Mahfud MD: Benny Wenda Makes An Illusory State, What Is West Papua?

JAKARTA - The government responded to the declaration of independence called for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua or The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) led by Benny Wenda on December 1.

According to the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD, Benny is currently creating an illusionary state because it is unclear why he made the declaration.

"Benny Wenda creates an illusory state. A country that does not exist in fact. What is the state of West Papua," said Mahfud in a press conference held at his office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Thursday, December 3.

Mahfud explained, to create a country there are three conditions that must be met. The first requirement is to have people, control the territory, and the government. However, none of these three conditions were fulfilled, so he called Benny an illusion.

"He does not exist. Whose people, he rebelled. We control the territory, whose government recognizes him as the government? Papuans themselves do not admit it," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

"Then there are other conditions, namely recognition from other countries as part of the national organization, he does not admit it," Mahfud added.

He did not deny that West Papua is indeed supported by Vanuatu, which is a country in the Asia Pacific region. However, the country is a small country and does not belong to an international organization. Thus, Vanuatu's support for West Papua was only voiced politically.

"Second, why is he an illusory state? Papua through the 1969 referendum was final and legally part of the Republic of Indonesia. The referendum in November 1969 was passed by the UN general assembly stating that Papua was part of Indonesia," he said.

This decision of the United Nations (PBB), continued Mahfud, has never undergone any changes until now. In addition, Papua has also not been included in the list of the UN Committee 24 since 1969. What is meant by Committee 24 is a list of countries that may be independent of themselves.

"If (state, red) East Timor does exist, but Papua does not exist," he said.

In addition, Mahfud also mentioned the citizenship status of Benny Wenda, who is no longer a citizen of any country because his citizenship status has been revoked by the Indonesian government while in England he is only considered a guest.

According to him, when people are stateless, it is quite strange, when he declared himself president.

"Benny Wenda is a prisoner or someone who has been sentenced here (in Indonesia) 15 years for a criminal act but has run away. So that he is now stateless because he is a guest in England, in Indonesia he has been deprived of citizenship. he leads his country, "he said.

Mahfud asked the Indonesian people not to panic and be influenced by Benny Wenda's declaration. Because besides being an illusion, the declaration was only made on social media, namely Twitter.

"That's what I said was the illusory state he built. Therefore, the people need not be too afraid. That's an illusion, especially the declaration of independence via Twitter. Why do we have to make a fuss, my people Twitter every day. No need to panic," he concluded.