Jayapura, Jubi The arrest of about 200 West Papua National Committee activists in May is disconcerting and shows that authorities are increasingly resorting to heavy-handed tactics to discourage dissent, a human rights observer said.
“On 1 May that about two hundred people were arrested in a day. It was very worrying and disconcerting. People were arrested while they have not yet expressed their voice, even the arrest at KNPB secretariat was occurred when they were in preparation,” Theo Van den Broek told Jubi at Sentani, Jayapura Regency last week.
Van den Broek said the crackdown indicated that the government is intolerant of any dissent and no longer concerned about freedom of expression guaranteed by Law.
“Disagreement is very normal. The Constitution guarantee people to express their opinion. We have right to express our opinion as far as it was done properly, and do not violate other human right,” said former Director of SKP Keuskupan Jayapura.
Meanwhile, Papua political observer Budi Hermawan added the arrest against Papuans in last May became specific record in Papuan history. That it was just happened the police arrested Papuans in huge number from previous.
“The arrest on 1 May 2015 is the huge arrests in the history of arrest against Papuans,” said the former human right activists at Secretariat of Peace and Justice of Keuskupan Jayapura on Monday (31/5).
Earlier, Jubi released the Police has arrested 264 KNPB activists within two days (31 April – 1 May 2015) in several regions in Papua. The arrests against KNPB activists were occurred in Fakfak, Manokwari, Nabire, Jayapura and Biak. (Mawel Benny/rom)
