Muslim and church leaders while signed the seven points of peace agreement on 29 July 2015 – Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – Tolikara Muslim leader Ali Mukhtar urged the Papua Police to respect a joint agreement to resolve the Tolikara conflict through customary laws and to stop the questioning of GIDI leaders by police.
“We have agreed to solve our problem through customary laws. As an ustad (Muslim religious teacher) in Tolikara, I am consistent with seven points of peace agreement signed on 29 July 2015. I am asking the police to be wise in solving this issue, forcing is possibly raising another problem. Tolikara incident wasn’t an interfaith conflict,” Ustad Ali Muhktar told Jubi in Jayapura on Sunday (23/8/2015).
He further said if the police still insist and ignore the reality facing by Tolikara residents, therefore the anxiety among local residents would keep on going.
“Please release our brothers who are still detained. I hope the police do not hamper our journey of togetherness and freedom for decades in Tolikara. I have been ustad in Tolikara for eleven years; that local people called me ‘Islam priest’. It’s an evidence of their sincere, honest and closeness over me,” he said.
“If the police take a wrong direction and ignore the reality of Tolikara people, it could raise the anxiety among both Muslims and our community in Tolikara. Many media spread wrong information without referring on factual data. I have conveyed the truth about Tolikara when met with the Vice President Jusuf Kala on 15 August 2015 in Jakarta,” he said.
He further said in the meeting, he and the Chairman of Nadhatul Ulama (NU) Region Papua, Dr. Toni Wanggai, asked the government and all parties to respect and accept the peace agreement signed by both sides.
“I ask all parties to give a respect on the agreement. Our goal is to achieve a safety live, free to worship, free to interact with local people like it was, and to immediately create the harmony and peace among us. It could only be achieved through customary law,” he said.
Dr. Toni Wanggai similarly said the peace agreement of both parties that facilitated by Interfaith Forum in Jayapura by this time is representative. “This joint agreement facilitated by FKUB on 29 July 2015 has represented both Christian and Muslim communities. It is legitimate and unquestionable,” said Wanggai.
Meanwhile, three GIDI leaders of Tolikara region –the Rev. Nayus Wonra, Rev. Marthen Jingga and Rec. Yakop Jikwa—have been questioned as witnesses by Papua Police investigators on Saturday (22/8/2015).
Papua Police Chief Brigadier General Paulus Waterpauw in Papua Leaders Communication Forum with religious institution leaders held in Papua Governor Office on Friday (21/8/2015) said the police would continue working in accordance with a mechanism of promoting the process of positive law.
“Indonesian Police Chief always reminds me that for the case of Tolikara, we should be careful. In Tolikara, in Papua, we are family. Now we are safe. But out of Papua, there’s still a strong reaction over the victims of this incident,” Papua Police Chief said.
“We are only State’s instruments, who want providing answer to the law. But the one who could decide whether it’s right or wrong is the Judge.” he added. (Yuliana Lantipo/rom)
