TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has to think clearly in responding the opening of a representative office of the Liberation Papua Organization (OPM) in Oxford, England. An unadorned response towards OPM maneuver needs to be shown, however, make sure it is addressed properly. Bragging about the advance development in Papua to the world is far more important than dispersing protests.
This reaction appeared after Benny Wenda, an OPM activist, opened an office in Oxford on May 1st. Her movement in Europe even gained supports from the local board of the city. The government through the Indonesian Ambasador, Hamzah Thayeb then filed a protest to the government of the United Kingdom. Similar response was addressed by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the UK Ambassador in Jakarta.
If the protest only states the objection towards the establishment of a representative office of OPM, it is considered not a big deal. However, if the protest requests the UK government to shut it down, it leads to a different story. We have to understand the position of the UK government in this case. They cannot interfere with the decision made by the Board of Oxford city. The UK government- as explained by its ambassador for Indonesia- still considers Papua and West Papua parts of Indonesia. However, they only note several Human Rights violations there.
However, the Indonesian Government certainly may not ignore the maneuver. As stated by Jonah Weyah, the spoke person of OPM, the function of their representative office in Oxford is to campaign themselves to the international eyes. If so, we have to counter it with a similar campaign as well. Diplomatic lobbying must be countered with a stronger diplomatic lobbying as well.
