•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

Polarization, distrust and misunderstanding between the central government and the people of Papua are fueling continued conflict in the restive region, an inter-religious dialogue heard in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Gomar Gultom, a representative of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), said the central government saw Papua and West Papua as provinces filled with separatists, while Papuans believed the distant Jakarta government wanted them to disappear.

“This stigmatization between the two parties should be eliminated,” he said during the forum at the Acacia Hotel. “Conflict and discrimination will always occur if we fail to do this.”

Gomar said that the deep mistrust had triggered a feeling of distance and apathy between Jakarta and Papua, which meant there was little dialogue between the two regions.

As an example, Father Dani Sanusi, from the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI), said the central government had failed to adequately implement the 2001 Papua Autonomy Law.

“The law is like giving candy to a child to make her stop crying,” Dani said. “But [the central government] has not done enough.”

Representatives from PGI, Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in the country, and KWI attended the forum, which was instigated by the ongoing low-level conflict in the region.

Ridwan Lubis, from NU, said the key to easing tensions was a common search for solutions.

“Identifying problems through dialogues with both parties is vital in preventing more victims of conflict,” Lubis said.

He cited the efforts of the Inter-Religious Community Forum (FKUB) in Papua as a way to encourage greater communication between Muslim and Christian residents at a local level.

“FKUB has long urged the central government to have more discussion with Papuans,” Lubis said.

The religious leaders said they believed that the central government had the ability to be a neutral facilitator in Papua, given similar experiences in Aceh. “We still hope that conditions will get better,” Gomar said.

Neles Tebay, the vice bishop of Jayapura, said religious dialogue would play a central role if change was to occur in Papua. “We need to sit together and tell the people in this country we need changes in Papua in order to create peace; Papuans do not feel safe.”

Incidents of violence are common in Papua and fuel insecurity, the leaders said.

On Monday, one person was killed and three others injured when police opened fire on a group of armed Papuans passing in front of a police post in Paniai district.

Human Rights Watch, an international watchdog, last month urged the government to investigate reports of police brutality in the region.

Tensions between indigenous Papuans, settlers and security forces have been a fact of life in Papua since it was incorporated into Indonesia in the 1960s. Much of the conflict stems from a perception of injustice and discrimination by authorities.