SolomonStarNews.com, Published: 09 July 2016
SUVA, 08 JULY 2016 (PCC) – The Pacific Conference of Churches will support a formal legal complaint to the UN Human Rights Council on human rights violations by Indonesia in West Papua.
The Dutch human rights law firm Prakken D’Oliveira has submitted a formal legal complaint to the UN Human Rights Council, detailing a series of vast and continuing human rights violations committed by the State of Indonesia against the people of West Papua.
PCC General Secretary, Reverend Francois Pihaatae, was in the Netherlands last month and said the Foundation St. Legal Aids for the People of West Papua, assisted by the renowned Amsterdam-based human rights law firm Prakken D’Oliveira, had filed an official complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The action was taken on behalf of the Federal State Republic of West Papua (Negara Republik Federal Papua Barat) and its president Forkorus Yaboisembut, as well as 19 unnamed citizens of West Papua.
The comprehensive historical and legal document, the complaint sets out a vast and varied array of human-rights abuses suffered by the West Papuan people from the moment of Indonesian annexation of West Papua in 1963 to the present day.
After more than 50 years of death and destruction in West Papua, the complainants now submit that it is time for international legal action.
The complainants urge the UN to formally formally condemn the State of Indonesia for committing systemic human rights violations against the people of West Papua.
It is hoped that the Human Rights Council will undertake a thorough factual and legal inquiry leading to the passage of a UN resolution condemning the Indonesian government.
Additionally, the complainants strive for recognition of the rights of West Papua and the Declaration of Independence that was proclaimed on October 19th, 2011. Also, the complainants strive for the initiation of formal negotiations between the Republic State of Indonesia and the Federal State Republic of West Papua, and a transfer from administrative power from the former to the latter. Additionally, The United Nations would be called upon to serve as an international mediator.
Pihaate said the submission of the complaint marked the beginning of a legal campaign for improved self-determination and independence of the West Papuan community, as well as an end to the ongoing policy of systemic human rights violations committed by Indonesia.
“We have seen three fact-finding missions by the PCC and the Roman Catholic Church to review the situation in West Papua in the last three years and their reports are the same,” Pihaatae said.
“Human rights are still being abused and people are suffering due to the atrocities committed by security forces and the policies of Indonesia on ethnic restructuring.
“So we support the work done recently in the Netherlands and continue to pray for the people of Tannah Papua.”.
– PACNEWS