No need to ignore it, Jakarta's accusation of splitting Papua is just a hallucination of Selpius Bobii

A disinformation narrative has been re-breathed by activists who are at odds with the Indonesian government's policy regarding the land issue of Papua. The narrative circulating in recent days emerged from someone who claimed to be the Coordinator of the Reconciliation Prayer Network for the Recovery of Papua (JDRP2) named Selpius Bobii.

In his writing, the narrative in the form of an open letter alludes that the target of the central government through the term Jakarta is said to want to divide and colonize the Papuan nation until it is completely wiped out with various strategies used in Papua, through a bridge wrapped in the Otsus policy and the expansion of the New Autonomous Region (DOB). ).

According to him, currently Papuans are busy with preparations for political parties in 2024, forcing people to record e-KTPs and busy filling important positions in the three new provincial divisions. He said that we are not aware that all these things are traps to make the Papuan people ensnared. At the end of his writing, he alludes to a spiritual war where all problems are returned to God through self-recovery steps towards the recovery of Papua. One of them is through fasting prayer for 40 days and 40 nights.

Utilization of Religious Issues and the Traces of Selpius Bobii in Responding to Papuan Issues

So far, destructive opinions against the government have often been the mode of attack by opposition groups or pro-Papuan independence activists through various maneuvers of images and stories that are persuasive in nature to influence the public that Indonesia with all its policies towards Papua is inappropriate. In their eyes, Papuan independence is the main goal, although it is not clear what will happen to Papua if it is completely separated from Indonesia. The existence of the East Timor incident, which should be a reflection, is ignored and continues to walk with its own beliefs.

One of the persuasive efforts to influence the public is the use of ideological or religious issues. As the Papua region is called a holy land with a blessed community. So many parties then take advantage of these 'advantages' to influence the public. Besides Selpius Bobbi, there is the political priest Socratez Yoman who deliberately uses the church pulpit to influence the public against the government. In fact, a legitimate government must be obeyed by the entire congregation as part of the life of society and the state.

Existentially, Selpius Bobbi's footsteps cannot be separated from his position as the general chairman of the National Eknas Front Pepera PB (National Executive of the United Front for the United Struggle of the People of West Papua). During his studies, he was arrested by authorities for his involvement in a demonstration against the US mining company Freeport-McMoran in 2006. During the Third Papuan People's Congress in October 2011, he played a major role in planning the congress which led to his arrest on charges of treason. His latest action was on August 20, 2022, at the Tunas Harapan Padang Bulan dormitory hall, Abepura. He conveyed God's vision of the future of the Papuan nation. The vision states that the system of government used is Theosociocracy, which means a government based on God with a single party system called the 'People's Party' under the control of Papuan customary and religious authorities. The return of a plot of treason that is far from the Indonesian government system.

Waiting for Papuan People's Critical Attitude to Respond to the Selpius Bobbii Maneuver

Judging from the open digital footprint related to the activities that have been carried out by Selpius Bobbii. The delivery of provocative narratives for him is nothing new. In recent years, conveying thoughts through media platforms has become a fairly practical way for several parties to increase their existence. This is of course also realized by Selpius, who optimizes the sophistication and effectiveness of online media to influence the Papuan public, coupled with the packaging of religious labels so that they seem more 'pious' and convincing.

If the public is observant, it will be ambiguous for someone to believe the words of activists who have entered the police station several times to prison rooms for a number of cases. It is a lesson that the use of religious issues has now been used as an effort to smooth one's beliefs. Based on this, everyone must have the awareness to classify and avoid a number of maneuvers or other conditions in order to expand support for an independent Papua.

Misguided Narrative Allegations Jakarta Splitting Papua is a Shortcut for the Opposition

The mention of no future for Papua in the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as conveyed by Selpius Bobbi is like a form of desperation from the impact of the policy of the division of the province which is increasingly narrowing its space to fight for independence from Indonesia. The use of ideological or religious issues is the ultimate weapon that is expected to influence the public. Unfortunately, this mode is obsolete. The Papuan people now understand politics and are not easy to be influenced even through ideological issues.

The Otsus and DOB policies when seen in the facts on the ground received a positive response from the majority of the Papuan people. The Regent of Jawawijaya, Jhon Richard Banua, stated that the community should be grateful for the expansion of the 3 new autonomous regions, especially the mountainous Papua Province. There is great hope from the central government for the expansion to lay a stronger foothold in order to build the welfare of the people affected by the expansion. Specifically for the Papuan people through the division of the province, including the addition of seats in the People's Representative Council (DPR) and the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) which provides the opportunity for the Papuan people to continue to oversee development. He also asked the Papuan people to maintain conducive security and order, because there are several groups of people who want to disturb the comfort by spreading disturbing issues, including one that was done by Selpius Bobii.

SOURCE: https://time.online/2022/08/23/10055/