Theo Kelen, Jayapura – The Indonesian Military Headquarters or Mabes TNI has stated that they will use a humanist approach in supporting national food security programs in the land of Papua, especially the 1 million hectare rice field National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke regency.
Activists and human rights defenders however doubt that the involvement of TNI soldiers in the food security program will produce a humanist approach towards indigenous peoples in the land of Papua.
Mabes TNI Information Centre head Major General Haryanto said that TNI soldiers clearly love the people therefore the TNI will work in humanist manner. Haryanto said that in its work the TNI would adjust to local traditions and customs and with a socio-cultural approach towards local indigenous peoples.
"The TNI will work in a humanist manner", Haryanto told Jubi on Wednesday October 16.
Haryanto said the TNI's presence in Merauke as a Vulnerable Region Support (PDR) unit has the main task of helping the government optimise the availability of food. Haryanto said the TNI would also help in the fields of animal husbandry, community health activities and construction to realise national food security.
"The TNI is always one with the people to build in various sectors of the community. To improve the standard of living and a life for the community that is better", he said.
Haryanto said that the TNI serves under the guidelines of the Sapta Marga (the seven point personal commitment), the soldiers' oath, the TNI's eight-point obligatory duties as well as obeying the law and respecting local customs. Haryanto said that if violence is committed by TNI soldiers in the field, the ranking field commander would be held responsible and face the consequences under applicable law.
But we should not be provoked by irresponsible people who spread fake news for personal gain, deliberately damaging progress and peace in the land of Papua. We must be more observant in looking at it, and enquire directly with more proficient sources", Haryanto told Jubi in a WhatsApp message on Wednesday.
Haryanto said that if problems occur related to local customs, they will always be handled through deliberations and consensus, adding the TNI struggles with the people and for the benefit of the people.
"The unity of the TNI and the people will not be separated, like fish and water need each other. The TNI carries out its duties in accordance with the law, namely upholding sovereignty, maintaining the integrity of the nation, and protecting all the people and their places of birth", he said.
Poor track record
Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid however said it is reasonable to doubt the humanist approach promised by the TNI because it has a poor track record in the land of Papua. According to Hamid, the boastful attitude of the military corps also often makes TNI soldiers feel they are above the law.
"I'm sceptical of the claim, considering that the TNI has a poor track record of human rights violations in Papua. Including the torture and extrajudicial killing of civilians", Hamid told Jubi on Wednesday.
Hamid stressed that food security in Papua should be a civil matter saying that the humanist approach claimed by the TNI should be realised by prioritising the protection of indigenous peoples' rights and respecting human rights.
"Rather than involving the military, the government should prioritise a participatory approach that involves indigenous Papuans in every development project. Without their full involvement, projects such as the food estate will continue to be seen as a form of economic and political colonisation that ignores the basic rights of local communities", he said.
Hamid said that the TNI Commander needs to review the policy of TNI involvement in supporting food security. He said the government should take steps to reduce militarisation in Papua, in order to resolve the conflict and prevent new violence there.
Local people afraid to protest
Papua Human Rights Lawyers Association (PAHAM) Director Gustaf Kawer said that based on the experience of what has happened in Papua there will be no humanist military approach. Kawer said the humanist approach touted by the TNI as a promise in the implementation of the food security project is just a slogan.
"From experience, I think there won't be any military approach that is humanist. The humanist approach is just an empty slogan. We see from the experience in Papua, in several places they [the TNI] are involved in health and education missions, but in fact human rights violations continue to occur", Kawer told Jubi on Wednesday.
Kawer said the TNI"s involvement in the food security program in Papua will only silence the critical voices of indigenous peoples. Kawer said the people would be afraid to criticise or protest over their land which has been taken by force under the pretext of food security.
"The TNI's involvement is to silence the community. For example, in land clearing, because of the involvement of the TNI, the community is afraid to criticise [the] the locations [of their communal land] that has been taken. In the process of managing business or food, if the impact is financial losses for communities, the communities no longer have any room to complain, because a military institution is involved", he said.
Kawer said the direct presence of the TNI will give rise to psychological pressure on indigenous communities and that no matter what the arguments are, it would be better for the TNI not to be involved in the food security program.
"The violence is not only about the physical weapons they use to commit violence. But their involvement from the beginning has terrorised communities psychologically, and that's why I then say the communities have lost their power to be critical. My suggestion is that the military should not be involved in managing it for any reason", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "TNI Janjikan Pendekatan Humanis Proyek Ketahanan Pangan, Diragukan Para Pembela HAM".]
