Holy See must defend West Papuans

Pope Leo XIII, through the Encyclical Rerum Novarum in 1891, encouraged the Church to work to overcome the social problems of its time.

Thanks to this inspiring writing, throughout the 20th century, the Catholic Church, beyond its religious mission, played an active role in overcoming social inequality, as well as fighting the ideologies that caused it.

In addition, Pope Pius XI, in Divini Redemptoris, in 1937 emphasized the importance of human rights. Further, Pope Pius XII, in his Christmas radio message in 1944, made it explicit that “human dignity is the dignity of the image of God.” Over time, the Catholic Church has continued to renew its commitment to defending human rights. 

Since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, Popes have used the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a reference, emphasizing its profound coherence with the Christian heritage. On April 2, 2024, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published the Declaration on Human Dignity, affirming that “Denouncing serious and ongoing violations of human dignity is a duty”!

But looking at the current facts, has the Holy See really placed the promotion of human rights as a top priority in its framework at the international level, especially for the conflict in West Papua which after six decades has not been resolved? The Holy See is active in international forums, trying to encourage dialogue, reflection and open discussion, as seen during the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. But why is the Holy See so reluctant to mediate between the Indonesian government and the pro-independence groups of West Papua? 

Even when Pope Francis visited Indonesia and Papua New Guinea in September last year, West Papua was not mentioned at all. This is ironic considering the many parties, both from within and outside the Church, who have urged Pope Francis to speak out on this issue.

The situation of prolonged violence in West Papua, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced thousands more, deserves extra attention from the international community. The human rights of West Papuans whose existence is increasingly threatened must be defended! It is worth remembering that Pope Francis has declared the Jubilee Year 2025 as a year of “forgiveness and liberation.” May in this blessed year, the Holy See dare to speak out for justice and freedom for the people of West Papua.

For the record:

West Papua is a former Dutch colony that declared independence on December 1, 1961. However, Indonesia annexed the region a few years later through a sham referendum known as the “Act of Free Choice” or Pepera. An estimated 500,000 West Papuans were killed during the six decades of Indonesian military occupation.

Written by Wim Anemeke, West Papuan Catholic layman.