Responding to the excessive actions by the police and the state civil servants (ASN) against protests by high school students rejecting the government's free nutritious meals (MBG) program in a number of cities in Papua, Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid, said:
"Stopping let alone arresting students who want to carry out peaceful actions rejecting the MBG program without justifiable legal grounds is a very real form of human rights violation which has been shown by the police in the land of Papua. The use of warning shots and tear gas in responding to actions by students who are demonstrating is clearly excessive.
Therefore the police must investigate whether the actions by its members were carried out according to regulations. Issuing warning shots and firing tear gas haphazardly represents a form of human rights violation by the authorities.
The police must ensure that the use of excessive force is not a solution to respond to protests in Papua, especially if they are confronted by actions carried out by high school students such as the actions rejecting the MBG program.
And if this was not enough, an ASN was even seen participating in these human rights violations by committing physical violence by kicking a high school student. Ironically, the violence against the child occurred right in front of the eyes of the security forces that should protect Papuan students from all forms of threats.
The anti-critical attitudes normalised through actions involving the excessive use of force by the authorities and also Papua ASN who commit acts of physical violence against a Papuan student must stop immediately.
The police must immediately conduct a thorough investigation of their members who used excessive force in responding to students' protests in Nabire, Yalimo, Jayapura and Wamena. The police must also legally process the ASN who was caught on camera trampling on a student because it was clear that this action violated the 2014 law on the protection of children. They must also process members who allowed the violence to be committed by the ASN.
What is happening in Papua is part of the tactics used by the Indonesian government to curb critical voices related to the MBG program in various other regions in Indonesia. The state must be open to receiving criticism from students instead of containing it.
Like adults, children also have the right to express their opinions and protest peacefully. Children who voice their opinions peacefully must actually be protected, as regulated under the 1945 Constitution and the Convention on Children's Rights. The state must also guarantee security and protection for children who voice their opinions peacefully, in accordance with the Convention on Children's Rights and Child Protection Act."
Background
There were a number of incidents of violence committed by the authorities against students who were participating in demonstrations rejecting the MBG program which took place simultaneously in several regions in Papua on Monday February 17. In addition to rejecting the MBG program, the students also demand that the government provide free education programs and improve school facilities.
During an incident in Nabire, Central Papua, the police blocked dozens of students who were about to move off towards the location of a demonstration and took them away by truck to the police station. Viral videos are also circulating showing an ASN in a brown uniform kicking a student's body and stepping on a student's feet while admonishing them with remarks demeaning their dignity when the students were gathered at the police station. "You're still a kid, still with a runny nose", said the ASN while holding the student's head.
Several other ASNs and the police, who were standing in front of the students that were sitting cross-legged on the ground, could be seen just witnessing the scene. Media reports said that that ASN who was seen kicking and reprimanding the student was the secretary of the Nabire Regency Education Office.
Meanwhile in Yalimo Regency, Papua Highlands, the police reportedly fired 12 shots and tear gas when confronting a student protest rejecting the MBG program. In Jayapura City, Papua province, as many as 15 junior and senior high school students were arrested when they were about to take part in protests who were later sent home after being questioned by the police at the Herram Sectoral Police Headquarters (Mapolsek). Reports also emerged of alleged violence by the authorities against students when they arrested participants in the action. In Wamena City, Papua Highlands, the police confronting a student demonstration fired tear gas.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) guarantees the right of children to express themselves, including in the form of peaceful street demonstrations.
Previously, in November last year, a student in the city of Bogor was also summoned by the school and forced to make a video of an apology for earlier recording a video of a MBG program meal belonging to a friend that was unfit to eat which went viral on social media. Even worse, these violations are in line with comments by government officials and buzzers who rebuke critical voices that highlight problems with the MBG program.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Hentikan intimidasi siswa sekolah Papua yang berdemonstrasi menolak MBG".]
