16.7. The Golkars are at it again!: Tragedy of Poroporo
The Bloody Melanesian Month
Barely twenty years of incorporation, the State Republic of Melanesia has been formally member of the Indonesian government with a better fusion than Aceh or Perak. Born under the presidency of Nasution, and grow within the Subandrio administration, the archipelagic island greeted the new ruler as fair and compatible. Some might consider the old British rule as a better colonizer. Accurately, Indonesia isn’t one, but the nation has invested to improve the economy all across Indonesia, including this state.
The difference between Melanesia and the other republics is Melanesia is relatively barren of raw mining resources. With ineffectual areas of land, industrial construction was not worthwhile for the state. In 1972, Premier Suharto had passed a regional agriculture law, which strengthened the farmer’s power so the productivity of the crops will increase. During that time, they produced coconuts, palm kernels, rice potatoes, and some other kinds of vegetation. Suharto also noticed the potential fishing industry, which he passed the 1972 National Fishery Law which affected nationwide; the islands had been benefited by it.
Melanesia Postcards resembling the old name and fishing vessels,1980
Then Premier Subandrio, ironically enough, agreed with the policies enacted by his antecedent. Although Subandrio never visited Melanesia until his early presidency, he was hopeful of Melanesia’s growth and quite certain of no separatist associations emerging to declare sovereignty. However, the premier wished to improve industry on the state, regardless of the terrain and landscape. He would then promote immigration to the island, inviting particular Javanese to blend in with the fellow Austronesians.
Premier LKY, instead of the passive action conducted by both predecessors, has proven to be very aggressive on boosting the island's economy. With the motto of expanding Indonesia’s national economy, he would tirelessly push to improve the prosperity in all regions, including Melanesia. In Melanesia, he attracted investors to the fishing industry and started to make complexes of fishing plants on the island. Honiara has evolved into a boomtown of 25000 inhabitants, almost thirty per cent of which is not native.
The premise of LKY’s characteristics of premiership is definitely apparent on the island. The economy is brewing, yet inequality has increased over time. Although people could buy better goods with affordable money, industrialist has profited the most. It seems that ‘the poor are rich, the rich are richer’ connotation has been people’s catchphrase for LKY. But then, this slight negativity has not impacted the dearest on the state’s stability. LKY’s other policy, immigration, has.
Controlled immigration program was LKY’s greatest tool of increasing the nation’s economic power. He appealed foreign middle households of European or American nations, most of which can be considered the wealthy in Indonesia perspective, to a program called ‘permanent tourism’. This tactic was finally uncovered under the pressure of the Gresik Scandal. The ‘permanent tourism’ includes a group of targeted homesteaders to tour a destination, and then dwell the area for a few months, until the local government naturalized the citizens so they can stay there forever. Indonesia, surprisingly, has its economy revamped by this method. The number of settlers came due to tackle the underemployment of crafty factories, most of which needed educated labours that Indonesia is still trying to produce.
In 1984 alone, nearly thirty thousand settlers have moved or naturalized as Indonesian citizens. Most of it came from Europe, which was brewing its hot war after Germany’s confrontation with the Soviet Union. Those settlers, either lived in secluded migrant neighbourhood towns or mixed with older European settlers which had lived here even before the independence. Naturally, big cities have ‘little Europe’ in the making. However, one small town in Walini, Pasundan State, has become these migrant’s prime destination. After a special economic zone policy dated back in the 50s, Walini’s administrative history has given the region great attraction for all migrant settlers who wished to live in Indonesia. This day, approximately 20% of the population is Caucasian folks, greater than anywhere on Indonesia.
In Melanesia, there are two controlled immigration programs. The first one came from small Norwegian settlers. These came from a family fishery firm of the said nation, Hallvar Lærøy AS. Around three hundred fishermen families arrived at San Cristobal Islands because of the abundant tuna resource in the surrounding seas. They come in two-wave, the first happened in 1981 of around one hundred people. After the success of fish catches, the rest moved in on 1984.
This group is relatively peaceful with the residents. In fact, most of the natives are amicable with the Nordic newcomers. The restless group, the one which caused native concern, is the second group. The second group is the religious settlers of The People’s Temple Agricultural Project. Originated from the United States, this group has no clear-cut purposes that would benefit the indigenous population. Instead, the group was antagonistic to any outsider and wished to maintain their isolation as pure as possible. No one that came in can leave the place. The citizens of Poroporo are repelled of this group. Not only of their unnatural attitude, but it has also drawn terror to regional children. Mostly their intentions are consistent; converting the local populace to their cause.
The local Partai Aliansi Melanesia (PAM), under the chairmanship of Peter Kenilorea, have been trying to investigate this dangerous group. The central government, however, dissuade the party for any federal assistance due for its great contributions in the nation’s surplus without even demanded a return. Any attempts will be caught by federal representatives on the area, threatening the local party punishment in the verdict of defying the federal orders. Despite hard frictions against their own government, PAM has genuine reasons for the investigation, because one United States’ Representative has been monitoring the group. The representative of the 9th District, Don Edwards, was sent by the government for the group’s allegation of cultist rituals that may endanger human rights. The Conservative politician has contacted PAM numerous times to coordinate a possible joined operation uncovering the group’s actions. With meetings almost every three months, Don Edwards is preparing himself to arrive in the settlement on 21st of November, 1985.
