Jayapura, Jubi – Papua’s Councilor Natan Pahabol said Papuan students need security assurance from the local government following disputes between Papuan students and local residents in Manado, South Sulawesi.
He said the Provincial Government of Papua should immediately follow up the result of a meeting between its team and the local governments.
“The problem isn’t easy as those students live outside of Papua. So, they need a protection or security assurance. It’s very important. The Provincial Government of Papua and the Papua’s People Assembly must sit together to discuss and find a solution and follow up their result meeting with the local government and security force of South Sulawesi,” Pahabol said on Wednesday afternoon (19/11).
“The students are part of Papuans. Don’t let them to be threatened. Do not wait so long till raise a new issue. Do not let anyone else to take benefit on this situation and raise another dispute,” he said. He further said the Papua’s People Assembly, Papua’s Parliament and Provincial Government of Papua must go to Manado to sit together with the local authorities for a solution to end this clash and avoid it to be happened in the future. “Manado has become a study town of Papuan students. Do not let this become a barrier,” he said.
Earlier, the General Secretary of IMIPA (Indonesia Papuan Student Association) in South Sulawesi Yemto Tabo said they would not return to Manado without a security guarantee. “If the situation is completely safe and there is a security assurance. My friends will continue their study as usual if there is a guarantee. The point is we want a security assurance, otherwise it’s just a lie,” he said.
In the press conference held in Manado on 27 October 2014, IMIPA represented by the Yemto Tabo and Fentom O. Salossa expressed the students’ demand to the South Sulawesi Governor Sinyo H. Sarundajang. They further asked the government of South Sulawesi, Papua and West Papua sitting together to resolve the dispute causing a death of Papuan student Petius Tabuni in Tondano. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
