Despite His Dynamics, This Papuan Figure Considers Tolerance In His Region To Be Good With The 'One Furnace Three Stone' Philosopher

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JAKARTA - In the midst of social dynamics in Papua, one of the Papuan leaders named Safar Furuada views that the tolerance relationship between the Papuan people is actually quite good. Whether social life between tribes, religions, and groups in Papua.

When building a mosque, said Safar, there is always a helping hand from people of other religions, especially Christians.

“In fact, sometimes they are offended if they are not invited to build a building. Because they are one brotherhood as reflected in the slogan 'one stove, three stones', which is ingrained in Papuan society,” said Safar in his statement, Friday, July 30.

The furnace is a symbol of life. While the three stones mean me, you and him. This philosophy means to live in a place of brotherhood.

Safar said that the coast of Papua had undergone a leadership process from tribes, kingdoms, and finally entered the official leadership of the Republic of Indonesia, so that the three leadership periods had been formed more moderate to things that came from outside.

However, he also acknowledged that with other friends in the mountains, the process from the tribal leadership went directly to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Thus, he considers the dynamics of change towards the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia in the past was more complicated and easier to conflict. "So, maybe it affects (the conflict)," he said.

A lecturer at Sultan Hasanudin State Islamic University Serang, Muhammad Sofin, revealed the results of a field study that took place from May to June 2019. As a result, the religious tolerance index in Papua was 82. This is a fairly high ranking.

Although sometimes there are frictions between indigenous peoples and the metropolis, between natives and nomads, and the politicization of identity, Sofin considers that there is a zone for the integrity of religious harmony, building inter-religious dialogue, and strengthening tolerance based on local wisdom.

"So, it is not true that Papua is only filled with conflict, violence, and backwardness. It is as if life in Papua is very unfriendly and becomes a field of oppression," he said.