Papuan community leader and Lecturer of Christian Religion Study Program at Cenderawasih University, Pdt. Freddy H Toam said that the discourse on the division of Papua Province into several provinces was actually God's plan for the Papuan people.
According to this former KNPI retainer in the 80's, what God's plan should have been for the land of Papua was well supported, not narrow-minded.
"In my opinion, it must be supported, God is having a case on this land, this is a temporary process. I say, for those who refuse, please re-open the Bible," said Rev. Fredy, Saturday (26/3/2022).
He explained that the entry of evangelists to Papua through the Evangelization of the Gospels had been going on for 167 years. God's purpose in sending evangelists is to bring light and prosperity to the Papuan people.
"In the Bible Isaiah 40:1-11 it was said by God directly, so there is no reason to reject DOB, God wants us to see this expansion from the perspective of the light of the Bible," he explained.
This Bible passage begins with the words "Comfort, Comfort my people, cry unto them, that their slavery is ended".
Then it was said: “Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord, make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God! Every valley must be closed, and every mountain and hill leveled."
Then in the 5th verse it is stated "then the glory of God will be revealed and all mankind will see it together".
"These verses are considered to contain God's message so that people continue to be involved in the development process to be able to see the glory of God," he said.
In line with God's word above, he continued, the expansion of new autonomous regions in Papua is absolutely necessary given the condition of the area which is too large. If there are people who reject the expansion of new autonomous regions, Rev. Freddy Toam invites them to return to study God's word carefully.
It is also acknowledged that there are clergy figures who reject the expansion of new autonomous regions because they are considered to further exclude the existence of Papuan Orang Asli (OAP). Rev. Freddy Toam considered that this view tends to be particularistic and narrow.
“Pastors must return to the understanding that the law of love and the commandment of evangelism that Jesus gave are universal. There is no dividing line, whether ethnicity, nation, race, skin color, hair type, or language. Jesus did not discriminate between people, and even taught to pray for and love the enemy,” said the senior pastor.
"At the same time, the world is also experiencing globalization so that almost all barriers have been opened. It is very naive if there are priests who close themselves to other parties, then justify their views with quotes from holy verses," continued the man who was also a member of the DPRP and chairman Komnas HAM Papua office.
According to Pdt. Freddy Toam, all the dynamics that occur in Papua must also be in line with efforts to bring out signs of the Kingdom of God. God wants Papua to be developed and its people prosperous.
“God certainly doesn't want this nation to live in backwardness, and this is a stigma that people in Papua have long suffered. With this autonomy now, we reverse the stigma. Like a house, Papua should not be the back, but the porch or the front of the house of the Republic of Indonesia. Papua is bordered by the Pacific Ocean opposite the United States, Australia and Japan. Geographically, Papua must be a showcase of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. The face of Indonesia must be seen from Papua, and I am very grateful that all ethnic groups exist in Papua," he said.
Furthermore, Pdt. Freddy Toam said that OAP should be able to contribute more to the process of expanding new autonomous regions considering that there is protection in the Special Autonomy Law. Before the implementation of Otsus Papua, Papuan people could live side by side regardless of ethnic origin.
"Now there is Special Autonomy, it should be able to play more roles, there should be no dependence. We didn't have Special Autonomy before, but we can compete with other regions, with other tribes. So this Special Autonomy must be addressed properly, of course its implementation must also refer to God's word, " said Pdt. Freddy who has also been a member and leader of various organizations, such as the Chairman of the KNPI DPD.
Finally, he reminded all of God's people in Papua, especially those who are still narrow-minded, not open to the existence of pluralism, so open the Bible again. Learn more about what God said.
"God doesn't differentiate between his creations, this tribe is that tribe, hair, skin, etc., God has universal nature. So if God is like that, why do we have skat-skat. Because in truth, humans are created equal before God," he concluded.
SOURCE : https://www.mcwnews.com/read/2022/03/26/202203260003/pdt-freddy-toam-minta-dunia-support-pemekaran-di-papua.html
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