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'Stop stigmatising all West Papuan as separatists': Activists

Seruu.com - June 15, 2012

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Jakarta – Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is urging all government institutions to end the stigmatisation of the Papuan people as separatists in responding to developments in West Papua.

"Security personnel must change their paradigm. Don't immediately view minor unrest as separatism. The presence of the national police and the TNI [Indonesian military] should be aimed at crating a sense of security not fear", said Ray Rangkuti during a press conference held by Skup at the offices of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of Friday June 15.

Up until now, according to Rangkuti, the TNI and police are still committing acts of violence that are making the situation in Papua increasingly unfavorable. Yet, he said, the presence of security personnel in Indonesia's eastern-most island should be to provide a solution to the conflict in Papua. "The [counter-terrorism unit] Detachment 88 has been sent to Papua. What for?", asked Rangkuti.

Rangkuti said the government should see that the various incidents in West Papua cannot be separated from each other. "This represents part of an integral [approach]. Starting from the security sector to welfare. The NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] can only be upheld if the government upholds justice for the Papuan and Indonesian people as a whole", he said. [simon]

Notes

Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is made up of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Institute for Public Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), the Papua NGO Cooperative Forum (FOKER LSM Papua), National Papua Solidarity (NAPAS) the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP), the Papuan Traditional Social Community Against Corruption (Kampak), the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), the Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (DEMOS), the Indonesian Human Rights Committee for Social Justice (IHCS), Asian Justice and Rights (AJAR), the Coalition for Justice and Revelation of Truth (KKPK), the Indonesian Association of the Families of Missing Persons (IKOHI), the Jakarta consulate of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), (Komite Nasional Papua Barat), the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan), the People's Liberation Party (PPR), the Indonesian Civic Network (Lima) and the Jayapura Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jayapura).

[Solidaritas untuk Kemanusiaan di Papua Desak Pemerintah Hapus Stigma Terhadap Masyarakat Papua - Seruu.com. Jumat, 15 Juni 2012. Translated by James Balowski.]

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