Decades of conflict in Papua, Indonesia,
continue to cost the lives of civilians, soldiers and resistance group
members. Ongoing human rights violations range from extrajudicial
killings and intimidation of journalists to discrimination in health
care, education and access to conomic opportunities.
These are just the
tip of the iceberg where violations of indigenous Papuans are concerned
and these violations shape current Papuan perspectives on Indonesia. In
this context, a solution for both indigenous Papuans and Indonesian
national interests has so far remained out of reach.
Responding to the uprisings which
surrounded the 1977 general elections in Papua, several military
operations were launched in the Papuan highlands around Wamena. The
response caused a further breakdown in the Papuan–Indonesian relations
which had fallen apart at that time. The operations resulted in mass
killings of, as well as violence against civilians. The stories of
survivors recall unspeakable atrocities including rape, torture and mass
executions.
Estimations of the number of persons killed range from
5,000 up to tens of thousands. The research done for this report is
consistent with these numbers, although restricted access to the area
and ongoing intimidation of witnesses makes it difficult to confirm an
upper limit of the number of victims.
Papua is now populated by both Papuans and
increasing numbers of transmigrants from other parts of Indonesia. The
initiative of the Papua Peace Network (Jaringan Damai Papua, JDP) to
bring all stakeholders in Papua and those from Jakarta together for a
peaceful dialogue in order to discuss a peaceful future for all
residents of Papua remains an important initiative to reconcile the
ongoing conflict.
Without the freedom to articulate memories of past
violations locally and opportunities for victims to heal their trauma,
resentment against the Indonesians and their authority remains and this
will continue to fuel the conflict. Reviewing and recognising the
history of violence and its overarching effect on the relationship
between Papuans and Indonesian authorities is thus a necessary step
forward.
With the view to move forward in the
conflict and to address the grievances of countless Papuans who suffered
violence or lost family members, it is important to understand the
history of mass violence experienced by the Papuans as well as the
severity and background of their resentment against the government of
Indonesia.
Such an understanding will support solutions to the ongoing
Papuan–Indonesian conflict. This report –which only covers one of the
main violent events in the history of Papuan-Indonesian relations– tries
to contribute to this process, seeking to acknowledge the suffering of
thousands of victims and building towards a sorely needed common
understanding of history.
Download the report:
