Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said the Indonesian Government’s proposal to establish the Indonesian Melanesian Brotherhood, which is marked with the signing of declaration in Ambon in the early October, was only a political ploy.
“Melanesian Brotherhood signed in Ambon is part of political interests. I wasn’t there as well as some of other governors,” Enembe told Jubi at his resident last week. Neither governors of North Maluku or West Papua attended the signing of the declaration.
Although he asked the former Papua Vice Governor who also has acted as Acting Papua Governor to represent him in the signing of declaration, but he explained he’s actually not interested with the government’s gimmick to counter the Melanesian Spearhead Group issue. Declaring the Indonesian Melanesian Brotherhood, according to him, is not what’s people expected to answer the Papua issue.
“This group (Indonesian Melanesian Brotherhood) is full of political interest,” said Enembe.
He believes, as the Indonesian Government’s representative in Papua, he had no authority to speak about the foreign affairs. “I am the representative of Indonesian Government in Papua. So I don’t have any interest to speak about politic or the international affairs as well because I have no right to talk about it. MSG is the Jakarta’s concern, not mine. I don’t see this problem should involve the five provinces. Jakarta should tackle this issue on behalf of us. So it shouldn’t involve us,” said the Governor Enembe.
Constan Karma who represented the Papua Governor in the declaration of Melanesian Brotherhood said the declaration had connection with the political interest to accommodate the domestic interest in the Eastern Indonesia since people in the five provinces are part of Melanesian race.
“The political agreement like this is excellent and important because it’s built to maintain the togetherness and brotherhood from Melanesia and Indonesia,” he said.
He added this agreement is important because it becomes a mediator or unifier in connecting the political connection of five provinces, which have different custom and culture.
Since the United Liberation Movement of West Papua was accepted as the observer in MSG and Indonesia was accepted as association member in last June, the Indonesian Government in Jakarta increasing its political gimmick to legitimate a claim of eleven million Melanesian live in Indonesia. In addition to declaring the Melanesian Brotherhood, the Indonesian Government also planned the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival and Melanesian Culture Study Center. (Victor Mambor/rom)
