Tension between Jakarta and London over Papua independence movement
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Tension is high between Jakarta and London, after a long period of diplomatic relations marked by friendship and mutual recognition which led the British crown to grant the title of "Sir" to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. At the center of the dispute, the opening of a seat of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) attended by some officials. Indonesian officials were angered by the presence at the ceremony the current mayor of Oxford - where the office is situated - Mohammed Abbasi, the former mayor Elise Benjamin and British MP Andrew Smith.
Nationalist leaders and activists point the finger at the British administration, accused of playing a "double game" with regard to Indonesian domestic issues. While officially supporting Jakarta and the government, some MPs and officials of the United Kingdom are behaving in a diametrically opposite way showing support for the independence movement. A slap, add Indonesian officials, to national unity.
The controversy did not spare even the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marty Natalegawa, accused of failing to stop the campaign of the OPM founder Benny Wenda, 37, who from exile in London (since 2003) continues to fight for the independence of Papua . Meanwhile, in the eastern province violence continues: last week, the police opened fire on a group of protesters in the province of West Papua, killing five people.
At the time of colonialism, Papua was under the influence of Dutch, but was never "occupied" at a political level. The eastern province, formerly known as Irian Jaya, is rich in natural resources and was the scene of a violent military campaign in the days of Sukarno, which resulted in the annexation in 1969. The iron fist used by the Suharto regime between 1967 and 1998 and the massive invasion of foreign multinationals and companies in Indonesia have encouraged the emergence of a separatist movement. The current name of Papua was sanctioned in 2002 by former president Abdurrahman Wahid.
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16/04/2007
02/08/2023 18:59
