Catholics in Indonesia’s Papua have hailed the appointment of the first native bishop more than a century after Catholicism found its roots in the easternmost region.
Pope Francis appointed Father Yanuarius Theofilus Matopai You as the new bishop of Jayapura Diocese on Oct. 29, 2022.
A member of the indigenous Mee tribe in Papua, Bishop-elect You, 61, succeeds retired Franciscan Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar.
During the announcement at the Christ the King Cathedral in Jayapura, Bishop Ladjar urged local Catholics to pray for the first native Papuan bishop.
"The letter from the Vatican Ambassador told me that I should announce in the local Church in this diocese that the Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed a person to be the new bishop of Jayapura," he said.
"He is a native Papuan," he said, which was welcomed with applause by Catholics.
Bishop-elect You will lead the Catholic Church in the conflict-torn region, which has one archdiocese and four suffragan dioceses.
With the appointment, the Vatican has paid heed to the call from indigenous Papuan Catholics who made public demands to have a native as the bishop.
This comes as indigenous Papuan priests have repeatedly called on bishops since 2020 to be vocal about human rights violations in the region amid an escalation of conflict between Indonesian security forces and pro-independence rebels in recent years.
Soleman Itlay, a lay activist who was present in the church during the announcement, told UCA News that many Papuans like him were emotionally moved when the appointment was made public.
"I am deeply moved. I also saw the mothers beside me crying after hearing the name of the bishop-elect being called. I asked them, what made them cry. They said it was because ‘we had been praying and waiting for the Vatican to elect an indigenous Papuan bishop,’” he said.
He said he thanked Pope Francis for listening to their hopes and “hope that the appointment of this bishop-elect will make the Catholic Church more deeply rooted in Papua and its development will also be more solid."
Frederika Korain, a laywoman said, “I am moved, and tears of joy are falling” and recalled that she spontaneously danced with her colleagues after the announcement.
"I thank God that our struggle and prayers to have an indigenous Papuan bishop have finally been granted and today it has come true," she told UCA News.
She said that as a layperson she would support the bishop-elect so that he could work effectively to help Catholics in Jayapura Diocese and in Papua Land in general.
“I hope that the Church will step up with the poor, the suffering, the deprived of their rights. So, the Church must be close to the people in the most remote bases and formulate appropriate programs to serve them,” she said.
Neles Siep, another lay Catholic, said 128 years since the Catholic Church entered Papua in 1894 “are enough for a native Papuan to become a bishop in his own land.”
He said, as a conflict area, Papua "misses the voice of the shepherd which has been difficult to obtain until now."
"I hope that the suffering of the people on this land will be the main struggle and burden in the pastoral task of the bishop-elect," he said.
Born in 1961, You was ordained a priest in 1991. He looked after various parishes before working in the education sector. In 2002, he became the parish priest of the Cathedral Church in Jayapura and served as the Vicar General of the diocese until 2007.
He studied for a master's degree in psychology at state-university Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta from 2008-2010 and a doctorate in anthropology at Cenderawasih University Jayapura from 2015-2018.
The diocese with an area of 115,350 square kilometers has 67,500 Catholics spread over 25 parishes.
Papua is a former Dutch colony that declared independence in 1961. However, Indonesia annexed the territory soon with a referendum widely considered a sham. A separatist movement for independence bubbled up, prompting Indonesia to maintain a heavy military presence in the resource-rich but underdeveloped. The conflict claimed thousands of lives.
Jayapura, Jubi – Jhon Paisei said that his son, Rahmat Paisei (14) and his two friends, Bastian Bate (13) and Laurents Kaung (11) were tortured using chains, wire reels, and water hoses by members of the Indonesian Military (TNI).
When met by reporters at the Marthen Indey Army Hospital in Jayapura City on Friday evening, October 28, 2022, Jhon Paisei said the persecution occurred at Cartenz Task Force Post in Maleo Street, Yuwanain Village, Arso District, Keerom Regency on Thursday.
The soldiers alleged the children stole a cockatoo at the post and tortured them. “The children were beaten and trampled all over their bodies at the post from 8 to 11:30 a.m.,” said Jhon.
At around 11.30 a.m., a number of soldiers escorted Rahmat, Bastian, and Laurents back to Rahmat’s house.
“We were surprised of seeing them injured and battered. My son Rahmat Paisei was bleeding. His mother and I took him to the Arso City Health Center for treatment,” said Jhon.
After Rahmat was treated, Jhon report the persecution to the Arso Police. The police suggested Jhon report the abuse to the Women and Children Empowerment Office of Keerom as well.
“After reporting to the Women and Children Empowerment Office, we reported the incident to the Keerom Police but they told us to report to the Military Police in Jayapura City,” he said.
“Rahmat’s older sister reported to the Military Police to pick up Rahmat Paisei and his friends in Arso,” said Jhon.
Unexpectedly, after Rahmat returned home, a group of soldiers came to his house again, picked up the children and tortured them again.
“I witnessed it this time. I wanted to help but they pointed a gun at me. They told me to watch from afar and they tortured Rahmat. Rahmat’s mother cried helplessly,” said Jhon.
At that time, Rahmat also screamed in pain, said Jhon. “God, please help me,” Jhon mimicked Rahmat. “The soldiers said, ‘Let’s send you to your God’. At that time, my son’s condition was already helpless, he struggled to breathe,” said Jhon.
“I could not bear to see my child being beaten and kicked by the soldiers. I tried to help my child but the officers kicked my jaw and pointed a gun at me,” he said.
Jhon said at around 9 p.m., the commander of the post came out and asked Jhon why he was at the post. “I said I was the parent of the child they were torturing. While I was saying this, an officer came and hit me on the head,” he said.
The abuse only stopped at around 11:30 p.m. after a number of Military Police from Jayapura City arrived. They took Rahmat, who was badly injured, to the Marthen Indey Army Hospital in Jayapura City.
“If they came late, my son would have died of the persecution by the Cartenz Task Force,” said Jhon.
Jhon said that persecution against his son and the other children showed Indonesia’s color as a colonizer. “It’s as if we’re still in the colonial era. I hope that the perpetrators got sentenced so there is a sense of justice for us. My son Rahmat was beaten to the brink of death,” he said.
Head of Information of XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command Lt. Col. Cav. Herman Taryaman confirmed the persecution at the Cartenz Task Force on Thursday. Taryaman said the Military Police was currently investigating the matter. (*)
