Wednesday, April 13, 2005
PAPUA, INDONESIA:
LOOMING COVERT GENOCIDE OF A CHRISTIAN PEOPLE
By Elizabeth
Kendal
World
Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- Papua
(formerly Irian Jaya), Eastern Indonesia, is the western part
of the island of New Guinea. The indigenous Papuans are Melanesians,
and according to Operation World, more than 90% of them are officially
reckoned as Christian, mostly Protestant. This is quite amazing,
considering Papuans were animists and headhunters only 50 years ago.
Many people worldwide have not even heard of Papua, or confuse it with
the independent nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG), in the eastern part
of New Guinea. Papua (as Irian Jaya) has been memorably highlighted in
Don Richardson's well known missionary tales 'Peace Child' (also
available as a film) and 'Lords of the Earth'.
Before World War Two, Papua was part of the Dutch East Indies, although
it remained virtually untouched. After WW2, the Dutch East Indies
became part of Indonesia (1949). However, the Dutch held on in Papua,
arguing that as Papua is inhabited by Melanesians, it should be
independent. The Indonesians did not agree. But the Dutch defied
Indonesia, ceded independence to 'West Papua', and on 1 December 1961,
hoisted the new Papuan Morning Star flag. Then on the night of 20
December 1961, Indonesia sent in paratroopers. Papua was conquered and
annexed. In 1969 Indonesia held a rigged plebiscite in Papua.
Indonesian authorities hand-picked 1,025 Papuans, who then voted
unanimously, under duress, for integration with Indonesia. The
Indonesians and the UN call this 'The Act of Free Choice', but the
Papuans call it 'The Act of No Choice'.
Since that day, Papua has had a history of violent oppression by the
Indonesian military (TNI), with demographic dilution through a
government programme of massive transmigration of Javanese Muslims.
Papuans are politically marginalised, racial tension and religious
intolerance have flourished, and Islamic Indonesian culture dominates.
Of utmost concern is systematic 'ethnic cleansing' by military
operations, and the (possibly deliberate) introduction of AIDS and
infected pigs. (Melanesian Papuans eat pigs but Indonesian Muslims do
not.) Officially, some 100,000 Papuans have been killed directly due to
Indonesian occupation, but the unofficial figure is 800,000.
The Indonesians do all this for economic gain. They want Papua so they
can exploit its timber and mineral resources. The notorious and
systemically corrupt TNI also profits from 'business' in Papua.
Meanwhile the UN and various Western governments turn a blind eye for
political gain. They want Indonesia as an ally.
The Christian Papuans desperately need our support and prayers.
Papuans, often Christian leaders, are frequently killed by the TNI, who
are constantly trying to provoke retaliation that could be claimed to
justify a full scale massacre against the 'separatist threat'. The TNI
terrorises Papuans from helicopters, shooting civilians, burning
villages and churches, and forcing thousands to flee their homes and
hide in the jungle where they die of starvation, illness or injury. The
TNI's allies, the pro-Indonesian militias and the Laskar Jihad (Islamic
warriors), are armed ready for a major ethnic cleansing campaign.
Papua, as part of Indonesia and the 'dar al-Islam' (land of Islam), is
being 'Indonesianised' and Islamised. The Papuans are facing genocide
while those with worldly power turn away. But as one Papuan Christian
leader recently said to me (EK), 'We are not alone. We have our Lord,
Jesus Christ. He created us and put us here in this land of Papua. It
is his will that we are here. We have his Spirit. And we have you, our
brothers and sisters who support us and pray for us. We are not alone,
we are together.'
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:
- God to
protect his children in Papua, surrounding them with his presence
(Psalm 125:2), and frustrating the way of the wicked (Psalm 146:9).
- a
powerful movement of the Holy Spirit through the young Papuan Church,
drawing all Papuans to humble God-dependent prayer, and empowering
believers with holiness, gifts and faith.
- divine
wisdom and leadership so the Church may grow through the present
struggles, for the glory and victory of God.
- the God
of peace, justice and righteousness to turn away disaster from his
children, by using advocates, speakers and writers to awaken the world
to this developing secret genocide.
'Call
upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour
me.' (Psalm 50:15)
Elizabeth Kendal is the
Principal Researcher and Writer for the World Evangelical Alliance
Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC) www.worldevangelical.org/rlc.html.
This article was initially written for the WEA RLP(Religious Liberty
Prayer) mailing list
Elizabeth can be contacted by e-mail at rl-research@crossnet.org.au. |
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