Representative Don Edwards, A Conservative Representative of California 9th District
Meanwhile, the month of November has been devastating for the Melanesian State. A demonstration against a Japanese fishing company happened in the 2nd. The fishery was allegedly stealing fish quotas, and have been manipulating local fishermen to pay less than the actual fare. The demonstration has regressed into a showdown against the police after provocateurs invade that particular company’s office in Honiara. It had injured 15 people during the fight, but the federal government stayed unnoticed of the instability. In 10th of November, a rouge typhoon hit Santa Cruz Islands. It was unexpected by everyone, even the clever local fishermen that have learned the weather since birth. It killed almost three hundred people during the storm, another 78 heavily injured.
Two reporters, three PAM officials and Don Edwards arrived on the Poroporo dock at 21st morning. They arrived at the settlement, which was full of American housing. The community was friendly to the new arrivals. Jim Jones had greeted them gracefully and arrived with a gathering. During Don Edward’s chat with parishioners, however, he discovered that few of them were intending to leave the small town. Don Edwards promised the three defectors that the can escape from his envoy.
The next morning, just by the docks of Poroporo, Don Edwards was attacked by Temple armed men. The preacher has discovered the defector’s disappearance, and have sent few men to kill. Without any defence, all of Edward’s companions, even the reporters, was shot to death on the dock. The shot alerted few passersby of local city dwellers, whom the bodyguards kill three of them. On the same time, Jim Jones has assembled the entire community into a Friday mass. That day was gloom and dark because Jim Jones induced his congregation a concoction of cyanide-laced, grape-flavoured Cool-Aid. 1345 people, 315 of them are children, have died en masse in the town.
The Mass Suicide of The People's Temple Agriculture Project, or simply called the Tragedy of Poroporo
Back in the United States, the response had been very drastic, especially for the families of the victims. The Temple headquarters was flooded with journalists and angry relatives. The situation in Indonesia, however, was grimmer. Poroporo inhabitants were traumatized with the mass suicide happening on the same island. A massive debate happened in the local representative body in Honiara. The members there unanimously agreed on one thing; the federal government is responsible for this atrocity to happen.
After this day, the LKY administration never came back to the initial eclipse. They were going down faster, and unsurprisingly, the PRD made a move first.
Barely twenty years of incorporation, the State Republic of Melanesia has been formally member of the Indonesian government with a better fusion than Aceh or Perak. Born under the presidency of Nasution, and grow within the Subandrio administration, the archipelagic island greeted the new ruler as fair and compatible. Some might consider the old British rule as a better colonizer. Accurately, Indonesia isn’t one, but the nation has invested to improve the economy all across Indonesia, including this state.
The difference between Melanesia and the other republics is Melanesia is relatively barren of raw mining resources. With ineffectual areas of land, industrial construction was not worthwhile for the state. In 1972, Premier Suharto had passed a regional agriculture law, which strengthened the farmer’s power so the productivity of the crops will increase. During that time, they produced coconuts, palm kernels, rice potatoes, and some other kinds of vegetation. Suharto also noticed the potential fishing industry, which he passed the 1972 National Fishery Law which affected nationwide; the islands had been benefited by it.
Melanesia Postcards resembling the old name and fishing vessels,1980
Then Premier Subandrio, ironically enough, agreed with the policies enacted by his antecedent. Although Subandrio never visited Melanesia until his early presidency, he was hopeful of Melanesia’s growth and quite certain of no separatist associations emerging to declare sovereignty. However, the premier wished to improve industry on the state, regardless of the terrain and landscape. He would then promote immigration to the island, inviting particular Javanese to blend in with the fellow Austronesians.
Premier LKY, instead of the passive action conducted by both predecessors, has proven to be very aggressive on boosting the island's economy. With the motto of expanding Indonesia’s national economy, he would tirelessly push to improve the prosperity in all regions, including Melanesia. In Melanesia, he attracted investors to the fishing industry and started to make complexes of fishing plants on the island. Honiara has evolved into a boomtown of 25000 inhabitants, almost thirty per cent of which is not native.
The premise of LKY’s characteristics of premiership is definitely apparent on the island. The economy is brewing, yet inequality has increased over time. Although people could buy better goods with affordable money, industrialist has profited the most. It seems that ‘the poor are rich, the rich are richer’ connotation has been people’s catchphrase for LKY. But then, this slight negativity has not impacted the dearest on the state’s stability. LKY’s other policy, immigration, has.
Controlled immigration program was LKY’s greatest tool of increasing the nation’s economic power. He appealed foreign middle households of European or American nations, most of which can be considered the wealthy in Indonesia perspective, to a program called ‘permanent tourism’. This tactic was finally uncovered under the pressure of the Gresik Scandal. The ‘permanent tourism’ includes a group of targeted homesteaders to tour a destination, and then dwell the area for a few months, until the local government naturalized the citizens so they can stay there forever. Indonesia, surprisingly, has its economy revamped by this method. The number of settlers came due to tackle the underemployment of crafty factories, most of which needed educated labours that Indonesia is still trying to produce.
