The Expansion Of The Indonesian Military Bases In West Papua Should Be Limited

 The Expansion Of The Indonesian Military Bases In West Papua Should Be Limited

My early life story, growing up in in the village of West Papua, Indonesia was hard. Because I remember that I could not do any activities freely. I couldn’t even hangout with friends to play soccer, go to the gym, or do some fun things. Not only that but also I had difficulty engaging in my learning process in the school because the Indonesian military posts were everywhere. “Military operations are frequent in West Papua where soldiers and police kill, rape and torture its impunity” (Internationonal, 2019). That quote means the Indonesian government sent the military to West Papua in order to protect the citizens from Papuan rebels known as Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) or in English Free West Papua organization. However, the feeling of trauma is the deepest distracting thing that West Papuan people are experiencing until now. It seems the purpose of Indonesian government expanding military bases is to protect and aid local people, the military is frightening people and creating new problems in the local communities in West Papua. Therefore, the Indonesian government should help indigenous Indiginous Papuans through educating young people, providing job opportunities, and allowing the native people to help themselves.

The government needs to understand that the Indonesian army frightens indigenous people in West Papua. Before the Indonesian government went to occupy there, the native people's lives were freer, and they did any activities without fear at all. In addition, local people were doing their own things and they ruled everything in their own way because no one made rules to control them. But, when Indonesian government arrived in West Papua, the atmosphere of indigenous communities dramatically changed. The indiginous people started to feel uncomfortable seeing strange people wearing army uniforms in every corner of town. In addition, aboriginal people also do not do activities freely as their grandparents used to. For example, people cannot go far away to farm or visit friends and families. Once my grandfather told me that he was amazed that the Indonesian government blocked every way of indigenous life by building military bases. In addition, he mentioned that the Indonesian government thinks the Papuan people are troublemakers and do not follow the government's rules. So, the Indonesian officers always treated Papuan people badly or unethically. For example, the Indonesian security destroys indigenous properties. The Indonesian police burned traditional equipment like bows and arrows (Mambruk, 2019). That thing frequently happens specifically on the central island of Papua. From Wamena city through Puncak Papua regencies, people do not have traditional equipment to hunt, protect themselves, and perform their culture. Moreover, people are afraid to wear the traditional dresses bags, necklets, or have hair locked. All of these things are going on because the Indonesian government looks differently at indiginous people.

The Indonesian government separates the Indiginous communities between indigenous people who like the military and others who do not like military bases. People who like the military because they do not want tribal wars to happen and want to feel comfortable under the Indonesian government. These people mostly have already got a job and work in the Indonesian government like work as police officers, teachers, parlements and any kind of jobs. On the other hand, the big majority of people do not like the Indonesian army ruling indigenous life because they feel uncomfortable and not free. Furthermore, the anti-army people think the military limits local cultural activities and performances. These native people mostly do not work in the Indonesian government and their lives are depending on farming, hunting and gathering. Further, these native people love their cultural identity. So, when they see the Indonesian army serve in their territory these people feel disturbed in their community.

While the Indonesian government mostly brings drugs and violence, it has also helped the people of West Papua. They have been expanding the Indonesian military bases which could solve problems like tribal war as mentioned earlier. Moreover, the Indonesian government sends a lot of military forces to West Papuans to protect the companies that operate the natural resources of Papua. Namely, the Grasberg mine gold mining company which is the largest gold mine and the second largest copper mine in the world. Also, the government takes care of small companies such as the palm oil plantations and natural gas companies. Accordingly, some businesses are against indiginous people and are supported by the government's military to protect them. It is understandable that the Indonesian government thinks local people need assistance because most Papuan are uneducated. In other words, people in Papua lack knowledge so they cannot help themselves or manage natural resources properly. But most of the militaries doing are detrimental outweigh the positive one to the indigenous people.

As a result of the Indonesian expanding military bases, the Papuan people do not have land for farming. If there is limited land for farming, the native people cannot have food to feed their families. Consequently, it creates starvation issues and that happens in some regions, specifically the Merauke area and Punyak Jaya. Therefore, the Indonesian government and militaries must understand what native Papuans want. Indonesian government allows people to run businesses for their economic and political benefits. But it is understandable that the government wants to have more power, and wants to take advantage of natural resources in Papua. Meanwhile, the native people are suffering because of the loss of their cultural artifact, the land, and their natural resources.

Sending a lot of the militaries is not the best way to bring peace to the Papuan people. Therefore, instead of sending militaries, the Indonesian government should help the local people by educating young people and creating jobs, and giving the Indigenous people sovereignty in West Papua. Most indigenous people do not follow the government’s rules, it is because they do not get enough education. So, the government should hire and send a lot of educators to teach indiginous people in West Papua. Specifically, the teachers should assist Papuan children for their future. Moreover, the Indonesian government ought to create jobs for the native people and then educate them to work. For instance, the government creates projects like worker education, training the native people to build new skills and give them the opportunities to work.

Furthermore, the Indonesian government should give sovereignty to the inginous people in order to respect them as land owners. I know the native people really want to have their sovereignty to protect and to manage their own rights. Also, using that kind of opportunity, the papuan people can have authority to speak up to preserve their cultural traditions. For instance, papuan people can keep rituals, lani languages, and their ancestor land. If the government gives sovereignty, the indiginous would be able to save their cultural knowledge, such knowledge of native plants, and spiritual connection with land.

Giving sovereignty is a great thing that the Indonesian government can do to help West Papuan because in some countries are doing it and it is working quite well. An example, the U.S government provides reservation areas for native people and gives them authority to manage their culture activities. According to Indian Reservation Formation, “Reservations are centers of cultural prevention and revitalization” (Gilio-Whitaker, 2019). This quote means the U.S government helps native Americans to protect their culture. Thus, the Indonesian government has to do the same thing to the West Papuan people. It is a good jumping stone for native people in Papua to preserve assets. Accordingly, the native people can feel peace and have an idea that the Indonesian government come to West Papua to help them instead of destroying them. Thence, educating young people, providing jobs and giving authority to the local people are the best ways they can help native people.

In summary, the Indonesian government sending a lot of militaries in West Papua is disturbing indigenous people because militaries destroy their culture and separate local communities. Also, when the government uses the military to protect extractive industries, it damages the environment and destroys native land. So, the government should educate young people and give authority to native people to rule their lives, instead of expanding military bases.

Eiton

Kogoya

Missoula 11/14/2020