The International Coalition for Papua: Human Rights and Peace for Papua
Human Rights and Peace for Papua is an international coalition of faith-based and civil society organisations (the Coalition) addressing the serious human rights condition in West Papua and supporting a peaceful solution to the conflict there. West Papua (Papua) refers to the western half of the New Guinea island in the Pacific and comprises the eastern most provinces of Indonesia. Indigenous Papuans are suffering from a long and ongoing history of human rights violations and security forces subject them to violence including killings, torture and arbitrary arrests. Impunity prevails. A lack of adequate access to health care and education as well as demographical and economical marginalisation and discrimination mark the living condition for Papuans. A heavy presence of Indonesian security forces, lack of access for international observers such as journalists, corruption and transmigration from other parts of Indonesia aggravate the situation. Political prisoners and the persecution of political activists shows the extent of repression with which freedom of expression and indigenous peoples’ rights are being violated. Papua’s wealth in natural resources attracts businesses and security forces resulting in exploitation through mining, logging, harmful agricultural projects, and environmental degradation. This dynamic challenges traditional indigenous culture while Papuans demand their right to self-determination.
What the Coalition does
The Coalition advocates human rights and Papua as a land of peace in which Papuans can fulfil their inalienable right to self-determination through peaceful means. The Coalition supports this with advocacy work and networking at the international level.
The Coalition recognises all human rights for all — Human rights cannot be realised by a government without active participation from civil society. The Coalition recognises that Papuans see the policies put in place by the Indonesian government as failed and misused and that the policies have been rejected. With the failure of Indonesia to respond to the Papuan expectations and demands for a dialogue is not being met, the potential for violence has grown. The Coalition in this antagonized situation sees the need to support partners striving for recognition of basic human rights and seeking peaceful solutions to implement the right to self-determination. The Coalition supports human rights including the freedom to express political opinions peacefully, the right to self-determination and the critical role of human rights defenders for a for a peaceful transformation of the ongoing conflict.
