THE government of President Joko Widodo seems to be repeating the dark history of this nation. In the past, the Dutch colonialists exploited our natural resources and detained and killed Indonesians. Now the people of Papua are experiencing the same thing. They are oppressed and sidelined in their own land.

The Dutch used to arrogantly call us “extremists” and “inlanders”—in dismissive tones. Frequently the people l