Papuan Rights Violation Just Only A Hoaxes

Leaders from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu previously called on the council to formally investigate allegations of human rights abuse in Papua and West Papua provinces. This message was also echoed by Tuvalu and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Indonesian delegate also called out the Solomon and Vanuatu leaders for their no-show during Indonesia’s recent defense of its human rights track record under the UN office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Responding to criticism raised by several island nations such as the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu over the situation in Papua at the 72nd United Nations Assembly (UNGA), the Indonesian delegation had been countered all of issues about Papua through briliant and smart an argumentation during the last season of the UNGA general debate.

Aiman Nuran, a Colombia University graduate of economics and political development had reprimanded leaders of Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands for peddling “hoaxes and false accusations”  concerning violations of human rights in Papua and West Papua.

“Indonesia’s disbelief that countries would want to support separatist activitist in other nations, even suggesting that they may be doing it to distract from their own domestic problem. Obviously, their motivation in this august body is to dismember the territorial integrity of a soverign independent nation. Such actions are illegal, must not be condoned and violate the fundamental principles enshrined in the UN charter,” said Aiman further.

Indonesia categorically rejects all accusations made by the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and the individual such as Benny Wenda, the “brazen exciled” who lived in London, England with a separatist agenda operating behind them. However, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands lambasted for being absent at appropriate forum.  Because of that, they will easy to gullible by Benny Wenda and whoever still delivering hoaxes about allegation human rights violations in Papua and West Papua.

Last year, junior Indonesian diplomat Nara Rakhmatia who graduated at international relations faculty at the University of Indonesia (UI) responded similarly to the speeches of heads of states of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshal Islands, Tuvalu and Tonga. At the time, an online video of her speech diplomatically insulting the small island nation’s leaders went viral on social media. Countering issue about Papua, RI continues new tradition of sending junior diplomats to shrug off rabble-rousers.

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi insulted Indonesia would be very transparent and entertain any legitimate concerns over the Papua issue, as long as the issue wasn’t used to fan the flames of separatism.

After met with Retno LP Marsudi, the former rabble-rousers Nauru and the Marshall Islands, which either praised Indonesia’s continued engagement with the Pasific Island nations or kept mum about it.

Separately, responding to West Papua independence petition handed to the United Nations, Indonesia Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Arrmanatha Nasir had said the West Papuan petition as baseless theatrics.

“That is purely a publicity stunt with no credibility,” he told the Guardian via a text message, “Papua is an integral part of Indonesia as provided for in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2504 (XXIV) 1960.”

Under Jokowi’s administration, the government’s continued development in both provinces such as building infrastructure and providing better access to free education and health for the local residents.

The government has managed to build 4,325 kilometers of roads, 30 seaports and several airports in both provinces in the past three years, in addition to providing free basic health care for the 2.8 million local Papuans and free education for 360,000 Papuan students.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has worked hard to demonstrate the central government’s commitment to developing the easternmost province, prioritising infrastructure and connectivity development, and visiting more than six times since his election in 2014.

Meanwhile, realizing under Jokowi’s administration have a good atention to build and make peaceful in Papua and West Papua, more than 100 members of Freedom Papua Movement (OPM) had been declared to loyal and devote to the country of Indonesia. Now, they are living in harmony, peace and prosper and they are happy and abandon their intention to involve again in separatist movement in Papua which had been judged by them, just only an “yapping and hoaxes”.

*) Toni Ervianto, Senior observer at Strategic Assessment, Jakarta. Master graduated at the University of Indonesia (UI).