Researchers call Papua must be free from poverty and injustice

Free west papua from poverty.

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Researcher from the Papua Center of the University of Indonesia, Bambang Shergi Lhaksmono, said the December 1 Warning is no longer relevant as a reminder of Papuan Independence, but that the Papuan people must be free from poverty and injustice.

“The 1 December warning must foster the spirit of the Indonesian people to free Papuans from backwardness,” Bambang said in Jakarta on Thursday.

The December 1 momentum which has been considered as a commemoration of Papua’s independence day (West Papua) by the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and other Papuan pro-independence groups is the agenda of the elite (Free Papua) who continue to try to fulfill various interests.

He saw that the spirit of the anti-NKRI demonstration carried out by the Free Papua Movement, was basically triggered by economic injustice. Political power ends in economic power and vice versa.

“The enemy from Papua is not the Indonesian government. But poverty and injustice. Therefore, in the midst of such a situation, the Indonesian people must remain fully concentrated on building Papua in all aspects of their citizens’ lives,” Bambang said.

Papua researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Adrianna Elisabeth, stated that the fundamental problem of Papuans is not about independence, but welfare, health and education, which must be sought for the root of the solution.

“These problems must be resolved immediately,” he said.

Adrianna also admitted that independence was not on the agenda of all Papuans. “If you look at its history, there are those who are pro-Indonesian, or even pro-Dutch. Like that,”

He asserted that the matter of independence or referendum as long as carried out by the OPM or certain groups, was no longer relevant.

“For me the question of the referendum does not need to be discussed, because it has already been completed and is final (Papua is part of Indonesia),” he said, adding that there are human rights issues that must be responded to immediately and resolved.

Meanwhile, a member of the Indonesian Parliament from the constituency of West Papua, Jimmy Demianus Ijie, emphasized that what was needed by the people of Papua was not independence.

“The serious challenge for Papua today is unity. The country does not need to think about it (OPM, ed). Just build the welfare of the citizens of Papua. Over time we can seize the millennial generation who have not been exposed to the ideological,” said Jimmy.

The House of Representatives Commission V assesses, what is needed by the people of Papua is independence from poverty and ignorance, not separation from the Republic of Indonesia.

Jimmy believes that the warning on December 1 will gradually fade with the incessant development in Papua. For that, he asked the government to be serious in building the Earth of Paradise.

“So in my opinion, the government does not have to react actively to deal with it (December 1). But on the other hand, the government is increasing its seriousness to improve Papua. Infrastructure is built, education is built, health is built, employment is provided for Papuan children, schools are Papuan children “to well-known tertiary institutions in Indonesia, abroad, they are good at building their own country, the longer the desire to talk on December 1 is fading,” he said.

The free west papua from poverty news here is translated from Antara News.