A coalition of Pacific Island nations has delivered an emphatic call to the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states to back West Papuan self-determination.
Demonstrators march in Timika in West Papua supporting West Papua self-determination. Photo: Supplied
Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands delivered a joint statement at the ACP’s Council of Ministers in Brussels.
It condemned Indonesian human rights violations in Papua, including alleged crimes against humanity and called for an eventual resolution that includes support of the right of West Papuan political self-determination.
Delivering the statement, a Vanuatu government envoy Johnny Koanapo told the Council that “apartheid-like colonial rule” was “slowly but surely” going to wipe out West Papuans as a people “while… the world stood by.”
African and Caribbean countries in the the 79-member group of mainly former colonised territories have voiced strong support for West Papuan self-determination at subcommittee and ambassadorial level during the past two months
Mr Koanapo said that the day’s discussion “now sets up the great likelihood of a resolution on the full range of West Papua issues at the next ACP ministerial council meeting”, scheduled for November.
It’s the latest in a string of high-level representations by the International Coalition for Papua since last year that have taken the issue of West Papua to a new level of diplomatic activity.
The seven Pacific nations, who are in coalition with Pacific regional church bodies and civil society networks, raised concern about West Papuan human rights at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva two months ago, and also at the UN General Assembly last September.
Indonesia’s government has rejected criticism at the UN level, accusing the Pacific countries of interference and supporting Papuan separatism.
Jakarta says human rights abuses in Papua are largely historical, and that the incorporation of the western half of new Guinea into Indonesia is final.
However, support from other governments for resolution of ongoing human rights infringements in Papua is gaining momentum.
Criticism of the flawed plebiscite by which the former Dutch New Guinea was incorporated into the young state of Indonesia in the 1960s has effected renewed calls for a genuine self-determination process.
At yesterday’s Brussels meeting Papua New Guinea’s ambassador, whose country shares a 760km-long border with Indonesia at West Papua, was the only delegate to speak against ACP moving forward on a resolution on the matter.
Joshua Kalinoe said that “no one is denying that the human rights violations are going on” but suggested that a fact-finding mission to West Papua might be necessary for the ACP to get an accurate picture of the situation.
Guinea-Bissau’s Ambassador Alfredo Lopez Cabral spoke next, comparing the plight of West Papua to East Timor, which Indonesia occupied for 24 years before a mounting legacy of conflict gave way to an independence referendum in 1999.
Vanuatu has addressed a high level United Nations meeting over Pacific regional concerns about human rights abuses in Indonesia’s Papua region, or West Papua.
Vanuatu’s Justice Mnister Ronald Warsal addresses the 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council regarding the human rights situation in West Papua. Photo: webtv.un.org
Vanuatu’s Justice Minister Ronald Warsal was speaking on behalf of his country and six other Pacific nations: Tonga, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, and Solomon Islands
“We note that in the past 15 years, the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights has collected evidence of gross human rights violations by Indonesian security forces in three principle areas of West Papua: Wasior, Wamena and Paniai.”
Mr Warsal said the Commission described the sets of cases in the first two places as crimes against humanity, which are punishable under Indonesian and international laws.
He referenced reports of extrajudicial executions of activists and the arrests, beatings and fatal shootings of peaceful demonstrators, including high school students; as well as persistent violence against Papuan women.
West Papuan human rights activist Rode Wanimbo address the 7th Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women in 2016 Photo: Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women
The Vanuatu minister said Indonesia’s government had not been able to deliver justice for the victims.
“Nor has there been any noticeable action to address these violations by the Indonesian government, which has, of course, immediate responsibility and primary accountability,” he said.
He also mentioned the marginalisation of West Papuans in the face of steady migration to the region by people from other parts of Indonesia.
“We want further to highlight another broad aspect of human rights violations – the Indonesian government policy over many decades and continuing until today of the migration of non-indigenous Papuans to West Papua, leading to a dramatic decline in the percentage of the indigenous Papuan population.”
Denial by Indonesia
Indonesia’s delegation to the UN mission in Geneva has issued a reply, saying it categorically rejects the allegations voiced by Vanuatu’s Justice Minister.
It said Mr Warsal’s address does not reflect the real situation on the ground, accusing Vanuatu of “using human rights issues to justify its dubious support for the separatist movement in Papua”.
