PGI General Chairman Takes SBY, Jokowi's Promise to Solve Papuan Problem

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – General President of the Fellowship of Churches Indonesia (PGI), Pastor Gomar Gultom, once again called on the sixth President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and President Joko Widodo to resolve the conflict. Papua.

He claimed the promise was because the government's approach to the conflict in Papua was increasingly leading to violence, with the use of the term Free Papua Organization (OPM).

“I see from my readings that the transfer of the name KKB to OPM contrasts sharply with what our head of state, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) during his term, as well as what President Joko Widodo said during his presidency,” Gomar said during an Amnesty International online chat, Friday (3/5/2024).

Also read: The controversy surrounding the change of the term KKB to OPM is considered not to resolve the conflict in Papua

Gomar said SBY had repeatedly stated that it would solve the problems in Papua using a sincere approach. SBY has repeated this statement several times, including in the results of a meeting of Church leaders in Papua in 2011.

During his meeting in Cikeas, SBY said the issues could be resolved through a win-win solution.

“From SBY himself who said at the time “we can only solve the Papua problem with a win-win solution, that's the term he used”, Jakarta wants the unity of the Republic of Indonesia for Papua, my Papuan friends want independence, but I am sure there is a win-win solution, he said,” Gomar said.

“Unfortunately, this conversation did not continue,” Gomar continued.

Also read: Government urged to provide explanation after TNI changes KKB nomenclature to OPM

President Joko Widodo also said the same thing.

The active president of the Republic of Indonesia said that the Papua problem can be solved through a cultural approach.

“Pak Joko Widodo always talks about a cultural approach. It is a cultural approach that can solve Papua's problems, he said,” Gomar said.

In 2014, after being elected, Jokowi visited Papua and held meetings with various Papuan figures.

At that time, Gomar joined in and asked Jokowi not to start tackling the Papua problem from scratch, but to follow the road map prepared by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) , today become the National Agency for Research on Innovation (BRIN). ).

“Unfortunately, from what I understand, Mr. Jokowi is focusing more on infrastructure development. This is clearly something positive at first glance, but it cannot solve the problem on this side either “there, especially if the approach is top-down,” added Gomar.

Also read: BRIN Researcher: Will the change from KKB to OPM end the humanitarian crisis in Papua?

He also said that Jokowi had visited Papua dozens of times, but there was no solution because the people he met were no longer people who disagreed with the central government.

“The president visited Papua at least 17 times, but his meetings took place only with parties in quotes Pro Jakarta and he never had dialogue with external parties, not even with the MRP,” he said. declared Gomar.

Therefore, he is concerned that the previous two presidents violated their own words that the solution in Papua could be resolved peacefully.

Today, military measures are being taken, with frightening consequences and could make civilians victims of armed conflict.

“I see from the OPM nomenclature that there is a security approach to every problem in Papua, and this is the main concern that it will ignore the legal approach that must be adopted by the police, the deepest concern,” said he declared.

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