Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Provincial Government express its objection to a meeting on the alleged human rights violations in Papua that planned to be held in Jakarta by the central government on 9 November 2018.
“We disagree if this event will take place in Jakarta. Therefore, we’ll send a letter to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights with a copy to President Joko Widodo,” Papua Regional Secretary Hery Dosinaen told reporters in Jayapura on Tuesday afternoon (6/11/2018).
He maintained that because these problems occurred in Papua, therefore it needs to be settled in Papua and it must also involve the Papuan House of Representatives, Papua People’s Assembly and all stakeholders in the regional level.
“Everyone sit together discussing the problems (of human rights violations). We can’t talk about it in Jakarta. Let’s come and talk about it in Papua,” he said.
He said that the draft of governor regulation about how to handle the alleged human rights violations in Papua proposed by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights for discussion on 9 November created without involving either the provincial government and Papuan people.
However, the draft delegates the provincial government to establish a team to handle the alleged human rights violations occurred in Papua and only focus on the violations occurred in Wamena in 2003 and Paniai in 2014. It seems to disregard the fact that human rights violations in Papua have not only happened in Wamena and Paniai.
“If we only follow the central government’s plan, it has a potential to create a new conflict in public in Papua,” said Dosinaen.
Moreover, he said, “The ironic thing is all expenditures related to human rights violations in Papua to be charged to the Special Autonomy Fund. We don’t want it happened. Therefore, we hope the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights can give more attention and stand beside Papua and its people concerning the handling of alleged human rights violation on this land.”
The Head Office of National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Papua Frits Ramandey said there are no concrete measures taken by the Indonesian Government to solve the human rights issues in Papua. There is an impression that the relevant government institutions only maintain their ego.
According to him, President Widodo has stated his commitment to resolving the human rights issues in Papua. However, the technical agencies such as the Ministry of Politics, Law and Defense, General Attorney Office, Police, Military and National Human Rights Commission have not yet worked closely to solve this issue.
“Each party still holds on their authority. This then becomes an obstacle to solving the human rights cases in Indonesia in general, and Papua in particular,” said Ramandey.
Furthermore, he said this is not the only obstacle to the settlement of human right issues in Indonesia, but also the Law No. 39 of 1999 and Law No. 26 of 2000 concerning the Human Rights Court, especially they address about limited authority. (*)
Reporter: Alexander Loen
Editor: Pipit Maizier
