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Call on New Zealand prime minister to raise West Papua rights abuses during Indonesian visit
Indonesia Human Rights Committee Media Release - July 12, 2007
The Indonesia Human Rights Committee has faxed an urgent letter to the Prime Minister calling on her to raise issues of human rights in West Papua when she meets with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono next week.
“The Prime Minister praises Indonesia’s commitment to intercultural dialogue – but this dimension is totally lacking in Indonesia’s relationship with the West Papuan people,” said Maire Leadbeater speaking for the Indonesia Human Rights Committee. They have been denied their right to self-determination and those who dare talk about independence or raise the West Papua flag risk jail or worse.”
“Lately each day brings another disturbing new report about human abuses in West Papua. There has been a graphic report from Human Rights Watch detailing gross abuses, including killings, torture and rape committed by the security forces against people in the remote central highlands of West Papua. Other recent accounts are of police threats and intimidation against human rights defenders and church leaders. Moreover a climate of tension and fear is being exacerbated by the belligerent statements of the new Jayapura military commander Colonel Siagian. A veteran of the 1999 Indonesian military campaign of terror in East Timor, he says he will crush those who challenge Indonesia’s rule. "
The Human Rights Watch report stressed that the security forces in West Papua enjoy near total impunity for all their actions which has led to underreporting of crimes and to an ongoing climate of fear, tension and simmering anger.
“What makes it harder for the West Papuans is that they can't tell the outside world about their suffering. Last week US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega was the latest to be denied access and this ban leads to a strong suspicion that there is much to hide in West Papua.”
“We therefore urge Helen Clark to use this precious opportunity to urge Indonesia to carry out independent investigations into the human rights abuses detailed in the Human Rights Watch report, and to hold those responsible to account. She should also appeal for and end to the closure of West Papua and for the free access to the territory of human rights organisations and the international media.”
For further information contact: Maire Leadbeater 09-815-9000 or 0274-436-957
Letter below:
Indonesia Human Rights Committee
Box 68-419
Auckland
Rt Hon Helen Clark,
Prime Minister,
Parliament Buildings,
Wellington
Fax 04-473-3579
11 July, 2007
Dear Helen Clark,
We note that you will be meeting with the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. We appeal to you to take this important opportunity to raise New Zealand’s concerns about the ongoing human rights crisis in West Papua.
We urge in particular that you address the issue of impunity for past human rights abuses and ask the Indonesian Government to open West Papua so that human rights monitors and the international media can visit freely.
We draw to your attention the following issues which we recently raised with Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters:
1. Human Rights Watch has just released a very disturbing 96-page report detailing serious human rights abuses, including killings, in the central highlands of West Papua which have taken place since 2005. The report documents widespread abuses by police especially the BRIMOB (Mobile Brigade Police) in this remote area and the authors conclude that impunity prevails in the absence of any outside observers. There are first hand accounts of many vicious beatings, torture and of rape cases. There are also accounts of military ‘sweeping’ operations during which villagers were forced to flee their homes and crops to go into the mountains, where they tried to survive on foods such as nettles and bananas. Informants reported that several people have died from lack of food and medicine following their forced displacement.
Only one low ranking soldier has faced prosecution for any of the abuses and he served a mere 8-month prison term for killing a 16-year-old boy.
2. In the same week that the Human Rights Watch Report was released US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega was denied permission to visit West Papua despite having an invitation to attend a Tribal Council/Dewan Adat meeting there. Congressman Faleomavaega chairs a Congressional subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. We believe this ban confirms a suspicion that Indonesia has much to hide from the outside world.
3. Following the Dewan Adat Conference Colonel Burhanuddin Siagian, Commander of the Jayapura sub-regional military command, has made belligerent threats to the Tribal Council after the new Council Chairperson expressed support for independence. In June Col. Siagian reportedly said that he would ‘destroy’ anyone who ‘betrayed’ Indonesia.
Alarmingly, eight participants in the Tribal Council were subsequently arrested and taken in for interrogation, although we understand that they have now been released.
Col. Siagian has been indicted twice in absentia by the UN backed Special Panel in East Timor for crimes against humanity. His responsibility for organising militia forces in Bobonaro in 1999 prior to the independence referendum has been well documented. The indictments include detailed witness evidence of Col Siagian’s responsibility for the murders of 7 people, 4 of whom were disposed of in the sea after being transported there in his car. Col Siagian has also been implicated in the bloody massacres, such as the massacre at the Maliana police station that followed the referendum vote.
Over 30 Papuan, Indonesian and international human rights organizations (including our own) have recently called for Col Siagian to be withdrawn immediately.
4. There have been credible reports from West Papua of ongoing attacks, intimidation, surveillance and death threats against human rights defenders. These threats occurred in mid June 2007, following the visit of Ms. Hina Jilani, the UN Special Representative to the Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders. It is feared that members of the Indonesian military (TNI) are targeting people who met with Ms. Hina Jilani during her visit to Indonesia and who informed her about human rights abuses in West Papua.
We therefore urge you to appeal to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to:
Indonesia Human Rights Committee is a solidarity organization which aims to build links between the people of New Zealand and Indonesia by developing network with the groups in Indonesia and around the world who are working for human rights and democracy in Indonesia. Being interested is not enough, get involved!
IHRC, P.O. Box 68 419, Newton,
Auckland.
Phone/fax: 64-9-8159000,
Email: maire@clear.net.nz
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