Theys H. Eluway repeated his position to his supporters, "The Morning Star should be hoisted in its land West Papua forever. And no one is allowed to take it down. I must die first before the Flag is lowered." (November 2, 2000, The CEB Reporting from Port Numbay) Back to This Month's Index

The Chairman of Papua Presidium Council (PDP) repeated his position to his supporters yesterday (1/11/00) and added, "I give order to Satgas Papua to use the Satgas Office forever. The letter 'Genung Dewan Kesenian Irian Jaya' (Or Irian Jaya Cultural Arts Building) should be replaced by Satgas Papua and PDP Office." He was quoted as saying, "This building was not constructed by Indonesians but by the Dutch and the Papuans announced its emblem, national anthem and the name of the county in this building in the Papua National Congress I, December 1, 1961." He said, "Indonesia has no right whatsoever to use this building. This building belong to the Papuans since 1960s, before Indonesia annexed West Papua."

Mr. Eluway gave a short speech and left the crowd to meet the Police and Army Commanders for Papua and the Governor. The meeting agreed that there will be no use of force to resolve West Papua political issue, but Dialogue will be the way forward.

Meanwhile, the Army Commander, Mr. Inkiriwang said in a local paper that there is no serious problem in West Papua as far as security is concerned.

The main duty of the PDP is to mediate the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and Indonesia to come to a negotiating or dialogue table to resolve the political issue of West Papua. The guerrilla war under the Command of Gen. TPN PB Mathias Wenda, the Commander in Chief of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN/OPM) was suspended and General Wenda agreed to proceed in non-violent struggle. He supported the Papua National Congress II 2000 but warned to end conspiracy between Port Moresby, Jakarta and Port Numbay in his speech at the Congress in May this year.

Mr. Moses Weror, the Chairman of the OPM Revolutionary Council in Madang, Papua New Guinea said the if the PDP fails to open a dialogue with Indonesia, then the armed wing will resume the guerrilla war as the only and the last choice to fight against the Indonesian occupation in West Papua soil. He added that December 1, 2000 is the deadline for the PDP to show to the Papuans whether or not the Papuans should fight in a non-violent way or with armed struggle.

General Kelly Kwalik, the Regional Commander for Timika (NEMANGKAWI) has threatened the PDP to work effectively as much as they can to end the war. He warned, "If the PDP just a tool of Indonesia to calm down the aspiration for independence, the TPN/OPM will never surrender, we will take over the role and we will choose our way to fight for West Papua independence."

In a different occasion, Theys H. Eluway said that the last talk with Indonesian President Mr. Aburrahman Wahid in Jakarta was not a formal meeting. It was a silahturahmi (personal visit to Mr. Wahid) and the PDP will officially meet Mr. Wahid in middle of November 2000. Even though the Police and Army Commanders as well as Indonesian media say that Mr. Wahid ordered the Morning Star Flag to be pulled down, Mr. Eluway said, "What I am telling you is not my personal view, it is the mandate from the People in Papua National Congress II 2000, and if Indonesia wants to pull the flag down, the Papuans will have another congress in response to this order. This is a democratic process and everybody must respect this."

Papuans will have another Congress in December 2000 to hear reports from the PDP on its work after the last congress. Main agenda for the coming congress is whether or not to lower down the Papuan Flag beside other agenda items. This congress is also expected to declare the independence of West Papua. (CEB)