Appreciating the Government’s Commitment to Resolve Papuan Human Rights Violations
By: Jeremiah Kogoya) *
The government reiterated to prioritize the settlement of human rights violations in Papua. The effort should be appreciated considering that the Government is currently looking for better approaches to resolve the case. The issue of human rights is indeed a bit sensitive, because it involves a personal life, and human dignity. Violations of human rights cases also have a legal basis. So that no one can mess with these human rights. Especially now that Indonesia has expanded its wings by being appointed as the UN Human Rights Council. It not only proves that human rights in the country are good enough, but can further improve and handle the problem within Indonesia’s own body.
Many incidents of intimidation, racism, arrests and violence since September 2019 have triggered demonstrations in various cities in Papua. Concerns about more casualties made the whole community, Komnas HAM work together to other State Human Rights Institutions. This collaboration is believed to open the way to completion. In fact, the Beka Ulung Hapsara Commissioner stated that the National Human Rights Commission has a Papua case team. He said there were still many cases of gross human rights violations that had not been completed until the alleged cases of human rights violations in Papua that occurred lately. Indonesia’s electability has become a wake up call to solve problems related to human dignity and that is, according to the corridor of human rights.
Beka stated that from the beginning he had fully supported Indonesia’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council. However, the membership must also fulfill the requirements to improve the quality of human rights politics in their own country. Including prioritizing the Papua problem so that it does not drag on. He said he had asked President Jokowi to prioritize the handling of problems in Papua in his work list for the next five years. Ahmad Taufan Damanik, as Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission said, the conflict that occurred in Bumi Cendrawasih has become the most crucial problem and must be resolved immediately. In this regard, Komnas HAM has a role to facilitate all parties to sit together to solve problems in Papua. Moreover, Komnas HAM claims to have visited Papua in October 2019 to see the real problems facing Papua.
Previously, Indonesia again won the title of the UN Human Rights Council representing Asia Pacific in a vote in the city of New York, United States, last October. Indonesia itself won the most votes compared to four other candidates, namely Japan, Marshall Islands, South Korea and Iraq, 174 of the support of 192 UN member states that voted.
Many parties appreciated Indonesia’s new achievements on an international scale. However, not the world name if there is no controversy. Because, not a few who are skeptical to see Indonesia again serving as the UN Human Rights Council in the middle of the world spotlight on the situation in Papua which later had heated up. Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla also briefly reminded the government to maintain domestic human rights better.
President Joko Widodo responded to this by appealing to the Papuan people to reflect on the experience of the conflict, which in recent times had peaked.
According to him, the conflict must be a valuable lesson for the people of Papua that the commitment of unity to develop Papua must be maintained. Jokowi added that if all the people of Papua were united, prosperity and prosperity would be achieved. Jokowi also stated that, the police and the TNI were also committed to maintaining unity in Bumi Cendrawasih. Jokowi asked the Papuan people to solve problems that could trigger conflict peacefully so that unity could be maintained.
This human rights issue certainly departs from two sides. If only the government plays an active role without any response from the facilitated parties, of course it’s just bullshit. The role of the government as the front guard protecting its people is the most crucial. However, there must still be support and assistance from citizens to complete the human rights polemic in Papua. Good cooperation between countries, government officials, to the bottom line of society is not impossible to be able to solve even the most difficult problems. So, supporting, helping all steps the government related to human rights should also be given. Is not, a strong and victorious country are those who are united, working together to embrace each other. And don’t rule out any government achievements in this regard.
) * The writer is a Papuan student living in Jakarta
