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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the government would not use force to end the spiralling violence in Papua and West Papua that has claimed the lives of eight people.

“We have tried to solve the problem using a security approach, but that did not work. Now we will focus on the prosperity of our brothers and sisters,” he said at a Cabinet meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.

He called on all stakeholders to view Papua’s problems more clearly. “The Indonesian Military [TNI] is there to ensure security and Indonesia’s sovereignty. The police are there to enforce the law and uphold justice. Both are doing their duty.”

The President instructed Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto and other relevant ministers to connect with Transparency International to communicate the government’s stance.

“This is very important to avoid misunderstandings. Indonesia is an open-minded and democratic country. We are responsible for all the decisions we make,” he said.

Papuans have asked for an immediate Jakarta-Papua dialogue.

“This dialogue is very important, not only in terms of ending the violence but in preventing it from recurring in Papua,” said Rector Neles Tebay of the Fajar Timur School of Theology and Philosophy in a statement released on Thursday.

Neles hoped that all parties concerned with the conditions in Papua would pray and support the idea of such a dialogue. “Only through such a dialogue can the roots of the conflict in Papua be identified and solutions be found without violence and bloodshed,” he said.

The Indonesian Communion of Churches said recent incidents in the troubled region should be harnessed to build momentum to reevaluate how security is managed in Papua.

“The handling of security in Papua should be reviewed. For 40 years, the people have been traumatized by the troops. Return the military to its proper duty of defending the country,” PGI deputy president Father Phil Erari said.

He was critical of the armed response used by security forces in dispersing participants of the Papuan People’s Congress on Oct. 19. Three men were killed in the incident.

Secretary-general of the Papuan Council Presidium Taha Alhamid said a comprehensive dialogue between the government and Papuans that focused on various issues would be the answer. “Papuans need to see that the government has paid serious attention to improving their welfare.”