TEMPO.CO, Jayapura - The Coordinator of the National Defense Military for the Free Papua Movement (OPM), Lambert Pekikir, accused the Indonesian government of deliberately initiating a new problem by protesting against the establishment of the OPM office in Oxford, the United Kingdom. He added that voicing protest to the U.K. for supporting the OPM would be meaningless.

"Because it is a country that gives freedom to its people, not like Indonesia that’s repressive. The office is where we work to lobby the international community and gain support for Papua’s freedom," he said.

He revealed that the plan to open this office began two years ago. Lambert also claimed that there was a meeting during that time in Sydney, Australia. There, one of OPM’s leaders, Jacob Pray, appealed to the world to gain support for the British office.

"This step was followed up by a number of other international meetings until it was finally established in Oxford," he said.

As for Benny Wenda, who was said to have initiated the establishment of the office, Lambert stated that Benny is a member of the OPM.

He also asserted that this issue must be resolved by international means. "If the Indonesian government does not approve of the office, let’s settle this matter at the United Nations."

JERRY OMONA