by: Tom Clarke
From: The Australian
November 30, 2012 12:00AM
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.
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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
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/world-commentary/australias-evolving-position-on-west-papua/story-e6frg6ux-1226526868765
Sumber :
http://www.wpnla.net/australias-evolving-position-on-west-papua.html