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Racially charged online debate raises concerns on national unity in digital age
Accusations that public figures such as Natalius Pigay and Ambroncius Nababan have used racial slurs or defamatory statements on social media are challenged.
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A motorcycle passes a mural with the words "If we're monkeys, don't force monkeys to fly the Indonesian flag." (JP/P.J. Leo)
A
case of two public figures entangled in controversy over alleged racist comments has stoked fears of an ensuing polarizing public discourse, which some say could jeopardize social cohesion along ethnic and racial lines.
Natalius Pigai, a former National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commissioner, and Ambroncius Nababan, a Hanura Party politician, have had to face a barrage of criticism for their contentious use of social media in recent weeks.
The social media furor, which has culminated in legal action against the parties involved, seemingly spun into a public referendum on racial and ethnic identity – a stark reminder of the compromises made to maintain national unity in the digital age.
The tug-of-war began when Ambroncius purportedly attempted to criticize a statement Natalius made in a televised interview on Jan. 18, during which the Papuan native advocated for the personal right to refuse COVID-19 immunization.
In the interview, Natalius spoke of how people should be given the freedom to choose their coronavirus vaccine of choice. He also refused to be given a shot of the vaccine made by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech.
In response, Ambroncius allegedly went on to post on Facebook a photo collage containing an image of the erstwhile human rights official next to that of a primate, alongside an accompanying caption. This prompted a deluge of strong responses from social media users, many of whom accused the politician of being racist.
Read also: After a year of Papuan antiracism rallies, discrimination remains an everyday occurrence
