have no reaction. Foreign government need to intervene on that incident, not only remains Indonesia but also further action in resolving the root of political dispute in the country. This matter should be discussed in the public debate session at UN General Assembly on 25 September- 1 October based on their main theme is judgment and settlement international disputes; by peaceful means.

Although a little world government has replied presently about current violence, it is unlikely a real foreign interference due to bilateral and multilateral interests always underpinned amongst them. Australia has a new security agreement was signed last three weeks with Indonesia to keep control Papuan political activity; a bilateral security between US and Indonesia on protect their shared gold and copper mine and terrorism always been involved many innocent death; Pacific regional security plan also concerned to support anti-terrorist unit of 88 detachments with no attention on the murder of their pacific indigenous population; multilateral government of UN have no investigation mission on that extrajudicial murder. By foreign government interference has failed to apply a global security and peace provision of combat terrorism to protect most vulnerable people in the trouble territory, for Indonesia such killing of a separatist leader of Mako Tabuni was part of defending their national sovereignty over West Papua. Indonesia prejudicing the independence movement of Papua as terrorist or criminalists groups is extremely negative stigma and misinterpretation, in the reality no government support for independence aspiration. Failure of global security and peace plan never given international storm for Indonesia, therefore we will see about interested states’ responses at the UN meeting.

In the historical fact since foreign interference was emerged in West Papua, the status of West Papua illegally incorporated into Indonesia. The broader critics that the United Nations has denied to maintain the world mandate of the right to self-determination due to cold war tension when US became key power in the international political game. As result “one man one vote referendum” was neglected under the military rule of Indonesia and UN supervision such only 10% of total West Papuan population took part with process of Act of Choice in 1969. A critical legal question that why it was ratified under international law with UNGA resolution No. 2504, hence, for the status quo legally debatable case until present day. Many activists death such Mako Tabuni was a vocal young independence leader strongly promote referendum agenda in many years. Today people of West Papuan seeking a proper approach to restore the past failure of referendum, for this respect consciousness and recognition by key actors (UN and US, Dutch, Indonesia) most crucial important.

A core feature of global government failure that is always respects to the awful resolution of 2504. West Papuan perspective, the failure of foreign government intervention has a strong historical evidence to justify the political distortion in accordance international principle manners moreover the world global system is very clear. In the fact a special envoy of UN, Dr Fernando ever reported about the denial of “one man one vote referendum”, therefore foreign government actors must to pay moral responsibility in effective realization of the world obligation. Vanuatu Government and international parliamentarian groups have been taking part a crucial important role to encourage the foreign governments’ reaction with promoting a legal opinion for the political status, now they are seeking a broader support.

Under new world order, foreign government interference is a best approach on international disputes settlement, West Papua case never became important pattern of the world agenda. West Papuan asking a foreign interference is to tackle out potential political unrest in the region through global development agendas of eradication of world colonialism, conflict resolution by third party mediation, improvement of better democracy and human rights development. Indonesia did not apply at all programs even long time no reaction taken by international and regional government groupings (UN, PIF, MSG, EUROPEAN UNION) including individual states despite an unseen guerilla war between Indonesian National Army (TNI) and West Papua Liberation Army (OPM/TPN) uncertainly occurring. Consequently, many of them died and hunger, unhealthy, there is no hospital due to the nurses and doctors were intimidated by TNI in Paniai district last month and several districts of Wamena, Puncak Jaya and steadily increasing a hidden war in border areas. The victims and sufferings were uncovered because of no journalist and humanitarian organizations that always restricted by colonial authority to find out all history of human sacrifices. Thus humanitarian assistance, fact finding mission, and peace keeping force are primary needs program undertaken by foreign government interference.

The West Papuan groups and international community strongly call for a real reaction by world government for looking back West Papuan matter during annual meeting of UN this year. West Papua’s struggle is a past failure for the exercise of the right of self–determination made by foreign government interference; they ask to revise again this past mistaken through any level of world forum. Small number of political community groups has created to promote legal inquiry agenda about the territorial status such as Vanuatu government and West Papuan independence groups, supporter groups of International lawyer for West Papua (ILWP), International Parliamentarian for West Papua (IPWP) and others; they are collaboratively working on it. They indicated that the rights to self-determination never been exercised for West Papuan, therefore these groups have committed to building wider network and grater support and remains the world government to find the suitable ways.