We believe that challenges of West Papua must be brought back to the agenda of the United NationsRonald Warsal
In a statement, Indonesia said its record on the promotion and protection of human rights spoke for itself.
“This includes our co-operation with various UN Special Procedures and Mandate Holders, as well as various collaborative endeavours at bilateral, regional and multilateral level including within the Human Rights Council in strengthening human rights mechanisms as well as in the promotion and protection of various basic human rights.”
“As a matter of fact, this year Indonesia will welcome the visits of two Special Rapporteurs, and present our third UPR report this coming May.”
Earlier, Mr Warsal referred to a series of recent pronouncements by mandate holders of the UN Council about serious Indonesian violations of the human rights of indigenous Papuans.
West Papuan demonstrators tightly monitored by Indonesian police. Photo: Whens Tebay
These included representations by UN Special Rapporteurs on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; the rights of indigenous peoples; the Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; and the Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Indonesia’s government, however, said it had always endeavoured to address any allegation of human rights violation as well as taking preventative measure and delivering justice.
‘Domestic’ issues
The Indonesian government again sent a message to Vanuatu that it should stay out of what it regards as its own domestic matters.
Jakarta said that Vanuatu’s government should not divert its focus from addressing its various domestic human rights problem by politicising the issue of Papua for its domestic political purposes.
“In this regard, the Indonesian Government is prepared to work and co-operate with the Government of Vanuatu in their efforts to address various human rights violation and abuses against the people of Vanuatu” said the statement.
These abuses, according to Indonesia, included “violence against women, corporal punishment against minors, appalling prison condition, including torture of prisoners, and other challenges”.
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo (check shirt) has made regular visits to Papua region where his government has been spearheading a major economic development drive. Photo: AFP
However, the seven Pacific nations have called on the UN Human Rights Council to request the High Commissioner for Human Rights to produce a consolidated report on “the actual situation in West Papua”.
Among other provisions, Mr Warsal said the report should also detail the various rights under the International Bill of Human Rights and the related conventions, including the right to self-determination.
“We believe that challenges of West Papua must be brought back to the agenda of the United Nations,” said the Vanuatu minister on behalf of the Pacific countries.
News.com.au – Seven Pacific island nations have called for a UN investigation into allegations of human rights abuses in Indonesia’s West Papua and Papua provinces, where a separatist movement has simmered for decades.
A statement to a session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, read on behalf of the seven states by Vanuatu’s Justice Minister Ronald Warsal, accused Indonesia of serious human rights violations of indigenous Papuans including extrajudicial executions of activists and beatings and fatal shootings of peaceful protesters.
The statement called on the council to request a comprehensive report from the high commissioner for human rights and Indonesia’s co-operation in providing unfettered access to the two provinces, which independence supporters refer to collectively as West Papua.
Pacific island leaders angered Indonesia last year when they used their speeches to the UN General Assembly to criticise Indonesia’s rule in West Papua.
Jakarta accused them of interfering in Indonesia’s sovereignty and supporting groups that carry out armed attacks.
Warsal, who spoke on behalf of Vanuatu, Tonga, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and the Solomon Islands, said they also wanted to highlight the Indonesian policy of encouraging the migration of Javanese and other ethnic groups, which has led to the dramatic outnumbering of indigenous Papuans in their own land.
The Indonesian government “has not been able to curtail or halt these various and widespread violations,” he said.
“Neither has that government been able to deliver justice for the victims.”
The Dutch colonisers of the Indonesian archipelago held onto West Papua when Indonesia became independent after World War II.
It became part of Indonesia following a UN-supervised referendum in 1969 that involved only a tiny proportion of the population and was criticised as a sham. Independence supporters want a second referendum.
The indigenous people of the two Papua provinces, which make up the western half of the island of New Guinea, are ethnically Melanesian and culturally distinct from the rest of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
West Papua is home to the world’s largest gold mine by reserves, one of the world’s biggest copper mines and vast areas of virgin forest.
The government insists it is an indivisible part of the Indonesian state and is unlikely to make any concessions to separatists out of fear that could re-energise other dormant independence movements.
Pernyataan disampaikan oleh Hon. Ronald K Warsal (MP)
Menteri Hukum dan Pengembangan Masyarakat, Republik Vanuatu
Sesi Ke 34 Dari Dewan Hak Asasi Manusia 1 Maret 2017, Jenewa, Swiss
Bapak Presiden Mulia, Distinguished Delegasi Hadirin sekalian. Republik Vanuatu sangat senang untuk mengatasi pertemuan ini.
