Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post
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Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s commitment to help develop Indonesia’s easternmost region could instead lead to more abuses of Papuans, an activist warns.
Papua was among the three main issues discussed during the third Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders Meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Rudd at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on Friday. The two other issues were people smuggling and economic cooperation in the beef and cattle sector.
“Given the trends of the series of cases in the past, we can see that almost all human rights cases in Papua were rooted in economic motivation. Corporations operating in Papua, particularly foreign ones, for instance, use soldiers for security, a measure that increases the chances of human rights abuses against locals,” the coordinator of rights group National Papua Solidarity (NAPAS), Zely Ariane, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
With Rudd standing beside him at a joint press conference after Friday’s meeting, Yudhoyono expressed concern over rampant “propaganda” spread by Papuan separatist activists in many countries who advocate independence by “exaggerating alleged human rights violations by Indonesian military and police”.
“I told the Australian prime minister that any Indonesian soldiers or police officers found to commit violations will definitely be punished or brought before a military tribunal,” Yudhoyono said. “But to be honest, in the recent past, those falling victims were Indonesian Military [TNI] personnel and police officers.”
In his speech at the conference, Rudd not only reiterated Australia’s recognition of Indonesia’s sovereignty over Papua but also offered help to speed up development in Papua and West Papua provinces.
“I, as the prime minister of Australia, will do everything I can to support [Yudhoyono] in this direction.”
Issues concerning Papua were not expected to be broached by those attending the media conference. “According to information I received, it was Prime Minister Rudd who raised the issue,” presidential spokesman for foreign affairs Teuku Faizasyah told the Post.
Zely alleged that Rudd’s statement was a further indicator of the wish of Australia’s businesses to invest in Papua, particularly in the mining sector. “The door for foreign investors has been opened by the government via its MP3EI [Master Plan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development],” she said.
Foreign investment in Papua, she said, would not address the core problems in Papua. Massive projects would not only be prone to corruption but would also widen economic gaps and marginalize Papuans more, she added.
Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said that starting this year, the government would prioritize MP3EI projects in the eastern provinces, including Papua and West Papua.
“Projects in natural resources and energy will be boosted,” Hatta said. “But exploration projects must also contribute to the acceleration of local economies by establishing centers of growth around the projects,” he added, brushing-off Zely’s opinion.
Of the total MP3EI investment of Rp 545.76 trillion (US$55.12 billion) set for this year, almost a half or Rp 204.56 trillion will go to Papua, West Papua, Maluku and North Maluku provinces.
Issues surrounding Papua have always been politically sensitive for Indonesia, while to Australia, it is the long-unstoppable flow of asylum seekers that is at the heart of its domestic political interests.
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Comments:
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Veronica:
Kevin - Please do not use the Lobok Treaty as an excuse for standing back and turning a blind eye to the human rights atrocities being committed against our West Papuan brothers and sisters just as we did to East Timor. Please do not be taken in by SBY. I hope you are better than that and can see through the hypocrisy and lies.
Who is SBY trying to kid I ask you?
For years the Indonesian government has closed off access to West Papua to humanitarian organisations, journalists and even diplomats. It is important that Papua is opened up to the international community if human rights are to be addressed. Since PBI established a presence in West Papua, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Dutch NGO CordAid and even the Red Cross have all been denied access. This level of hostility by a State to international scrutiny of a human rights situation is unusual and not good enough. Even during the height of apartheid, the South African government permitted the Red Cross access to political prisoners. Not so in West Papua.
In the name of humanity we should decline all business deals with Indonesia until West Papua is accessible and the atrocities cease.
1Sabar Paijo Reply
riorivai:
Decline all business deals with Israel too until Palestine is accessible...
Brien:
Decline all business deals with Palestine too until Israel is recognised.
riorivai:
Forgot to mention China. Dont deal with Chinese too until Tibet is accessible.
Before you misunderstood me, lemme explain. I am just showing you the double standard in this kind of approach. And to have such kind of 'pressure' approach would not do any good than harm everyone.
Sabar Paijo:
We are talking here about Indonesia and West Papua. However, everytime there is a debate of this kind, Mr Rio Rivai argues that we should instead debate about the plight of muslims oppressed in Palestine, afghanistan and elsewhere. and now Tibet. It is OK to be preoccupied by the repression in Tibet or Palestine or fghnistan, but this is out of scope here. Those who are genuinely concerned by the fate of West Papuans under the jackboot of the Indonesian military do not have double standards. It is just Rio Rivai who would like they had, so his diversion would have better chance to succeed.
Get lost, rio rivai, you're pathetic.
riorivai:
Denger nih Paijo. Emang orang kaya loe selalu bicara dengan preset assumption tentang org lain. Kapan gw ngomong soal muslim? Jangan belokin bahasan deh. Mentang2 gw muslim trs menurut loe yg gw omongin selalu muslim? Apa org Aborigin dan Indian Amerika itu muslim?
Menurut gw, urusan self determination dan human rights ini selalu jadi issue yang bertendensi double standard. Indonesia kurang ini itu dll. Sementara banyak negara lain yang gitu juga. Indonesia negara militer brutal yg melakukan genocide? LOL ngaca dulu deh. Militer Indonesia membunuh lebih sedikit org dibanding militer negara haus perang lain di dunia. Ambil contoh gampang aja, USA. Bom atom di Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Warga sipil ikut jadi korban. Ada pembicaraan menjadikan jenderal perang Amerika jadi penjahat perang? Tentu tidak. Malah mereka dianggap pahlawan.
Paham ga loe kalo itu berbau doble standard?
