JAKARTA: (Bernama) Indonesia has rejected allegations that security and development challenges in Papua are part of a policy that systematically violates human rights, saying credible allegations of abuses are taken seriously by national institutions.
The Foreign Ministry said such allegations are addressed through mechanisms such as the independent National Commission on Human Rights, and stressed that discussions on Papua should reflect the situation in its entirety.
The statement followed concerns raised by Solomon Islands and Vanuatu over alleged human rights violations in Papua, Indonesia's easternmost region, with Jakarta exercising its right of reply during the 81st United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York on Monday (Sept 28).
Indonesia said civilians, teachers, health workers, and government officials in Papua face violence by armed groups.
It cited the recent killings of three civil servants who were delivering livestock assistance and a driver who were carrying basic necessities, as well as the abduction of nine women and children in Mimika.
"Attacks against civilians are not a form of peaceful expression of aspirations. Indonesia has an obligation to protect all of its citizens, while ensuring that every law enforcement measure remains subject to national law and international human rights obligations,” it said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 29).
Indonesia also said visits by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should be arranged between the host country and the UN human rights office, not determined by other countries or regional organisations.
The ministry said Indonesia would continue to engage constructively through relevant mechanisms and promote dialogue and cooperation based on respect for facts and the safety of all civilians. - Bernama
