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Human rights concerns cast shadow on Papua's history, legal standing
The emphasis by Papuan separatists on human rights in contesting the controversial history of Papuan integration into Indonesia raises questions about how Indonesian authorities should best handle unrest and conflict in the region, a panel discussion has heard.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (fourth right) listens to Papuan community, customary and religious figures during a dialogue in Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya in Papua, on Oct. 28, 2019. The government has poured ample resources into developing the region of Papua, officials have said, despite an ongoing history of armed conflict and separatism that has haunted Indonesia for decades after Papuan integration. (Courtesy of/Presidential Secretariat)
T
he history and legal standing of Papua and West Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost provinces, are final and binding, as far as government officials and many leading Papuan figures are concerned.
However, analysts point out that the emphasis on human rights by separatists and their overseas lobbies, who exploit the controversial baggage that comes with the history of Papuan integration, still causes concern about how the Indonesian authorities should best handle the dire situation on the ground.
The separatist conflict in Papua has for decades been a delicate issue with which the Indonesian government has had to contend. This year, authorities labeled armed separatist rebels as terrorists, while lawmakers voted on July 15 to revise and extend the 2001 Special Autonomy Law that underpins state-led development in the region.
These actions have added to a long list of contentious issues that rights activists say the government must answer, which include the strong-handed approach by the security apparatus, a lack of accountability for past human rights abuses, allegations of racism and discrimination, and even a COVID-19 outbreak that is slowly gaining momentum.
While Jakarta has poured ample resources into addressing the development gap in Papua, the state is aware that human rights and law enforcement challenges remain, said Tri Tharyat, senior adviser on political, legal and security affairs to the foreign minister.
“Important progress is continuously being made, such as President Joko Widodo releasing a number of Papuan prisoners in 2015, the conviction of individuals guilty of racist acts in Surabaya in 2019, and more recently, the swift action taken by the Indonesian Military to dismiss and punish two personnel for a case of abuse in Merauke,” he said in a keynote speech at The Jakarta Post’s UpClose webinar on Thursday. The last incident referred to the excessive use of violence by Air Force personnel against a disabled man in Merauke this week.
Read also: Air Force apologizes after video of violence against Papuan goes viral