Hari ini, saya berbicara atas nama kedua Vanuatu dan enam negara lain di kawasan kami Pasifik: Tonga, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Kepulauan Marshall, dan Kepulauan Solomon
Bapak Presiden, kami tujuh negara telah datang bersama-sama hari ini – dan dalam pernyataan tertulis bersama terpisah – untuk menarik perhatian para anggota terhormat dari Dewan HAM PBB untuk situasi makam di Papua Barat.
Bapak Presiden, khusus, kita fokus perhatian Anda pada sejumlah pernyataan terbaru oleh pemegang mandat dari Dewan ini tentang pelanggaran Indonesia yang serius pada hak asasi manusia orang asli Papua: • Surat bersama yang dikeluarkan oleh Pelapor Khusus PBB tentang promosi dan perlindungan hak atas kebebasan berpendapat dan berekspresi; • Pelapor Khusus tentang hak atas kebebasan berkumpul secara damai dan berserikat; • Pelapor Khusus tentang hak-hak masyarakat adat; • Pelapor Khusus tentang luar hukum, atau sewenang-wenang; • Dan Pelapor Khusus tentang penyiksaan dan lain yang kejam, tidak manusiawi atau merendahkan martabat atau hukuman.
Kami juga menarik perhatian ke rekening lain dari kekerasan negara Indonesia di Papua Barat, termasuk: • Komunikasi dari Komite PBB tentang Penghapusan Diskriminasi Rasial, mengacu pada pembunuhan dan penangkapan dari Papua;
Banyak laporan terdokumentasi dengan baik eksekusi di luar hukum aktivis dan penangkapan, pemukulan dan penembakan fatal demonstran damai, termasuk siswa SMA;
Dan laporan kekerasan yang terus-menerus terhadap perempuan Papua.
Kami mencatat bahwa dalam lima belas tahun terakhir Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia Indonesia telah mengumpulkan bukti-bukti pelanggaran HAM berat oleh aparat keamanan Indonesia dalam tiga bidang utama dari Papua Barat: Wasior, Wamena, dan Paniai. Komisi menggambarkan set kasus di dua tempat pertama sebagai kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan, yang dihukum di bawah hukum Indonesia dan internasional.
Kami ingin lebih menyoroti aspek lain yang luas dari pelanggaran hak asasi manusia – kebijakan pemerintah Indonesia selama beberapa dekade dan berlanjut sampai hari ini dari migrasi non-penduduk asli Papua untuk Papua Barat, mengarah ke penurunan dramatis dalam persentase penduduk asli Papua.
Bapak Presiden, sampai saat ini, pemerintah Indonesia telah, bagaimanapun, tidak bisa membatasi atau menghentikan berbagai pelanggaran luas. Baik memiliki bahwa pemerintah mampu memberikan keadilan bagi para korban. ada juga telah tindakan nyata untuk mengatasi pelanggaran ini oleh pemerintah Indonesia, yang, tentu saja, tanggung jawab langsung dan akuntabilitas utama.
Selanjutnya, pemerintah Indonesia secara konsisten telah dapat menyampaikan laporan yang diperlukan periodik manusia yang tepat dan ulasan, yang merupakan norma internasional penting dimana sekretariat PBB dan anggota negara memantau hak asasi manusia di seluruh dunia. Penilaian yang ditulis sangat penting untuk mengidentifikasi dan menghapus penyiksaan, diskriminasi rasial dan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia pada umumnya.
Bapak Presiden, dalam terang pelanggaran ini dan kelambanan pemerintah Indonesia, kita sebut di Dewan Hak Asasi Manusia PBB untuk meminta Komisaris Tinggi Hak Asasi Manusia untuk menghasilkan laporan konsolidasi dari situasi aktual di Papua Barat.
Laporan Komisaris Tinggi perlu mempertimbangkan informasi dalam Perjanjian yang ada, Prosedur Khusus, dan Universal Periodic Review, serta laporan dari organisasi internasional dan regional lainnya dan organisasi non-pemerintah.
Laporan ini juga harus rinci berbagai hak di bawah Bill Internasional tentang Hak Asasi Manusia dan konvensi terkait, termasuk hak untuk menentukan nasib sendiri.