In 1984 alone, nearly thirty thousand settlers have moved or naturalized as Indonesian citizens. Most of it came from Europe, which was brewing its hot war after Germany’s confrontation with the Soviet Union. Those settlers, either lived in secluded migrant neighbourhood towns or mixed with older European settlers which had lived here even before the independence. Naturally, big cities have ‘little Europe’ in the making. However, one small town in Walini, Pasundan State, has become these migrant’s prime destination. After a special economic zone policy dated back in the 50s, Walini’s administrative history has given the region great attraction for all migrant settlers who wished to live in Indonesia. This day, approximately 20% of the population is Caucasian folks, greater than anywhere on Indonesia.
In Melanesia, there are two controlled immigration programs. The first one came from small Norwegian settlers. These came from a family fishery firm of the said nation, Hallvar Lærøy AS. Around three hundred fishermen families arrived at San Cristobal Islands because of the abundant tuna resource in the surrounding seas. They come in two-wave, the first happened in 1981 of around one hundred people. After the success of fish catches, the rest moved in on 1984.
This group is relatively peaceful with the residents. In fact, most of the natives are amicable with the Nordic newcomers. The restless group, the one which caused native concern, is the second group. The second group is the religious settlers of The People’s Temple Agricultural Project. Originated from the United States, this group has no clear-cut purposes that would benefit the indigenous population. Instead, the group was antagonistic to any outsider and wished to maintain their isolation as pure as possible. No one that came in can leave the place. The citizens of Poroporo are repelled of this group. Not only of their unnatural attitude, but it has also drawn terror to regional children. Mostly their intentions are consistent; converting the local populace to their cause.
The local Partai Aliansi Melanesia (PAM), under the chairmanship of Peter Kenilorea, have been trying to investigate this dangerous group. The central government, however, dissuade the party for any federal assistance due for its great contributions in the nation’s surplus without even demanded a return. Any attempts will be caught by federal representatives on the area, threatening the local party punishment in the verdict of defying the federal orders. Despite hard frictions against their own government, PAM has genuine reasons for the investigation, because one United States’ Representative has been monitoring the group. The representative of the 9th District, Don Edwards, was sent by the government for the group’s allegation of cultist rituals that may endanger human rights. The Conservative politician has contacted PAM numerous times to coordinate a possible joined operation uncovering the group’s actions. With meetings almost every three months, Don Edwards is preparing himself to arrive in the settlement on 21st of November, 1985.
Representative Don Edwards, A Conservative Representative of California 9th District
Meanwhile, the month of November has been devastating for the Melanesian State. A demonstration against a Japanese fishing company happened in the 2nd. The fishery was allegedly stealing fish quotas, and have been manipulating local fishermen to pay less than the actual fare. The demonstration has regressed into a showdown against the police after provocateurs invade that particular company’s office in Honiara. It had injured 15 people during the fight, but the federal government stayed unnoticed of the instability. In 10th of November, a rouge typhoon hit Santa Cruz Islands. It was unexpected by everyone, even the clever local fishermen that have learned the weather since birth. It killed almost three hundred people during the storm, another 78 heavily injured.
Two reporters, three PAM officials and Don Edwards arrived on the Poroporo dock at 21st morning. They arrived at the settlement, which was full of American housing. The community was friendly to the new arrivals. Jim Jones had greeted them gracefully and arrived with a gathering. During Don Edward’s chat with parishioners, however, he discovered that few of them were intending to leave the small town. Don Edwards promised the three defectors that the can escape from his envoy.
The next morning, just by the docks of Poroporo, Don Edwards was attacked by Temple armed men. The preacher has discovered the defector’s disappearance, and have sent few men to kill. Without any defence, all of Edward’s companions, even the reporters, was shot to death on the dock. The shot alerted few passersby of local city dwellers, whom the bodyguards kill three of them. On the same time, Jim Jones has assembled the entire community into a Friday mass. That day was gloom and dark because Jim Jones induced his congregation a concoction of cyanide-laced, grape-flavoured Cool-Aid. 1345 people, 315 of them are children, have died en masse in the town.
The Mass Suicide of The People's Temple Agriculture Project, or simply called the Tragedy of Poroporo
Back in the United States, the response had been very drastic, especially for the families of the victims. The Temple headquarters was flooded with journalists and angry relatives. The situation in Indonesia, however, was grimmer. Poroporo inhabitants were traumatized with the mass suicide happening on the same island. A massive debate happened in the local representative body in Honiara. The members there unanimously agreed on one thing; the federal government is responsible for this atrocity to happen.
After this day, the LKY administration never came back to the initial eclipse. They were going down faster, and unsurprisingly, the PRD made a move first.
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Next sub-chapter would definitely be another PRD Golkar Chapter, they will plan their opportunity immediately. We're definitely closing the LKY era, and the 1988 Election will soon hype up.