By : Toni Ervianto, Master Degree from UI and Bachelor Degree on Political Sciences of Universitas Jember (Unej)

The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) has issued a statement condemning the Indonesian government’s “denial of reports of human rights violations in Papua” during the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 26. The legal rights defender, which has previously advocated on behalf of several Papuan groups, says that the violations really took place.

LBH Jakarta data shows that between April and Sept. 16 this year, the government arrested 2,282 Papuans staging non-violent rallies. Most of these arrests took place from May 28 to July 27, in which 1,889 protesters were arrested, LBH Jakarta said in a release made available Monday.

“Indonesia, through its representative, Nara Masista, said problems in Papua were related to separatists seeking to disrupt public order. She also said Indonesia’s commitment to human rights was solid,” the release said. “But the reality begs to differ. LBH Jakarta and our network has recorded human rights violations from arrests, murders and dispersal of rallies,” the statement said. The data shows that from 2012 until June 2016, 4,198 Papuans were arrested. “The arrests were made in different places and involved intimidation,” it said.

The violations continued with the Papua Police chief’s order on July 1 this year, which limited freedom of expression by stigmatizing rallies with the label of separatism, LBH claimed, adding that since then, every rally had been dispersed and the protesters arrested.  “From Aug. 13 to Sept. 16, 112 protesters were arrested while carrying out non-violent rallies in several places in Papua and Jakarta,” LBH Jakarta went on.

Meaningless

Political defamation by several countries from South Pacific such as Pacific Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Tonga which are criticizing human rights conditions in Papua, at least could surprise all of the world. Indonesia has protested on those political defamation.

According to official statement which was read by Indonesia Representative in United Nations through spokes person, Nara Masista Rakhmatia, Indonesia has assessed that whatever had been done by six countries in Pacific Islands had violated United Nations charter, because one of main agenda the United Nations General Assembly is to discuss the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Solomon, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall, Tuvalu and Tonga had meddled on another country souverignty and they have been violating teritorrial integration. Nara has claimed that six countries in Pasific Islands had  hidden agenda and using the United Nations General Assembly switch attention from their internally sosial and politics problem.

Indonesia was using the United Nations General Assembly to explain about Papua’s integration is a final. I think, two advantages could be reached by Indonesia such as Indonesia has never been stayed  if their territory have been meddled with other countries, because Papua’s problem an international problem but internally the problems of Indonesia.

If we’ve seen from history, we had not allowed any party who want to pit or step on the sovereignty of Indonesia. As part of Indonesia, Papua obviously will not be separated from the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). If anyone dared to step on the sovereignty of Indonesia, its means indirectly dealng with hundreds of million of Indonesian.

Mean while, the member of the UN are 193 countries, the only six countries supported ULMWP and NCWP are definitely small and as mention by the Indonesian Ambassador to the UN is meaningless.

LBH Jakarta data shows that between April and Sept. 16 this year, the government arrested 2,282 Papuans staging non-violent rallies. Most of these arrests took place from May 28 to July 27, in which 1,889 protesters were arrested.

Refers to LBH Jakarta data above, we must check again on their accuracy because many of NGO are using their civilian network or their agent to monitoring situation in the field or they’ve gotten just from a news.

I think most of mass rallies in Papua which were organized by KNPB or AMP are violent rallies, because before they planned a mass rallies, they made a press conference, deployed leaflets and they did an internall meeting preparing legal advisor.

I think Nara Masista’s statement that a problems in Papua were related to separatists seeking to disrupt public order and Indonesia’s commitment to human rights was solid are absolutely right.

Meanwhile, the Papua issue seems to be "campaign material" enough to sell in PNG and the Solomon Islands, even the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands that Manasseh Sogavare quite vocal about Papua, although the figure this one being sued by a former leader Solomon Islands, GDL on cheating elections in Solomon Islands in 2015. Manasseh Sogavare is facing who understsand impeachment if the decision of the Court of Solomon Islands to be decided in October 2016.

There are some people in the Solomon Islands its relations with Indonesia is more important than listening to ULMWP "babble" is GDL and MT, two important figures are an important asset of Indonesian diplomacy related to the issue of Papua.

Last but not least, all of Indonesian people’s must sure that human rights abuse today in Papua is just political propaganda. Therefore, all circles in Indonesia must vigilance on these issues. Hopefully.