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Hello, my great leader.

Hi my son, what is the matter with you?

The matter is that I do not understand what you said, only one sentence of your statements in your speech.

What thing that you don’t understand, I did not speak in English as you do. I cannot speak Indonesian. What I say always in my language, I hope it is also your language.

Eh, eh, eh… You are turning my point into a different direction.

Oh, sorry…! Where is your direction then?

I am going towards clarification of your statement.

Oh, yes I remember now, please go ahead. Ask me if my statements were mad.

There was nothing mad in your words, but there was one sentence that I need your clarification. What did you mean by “The war is on track?”

Listen my son. The war is on track means the war is on its way, it is not deviating from the rules and culture of the Baliem or Penis Gourds People.

When do you say:  “The war is not on track”? What measures that you take to say so?

Well, when the war is made up. When you guys appoint some one for food to become war leader, when you elect a Mbok (person from the lowland) to be a war leader in our community (the highlanders), then you are foolish. You are putting the war on a wrong track. In our world, the war is about life, the life of all members of our community. You cannot ask a teacher to become a television broadcaster professionally. Everybody should work on their jobs given by the community. This the way it works here. There is nobody here without specific jobs. Our people know very well who is in charge of what. The people in charge of war are now leading the preparation for war in our community. Your fathers and mothers here know that what we are doing in your village is OK, i.e., it is on track. Except when “Your guys” become war leaders, then I will stop talking about war because it is out of track.

Is there any other reason to say that the war is not on track?

Yes. If you have a wrong “wim anggen”, which means “egg of the war” or the reason for which you want to fight, then you are on a wrong track.

What is your “wim anggen”?

My “wim anggen”? You have no right to know this. If you are asking me to tell the world, then do not do that. “Wim anggen” is not for publicity but it is “wim anggen.” I think it is not difficult for the world to understand why we are fighting Indonesia. I think there should no one asking the question you are asking. The reasons are obvious.

Do you think that using bows and arrows as tools for war is effective to win the war against a modern-state with heavy war machines supplied by the Western governments like the UK and the USA?

There are three things about this. First, what I know is that people in the West are good people. They came here preaching the Gospel and telling us to stop tribal wars. They told us not to fight and live in peace. I am amazed after knowing from you last time that the West are the cause of all wars on this planet. I managed to watch a report on TV showing the Americans and Europeans killing innocent people in Europe as well. Where is the place and who is the president? Secondly, what we use here, i.e., bows, arrows and spears are not imported or bought from abroad. These are ours from the past generations. We will use what we have and we will have war with who we are. If we win, or we loose it does not matter, The matter is we are fighting for the TRUTH, and that we are standing for who we are. Just as simple as that. We do not hate other humans but we do not like murderers, rappers, thefts, liars, and evils to wander around here.

Oh, it was in the Balkans, Yugoslavia and the Present is Slobodan Milosevic.

(Close his eyes, and thinks for a few minutes.) The name of this person tells my heart that he has a correct “wim anggen.” But why did the West bomb him and his people?

That is also our question.

Then the war was on a wrong track?

Yes, we hope so.

But finally, surprisingly, the West won the war, right?

No, Milosevic won the war.

Yes, I tell you the third reason for thinking that the West has good people. All white people who come here smile at us. They protest against the murder by Indonesia. They speak to us with enthusiasm and their move always energetic.  But I am quite surprised after knowing from you that the hawks are made in and given by England and the bronco fighters killed us in 1977 were from the USA. How can these missionaries allow their presidents to kill us? Why can’t they stop them killing us? Are they really telling the Gospel? So, the war now is on tract, we are not only fighting against Indonesia but also against the West, against their lies.

You are telling us that the war is on track because we are not only fighting the Indonesians but also against lies from the West?

Yes, we have good reasons and the correct target. But there is another reason that you need to know. The war is on track because the people who are talking about war are those responsible for war, i.e., the heads of war. It is not like Indonesia that recruits people who do not know about war to become army. People who do not know about war will kill women, children and civilians. They do not know what war is, anyway. War is like a football match. There are rules and regulations, i.e., dos and don’ts. There are judges and referees. There are supporters. There is also art in war. War is not because we hate other people, but because there is something wrong that needs resolving. As long as the wrong things are unfixed, you cannot stop war by any means.

Thanks very much. When we have time, we will come to have a talk again.

You are welcome. Oh, remember, tell the world exactly like I told you. Do not filter them, OK?

SHAKE HANDS and Finish!

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