Jokowi's Plan to Forms Melanesian Region

JAYAPURA CITY - President Jokowi’s plan to form Melanesian region in Indonesia by combining the five provinces of Papua, West Papua, Moluccas, North Moluccas and East Nusa Tenggara was seen as a strategy to thwart the struggle of West Papuans to be part of the Melanesian Spearhead Groups (MSG), councillor said.

A member of Commission I of the Papua Legislative Council (DPRP) on Politics, Law and Human Rights, Ruben Magay stated that before the central government planned to establish the Melanesian-Indonesia region, the Papua people have already made an effort to reclaim their identity by trying to be a member of MSG, along with all countries in the Pacific region.

“The question that need to ask is why when the Papuans fight to become a member of the MSG, it was not facilitated. Why the Central Government is silent and even tries to prevent it happening. It’s just common sense – a trick to dampen Papuans’ struggle to join MSG, ” Magay said to Jubi last week.

Continued, even though there may be a positive impact on the issue of establishment of the Melanesian region in Indonesia, but of course there is something beyond the discourse.

“So far, the Jakarta always sees from the political side and it makes difficulty Papuans has struggling to clarify their identity since long time ago yet it is constrained by the political approach, “he said.

He is optimistic, any plan behind all of the Central Government, will be revealed at some point. He said, Papua has a long history of searching for their identity.

Previously, Moluccas governor Said Assagaff said Joko Widodo President wants to form the Melanesian region by combining the five provinces in the eastern region of Moluccas, North Moluccas Papua, West Papua and East Nusa Tenggara in the region.

“The President is very eager to form the Melanesian region in Indonesia so he assigned Coordinating Minister on Political, Legal and Security (Politics) Tejo Edhy to meet the Governor of the five provinces in Ambon on Friday (02/27/2015),”Said Assagaff stated on Saturday (02/28/2015). [Jubi]