Oh ya gw di sini bukan mau debat. Tapi mengemukakan pendapat gw yg beda ama loe loe pade. Debat mencari yg menang dan kalah itu ga penting buat gw. Yang penting adalah diskusi mencari jalan keluar bersama. Mindset loe dan gw udah beda.
riorivai:
Oh ya bukan berarti ini excuse. Kalo mau tuntut militer Indonesia, silakan. Bawa buktinya ke pengadilan internasional atau apapun itu. Adili secara fair. Gw ga akan ngomong apa2.
Tapi tentunya bukan cuma Indonesia yang kena.
Bebasin Papua. OK. Bebasin juga yg lain. Itu maksud gw. Itu juga kalo loe semua memang tulus bicara kemanusiaan. Bukan politik dan rebutan SDA.
riorivai:
Last, loe ga punya hak buat ngusir atau nge-judge gw. Menurut gw yg pathetic itu loe. Ga bisa menerima pandangan yang berbeda. Ngaca deh boss.
djackmanson:
It appears that Prime Minister Rudd is signalling he will support good Australian-Indonesian State relations over self-determination for the people living in land claimed by Indonesia. Maybe he can teach President Yudhoyono to say "Sorry" to oppressed people without actually changing anything.
Many left and liberal (not Liberal Party) people in Australia will be pleased if Rudd can deal with SBY because it means Opposition Leader Tony Abbott won't be able to keep on chanting "Stop The Boats". If Rudd looks like he can work with Indonesia better than Abbott, maybe he can neutralise the issue of asylum-seekers in time for the election (which has to be on Nov 30 at the very latest).
Which is nice if you want Rudd to be PM, not so nice if you live in Papua or West Papua and are unhappy with your people being ruled from afar.
2Sabar Paijoalbrata Reply
F Buck:
the Indonesian govt can stop the people smugglers if they want too. The police over there are bloody corrupt and let the boats get through. They should get off their backsides and do something. How come people have identification when they go to your country and have no papers when they arrive here? Australia should cut off giving Indonesia anymore aid money until they stop the darn refugee boats - aussies know you want to get rid of them!! Where are our boats that we supplied for you navy to stop these boats?
djackmanson:
Why do you assume I am in Indonesia? I am a "white" Australian, living in Brisbane.
Procrastinator Maximus:
Me guess Masta Rudd can also teach SBY a lesson on how to treat the real hosts Down Under, the Aborigines. How the white Aussie stole their lands, kidnapped their children, put them on concentration camp pogroms, being duped drugged and so on and so forth.
Sabar Paijo:
By denying the atrocities perpetrated against the people from West Papua, general SBY becomes himself an accomplice of crimes against humanity. When will there be an international human rights tribunal to try and punish those generals responsible for so many atrocities?
riorivai:
So, send your proof to the so called tribunal. Become sponsor for the lawsuit case, lawyer(s), etc. We, the "brutal militaristic" nation of Indonesia is waiting. LOL
riorivai:
Come and "fight" on the court, baby.
PaulBastianSouisa:
, talking rubbish, because once that Indonesia Islamic Government under the leadership of SBY end up cancelation the trip to Netherland because of his worried that he will be locked up in jail.
riorivai:
I could assure you that as an Indonesian, I dont have the agenda to make this country Islamic. There are those who do indeed, but many of us have the same opinion like me. So, Indonesia is not going Islamic, not in the near future and not without pros and cons.
And what jurisdiction does the Netherland have to arrest other country's president? Did I miss the time when Netherland stated as world police? And if you could pls do so. And for what reason? For being Islamic. LOL cant wait for the attempt. Might be a drama worth watching.
Sabar Paijo:
Rio Rivai, you are so self-confident! In fact, you're just another Indonesian nationalist, ignorant of the history of his own country, unprepared to listen to the truth when it is conveyed by foreigners, impregnated by islamist ideas, and prone to claim unfairness towards islamists and Indonesians. You equate the problem in West Papua with some self-determination movement in Catalunya. Either you are a sick man, or a manipulator, or you ignore the essence of the problem (and have very little knowledge of regionalism in Europe).
riorivai:
Your judgement worth nothing to me. Say anything you like despite you know nothing about me.
Suits your kind perfectly, judging people based on assumptions, generalizations, and negative stereotypes.
I say if you have a case against Indonesia, make it materialize in court. Instead of flaming in media. Too difficult of a task for you?
mansmetoo:
since when Indonesia become an Islamic Country?, Islamic country mean a country which used Islamic Law or sharia Law as their constitution. Indonesia has the biggest muslim population, yes it's true, but Islamic government? LOL, for your info, Indonesia uses Roman Dutch Law in its constitution, and never uses any Islamic Law, except for Aceh province.
Sabar Paijo:
SBY denies that West Papuans are victims of massive abuse, rape, torture, murder... The only victims, he says, are military and police officers. This is a blatant lie.
Procrastinator Maximus:
Well, if you read the news lately, most of the dead victims are Indonesian police officers and soldiers. I wonder why the Densus 88 cannot pursue those OPM rebels like they did with the Islamist radicals.
One technical issue, it is easy for Densus 88 to infiltrate radical Islamist groups and incite them to do some terror activities only to catch them in the act. It will be extremely difficult to do so with the OPM rebels unless we have Papuan operatives inside the Densus 88 who are loyal to NKRI.
Oh I forgot, Densus 88 was created and funded by Amriki and Asutralia so of course these countries will never let Densus 88 to lay its hands on the OPM rebels. It will be better for Amriki and Asutralia to have OPM ready at hands.