Amnesty International Calls on Pope Francis to Advocate for Justice and Religious Freedom in Indonesia

JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia from September 3 to 6, 2024, should serve as a pivotal moment to urge the country to halt gross human rights violations and address past injustices caused by development policies that are detrimental to social and environmental well-being, such as those in Papua and Rempang, Amnesty International Indonesia stated today.

“The messages of peace, love, and dialogue conveyed by Pope Francis are highly relevant in a world facing division and intolerance. This visit is crucial for reaffirming every nation’s commitment to human dignity and social justice,” said Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia.

“Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with the President and other key officials. This presents an opportunity to urge Indonesia to fulfill its human rights commitments, including providing redress for past human rights abuses and protecting communities, including Indigenous Peoples, from flawed economic policies.”

“This visit also provides an important platform to advocate for an end to repressive policies in response to protests and demonstrations, to call for peace in Papua, and to prevent discriminatory practices against religious minority groups. The assassination of human rights activist Munir, marking 20 years since his death, also deserves attention.”

Indonesia, currently an active member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), has yet to implement several key recommendations related to addressing past human rights violations and protecting religious minority groups from attacks on their freedom of belief and establishment of places of worship.

Amnesty International Indonesia has documented several unresolved cases of gross human rights violations, including the 1965/66 mass killings, the 1984 Tanjung Priok incident, the 1989 Lampung incident, the July 27, 1996 attack, the 1997/98 abduction and forced disappearance of activists, the Trisakti, Semanggi I, and Semanggi II shootings, the May 1998 riots, the Munir case, and extrajudicial killings in Papua.