Jakarta really seems at a loss as to how to deal with West Papua’s calls for independence. Indonesia’s leaders cannot get their act together on the issue. Now comes the controversial arrest of Theys Hiyo Eluay, chairman of the pro-independence Papuan Presidium, carried out despite pleas from President Abdurrahman Wahid not to take him in.

Police in West Papua ignored Wahid’s call to delay the arrest of Theys. The pro-independ