Human Rights Council 57 Side Event
Human Rights Situation in West Papua
October 1, 13.00-14.00 CET
Room XXV, Palais des Nations
Hybrid event: English (recording with subtitles in Bahasa Indonesia available post event)
Background
The human rights situation in West Papua, Indonesia, continues to be extremely concerning. In the first 6 months of 2024, extra-judicial killings linked to the ongoing armed conflict between the Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) have been reported. A surge in armed conflict has been reported in the period April-June 2024, which has continued to drive internal displacement, in particular among the Indigenous peoples. As of September 2024, 79,867 people are internally displaced, with no access to basic necessities such as healthcare services and education, and limited access to employment opportunities. IDPs returning to their villages and homes are confronted with heavy security presence, living under constant intimidation and surveillance.
In the backdrop of continuing restrictions on civil liberties, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and reports of torture of protestors, the proposed revisions of Law No 34/2004 on the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and Law No.2 of 2002 on the Indonesian National Police are concerning. In an already hyper-militarised context such as West Papua, strengthening police power without adequate oversight and increasing the influence of the military in civilian affairs, notably in the health and education sectors, could lead to grave consequences with regard to human rights.
A growing number of cases of land grabbing have been reported from the regencies of Merauke, Mimika, Deiyai and Sorong in the period April-June 2024, solidifying a growing trend of private investors capturing land and natural resources without obtaining Free, Prior, Informed Consent from Indigenous Papuans.
Against this backdrop, the Permanent People’s Tribunal held public hearings between 27-29 July 2024 at the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom, examining a body of evidence on the environmental impacts of development projects in West Papua and the human rights violations linked to those practices.
President Jokowi will step down on 20 October 2024 after completing two consecutive terms in office. In 2014, he vowed to address human rights violations in West Papua and since then, he has conducted at least 17 visits to the region. Despite these pledges and visits, the human rights and humanitarian situation in the region has continued to deteriorate. In the past 10 years under Jokowi’s administration, militarisation and securitisation of the region has expanded resulting in more civilian casualties and displacement. There is an urgent need for the Indonesian Government to immediately address the conflict and associated human rights violations and abuses and impunity through sustainable solutions based on the principles of human rights.
Objective of the side event
The event will bring together human rights defenders and experts to reflect upon the ongoing human rights situation in West Papua and explore practical actions that the UN Human Rights Council, and national and international actors could take to address the deepening human rights and humanitarian crisis.
The Permanent People’s Tribunal will take this opportunity to present its findings on State and environmental violence in West Papua.
Moderator:
Peter Prove, Director, Commission of the Churches on International Affairs
World Council of Churches
Speakers:
Speaker from West Papua
Savitri Nurina, Amnesty International Indonesia
Norman Voss, Human Rights Monitor
Simona Fraudatario, Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal
Organised by: World Council of Churches
Supported by:
Franciscans International
Human Rights Monitor
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development FORUM-ASIA
Amnesty International
TAPOL
Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice, Queen Mary University of London