The Government Concerned About Papua’s Human Rights Problems When the Pandemic Covid-19
By: Abner Wanggai) *
The government will follow up on the report of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) related to alleged human rights violations in Papua. The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said he would study the report. This government effort shows the Government’s commitment to continue to pay attention to Papua even in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The government at the same time ensures that it will not remain silent about cases of human rights violations. Mahfud said that after studying the report, his party would determine the next step.
The former leader of the Constitutional Court (MK) also said that the investigation of alleged gross human rights violations in Paniai would be carried out openly. Thus, the public can also find out if the government is having difficulty in following up on the report.
The National Commission on Human Rights set the shooting in Paniai on 7-8 December 2014 as a gross human rights violation. Komnas HAM said that the case fulfilled the structured and systematic element of torture and murder.
In that case, 4 people died and 21 people suffered gunshot wounds and stab wounds. Komnas HAM also stated that TNI members who served at Kodam XVII / Cenderawasih were responsible.
Komnas HAM Chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik stated in his written statement that the decision was based on the findings of the ad hoc TIM investigation of violations of law Number 26 of 2000 concerning the Human Rights Court. The team worked together for 5 years.
The community was also asked to take part in the process of investigating the case, which was allegedly involved a number of TNI officers in the Kodam XVII / Cenderawasih Command Structure, to the field command in Enarotali.
The case has also reached the National Human Rights Commission, Mahfud believes that the National Human Rights Commission will work professionally in investigating cases that occurred in Paniai, Papua.
Previously, the government had planned to revive the TRC, to resolve cases of gross human rights violations that could become a historical burden.
This is evidenced by the performance of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights which has reshaped the TRC Bill now submitted to the Indonesian Parliament.
Previously, at the National Commission on Human Rights Special Plenary Session on February 3, 2020, the Paniai incident that occurred in Papua on December 7-8, 2014 was a gross human rights violation.
Member of the Presidential Advisory Council (Watimpres) Sidarto Danusubroto said, the TRC Act had indeed been discussed by the DPR in 2014 but was overturned by the MK. Then in the second period the current Jokowi government also committed to re-submit the Truth Commission for Reconciliation.
The former Chairman of the MPR RI considered that the discourse on the KKR Bill conducted by Jokowi’s National Secretariat would provide a lot of input, because it presented activist figures, even some of them were victims. And what this does is to provide sharing of academic texts.
He explained, that now we know there is a strong commitment from the government. Even the Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security also strongly encourages this. Then a dialogue involving experts and victims is expected to help the reconciliation effort.
In addition to paying attention to human rights matters in Papua, the Government also monitors the handling of co-19 in Papua.
The government ensures that West Papua continues to implement health protocols, as well as being aware of developments in security and order in Papua.
Please note that West Papua has restricted the movement of people. Restricting people’s movements is done by restricting people with non-West Papua identity or ID cards from entering their territory and vice versa.
The Governor of West Papua has banned commercial flight activities and ship transportation for humans. At present, the airlines and ships that operate only transport goods and cargo to ensure basic goods, medical equipment and other needs are guaranteed.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of West Papua Province, Mohammad Lakotani, appealed to the public not to be resistant to efforts to deal with the new type of corona virus that causes Covid-19 by a task force to accelerate the handling of Covid-19 in the area, especially in the case of burial of dead patients.
Even though the funeral process is the result of safety considerations of local residents, including a medical team that handles patients who have either recently contracted or who have died.
The government certainly will not remain silent in handling these two problems, ranging from human rights violations to the co-19 pandemic problem that made the whole of Indonesia tantrum.
) * The writer is a Papuan student, living in Yogyakarta
