Conflict Management in Indonesia – An Analysis of the Conflicts in ...

declines, the culture of violence gets a boost
and marginalisation continues. Only through
dialogue can the conflict be solved.” 112
Since the President’s speech, there have been a
number of positive signs indicating some shift in
policy towards Papua. On September 20 2010, the
President formally gave Vice President Boediono
the mandate to oversee Papua policy and push forward
the implementation of special autonomy. A unit
known as UP4B (Unit Percepatan Pembangunan
Papua dan Papua Barat / Unit for the Acceleration
of Development in Papua and West Papua) is set to
be established in 2011, and will work across five
areas: infrastructure, politics, investment, social
aspects and budgetary issues. There is a risk,
however, that the unit will be perceived by Papuans
as imposed by Jakarta without consultation – fears
which have arisen because only the two Papuan
Governors have been consulted about the new
unit. The framing of the unit’s mandate is also
important. Presenting it as the start of a process
towards finding a solution to the conflict will
garner greater acceptance than if it is sold as a
development and infrastructure package to promote
investment.
Though the international community has
not developed a sustained interest in Papua,
some recent actions have encouraged the
GoI to focus its attention on Papua.
Though the international community has not
developed a sustained interest in Papua, some
recent actions have encouraged the GoI to focus
its attention on Papua. In September 2010, the
US Congress invited Papuan representatives to
Washington for the first ever hearing on Papua. 113
As a direct reaction, the Indonesian President
dispatched his three coordinating ministers on an
impromptu trip to Papua and the President himself
visited Papua at the end of November 2010. President
Obama seized the occasion to reference Papua in a
112 Bambang Dharmono is a retired Brigadier General. His last position
before his retirement in fall 2010 was Secretary General of the
National Resilience Council. This comment was made in August
2010 in Jakarta at the launch of the Road Map.
113 Testimony of Joe Yun, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs, www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2010/09/147551.htm,
access date 16 September 2010.
public address during his November 2010 visit to
Indonesia, providing further international attention. 114
Despite growing momentum towards dialogue
in both Jakarta and Papua, there are of course
important disagreements over the modalities of
any dialogue. While the GoI is clearly against any
“internationalisation” of the conflict, almost all
Papuans request that dialogue be held outside
Indonesia. A middle ground, such as a dialogue
within Indonesia monitored by international actors,
needs to be found. There is also debate about the
role of third party mediation. The Aceh agreement
perhaps entrenched some in government against
the role of third parties, while almost all Papuans
involved in these consultations believe that dialogue
will only succeed if a neutral third party is present.
They are sceptical towards another “national dialogue”:
“A national dialogue will be used by the
Government to demonstrate to the international
community that they have solved the
problem. But there will be no witnesses; the
Government can manipulate the process.” 115
Preparing the ground for dialogue
Preparations towards dialogue between Jakarta
and Papua have started with LIPI and Father Neles
Tebay pushing forward their proposals for dialogue
and co-operating where appropriate. Their preparations
are divided into four parallel steps:
Building a network of Papuan
facilitators
“The starting point for any overtures toward
dialogue will probably be [. . .] some informal
activities of courageous, well-connected individuals
on both sides, who at first, will be
working in their private capacities.” 116
114 In his public address at the University of Indonesia, President Obama
said: “Because ultimately, it will be the rights of citizens that will stitch
together this remarkable Nusantara that stretches from Sabang to
Merauke – an insistence that every child born in this country should
be treated equally, whether they come from Java or Aceh; Bali or Papua.”
While clearly outlining Indonesia’s territory, he stressed the need to
address discrimination as one of the root causes of conflict in Papua.
115 Statement made by a Papuan during the public consultation in Sorong,
22 February 2010.
116 Kivimaki, Timo, Initiating a Peace Process in Papua: Actors, Issues,
Process, and the Role of the International Community, Policy Studies 25,
(Washington: East-West Center, 2006), p.54.
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Conflict Management in Indonesia