Jayapura – Although Law 21/2001 on Special Autonomy (OTSUS) provides for the establishment of a human rights court in Papua, the fact is that this has not been done even though OTSUS is already ten years old.

Responding to this situation, the head of the human rights and law department in Papua, Abdul Kadir, said that this had not happened because of the lack of personnel to run the court.

He made this comment at a workshop on human rights and civil and political rights, in response to questions raised by journalists. He also said that bringing a judge to Papua to preside over an ad hoc court would be very expensive indeed.

Despite this problem, various groups, including the National Human Rights Commission in Papua, stressed the need for a human rights court because of the many human rights violations that have occurred in Papua.

The government should show some good will to act in this matter, but this has not been the case up to the present, even though the OTSUS is clear on the matter. If the government were to understand this in view of the many violations that occur, the reasons they give for not setting up the court such as the lack of personnel or the expense involved would be seen as being quite unacceptable.

Abdul Kadir also said that on 8 and 9 March, a Law Centre will be set up in Papua. This was very necessary in view of the many reports and complaints coming from the general public because this would make it possible for many of these cases to be resolved outside the court.

Poengky Indarti, the director of Imparsial, welcomed the intention to set up a Law Centre in Papua because this would make it easier for people in Papua to submit reports about the problems they are facing so as to ensure that they are acted upon. She told Bintang Papua that such a Law Centre would also play a role in protecting human rights.