Catalonia's referendum is far different from Papua

Catalonia's referendum is far different from Papua

An autonomous community in the Kingdom of Spain, recently made a stir in the world by holding a referendum on October 1, 2017. The results of the referendum which was held on Oct. 1 2017 showed that 90 percent of the 2.26 million people voted for independence from Spain.

Although the results of the Catalonia referendum have not been recognized by the government of the Kingdom of Spain and the UN international regime, the Catalonia referendum has been grounded. A successful political message has been spread to all corners of the world. The referendum imparts messages to the world community, especially those who are struggling to demand democracy and justice.

European Union Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, stated that there was a need to stop the ceasefire between Spain and Catalonia, due to the warming political temperature. Guenther is worried about a civil war, as is happening in Papua Indonesia. Because the Free Papua Organization (OPM) wants to follow in the footsteps of Catalonia.

Like what happened to Catalonia, where the Spanish government did not recognize the results of the referendum, the same thing happened to the Petition For West Papua movement. The Indonesian government claims that the Petition submitted by Benny Wenda, a spokesman for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) is only hoax.

The Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, has also conducted lobbying and diplomacy to ward off the Free Papua movement. because the Papua referendum case is very different from what happened in Catalonia. In Catalonia 90% of the population wants independence, but in Papua only a handful of groups with their efforts to incite, and make fake petitions for weapons in conducting a referendum.