Dan laporan harus membuat rekomendasi untuk tindakan segera untuk menghentikan pola pelanggaran HAM seperti yang dibuktikan oleh banyak Prosedur Khusus dan badan-badan lain disebutkan sebelumnya.
Akhirnya, kami meminta kerjasama penuh dan dicadangkan dengan Komisaris Tinggi dalam pemenuhan mandat ini, termasuk penyediaan oleh pihak berwenang Indonesia akses lengkap untuk setiap orang di Papua Barat yang dianggap tepat untuk memenuhi dalam penyusunan laporan ini.
Bapak Presiden, seperti yang saya tutup, kami percaya bahwa tantangan dari Papua Barat harus dibawa kembali ke agenda PBB.
Terima kasih sekali lagi untuk kesempatan untuk mengekspresikan pandangan saya di forum ini. Panjang Allah Yumi Stanap. Dalam Tuhan kita berdiri. Terima kasih.
Vanuatu, High-Level Segment – 7th Meeting, 34th Regular Session Human Rights CouncilVanuatu, High-Level Segment – 7th Meeting, 34th Regular Session Human Rights CouncilVanuatu, High-Level Segment – 7th Meeting, 34th Regular Session Human Rights CouncilVanuatu, High-Level Segment – 7th Meeting, 34th Regular Session Human Rights Council
Ilustrasi. Sidang Dewan HAM PBB di Jenewa (Foto: UN Human Rights Council Chamber)
JENEWA, SATUHARAPAN.COM – Tujuh negara Pasifik kembali mengangkat isu pelanggaran Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM) di Papua pada sesi reguler ke-34 sidang Dewan HAM PBB di Jenewa, hari ini (1/03).
Tujuh negara tersebut adalah Vanuatu, Tonga, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands dan Solomon Islands.
Suara tujuh negara itu disampaikan oleh Menteri Kehakiman dan Pembangunan Masyarakat Vanuatu, Ronald K Warsal saat mendapat giliran untuk berpidato pada segmen ke delapan sidang. “Kami, tujuh negara secara bersama-sama hari ini –dan dengan sebuah pernyataan tertulis bersama yang terpisah — ingin meminta perhatian para anggota yang terhormat atas situasi di Papua,” kata dia membuka pidatonya yang dapat juga disaksikan lewat siaran streaming televisi PBB.
Dalam pidato tersebut, Warsal antara lain mengingatkan kembali berbagai temuan pelanggaran HAM di Papua yang telah dikemukakan berbagai pihak yang mendapat mandat dari Dewan HAM PBB. Di antaranya adalah surat bersama yang diterbitkan oleh Pelapor Khusus PBB tentang Perlindungan dan Promosi dan Hak Kebebasan Berekspresi, Berkumpul dan Berserikat secara Damai, Pelapor Khusus PBB untuk Hak Penduduk Asli, Pelapor Khusus PBB tentang Eksekusi Ekstrajudisial dan Pelapor Khusus PBB tentang Penyiksaan dan Kekerasan.
Lebih jauh ia juga menekankan bahwa Komnas HAM Indonesia telah mengumpulkan bukti-bukti pelanggaran HAM oleh militer Indonesia di tiga area di Papua yaitu Wasior, Wamena dan Paniai. Menurut dia, Komnas HAM telah mengungkapkan kasus pelanggaran HAM di dua tempat sebagai kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan dan dapat dihukum berdasarkan hukum Indonesia maupun hukum internasional.
Ditekankan pula bahwa bahwa pelanggaran HAM masih terus berlangsung hingga saat ini dan pemerintah RI dinilai gagal mencegahnya.
Tidak hanya itu, Warsal juga mengatakan bahwa pemerintah RI telah secara konsisten gagal memasukkan laporan peirodik tentang situasi HAM di Papua, yang sangat esensial bagi sekretariat PBB dan negara anggota untuk memonitor keadaan HAM di seluruh dunia.
Oleh karena itu, ketujuh negara tersebut meminta Dewan HAM PBB menugaskan Komisioner Tinggi HAM PBB membuat laporan konsolidasi tentang situasi aktual di Papua.
