2) Indonesia to Form Three More Provinces in Papua, Becomes Five
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1) Megawati’s ‘joke’ exposes the classist and racist views of the political elite
JUNE 28, 2022
Megawati Soekarnoputri speaking at the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) National Meeting on 21 June. Image from PDI-P/Antara.
Former President Megawati Soekarnoputri, the long-serving chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P), has been widely criticised for comments she made
at her party’s 2022 National Meeting on 21 June.
At the event, Megawati told the audience how she had warned her children, including Puan Maharani, not to bring home a meatball soup seller (tukang bakso) as a prospective partner, prompting laughs from members of the audience, including Puan and President Joko Widodo. Megawati then went on to say that she was glad that black West Papuans were starting to intermarry with migrants — like coffee with milk (kopi susu) — therefore becoming more Indonesian.
These disgraceful comments should never have been made. But, in a way, I am glad they were, because they provided a clear view of what political elites really think about the masses, the tukang bakso of the world, and West Papuans.
Implied in Megawati’s comments was the old Javanese concept of bibit bobot bebet – the idea of marrying up to make better connections politically, and at the same time, improving one’s genes (described by Megawati as rekayasa genetika, genetic manipulation).
By using the phrase kopi susu she was implying that the sweetness and whiteness of milk will dilute the bitterness and blackness of coffee. Mixing with transmigrants will supposedly dilute the blackness of West Papuans, making them more Indonesian than they currently are. In fact, she claimed that through “blending”, West Papuans were becoming more Indonesian (the literal translation of her words was “very Indonesian” – Indonesia banget).
Intentionally or not, Megawati was basically describing ethnic replacement and eugenics, with her statement revealing racist colonial ideas about Papua that hide just beneath the surface in the thinking of many in the political elite.
When Megawati’s statements were criticised as racist, some prominent figures came to her defence, brushing off her comments as a light-hearted joke. These responses too, should be called out for what they were: gaslighting – a strategy designed to justify the laughter of the audience and, at the same time, invalidate the emotions triggered in the subjects of the “joke”.
Jokes do not exist in a vacuum, they exist in political and historical spaces that provide context. For Megawati’s statements to trigger laughter in the way they did, her audience would have to share the same understanding of tukang bakso and West Papuans, and the class and racial differences between them and the privileged (and apparently superior) Megawati and Puan.
To be able to laugh along, the audience must associate themselves with Megawati and Puan and hence share their privilege. It is telling that the only people defending Megawati’s joke and claiming critics were too sensitive were also elite members of the majority.
There are many different types of laughter. For example, we might laugh at ourselves when we do something silly. Friends might laugh at each other, too, but this requires both parties to perceive themselves as equals. A third type of laughter common in Indonesia is gallows humour – laughing at a harsh reality as a coping mechanism. One such example is mop Papua, in which Papuans make fun of their experiences of racism and violent encounters with development projects to cope with the grim reality thrust upon them.
Another, more spiteful, kind of laughter involves laughing at “the other”. Megawati and her peers ‘othered’ tukang baksoand West Papuans because of their class and race, respectively. Tukang bakso represent the urban poor and marginalised, the people who work in the informal sector. They are often depicted as villagers who have migrated to the city for a better life. Despite forming the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, workers in the informal sector are still looked down upon by the privileged.
West Papuans, meanwhile, are often depicted simply as savages who need to be saved or erased, depending on how the political winds are blowing.
One of the saddest aspects of Megawati’s “joke” was who was laughing: Megawati, Puan, Jokowi and senior PDI-P members. As children of presidents, Megawati and Puan are both members of the elite, but their party always seeks votes by claiming to represent the little people (wong cilik). Likewise, Jokowi, the current president, likes to present himself as a commoner in his interactions with the people, but is now firmly part of the elite.
Sadder still, these powerful individuals are precisely the people who have the power to do something about the political and economic reality that tukang bakso and West Papuans face. Their laughter seemed to justify, or at least trivialise, the widespread lack of opportunities for decent work that leads many poor people to migrate to urban centres, and themassacres, land grabbing, settler migration, and failure to provide basic health care in Papua.
Hopefully those who made the “joke”, laughed at the joke, defended the joke, sought to normalise the joke, or gaslit the victims of the joke, are offended by being called racist and classist. Hopefully they do not stop at taking offence and feeling anger. Hopefully they sit with their feelings of offence and anger, reflect on why they feel offended, and try to look at the situation from the point of view of the subjects of the joke.
Unfortunately, Megawati’s “joke” suggests it may be a long time before many in the elite really understand that jokes about race and class can never be innocent.
