MISNA - Missionary Service News Agency, 3/4/2003 20:01
Indonesia
Franciscans To UN: "Stop All Efforts To Create Paramilitary
Groups In Papua"
Peace/Justice, Brief
Franciscans International (FI) today, delivered a statement before the UN Commission
on Human Rights, urging the Government of Indonesia to: "stop at once" all efforts to
create paramilitary groups in Papua, open a political dialogue on history of Papuan
integration, restore the national and international legal standards, safeguard freedom
of expression and constructively join in peace efforts.
The statement, delivered by Br. Theo van den Broek OFM, a Franciscan friar from
Indonesia and Director of the Office for Justice and Peace for the Diocese of Jayapura,
detailed the Papuan people's "collective memory of 40 years of oppression and denial
of their human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms by the Government of
Indonesia," including: Denial their right of self-determination since the 1960s, Racial
and ethnic discrimination, their treatment as a 'primitive' people, Exploitation and
expropriation of ancestral lands through the imposition of development policies,
detention, torture and extrajudicial killings for political beliefs and opinions expressed,
and absence of justice for victims of abuses and impunity.
Additionally, FI called attention to the "disturbing role" of the military in Papua, citing
the ineffective control of civilian authorities, the organizing and training of paramilitary
groups and the combination of economic interests with military objectives.
In 1969, West Papua officially became a province of Indonesia. Since then, Papuans
have had their natural resources and wealth extracted by Indonesians and
transnational corporations, with very few of the proceeds benefiting local people. [BP]
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