Amnesty regrets Indonesia’s response to Vanuatu on Papua at UN session

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Amnesty International Indonesia regrets Indonesia’s response in responding to Vanuatu’s allegations of human rights violations at the UN session.

“We deeply regret the attitude of the Indonesian government in the UN forum, which tends to resist the voices of the smallest country, even as small as the state of Vanuatu, for example,” said the Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, at an online press conference, Monday (9/28/2020).

According to him, Indonesia should respond to these accusations in a more elegant way, for example, in a way that demonstrates Indonesia’s commitment to upholding the law and human rights.

Also read: Denies that Vanuatu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Papua

This is because Indonesia is a country of law. Therefore, Indonesia should investigate the existing rape cases.

“The rule of law means that there must be effective punishment for those who commit very serious crimes. In the context of serious crimes, crimes cannot be forgiven, they cannot be forgiven,” he said.

The Indonesian government emphasized that Vanuatu was not a representative of the Papuans by conveying the right to respond to allegations of human rights violations that the Pacific nation had filed against Indonesia.

“You are not a representation of the Papuan people and stop fantasizing about being one of them,” said Silvany Austin Pasaribu, a young diplomat who represents Indonesia using the right of reply at the UN General Assembly on Saturday (9/26). / 2020).

Also read: From Indonesia to Vanuatu: You are not a representative of Papua, stop fantasizing!

In the official UN video, Silvany said that Vanuatu had an excessive and unhealthy obsession with how Indonesia should act or rule its own country.

Because, almost every year in the UN General Assembly, Vanuatu always brings up the issue of the alleged human rights violations experienced by the Papuan community.

This is an accusation that Indonesia considers deliberately raised to support separatism.

“Indonesia will defend itself against any defense of separatism that is transmitted under the guise of an artificial concern for human rights,” Silvany said.

Also read: PM Vanuatu asked to study international relations

He stressed that since 1945, Papua and West Papua are part of Indonesia, which is a final decision and cannot be changed.

This has also been strongly supported by the United Nations and the international community since the last decades.

“The principles of the UN Charter that Vanuatu clearly does not understand are respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Silvany said.