UN Human Rights Committee Highlights Extrajudicial Killings in Papua

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (HRC) highlighted a pattern of extrajudicial killings of Papuans as a form of human rights violation in Indonesia during a press conference following an examination session on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

The UN Human Rights Committee published its findings on human rights violations in Chile, Guyana, Indonesia, Namibia, Serbia, Somalia, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland after examining seven countries at its most recent session.

The findings contain concerns and recommendations regarding the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) for state parties.

UN HRC member Carlos Gómez Martinez began the reading of the findings for Indonesia by expressing concern over a pattern of extrajudicial killings of Papuans.

Martinez said the UN HRC welcomed the Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that rejected the appeal of five former Indonesian National Army (TNI) soldiers as defendants in the mutilation of four Papuans in Timika.

"But we are concerned by multiple reports of extrajudicial killings that involved the indigenous peoples in Papua. Which have not been investigated despite the state party's commitment to do so," he said. 

The committee then discussed the case of alleged extrajudicial killings in Paniai on December 7, 2014.

The defendant in that case, Major Infantry (Ret.) Isak Sattu, was acquitted by the Human Rights Court in 2022. In its decision, the panel of judges stated that the elements of human rights violations in Paniai were not fulfilled.

The Paniai incident began with an argument between the TNI and civilians. After that, members of the Military Rayon Command (Koramil) shot at the crowd, then chased and stabbed them with bayonets.

Four civilians Alpius Youw, Alpius Gobay, Yulian Yeimo and Simon Degei were killed, while 17 others were injured.

"The Committee also regrets that following the acquittal of Isak Sattu in 2022, there is still a lack of information on the charges brought against other military officers who participated in the reported extrajudicial killings of four Papuan children in Paniai in 2014," Martinez said.

UN HRC said it also discussed recent incidents of mistreatment by the TNI of Papuan civilians suspected to be members of the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM).

A video of the mistreatment of a Papuan citizen circulated on social media this month, and TNI Chief of Information (Kapuspen) Major General Nugraha Gumilar confirmed that the perpetrators were members of the TNI.

He said the alleged TPNPB-OPM member was named Definus Kogoya. The persecution incident was carried out at Gome Post in the Puncak Regency area of Papua.

"Yes, it was discussed," Martinez said during the press conference, answering reporters' questions. He reiterated earlier remarks that the UN Human Rights Committee welcomed the Supreme Court's 2023 upholding the convictions of six law officers for the premeditated murder and mutilation of four Papuan people in the Timika.

"Nevertheless, we think that the situation is not good, and this is one of the reasons why we recommend that the state party follow this kind of fight against impunity. So that in three years we will see if something has been done in this field or not," he said.

NABIILA AZZAHRA A. 

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