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Is economic interest keeping military in Nduga?
Given its human rights record in Papua, most indigenous Papuans are concerned the military, through its massive deployment, could abuse its coercive power over indigenous Papuans, particularly in the highlands, where the project is located.
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Ready for action: Indonesian Military personnel prepare to board a helicopter in Wamena in Papua to retrieve the bodies of the construction workers killed in Nduga. (AFP/Anyong)
O
n Aug. 5, the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar released a report on the Myanmar military’s involvement in the Rohingya conflict.
The report revealed that military business is perpetuating the conflict. The Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) has funded its massive military operations and carried out gross violations of human rights in Rakhine state through local and foreign corporate funding since 2016, the report said. The military’s economic interest in armed conflict zones is also prevalent in other Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia.
During the New Order period, the Indonesian Military (TNI) was deeply involved in various legal and illegal businesses in troubled provinces, mainly Aceh, Maluku, former East Timor and Papua. The armed conflict in Nduga, Papua, also poses concern over the military’s economic interests. Two examples are the trans-Papua road project in Nduga and the illegal distribution of ammunition in Papua’s central highlands.
Then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed Presidential Regulation No. 40/2013 assigning the military as the principal party to work and secure the trans-Papua project under the Public Works and Housing Ministry. The administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reinforced the TNI’s involvement in the Papua highway project, even though many Papuans have raised concern over the massive military presence.
Given its human rights record in Papua, most indigenous Papuans are concerned the military, through its massive deployment, could abuse its coercive power over indigenous Papuans, particularly in the highlands, where the project is located.
The Nduga armed conflict has substantiated those fears. About 45,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking refuge from fighting in the areas surrounding Nduga are a very obvious impact of the conflict.
The IDPs, along with the local government and civil society groups, have demanded that the central government pull the military out from Nduga. However, the security authorities, mainly the military, have staunchly ignored the protests.
