CALL FOR PEACE IN THE LAND OF PAPUA

OFFICIAL TRANSLATION: CALL FOR PEACE IN THE LAND OF PAPUA

Jakarta, 9 November 2023

The global humanitarian sittuation is in crisis, with Ukraine and Palestine recently emerging as the biggest humanitarian tragedies of this century. While we reflect on these global challenges, we also need to draw our attention to matters at home, namely in Indonesia. Albeit on a different scale, the magnitude of the global humanitarian crisis may also be observed up close in the Land of Papua.

The Land of Papua continues to be marred by armed conflict, human rights violations, environmental destruction, the extinction of rare and endangered animals, and humanitarian suffering in the form of displacement and hunger due to conflict.We firmly believe that a peaceful solution is the only way forward. Only through a peaceful solution can we prevent loss of life, and enable the realization of prosperity, justice and prosperity in Papua.

We, the undersigned, have deep concerns about the armed conflict situation in theLand of Papua. Mindful of these concerns, we are issuing this call for peace to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the parties to the conflict, especially Armed Civilian Group factions, ULMWP, traditional leaders and indigenous Papuans, as well as local religious leaders. We call on state administrators in the executive and legislative institutions and other state institutions to immediately take steps towards peace in Papua.

As a first step, we urge the conflicting parties to start building trust. State actors need to work together with all sectors of the nation to address the humanitarian crisis and resume exploratory talks towards peaceful dialogue. All parties need to resume dialogue, which includes addressing displacement, hunger, injustice, electoral insecurity, and improving the human rights situation in Papua.

We therefore, call on the Government and the conflicting parties in Papua to resume peaceful exploratory talks. In order to build trust and confidence for an exploratory dialogue, these talks should be facilitated by trusted and impartial mediators, including national figures, Papuan women's leaders, local religious figures, and traditional leaders from Papua.

Signed,

Dr. (H.C). Hj. Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid

Prof. Dr. Franz Magnis Suseno SJ

Prof. Dr. Makarim Wibisono, MA

Drs. Marzuki Darusman, S.H.

Alissa Wahid, Ketua, Pengurus Besar NahdlatulUlama.

Pdt. Gomar Gultom, Ketua Umum Persekutuan Gereja-Gerejadi Indonesia

Prof. Dr. H.Abdul Mu’ti, SekretarisUmum, PP Muhammadiyah

Mgr. Siprianus Hormat, KKP-PMP KonferensiWaligereja Indonesia