The Forum > Article Comments > Papua’s plight > Comments
Papua’s plight : Comments
By Jake Lynch, published 8/5/2009The people of West Papua have endured four decades of subjugation by Indonesia, with no real sign of any improvement.
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Maybe a slower process to develop trust and areas of discussion that avoid insurmountable differences could be a starting point. Australia has not been helpful in this conflict as it seems to put the whole thing in the too hard basket when it could be constructive in developing a middle path.
The pro-Independence Papuan movement has historically been splintered into many camps (mainly due to personal differences as opposed to ideological differences, not to mention the destructive violence of the OPM/TPN). This disunity makes dialogue difficult as it easy for more disgruntled groups to undermine the process. The Pro-Papuan movement has a tendency to create coalitions that are not exactly inclusive leading to sectarian and unnecessary internal conflicts. Messianic leaders have become the norm instead of the exception. Perhaps a process could develop in this camp that could bring about inclusion as opposed to designated leaders might be a beginning point to developing dialogue.
In the pro-Intergration camp there needs to be less Uber-Nationalism and more awareness of the unresolved historical trauma in Papua. It is also difficult for nations like the NKRI considering there own historical stuggles against imperialism to cede administative control to the provinces especially in Papua/West Papua. Possibly a new spirit of openness is necessary, less suspicious of external state actors and a willingness to rectify past grievances.
There are a number of threshhold issues that could kickstart a dialogue, admittedly after the above problems are addressed. For example, addressing development and positive discrimination, or military impunity. A developing dialogue that avoids intractable positions may lead to developing trust that deconstucts ideological difference.