Papua Peaceful Dialogue; Komnas HAM Argues UN Involvement Unecessary

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said Monday he did not think that plans for a peaceful dialogue to be held in Papua should involve the United Nations (UN). 

“We are not yet looking into [involving the United Nations],” he said on March 28. “We are focusing on maximizing the existing national mechanism and what is mandated in the Komnas HAM." 

His made the comment after the West Papua Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) called on the UN to actively be involved in handling conflicts in Papua after numerous times refusing the Indonesian government’s offer for a peaceful dialogue. 

Komnas HAM, according to Haspara, is currently focusing its efforts on realizing the peaceful dialogue and bringing together influential figures of Papua with government representatives. He insisted that the multiple problems in Indonesia’s most eastern region can be solved internally. 

The human rights watchdog’s efforts to broker a peaceful meeting between the Free Papua Movement public and religious figures has started since last year at the Komnas HAM representative headquarters in Papua. 

Komnas HAM believes it is capable of holding this peaceful dialogue as the organization received an A accreditation from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GAHNRI) based at the UN Geneva office.

Read: Papua Police Talk of Obstacles in Arresting Shooter of 8 Workers in Beoga

ARRIJAL RACHMAN