The conflict and war tension more higher when a little reaction by foreign government. Two of UN special rapporteur in 2008 highlighted human rights abuses became daily bases and a feeling of fear unquestionably enduring for native West Papuan without further action taken by UN itself, severe powerful countries encouraged Indonesia to peaceful dialogue and respect human rights values but it also reluctantly responded by Indonesia. West Papuan’s patriotism for independence struggle never ends that is why continually fighting their fundamental rights and dignity, and by this little world attention inspired them to fighting more energetic and progressive. Indonesian president and defend minister announced that Indonesia will fight whoever foreign party intervention on the West Papua matter. As result, today there is more potentially growing the war and conflict since Jakarta sent coalition troops and other militias groups in trouble region same experience to Timor Leste. Recently thousand hundreds of Indonesian troops including 88 detachment hunting two well-known West Papuan Liberation Army Leader; John Yogy and Goliat Tabuni including their collogues and members. Papuan people urgently asked to peace keeping mission and fact finding team for security and safety, so it should be put pressure to further discuss in the enduring meeting of UN.

Regard to the complexity matters of West Papua, foreign government vitally understands holistically about the problems and what the suitable foreign aid programs can meets local needs. One of basic factor is the interest and political believe differences of Indonesia and Papuan people. I would like to draw from both conflict parties perspective; For Indonesia and its counterpart that prime agenda are national building projects of all aspects and anti-disintegration plan such against separatism; while West Papuan persistently demanded human rights and political development such the rights to self-determination have to be respected under international and national law. Most of activists, analysts, politicians and experts from multiple sources highlighted a core cases are political sentiment, history and ethnical distinctions, therefore the financial foreign aid program cannot solving out this potential conflict. Good recommendation suggested that if there is any foreign government interference should be seeking a proper political reconstruction methods based on common principles of international conflict resolution, internationally mediated negotiation is applicable approach.

Foreign aid achievement was traced a wider critics about implementation capacity for the lifestyle of West Papuan minority society. Multiple resources clearly stated that too much corruption and have no commitment by Government of Indonesia to develop better democracy, peace and security and human right plans. The foreign development aid will not touch local wants before fix up solid core of political instability due to the colonial policies and practices did not helpful in the past. Indonesian government always has been misallocated foreign financial aid for sustainable military operation to control separatism or independence groups including not developed well in the other development sectors. Multiple potential matter are facing by native Papuan no hospitality, many of them been killed and jailed, higher unemployment, 73 % under poverty line, 70 % infected HIV AIDs, violence, war and slow cultural genocide ongoing. A wider peace initiators group promoting a dialogue agenda as integral of peacefully settlement dispute according to mediation method is only best option, as Indonesian national human rights commission has passed a recommendation human right session in the meeting of UN this year. Finally, it never and will not ever ends these various matter if foreign interference only aimed to support Indonesian territorial integrity program rather peaceful resolution plan over this long-term unsettle disputes.

The aid donator countries have been failed to monitor financial aid implementation, including the lack of their effectiveness and commitments at all level. The non-state actors gave distrust for foreign aid operation due to massive corruption and misallocation the funds. Previously, foreign financial aid funded the establishment of additional troop and military bases around the villages just to defend Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua. This malfunction of financial operation cannot bring the real change, according to West Papuan said that foreign financial aid is another weapon in killing people of West Papua by doing such work. World human security agenda did not helpful such those practices and experiences during 50 years Indonesian occupation. Foreign aid agencies including UN development institutions always been restricted with Indonesian national authority to report out the circumstances, even this worst colonial bureaucracy not permitted to foreign experts, activist and journalist entry inside.

A crucial problem is foreign financial aid funding wrong projects supporting criminalist and terrorist movement within Indonesian rule. The religious and social groups claimed that there are three main groups (Islamic jihad, terrorist and Indonesian government’s militia organs) collaboratively have been involving to killing pro- independence activists and innocent civilians in the trouble region. The several West Papuan who jointed in jihad and militias training interviewed by Local Human Rights NGOs mentioned that this special training aimed to kill who the people against Indonesia government, Jihad and terrorist movement and they also said trainers and all members receipt a government payment secretly. Negative impact is very higher despite the donor countries always be expected to positive contribution in national building and improving disadvantage population propose. Foreign security interference obviously very badly deal to the government of Indonesia, it roughly 20 % of global anti-terrorist funds indicated that Indonesia misallocated it to support terrorist movements in destroying West Papuan life, this unbelievable matter unknowingly operating. This security tension extremely very higher risk for West Papuan including foreigners and foreign investments such remember Bali Bombing was killed many foreigners, currently a Germany’s expert shot-dead including other foreign journalists and activists in Indonesia.

Amatus Douw is a president of International Forum for West Papua and West Papuan Independence Activist based in Australia.

© Scoop Media