Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Peace Network (JDP) coordinator Dr. Neles Tebay said as a mediator JDP will facilitate internal dialogue among Papuans to prepare for talks with Jakarta proposed by President Joko Widodo.
“Based on schedule, the Papuan internal dialogue will be held in Papua in August 2015,” Tebay told reporters at Fajar Timur Theologian College, Padang Bulan Abepura last week.
According to him, the president’s commitment to promote Papua as Peaceful Land and to resolve conflicts through a dialogue showed the government has changed its stance on Papua. “So, Jakarta-Papua Dialogue will lead to the establishment of peace in Papua. It means its agenda is to grow peace in Tanah Papua,” he said.
He further said Papuan residents in Papua should welcome the government’s openness with joy. The government’s commitment is a golden opportunity provided by government to discuss a peace development in Papua through a process of dialogue.
“To welcome this opportunity, JDP took the initiative to facilitate the Papuan internal dialogue as a preparation ahead to Jakarta-Papua dialogue because we believed it’s very important to be held in order answering the Papuans’ aspiration,” Tebay told reporters.
“Papuan internal dialogue would be held to involve the entire elements of Papuans to discuss about the concept of Peace Papua and to define a purpose of dialogue between Jakarta and Papua according to Papuans. Within this dialogue, people’s aspiration will be asked and consulted, therefore they would feel to be involved in the effort to develop Peace Papua through dialogue,” Tebay said.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian President Joko Widodo in his visit to Papua in December 2014, he confirm his commitment to develop Papua as Peaceful land and resolve many conflicts in Papua through a dialogue. (Arnold Belau/rom)