Groups Urge
Free and Open Access
to Papua
PDF of Letter
Mr Joko Widodo
President of the
Republic of
Indonesia
Jl.
Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
29
April 2015
Dear Mr
President,
I
am writing to you on
behalf of
TAPOL and the
undersigned
organisations, all
of whom are deeply
concerned about the
absence of free and
open access to the
Indonesian provinces
of Papua and West
Papua (henceforth:
Papua) for
international
journalists,
humanitarian
organisations and
human rights
observers. The media
blackout in Papua
denies the Papuan
people the right to
have their voices
heard and allows
human rights
violations such as
killings, torture
and arbitrary
arrests to continue
with impunity.
For more than 50
years, access for
foreign journalists
seeking to report on
Papua has been
severely restricted.
Those who have
entered Papua on
tourist visas have
been deported,
arrested and even
imprisoned. Just
last year,
two French
journalists were
sentenced to 11
weeks in detention
under immigration
charges. According
to the Jayapura
branch of
Indonesia’s Alliance
of Independent
Journalists (Aliansi
Jurnalis Independen,
AJI), in recent
years journalists
from Czech Republic,
France and the
Netherlands have
been deported for
reporting on
peaceful political
events in Papua.
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The de-facto
ban on foreign
journalists,
NGOs and
humanitarian
organisations
contributes to
the isolation of
local
journalists, and
makes
independent
investigation
and
corroboration
virtually
impossible. This
media blackout
makes it
extremely
difficult to
hold
perpetrators of
human rights
violations to
account,
allowing them to
continue to act
with impunity.
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At the local level, violence and intimidation of national and
local journalists
makes independent
journalism a
high-risk activity.
On 30 July 2010,
journalist Mr
Ardiansyah Matra’is
was found dead after
receiving repeated
threats from the
military while he
investigated illegal
logging. On 24
August 2010, Mr Musa
Kondorura of radio
KBR68H was attacked
by two agents from
the State
Intelligence Agency
(Badan Intelijen
Negara, BIN). On 3
March 2011 Mr Banjir
Ambarita, a
journalist with
Jakarta Globe and
Bintang Papua was
attacked and stabbed
after reporting on a
police rape case
which resulted in
the resignation of
senior police
official Mr Imam
Setiawan. In 2011,
AJI reportedly
recorded 7 cases of
violence and
intimidation against
journalists. In 2012
the number of
recorded cases
reportedly rose to
12. In July 2013 the
house of a local
journalist for
Majalah Selangkah, a
critical independent
news site, was
raided by unknown
persons who
ransacked the place.
There are
ongoing reports of
serious human rights
violations including
torture, enforced
disappearances,
murder,
ill-treatment, cruel
or degrading
treatment, excessive
use of force and
arbitrary arrest of
indigenous Papuans
by Indonesian
security forces. In
August last year, an
activist with the
West Papua National
Committee (Komite
Nasional Papua
Barat, KNPB) was
kidnapped, tortured,
murdered and his
body dumped in a
river. There have
been no police
investigations and
very few media
reports on this
case. Just last
month, at least six
people were shot and
21 others arrested
by Papuan National
Police (Polda Papua)
and Mobile Brigade
(Brigade Mobil,
Brimob) officers in
Yahukimo. A
48-year-old village
head, Mr Obang
Sengenil, died from
gunshot injuries.
Although widespread
human rights
violations are
regularly recorded
by Papuan civil
society groups, this
information rarely
makes its way into
mainstream media.
The de-facto ban
on foreign
journalists, NGOs
and humanitarian
organisations
contributes to the
isolation of local
journalists, and
makes independent
investigation and
corroboration
virtually
impossible. This
media blackout makes
it extremely
difficult to hold
perpetrators of
human rights
violations to
account, allowing
them to continue to
act with impunity.
Over the years,
international
humanitarian
agencies and
non-governmental
organisations have
been pressured to
close their field
offices and leave
Papua, denying
indigenous Papuans
access to vital
support and
resources for
development, health
and education. The
failure of the local
government to
effectively address
the HIV/AIDS
pandemic in Papua is
just one example of
how the restrictions
on access are not
only repressive but
are proving lethal,
particularly to the
indigenous
population.
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We believe
that free and
open access to
Papua for
international
journalists,
humanitarian
agencies and
human rights
organisations
will serve to
protect and
promote the
human rights of
indigenous
Papuans, and all
those who call
the Land of
Papua their
home.
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Access for UN human rights observers has been closed for eight
years. In May 2012,
Indonesia accepted a
recommendation of
the Universal
Periodic Review to
issue an invitation
to the Special
Rapporteur on
Freedom of
Expression. A
visit by Mr Frank La
Rue, the
previous mandate
holder, was
scheduled for
January 2013.
However, this visit
was unilaterally
cancelled and
indefinitely
postponed by
Indonesia, allegedly
because of the
Special Rapporteur’s
wish to visit Papua
and Maluku, among
others.
International
journalists and
non-governmental
organisations
seeking to visit
Papua are currently
required to undergo
a stringent visa
application process
involving the
unanimous approval
of 18 separate
government agencies
known as the
Clearing House
committee. This
bureaucratic and
time-consuming
process deters
journalists from
attempting to visit
West Papua, or
encourages them to
choose to travel to
Papua on a tourist
visa. The
involvement of
agencies such as BIN
in this vetting
process begs the
question: What is
Indonesia hiding in
West Papua?
