Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – The Papua Student Front (FMP) held a protest action in front of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices in Jakarta on Friday March 3.
The action began at 1.17 pm with protesters demanding that the Komnas HAM commissioner come outside and directly declare their position on the incidents of violence occurring in Papua.
Despite the pouring rain, the protesters continued to stand in front of the Komnas HAM offices.
"We here will perhaps get a bit of a cold, but this is nothing compared with the suffering of our sisters and brothers in Papua", said one of the speakers.
FMP Coordinator Rudi Kogoya said that they are firmly asking that the Komnas HAM commissioner to come out of her office, as was done by the previous Komnas HAM commissioner who met with them outside the building.
"We want the commissioner to come out and convey their position in front of everyone, not just a representative. Also in front of the media", said Kogoya.
A Komnas HAM official then came out, but not the commissioner. The official asked if there was a representative of the protesters who could come in and convey their wishes inside.
The FMP however refused because they felt exhausted after making a report and seeing that there was no result of their report in Papua.
The official then said that the commissioner who would receive them had special needs so they could not attend while it was raining.
At 2.07 pm the Papua students gave in and went into the complaints area and were met by Komnas HAM commissioner for complaints, Hari Kurniawan.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Front Mahasiswa Papua Bertahan Diguyur Hujan, Minta Komnas HAM Nyatakan Sikap atas Kekerasan di Papua".]
