From Charles Farhardian the stories of Papuan leaders coming out to the world

From Charles Farhardian the stories of Papuan leaders coming out to the world

Indonesian version of this article can be found at the another link of my bloghttp://farsijanaindonesiauntuksemua.blogspot.com/dari-charles-fahardian-cerita-pemimpin.html

By Farsijana Adeney - Risakotta

I have still shaked because it will soon a prominent of the Papuan stories be released.  I actually  are typing the stories to have the repetition of what has been done by Charles Farhardian. As an intellectual, Farhardian was interested in knowing the life of Dani people in Papua since he was 18 years old. When I was at his house, he showed his picture when at the age of 18 years,  he was among his brothers and sisters in the Baliem valley, Papua. It appeals to me that since the visit, Farhardian has led himself to conduct the research among the Dani about how their life before becoming  Christians and after the Dutch handed over West Irian to Indonesia.

Farhardian is around with all cultural materials, the written stories and the academic book on Papua as shown his long interests in the people and their land.

His interest to Papua in a long time, followed by a study to understand the role of religion in the lives of people turns out to confront the study on Papua especially to address the anthropological and theological approaches that  often times considered inobjectively to be applied in theoretical and methodological framework to observe  the reality of a community under the particular study. Farhardian through his book " Christianity , Islam and Nationalism in Indonesia " ( New York and London : Routledge , 2005) with a very thorough able to present the complexity of the Dani tribe before and after being Christian, followed by the process of integration into Indonesia.

Religion was very instrumental form but also relating to the identity as shown within ethnic identity as well as the nation and the nation- state imagination built by Indonesian nationalism. Farhardian in his book was able to show that Christianity is successfully to accommodate the local religious understanding on  nabelan kabelan which is the ancestoral belief on etenal life but was not able to  to prepare the Dani people to live in the modern world. Diversion of massive religious conversion happened in the 1960s, the people of Papua into real Christians to nurture the spirit of pietism of the 19th century were taught by missionaries in their mission to Papua. All product materials used in an attempt ancestral religion Papua were burned into a ground. But the transformation was not followed by a religious educational process as it has occured in other areas in the territory of the Dutch East Indies such as the Moluccas in the spice islands, but left not managed the development of human resources due to the transfer of governmental sovereignty that tend to develop a policy of Papua as a natural resource for Indonesia.

Developmental program in Papua can be supported by the deployment transmigration given priority in national policy than siding with the existing indigenous people in Papua. The strength of Papuan culture began when weak economic enclaves that manage knowledge resources on the Papuan culture in modern formats such as batik Papua turns rid  the native Papua (Orang Asli Papua= OAP) themselves. Widening conflict between the settlers and the Papuan People more open due to the state policy of cooperating with foreign companies such as Freeport ( from the U.S. ) which tend to recruit migrants as employees compared to OAP.

OAP living in pockets of poverty without power due to infrastructure capacity building and education -based local economic development which has not been worked out well are to compare with that of the immigrants in Papua. This situation has  seen for 32 years in the New Order period until the Reformation Movement that brought democratic life in Indonesia but also has implications for the emergence of nationalism in Papua. Referendum approved by the government of BJ Habibie gave birth to sovereignty as an independent state of East Timor  gave the encouragement to the OAP to unite in understand the review their history of integration into the Republic of Indonesia. Since the formation of a team of 100 representatives of Papua, OAP are still waiting for a dialogue between the central government, between Jakarta and Papuans.

Farhardian which rises important questions about the religious transformation among OAP turns out to have a look at other factors beyond religion that has helped shaping a community to have their decision to  swithch their religion. Supposely that occurred among the Dani, where one tribal chief decided to embrace Islam to be followed by his fellow people actually was based on the given salaries every month which they can get from having the new religions. During their time when they were Christians there was no such as a cash salary . This book is essential reading because it shows how religion can be a propaganda tool to transform a community without being followed with full responsibility in the development of morals, knowledge balanced to support independence for the adherents of that religious fellows.

Charles Farhardian very optimistic Papua problem could be solved if all religious people, both Christians and Muslims can recognize the mistakes made in empowering Orang Asli Papua.

 

In the book edited by Farhardian on Kisah Hidup  Tokoh Papua  ( Indonesian version published by Publisher Deijai , West Papua , 2007) and the translation in English is titled The Testimony Project Papua , published by Publisher Deijai , West Papua , 2007)  which can be accessed on the website www.thetestimonyprojet.com, Fahardian has interviewed 12 leading figures in the Papua in his twice visitation in Papua. Their names are typed according to the sequence that appears in the book edited by Farhardian in both versions in Indonesian and English, such as, first , Amelia Jigibalom , secondly , Benny Giay ;  thirdly, Willem Rumsarwir ; fourthly , Obed Komba ; fifthly , Marjono Murib ; sixthly , Helena Matuan ; seventhly , Nehemiah Jesua Jikwa ; eighthly , Oktovianus Mote ; ninthly , Uma Mark Kilungga ; tenthly , Noakh Nawipa ; eleventhly , Herman Awom , and twelfthly , Nicholas Jouwe .

 

Papua is in Indonesia not in Papua Nuguine as Farhardian always teaches the American

 

I have asked a permission of Charles Farhardian to retype this story to spread out widely. This typed stoties never replace the books which were edited by Fahardian about the stories of Papuan leaders which all readers can find in the form of paper books as I have mentioned above.  I decide to spread out this story for  all citizens of Indonesia so we all know what is being done by the Indonesian government to our sisters and brothers in the land of Papua.  The purpose of this effort is to encourage the implementation of Dialog spread Jakarta - Papua involving Papuan leaders , those who are considered traitors Indonesia as alleged by the Criminal Code relating to use subversion . As said by Pastor Neles Tebay , Dialog Jakarta - Papua need the involvement of the Papuan leaders who are perceived as OPM and KNPB located in Papua and existing everywhere in the world . Another aspect is related to the spread of stories Papua figure gives deep meaning to them , Papuan leaders to stop the war in order to avoid more and more victims of civil society who died of combat is justified by the Indonesian state is seen as a state of resistance to rebels who sue rights integrity to the Republic.

Farhardian teaches American to undertand that Wamena is a part of Indonesia not Papua Nugiuni

This deployment is done in my responsibility, as one - I am Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta of the moderators  of Petisi Warganegara NKRI untuk Papua, which is a social networking movement in virtual and real reality to build awareness of all citizens of the Republic of Indonesia in Indonesia and around the world to attempt Indonesian military withdrawal from the land of Papua and encourage the Indonesian government to hold the peace through dialogue Jakarta - Papua, as desired by the citizens of Republic of Indonesia whom are lived now in Papua.

Salam amalulukee .