Theo Kelen, Jayapura – On Monday November 11 the Papua Council of Churches (PCC) and Papuan indigenous priests held a press conference in Jayapura city, Papua, to address the current situation in the land of Papua.
In a statement read out at the press conference, they asked the central government to stop the National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke regency, South Papua, involving a 2 million hectare sugar cane plantation and 1 million hectare irrigated rice field project. The central government was also asked to stop the planned transmigration program to Papua.
The call, which was read out by the coordinator of the Papuan indigenous priests Father John Bunay Pr. at the World Shining Christ Catholic Church hall in Waena, was attended by PCC moderator Reverend Benny Giay along with Reverand Erson Wenda, Reverand Metuben Gombo, Pastor Dorman Wandikbo, Father Damianus Uropmabin Pr, Father Bernardus Wos Baru OSA and Father John Kayame Pr.
The PCC and indigenous Papuan priests see the recent situation in the land of Papua as deteriorating because of the theft of large tracts of customary land by companies, plans to revive the transmigration program to Papua and the problem of internally displaced people fleeing armed conflicts. They also criticised the massive deployment of security forces and their involvement in strategic national projects.
They also expressed concern over the Supreme Court's recent decision to reject an appeal by the Awyu indigenous peoples over the environmental feasibility permit issued by the Papuan One-Stop Integrated Investment and Service Office (DPMPTSP) for the palm oil company PT Indo Asiana Lestari.
The PCC and the Papuan indigenous priests also highlighted the disappointment of the Merauke indigenous peoples over a statement by Merauke Archbishop Mgr Petrus Canisius Mandagi MSc supporting the irrigate rice field project in Merauke.
"The PCC and the Papuan indigenous priests as shepherds in the land of Papua see the struggle experienced by our flock (given) the situation in the land of Papua. We are concerned to see the living conditions of God's people in the land of Papua today", Bunay said in reading out the statement.
In their call, the PCC and Papuan indigenous priests said that the government should learn from the experience of the Merauke Integrated Food Estate (MIFEE) and Merauke Integrated Rice Estate (MIRE) during the era of former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. Both the MIFEE and the MIRE failed totally.
The PCC and the Papuan indigenous priests believe that that the national strategic project in the form of the 2 million hectare sugar cane plantation and the 1 million hectare rice field project being pursued by President Prabowo Subianto will also fail.
"President Prabowo is once again repeating (the failure of the MIFEE and the MIRE with) the same thing. We see that there has and there is the clearing of new forests for the irrigated rice fields (in an area that stretches) from the districts of Wanam to Ngguti, Captel, Ngiguti and Muting. (This area) passes through acidic peatlands, muddy soils, savanna areas and red lands that are quite high. Of course (this land) is not suitable for rice and sugar cane plants", the statement said.
Supporting indigenous peoples' resistance
The PCC and the Papuan indigenous priests whole heartedly support the indigenous peoples' resistance movement who oppose the PSN and are defending their rights to their ancestral heritage land. From the planned PSN they stated that the customary land is a kitchen, market and source of life for indigenous peoples.
They are also asking that the TNI (Indonesian Military) and Polri (Indonesian Police) not confront indigenous people with violence, intimidation and terror and by frightening those who are organising a peaceful resistance movement in order to defend their customary land.
The PCC and Papua indigenous priests also firmly reject the government's plan to bring new transmigrants to the land of Papua and are asking the central government to re-evaluate the plan because the Papuan people do not need a transmigration program.
"Our province is very poor, it has long been a conflict area, displaced people have still not returned to the villages, many children drop out of school, many people are sick, we have employment difficulties, many university graduates are unemployed. In short, we don't need transmigration. Please re-evaluate the plan", said Bunay.
The PCC and the Papuan indigenous priests reminded the government that Papua is not an empty land. Papua is a land owned by indigenous Papuans inherited from their ancestors as a source of livelihood, both for gardening as well as hunting. They are asking President Prabowo to stop all programs that would damage the ecosystem, the living space of the Papuan indigenous peoples and their right to life.
"Our ancestors divided our land into seven indigenous areas, namely Lapago, Meepago, Ha Anim, Bomberay, Domberi, Saireri and Mamta. So, don't parcel up (the land of our ancestral heritage by) dividing up our land, as if (this) land is a no man's land", said Bunay.
The PCC and the Papua indigenous priests questioned the performance of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in Papua and the national House of Representatives (DPR) which is allowing the mega PSN to destroy Papua's living space and biodiversity. They are urging and asking the Papua People's Assembly (MRP) and the Papuan Traditional Council (DAP) to immediately hold a deliberation involving all Papuan people from the seven customary areas.
"So that in the deliberations the Papuan indigenous communities and people can sit down together, talk together, formulate together, and take a joint position regarding the basic rights of human life and the universe, in order to advance the indigenous Papuan people in their ancestral land so that it is not difficult in the future", they said in the statement.
Reverand Benny Giay said development policies such as PSN and the transmigration plan will not improve the welfare of indigenous Papuans. "The central government is (thinks) the Papuan people (just) need development. They make new provinces, make transmigration (programs). This adds to and makes us miserable", Giay told Jubi following the press conference.
Giay said the central government must resolve the roots of the problem and the conflict in Papua that has been already formulated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI, now the National Research and Innovation Agency or BRIN) in the Papua Road Map document.
The LIPI stated that the four roots of the Papuan conflict are the failure of development, marginalisation and discrimination of indigenous Papuans, state violence and accusations of human rights violations, as well as the historical controversy and political status of the Papua region. "So these items (the root problems) must be discussed", said Giay.
Reverand Dorman Wandikbo also urged the central government to solve the four roots of the problems that LIPI has formulated. He also criticised the involvement of the TNI in development in the land of Papua.
"President Prabowo in the first 100 days of work (should) focus on solving the Papuan problem. He must solve the four roots of the problem that LIPI has found. [Don't] involve or develop (with) a military base. If this happens, until when will Papua be safe. The church has consistently asked not to develop Papua with a military basis", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. Slightly abridged due to repetition. The original title of the article was "Pemerintah Pusat Diminta Hentikan PSN Tebu Dan Sawah Di Merauke".]
Source: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/pemerintah-pusat-diminta-hentikan-psn-tebu-dan-sawah-di-merauke/
