Indonesian president's theatrical visit disgusts West Papuans

MEDIA RELEASE

NO 0014/PAN-002/A-23/ULMWP/EC-1/VII/2024

Indonesian president's theatrical visit disgusts West Papuans

The visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo on July 23 2024 at the Papua Bangkit Jayapura stadium, West Papua, to commemorate Indonesian National Children's Day is a form of harassment and insult to the 62,000 Papuans who are currently still displaced, most of whom are mothers and children. They are spread across 8 conflict areas: Intan Jaya Regency, Maybrat, Bintang Mountains, Nduga, Puncak Papua, Yahukimo, Puncak Papua and Paniai in West Papua.

ULMWP Executive President, Menase Tabuni emphasized, “During his 10 years in power, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has made development safari tours more than 15 times in West Papua. This was done on the blood, bones and tears of the people of West Papua. . His visits had neither impact nor benefit for the local native population. He does not have a road map to resolve what is at the root of the political conflict and human rights problems in West Papua. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government is busy handling conflicts in other countries such as Palestine, Myanmar and so on. The roads and bridges built by the Indonesian government in West Papua are an attempt to speed up the settlement of Indonesian migrants. Infrastructure development is nothing more than a strategy to facilitate the operations of the Indonesian army and police in the conflict areas of West Papua."

At the start of President Joko Widodo's administration, West Papua was the world's third largest tropical forest after the Amazon in Brazil and the Congo Basin in Central Africa. But now West Papua is threatened by ecocide. Of the 34 million hectares of forest in West Papua, 13 million hectares have been controlled for the interests of oligarchs and a handful of Indonesian political elites.

Meanwhile, the Executive Vice President of ULMWP, Octovianus Mote said,  "Under the leadership of President Joko Widodo there has been a clampdown on freedom in West Papua. Around 7,000 West Papuans were arrested and tortured during nonviolent actions in support of ULMWP membership during 2015-2018, then during actions against racist harassment in 2019 and many other follow-up actions. Many civilians, mostly young, were tortured and shot dead by Indonesian soldiers and police. President Joko Widodo had promised to open access for journalists to West Papua in 2015 and pledged to allow a UN Human Rights Council visit to West Papua in February 2018. However, none of these things have materialized."

Based on these facts, the president and vice president of the ULMWP Executive emphasized that, “In the 61st year of the Indonesian occupation, the people of West Papua are under threat of genocide, ethnocide and ecocide. Therefore, we call on all the West Papuan people and the West Papuan political elite who work in the Indonesian colonial system not to sell their dignity and birthright to any foreign nation. We invite the indigenous people of West Papua not to sell their land, forests and civil rights to anyone."

Thus, we issue this statement for the public to know, especially the Papuan people in West Papua and wherever they are. God bless us all. Thank You.

For media who wish to confirm and wish to conduct interviews, please contact,

ULMWP Executive Secretary, Markus Haluk, +628-524444-2502

Jayapura, West Papua, 22 July 2024