Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia from 3 to 6 September 2024 should be a momentum to urge Indonesia to stop gross human rights violations and provide redress for past atrocities or injustices resulting from socially and environmentally unfriendly development policies, such as those in Papua and Rempang, Amnesty International Indonesia said today.

“The messages of peace, love, and dialogue that Pope Francis always conveys are highly relevant to a world facing division and intolerance. This visit is crucial to reaffirming every nation’s obligation to uphold the values of human dignity and social justice,” said Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia.

“Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with the President and other key officials. This is an opportunity to urge Indonesia to fulfil its commitments in the field of human rights, including providing a remedy for past gross human rights violations and protecting communities, including Indigenous Peoples, from misguided economic policies.”

“This visit also provides an important platform to advocate for an end to repressive policies in response to protests and demonstrations, call for peace in Papua, and prevent discriminatory practices against religious minority groups. The assassination of human rights activist Munir, which marks 20 years since his death, also needs attention.”

Indonesia is currently an active member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), but it has yet to implement several key recommendations related to stopping gross human rights violations resulting from development policies and protecting religious minority groups from attacks on their freedom to practice their beliefs and establish places of worship.

Amnesty International Indonesia has recorded several unresolved cases of gross human rights violations, including the 1965/66 mass killings, the 1984 Tanjung Priok incident, the 1989 Lampung incident, the July 27, 1996 attack, the 1997/98 abduction and forced disappearance of activists, the Trisakti, Semanggi I, and Semanggi II shootings, the May 1998 riots, the Munir case, and extrajudicial killings in Papua.

Amnesty has also recorded at least 123 cases of intolerance between January 2021 and July 2024, including the rejection, closure, or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks. The perpetrators are suspected to come from various backgrounds, including government officials, residents, and civil society organizations.

On 30 June 2024, a village head, along with a group of people, stopped a Sunday service at a Pentecostal church in Sidoarjo, East Java. They argued that the church did not have a building permit (IMB). According to the local pastor, the church building was registered as a prayer house on December 7, 2023, and obtaining an IMB is not easy as it takes two years. However, the village head insisted on the IMB requirement.

To build a place of worship, the 2006 Joint Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs and the Minister of Home Affairs requires the approval of at least 60 local residents, endorsement by the village head, and a written recommendation from the Department of Religious Affairs and the Forum for Religious Harmony. This process has the potential for conflict in areas where minority religious communities face rejection from the local community.

On 5 May 2024, a group of people led by a neighbourhood head attacked a number of Catholic students who were holding a Rosary Prayer event at a house in South Tangerang. They forced the participants to worship in a church instead of at home.

On 2 July 2024, the Garut Regency government in West Java sealed off a place of worship for Ahmadiyah Muslims. Indonesia continues to record cases of restrictions on the rights and freedoms of religious communities.

Amnesty International hopes that Pope Francis’ visit will highlight these issues to ensure the protection of religious freedom in Indonesia.

“The Pope’s visit plays a crucial role in encouraging Indonesia to end intolerance and discrimination against all minority groups. Religious freedom is a right protected by Indonesia’s constitution,” said Usman Hamid.

“This guarantee must be effectively enforced through laws and regulations that are in line with international human rights standards.”

Amnesty also hopes that Pope Francis’s visit to Indonesia will draw attention to the implementation of National Strategic Projects (PSN), which are often carried out using coercive approaches without meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples. Many large-scale infrastructure projects under the PSN have had serious impacts on the lives of Indigenous Peoples, whose rights to land, culture, and the protection of Indigenous scientific knowledge are frequently neglected.

Many Indigenous Peoples still do not have their land rights recognized by the government, making them vulnerable to agrarian conflicts and often becoming victims of development projects, as has happened in Rempang, Wadas, and Mandalika.

Meanwhile, Indigenous Peoples who speak out critically against the government in defending their rights in agrarian conflicts often face attacks. Amnesty International Indonesia recorded at least eight cases of attacks against Indigenous Peoples from January 2019 to March 2024, with at least 84 victims, including criminalization, intimidation, and physical violence.

“Pope Francis, who is known for his commitment to social justice, environmental preservation, and the protection of Indigenous rights, is expected to voice his concerns over these violations during his visit to Indonesia,” said Usman.

Call to End Human Rights Violations in Papua

Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia is also expected to highlight the situation in Papua, where conflict continues, and the rights of Indigenous Papuans and other civilians are under constant threat.

