TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Racism: My experience as a doctor in Papua
Therefore, it is very interesting that #blacklivesmatter has triggered the birth of #papuanlivesmatter. This hashtag has opened the eyes of many to the fact that racism does not only occur in the US but has also been endemic for a long time in Indonesia.
Change Size
T
he death of George Floyd in the United States has evinced global expressions of solidarity that have reminded people how racism still exists in the 21st century. Influenced by the hashtag #blacklivesmatter, Indonesian citizens have expressed support through their social media status and postings.
What about racism in Indonesia?
Indonesians are very proud of the national motto “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (unity in diversity). Ironically, not everyone truly believes in the idea of respecting diversity in ethnicity, religion or race, or whatever differences, in daily life. For example, many people do not know and do not care about the lives of people in eastern Indonesia. All they know is that dark-skinned people who are also part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia live there. How they live is not relevant.
Therefore, it is very interesting that #blacklivesmatter has triggered the birth of #papuanlivesmatter. This hashtag has opened the eyes of many to the fact that racism does not only occur in the US but has also been endemic for a long time in Indonesia. Papuans living in our easternmost regions are one example of those who have long experienced racism.
A lack of information transparency causes many people to be surprised when they discover such discrimination against Papuans. All this time, everything seemed to be going well. Even when riots or resistance occurs, generally Indonesians will think the unrest must be the result of a group of people who want to disrupt national stability or the country's security. They must be crushed because the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia cannot be disturbed.
Indirectly these people have discriminated against Papuans. Without understanding the root of the problem, they are nevertheless easily influenced by the doctrine of blind nationalism that unconsciously ignores the lives of Papuans, who are so far away from the island of Java that they are largely unreachable. In short Papua just about registers as part of Indonesia but is considered unimportant.
I do not understand the complexity of the political problems in Papua but I want to share my personal experience as an intern doctor who served a year at the Wamena Regional Public Hospital in Jayawijaya (2015-2016). My experience gave me a vivid portrait of the daily problems of Papuans.
I thank the government for organizing an internship for fresh graduate doctors. Without it, I would never have known about the existence of Papua’s highland of Wamena, seven hours from Jakarta. At that time, Wamena only had one regional public hospital (type C) with a general surgeon, a pediatrist, an anesthesiologist, an obstetrician, an internist, a neurologist and a clinical pathology specialist. The hospital has a surgical theater, X-ray, and simple laboratory but no intensive care unit, CT-scan or any of the other medical equipment found in big cities.
A frequent scene is a helicopter landing in the front yard of the hospital. Almost daily patients disembark, escorted by the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). These patients come from villages or are just found in the thick of the forests. The patients’ conditions are very diverse, ranging from those who really need emergency treatment to those who only need general treatment.
Services are free of charge for all indigenous Papuans. No need for health insurance or an identity card as long as they are clearly regarded as Papuan from their physical appearance or name. It is also understandable if they do not know their date of birth as long as there is a name and place of residence to be recorded. But this does not mean the health services in Papua run smoothly yet.
Though medical services are free, the healthcare system is still lagging due to the lack of medical personnel, facilities and accessible infrastructure. Those who live in Papua have witnessed deaths because of delayed treatment. Bronchopneumonia (lung disease) which is rarely found in big cities is one of the main causes of death among toddlers in Papua.
I have a memory that I cannot forget. An 8-year-old boy was dying after his abdomen was ripped open by a hungry pig, leaving his intestines hanging out. When he arrived at the hospital, the surgeon was not present. It was a weekend. The surgeon usually went to Jayapura, the capital, and would return on Monday.
The scene remains vivid in my mind of the utterly calm child waiting for someone to replace the intestines back inside his abdominal cavity. He could only receive fluids and medicines through infusions. Exposed intestines can only be covered with wet gauze to prevent necrosis. I shuddered at the sight of a pink lump of intestine with its peristalsis piled on top of the kid's stomach.
The boy did not scream. His family had the right to protest but they remained silent. His father, who sat at the bedside, offered a glass of water with a straw to the boy who finally exhaled his last breath before receiving further treatment. I imagine if this situation occurred in a big city the case would instantly go viral. Various hashtags would appear on social media, but for this family their voices were just too far away to be heard, drowned out by issues like blasphemy charges in Jakarta.
Over the years, conditions have not improved much. Though this year Indonesia will be 75 years old, proper health facilities may need another 20–30 years or more to reach our brothers and sisters in Papua. I have no idea.
From the depths of my heart, I really want to believe that one day, Pancasila and “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” will truly be lived by all Indonesian people without exception. I want to believe that it is only a matter of time. There will be a time when the regional public hospitals in Papua and West Papua are equivalent in quality and quantity to other big cities. Patients who seek further treatment will no longer need to be referred to Jayapura or Makassar in South Sulawesi. Those who need emergency care will not need to die.
Before my last breath, I really hope I can witness real development for Papuans so I can be absolutely sure that there is no racism or discrimination against Papuans.
The writer is an intern at Wamena General Hospital, Jayawijaya, Papua (2015–2016), Flying Doctors coordinator of doctorSHARE NGO (2016-2017) and founder of Bakti Kasih Papua Foundation.