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2) Indonesia to Form Three More Provinces in Papua, Becomes Five
Arfi Bambani
TheIndonesia.id - Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives Junimart Girsang said lawmakers and the government will make a Level I decision concerning the three new autonomous regional bills (RUUs) in Papua this Tuesday afternoon. The Working Committee (Panja) 3 of the Bill for the New Autonomous Region of Papua will set up new territorial boundaries of South PapuaProvince, Central Papua Province, and Papua Mountains Province. These bills will make the island of Papua consists of five provinces, following two existing provinces, Papua and West Papua provinces.
"On Tuesday at 14.00 WIB, the results of the decision will be brought to a Level I decision-making meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Law and Human Rights, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Development Planning," Girsang said in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 28, 2022.
Girsang explained that the Panja of three bills had received and ratified the results of the Formulating Team (Timus) and the Synchronization Team (Timsin) discussions on the three new provinces in Papua he led.
As a follow-up to the ratification said Girsang, Commission II of the House of Representatives and Government will again hold a meeting that begins with discussions related to candidates for civil servants and government honorary staff in the three new provinces in Papua.
House of Representatives will invite the Ministry of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan RB), the State Civil Service Agency (BKN), and the State Administration Agency (LAN) to give input related to the state civil apparatus and honorary staff.
1. South Papua Province with the capital city of Merauke consisting of Merauke Regency, Boven Digoel Regency, Mappi Regency, and Asmat Regency, a total of four districts;
2. Central Papua Province with Nabire as the capital city consists of Nabire Regency, Puncak Jaya Regency, Paniai Regency, Mimika Regency, Puncak Regency, Dogiyai Regency, Intan Jaya Regency, and Deiyai Regency, a total of eight regencies; and
3. Papua Mountains Province with the capital city Jayawijaya/Wamena consisting of Jayawijaya Regency, Bintang Mountains Regency, Yahukimo Regency, Tolikara Regency, Central Mamberamo Regency, Yalimo Regency, Lanny Jaya Regency, and Nduga Regency, a total of eight regencies.
Jayapura, Jubi – A Politics and Governance lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Arie Ruhyanto said that the Papua expansion has two targets, namely institutional and relational goals. Both of which have positive and negative impacts on the Papuan people.
Through his research, Arie explained that institutionally, the expansion will increase the distribution of development and improve public services. According to him, this will have a positive impact on reducing isolation, improving public services, and developing remote areas.
“It must be admitted that nowadays there are more and more flights in Papua, such as to mountainous areas. Ticket prices are getting cheaper from Timika to Asmat, now you can use large planes, which used to cost Rp 1.5 million, and now only Rp 750,000. The development is there,” he said in the webinar held by the German Papuan Student Association on Saturday, June 26, 2022.
However, Arie stated that the field findings show there were also some downsides from the expansion that has taken place, such as development concentrated only in district capitals and funds not used properly. These things eventually led to development gaps, wherein the quality of public services in remote areas was declining, if not being implemented at all.
“The development is only concentrated in the district capital. The districts outside the capital still see the same situation as before the expansion. Only the capital is advanced. For example, the Ilaga community still relies on clean water sources from rainwater, electricity is still not available for 24 hours. In fact, Ilaga is a district capital for the past fifteen years,” he said.
Meanwhile, regarding the relational goal, Arie said one of the purposes of the expansion was to accommodate demographic politics. According to him, this has a positive impact on Indigenous Papuans because it provides an opportunity for them to have a seat in the government and manage their own regional development funds.
“There have been more state apparatus who are Indigenous Papuans, more Papuan regents. Now almost all regents in Papua are natives, even though the Special Autonomy Law only states the Governor and the Deputy Governor to be Indigenous Papuans,” he said.
Clashes have taken place between Indonesian police and protesters in West Papua, adding to ongoing concerns about allegations of police violence.
Younes Douw, a West Papuan human rights activist, claimed that 3000 students and indigenous Papuans participated in the protests. Mr. Douw said that “around 650 students took to the streets today. Added to by the Papuan community of around 2000 people.”
The protests took place in Jayapura, including the areas of Yahukimo, Waena, and Abepura.
While these reports are difficult to confirm because of a lack of media transparency in the region, the Papua Legal Aid Foundation is reporting that at least 20 West Papuans were injured by police last Friday after protesting peacefully against the government’s plan to create new provinces in the region.
The Foundations Chairperson, Emanuel Gobay, has said explained the clashes and explained that “in Sorong, there were 10 people who were injured. In Jayapura 10 people were also injured” and that “the injuries were a consequence of the repressive approach by police against demonstrators when they broke up the rallies.”
However, Indonesian authorities have denied any injuries have occurred. The Assistant Superintendent of Police in Jayapura, Victor Makbon, has claimed that while protests were forcibly broken up because they did not have a permit, no injuries were caused. Mr. Makbon stated, “initially, earlier, there were some who resisted police, so the police had to take firm measures.”
