Special Autonomy: International Image versus Reality
April 5 2008, Muridan Widjojo wrote a very interesting analysis on recent political development in Papua. He said that there are hardliner elements in Papua and in Jakarta who have a nationalist banal perspective in responding the political development in Papua. Those elements are in agreement to see conflict in Papua and international pressure as a failure of propaganda on the success story of development in Papua. They never thought that problem in Papua is the result of government policy and its implementation. I should fairly say that Muridan get the point and we can criticize Papuan local government, Indonesian central government, and also legislative to be more serious in handling the problem in Papua. Furthermore, Muridan also believed that those nationalist banal hardliners are still using the old perspective of New Order with its military approach in the name of national integration.
In one side, critics to the hardliner nationalist banal is very important in reducing the tension and mismanagement of Papua. On the other side, it is also very vital to criticize the ethno-nationalist hardliner who use violence in their struggle for independence. Both sides are needed each other for their reason to be exist in the conflict of Papua. Objective analysis on Papua such as Contradiction Blog that share a very similar understanding on Papua should be able to open our eyes in seeing Papua problem. I have already refer to the Contradiction Blog in my previous note on hardliners file.
Political issue in Papua is very complex not only among political elites in Jakarta, but also among Papuan and various ethnic group population in Papua. Sincerity and honesty are very very rare, whereas dishonesty and prejudice are everywhere. Special Autonomy was meant to have provided indigenous Papuans with an open democratic space. It is very difficult to understand why the hardliner nationalist banal keep pushing military, police and intelligence to be suspicious of indigenous Papuans. It is also very difficult to understand why pro-independence hardliner keep pushing the acceptance of independence idea to confront the integrity of Indonesia, which are a negative side effect of democracy in Indonesia.
For most ordinary people in Papua from various ethnic groups, we do not care about all those conflict among elites of government, legislative, activists, etc. As for the special autonomy, the seriousness of implementing special autonomy is a must. What is the use of false good image if the reality is far behind it ? What is the use of black propaganda against special autonomy if the intention is only for the benefit of opportunist activists?
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This Blog has gone through many obstacles and attacks from violent Free West Papua separatist supporters and ultra nationalist Indonesian since 2007. However, it has remained throughout a time devouring thoughts of how to bring peace to Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia.
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