Mereka meminta agar laporan tersebut memuat informasi tentang pelanggaran HAM yang telah ada pada perjanjian-perjanjian, prosedur khusus dan Universal Periodic Review (tinjauan berkala universal) serta laporan dari organisasi internasional, regional maupun LSM.
Laporan itu, kata dia, juga harus secara detail mencatat berbagai hak bagi rakyat Papua, yang ada dalam hukum HAM internasional, termasuk hak untuk menentukan nasib sendiri.
“Laporan itu harus membuat relomendasi untuk tindakan segera dalam upaya menghentikan pelanggaran HAM yang sudah disebutkan oleh berbagai Special Procedures dan badan lainnya sebelumnya.”
Untuk membuat laporan tersebut, tujuh negara Pasifik juga meminta agar pemerintah Indonesia menjamin akses kepada Komisioner PBB untuk menemui siapa pun di Papua dalam rangka membuat laporan tersebut.
Jayapura, Jubi– Pertemuan Dewan ke delapan Asosiasi Organisasi Non-Pemerintah Kepulauan Pasifik (PIANGO) pekan lalu dilakukan untuk menyusun Rencana Strategis organisasi 2016-2020.
Dengan tema ‘Membentuk kembali Pasifik untuk generasi masa depan kita’, rencana strategis yang baru ini difokuskan pada lima bidang utama yaitu, penguatan platform Organisasi Masyarakat Sipil (CSO) di Pasifik; efektivitas pembangunan; advokasi kebijakan berbasis bukti; mengembangkan kepemimpinan Pasifik dan penguatan kapasitas CSO. Ketua Dewan PIANGO yang digantikan, Siotame Drew Havea mengatakan dalam rencana mereka berikutnya untuk 2016-2020, PIANGO telah mempertimbangkan bahwa visi, misi dan fokus wilayah masih relevan.
“Tapi kita masih perlu mengedepankan penguatan kapasitas CSO; akuntabilitas OMS dan pengembangan Pedoman Standar Minimum, program kepemimpinan generasi selanjutnya dan menanggapi kebutuhan untuk bantuan kemanusiaan, “katanya.
Ia juga menekankan pentingnya advokasi dekolonisasi.
“Kami juga telah menjadi lebih vokal tentang advokasi untuk dekolonisasi dan penentuan nasib sendiri, khususnya dalam mendukung Papua Barat,” kata Havea.
Tanggung jawab PIANGO, lanjutnya adalah untuk melihat PIANGO relevan di Pasifik selama 25 tahun ke depan. PIANGO dapat melakukan ini dengan dukungan yang inklusif dari anggotanya, dan menetapkan agenda efektivitas pembangunan; terlibat dengan SAMOA Pathway, Deklarasi Suva yang didukung oleh para pemimpin Pasifik dan memperjuangkan Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan dan Agenda 2030 di semua tingkatan.
Ketua dewan PIANGO yang baru, Sarah Thomas Nededog yang berasal dari Guam mengatakan apa yang disampaikan oleh Havea masih relevan untuk PIANGO.
“Advokasi kolonisasi perlu untuk terus dilakukan. Pasifik harus bebas dari kolonisasi. Kami tetap mendukung proses dekolonisasi di Pasifik, termasuk West Papua,” kata Nedegog kepada Jubi, Sabtu (26/11/2016).
Anggota dewan PIANGO yang baru, lanjut Nedegog berasal dari CSO Kepulauan Cook, Fiji, Nauru, Republik Kepulauan Marshall, Samoa dan Kepulauan Solomon.
“PIANGO telah memasuki era baru dan tidak ada yang mungkin terjadi tanpa dukungan dari semua anggota PIANGO ini, Dewan Direksi, sekretariat dan Direktur Eksekutif,” lanjutnya.
Pertemuan Dewan PIANGO ke delapan ini dihadiri oleh Liaison Unit Nasional (NLUs) dari Aotearoa, Australia , Kepulauan Cook, Kepulauan Mariana Utara, Negara Federasi Mikronesia, Fiji, Guam, Kanaky, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Papua Nugini, Kepulauan Solomon dan Vanuatu serta perwakilan dari Papua, Bougainville, CIVICUS dan organisasi regional dan internasional. (*)
‘Being a young, female Indonesian myself, I expected myself to celebrate Nara Masista Rakhmatia’s UN General Assembly speech. Instead, I was gravely disappointed.’
