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[COMMENTARY] To Papuans: ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news’

Specifically, the priests of the five Papuan dioceses criticized Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, the KWI chairman and Archbishop of Jakarta, for doing little to help ease the Papuans’ prolonged suffering.

Kornelius Purba (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, December 17, 2020

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[COMMENTARY] To Papuans: ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news’

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fter reading the 10-point “Moral Call for Justice and Truth” from 147 Catholic priests of five dioceses in Papua and West Papua, including a sharp rebuke against the Bishops Council of Indonesia (KWI) for its “reluctance” to speak out in defense of indigenous Papuans, the infamous remark of the Jewish high priest during Jesus’ crucifixion suddenly came to mind. It is very rare in the Catholic tradition that priests openly criticize their leaders.

Just to be clear, the few lines from the Bible I quote in this column have nothing to do with promoting Christianity, and are merely intended to elevate the spirits of our fellow sisters and brothers in the troubled provinces of Papua and West Papua ahead of Christmas.

Specifically, the priests of the five Papuan dioceses criticized Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, the KWI chairman and Archbishop of Jakarta, for doing little to help ease the Papuans’ prolonged suffering. They questioned the cardinal’s refusal to discuss the long-standing conflict on Papuan soil “holistically, seriously and thoroughly” at the recent annual meeting of bishops, with the bishops in the two provinces also targeted in their criticism.

“Don’t just stand still, or as though [you] do not care about the wounded sense of humanity of the Papuan people,” the priests said in a statement read out during a press conference to commemorate Human Rights Day, which fell on Dec. 10.

The archbishop and the bishops have not responded to the statement.

The priests also called on both local and central governments for “a clear policy on migration” to anticipate “an increasingly strained [...] relationship between migrants and [indigenous Papuans]”. Mass migration from other Indonesian islands to Papua has dramatically changed the local demographics, and indigenous Papuans feel they have been left behind on their own soil.

“Papua is not vacant or a no-man’s-land. Its owners are divided into seven customary areas: La Pago, Mee Pago, Ha Anim, Bomberay, Sairey and Mamta,” said Father John Bunay, the priests’ spokesman.

It is told in the Gospel of John that the high priest Caiaphas, who presided over the trial of Jesus, in justifying the intention of those eager to execute Jesus for blasphemy, said that it was better “that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not”.

The bishops apparently chose to remain silent about the alleged human rights abuses in the land of Papua to “protect” Indonesian Catholics who live outside the territory. The Protestant leaders in the two provinces have been outspoken in defending what they believe to be the fundamental rights of the indigenous Papuan people.

The KWI, along with the leaders of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and other religious organizations, stood behind President Joko Widodo in October when he condemned French President Emmanuel Macron for insulting Islam.

But both the KWI and the PGI seemed to hesitate in responding to the slaying of four Christians in Central Sulawesi’s Sigi regency on Nov. 27. It also took the President a few days before he publicly condemned the killings as aiming “to create provocation and terror among the people” the following Monday.

While I defended Indonesia’s rebuke against the French president, I am also one of many Indonesians who have been troubled by the belated response to the Sigi killings.

It seems to me that Papuans are now worried about being the target of more discrimination because of their faith. While most Papuans are not Muslims, migrants are predominantly Muslims; hence the suspicion about a concerted Islamization effort in Papua through the government’s transmigration program.

Historically, Papua was a fertile ground for evangelization, with European and American missionaries spreading Christianity even to far-flung areas. However, Indonesian priests have been less tenacious, often refraining from visiting their brethren on the Papuan frontier.

During Soeharto’s 32-year rule, Papua fell under a military operation like in Aceh and then East Timor. Following the 1998 reform movement, economic development was the government’s priority in Papua, while human development was ignored.

Racial discrimination of Papuans is still a big issue for Indonesia, with Papuan youths who live or study outside their home territory facing countless acts of racism.

We remember what happened in Surabaya last year: A group of people that included police officers, soldiers and members of hardline Muslim groups attacked a Papuan student dormitory in the East Java capital of Surabaya on Aug. 16, 2019. The group accused the students of refusing to celebrate Indonesian Independence Day. Similar incidents also occurred in Malang, also in East Java, and in Semarang, Central Java.

The accusations turned out to be baseless.

The local political elite are also part of the problem. They often act like little lords and spend most of their time in Jakarta rather than in their Papuan “fiefdom”. Suspicions have been rife, as armed attacks in Papua tend to intensify whenever law enforcement probe into abuse of power and corruption allegations that implicate the local elite.

Indigenous Papuans have been enduring systemic discrimination and injustice. As the statement of the 147 priests reflects, even their religious leaders are choosing to play it safe.

But to quote former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid: “God never sleeps.” The priests’ defense of the Papuan people is testament to the belief that exists in all religions that God never forgets His people.

And to my Papuan brothers and sisters, remember that when Jesus Christ was born, an angel appeared before the terrified shepherds and told them: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

May the Papuans receive good news one day. Merry Christmas!

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Senior Editor at The Jakarta Post

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