“Papua, which has experienced violence for decades, must be addressed. The escalation of violence, militarization, and suppression of dissent in Papua has resulted in many civilian casualties, displacement, and a humanitarian crisis that requires urgent attention,” said Usman.

Civilians in Papua, including Indigenous Peoples, have suffered due to large-scale military operations resulting in extrajudicial killings by state and non-state armed groups, torture, internal displacement, and other violations.

From 3 February 2018 to 20 August 2024, Amnesty recorded 132 cases of extrajudicial killings resulting in at least 242 civilian deaths. Some of these cases were carried out by security forces (83 cases with 135 victims), while others were by pro-independence armed groups (49 cases with 107 victims).

In addition to local civilians, victims also included a New Zealand helicopter pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, who was killed while transporting four civilians in Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, on 5 August 2024. It is still unclear who was responsible for the killing, prompting Amnesty to call for a full investigation.

Another New Zealand citizen, Phillip Mehrtens, has been held hostage since 7 February 2023, by a faction of the pro-independence armed group in Papua. Between January 2019 and February 2024, there were at least 17 cases of torture involving 50 victims, allegedly committed by security personnel and state officials in Papua.

“Therefore, Pope Francis must also emphasize the importance of peaceful dialogue and resolutions that respect human rights and the aspirations of the Papuan people,” said Usman. (*)

Jubi Papua – August 15, 2024

Activists from the West Papua National Committee or the KNPB returned to the streets for their 14th action on Thursday August 15, to commemorate the 1962 New York Agreement, the day when power over West Papua was transferred from the Netherlands to Indonesia.

Several locations where demonstrations were to be held, both in Jayapura city and Jayapura regency, were blocked by police. Even though the KNPB claimed to have obtained a permit for the action from police.

As many as 36 protesters emerged from the direction of Buper Waena where they marched in six lines carrying KNPB flags and written demands on A4 carboard placards.

“No room for racism” and “The Indonesian state must be immediately held accountable for human rights violations in Papua” read the placards. The demonstration was tightly guarded by dozens of police officers with water cannons.

KNPB field coordinator Mesias Silak, after negotiating with police, was finally given permission to gives speeches and convey their demands.

The speeches proceeded peacefully, during which the KNPB members remained in line cordoned off by raffia rope. At around 1.45 pm the action was joined by around 50 people who arrived from the direction of the Abe Expo Waena Bridge.

Simultanious rallies by the KNPB marking the New York Agreement were held in several other parts of Papua.

Students in Jayapura protest New York Agreement and racism

Hundreds of students from various universities in Jayapura city held a protest on the Cenderawasih University (Uncen) campus on Thursday in which they took up two main issues: “The injustice of the 1962 New York Agreement and rejecting the racism experienced by the Papuan people”.

Action coordinator Enis Dapla emphasised that the 1962 New York Agreement was legally flawed because it did not involve the Papuan people.

“The agreement became the basis for the annexation of Papua by Indonesia through the 1969 Pepera [The 1969 UN sponsored referendum on West Papua’s integration with Indonesia], which we consider illegal and ridden with manipulation”, said Dapla.

In addition, Dapla also highlighted the issue of racism that continues to be felt by the Papuan people.

“Racism is not only the enemy of Papua, but also the enemy of the world. This action is a form of student resistance against all forms of racism, not only in Papua but throughout the world”, he explained.

The protest action that was initially planned to last until late afternoon was limited by the police to 12 noon, however the students continued the action on the grounds of the Uncen Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) secretariat.

“We didn’t violate anyone’s rights, but the police continue to limit the action. In fact they entered the campus area, which should not be allowed according to the law”, said Dapla.

The students emphasised that during the action they conveyed their aspirations peacefully and without anarchic acts. “Freedom of expression and expressing opinions in public is the right of every citizen, including students”, he said.

Laba Heluka, a student activist from the Uncen Faculty of Law, emphasised that the issue of racism was a major focus during the action.

“Racism is a global enemy. We demand that there is no more racial discrimination against the people of Papua, both in the world of education, work and health services”, he said.

Heluka also criticised the restrictions on freedom of expression that continue to occur in Papua, especially with regard to peaceful protest actions. “Even though Law Number 9/1998 guarantees freedom of expression in public, in fact Papuan students are often restricted and silenced”, he said.

