PRESS STATEMENT RESPONSE TO THE NEWS RELEASE BY UN SPECIAL PROCEDURES MANDATE HOLDERS ON 1 MARCH 2022
2. This news release signals a pattern of unconstructive and baseless media attacks against Indonesia by certain Special Procedures Mandate Holders, who have once again chosen to completely disregard the verifiable data and information that has already been submitted by the Government of Indonesia in response to the joint communication on the same allegations, sent by the aforesaid mandate holders.
3. The mandate holders’ decision to publish a news release on allegations that have already been addressed by the Government of Indonesia -without one mention of the government’s response to any of the allegations, is a blatant display of the mandate holders’ rejection of constructive dialogue and a shameless ploy for self-promotion.
4. Genuine news release cover all sides of a story. What these mandate holders have published is therefore nothing more than a monologue, seemingly designed solely for the purpose of advancing their own self interests.
5. The Government of Indonesia has made clear on numerous occasions that the use of excessive force, extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearance, and torture have no place in Indonesia. To this end, the government has exerted tremendous effort to address all cases related to those crimes.
6. On the cases of internally-displaced persons addressed in the news release, had the relevant mandate holders exercised professionalism and actually took the timeto read the Government of Indonesia’s response, they would have a better understanding of the many factors contributing to displacement in the Provinces of Papua and West Papua, ranging from national disasters, homes being rampaged by armed criminal groups, tribal conflicts, and conflicts stemming from the results of regional elections. Attributing all cases of displacement to “forced displacement by security forces” is not only untrue, but is also perpetuating the dangerous narrative advocated by criminal armed groups to propagate public distrust towards security personnel.
7. Had the mandate holders taken the time to read the Government’s response, they would also have a better understanding of the necessity of deploying security personnel in areas where attacks by armed criminal groups against civilians, including women, children, health workers, construction workers, local election officers, and teachers, are rampant.
8. Had the mandate holders taken the time to read the Government’s response, they would also possess the information of knowing that the allegation of “humanitarian aid to displaced Papuans being obstructed by the authorities” is a bold faced lie. The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs have provided basic needs in the value of almost 1,5 billion rupiah for IDPs in the Intan Jaya Regency; 5 billion rupiah for IDPs in the Nduga regency; and also billions of rupiah for the Yahukimo and Yalimo regency combined.
9. Furthermore, the Government has never restricted access to the Red Cross, local churches, and Komnas HAM. Halts on requests for their personnel to travel to some areas are strictly due to security considerations, since those areas are still categorized as high risk areas for civillians due to the intensity of criminal armed group violence.
10. The Government of Indonesia once again deeply regrets the decision of the relevant mandate holders to pursue a one-sided megaphone approach in dealing with the allegations contained in the 1 March 2022 news release.
11. This unconstructive pattern of action serves only to undermine and sabotage the framework of cooperation and trust that the Indonesian government has towards Special Procedures Mandate Holders.
Geneva, 1 March 2022
