Jakarta, Jubi/Antara – Indonesian Parliament’s Commission I Chairman Mahfudz Siddiq warned separatism is more threatened to the sovereignty of Indonesia than terrorism.
According to him to reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday, “Terrorists do not a system that could interfere the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia but the separatists use every means to interfere the country.”
He also cited his concern when joined the Commission I to visit Aceh and meet with local stakeholders. “The local stakeholders started to get used to refer the terminology of ‘our government’ and ‘Indonesian Government’,” he said. This terminology would be popular among citizens and would grow the separatism.
“Secondly, Papuan issues including the issue on Freeport’s contract extension and others. I think the government should be careful because the United State has an interest trough the existence of Freeport,” he said,
Further, along with Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji and Solomon Island, they exploited the Melanesian issue. “They should recognize that Indonesia has the most Melanesian tribes, besides in Papua, they are distributed in Maluku and East Timor,” he said.
Thus, according to him, Indonesia is the Country whose has right to claim as Melanesian. “They want raise a racial sentiment but it shouldn’t be,” he said. (*/rom)