Several weeks ago, a young, female diplomat named Nara Masista Rakhmatia made a speech that dazzled the Indonesian public. In a video that went viral, she denied accusations from 7 Pacific country leaders about human rights abuse in Indonesia’s Papua province at the 71st Session of United Nations General Assembly in New York last September.
She further shamed their attempt to interfere with Indonesia’s sovereignty. The video gathered over 188 thousand views on Facebook, along with hundreds of comments from Indonesian citizens expressing how proud they are of Nara’s intelligence and bravery to ‘teach those foreign country leaders about how to respect Indonesia’—especially given her young age.
In their remarks, delegations from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Tonga criticized Indonesia’s human rights records in Papua. Nara in particular argued that these sentiments were largely misplaced, given that the main agenda of the Assembly was Sustainable Development Goals and a global response to climate change.
Furthermore, she claimed, these countries needed to self-reflect upon their own domestic issues before pointing their fingers to how Indonesia handles the province’s push for self-determination.
Being a young, female Indonesian myself, I expected myself to celebrate her speech. I should have been inspired and impressed by how sharp she was. Instead, as someone who studied International Relations and currently a Public Policy student, I was gravely disappointed.
Disappointed
First of all, Nara based her entire rebuttal on the obsolete definition of the sovereignty principle. While sovereignty is a crucial foundation to the United Nations, since 2005, the international community has extended its definition under the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ commitment, which stipulates that absolute sovereignty does not hold when a government fails to protect its people.
PROTEST. An arrested Papuan pro-independence demonstrator gestures from a police truck in Jakarta on December 1, 2015, after police fired tear gas at a hundreds-strong crowd hurling rocks during a protest against Indonesian rule over the eastern region of Papua. File photo by AFP
Although the concept was developed specifically as a framework for humanitarian interventions to prevent atrocity crimes and this situation has arguably not brought us that far, this core principle stands.
In other words, should these allegations stand, it is justifiable for the international community to express their concerns about the possibility of ongoing crimes against humanity.
Therefore, it is more urgent to argue about whether Indonesia has indeed violated human rights in Papua.
The speech failed to address, for example, the progress of President Joko Widodo’s promise to investigate the killing of 4 Papuan high-school students in 2014. No reports have been made available to the public around this and other pressing matters such as killings in Wasior in 2001 and Wamena in 2003. A recent op-ed contended that these were not ordinary crimes but crimes against humanity.
Nara also did not talk about the 4,587 individuals who were arrested by the police for expressing their political views in regards with the Papua issue in 13 cities, as documented by the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.
On top of that, she spent a lot of air time explaining how Indonesia has been a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for significantly longer periods compared to these 6 countries. She leveraged that membership status as a validation to the country’s ‘human rights commitment’.
This is a logical fallacy. In reality, Jakarta continues to maintain restrictions for human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and International Committee of the Red Cross from entering Papua. Becoming a member of a certain council hardly proved these allegations wrong. If anything, it should become an additional reason as to why the country needs to feel embarrassed about the hypocrisy at home.
Wrong focus
Some of my friends asked me to give Nara a break. After all, she was only representing her country. If anything, such response is far from surprising and rather predictable. Throwing in phrases like ‘territorial integrity’ and ‘sovereignty’ sounds like something that any other country would do in responding to such accusations at an international stage.
PROTEST HALTED. Papuan pro-independence activists, some in traditional tribal garb, march during a rally in Jayapura. AFP PHOTO
However, the issue goes beyond this. Even if we look past the messenger, the problem in Papua still exists, and the fact that the government of Indonesian preferred not to deal with it should alert us.
Thus what added to my disappointment was how mainstream media in Indonesia covered the issue. Instead of playing its role as the ‘fourth pillar’ that criticizes the government, many news outlets practically made her a heroine by echoing the flattering Facebook comments and further highlightsing how she looks.
It seems like nationalist sentiments—fueled by an ‘external threat’ from these Pacific countries’—distracted them from addressing the elephant in the room. Except for The Jakarta Post, most news seemed to avoid highlighting these allegations and instead talked about how beautiful and brave Nara was. In effect, social media discussions regarding this event rotated primarily around unproductive debates about her physical qualities.
Although concerns regarding Papua were expressed by only 7 small Pacific countries now, how will Indonesia—represented by Nara or anyone else—respond in the future, should they come from other geopolitically more powerful countries?
