Jayapura – The arrival of the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Jakarta, Indonesia, on October 17-19 is a moment that deserves serious attention from the people of West Papua and the international community.
This was emphasised by West Papua National Committed (KNPB) General Chairperson Agus Kossay during a protest action at the Waena 3 State Housing Company (Perumnas) taxi roundabout in Jayapura city, Papua, on Monday October 19.
The KNPB is of the view that this visit should not only be understood as a diplomatic agenda between the UN and the Indonesian government. In the midst of political problems, violence, displacement and demands for the basic rights of the West Papuan people, this momentum must be used to again raise fundamental questions that have so far not received a political solution that can be accepted by all interested parties:
"How can the right of the West Papuan people to determine their own future be guaranteed through a process that is free, fair and in accordance with the principles of international law?", he said.
He emphasised that West Papua is not just a human rights issue.
The KNPB stated that the West Papua issue should not be reduced to a mere issue of human rights violations. Human rights are an urgent issue that must be addressed, but protecting human rights does not by itself resolve issues of political status and the right to self-determination.
"A solution that is only oriented towards development assistance, security dialogue, or improving bilateral relations without addressing the root political problems risks allowing the conflict to continue to recur".
Therefore, the KNPB is pushing for the West Papua issue be placed in a more comprehensive discussion, taking into account the principles of decolonisation, the right to self-determination, protection of indigenous peoples, as well as international obligations in the field of human rights.
The KNPB hopes that the UN will listen to the voice of the West Papuan people.
For this reason, the KNPB asked the UN Secretary General not only to hear explanations from the Indonesian government regarding the West Papua situation. The voices of indigenous peoples, victims of violence, internal refugees, families of victims, human rights defenders, church figures and representatives of Papuan civil society also need to receive meaningful space.
"The KNPB is pushing the UN to open credible communication channels with various representatives of the West Papuan people, guarantee attention to victims' testimonies, and support humanitarian access and independent human rights monitoring", he asserted.
He continued emphasising that, "The ordinary Papuan people are not just the objects of development policy or the objects of diplomatic discussions. They are human beings who have dignity, rights, history, identity and political aspirations that must be heard".
In delivering a speech, the KNPB emphasised that decolonisation must return to international discussions.
Furthermore, the KNPB reminded people that the principle of self-determination is a fundamental principle under international law as reflected in the UN Charter, Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) concerning the granting of independence to colonised countries and nations.
Therefore, the KNPB is calling on the UN to pay attention to the historical and international legal dimensions of the West Papua issue, including the question of the implementation of the right to self-determination.
The KNPB also encouraged open international studies and dialogue based on historical evidence, legal documents and relevant UN principles. For the KNPB, development and protection of human rights must not be used to close the space for discussion regarding the political aspirations of the Papuan people.
On the same occasion, the KNPB urged concrete steps, not just diplomatic statements. For this reason, the KNPB conveyed a number of opinions to the UN Secretary General who was on a visit to Indonesia.
1. Pay special attention to the human rights situation and humanitarian crisis in West Papua.
2. Encourage safe humanitarian access for conflict-affected communities, including internally displaced persons.
3. Support independent human rights monitoring and access to relevant UN human rights mechanisms.
4. Open space for communication with representatives of civil society and the indigenous people of West Papua.
5. Encourage serious discussion of the historical and political roots of the West Papua conflict, including the principle of the right to self-determination.
6. Ensure that the aspirations and interests of the Papuan people are not ignored in any international discussions regarding their future.
7. The people of West Papua are not spectators of international diplomacy
8. The Papuan people firmly reject the definition of indigenous Papuans pushed by the Ministry of Home Affairs for the political benefit of the right to self-determination for the Papuan people, because those who have voting rights in the process of the right to self-determination are indigenous Papuans, not non-Papuans.
9. The people of the Papuan nation demand that the president of the Republic of Indonesia be responsible for the forced disappearance and the lives of two students by Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) members in Yahukimo and immediately return their bodies to the victims' families so that they can have an honourable and humane burial.
Therefore, the KNPB invites all the people of West Papua, civil society organisations, churches, students, youth, women, academics and international solidarity networks to take advantage of this momentum through peaceful actions, conveying written aspirations, verifiable documentation and communication with international institutions.
KNPB head of diplomacy, Yanius Silak, stated that political struggle must continue to be built through people's organisations, strengthening knowledge, documenting facts and consistent diplomacy. Every step must maintain the safety of civil society and avoid actions that endanger citizens.
"International attention must not stop at recognising that there are problems in West Papua. This attention must pave the way for addressing the roots of the conflict and respecting the rights of the Papuan people", said Silak while urging the UN to listen to the people of West Papua.
"Human rights must be protected. The roots of conflict must be discussed. The right to self-determination must have a real space in a peaceful and democratic political process".
The visit by the UN Secretary General to Indonesia will not by itself solve the West Papua problem. However, this momentum can be an opportunity to encourage issues that have been debated to receive wider, open, serious and legally based international attention.
"West Papua needs more than just diplomatic attention. West Papua needs a solution that gets to the root of the problem".
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Kedatangan Sekjen PBB ke Indonesia Harus Menjadi Momentum Membuka Persoalan Dekolonisasi West Papua".]