This comes as West Papuans are demanding an independence referendum, not new provinces or increased autonomy.
On April 12, the Indonesian government announced plans to establish three new provinces in West Papua, in addition to the existing two provinces of West Papua and Papua. The government’s aim is to break the two provinces into five administrative regions, including South Papua, Central Papua, and the Papua Central Highlands Province.
There are concerns that this reform will have ramifications on the independence and autonomy of West Papuans. Under existing legislation, the creation of new provinces requires the establishment of government apparatus, including military posts, which threatens to cause increased clashes between authorities and West Papuans.
West Papuan independence has been an issue for some time. Heavy-handed repression under President Suharto was replaced by subsequent governments’ emphasis on economic development and democracy for the region. However, the region remains impoverished, and national corporations exploit its natural resources.
The Indonesian military continues to maintain a strong presence in the region, with human rights abuses committed against West Papuans. Reports continue of villages being attacked and locals arbitrarily detained, tortured, and shot. These abuses have continued to fuel resentment and unrest. Furthermore, West Papuans face long jail sentences of up to 15 years for raising the West Papuan flag.
In a positive development, recent events have caught the international community’s attention. In March, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples released a report criticizing the Indonesian government for ongoing abuses.
The report expressed serious concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in West Papua, including attacks on indigenous Papuans, child killings, disappearances, torture, and mass displacement.
The report rightly calls for urgent access to humanitarian services to provide much-needed aid and support for those abused and displaced and for the Indonesian government to investigate any abuses committed against West Papuans.
It remains to be seen whether the increase in international pressure will have a positive outcome for West Papuans, but it represents a welcome pivot in expressing concern for the rights of the indigenous population.
Waghete, Jubi – The Deiyai Police has added personnel from the nearest police resorts, the Paniai Police and Dogiyai
Police, to improve security following the shooting in Waghete
that killed a civilian, Muhammad Jainal Als Enal.
Enal, 29 years old, was shot dead on Sunday, June 26, 2022, at 9:33 p.m. local time in Deiyai Regional People’s Legislative
Council (DPRD) office hall, while playing badminton with five colleagues.
Enal is a non-Papuan resident who was born and raised in Waghete, Deiyai.
The police said they increased large-scale patrols around Deiyai and prepared the personnel in Deiyai Police headquarters.
“We have also asked for additional personnel from Paniai and
Dogiyai,” Deiyai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Hersoni Saragih said in a phone call with Jubi on Monday, June 27.
In addition, Saragih said, his party was currently talking with local community leaders. “This is to gather information on the
situation in the area after the shooting, as well as accurate data on the
incident,” he said, adding that his party also coordinated with the Cartenz Peace Task Force to profile the armed group’s networks
and bases around Deiyai.
1703/Deiyai Military District Command Intelligence officer Capt. Ind Eko Warsito said the victim was resting after playing
badminton and sitting on the sofa near the door when an unknown person
suddenly entered through the front door and immediately fired three shots using a long-barreled weapon, which hit the victim.
“The other badminton players immediately hid and turned off the lights, then the perpetrator fired another series of shots at
the hall six times,” said Warsito.
After that, Warsito said, the witness immediately called Second Brig. Nanda Saragih, a member of the Deiyai Police
Intelligence and Security Unit, then told him about the incident.
“The police along with the Pamrahwan Task Force Yonif RK/113 JS came to the scene and conducted a search around the
Deiyai DPRD office hall but found no one,” he said.
The victim was rushed to the Paniai General Hospital in Madi. However, upon arrival at the hospital the victim could not be
saved and died. (*)
6) Papua Division Bill Guarantees Affirmative Action For Native Residents
8 Hours Ago
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Papua Regional Division Bill Will Facilitate Affirmative Action For Papuan Natives
As Employees Of Local Government Institutions,
According To An Official Of The Home Affairs Ministry.
"Our Meeting (With The House Of Representatives) Is To Ensure That The Planned Regional Division Of Papua
Will Provide Opportunities For Papuan
Natives," The Ministry's Director General Of Politics And Public Administration, Bahtiar, Stated Here On Tuesday.
The government will guarantee that the law will ensure prioritizing Papuan natives to fill state apparatus positions
"There was also a proposal to increase the maximum (employee candidate) age to 50 years, but we will continue
Related news: Papua: Home Minister, Governor agree on regional division
Today's meeting agenda focused on articles regarding the management of state apparatus and honorarium-based
The new provinces of South Papua, Central Papua, and Papua Pegunungan are expected to offer greater
He said that the meeting also deliberated processes to expedite the recruitment process for vacant state apparatus
"The bill, apart from providing the legal basis for the formation of three new provinces, also offers a legal basis
Related news: Gov't to focus on welfare to resolve Papua situation: VP
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