Indonesia Ignores Internal Refugees In His Country But Cares About Rohingya, Palestinian and Ukraine Fefugees.

 *Indonesia ignores internal refugees in his country but cares about Rohingya, Palestinian and Ukraine refugees.*

_*"Ignoring Papuan refugees (melanesian) is the same as instilling hatred of the government of the Indonesian state".*_

Refugees in the land of Papua are not new for Papuans. Because since the beginning Indonesia carried out military operations in the annexation of the Land of Papua from him the Papuans have been displaced everywhere to abroad. Bahra thousands of Papuans died in the middle of the forest due to military operations.

The Indonesian government has never tried to repatriate and restore the state of refugees due to military operations in the land of Papua. This is actually a bad situation. Damaged conditions. This situation is terrible. Broken condition. And not normal.

Lately, Nduga refugees, the Mountains of Bintang and Maybrat occurred in the middle of the government transition. Jakarta plays a role in installing stakeholders in each region during the transition of government to smooth out his evil plan that flooded the refugee of Papuans.

*I. Transition of Government and Placement of Acting Regent and Acting Governor who do not yet understand regional conditions.*

Government Transition occurs in order to carry out the stages of selecting a new leader within the government itself. in Papua, especially the New Autonomous Region, several officers. governors are appointed without knowing history, socio-cultural life and so on. This provides an opportunity for other parties who have an interest to enter freely and freely. Even some of the Acting Governor or Acting Regent was appointed from the background of the TNI and Polri.

The series of conflicts that occurred between the TPNPB and the TNI-Polri had taken a lot of victims. In addition, tens of thousands of Papuans fled to the forests and cities. This series of conflicts occurred during the transition of government in the Land of Papua.

Almost all Acting Regent and Acting. The governor did not have good intentions to stop conflict and repatriate refugees to their place of origin. The most basic question is that the Acting Regent and Acting Governor are they there for?

Indeed, for matters of security the state cannot be mixed by the local government, but the victims are innocent civilians of the country. In the context of Papua land, security affairs are always without coordination with the provincial and regional governments, including churches, NGOs and other human rights institutions.

But from the past in 1963 until now in 2025 the military approach has never resolved the Papuan problem. but it causes many victims and problems. Many TNI and Polri have died. Many TPNPB have fallen. More than that, it is indigenous Papuan civilians and non-Papuan people who are victims.

*II. Refugees appear to be ignored by the State.*

Until now, the state has been unable to even ignore the refugees throughout Papua. 

Nduga refugees have occurred since the end of 2018, followed by several other districts in Papua. Such as the star mountains in Kiwirok, Yahukimo, Intan Jaya, Maybrat and so on.

When writing this article I remembered Alm's book. Mr. Filep Karma about: As if we are half animal.

Hendropriyono also said that just move 2 million Papuans to Manado, Sulawesi and several other places so that the Melanesian race disappears.

Does the Indonesian state see Papuans (Melanesian/Pacific) not as humans? Does the state see Papuans (Melanesians) as criminals, robbers, thugs, terrorists, etc. who are a danger to the state so they are left alone? or does the state consider Papuan (Melanesian) people to be stupid, primitive, backward, etc. so they don't need to be taken care of? And is it considered a waste of time, energy and money? In this way, the state considers that Papuans (Refugees) do not need to be taken care of?

If so, then the state needs to negotiate with the Papuan people to break the chain and stigma. These negotiations must be carried out peacefully, democratically, facilitated by a neutral third party.

*III. Provincial and district governments also ignore refugees.*

The new autonomous region in Papua was formed in an effort to increase the acceleration of development and welfare of the community. 

In the formation of countries, provinces and districts, the subject of development is every individual of the community itself. Each country indicator of development is to build humans. If humans are not built then it is not development.

Nevertheless the Papua Provincial Government of the Mountains and the Bintang Mountain Regency Government did not see Papuans (refugees) as the development target. This is a problem. They are not refugees from other countries. They are not criminals. They are victims. they should have the same rights in this country.

The refugees were deliberately expelled by force from the security forces from their homes. These refugees are not guests. They are not terrorists. They are not criminals. they are landowners who have occupied that place since before the Indonesian government was established.

This all happened during the transition period of government in Papua. I think that actually the transition of government does not provide a shake-up in the running of the government. Therefore the provincial and district governments must go down to each refugee camp both in the forest and in urban areas in order to provide hope and guarantees.

*IV. They have to go back to the place of origin.*

Papuans who are displaced in each region must return to their villages, because special autonomy has divided Papuans based on each clan and descent. In this way, the inheritance of land and forests has been passed down to each of them (refugees). therefore they have to return home to look after and enjoy the village (Forest and Land).

The government must provide security guarantees for Papuans in refugee camps. Because the government exists because of the people. Including those who are displaced.

The government must be able to become a facilitator to repatriate refugees from and to their place of origin. The government must not lack ways, many NGOs can be invited to work together including human rights activists and humanity.

The indifference to the evacuation situation like this actually raises people's distrust of the government and the Republic of Indonesia in the land of Papua. Because many died in refugee camps, born in refugee camps, pain in refugee camps, hungry, cold and so forth. Apart from that, the right to education, the right to health, the right to freedom, comfort and others were killed by the security forces.

Wamena, January 26 2025.

*Jephthah is Complete* 

(The author is a Humanitarian Activist from Wamena)