BACKGROUND BRIEFING ON SITUATION IN WEST PAPUA

Tears of the Oppressed recently&n bsp;hosted West Papuan Baptist Minister, Rev. Socrates Sofyan Yoman, in Australia.  Along with the Executive Secretary of Uniting International Mission, Rev. John Barr, who has close links with the evangelical church in West Papua, and accompanied by Tears of the Oppressed's Director of advocacy, ElizabethScott, Rev. Yoman was able to share West Papuan concerns with a number of key Members of the Australian Parliament, the Department of Immigration and Department of Foreign Affairs.  

In this interview, Rev. Yoman shares his views on the situation in West Papua.

Q: What do you see happening in West Papua today?  

A: Indonesian policy developed in West Papua, but not for the West Papuans. This is our experience. When the government moves Javanese people in from outside Papua through transmigration, they take Papuan land and give it to them instead. Papuans are marginalized in our own land - landless, homeless, hopeless. This is all supported by military force, police and so on. This historical background has brought a reaction from Papuan people, in demonstrations, public protests, and the Congress. But we feel Jakarta is not listening to us.

Q: How do people in Papua feel now?  


A: People do not feel free. They feel fear, they are intimidated and terrorized by the military and police. Intelligenceofficers are everywhere. Papuans have no freedom of _expression, no freedom of assembly. Local people are checked by the military and must get permission to do everything. People are arrested for no good reason. Torture is continuing in police custody. The military not only terrorize ordinary people, but also the leaders of the community.  My car was damaged by police, and people sometimes come to my house and threaten me. They are trying to make me stop speakingand restrict me, because I analyse what they do and publicly criticize them. They try to distract me from my work. But I trust my Lord with my life, so I'm not going to be frightened.

Q: What are the churches doing in West Papua to help the situation?  


A: We have already declared West Papua a Land of Peace. The Indonesians have asked, "What is peace?" Their understanding is very different.  But the churches are working to build peace.  We have educated the people in the church to understand their history, their present, and their future.  We tell the West Papuan community that they have to become peacemakers, implementing Christian values in their lives and communities.  We have also made a strong effort to get Papuans to lay down their arms.  February 5 is Peace Day - it commemorates the day in 1855 that the gospel came to West Papua.  The gospel brought peace to our tribes and made us a peaceful society. This is still the contribution of the churches today. 

During Rev. Yoman's return journey to Papua, he was stopped at Jakarta airport. An immigration officer took his passport and ordered him into another room in order to solve "a problem". When Rev. Yoman asked, "What problem?" and no answer was forthcoming, Rev. Yoman refused, said they could keep his passport, and walked away.  He was stopped again and after some discussion, his passport was returned.  His bag, clothes and briefcase were then finely searched before he was allowed to proceed. Church and community leaders like Rev. Yoman are singled out and under constant surveillance in Papua, which puts a great strain on them and their families.  Please pray for their mental and emotional health under these circumstances.

Source: Tears of the Oppressed

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