Brothers and Sisters of one nation and one country of West Papua, who are now moving between and under trees, in the deep and wide forests of Papua, on the coastal areas, down the valleys and on the swampy areas, who are now fighting for our rights openly or in a clandestine manner, even to the diasporas around the globe (Pacific, Europe, America, Australia, Africa and Asia).
It has been 50 years since the 1st of May 1963 when the people of West Papua and the Land of West Papua were integrated into the Republic of Indonesia by means of military invasion after the TRIKORA (Tri Komando Rakyat, “People’s Triple Command”) speech by President Soekarno on the 19th of December 1961. Since then the people and the land of West Papua have been experiencing human calamities resulting from a conflict without a peaceful and fair resolution. Hundreds of thousands of the indigenous West Papuans have been murdered, slaughtered and imprisoned by the Republic of Indonesia.
Our land of abundance in natural resources has been exploited for the sake of capitalism and development. The capitalism only brings up colonialism. And, that is why the development for the people of West Papua is always under the operation of the militaristic intelligence (services). So, when our people demand a fair compensation due to the use of their traditional land for development, they are always named as the members of Free Papua Organization (OPM) or separatists. Such a condition sets a fire of revolt, Free Papua ideology, which is never put down.
Today, our history of the long-lasting Free Papua struggle is added to a long list of the sufferings of the people of West Papua. This should have become a reflection for all of us. Why did Xanana Gusmoa, Ramos Horta and Bishop Belo end the sufferings of the people of Timor Leste within a period of 24 years integration with Indonesia? Why has it been 50 years but the Free Papua Organizations has not shown any sign of accomplishment? Is this because our egocentric attitude is weakening us? Or has our loving God not been in our side yet? Continue reading
Sources
- Edison Waromi in West Papua Media Alerts
- Image: Dive the World
Edison Waromi is the Prime Minister of the National Federal Republic of West Papua, and is currently held in Abepura Prison serving a 3 year sentence for his role in organising and participating in the Third Papuan People’s Congress.