Give Papua the right to self-determination

The KNPB along with indigenous Papuan communities and various organisations in Greater Sorong also commemorated the New York Agreement in Sorong city on Thursday.

Wespa Papwes Gombo, a representative of the Independent Indigenous People of Papua (MAI-P) said the action was to remember the New York Agreement which was made unilaterally without involving the Papuan nation which a year earlier, on December 1, 1961, had issued a manifesto of independence to stand alone as a nation and a state.

Gombo said that Indonesia manipulated the mandate of the New York Agreement on self-determination through the 1969 Act of Free Choice. Out of the 809,337 West Papuans who had the right to vote, only around 1,026 people were selected and quarantined, and just 175 people were then forced at gunpoint to vote to join Indonesia.

In Indonesia’s report to the UN, the reason given for this was that Papuan people were still “primitive and backward”. “This racist view was used by Indonesia to gain international support for its colonisation of West Papua”, said Gombo.

A similar view was expressed in a speech by Eskop, a law student from the Sorong Muhammadiyah University, who said that today the Papuan nation is marking 62 years of colonisation by the Indonesian colonialists.

Meanwhile Indonesia is celebrating its 79th anniversary of independence with the spirit of colonising West Papua. Yet on the one hand Indonesia claims to be an anti-colonial country, but on the other it also plays an active role in robbing the Papuan people of their right to self-determination.

Eskop said that Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus), territorial expansion and all forms of enforced and brutal exploitation in the Land of Papua, were a continuation of racist colonialism that begun with the Trikora operation in 1961, the New York Agreement in 1962 and Pepera in 1969.

Eskop explained that Indonesian colonialism, which is ridden with racism, has resulted in reducing the number of indigenous Papuans to only 2,971,340 people out of a total population 5.4 million.

Even more tragic, the number of non-Papuan residents is now larger, with an annual growth rate 6.39 percent per year. Meanwhile the poverty and low life expectancy of Papuans continue to place Papua in first place in negative indicators for Indonesia.

Meanwhile, from the cities to the villages, migrants with company and military support dominate all productive sectors. “Our customary forests, the last fortresses against the threat of global warming, are now threatened. Of the 34.3 million hectares of primary forests in the land of Papua, 793,623 hectares were lost in 2021-2022 alone”, he said.

Action coordinator Appull Heluka added that Indonesian colonialism with its militarism, continues to massively invade the entire land of Papua. The goal is to secure military businesses and investment.

He said that Indonesia’s colonial military operations had created around 76,919 internally displaced people in seven regions, forcing them to leave their hometowns and live in uncertainty.

“The peaceful solution and humanitarian pause proposed by the Papuan Council of Churches and the ULMWP (United Liberation Movement for West Papua) were rejected by Jakarta, which prefers bloody [military] operations. We demand that they immediately leave our land, West Papua”, he said.

The action proceeded safely and peacefully under the close guard of dozens of police personnel. During the action, the demonstrators read out a number of statements and demands, including rejecting all the forms of colonisation and oppression by the Indonesian colonialists in Papua.

They also asked Indonesia to respect the right of the Papuan people to determine their own future.

Two protesters injured by rubber bullets in Nabire

A KNPB demonstration protesting the New York Agreement in Nabire, Central Papua, on Thursday was confronted with violence by security forces.

KNPB Nabire Regional Management Board Secretary Zadrak Kudiyai told Jubi that two demonstrators, Andrias Gobay (a Dogiyai regional KNPB member) and Yosua Pigome, were struck by rubber bullets fired by security forces.

“They were shot at the resettlement beside the Nabire River, Karang Market. A rubber bullet was found in Andrias Gobay’s thigh and the bullet has been removed, while Yosua Pigome was shot in the calf, the bullet has not been removed yet and he is currently still being operated on at Nabire District General Hospital (RSUD) emergency room”, said Kudiyai on Thursday afternoon.

Kudiyai explained that hundreds of demonstrators who are members of the KNPB throughout the Meepago region held a peaceful demonstration centred in Nabire. “The demonstrators were shot, arrested, shot at with tear gas, and beaten. During the action one police officer was also injured in Siriwini”, he said.

According to Kudiyai, they started the protest at 7 am at several different points. Protesters in front of the Satya Wiyata Mandala University (USWIM) campus were then taken away by police from the Nabire District Police using a crowd control vehicle.

