In the joint statement, co-sponsored by VIVAT International and delivered by Franciscans International, VIVAT expresses deep concern about ongoing human rights violations in West Papua.
Oral Statement at the 40th Session of the Human Right Council
Item 4: General Debate
13 March 2019
Delivered by: Budi Tjahjono
Check against delivery
Mr. President,
Franciscans International, VIVAT International, the World Council of Churches, TAPOL, International Coalition for Papua (ICP), West Papua Network and Geneva for Human Rights -Global Training would like to express our concerns regarding the on-going human rights violations in West Papua (the Provinces of Papua and Papua Barat), Indonesia.
We acknowledge multiple efforts by the Indonesian Government, which opened up the possibility for a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Health to Papua in 2017, meetings between Papuan Human Rights Defenders with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018) and during the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Food (2018).
In the beginning of his term, Indonesian President Mr. Joko Widodo promised to address past cases of human rights violations in West Papua. However, the emblematic cases of gross human rights violations, such as those documented in Wasior (2001), Wamena (2003) and Paniai (2014) remained unresolved due to lack of political will and persistent institutional shortcomings of national human rights mechanisms. The Papuan people are still waiting for justice to be delivered.
High levels of violence and of related human rights violations continue to be reported. Available data suggests that the numbers of extrajudicial killings have remained highly alarming in the recent years. We are very concerned about the current situation in the Papuan regency of Nduga. While sharing the Indonesian authorities’ concern at the killing of 21 road workers by an armed group on 2nd December 2018, we are also greatly concerned by the humanitarian and human rights impact of the ongoing intensive military and police operations in response to this incident. We have received credible information of civilians killed during these operations as well as of the internal displacement of thousands of indigenous Papuans.
Mr President,
The on-going human rights violations in West Papua must stop. The Government of Indonesia has to fulfil its promises to effectively address allegations of gross human rights violations in the territory. To address the root causes of this ongoing human rights crisis, we believe there is a need for accountability mechanisms as well as a comprehensive political dialogue, between the government of Indonesia and all stakeholders in West Papua.
I thank you.