President Joko Widodo’s administration must know by now that something has to be done in Papua, and it should be done immediately.
Surely, we could not just continue deflecting every question with a ‘sovereignty’ card. – Rappler.com
Andhyta Firselly Utami graduated from International Relations program at Universitas Indonesia, and is currently a Master of Public Policy candidate at Harvard Kennedy School.
Jayapura, Jubi – Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) menyampaikan apresiasi mendalam kepada enam negara-negara Pasifik yang telah mengangkat dugaan pelanggaran HAM di Papua serta pengormatan terhadap hak penentuan nasib sendiri bagi rakyat Papua.
AHRC mengakui bahwa pelanggaran HAM sudah terjadi puluhan tahun di Papua, dan tidak ada upaya serius oleh pemerintah Indonesia untuk menanganinya.
AHRC bahkan mencatat, sejak Papua diintegrasikan ke wilayah Indonesia, banyak pelanggaran HAM sudah terjadi. Diantara yang dicatat dan dilaporkan oleh lembaga pemantau HAM di Asia ini adalah kasus Wasior Wamena, pembunuhan Theys Hiyo Eluay, penghilangan paksa Aristoteles Masoka, dugaan genosida di Puncak Jaya 1977, kasus Paniai tahun 2014 dan Tolikara.
Lembaga ini juga mengingatkan bahwa tak satupun dari kasus-kasus tersebut ditangani. Terlebih fungsi-fungsi yudisial tidak ada; polisi malah menjadi pihak yang melindungi pelaku dan melakukan pelanggaran HAM; juga tidak ada investigasi yang transparan terhadap aparat keamanan yang terlibat.
“Kami tidak tahu nama-nama unit dan jumlah orang yang terlibat. Pertanyaan-pertanyaan semacam itu tetap tak terjawab karena pemerintah tidak pernah sungguh-sungguh mengatasi kasus-kasus pelanggaran HAM,” ujar rilis AHRC yang diterima redaksi, Senin (3/10/2016).
AHRC mengakui bahwa ada beberapa inisiatif yang dilakukan pemerintah terkait Papua, seperti Unit Percepatan Pembangunan Provinsi Papua dan Provinsi Papua Barat (UP4B) di masa Presiden SBY, pembentukan tim KOMNAS HAM untuk persoalan HAM di Papua, kebijakan Presiden Joko Widodo terkait pembebasan beberapa tahanan politik.
Namun upaya-upaya tersebut tidak menunjukkan hasil bagi Papua. “Sebaliknya, pelanggaran HAM terus terjadi, pembunuh Theys jadi kepala KaBAIS, dan secara umum tidak ada keadilan dan pemulihan terhadap korban,” ujar AHRC.
AHRC menyerukan kepada pemerintah Indonesia untuk dengan serius menerima semua poin dan rekomendasi yang diberikan oleh enak negara Pasifik tersebut; pemerintah juga harus membuka akses bagi badan independen untuk memonitor perlindungan HAM di Papua.
Pemerintah Indonesia juga diminta untuk membuka ruang dialog dengan rakyat Papua difasilitasi oleh pihak ketiga yang independen dan kredibel dibawah dukungan PBB.
Pemantauan khusus PBB
Senada dengan itu Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Jakarta, dalam siaran persnya belum lama ini, juga membantah jawaban delegasi tetap Indonesia di PBB terhadap 7 negara Pasifik terkait penegakan HAM di Papua.
“Keterangan yang disampakan perwakilan Indonesia pada Sidang Umum Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa Ke 71 tersebut sangatlah bertolak belakang dengan realita yang ditemukan di Papua,” ujar Pratiwi Febri yang menangani isu Papua di LBH Jakarta.
Jumlah penangkapan di Papua tahun 2012-2016 – dokumen LBH JakartaMenurut data yang dihimpun oleh LBH Jakarta bersama jaringan, terhitung sejak April 2016 hingga 16 September 2016, total penangkapan telah terjadi terhadap 2.282 orang Papua yang melakukan aksi damai. Dalam kurun waktu 28 Mei hingga 27 Juli 2016, total terdapat 1.889 demonstran yang ditangkap. Sedangkan terhitung hingga 15 Agustus 2016, terdapat 77 demonstran yang ditangkap.
