Press Release: Pastor Dr. Socratez S. Yoman, MA, President of the Fellowship of Baptist Churches in West Papua.

The reality or fact is that now we live under an Indonesian ruler who is anti-democratic, anti-justice, anti-freedom, anti-peace, anti-equality and anti-humanity. This is the real reflection of the face of the colonial rulers of Indonesia. The Indonesian rulers have lost their conscience, common sense, and have no creativity or innovation because it is now proven that the approach of using violence through state apparatus is their way to solve the problems of injustice and crimes against humanity in Papua. The state itself has created a stalemate and is now creating new problems that are increasingly complicated and spiralling out of control.

The incident which took place on August 16, 2021, when Rev. Dr. Benny Giay, Chair of the Kingmi Synod in Papua and also Moderator of the West Papua Council of Churches (WPCC) was refused entry to the Papuan Peoples Representative building is a very embarrassing incident for the Indonesian police institution. Is this the face of the Indonesian police, the blockaders of a church leader who wanted to pray at the office of the Papuan people's representatives and also the blockaders of a peaceful demonstration of the Papuan people?

The rejection of the KNPB demonstration to demand the release of Viktor Yeimo in Jayapura and in Yahukimo on August 16, 2021, which killed one person, shows that the police are not only unprofessional and uneducated, but that they are also violent and criminal. This kind of cruelty and violence by the security forces has led to an increase in the Papuan people's distrust of Indonesia.

I strongly condemn the security forces in Yahukimo who killed one person in Yahukimo and injured the Chairman of KNPB, Agus Kosay and several KNPB members in Jayapura.

Ita Wakhu Purom, August 16, 2021