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West Papua West Papua

for the Oppressed People’; ‘We’re not a slave nation’; or ‘The 1000 residents of Intan Jaya fled to neighbouring Nabire,
Church's Voice for Truth, Justice and Peace for the Oppressed Paniai and Mimika regencies, while 2252 people from Kiwirok
People in the Land of West Papua.’ and surrounding areas sought refuge in Oksibil and across the
Addressing a plenary session on self-determination at border into Papua New Guinea.
the PCC Assembly, Yoman stressed: “I write what I like, Over the last five years, Rode Wanimbo has joined other
about history and what is happening today. When Indonesia church and human rights groups to support the IDPs and
banned my book, I asked why, but then I wrote more! It’s record their testimony about human rights abuses: “We
a small contribution to my people, for my children and my support the West Papua Council of Churches in documenting
grandchildren. the human rights violations that have been happening in seven
“Stories are our strength,” he proclaimed. “When you lose different regencies, mostly in the Highlands, where we do
your story, you lose everything. When you save your story, you have a gold deposit.”
save your church, your land, your children and grandchildren. “We’ve documented almost 60,000 Internally Displaced
When you lose your money, it’s nothing! But when you lose Persons, or IDPs,” she said. “Women and children are the
your story, when you lose your land, it’s something heavy.” most vulnerable in this conflict, and we’ve been documenting
Reverend Yoman told Islands Business that churches have a the number who passed away in the past five years. There
prophetic voice and “should always stand with those looking have been hundreds! Recently in Maybrat region, 12 infants
for justice, peace, and freedom.” passed away and more than 30 women give birth in very poor
“The Church fundamentally has power,” he said. “No temporary shelter.”
government can stop the Church’s voice, because Church Indonesian military operations have especially affected
speak about justice, about peace, about dignity, about non-combatants, who have been driven from their homes
equality, about freedom, about liberation, about solidarity.” and food gardens. In October, the Secretariat of Justice and
Yoman highlighted the importance of human rights Peace of the Catholic Church reported that, despite some
education across Melanesia. Stressing the common agenda of people returning to their homes, an estimated 46,926 civilians
the West Papuan and Kanak peoples, he thanked the Assembly throughout West Papua are still displaced from their villages.
hosts from the Église Protestante de Kanaky Nouvelle- In recent years, Rode Wanimbo has travelled to United
Calédonie (EPKNC), the main Protestant denomination in New Nations meetings, seeking practical support for people
Caledonia. displaced by conflict, land theft and transmigration, all
“We stand together, we are against injustice and exacerbated by the climate emergency.
colonialism,” he said. “At the opening ceremony, the PCC “In 2022, I went to Geneva and met the UN Rapporteur
Moderator said that we are in New Caledonia because you on IDPs, Mrs. Cecilia Jiminez-Damary,” Wanimbo said. “She
Kanak are suffering. Kanak are shedding tears just like West gave the response that’s she’s willing to come to see the
Papuans have tears of suffering. We are together because we real situation. The UN sent a letter to the Government of
are in similar situations and experience in facing colonialism. Indonesia but they don’t allow her to come. Last July, I went
Why are our countries still occupied? This is totally wrong and to Geneva again because this is a humanitarian crisis: we
the Church has to reject that. West Papua and Kanaky should are hoping for the national government in Jakarta and the
stand together.” regional government to at least prepare the basic needs for
the children, because they have no clean water, no sanitary
Internally displaced people kit, no food for the IDPs.”
As a women’s leader of the Evangelical Christian Church, As war rages in Europe and the Middle East, Wanimbo hopes
Rode Wanimbo co-ordinates programs to support people that the international community won’t forget the decades-
affected by armed conflict in different parts of West Papua. long occupation of West Papua, and the ongoing plight of
Since 2018, tens of thousands of West Papuans have been women and children.
displaced from their villages, seeking refuge in the bush, in “In January 2022, I went to Nduga Regency and we created
neighbouring districts or in nearby towns. After armed clashes a safe space for the mothers to talk,” she said. “I’ve seen
between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the grieving eyes of the mothers, many of them experiencing
the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and the Indonesian sleepless nights due to the death of their children. They said
National Police (Polri), there have often been raids on to me: ‘Even though the Indonesian security forces destroyed
communities by the Indonesian security forces. our homes, our gardens, even our churches, we have the
Starting in December 2018, many Internally Displaced deepest longing to go back to our homeland, to our villages.
People (IDPs) fled Indonesian police and military operations We want to die there as a human being with dignity.’”
in Nduga district, following the shooting of Indonesian road
construction workers. An estimated 40,000 people relocated Melanesian solidarity
from Nduga to Asmat, Mimika and Jayawijaya regencies. Despite the extensive discussion about West Papua at the
Since then, Papuan churches and Indonesian human rights 12th PCC General Assembly, many Pacific church and civil
organisations have documented a steady flow of IDPs from society activists are concerned that Indonesian diplomacy
other locations: 674 residents from Yahukimo to Dekai; an
estimated 6000 people fleeing from Maybrat to Sorong; nearly Continued on page 40

Islands Business, December 2023 31