Penangkapan tersebut dilakukan di beberapa tempat berbeda di Papua dan mayoritas disertai dengan intimidasi dan tindak kekerasan. Dari data yang dihimpun sejak tahun 2012 sampai Juni 2016 terhimpun jumlah penangkapan mencapai 4.198 orang Papua.
LBH Jakarta secara khusus juga menyoroti dampak pasca diberlakukanya Maklumat oleh Kapolda Papua tanggal 1 Juli 2016, yang pada intinya melakukan pembatasan kebebasan berekspresi melalui penjatuhan stigma sparatis atau pemberontak kepada masyarakat yang melakukan unjuk rasa yang berdampak pada pembubaran dan penangkapan setiap unjuk rasa.
Menurut catatan LBH Jakrata, terhitung 13 Agustus sampai 16 September telah terjadi penangkapan lagi terhadap 112 demonstran yang sedang melakukan aksi damai di berbagai tempat di Papua.
“Menyikapi hal ini Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Jakarta mendorong Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) untuk melakukan pemantauan khusus terkait pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Papua.” LBH Jakarta juga menekankan agar Presiden Joko Widodo lebih terbuka dalam memberikan informasi terkait pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Papua serta menghentikan segala bentuk pelanggaran hak asasi manusia yang terjadi di Papua.(*)
JAKARTA, SATUHARAPAN.COM – Direktur Lingkar Madani Indonesia Ray Rangkuti mengatakan perwakilan Indonesia di sidang PBB hanya beretorika dalam pidato balasan terhadap tudingan pelanggaran Hak Azasi Manusia (HAM) yang disampaikan tujuh negara pasifik.
“Pemerintah Indonesia tidak menjelaskan secara terperinci karena Indonesia hanya menyampaikan bahwa telah terjadi perbaikan aturan dan konvensi HAM secara heroik,” kata dia di Grha Oikoumene, Jakarta pada hari Rabu (5/10).
Menurut dia, pemerintah Indonesia harusnya menjelaskan sejauh apa kebenaraan atau ungkapan dari tujuh pimpinan negara Pasifik mengenai persoalaan di Papua.
“Kalau di Papua dikatakan 50 tahun belakangan melakukan pelanggaran HAM maka perwakilan Indonesia harus menjelaskan dengan menjawab pertanyaan dari tujuh negara tersebut artinya data harus dijawab dengan data,” kata dia
Sebelumnya, Anggota delegasi Indonesia di Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa, Nara Masista Rakhmatia, mendapat perhatian dan simpati di dalam negeri atas langkahnya memberikan respons terhadap diangkatnya isu Papua oleh enam negara anggota PBB di Sidang Umum ke-71 PBB di New York, pekan lalu.
Diplomat muda jebolan Sekolah Departemen Luar Negeri dan lulus pada tahun 2008 itu menyampaikan sikap Indonesia yang membantah secara kategoris tuduhan-tuduhan yang dialamatkan oleh enam kepala pemerintahan dari enam negara Pasifik, yaitu Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu dan Tonga.
apua’s place in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia is not up for negotiation, a minister has said in a response to allegations of human rights violations conveyed during a recent UN General Assembly (UNGA) session.
“In diplomacy, several things are negotiable but some others cannot be negotiated. When it comes to the issue of support toward separatism, I think not only diplomats, but all of us, know that this is a point where we should stop,” Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi told journalists on Tuesday.
The minister was responding to criticism of Indonesia’s strong response to six Pacific Island heads of state, who conveyed their allegations of human rights violations in Papua and West Papua provinces during the recent UNGA in New York.
Retno asserted that Indonesia strongly upheld the principles of the UN Charter, which include non-interference and respecting other nations’ sovereignty. At the same time, she continued, Indonesia was committed to maintaining friendly relations with all countries.
“We will never act with hostility toward other countries and will continue to engage with them. But, again, when it comes to the issue of sovereignty and non-interference, once those [principles] are violated, that’s where we will stop [negotiating],” Retno said.
Nara Masista Rakhmatia, the second secretary at Indonesia’s permanent mission to the UN, called speeches made by the heads of state of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Tonga “interference” and said they aimed to encourage separatism in the two provinces.
The reported failure of Papua’s special autonomy has led to a rise of support for Papuan independence movements across the globe, particularly from Pacific nations. (ebf)
Andhyta Firselly Utami