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| Papuan Activist. |
VARIOUS solidarity gatherings will
be held around the world this weekend to mark the 51st anniversary of
the first raising of West Papuan "morning star" flag - an act that
continues to attract a 15 year prison sentence in Indonesia.
While Australian protests and awareness raising concerts are likely
to attract only modest numbers, there are signs that both the
Australian public and politicians are becoming increasingly concerned
with the human rights situation in the province.
Indeed, while
growing public sympathy for Papuan cries for "merdeka", the Bahasa word
meaning freedom or independence depending on the translation, is
unlikely to translate into any official support for Papuan sovereignty
any time soon, there are signs that Australian political leaders are
prepared to take a more principled stance on human rights in the
province than previously.
To Bob Carr's credit, he is possibly
Australia's first foreign minister to directly acknowledge the
escalating problems in Papua and call on Indonesia to respect human
rights.
Disappointingly though, Carr continues to frame his answers to
questions about Papua in terms of the budgetary impacts of "upsetting"
Indonesia. Taking a principled stance in defence of basic human rights
should not be influenced by budget and trade concerns. He has also
unhelpfully attempted to characterise anyone with concerns about the
deteriorating human rights situation in Papua as being
"pro-independence". (For the record the Human Rights Law Centre does not
have a position on the topic of independence; our focus is purely on
the promotion and protection of human rights.)
Carr's circumspect
approach is contrasted by the forthright, and most welcome, comments
made by Attorney General, Nicola Roxon, while in Indonesia recently for a
series of meetings on issues of law and justice. Roxon told the ABC
that Australia's recognition of Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua would
not stop the Government from registering concern about the situation
there. She went on to say Australia is firmly committed to making sure
that any abuses or alleged abuses by security forces in Papua are
properly investigated and punished.
At the other end of the
spectrum within Government ranks is Defence Minister Stephen Smith who,
when announcing a new defence co-operation agreement with Indonesia,
said he has "no concerns" about the human rights situation in Papua.
Smith's
"head in the sand" approach is particularly alarming given it came only
weeks after the ABC's 7.30 program aired evidence that an Indonesian
counter-terrorism unit, which receives extensive training and support
from the Australian Federal Police, has been involved in torture and
extra-judicial killings in West Papua.
Meanwhile, a
'parliamentary friends of West Papua' group recently established by the
Greens, has attracted cross party support. The group's most recent
meeting was attended by Labor, Liberal, DLP and independent MPs. This is
a positive sign that at least some members of each party recognise that
Australia can maintain good diplomatic relations with Indonesia while
taking a principled stand and defending human rights at the same time.
During
a recent visit to Australia, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Law and Human
Rights, Denny Indrayana, told students at Melbourne Law School that
freedom of political participation, together with a free and independent
media, were two fundamental pillars of democracy.
He is right of
course. However, the reality is that Jakarta's commendable democratic
reforms of the last decade have not made it to West Papua. Despite the
fact that Indonesia ratified the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights in 2006, human rights are severely curtailed in Papua.
Protests are routinely and forcibly shut down. Political activists and
bashed, jailed or killed. Papuans do not enjoy many of the basic
freedoms that other Indonesians have gained.
Australian
politicians can and should be more proactive in encouraging their
Indonesian counterparts to ensure human rights are enjoyed throughout
the entire Republic.
There is no reason why Carr could not
challenge Indonesia's effective media ban and insist that Australian
journalists be allowed to travel to and report from West Papua.
Further,
a complete review of Australia's relationship with Indonesia's military
and security forces is urgently required to ensure we are in no way
aiding or abetting human rights abuses, directly or indirectly, through
our support of Indonesia's elite counter-terrorism unit, Detachment 88.
And
finally, Carr should utilise Australia's unique position in the region,
along with our new position on the UN Security Council, to play a
leadership role in bringing the world's attention to the problems in
West Papua.
For too long Australia supported the pro-military and
anti-reform remnants of the Suharto regime. Now we have an opportunity
to better align ourselves with the mainstream Indonesian human rights
movement that recognises that the problems in West Papua do not have a
military solution.
Tom Clarke is a spokesperson for the Human Rights Law Centre. (www.hrlc.org.au) He is on twitter: @TomHRLC
