Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti says that the humanitarian pause negotiated by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has failed to provide a solution to the armed conflict in Papua.
Maulidiyanti revealed that the agreement, which has already been cancelled by the new Komnas HAM commissioner Atnike Nova Sigiro, had already failed to resolve the problem of internally displaced people and the ongoing violence in Papua.
"Kontras' analysis is that the humanitarian pause agreement, the same one that has now been cancelled, failed to provide a solution to the conflict that is taking place in Papua or deal with the problem of displaced people that is occurring", said Maulidiyanti in a statement on Wednesday February 10.
Maulidiyanti said that the agreement was ineffectual even before it was implemented because it did not involve the parties that are in conflict, in this case the TNI (Indonesian military) and the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (OPM-TPNPB).
She also noted that right from the start the impression was that the humanitarian pause was not actually being taken seriously. The reason being that TNI Commander Marshal Yudo Margono explicitly stated that he was not convinced by the agreement for a humanitarian pause.
"The TPNPB also stated that they rejected the contents of the agreement for a humanitarian pause", said Maulidiyanti.
Added to this, the Indonesian government through Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD, stated that the government had yet to form a team to implement the humanitarian pause.
"Komnas HAM for the period 2022-2027 also stated that they were not in a position to continue with humanitarian pause agreement", said Maulidiyanti.
The humanitarian pause agreement was signed by Komnas HAM in Geneva on November 11, 2022 before the commissioners for the 2017-2022 period ended their terms of office.
The agreement was signed by four parties, the Komnas HAM, the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), the Papuan Council of Churches and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).
Not one of the four parties however was seen as representing the parties that are actually in conflict in Papua, namely the TNI and the OPM.
That is why the new Komnas HAM commissioner did not continue with the agreement, because was seen as not having any influence whatsoever on the two conflicting parties.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Kontras Sebut Perjanjian Jeda Kemanusiaan Komnas HAM Gagal Berikan Solusi untuk Konflik Papua".]