Free West Papua Campaign

I feel so sad when an activist of Free West Papua Campaign asked me to stop writing in my own blog because my position is in opposite to the Oxford based Free West Papua Campaign. I also feel sorry for Richard Samuelson attitude because he has been running away from my challenge to explain his position in Free West Papua Campaign. We as papuan are very pleased that there is sincere attention from foreign citizen like Samuelson. However, we should be sure that the  attention will create a better understanding. In contrast to the people expectation, Richard Samuelson is always provoking conflict without even thinking about the consequences.

For example, the world can read clearly about the lies by Free West Papua Campaign in their website Free West Papua Campaign as follows: “The forgotten land of West Papua is under brutal Indonesian military occupation. Its tribal people are being slaughtered, and their unique environment destroyed. ” It is not true and we must be very careful with misleading information from the black and toxic campaign. The more objective situation is there are minor human rights abuses in Papua and West Papua provinces, and we should push Indonesian government reform, especially the security aparatus and law enforcement to fully implement the democracy values in both provinces. The improvement of living standard in the cities of Papua and West Papua  provinces is extraordinary, and we can compare it to the Papua New Guinea, it is much advance!. If you visit our peaceful land you will find a very beautiful landscape and friendly people who live in there.

We realise that we need help in developing our community and in improving our life. Human rights abuse in Papua should be handled in an approprite way and not by creating confrontation in international fora against Indonesia. We should engage Indonesian authority in the central government and local government. We should open a peaceful dialogue among Papuans, Papuan local government and Indonesian central government.

I am very worry and affraid that English people are not aware  enough to see the reality in Papua. It is very difficul to trust what Richard Samuelson says. He think that the only position to end the problem in Papua is to call for independence/plebiscite/self-determination for West Papua. Unfortunately, Mr. Benny Wenda our promising leader is under Richard Samuelson influence. If Benny Wenda can stand on his own feet as a real leader of papuan people just like Hasan Tiro (Acheh) and Ramos Horta (East Timor), I am sure that Benny will see that Free West Papua Campaign in UK is only worsening the situation in Papua and West Papua provinces.