Human rights groups said on Thursday that the Indonesian Military’s heavy presence in the rebellious region of Papua and harassment of activists were fueling the conflict there.
In a recent flare-up, at least 10 clashes involving security forces and members of armed groups occurred between July and August, according to a statement issued jointly by four human rights groups.
At least three civilians and a soldier were killed in a shooting incident on Aug. 3.
The military’s heavy-handed tactics have given rise to rights abuses in Papua, said the statement issued by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Kontras, Imparsial and the International Federation for Human Rights.
“Freedom of expression, association and assembly are routinely violated in Papua, which seriously fuels tensions,” Poengky Indarti, executive director of Imparsial, an Indonesian rights group, said in the statement.
“Besides, gross human rights abuses, such as acts of torture, remain unaccounted for,” she said.
The groups said peaceful activities of civil society and human rights organizations operating in Papua were known to be under extensive surveillance by the Indonesian Military.
“Monitoring human rights work is seen by the military as threatening to national security and this bodes ill for the safety of human rights defenders and other peaceful activists in Papua,” said Yap Swee Seng, executive director of AFHRD.
According to Imparsial, there are estimated to be more than 14,000 military personnel deployed to Papua.
The statement called on the government take steps to reduce the number of military personnel and fully investigate all past and new allegations of human rights abuses.
Papua, one of Indonesia’s poorest regions, is home to a low-level separatist insurgency.
It became part of Indonesia in 1969 after a UN-sponsored referendum that Jakarta was accused of manipulating.
DPA