Jakarta Globe, Alin Almanar, October 06, 2016
Villagers of Mamit, a remote village located in mountainous area in Tolikara district, Papua. (JG Photo/Donny Andhika Mononimbar) |
Jakarta.
Calls are reemerging for the Indonesian government to take a cultural approach
in settling human rights issues in Papua following a concerted voice on the
matter during a recent United Nations meeting.
Seven
Pacific countries pushed for a resolution of alleged human rights abuses in
Indonesia's eastern province during the 71st session of the UN General Assembly
in New York two weeks ago. The allegations were rejected by the Indonesian
government representative at the meeting.
The
Indonesian government promised earlier this year to settle dozens of human
rights abuse cases in Papua, but progress in the long-awaited resolution
remains unclear. Indonesian Civil Society Circle director Ray Rangkuti said the
move could be going nowhere with authorities having constantly taken a
repressive approach in dealing with the issues.
"They
would never be settled unless there is an assurance that Papuans would not be
suppressed in exercising their freedom of expression," he said in Jakarta
on Wednesday (05/10).
Rallies in
support of the province's independence, which were held in various parts of
Indonesia in recent months, have been repressed by authorities. The Free Papua
Organization (OPM) has been mounting an insurgency for decades.
"That
approach is unnecessary. Even though the issues raised are high-level, the
threats are low-level in the context of security," Ray said. "The
cycle of violence must be broken."
The OPM has
complained that the central government has given resource-rich Papua an unfair
share of state wealth after the province became part of Indonesia in 1969.
The
administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been developing
several infrastructure projects to boost the economy in Papua, a move Indonesia
suggested during the recent UN meeting.
Catholic
priest and human rights advocate Benny Susetyo said the efforts would mean
nothing to ease the situation in Papua if the government does not approach
Papuans culturally.
"The
approach needs dialogue and the government should have the willingness to do
so, instead of seeing them as a threat," he said. "Physical
development without a cultural approach would be useless."
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