Mobilising a Papuan peace force in Sabron by DAP!

September 7th, 2010 

Mobilisation of P3 force by DAP!

Bintang Papua, 3 September 2010

Mobilising a Papuan peace force in Sabron

Without making a lot of noise, the Dewan Papua Adat (Papuan Customary Council) has now mobilised its own force in response to the rising political tension in Papua.

They have mobilised more than 500 people for a Papuan Peace Force (P3) and yesterday they took part in a rally in the forecourt of the home of the chairman of DAP, Forkorus Yaboisembut.

This mobilisation of forces has also taken place in other places such as Manokwari, Biak and Sorong.

Forkorus said that this mobilisation is in response to the intensifying political situation in Papua, which means that a force is needed to protect the authority of DAP, its personnel, its land and its natural resources.

He said that orders had been given to each Korda (district coordinator) to send forces to Jayapura but because of time pressures, on this occasion, it occurred in each respective region.

‘Normally this would take place at Kemtuk Gresik but on this occasion, we held it at the DAP office although some mobilisation also took place in Biak, while in Manokwari, joint prayers were held.

‘We are aware that the political situation in Papua has intensified. Therefore in order to safeguard a peaceful atmosphere, this is being done in order to avoid anything happening here like what happened in East Timor, should an independent Papua emerge.’ [This is clearly a reference to the situation that arose in East Timor following the referendum held in 1999 which voted overwhelming in favour of Timorese independence. On that occasion, an estimated one thousand people died and tens of thousands were forced from their homes by the Indonesian military.]

He want to say: ‘We must respect each other.’

He said that should the UN agree to a referendum being held, the P3 forces would stand ready to safeguard everyone thus reducing the possibility of acts of revenge by those unsatisfied with the agreement by the UN (for a referendum).

He also said that as a follow-up to today’s event, the DAP will visit all parts of Papua for the creation of P3 forces throughout the territory. He also said that ‘the force has already been set up. It now remains for us to identify its function and equipment, so as to ensure that it plays the role of keeping the situation peaceful, on both sides of the political divide’.

Members of P3 have been mobilised in a number of places such as Dapabre, Genyem, Kentut Gresik, Sentani, and Abepura, including Polimak Jayapura, amounting to altogether 500 people.