Indonesia must seriously address human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings in Papua, say the Pacific churches.
The Pacific Conference of Churches General Secretary, Reverend Francois Pihaatae, says Papuans are being killed and tortured merely because they want self-determination, a right guaranteed by the United Nations of which Indonesia is a member.
He said 500,000 Papuans have died since Indonesia annexed the territory in 1961.
Pihaatae said the situation in Papua was made worse by Indonesian denials when the evidence of abuse was clear.
“Social media makes it impossible for Indonesia to hide the atrocities committed by its security forces on a people who want to determine their political future for themselves.”
The call came after the killing of a student in Timika and Indonesia’s denials at the United Nations General Assembly of human rights abuses in the territory.
Rev Pihaatae said that despite the obvious, overwhelming evidence, the Indonesian government insulted the intelligence of Pacific people by its denials.
“Our leaders’ silence will not make the issue go away,” Pihaatae said.
“In the name of humanity we, the Pacific churches, call on our leaders to end this bloodshed and bring injustice in Papua to an end.”
Source
- Image: freewestpapua.org
