Adlu, Jubi TV – Papuan People's Solidarity in Manokwari, West Papua, has expressed that they stand with Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti, two rights activists who were recently named as suspects for alleged defamation of Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Previously on August 20, 2021, Haris Azhar posted on his YouTube channel a video titled "Lord Luhut, BIN General Behind Intan Jaya's Economic-Military Relation', in which he discussed with Fatia Maulidiyanti the oligarchs suspected of controlling the mining business in Papua's Intan Jaya Regency. They reveal several names and one of them is Luhut. The Minister then reported Haris and Fatia to the Jakarta police and sued them Rp 100 billion (US$7 million) on charges of defamation.

A member of the Papuan People's Solidarity, Ronald, invited all Papuans to empathize with Haris and Fatia for the unjust treatments they got from Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

"We as Papuans must stand with Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti because they are criminalized for discussing Papuan issues," said Ronald.

Coordinator of Sisar Matiti Legal Aid Institute Yohanes Akwam asked the people to support Haris and Fatia by joining protests urging the police to release Haris and Fatia through the issuance of SP3 (letter to halt the investigation).

"The National Police Chief must order the Jakarta Police Chief to issue an SP3 letter for Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti," said Akwam. "Because naming them suspects is unconstitutional and violates freedom of expression," he added.

His party asked the government and Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan to compare the facts presented by Haris and Fatia with data and study results.

"For the sake of public information transparency, we ask the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment to disclose investment data in Papua and West Papua," he said.

"We, on the other hand, have data of material and immaterial losses experienced by the Papuan people as a result of massive investment in Papua," Akwam said.

Meanwhile, Papuan lawyer Metusalak Awom said that neither the government nor the police had conducted an in-depth investigation to prove Haris and Fatia's claim.

According to him, the data presented by Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti should have been used by the police to further investigate the mining business in Papua.

"If Luhut is offended, he must have proven Haris and Fatia wrong by presenting his data transparently to the public. But he did not that," he said.

Papuan People's Solidarity for Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti consists of a number of Papuan activists and advocates in Manokwari. They will take to the street soon to support the two human rights activists.

Source: https://en.jubi.co.id/papuan-people-in-solidarity-with-haris-azhar-and-fatia-maulidiyanti