Theo Kelen, Jayapura – The administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is being asked to push for a resolution to the armed conflict and violence in the land of Papua. Violence and armed conflicts in Papua can only be resolved through peaceful dialogue.
National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Chairperson Atnike Nova Sigiro said Papua's special autonomy has been running for more than 20 years, but conflicts and violence are still prone to occur in the Papua. Conflict and violence have resulted in casualties on the part of civilians, the TNI (Indonesian Military) and Polri (Indonesian Police), as well as West Papua National Liberation Army combatants (TPNPB).
"The situation also created social vulnerability that that hampered the enjoyment and protection of human rights, such as difficulties in law enforcement against the perpetrators of violence", Sigiro said in a press statement on Friday October 25.
Sigiro said that the prolonged armed conflict and violence are creating internal refugees and have hampered Papuan citizens' access to economic, social and cultural rights such as education, healthcare and employment.
Sigiro said that the central government must encourage and support regional governments in all provinces in Papua and that this is important to provide effective guarantees for the fulfillment and protection of human rights for the community, including when people are confronted by conflict and violent situations.
Sigiro said the security approach applied by the government must be measured. She also stated that law enforcement was important because it can build public trust and encourage an end to the conflict.
Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said that violence involving state security forces and Papuan Independence movement groups continues to claim lives. Hamid is asking President Prabowo and the new administration to re-evaluate the massive security approach in Papua.
"We urge the president and new administration to re-evaluate the massive security approach in the land of Papua. The increasingly intensive military placement only produces more human rights violations", Hamid said in a written statement on Friday.
Hamid said that the Prabowo-Gibran administration must uphold human rights for all citizens, including indigenous Papuans. Hamid also said that the Prabowo-Gibran administration should be able to ensure justice and accountability for cases of human rights violations in Papua.
Papua Association of Human Rights Advocates (PAHAM) Director Gustaf Kawer said Prabowo must prove that his administration is present to resolve human rights issues and that Prabowo must not ignore human rights, especially those occurring in Papua.
"Past human rights violations were not resolved properly (by President Jokowi). He (Prabowo) must also prove that his government is present to resolving human rights issues. He should not ignore human rights issues", Kawer told Jubi on Thursday October 24.
Kawer said the Prabowo-Gibran administration has homework to do in order to resolve human rights issues in Indonesia, especially in Papua. Kawer said the human rights cases that need to be resolved including the gross human rights violations in Wamena in 2003 and Wasior in 2001-2002.
"He (Prabowo) must prove himself and (cases of gross human rights violations) must be solved. (That is) the homework that must be completed. He must prove that he has changed. Changed in the context of how human rights are taken care of. Past human rights violations (must) be solved, be it the Bloody Wamena (or) the Wasior (incidents)", he said.
Papua Peace Network (JDP) spokesperson Yan Christian Warinussy said that peaceful dialogue remains the first and foremost icon in order to resolve the armed conflict and violence in Papua. A peaceful dialogue must involve the parties involved in the political conflict.
Warinussy said that the JDP is of the view that it is important for the Prabowo-Gibran administration to appoint a special staff or envoy who will focus on resolving the armed conflict and violence in Papua.
He hopes that the new administration will not emulate the policy of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration, which for the past 10 years has chosen to use a security approach in Papua.
"(The Prabowo-Gibran administration must) appoint and place a special envoy for the resolution of the armed conflict and violence in the land of Papua. During the administration of President Jokowi [and Vice President] Amin Ma'ruf, there was no focus on activities to resolve the armed conflict and violence in the land of Papua", Warinussy told Jubi in a WhatsApp message on Friday evening.
Warinussy said that if the Prabowo-Gibran administration continued to maintain a security approach, conflicts and violence will continue to occur in Papua. Warinussy said the security approach has consistently failed to resolve the armed conflict.
"During the 10 years of Jokowi's administration, it was clear that the security approach always failed to resolve the armed conflict or stop violence in the land of Papua. The indicator of this is that what actually occurred was the addition of security personnel in the land of Papua and military operations have become more widespread and have not guaranteed a peaceful end to the armed conflict", he said.
Papuan religious leader Father John Djonga also said that dialogue is the best way to resolve the armed conflict. Djonga also said that the Prabowo-Gibran administration must listen to the Papuan people's aspirations.
"[If] Prabowo is truly a general who has the courage to uphold justice and human rights, (his administration) must talk to (the Papuan people). What about the rights of the Papuan people to build their own nation or their own land? There must be dialogue", Djonga told Jubi on Friday.
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Prabowo-Gibran Diminta Selesaikan Konflik Bersenjata Di Tanah Papua".]
Source: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/prabowo-gibran-diminta-selesaikan-konflik-bersenjata-di-tanah-papua/
