Jakarta – Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is urging all government institutions to end the stigmatisation of the Papuan people as separatists in responding to developments in West Papua.

"Security personnel must change their paradigm. Don't immediately view minor unrest as separatism. The presence of the national police and the TNI [Indonesian military] should be aimed at crating a sense of security not fear", said Ray Rangkuti during a press conference held by Skup at the offices of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of Friday June 15.

Up until now, according to Rangkuti, the TNI and police are still committing acts of violence that are making the situation in Papua increasingly unfavorable. Yet, he said, the presence of security personnel in Indonesia's eastern-most island should be to provide a solution to the conflict in Papua. "The [counter-terrorism unit] Detachment 88 has been sent to Papua. What for?", asked Rangkuti.

Rangkuti said the government should see that the various incidents in West Papua cannot be separated from each other. "This represents part of an integral [approach]. Starting from the security sector to welfare. The NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] can only be upheld if the government upholds justice for the Papuan and Indonesian people as a whole", he said. [simon]

[Translated by James Balowski.]