Gamaliel Kaliele, Sorong – Papua Independent Indigenous Communities (MAI) General Chairperson Johanes Tsenawatme has condemned the attitude of the government which continues to ignore threats against human rights activists in the land of Papua.
Based on Amnesty International Indonesia's records, there have been 454 cases of attacks on human rights defenders in Papua since 2019.
"Foreign and national companies often exploit natural resources without the approval of indigenous peoples, such as petroleum mining in Sorong. Peaceful actions opposing these actions are often faced with violence", said Tsenawatme at the Save Customary Land and the Papuan People conference on Tuesday December 11.
The Papua MAI also called for an end to the practice of human rights violations against indigenous peoples. They emphasised that protests are not a threat, but rather a struggle to safeguard the future of indigenous peoples in the land of Papua.
"Evictions, exploitation and violence against indigenous peoples must stop. However, as long as they are suppressed, Papuans cannot speak about justice and humanity", said Tsenawatme.
Elisa Bisulu, a Papua MAI activist from Greater Sorong added that the right to self-identification is the principal basis for recognising indigenous peoples. This provision is in accordance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention and the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
"These rights includes recognition of the existence, culture, land, language and other elements that form the identity of indigenous peoples. Article 31 of the UNDRIP also emphasises the need to protect the cultural heritage and traditions of indigenous peoples, which are often threatened by exploitation by outsiders", Bisulu said.
Wespa Gombo, another Papua MAI activists, continued saying that capitalism and colonialism have been rooted in the land of Papua since the 15th century. Natural resources continue to be exploited without any benefit to the welfare of indigenous peoples. On the contrary, they have lost a great deal of land and other customary rights.
"Colonialism and modern capitalism prioritise infrastructure development for external interests while ignoring the basic needs of indigenous peoples. As a result, indigenous Papuans are trapped in economic, social and political injustice", Gombo said.
The Papua MAI is therefore urging the government and the international community to respect the rights of indigenous peoples. This respect includes stopping the exploitation of natural resources in Papua and giving indigenous peoples the opportunity to determine their own destiny.
"Customary land is our life. If our land is lost, our existence as indigenous Papuans will also be lost", Bisulu said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Pemerintah Abaikan Keselamatan Pembela HAM Di Tanah Papua".]
Source: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/pemerintah-abaikan-keselamatan-pembela-ham-di-tanah-papua/
