SPECIAL AUTONOMY IN WEST PAPUA: SOLUTION OR SOURCE OF PROBLEMS? (4)
OTSUS or the hidden face of Indonesian colonialism in West Papua
Just as democracy is only used by the Indonesian regime as a mask for international acceptance, special autonomy called OTSUS is used as a fence for Jakarta's domination in West Papua. Imprisonment of human rights activists and extrajudicial killings have continued since 1963.
Indonesia's rulers use the law as a tool to legitimize their crimes. Indeed, the Indonesian Criminal Code allows the criminalization of Papuan freedom fighters under the pretext of treason (article 106 of the Criminal Code) and resistance to state apparatus (article 214 of the Criminal Code). The Indonesian Criminal Code also contains a number of articles that are vague and easily interpreted in accordance with the wishes of the authorities, such as law on information, electronic transactions and incitement to hatred.
According to Ambrosius Mulait, secretary-general of the Association of Central Highland Papuan Students in Indonesia (AMPTPI), the number of political prisoners reached a record high during the presidency of Joko Widodo or Jokowi, Indonesia's current head of state. Last month, Indonesian military and police officers arrested 14 members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Tambrauw. After interrogation, 11 were released and three were charged with treason. A total of 21 people are suspected of treason in the Jokowi era.
Peaceful demonstrations by Papuans who reject the special autonomy policy and the new autonomous regions have been responded by state apparatus with arrests and killings. During 2022, Pusaka Foundation recorded 46 incidents that resulted in 348 victims, included 313 men, 31 women, and 22 minors.
Before and after OTSUS was enacted in 2001, indigenous Papuans were never involved in state decision-making. Exploitation of natural resources and unresolved land disputes led to increased conflict and tension between communities, particularly between indigenous Papuans and Indonesian migrants.
The revision of the Special Autonomy Law in 2021 resulted in the narrowing of democratic space: ban on new local political parties, the expansion of provinces and districts was carried out without going through the regional preparation stage according to the Local Government Law.
Scholarships for many Papuan students have been suspended. The number of Papuan children not attending school is increasing. According to Agus Sumule, a senior lecturer at the University of Papua, the number has reached almost 480,000 children! One factor is the lack of staff and teaching facilities.
Ironically, the number of Indonesian soldiers in Papua continues to increase. By 2022, the number of new soldiers has reached 20,000! (ELSHAM, 2023) Not to mention the number of heavy weapons brought in as promised by Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia's Minister of Defense last May regarding the implementation of the combat alert status in the Papua conflict area.
The Indonesian Army Commander Yudo Margono tried to deny this by stating that this was just a rotation of troops. But so far there is no evidence that any troops are being withdrawn from Papua. Senior Indonesian military leaders also denied the use of bombs despite reports and testimonies. They confirmed that only grenades were used.
The leaders of the Indonesian regime can make all the claims they want, but the public sees that there is something ugly being hidden in West Papua. The ban on independent journalists gaining access to military operations areas is clear evidence of their dishonesty.
To be continued ... https://markushalukpapua.blogspot.com/2023/07/special-autonomy-in-west-papua-solution_1.html#more
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