https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/can-a-papal-visit-bring-peace-to-restive-papua/60433/8
By Justin L. Wejak
Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke recently requested a papal visit to Indonesia’s
easternmost region of Papua. He believes that a papal visit can help resolve Papua’s long history of
violent conflict since the early 1960s when the region, arguably involuntarily, became part of
Indonesia through the New York Agreement. Hosted by the USA, the agreement was signed on
Aug. 15, 1962, by the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding administration of the land.
Papua’s political membership status within the unitary state of Indonesia was reconfirmed in
1969 when a kind of referendum known as the Act of Free Choice was held, and apparently
most voters freely chose to remain part of Indonesia. These two historical events — the New York
Agreement in 1962 and the Act of Free Choice in 1969 — remain politically problematic and
may have caused a sense of restlessness, particularly among the historically conscious Papuans.
Meaningful efforts to promote peace in the region may need to revisit the history of Papua’s
integration with Indonesia. Understanding its history is key to identifying the roots of the
conflict in Indonesia’s easternmost region, whether the restlessness of Papuans is historically
rooted in the early years of its integration with Indonesia, or if it has a completely different
cause. For this to take place, however, requires courage, commitment and humility from all
parties and elements in society. Failure to apply a historical approach, as well as a
cultural-religious approach, in peace negotiations means the journey toward peace may remain
an unfulfilled dream for years to come.
It is not an exaggeration to suggest that Archbishop Mandagi’s request for a papal visit to Papua
reflects the sense of powerlessness of the local Catholic Church in promoting peace and justice
in the region. On a positive note, the archbishop’s move is an important proposition that needs
to be taken seriously by both the Vatican and Jakarta. The presence of a top religious figure —
Pope Francis — in the country, and Papua in particular, would give positive energy to
peace-building efforts.
Many are still sceptical
Some have been skeptical, though. Can a papal visit really bring peace to the protracted issue
of unrest in Papua given that both the local and national church have failed for years? This
question reflects that skepticism, and it is understandable.
It is true that the Indonesian Church has failed to effectively intervene in previous decades,
so it seems unrealistic to expect a papal visit to help the cause. Christians in Papua have also
been accused of being part of Papua’s endless violent conflict with the Indonesian military, or TNI.
Partly for this reason, Archbishop Mandagi’s request can be seen as not only unrealistic but also
a reflection of a failure to understand and accept responsibility for some of the problems in
Papua. Implicit to the request, there seems to be a perception that there is something magical
about a papal visit. There is even an expectation that Papua will instantly transform itself
from being restive to peaceful.
It is unrealistic to expect a sudden positive change given the long history of violence in the
region since the early 1960s. However, a papal visit would help the process of change, starting
with individual mindsets and attitudes. Peace negotiations can only take place, and peace can
only be achieved, if all the warring parties are willing to cease fighting.
Archbishop Mandagi made the request through the national bishops' conference, known i
n Indonesian by the acronym KWI. Reading between the lines, there seems to be a suggestion
that the KWI should pay more attention to the restive region. Yet no specific details have been
explained as to the sort of attention concretely needed by the Papuans in their search for
peace, other than to invite Pope Francis to visit the region. Even if desired actions were
specified, for example, to put pressure on Jakarta to review its strong military presence in
Papua, there is no certainty the bishops’ conference would be willing to fulfill them.
More involvement from the Conference
Historically, when it comes to domestic political matters, the bishops’ conference has been
inclined to choose to remain silent, as in the case of mass killings of suspected communists
during the anti-communist violence of 1965-66. Silence appears to be the Church’s political
comfort-zone institutionally. The Church as an institution would therefore be very cautious in
voicing its negative feelings openly, if any, about the failure of Jakarta in protecting the rights
of Papuans to live in peace and harmony with one another.
Even though over the years some priests have voiced their demands for the restoration of
peace in Papua, their demands would not be automatically seen by the KWI as reflective of
the official position of the Indonesian Church. Indeed, the appeal for the bishops’ conference
to be more involved and proactive in peace promotion is imperative. The institutional
intervention of the KWI is important and urgently needed in ending conflict. Leaving it to
individual priests and bishops in Papua to fight for peace could make them easy targets f
or violence and terror.
Archbishop Mandagi’s economic and ecological positions
Archbishop Mandagi was installed as archbishop of Merauke on Jan. 3 after being appointed
last November. Before coming to Merauke, he was bishop of Amboina since 1994, and in
2019 he was appointed apostolic administrator of Merauke. He was born in 1949 in Kamangta,
North Sulawesi, and ordained as a priest in 1975. His motto is “Nil Nisi Christum”
(Christ alone, Galatians 2:20).
Interestingly. soon after his instalment, Archbishop Mandagi signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) on Jan. 5 with a palm oil company, PT Tunas Sawa Erma, part of the
Korindo Group. This signing of the MoU, even though it is not a strong legal document, was
not well received by some Papuan Catholic activists. It disappointed and angered them. They
felt the archbishop’s action was irresponsible without prior public consultation.
The archbishop was then accused of being environmentally negligent and culturally
insensitive and disrespectful. In protest, since late January, Papuan Catholic activists have
been collecting funds from those attending Masses on Sundays to give to Archbishop Mandagi
with a demand that he must cancel his MoU with the palm oil company for a plantation
in the Archdiocese of Merauke.
The controversy is mentioned here only as background about the archbishop’s economic
and ecological positions. It is not necessarily presented to weaken his request for more
involvement of the KWI and the visit of Pope Francis. However, the controversy can be
seen to reflect the lack of commitment and consistency within the church hierarchy in
Indonesia on peace building in Papua. The overemphasis on the importance of economic
interests seems to have compromised the Church’s advocacy of justice and peace as
fundamental aspects of human rights.
The journey to peace in Papua is challenging, and that challenge needs to be faced i
ndividually and collectively for a positive result. May the long-waited peace be achieved
in Papua, a land abundant in natural resources but which remains one of the poorest regions
in the country.––ucanews.com
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