Human Rights Watch recently condemned the actions of Indonesian police for their reported treatment of Papuan protesters in Merauke, amplifying concerns over human rights violations in the region. On January 25, police allegedly dispersed, assaulted, and detained 11 protesters representing Indigenous Papuan communities who had gathered to voice concerns over the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project. According to Human Rights Watch, the protesters were advocating for protection from the adverse impacts of the MIFEE initiative, a government project aimed at transforming nearly three million hectares of forest and swampland into crop plantations.
Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, highlighted the right of Indigenous Papuans to protest without facing violence or intimidation. She stated that the actions of the police and military personnel warrant accountability and appropriate punishment. Witnesses reported that police officers arrived without warning, forcibly dispersing demonstrators and using physical force, including choking and beating individuals and striking several on the head with batons. The incident was also marred by the detention of 11 individuals, who were released later without charges, as well as the unauthorized seizure and tampering of digital evidence on smartphones.
The broader context of this event involves significant concerns over the Indonesian government’s MIFEE project, which is framed as a step towards national food and biofuel self-sufficiency. However, rights groups argue that the initiative poses substantial risks to the traditional land rights and livelihoods of over 40,000 Indigenous people, including those from the Malind, Maklew, Yei, and Khimaima communities. Reports by Pusaka, an Indonesian civil society organization, detail fraudulent land acquisitions and the resulting threats to these communities’ ancestral lands, cultural systems, and economic stability.
In support of these concerns, nine UN special rapporteurs issued a joint letter in March expressing significant apprehensions over systematic human rights and environmental violations in Papua. According to their warnings, approximately 40 villages may lose their traditional rights due to aggressive deforestation and associated military intimidation. Moreover, in November, UN experts expressed criticism of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua, arguing that it centralizes authority and exacerbates the poverty, persecution, and displacement of Indigenous peoples in the region.
Relevant legal frameworks in Indonesia, namely Articles 18B (2) and 28I (3) of the Constitution, uphold the recognition and protection of customary law communities and their traditional rights. However, these principles are deemed effective only when they align with national interests and broader societal progress. The recent actions by police in Merauke call into question the practical implementation of these constitutional provisions, as detailed in the original report by Human Rights Watch.