Access for
journalists,
humanitarian
agencies and human
rights observers is
often denied or
restricted on the
grounds of security,
with authorities
stating that their
priority is to
protect foreigners
from dangerous armed
rebels. We
respectfully submit
that journalists
reporting on
conflict areas
accept such
potential risks. As
journalists they
understand the risks
involved in
fulfilling their
duty to witness and
tell the stories of
people facing
violence and
injustice, and their
efforts to secure
peace and justice.
Mr President,
during your
presidential
campaign in June
last year, you
stated that
there was nothing to
hide in Papua and
promised to open the
region. We believe
that free and open
access to Papua for
international
journalists,
humanitarian
agencies and human
rights organisations
will serve to
protect and promote
the human rights of
indigenous Papuans,
and all those who
call the Land of
Papua their home.
The end of
restrictions on
access to Papua will
not only be in
accordance with
Indonesia’s
international
obligations but will
also strengthen
Indonesia’s standing
as a democratic
nation. We therefore
urge the Government
of Indonesia to:
* Remove all
restrictions
on visits by
foreign
journalists
to West
Papua, and
on freedom
of movement
within
Papua,
including
the system
by which
visa
applications
are vetted
by a
clearing
house of
government
departments.
*
Provide
access for
international
humanitarian
and human
rights
organisations
to conduct
their work,
without fear
of
restriction,
harassment
or arrest
and in
accordance
with
international
human rights
standards.
* Allow
free and
unrestricted
access for
all UN
Special
Rapporteurs
wishing to
visit and
report on
Papua. In
particular,
the
Government
of Indonesia
should issue
an
invitation
to Mr David
Kaye, the
current UN
Special
Rapporteur
on Freedom
of Opinion
and
Expression,
as was
pledged
during the
Universal
Periodic
Review of
the UN Human
Rights
Council in
Geneva in
2012.
* Take
steps to end
violence and
intimidation
against
journalists
in West
Papua,
investigate
allegations
of violence,
and
prosecute
those
suspected of
involvement.
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We are grateful
for your attention
to these matters and
look forward to your
response.
Yours Sincerely,
Esther Cann
Coordinator, TAPOL
Alison Johnston
Green MSP, United
Kingdom
Alliance
of Independent
Journalists (Aliansi
Jurnalis Independen,
AJI) Indonesia
Alliance of
Independent
Journalists (Aliansi
Jurnalis Independen,
AJI) Jayapura
Article 19
Asia
Justice and Rights
(AJAR), Indonesia
Asian Forum for
Human Rights and
Development
(FORUM-ASIA)
Asian Human Rights
Commission, Hong
Kong
Australia
West Papua
Association,
Australia
Catherine Delahunty,
Green MP, New
Zealand
Commission for the
Disappeared and the
Victims of Violence
(KontraS), Indonesia
Commission for the
Disappeared and the
Victims of Violence,
Papua (KontraS
Papua)
Democracy
Alliance for Papua
(Aliansi Demokrasi
untuk Papua, AlDP)
East Timor and
Indonesia Action
Network (ETAN),
United States
Franciscans
International,
Switzerland
Free
West Papua Campaign,
United Kingdom
Human Rights
Coalition of Papua
(Koalisi HAM Papua)
The Indonesian Human
Rights Monitor
(Imparsial),
Indonesia
The
Indonesian Legal Aid
Foundation (Yayasan
Lembaga Bantuan
Hukum Indonesia,
YLBHI), Indonesia
Institute for Policy
Research and
Advocacy (Lembaga
Studi dan Advokasi
Masyarakat, ELSAM),
Indonesia
Institute of Human
Rights Studies and
Advocacy for Papua
(ELSHAM Papua)
International
Coalition for Papua
(ICP)
Jean
Urqhart, Independent
MSP, United Kingdom
Jeremy Corbyn,
Labour MP, United
Kingdom
John
Finnie, Independent
MSP, United Kingdom
Justice, Peace and
Integrity of
Creation of
Franciscans of Papua
(SKPKC Fransiskan
Papua)
Justice,
Peace and Integrity
of Creation of the
Evangelical
Christian Church in
Papua (JPIC GKI)
The Justice
Foundation (Yayasan
Satu Keadilan),
Indonesia
Kevin
Stewart, SNP MSP,
United Kingdom
Legal Aid Institute
of Jakarta (Lembaga
Bantuan Hukum
Jakarta, LBH
Jakarta), Indonesia
Legal Aid Institute
of Papua (Lembaga
Bantuan Hukum Papua,
LBH Papua)
Linda
Fabiani SNP MSP,
United Kingdom
Lotus Heart Papua
Foundation (Yayasan
Teratai Hati Papua,
YTHP)
Majalah
Selangkah, Papua,
Indonesia
Mike
MacKenzie, SNP MSP,
United Kingdom
Minority Rights
Group International,
United Kingdom
Pacific Media
Centre, AUT
University, New
Zealand
The
Pantau Foundation
(Yayasan Pantau),
Indonesia
Papua
Itu Kita, Indonesia
Reporters Without
Borders
Sarah
Boyak, Labour MSP,
United Kingdom
Southeast Asian
Press Alliance
(SEAPA)
Suara
Papua, Papua,
Indonesia
Survival
International
Tabloid Jubi, Papua,
Indonesia
United
For Truth (Bersatu
Untuk Kebenaran,
BUK-Papua)
Watch
Indonesia! Germany
West Papua Action
Auckland, New
Zealand
West
Papua Action
Canterbury, New
Zealand
West
Papua Advocacy Team,
United States
West Papua Netzwerk,
Germany
Vivat
International
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