Jakarta – Kontras National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, Elsham Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy and National Solidarity for Papua formerly Irian Jaya (SNUP) lodged strong protests against plans made in a closed meeting held between People's Representatives Council (DPR) Commission I and the armed forces commander to impose civilian emergency status and launch integrated operations in Papua.

The three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) felt a state of civilian emergency in the province would be a bad move and would only worsen the problem in the province.

According to them, the suggestion raised by a member of the TNI/Polri Indonesian National Military Forces/National Police Faction was a deliberate attempt hamper investigations into human rights violation cases in Papua, in particular the Wamena and Wasior cases.

Apart from that, the suggestion also demonstrated that there was an intention to legalize repressive action in Papua during the 2004 General Election.

"It is also evidence of legislature failure to identify the fundamental problems in Papua. Besides, it is aimed at simplifying the problem solving effort by calling the Papuan public a threat to security, so that an integrated operation can be implemented," said Kontras Coordinator, Usman Hamid, in Jakarta yesterday (26 January).

The three NGOs hoped that the government would cancel the plans before the 2004 General Elections.