Flag-raising incidents an attempt to paint government as weak on separatism

Detik.com – July 5, 2007
South Maluku Republic protest (Antara)

Arfi Bambani Amri, Jakarta – Following on the heals of the South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag-raising incident, there have been cases of the Morning Star flag being raised in West Papua. It seems like there is an effort to shape public opinion that the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is week on separatism.

“There are efforts in that direction. Wanting to give the public the impression that the SBY administration is weak on separatism”, said the coordinator of the Commission for Missing Person and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Usman Hamid during a discussion with Detik.com on Thursday July 5.

Hamid is convinced that the Yudhoyono government is aware of the real strength of RMS supporters and the Free Papua Organisation (OPM). Currently, neither organisation poses a real threat to the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

“At any rate, the people who displayed the flags of the Morning Star and the RMS did so non-violently, in a peaceful manner, no violent actions materialised. It did not appear to a real threat”, said Hamid.

Meaning the police shouldn’t use a violent approach in responding to peaceful actions by the two groups. The government could resolve the issue in a prudent manner, which is through dialogue as was carried out in dealing with the Free Aceh Movement in Aceh.

“The government shouldn’t get caught up in these issues of [national] disintegration. The flag raising cases are only a minor issue. There are lots of bigger issue that the government needs to resolve, such as the price of cooking oil that keeps going up”, asserted Hamid. (aba/sss)

Notes:

Separately, Hamid told Tempo Magazine that he believed that security agencies were aware that that a protest was planned during the president’s visit but that they intentionally allowed the incident to occur. Rumors are also circulating that an officer from the military police corps intentionally allowed the dancers (who were not part of the official agenda) to enter the venue. This has raising speculations that elements within the military or police intentionally sought to embarrass Yudhoyono in order to push the government give them a freer hand in dealing with separatism.

[Translated by James Balowski.]