Jakarta – Observer of Strategic and Global Issues, Prof Imron Cotan expressed his appreciation for the decision of the High Level Conference (KTT) of Melanesian countries or the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), which rejected membership in the organization led by Benny Wenda, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP ).
“Indonesia’s achievements at the MSG Summit were very good. “Most of the news on social media about Papua does not match the reality on the ground.” he explained in the Moya Institute Webinar, Friday (22/)
Imron Cotan added that what Benny Wenda has said so far does not represent the Papuan people at all.
“Benny Wenda and ULMWP do not represent the majority of people in Papua, because the seven major tribes there are not represented by Benny at all.” Explain Prof. Imron
The former Indonesian Ambassador explained that at last year’s UN session, one of the youth leaders from Benny Wenda village actually raised the Red and White flag in New York. According to him, this proves that the Republic of Indonesia includes Papua.
Regarding the rise in violent acts in Papua in recent periods, Prof. Imron explained that this act of violence actually proved that KST was a human rights violator.
“Most of the cases of human rights violations were carried out by KSTP, not by security forces, and there were also social conflicts between Papuans. “So it is a myth that serious human rights violations are committed by security forces,” he said.
Papua, said Prof Imron, is the only province handled by 37 Ministries and Institutions.
“There is no other area that is handled like this, the essence of which is the acceleration of Papua’s development and prosperity, all of which are tasked by the President to ensure all sectors, including security forces and those responsible for the front line of security,” he said.
In the same place, International Relations Expert at Pajajaran University, Bandung, Prof. Dr. Teuku Rezasyah also praised the hard work of the Indonesian delegation at the MSG Summit.
“The summit program is extraordinary because it places us in the South Pacific. “It’s very interesting that Indonesia’s hard efforts are not influenced by the movements of Benny Wenda who always strives for the separation of Papua from Indonesia.” he explained.
Likewise, the Chair of the Papua Deliberative Body, Willem Frans Ansanai, assessed that the implementation of the MSG Summit was a victory for Indonesian diplomacy.
“The implementation of the MSG Summit is an extraordinary achievement from our diplomacy. The presence of the ULMWP is like, if it is a sovereign country, then it should have a people, territory and government, but what was taken is all the property of the Republic of Indonesia so it has no basis for the formation of a state.” he said.
Meanwhile, Reform Politician, Mahfuz Sidik explained that the Indonesian delegation’s Walk Out attitude was correct.
“We need to appreciate the Indonesian delegation at the MSG forum who took firm and appropriate steps by walking out when Benny Wenda delivered his speech, and that attitude influenced the final decision of the MSG Summit,” he explained.
