PAPUANS TAKE TO THE STRETS IN LARGE, PEACEFUL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTINN 02 OF 02 JAKARTA 001486 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EA,( EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/ANP, DRL, DRL/AWH NSC FO E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2018 TAGS: PGOV PINS KISL ID SUBJECT: PAPUANS TAKE TO THE STRETS IN LARGE, PEACEFUL PROTEST ¶6. (C) Evangeiical Protestant leaders sounded a more alarmist note about what they consider the increasing "Islamization" of Papua. Pastor Socrates Yoman told poloff that Papuan Christians felt "under siege" from increasing numbers of Muslim migrants from other parts of Indonesia. He alleged a covert plot involving hard-line Muslim groups and their allies in the government and military to bring more Muslims to Papua. He said Christians were committed to keeping Papua "a Christian land." INCREASING SECTARIAN TENSIONS? ¶7. (C) The demonstration reflects simmering Christian-Muslim tensions that mirror the tensions dividing indigenous Papuans from migrants from other parts of Indonesia. Relations between the two groups have been strained over a number of issues, including the proposal to enact Bible-based laws in Manokwari, the capital of West Papua province. Protestant groups there claimed the law--which has not yet been adopted--was an appropriate response to Sharia laws in other parts of Indonesia (see reftel). Differences between Catholic and Protestant groups over the demonstration also revealed tensions among Papuan Christians. ¶8. (C) Religious issues aside, Papua remains restive. The province's chronic underdevelopment and long-standing political grievances against the central government--including over the slow implementation of Special Autonomy--have left many Papuans angry and resentful. The central and provincial governments say they recognize that there is a problem and that they are working to remedy it. HUME