United Nations seeks answers over human rights abuses in Papua

Indonesia – United Nations seeks answers over human rights abuses in Papua in Indonesia. Several issues including enforced disappearances in Papua have come under the spotlight of the United Nations.

A document was sent by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to the Indonesian government on human rights abuses in Papua. According to UCA News, the document was signed by Jose Francisco Cali Tzay,  UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Morris Tidball-Binz, special rapporteur on arbitrary executions, and Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons.

In the document, they alleged that they received information about several instances of extrajudicial killings of people including young children. They also received allegations of enforced disappearances of people, forced displacement of indigenous Papuans and torture and inhuman treatment.

Reportedly, indigenous West Papuans are often abused for being dark-skinned. They face cultural, ethnic, political, and religious marginalization.

On October 26, 2021, a two-year-old child was killed after being shot in a gun battle between security forces and the West Papua Liberation Army in Sugapa, Intan Jaya district. A six-year-old child was also injured because of the battle.

The document also mentioned the case of Samuel Kobogau, 31. Kobogau in Sugapa was reported as a victim of enforced disappearance by military personnel and whose whereabouts have not been known since October 5, 2021.

The document stated that the growing number of internally displaced villagers has provoked an unknown number of deaths of villagers because of lack of food, medical care and weather conditions. The document also stated that the Red Cross, church charities and other aid organizations have been restricted to help internally displaced people.

Recently, Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights said that security forces were involved in the shooting and torturing of civilians.