Letter from DEMMAK to deserting missionaries

This was a letter that Demmak sent to the missionary organisations working in West Papua so that they do not repeat their past mistake, i.e., leaving the Papuans to die at the hands of the Indonesian military and then returning after the situation calms down.
Port Numbay, 25 October 2000

To: The Members of Missionaries Working in West Papua

Dear Sirs,

To prevent the repetition of the past mistake, i.e., missionaries leave the Papuans being killed by the Indonesian army and then return after they surrender, the Penis Gourds People's Assembly Council (Demmak) would like to ask all members of missionary organisations serving in West Papua to help us with the following points:

  1. We are asking you all to pray for all Papuans, for Indonesians and for everybody of us so that God may protect us in current circumstance.
  2. We are asking members of the missionary organisations to report to your countries about what is happening in West Papua. If you regard yourselves as the shepherds, then telling your countries about murders in West Papua and staying with us is part of the job. We believe that all Papuans believe in Jesus and God Trinity and there is no way to change this. The only problem now is that the Christians are now treated brutally and we are asking missionaries to help us by telling your countries about the reality. Telling reality is not a sin, it is not forbidden, and we believe it is part of your service.
  3. If anyone of you leaves this island in this emergency situation, it tells us that you do not care about other humans and the Christians here. You care only about yourselves. We demand that those who are leaving West Papua in this situation MUST NOT RETURN after the situation calms down. We want missionaries who want to serve the Lord in every circumstance. We will do whatever we can to refuse any missionary who leaves West Papua now and then comes back after peace is settled. We curse missionaries that want to serve the Lord in Paradise but not in this messy world.
  4. All Papuans who live in Port Numbay and its vicinity will not leave their homes. We are not fighting against TRUTH, but LIES. Papuans are fighting for the TRUTH, to prove that we are innocent from the beginning until now. All Papuans here will not take refuge in the jungles or in PNG. They will all be staying in Post 7, Sentani and around. We are asking you to tell your countries and your people about this. There will be a great number of refugees in the jungles, villages and towns.

Any query, please contact: skaroba@yahoo.com read our news at: www.westpapua.net and www.westpapua.org.uk

Thanks very much. God bless you.

Yours sincerely in solidarity,
signed

Sem Karoba, Rev. Timothy Wanimbo, Benny Wenda.

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