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Indonesia: Independent investigation needed into Papua violence
Human Rights Watch Press Release - October 28, 2011
New York – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should immediately establish an independent investigation into the deaths of at least three protesters and the ongoing violence in Papua, Human Rights Watch said today.
On October 19, 2011, Indonesian police and the army fired warning shots to disperse approximately 1,000 Papuans gathered for a peaceful pro-independence demonstration in the Papua provincial capital, Jayapura, after one of the leaders read out the 1961 Papua Declaration of Independence. In an ensuing crackdown by the security forces on the demonstrators, at least three people were killed and dozens were injured. Witnesses said several had gunshot wounds.
"Papuans peacefully calling for independence does not justify a deadly crackdown," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "President Yudhoyono has an opportunity to show Papuans that he's concerned about their rights by seriously investigating these deaths."
The involvement of security forces in the violence, as well as government denials of any wrongdoing, demonstrate the need for an independent investigation, Human Rights Watch said. While the military announced that the National Police were investigating the incident, the government has already said that the police and military acted appropriately. "The government did not find any abuse of power nor mismanaged approaches by the security officers," said presidential spokesman, Julian Aldrin Pasha. "Police officers and security forces just accomplished their duties mandated by the state."
Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that at about 2:30 p.m. on October 19, at the "Third Papuan Congress," Forkorus Yaboisembut, chairman of the Papuan Customary Council, read out a 1961 Declaration of Independence, and said that he and Edison Waromi, the president of the West Papua National Authority, had been elected by the Congress as president and prime minister respectively of the "Democratic Republic of West Papua."
About 30 minutes later, the event concluded and the crowd started to disperse, but about 1,000 people remained in the field, talking, and socializing. At approximately 3:30 p.m., the police and military, who had deployed anti-riot trucks and surrounded the field since midnight the night before, began firing military assault weapons over the crowds and into the air.
Witnesses said that most of the people in the field began running. Others stopped and surrendered, putting their hands up. The police then arrested approximately 300 people, ordering them to strip down to their underwear. Witnesses say that security forces pistol-whipped or beat those they arrested with rattan canes and batons, resulting in several injuries.
Many others fled into the woods near the field, with some using a road by a nearby school and military outpost. Witnesses said the police and military forces followed into the woods and there arrested numerous others.
The three reported deaths are:
Indonesian security forces should abide by the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms, Human Rights Watch said. These which call upon law enforcement officials, including members of the armed forces, to apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force, to use force only in proportion to the seriousness of the offense, and to use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable, to protect life. The principles also provide that governments shall ensure that arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials is punished as a criminal offense under their law.
Police have since released all of those arrested except for six men, five of whom were charged with treason, and one charged with possession of a sharp weapon:
"Past mistreatment of Papuan political prisoners means the safety of these detainees is also at risk," Pearson said. "Those detained should be treated fairly and have access to Indonesia's human rights commission and local human rights groups."
This incident follows a string of violent incidents in Papua since July, including:
Documenting human rights violations during protests and other events is especially difficult because of restrictions, since 1962, on access to Papua for foreign human rights monitors and journalists. Human Rights Watch called on the Indonesian government to lift these restrictions. Human Rights Watch takes no position on the self-determination of the Papuan people.
"Police and military personnel have also been the victims of violence in Papua," Pearson said. "But police investigations have been woefully inadequate, and there's a need for independent investigations into this escalating violence."
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