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Christian Papuans Facing Genocide: World Evangelical Alliance
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Tapol
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Apr 19, 2005 07:31 PDT
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excerpt: “Papuans, often Christian leaders, are frequently killed by
the TNI (the Indonesia military), who are constantly trying to provoke
retaliation that could be claimed to justify a full scale massacre against
the 'separatist threat..."
The Christian Post (San Francisco/USA)
April 14, 2005
Christian Papuans Facing Genocide,
Says World Evangelical Alliance
The indigenous Christian Papuans in Eastern Indonesia are
facing genocide and in desperate need of support and prayers
The indigenous Christian Papuans in Eastern Indonesia are facing genocide
and in desperate need of support and prayers, a researcher for the World
Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) stated in a
recently released report.
“Papuans, often Christian leaders, are frequently killed by the TNI (the
Indonesia military), who are constantly trying to provoke retaliation that
could be claimed to justify a full scale massacre against the 'separatist
threat,'” reported the RLC’s Elizabeth Kendal.
“The TNI terrorizes Papuans from helicopters, shooting civilians, burning
villages and churches, and forcing thousands to flee their homes and hide
in the jungle where they die of starvation, illness or injury,” Kendal
continued in the Apr. 13 Religious Prayer Bulletin distributed by the RLC.
Eastern Indonesia’s Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) is the western part of the
island of New Guinea. Although it has been memorably highlighted in Don
Richardson's well known missionary tales 'Peace Child' and 'Lords of the
Earth,' many people worldwide have not even heard of Papua or confuse it
with the independent nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the eastern part
of New Guinea
According to Operation World, more than 90 percent of the indigenous
Papuans are officially regarded as Christian, mostly Protestant – quite an
amazing statistic, considering Papuans were animists and headhunters only
50 years ago.
Since 1969, Papua has had a history of violent oppression by the
Indonesian military (TNI), with demographic dilution through a government
program of massive transmigration of Javanese Muslims, Kendel stated in
her report.
“Papuans are politically marginalized, racial tension and religious
intolerance have flourished, and Islamic Indonesian culture dominates,”
the RLC researcher added.
Kendel stated that what is “of utmost concern is systematic 'ethnic
cleansing' by military operations, and the (possibly deliberate)
introduction of AIDS and infected pigs. (Melanesian Papuans eat pigs but
Indonesian Muslims do not.)”
Officially, some 100,000 Papuans have been killed directly due to
Indonesian occupation, but the unofficial figure is 800,000.
“The Indonesians do all this for economic gain. They want Papua so they
can exploit its timber and mineral resources. The notorious and
systemically corrupt TNI also profits from 'business' in Papua,” Kendel
added. “Meanwhile the UN and various Western governments turn a blind eye
for political gain. They want Indonesia as an ally.”
According to Kendel, the TNI's allies – the pro-Indonesian militias and
the Laskar Jihad (Islamic warriors) – are armed ready for a major ethnic
cleansing campaign.
“Papua, as part of Indonesia and the 'dar al-Islam' (land of Islam), is
being 'Indonesianised’ and Islamised,” she stated. “The Papuans are
facing genocide while those with worldly power turn away.”
However, as one Papuan Christian leader recently said to Kendel, “We are
not alone. We have our Lord, Jesus Christ. He created us and put us here
in this land of Papua.
It is his will that we are here. We have his Spirit. And we have you, our
brothers and sisters who support us and pray for us. We are not alone, we
are together.”
In the recently released Geneva Report titled, “A Perspective on Global
Religious Freedom: Challenges Facing the Christian Community,” the World
Evangelical Alliance (WEA) noted that countries influenced by Islam,
Buddhism and Hinduism have all recently seen their share of this form of
religious intolerance in various expressions.
“In some cases, we see it with the face of government sponsored religious
nationalism, and in others, with that of non-government factions engaged
in extremist activities, often with the tacit approval of their
governments,” the WEA reported.
The global ministry said that in its various expressions, the use of
political might to enforce religious conformity continued to be a
disturbing trend around the world.
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TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 8HW, UK.
tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
tap-@gn.apc.org http://tapol.gn.apc.org
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