07/01/2021 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – The Protestant Church Council in Papua, the autonomous region of Indonesia that is predominantly Christian, has accused the Indonesian government of perpetuating unrest and advocating for unpopular policies.

The accusation came after the Ministry of Home Affairs appointed the Papua provincial secretary Dance Yulian Flassy as the acting governor, replacing governor Lukas Enembe. He is currently undergoing treatment in a Singaporean hospital.

The Protestant Church Council, which comprises the Indonesian Christian Church in Papua, the Kemah Injili Church, and the Evangelical Church in Indonesia, released a letter on June 27. In it, the council wrote that if the government cannot make a serious commitment to resolving problems in Papua, then conflict will be “a constant thorn in the side bringing perpetual pain.”

Lukas Enembe condemned this act as unconstitutional, despite a government spokesperson stating on June 27 that Enembe was replaced “to keep the government and public services running smoothly.”

The Protestant Church Council sided with Enembe in condemning the move, stating that it was a blatant bid intended only to divide Papuans and unseat opponents to the Indonesian government.

The council said replacing Enembe was part of a “character assassination of indigenous Papuan officials which has followed a pattern” since the region became part of Indonesia. The letter continued, stating, “This shows Jakarta’s distrust of Papua as a province in Indonesia. This move exacerbates the long-standing conflict between Jakarta and Papua.”

Church leaders also said the government should be focusing on addressing the issue of human rights violations. The council stated that human rights violations are currently seen as “unimportant and side issues.”

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