The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has expressed grave worry over the persistent gross human rights violations against the Papuan people. These incidents involved Indonesia’s security forces and law enforcement officers, as highlighted during the UNHRC’s communication at the conclusion of its 140th session.
A primary focus was the impunity and lack of accountability for historical human rights violations resulting from the long-standing conflict between Indonesian troops and separatists, which has been documented by Human Rights Watch. Despite Indonesia’s pledge to investigate multiple reports of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of indigenous people in Papua, the UNHRC spotlighted Indonesia’s continued failure to investigate these violations and provide reparations for victims.
Aside from the lack of investigations, the UNHRC voiced concern over the scarcity of information and transparency surrounding various human rights abuse cases, including those from 1965 to 1966. The locations of mass graves from the “anti-Communist” massacres, estimated to contain about 500,000 victims, still remain uncovered.
The report provided to the UNHRC in December 2022 on twelve serious human rights violation cases before the Non-Judicial Resolution Team was noted to be unavailable to the public. The lack of punitive action taken in these cases was further accentuated with only 4 out of 16 investigated human rights violation cases prosecuted in court, even when investigated by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).
In light of these concerns, the UNHRC released recommendations for the Indonesian government. These included enhancing efforts to eliminate impunity, ensuring accountability for past human rights abuses, and strengthening the financial, technical, and human resources of Komnas HAM for effective and independent defense of human rights. The committee also urged prioritizing swift investigations of all human rights violations and ensuring victims and their families receive timely updates, full information about the investigations, and reparation proportionate to the gravity of damage.
The original report emphasized a call for attention to these persistent issues and the need for Indonesia to take definitive action.