Tension in Papua

[matts1w]

Just a head's up, but if you are heading to Papua it is best to pay attention to warnings and such. Tensions are high in Jayapura and Sorong. Both cities have seen violent protests, the internet has been shut down, and our security advisors are telling visitors to get to safety and cancel all nonessential travel into the region as major hotels have been in the middle of demonstrations. Fingers crossed the situation calms soon without more violence and bloodshed.

 

[chillyinCanada]

What's the probkem?

 

[Wingy]

G word to some, it's been simmering and flaring up a long time.

 

[WetPup]

What's the probkem?

They want independence from Indo. Longstanding issue, flares up from time to time.

 

[Centrals]

The culture over there is completely alien from the mainstream Indonesia, an really odd place out.
East Timor is another example.

 

[outofofficebrb]

It originally started as a racism issue. It has been going on for over a week, maybe almost 2 weeks. The Sorong airport was a disaster with broken glass in the terminal and fires in the parking lot, etc.

 

[Dogbowl]

My thoughts are: “Not Sorong too!”

Followed by a big sad ***sigh***.

 

[Wingy]

It originally started as a racism issue. It has been going on for over a week, maybe almost 2 weeks. The Sorong airport was a disaster with broken glass in the terminal and fires in the parking lot, etc.

I have to disagree with your terminology "racism" - it's tribalism and it's been going on for centuries, before the Papua's were torn in half and colonised by first the Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish way before the the Indonesian nation got its independence. Checking back for the last 40,000 years the island has been occupied there has been tribal conflict so the west Papuans aren't new to having to stand up for themselves. When Indonesian troops did go into the birds head peninsula and drove many "Irian Jayans" into the mountains they weren't that well received by the fellow Papuans on the other side of the border. Tribal feuds are deeply entrenched, even if they're both the same skin color.

Check out the similar activities in what was Dili before a bloody war for Independance that Australian troops played a humanitarian role in. Dili became under Indonesian Republic control and a lot of blood and death was spilled to win independence - today is its 20th bday as the independent nation of East Timor or Timor Leste.

Just like Papua was Irian Jaya before they found gold on one side and oil and gas on the other side and promptly drew a line down the middle. The poor people of Dili had been chilling out in the sun happily thinking they were Portuguese until the party was rudely interrupted. The Papuans were carving canoes and chewing betel when "white man" gave it a name, looked for what it could be used for and it hasn't really stopped.

In the case of well...both...particularly west Papua I'd hazard a guess the giant Freeport mine and the revenue it brings to Indo and International (ahem) multinationals has got a large part to do with what's going on, not racism. Ok the Indos see the Papuans as "inferior" and are using a mask to dance delicately around diplomacy by sheer numbers...

And I'm just gonna say nothing else - Facebook is your friend

 

[outofofficebrb]

I have to disagree with your terminology "racism" - it's tribalism and it's been going on for centuries, before the Papua's were torn in half and colonised by the Indonesian government amongst various others along the way.

When a derogatory slur/term such as "monkey" or "pig" was used on the Papuan students in the context of Indonesian culture, that is a significant if not primary accelerator of the protests and riots and I would call that racism. I don't believe "tribalism" is accurately describing what is happening or describes the motivation of the police who were yelling that when it happened. Almost all the reliable, reputable news sources are also calling it racism and I feel that it is much closer to that than "tribalism" so that is what I am going to go with.

Edited to add: Remember a few years ago when someone called First Lady Michelle Obama an "ape in heels"? That was also referred to as racism. I feel it's the same here.

Woman who wrote racist 'ape' post about Michelle Obama defrauded FEMA $18K, report says

When Fox News calls it racism and agrees with CNN, it's saying something. Former charity director who made racist remark about Michelle Obama jailed for embezzling FEMA funds

Leader of rally against Papuan students apologizes for racist abuse
'We are not monkeys': Racist taunts open deep wounds
Violence in Sorong, more protests in Papua as anger over racism spreads
What to Know About the Protests in Indonesia's West Papua

 

[Wingy]

Ok Jenzo - if that's how you see it were cool to disagree. Trust me I do not condone or support any violence but this flares up regularly - and has done for decades. 20 years ago I was wishing a kid I babysat goodbye as he headed up to help stop the genocide in Dili - I actually can't remember a time when there hasn't been periodic flare ups somewhere north of me sadly.