West Papua Information Kit

West Papua Reports

United States Department of State United Nations 1961 Report
Amnesty International Environmental Investigation Agency
Global Witness Human Rights Watch
International Crisis Group RFK Center for Human Rights
Harvard Law School Sydney University CPACS
Yale Law School Australian
British Other publications, Indonesian and UN, New York Times

Amnesty International


Amnesty International Report 2001 from Waisor;
Amnesty International Report 2002;
Amnesty International Country Report 2005

Environmental Investigation Agency

Global Wittness

Harvard Law School

Yale Law School

Human Rights Watch

International Crisis Group

Robert F Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights

Sydney University

Australia

Britain

Other publications

U.S. Dept. of State

  • Human Rights Practices - 2005
    There were improvements in the human rights situation during the year and, although significant problems remained particularly in areas of separatist conflict, the end of the country's long-running internal conflict in Aceh Province was a major step forward. The government faced an intermittent, low intensity guerrilla conflict in Papua and West Irian Jaya provinces; inter-communal violence in Maluku and Central Sulawesi provinces; and terrorist bombings in various locations. Inadequate resources, poor leadership, and limited accountability contributed to serious violations by security forces. Widespread corruption further degraded an already weak regard for rule of law and contributed to impunity. Poverty, high unemployment, and a weak education system rendered all citizens, particularly children and women, vulnerable to human rights abuses. During the year the government devoted considerable resources and attention to the recovery effort following the devastating December 2004 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 130 thousand persons dead and missing in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces. The country struggled to come to terms with human rights abuses committed by prior governments. The following human rights problems were reported:
    • extrajudicial killings, particularly in areas of separatist conflict
    • disappearances
    • torture
    • harsh prison conditions
    • arbitrary detentions
    • a corrupt judicial system
    • warrantless searches
    • infringements on free speech
    • restrictions on peaceful assembly
    • interference with freedom of religion by private parties, sometimes with complicity of local officials
    • violence and sexual abuse against women and children
    • trafficking in persons
    • failure to enforce labor standards and violations of worker rights, including forced child labor
    {{ In 2006, for the first time somebody tried to water-down the Dept. of State comments; given worsening human rights abuses of 2005 such as the expansion of jihadist training camps, build up of TNI forces in Papua to repress democracy dialogue, continued efforts to divide the territory in violation of UN GA 1514, and the abuse of the Indonesian courts to silence Antonus Wamang's testimony against TNI officers. It is sad to explain the DoS mis-use of the word "improvements" was expected after hearing Eric John using 'US Indonesia Society' style language. }}
  • Human Rights Practices - 2004
    Security forces continued to commit unlawful killing of rebels, suspected rebels, and civilians in areas of separatist activity, where most politically motivated extrajudicial killings also occurred. There was evidence that the TNI considered anyone its forces killed in conflict areas to have been an armed rebel. Security forces also committed nonpolitical extrajudicial killings.
  • Human Rights Practices - 2003
    The security forces continued to employ unlawful killing against rebels, suspected rebels, and civilians in separatist zones, where most of the politically motivated extrajudicial killings occurred. There was evidence that the TNI considered anyone its forces killed to have been an armed rebel, particularly in areas where the TNI had announced an operation and told all civilians to leave. The security forces also committed numerous extrajudicial killings that were not politically motivated. The Government largely failed to hold soldiers and police accountable for such killings and other serious human rights abuses.
  • Human Rights Practices - 2002
    The security forces continued to employ harsh measures against rebels and civilians in separatist zones where most politically motivated extrajudicial killings occurred. The security forces also committed numerous extrajudicial killings that were not politically motivated. The Government largely failed to hold soldiers and police accountable for such killings and other serious human rights abuses.
  • Human Rights Practices - 2001
    Security forces tortured and otherwise abused persons. Rapes and sexual exploitation by security forces continued to be a problem. Prison conditions are harsh. Security forces employed arbitrary arrest and detention without trial in Aceh. Despite initial steps toward reform, the judiciary remains subordinate to the executive, is corrupt, and does not always ensure due process. Security forces infringe on citizens' privacy rights. Security forces continued to intimidate and assault journalists. The Government places some controls on freedom of assembly; however, it allowed most demonstrations to proceed without hindrance except in Aceh and Papua. Security forces also brutally dispersed demonstrations on several occasions. The Government places some controls on freedom of association. There are some restrictions on certain types of religious activity and on unrecognized religions. The Government continues to restrict freedom of movement to a limited extent.
  • Human Rights Practices - 2000
    The 275,000-member armed forces (TNI) are under the supervision of a civilian defense minister but retain broad nonmilitary powers and an internal security role, and are not fully accountable to civilian authority. The military and police jointly occupy 38 appointed seats in the DPR reserved for the security forces, as well as 10 percent of the seats in provincial and district parliaments.
    The Government's human rights record was poor, and the overall human rights situation worsened during the year, despite the Wahid Government's efforts to continue the country's democratic transition and permit the exercise of basic freedoms. Security forces were responsible for numerous instances of, at times indiscriminate, shooting of civilians, torture, rape, beatings and other abuse, and arbitrary detention in Aceh, West Timor, Irian Jaya (also known as Papua or West Papua), the Moluccas, Sulawesi, and elsewhere in the country. TNI personnel often responded with indiscriminate violence after physical attacks on soldiers. They also continued to conduct "sweeps" which led to killing of civilians and property destruction.
  • Confidential Dept. of State telegrams:
    Feb 1968 / May 1968 / May 1968 / Aug 1968 / Jun 1969 / Jul 1969
"Man's inhumanity to man is not only perpetrated by the vitriolic actions of those who are bad,
it is also perpetrated by vitiating inaction of those who are good"
- Martin Luther King.
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