Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) urged activists and the public not to be afraid following remarks by the Merauke police chief declaring that the organization is illegal.
“I appeal to the Indonesian people in Merauke to not be afraid or intimidated by the Merauke Police Chief’s statement released in Jubi newspaper, because KNPB and Papuan people are waging their struggle in dignity,” KNPB chairman for Merauke, Gento Emerikus Dop told Jubi last week.
He clarified that KNPB has not did something wrong because its principle is clear that is the history of West Papuan nation. The KNPB was born from the people’s voice and is now struggling to represent the people in justifying the history of West Papuan nation for self-determination through the rules and mechanisms of the International Law in peaceful, democratic, honest, dignified and respectful on human values.
“I must explain that KNPB wasn’t a terrorist or criminal organization that could be stigmatized as restricted organization, but it is the organization of West Papuan people that was born from the people to encourage the completion of legal and political status of West Papua,” he said.
In responding the Merauke Police Chief’s statement, the Chairman of Regional People’s Parliament of Merauke Region, Panggrasia Yeem asked to both Indonesian and Papuan people who lived in the southern Papua to stay calm in doing their activities.
“But still following the process of political progress of free Papua because Papua is the land with many unsolved issues by proper political and international law,” she said.
According to Yeem, the Police Chief must not give a statement that actually tricking people, he should learn about Papuan history before acting as the Police Chief in Merauke.
“KNPB is the people’s organization to pursue the people’s aspiration in raising the issue in Papua that triggered conflict in this land in order getting a spotlight from the Indonesian Government and international community,” she said.
KNPB and Parliament will keep fighting for self-determination of Papuan people in dignified and democratic way. Through his statement, the chief expressed his attitude towards colonialism, but the KNPB and Parliament will keep using the political fact to dismiss the Indonesian’s occupation on Papua land.
Earlier, as published by Tabloid Jubi online on Saturday (4/4/2015), the Merauke Police Chief Sri Satyatama said KNPB was illegal organization, thus all their activities would be dispersed and he asked the people for not get involved their activities. (Arnold Belau/rom)
