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Lawmakers concerned about ‘internationalization’ of Papua unrest
Indonesian lawmakers hope the government will be able to put a cap on the "internationalization" of the Papua issue if it wins a seat on the United Nations' human rights body.
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Amicable solution: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo meets public figures from Papua and West Papua at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday. The meeting was held to seek solutions to problems in the easternmost provinces, which were hit by violent demonstrations recently. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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s Indonesia gears up for voting day at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), lawmakers have raised concern over the “internationalization” of the unrest that erupted in Papua in recent weeks.
During a meeting on Wednesday with House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees defense and foreign affairs, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi reported on Indonesia’s campaign to become a member of the UN rights council for the 2020-2022 period, which will be put to a vote at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York, United States on Oct. 16.
Lawmakers were keen to see Indonesia win a seat at the UNHRC next month, so as to put a damper on attempts to sway public opinion on the issue of Papua.
Evita Nursanti, a lawmaker from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said she expected the Foreign Ministry to easily win a seat at the UN body, with only five countries vying for four open seats at the council.
Indonesia intends to fill the seat representing the Asia-Pacific, with 97 votes from UN member states needed to secure a seat in the secret ballot.
“Hopefully we can use the membership in the UN Human Rights Council to get international support for the sovereignty of Indonesia, especially for the issues of Papua that [some parties are] currently seeking to internationalize,” she said.
Papua and West Papua have been rocked by protests and rioting since Aug. 19, sparked by a case of racial abuse in Surabaya, East Java. The government has responded by deploying Indonesian Military personnel to maintain public order and imposed a temporary internet blackout across the region.
