Indonesia responds to leaders of six Pacific countries on West Papua claims

Indonesia has exercised its right of reply at the United Nations General Assembly debate in New York last week to respond to allegations of human rights abuses in Papua and West Papua by leaders of six Pacific Islands Countries.

A representative of Indonesia attacked leaders of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Tonga for what she claims was ‘lack of understanding on the history and progressive developments’ happening in these two provinces.’

She exhorted the Pacific Leaders to stick to discussing the impacts of climate change than ‘interfere in Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’

“Indonesia is shocked to hear that at this august body where leaders are gathered to debate the early implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the transformation of our collective actions and other global challenges such as climate change, of which the Pacific countries are affected the most, the said leaders chose instead to violate the UN charter by interfering in other country’s sovereignty and violating its territorial integrity.’

“We categorically reject the continuing insinuations in their statements. They clearly reflect an unfortunate lack of understanding of the history, current developments and on-going progressive developments in Indonesia including the provinces of Papua and West Papua.’

The Indonesian diplomat said the statements by the six Pacific Leaders were ‘politically motivated designed to support separatist groups in the two provinces who have consistently engaged inciting public disorder and conducting armed terrorist attacks on civilian and security personnel.’

“Evidently, the statements by those leaders clearly violates the purposes and objectives of the UN Charter and violates the principles of friendly nations amongst states as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

She claimed the Pacific states are using the General Assembly to advance their domestic agenda and for some countries to divert attention from political and social problems at home.

“These countries are using false and fabricated information as the basis of their statements. The conduct of these countries undermine the UN charter and are detrimental to the credibility of this assembly, said the Indonesian diplomat.

She maintains that Indonesia’s commitment to the protection of human rights is unquestionable. Indonesia is a founding member of the UN Human Rights Council and has sat as member of the council for three previous periods and is now serving its fourth term.

“Indonesia is among few countries who have a continued national action plan on Human Rights, active national and robust national commission on human rights since 1993, vibrant civil society and free media. We have a full fledge democracy in full function.

“It would be nearly impossible for any human rights allegations to go unnoticed and unscrutinised. We have domestic mechanisms in place at the national level and at provincial level in Papua and West Papua.”

She said Indonesia will continue to focus on the development of Papua and West Papua provinces in the best interest of all and ended with a well-known saying in the Asia Pacific region, ‘when one points the index finger to others, the thumb finger automatically points to one’s face.


SOURCE: PACNEWS