THERE is a heavy price to be paid for the government's tardiness in resolving the conflict in Papua. The violence between the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, the Free Papua Organization (OPM) and West Papua Liberation Army (TPN) has not receded. In the last month, the bloody conflict left 23 people deadmost of them civilians.

The government should be able to bring peace to Papua. It is not a hopeless situation. The first steps towar