PAPUA — The Spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), Sebby Sambom, launched sharp criticism against the effectiveness of the struggle of Papuan diplomats abroad, whom he considers to have failed in conducting strategic lobbying.

​According to him, total revolution requires great material readiness, including a ownership target of one thousand to ten thousand pieces of weaponry as an absolute requirement before a major movement begins.

​He regrets the diplomats in foreign countries whom he considers do not dare to take concrete steps to lobby for the support of other countries nor the procurement of weaponry for the struggle on the ground.

​In his view, there are only two bargaining patterns that apply in a struggle, namely bargaining position and political bargaining. Sebby asserted that currently, the diplomats abroad do not have a strong bargaining price to bring Indonesia to the negotiating table, while the TPNPB has held that position through real actions in the conflict zone.

​Sebby also stated that the "terrorist" status given by the Indonesian government to the TPNPB is not recognized by the international community. Sebby referred to this as proof of the TPNPB's bargaining position victory in the eyes of the world.

​"What bargaining do you have? You do not have a bargaining price, we the TPN have a bargaining price. Indonesia labels us terrorists, but is there anyone in the world saying we are terrorists? There is not. You can see in credible media all over the world, thousands of media outlets published reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, and none of them wrote that we are terrorists," Sebby Sambom emphasized in his statement.

​In addition to criticizing the diplomatic path, Sebby also gave a stinging spotlight toward the credibility of journalists in Indonesia. He compared the narrative of domestic media, which often uses the term Armed Criminal Group (KKB) or terrorist, with the narrative of international media which, according to him, is more objective.

​Sebby mentioned that global media publications that consistently use the name West Papua National Liberation Army are a form of international recognition that should make the media in Indonesia feel ashamed of their choice of terminology all this time.

​He emphasized that international reporting which mentions the existence of a war between the TPNPB and Indonesian security forces over the last sixty years is a great power that cannot be denied.

​Sebby hopes that journalists in Indonesia can work more professionally, intellectually, and with dignity so as to be on par with global media standards.

​For him, massive and credible international publications are a devastating blow to the narrative built by security forces as well as the media in Indonesia regarding the conflict situation in Papua. ***