Meanwhile protesters at the SP point were also picked up by police using two crowd control vehicles and taken to the Nabire District Police station.

“Meanwhile the demonstrators at the Siriwini point, police officers fired teargas and dispersed the demonstrators and one KNPB member was arrested by police”, he said.

The protesters who were taken away by the police, said Kudiyai, are still at the Nabire Police station. “They have not been sent home yet”, he added.

According to Kudiyai, the attitude of the police and TNI (Indonesian military) was very indiscriminate in handling the peaceful KNPB mass action. “This is very unreasonable, because this country guarantees democratic freedoms, but that’s not like what we experienced in the field today”, he said.

Protesters in Meepago dispersed with teargas

KNPB members throughout the Meepago region were deployed in a joint action on Thursday centred in Nabire. They came from the Paniai, Dogiyai, Deiyai and Intan Jaya regencies and from Nabire itself.

The protesters, who had gathered at Karang Tumaritis Market in the morning were scheduled to hold a long-march to the Central Papua Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) and the Papua People’s Council (MRP) offices located in Kali Bobo.

Upon arriving in front of the Karang Barat Gel-Gel Workshop, they were stopped by security forces who ordered them to disperse. Shortly after they began firing teargas to disperse the demonstrators.

SD, a resident of Karang Barat who witnessed the incident, said the demonstrators were marching peacefully in rank cordoned off by a rope. “When security forces using two Barracuda and crowd control trucks arrived at the location, [they] fired teargas and the crowd dispersed”, they said.

Then, said SD, the protesters fled into residential alleys and the security forces chased after them firing teargas. “I saw them running away and one person was put in a police car and taken to the Nabire police station”, they said.

Speaking at a cafe in Nabire, Nabire District Police Chief Assistant Superintendent Wahyudi Satrio Bintoro told reporters that based on his observations at several locations the situation was under control.

When Jubi.id asked about the use of rubber bullets and teargas, Bintoro said that police used standard operating procedures (SOP) in accordance with National Police Chief Regulation Number 1/2029 on the Use of Force during Police Actions.

“We implemented this from the start of our presence, right, we made an appeal, conveyed this, we encourage them, but it turns out that their position was to carry out anarchic actions, throwing stones. Even our members who were in position there were hit by stones, injured”, he said, adding that because of this, they used firm but measured actions using teargas.

Police disperse protest in Abepura with water cannon

Police used water cannon to disperse a peaceful action commemorating 62 years since the New York Agreement at the Abepura intersection in Jayapura city.

The action, which took place between 12:30 and 3:21 pm, was coordinated by the KNPB. Police personnel from the Jayapura city district police broke up the action before representatives from the protesters could read out their statements.

KNPB General Chairperson Warpo Sampari Wetipo said their demonstration was peaceful and open, therefore breaking up the action was an example of the practices of colonialism in the land of Papua.

“The colonialists will never give the slightest bit of space (freedom) to the people they colonise. They feel superior so they treat the Papuan nation arbitrarily”, said Wetipo.

However, he continued to call on all Papuan people not to be weak, let alone retreat from the ranks of resistance against this oppression. They must continue to gather their strength and become a new spirit for the struggle of the Papuan nation.

“The Papuan people must not be weak, let alone retreat. (The dispersing of protesters) will (in fact) provide new strength and spirit so that (the Papuan people’s struggle will) become more advanced and radical”, said Wetipo.

Jayapura City Deputy Police Chief Senior Commissioner Deni Herdiana said they broke up the action because in their view the coordinator was unable to control the situation. According to Herdiana, there were indications that the protesters intended to commit vandalism, such as burning used tyres on the road that could disrupt security and public order in Jayapura city.

“We coordinated (agreed) with the korlap (field coordinator), namely giving one to two hours (for the masses to give speeches). However, the korlapwas not committed so we took measured law enforcement efforts”, said Herdiana.

In Jayapura city, around 700 security personnel were deployed to secure the 1962 New York Agreement commemoration events consisting of Indonesian Police (Polri) and TNI personnel.

“Polri and the TNI are safe guarding (securing the action) because it is approaching August 17 (Indonesian Independence Day). Currently, we have not secured (arrested) any demonstrators”, added Herdiana.

— Reporting by Ratty Auparai, Aida Ulim, Gamaliel Kailele, Hengky Yeimo and Pes Yanengga

[Abridged translation by James Balowski based on five articles by Jubi Papua on August 15. The original title of the lead article was “Aksi KNPB Protes New York Agreement Dihadang Pihak Keamanan”.]

