Papua Students in Malang: We Had Another Severe 'Intimidation'

TIMESINDONESIA, MALANG – Racism and intimidation has become a major issue lately. Some incidents that happened to the Papua community on August 15th in Malang and August 16th in Surabaya has become a big terror for Papua students in Malang and Surabaya.

Every people speak their mind and condemn the intimidation happened on the Papua community in Surabaya and Malang. This is so not in line with the state philosophy the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Indonesia (the Unity in Diversity). Papua is Indonesia, that means the Papuan is also Indonesian.

Those students from Papua who study in Malang are our brother that we should hug and share some happiness with. They are not our enemy. The Indonesian love peace and a peaceful world.

According to the law, those racists and intimadator must be punished equally. Yet those who act violently and create some terror in certain areas should also be punished. Thats where equality take its role.

The case that happened in Malang to those Papua community was begun with a protest which conducted by the community. And then suddenly some chaos appeared, which make the community throw something to the police officers and the people passing by. This incident took 2 police officers injured.

This accident make some people (Malang People especially those who would go to the Kanjuruhan Stadium to watch the the Arema fc vs Persebaya fc) who pass by the road got upset. They fight back and there it goes the story.

We can't say that this is an intimidation towards the Papua community. But more to defending ourself and stopping some riots happening. Malang is a peaceful city that won't welcome any brutal act happens.

To avoid something worse happened the police took the Papua community with them and bring them to a safer place. And by that time this issue also disappered. Yet, the social media make it viral and consumed by the world wide readers.

And they also made their own story that the Malang society are racist and intimidating the Papua community. And its become viral. There is no doubt that, that is the power of social media nowadays.

On the next day, there was suspected a racial act happened to Papua community in Surabaya right in August 16th 2019. Some Surabaya societies who saw a flag pole got cracked off and an Indonesian flag ditched in a the gutter came to the Papua student's dormitory and confronted them. And there some 'racist' words shouted out loud by someone.

This two accidents in two days at row upset the Papua society. They conducted lots of protest act everywhere in the country. This make the government a bit overwhelmed. The goverments make some official apology herw and there, in some media and through some events. But something must be bottomed line that there is some intimidation beyond the intimidation.

On Saturday, August 24th 2019 at 15.00 Local western Timeat Malang, my phone rang and it was a call from a Papua student who studied in one of university in Malang. He asked me to give him some advice and solution about the issue happening to his community.

Shockingly, he also said that lots of his friend and himself got intimidated by another Papua students to join their riot acts. Why? Thats the question. His friend said that if he won't join the community they will be declared as people who agree to prosecute the signing of the treaty by the United Nations in the United States for the process of transferring the administration of the West Papuan referendum in 1969.

Infact, the verse 18th of the verdict had been disobeyed that makes the referendum aborted. This kind of intimidation by their own people makes them intimidated evenmore. "I will be questioned by them (Papuan community-with their own law). All Papuan who joined any event about Papua which conducted by any community will be taken for trial. I need ur help for this" he said.

Thats the fact. The real thing that happened in Malang. All the Papua community who asked for justice not only the Papua but all the people who asked for justice should be supported. Yet, it should be in a good way and ordering the law. All must live side by side in harmony like our anchestor taught us to. And the government should take immediate action about this.(*)

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