[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Rights violations getting worse in Papua: Observer
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- Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2006 11:36:00 +0200
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**http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20060823.G07&irec=5
Rights violations getting worse in Papua: Observer
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
The level of human rights violations in Papua has increased in recent years,
according to one observer, who asked the international community to do more for
the province.
"Systematic human rights violations continue taking place in Papua every year,"
Rev. Dora Balubun said Monday during a discussion at the Jayapura Diocese
office with Chris Sidoti, director of the Geneva-based International Human
Rights Service.
Dora said the latest example occurred in Abepura in March, when security
officers allegedly assaulted students.
The incident he was referring to followed a clash between security officers and
protesters demanding the closure of the PT Freeport Indonesia gold and copper
mine. In that clash three policemen and a member of the Air Force were beaten
to death.
Dora, who serves parishioners in conflict areas, attributed some of the alleged
rights violations in Papua to the unclear political status of the province, and
the manner in which Papua became part of Indonesia.
He said while the government insisted Papua was an integral part of the
country, many Papuans felt their land had been hijacked by Indonesia through a
legally flawed referendum.
"That's why many Papuans feel as if they are not part of Indonesia. And as long
as the problem of the political status of Papua is not comprehensively settled,
human rights violations will continue to take place," he said.
Each time Papuans demand their rights, Dora alleged, they are branded as
separatists who must be eliminated.
"A number of human rights violations have started with (Papuans) demanding
their rights, like the Wasior case where Papuans demanded their customary right
to manage their natural resources," Dora said.
Instead of responding to the demand, paramilitary police officers silenced the
people by accusing them of threatening the state's sovereignty, Dora said. He
added that the incident in Abepura also began with a demand by Papuans for
their rights.
The authorities' effort to silence any demand by the people for their rights
constitutes an effort to kill the country's blossoming democracy, Dora claimed.
Meanwhile, Chris Sidoti said the issue of human rights violations in Papua
earned little attention internationally because of the perception the
violations were not on the same level as what was seen in Aceh for decades.
To force the international community to respond to events in Papua, he said,
rights campaigners should incessantly and aggressively raise the issue.
However, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tommy Yacobus denied Tuesday the human
rights situation in the province was worsening. He said claims about an
increase in the level of rights violations were the result of misunderstandings
about what constituted a violation.
"Due to different perceptions, what is classified as a human rights violation
here is not classified as one in the international world," Tommy said.
Citing an example, he said hitting someone was considered to be a human rights
violation in Papua, but in reality it was a normal crime.
"How come human rights campaigners here classify the Abepura incident, in which
four of my subordinates were killed, as a human rights violation?" he asked.
The officer brushed off the critics and rights campaigners, saying they first
had to understand what constituted a rights violation and what did not.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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