Source: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/polisi-bubarkan-aksi-protes-perjanjian-new-york-di-abepura/

Demonstrations marked the 62nd anniversary of the U.N. agreement enabling Jakarta’s annexation of Papua.

Victor Mambor  2024.08.16

Jayapura, Indonesia

Indonesian security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes with protestors marking the 62nd anniversary of a U.N. agreement that paved the way for Jakarta’s annexation of the Papua region. 

At least one protester was wounded by a rubber bullet and 95 people were arrested during the unrest in Nabire, the capital of Central Papua province, said Kimot Mote, one of the protest organizers.  

The demonstrations on Thursday were led by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), a pro-independence group that opposes Indonesian rule in Papua. Similar protests were reported across several other cities, including Manokwari, Sorong Raya, Wamena, and Yahukimo, activists said.

Protesters are urging international bodies, including the United Nations, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, and the Pacific Islands Forum, to intervene and pressure Indonesia to halt military operations in Papua. 

KNPB chairman Warpo Wetipo issued a direct plea to Pope Francis, asking him to raise awareness about the violence and human rights violations in Papua. 

The head of the Catholic Church is due to visit Indonesia next month, followed by Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore.

“We ask the Pope to advocate for an end to the oppression of the Papuan people,” Wetipo said.

While the protest in Nabire started peacefully, tensions escalated when police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, Mote said.

“There was a heavy police presence, with around 100 officers using trucks and crowd-control vehicles to quell the demonstrators,” he told BenarNews. 

Local police chief Wahyudi Satrio Bintoro said security personnel took action after the protestors threw rocks at officers and engaged in vandalism, including setting fire to motorcycles. 

“The Nabire police carried out measured and decisive action,” he said. 

The New York Agreement is a treaty between the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding the administration of Papua, then called Western New Guinea. It stipulates that the United Nations would initially assume control, but if the U.N. permits, Indonesia could take over administration under certain conditions. 

The agreement, negotiated in U.S.-hosted meetings, was signed on August 15, 1962, at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

However, many Papuans believe the deal was made without their consent, and it paved the way for what they see as Indonesia’s illegitimate annexation of their homeland.

West Papua was formally integrated into Indonesia in 1969 following a controversial referendum, known as the “Act of Free Choice.” Under heavy military presence, a small group of just over 1,000 selected Papuans voted unanimously for integration, a result that many have since disputed.

Since then, the region has been the site of long-running conflict between Indonesian security forces and separatist rebels, with frequent reports of human rights abuses.

Despite efforts to address the economic development of the region, many Papuans continue to push for self-determination, citing decades of discrimination, military violence, and exploitation of their land and resources.

In Jayapura, protesters were denied access to the planned protest site in Abepura. 

“We had secured permission for the protest, but the police still obstructed us,” said KNPB’s Wetipo. 

In Abepura, a group of students gathered under the banner “Students Concerned About Papua,” delivering speeches and calling for attention to Papua’s ongoing struggles.

Jayapura police confirmed the intervention, arguing that the protests were highly disruptive. 

In Nabire, the situation became tense on Thursday when non-Papuan residents, identifying as “Warga Nusantara” (Archipelago Citizens), clashed with protesters, said Taksen Giyai, a local resident. 

“They were armed with iron bars, wood, and machetes, blocking the demonstrators’ path,” he said. No clashes were reported.

Central Papua’s acting governor, Ribka Haluk, called for calm. 

“I urge all parties to ensure safety and security,” she said, adding that grievances should be addressed through appropriate channels rather than violence. 

In other cities, the protests were similarly contained by police. 

In Manokwari, officers set up roadblocks to prevent demonstrators from reaching key areas. Protester Erick Aleknoe said that negotiators attempted to cooperate with police.

“Our negotiators offered to have the police escort the crowd to the location, but it was rejected,” he said.

The 15 August   marks  62 years since The New York Agreement and West Papuans  are still suffering  under Indonesian colonial rule. Yes, most of the world recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua at this stage but most also would recognise that the so called act of free choice in 1969 was a sham.

The New York Agreement

In August 1962, an agreement was concluded in New York between the Netherlands and Indonesia. Under this agreement, the Dutch were to leave West New Guinea and transfer sovereignty to UNTEA (the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority). After 7 months the UN transferred power to Indonesia with the provision that a referendum be held to determine Papuan preference for independence, or integration with Indonesia. 

