Jokowi, The 'father Of Papua', Is Considered The Key To Conflict Resolution

President Jokowi in Papua in 2019 (DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Military observer Sidra Tahta Mukhtar advised President Joko Widodo to speak up more about the issue of the Armed Violence Group (KKB) in Papua. The reason is that Jokowi's relationship with the people of the earth of Cenderawasih is quite close and is even referred to as 'the father of Papua'.

"The president who is considered by Papuans as the father of Papua because of his development, often goes to Papua rather than other figures. There are many advantages of being a populist, going to visit on a motorbike. This means that the Papuans at least call Jokowi the father of Papua very deeply," said Sidra to VOI, Wednesday, May 5.

"Therefore, as head of state, the president should have more votes because Papuans are very close to Pak Jokowi," he continued.

Sidra said President Jokowi's instructions to hunt down KKB were correct. However, it would be even better if Jokowi embraced indigenous Papuans to have a dialogue about the ongoing problems. For example, visiting traditional and religious leaders in Papua.

"The instructions are precise but outside of the instructions there must be efforts to embrace them. Papuans have a lot of places to embrace," he explained.

If sending the TNI to fight against the KKB or military operations, Sidra is worried that the group, which is only a few hundred people, will increase to hundreds of thousands because it is considered war.

"If you meet it in the field, in the TNI war against Papua, which was only a few hundred people, it turned into hundreds of thousands of people. That's a danger, don't let ordinary people support the Republic of Indonesia because of this (attack and attack, red). Massive solidarity of people. This native Papuan is sometimes not thought of thoroughly, "he explained.

So, should the Papuan people be invited to the Palace to have a dialogue with President Jokowi?

Sidra assessed that President Jokowi should have come down directly to sit together with traditional stakeholders and interests in Papua.

"If the national forum can be held in Papua, for example with customs related to consolidation between religious communities. Because Papuans respect them even more," said Sidra.

"For example, when receiving guests, it is very deep for him to receive guests with all his respect and others. Even when he takes him home, he wants to get to the plane stairs because he has high empathy when dealing with guests. I think that is the way the government sees Papua. , because it's not too late, "he added.

Sidra said that the issue of terrorism or crime will form in the future. One aspect can be eradicated but on the other hand it will cause increased problems.

"Infrastructure has been built in Papua, but only twenty percent. Papuan people do not get increased access to education, so people who should learn do not have access. Now this is the task of the regents and it turns out that Papuans are actually happy. the more objective, the more honesty is spread there, the more joy it will be, "explained Sidra.

Therefore, Sidra hopes that President Jokowi will bridge the current problems in Papua with a humanist approach. This is because they have a traumatic background if they have to be confronted with military operations.

"So in my opinion, it really needs to be dealt with with a soft power approach, which is soft due to trauma. When there is a military they are very traumatized because in Indonesia there are many military operations, even national reconciliation of cases continues and causes humanitarian problems that have not been resolved," he said.

Moreover, if there is an opinion that Papua is a conflict area. So in the future, it is feared that areas of Indonesia that the government does not pay much attention to will do the same to fight and even separate themselves from the Republic of Indonesia.

"There are areas in Indonesia that are categorized as war zones that are very dangerous. It can be imitated by other regions if someone is disappointed. In the end, there will be combatants who break away and other military operations," said Sidra.