Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta – Foreign intelligence [agencies] are believed to be playing a significant role in the recent emergence of separatist movements. Rather, the people of Maluku and West Papua are satisfied and do not want these movements.

“The people of Maluku are satisfied with Indonesia. In Papua the people also don’t understand separatism. What is happening is that certain people in these two regions are being used by foreigners for their own interests”, said the former chief of staff of the Trikora regional military command retired Brigadier General Rustam Kastor.

Kastor conveyed this during a discussion on the theme of “Beneath the Shadow of Separatism” that was held at Mario’s Place on Jl. Cikini Raya in Central Jakarta on Saturday July 7.

Similar concerns were expressed by House of Representatives Commission I member Ali Muchtar Ngabalin. “I am 100 percent convinced that these [foreign] actors exist”, he said. The politician from the Star Crescent Party added that aside from foreign interests, separatism is also a consequence of the poor performance of the government in bringing prosperity to these conflict areas.

The politician from the Star Crescent Party added that aside from foreign interests, separatism is a consequence of the government’s poor performance in bringing prosperity to these regions. “If [the government] want’s to resolve it, provide the same treatment to the people of Papua and Ambon as the peoples of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi”, he said. (irw/ana)

Notes:

According to Detik.com, following the signing of the Malino peace accord in Maluku on February 12, 2002, several hardline groups voiced their opposition to the deal through demonstrations in the provincial capital. They included the Maluku Front of Muslim Defenders under Husni Putuhena, the Special Task Force of Amar Maruf Nahi Munkar under Muhamad Attamimi, Kastor, Ustad Bahasoan and Laskar Jihad’s Ahlussunah Wal Jamaah. In early March 2002, in an interview broadcast on Voice of Maluku Muslim Movement Radio – which is run by Laskar Jihad – it quoted Putuhena and Kastor as saying they entirely opposed the peace pact.

[Translated by James Balowski.]