The New York Agreement was a betrayal of the West Papuan people. 

President Thomas Wilson said  “ …that no right anywhere exists to hand peoples about from sovereignty to sovereignty as if they were property”

Joe Collins of AWPA said, “and this is exactly what happened to the West Papuan people. Handed over by one colonial power, The Netherlands to another, Indonesia with a short administration period by the UN as a face-saving compromise for the Dutch and the international community”.

The West Papuan National Committee  ( KNPB) has called for West Papuans to come out and peacefully protest this betrayal and have been handing out flyers (on the 13 August) to inform about the upcoming rallies on the 15 August. 

In an act of  intimidation up to 60 activists were taken by the police to the Doyo police Station in Sentani. 

Joe Collins said ,” this is to intimate civil society groups into not taking part in the proposed rallies on the 15 August.  Hopefully, there will not be a repeat of previous years where  the security forces have cracked down in their usual heavy-handed approach on  peaceful demonstrators”.

Photos posted on AWPA FB Page. (KNPB informing public about upcoming rallies).

 “ West Papuan civil society groups regularly hold events and rallies on days of significance in their history,  to try and bring attention to the world, of the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule. And this is what Jakarta fears most , international scrutiny  on the ongoing human rights abuses in the territory”.

Also of concern is that the 17 August is Indonesian Independence Day.

The Indonesian Security  forces can use the day to take propaganda  photos of Papuans supporting their Independence day. It is now 5 years since the West Papua uprising when thousands of West Papuans took to the streets in all the major cities and towns across West Papua.  The demonstrators were  protesting against the arrest and racial abuse against West Papuan students in Surabaya, Indonesia.

The arrest of 43 students in Surabaya occurred because it had been reported that an Indonesian flag had been vandalised near the students dormitory.

At the time, The Jakarta Post (19 August) reported that security personnel and members of Indonesian organisations launched physical and verbal attacks on the Papuan students accusing them of refusing to celebrate Indonesia’s 74th Independence Day, and that an “angry mob arrived at the dormitory after they found a discarded Indonesian flag near the building. During the incident, they reportedly threw stones at the dormitory while shouting racial abuse and chanting “Kick out the Papuans!” and “Slaughter the Papuans!” 

The mob also called the students monkeys, pigs and dogs, shouting “don’t you come out. We are waiting for you here”.  As they stormed the building the Police fired tear gas into the building and arrested 43 students. The students were later released after questioning. They had denied any knowledge of the damaged flag. However, this incident triggered rallies across West Papua in a show of support for the students and in protest against the discrimination and injustices that West Papuans suffer daily under Indonesia rule.

It is estimated that up to 60 people died , including 35 indigenous West Papuans  and  hundreds injured with  over 20,00 civilians displaced during the Uprising period. 

Joe Collins said, “hopefully this year the Indonesian security forces  will allow the West Papuan people  to hold their peaceful rallies without interference . 

“Canberra,  along with the two regional organisations , the  Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)  should be strongly  urging Jakarta to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory. Jakarta should also be urged to allow  a joint PIF- MSG fact finding mission to the territory”.

Ends

Human Rights News / Indonesia, West Papua / 22 August 2024 

Recent findings highlight the ongoing use of treason charges to suppress peaceful activism in Papua, raising significant concerns over the infringement of fundamental human rights. A report by the Alliance for Democracy for Papua (AlDP) and Tapol, launched in Jayapura in July 2024, reveals that treason laws are frequently employed to criminalise activists advocating for Papuan rights, including those involved in anti-racism protests and commemorations of political leaders.

The research documents 52 cases where activists were charged with treason, noting that these charges are often applied broadly, disregarding the peaceful nature of the protests. Legal experts and human rights advocates argue that the treason laws, rooted in colonial-era legislation, are misapplied to suppress freedom of expression rather than addressing genuine threats to national security.

Professor Melkias Hetharia of Cenderawasih University argues that the expression of support for Papuan independence, when conducted peacefully, does not constitute treason. He emphasizes that such expressions should be protected under international human rights standards, to which Indonesia is a signatory.

The report calls for a revision of treason laws and urges the Indonesian government to respect political expression and engage in dialogue to address the underlying issues in Papua, rather than resorting to repressive legal measures that only fuel further resistance.