goodmorningpapua.com – A researcher of Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cahyo Pamungkas, suggested that the TNI Commander General Andika Perkasa should be able to carry out a humanitarian pause in resolving conflicts in Papua. According to Cahyo, this is one of the solutions to realize a peaceful Papua.
Cahyo assessed that the humanitarian pause could stop the casualties, both from the security forces, the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM), as well as civil society. Because, he said, efforts to multiply the number of troops in dealing with the conflict in Papua was not the right decision.
He said that the solution that should be taken is to hold a dialogue between the conflicting parties, namely the government and the TPNPB-OPM. “OPM is part of Indonesian Citizens (WNI). They are a separatist movement, a movement that wants independence. The solution was not to send soldiers, but to send diplomats to negotiate with them. That’s the way it has to be. That’s the paradigm of peace. If you send troops, it’s not a peaceful paradigm,” he explained.
TPNPB-OPM, he continued, are not terrorists, but they are a group that wants to be independent. Thus, one way that can be done to resolve conflicts is to send negotiators from the government to listen to the aspirations and wishes of the group.
“There needs to be a dialogue between Jakarta and groups that want independence. Whether in the forest, whether in England, in America, in Jayapura, everyone is involved. So the peaceful paradigm, the dialogue approach, acknowledges their aspirations, their existence,” said Cahyo.
Cahyo said that if the dialogue carried out had not found a mutual agreement, then these efforts should be continued until they found a common ground for both parties. He gave an example, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) with the Philippine Government even went through a six-year negotiation dialogue.
“If this year (the dialogue) has not been completed, it will be continued next year. If six years are not completed, then we will extend it again for another 10 years provided that no blood is spilled,” he said.
So, the dialogue did not kill anyone, neither the OPM, TNI nor civilians. But dialogue elevates the dignity of both parties and all of humanity. “So, if you want peace, one approach is dialogue, not by sending troops,” he said.
In addition, Cahyo said, the TNI Commander also needed to evaluate law enforcement operations or military approaches in Papua. The evaluation, he continued, includes the effectiveness of law enforcement operations.
Then, he continued, Andika Perkasa also had to make sure how long the operation would last and what the limitations were in its implementation. Finally, Cahyo added, the TNI Commander must also pay attention to for mitigating the safety of civilians in the operation.
“How to protect civilians, how to give access to refugees, it must also be considered. How to save civilians who are still trapped in refugee camps. That’s in the short term certainly. Data collection, identification, and mitigation of refugees must be carried out in collaboration with the community and possibly the (local) church,” he added.