West Papua Issues is NOT Only about Melanesian brothers and sisters across the South Pacific to feel sorry and pity about the human suffering occurring in the Western half of New Guinea Island since the invasion and occupation of the territory by Indonesian nation-state since 1961. General Mathias Wenda the Commander in Chief of the West Papua Revolutionary Army (WPRA) says,
West Papua issue is not just regarding those of us Melanesians who were born and grown up in West Papua as being suffering from Indonesian invasion and occupation. It is more than that. It is to do with our common goal, shared fate, shared future, the common destiny of “Melanesia” as a human society in the South Pacific Region. The modernisation project has brought about catastrophic consequences on us in our region, but it does not mean we blame anybody or anything. It means, we as human beings, as human society, should stand up, think about, discusses, speak up, and act upon steps towards saving our own future.
General Wenda continues,
We are not talking about economic development, regional security and stability,nor pleasing Indonesia and the Western interests in the Pacific Rim. We are not talking about what is prosperity and how to achieve it. We are talking about the very survival or our Melaneisan race in our region. We are talking about the future of own children and grand-children. We are talking about hundreds of years to come. Yes, we hsave to be ready to accept that some of the islands in our region will sink. Of course, global warming is a reality that we must not regret but should anticipate from now on. Yes, this is why the Suva Declaration on Climate Change has the rightful Melanesian spirit, as it is directly to do with our own future. When we do sit down ourselves as Melanesians, without western and Asian interests and influences, then we can see we have our wisdom aired and decisions made addressing the “real needs” and “strategic issues” of Melanesian peoples and the South Pacific Region.
General Wenda also emphasizes that besides MSG as the regional body under the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), involving parties outside Melanesians, Micronesians and Polynesians, our Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) is established on our own interest, to deal with our own issues. PIDF is the native “Melanesian organisation”, that we needs to raise and nurture for our own sake.
Unity among Melanesians as a family is the key towards “Good News” for our future generations. We should not be fooled by security issues, regional peace issues, development issues that are being aired by Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. We need to think first of all about “our own existence” in the coming 100 – 200 years in our small islands before we talk about wealth and prosperity, peace and justice, development and modernisation.
General Wenda maintains that New Guinea Island is the homeland of all Melanesians,
This Island is our Island, out future, out home, our fate is based on this Island. We should not allow foreigners occupy and exploit, take over and wipe our our Melanesian race. If this happens, then where will al Melanesians go? Australia? Sorry but our Aboriginal brothers and sisters have been occupied. They have no power to make decisions when anything happens to our small islands.
Our only hope is the Isle of New Guinea. Anytime, in the future, when anything happens in our small islands, every Melanesian man and woman knows that each of us has our big home-land, that is, the Isle of New Guinea. It is time now, to wisely and strategically prepare for our future generations, by saving West Papua for our own sake. Before we regret, before our children regret, before our grand-children put curse upon us for not acting wisely now, let us be wise, let us make up our minds in the spirit of Melanesia wisdom, in Melanesia way, based on Melanesia beliefs and philosophy.
Yes, we Melanesians in West Papua are being continuously killed, being systematically, structurally, and extensively being wiped out under the Indonesian project called “Pan-Pacific Rim of Great Indonesia” designed by Soekarno and Ali Murtopo in 1960s. Papua New Guinea is diplomaticall, not politically, fully under Indonesian control right now, by employing Indonesian strategy called “fear-and-terror” and conquer. In not long time to come, Papua New Guinea will be occupied diplomatically by Indonesia.
That is why, we are now, I am now, General Mathias Wenda, asking not for all Melanesian leaders not to feel pity about us Melanesians in West Papua. Let us take what is happening in West Papua as a “waking-up alarm” for all Melanesian leaders, to strategically think, tactically plan, and wisely act to save our Melanesian fate, politically, socially, culturally, and more importantly environmentally.
