Sat, 03/24/2007 - 02:44 — Sentral Info AMP
West Papua

The town dwellers of Kaimana were shocked by the deafening sounds of gun fires from amphibious tanks and warships early in the morning yesterday. Because of this exercise, they said that they are afraid and being intimidated by the massive presence of the Indonesian war machines.

Indonesian Navy have been doing military exercise in Kaimana, a small town in the southern coast of West Papua until Apil 2007. According to TEMPO interaktif, the exercise is carried out by Armada Jaya Fleet XXVI whose base is in Surabaya, East Java. The navy deploys 7,500 personnel using the whole fleet's military might ranging from submarines, airplanes, warships, and the latest weapons including the testing OF RM-Grat, their newest missile.

In this exercise, it is simulated that West Papua is under the occupation of foreign troops. The landing point chosen "to liberate West Papua" is Kaimana Bay which is located in the north of Timika town. The navy receives instruction from the president to take it back. According to the chief of staff of the Indonesian navy, Admiral Slamet Soebijanto, the exercise is not only to increase the combat profesionalism of the troops but also to send signals (to OPM and foreign powers) that the Indonesian navy is guarding and protecting the territory of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

"We want to test the profesionalism of our troops. Papua has been chosen to test our logistical support, and to test how to overcome enemy's agitation in the territory," he explained. Through the Indonesian navy hope that they will be able to make detailed plans on how to defend Papua from enemy's attacks.

Admiral Slamet Soebijanto doesn't deny that this exercise is also related to the latest insident in District of Mulia where two Indonesian army (TNI) were killed. "This is our territory, it is not wrong if we send signals to them so that they will not try to do anything in West Papua. We don't want other people to interfere in this territory," he said.

He also stated that all the Indonesian borders is vulnerable to smugglings, piracy and foreign interference so the navy will give its priority on the protection of the borders. This is our signals that we are able to protect the areas.

A papuan who refuses to reveal his identity said that the exercise must not be carried out in the town where there are a lot of civilians live. "It is not preventing piracy or smuggling, it is intimidating people," he said showing his angry face.

Following the fall of dictator President Soeharto, West Papuan have been intensifying their call to the international community urging the UN to review its conduct in the so called "Act of Free Choice 1969. The act which they call Act of No Choice is the focus of their rejectance to become part of Indonesia. It was conducted in 1969 by the Indonesian government under the supervision of very small number UN staff. West Papua is similar to France in size.

Historians revealed that "1,025 Papuan representatives" were handpicked, out of the population of 700,000 Papuan, and were forced to vote openly in front of the Indonesian armed soldiers for the integration with Indonesia. Among the 1,025 people, there were Moluccans whose physical appearances are similar to West Papuan. They can easily be identified in the list by their family names.

Although Papuan leaders have stated that their campaign for the reexamination of the so called "Act of Free Choice 1969" is a non-violent movement, Indonesian government use repression and military operation to crush any move for freedom.