Problems in Papua

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 10/07/2006 10:02 AM | Opinion

Neles Tebay's article More questions for the ICG on Papua issue in The Jakarta Post on the International Crisis Group's (ICG) report in Papua was written with apparent emotional baggage, and neglecting any logical rational approach. He simply dismissed or challenged everything that the ICG's report stated, sometimes without any logical explanation. For instance, on the issue of executive positions in Papua. Comparing post-referendum conditions in 1963 with the present situation is simply preposterous.

Right after 1963, it would have been hard to put any person from Papua in an executive position, due to the fact that the Dutch colonial government (which Tebay also conveniently left out of the discussion) did not provide a decent education for the people of Papua. In addition, Tebay seems to implicitly suggest that racism is the underlying issue in Papua. Without ignoring the fact that there are indeed problems in Papua, such a notion should be brought up carefully, as it does not help in the discourse of Papua at all. The ICG is well known as an objective organization and is thus legitimate.

The ICG has been, in many cases, put in an adversarial position with the Indonesian government. Thus, when the ICG writes something that shines a rather brighter light on the Papua problem, it should be seen as an encouraging means toward the solution of the problems in Papua.

As scholars, we should not disagree and refute some facts just for the sake of disagreeing. It degrades the very meaning of educated discourse, which should be cultivated.

G. ADI KUSUMA
Blacksburg, VA
U.S.

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