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.

Additionally, Amnesty has recorded at least 123 cases of intolerance from January 2021 to July 2024, including the rejection, closure, or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks. Perpetrators are believed to come from various backgrounds, including government officials, residents, and civil society organizations.

On June 30, 2024, a village head, along with a group of individuals, halted a Sunday service at a Pentecostal church in Sidoarjo, East Java, claiming the church lacked a building permit (IMB). The local pastor stated that the church had been registered as a prayer house since December 7, 2023, and obtaining an IMB is a lengthy process. Nevertheless, the village head insisted on the IMB requirement.

To build a place of worship, the 2006 Joint Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs and the Minister of Home Affairs requires approval from at least 60 local residents, endorsement by the village head, and a written recommendation from the Department of Religious Affairs and the Forum for Religious Harmony. This process can lead to conflicts in areas where minority religious communities face local opposition.

On May 5, 2024, a group led by a neighborhood chief attacked Catholic students holding a Rosary Prayer event at a private residence in South Tangerang, forcing them to move their worship to a church.

On July 2, 2024, the Garut Regency government in West Java sealed off a place of worship for Ahmadiyya Muslims. Indonesia continues to record cases of restrictions on religious rights and freedoms.

Amnesty International hopes Pope Francis’ visit will spotlight these issues to ensure the protection of religious freedom in Indonesia.

“The Pope’s visit is crucial for encouraging Indonesia to end intolerance and discrimination against all minority groups. Religious freedom is a right protected by Indonesia’s constitution,” said Usman Hamid.

“This guarantee must be effectively enforced through laws and regulations aligned with international human rights standards.”

Amnesty also hopes Pope Francis’s visit will draw attention to the implementation of National Strategic Projects (PSN), which often proceed using coercive methods without meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples. Many large-scale infrastructure projects under the PSN have severely impacted Indigenous Peoples, whose rights to land, culture, and protection of traditional knowledge are frequently neglected.

Many Indigenous Peoples still lack official recognition of their land rights, making them vulnerable to agrarian conflicts and often victims of development projects, as seen in Rempang, Wadas, and Mandalika.

Moreover, Indigenous Peoples who voice criticism against the government in defending their rights in agrarian conflicts often face attacks. Amnesty International Indonesia recorded at least eight cases of attacks against Indigenous Peoples from January 2019 to March 2024, with at least 84 victims, including criminalization, intimidation, and physical violence.

“Pope Francis, known for his commitment to social justice, environmental preservation, and protection of Indigenous rights, is expected to address these violations during his visit to Indonesia,” said Usman.

Call to End Human Rights Violations in Papua

Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia is also expected to highlight the situation in Papua, where conflict persists and the rights of Indigenous Papuans and other civilians are under constant threat.

“Papua, which has experienced violence for decades, needs urgent attention. The escalation of violence, militarization, and suppression of dissent in Papua has resulted in numerous civilian casualties, displacement, and a humanitarian crisis,” said Usman.

Civilians in Papua, including Indigenous Peoples, have suffered due to large-scale military operations resulting in extrajudicial killings by state and non-state armed groups, torture, internal displacement, and other violations.

From February 3, 2018, to August 20, 2024, Amnesty recorded 132 cases of extrajudicial killings, resulting in at least 242 civilian deaths. Some of these cases were carried out by security forces (83 cases with 135 victims), while others were by pro-independence armed groups (49 cases with 107 victims).

In addition to local civilians, a New Zealand helicopter pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, was killed while transporting four civilians in Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, on August 5, 2024. The perpetrator’s identity remains unclear, prompting Amnesty to call for a full investigation.

Another New Zealand citizen, Phillip Mehrtens, has been held hostage since February 7, 2023, by a pro-independence armed group faction in Papua. Between January 2019 and February 2024, there were at least 17 cases of torture involving 50 victims, allegedly committed by security personnel and state officials in Papua.

“Therefore, Pope Francis must emphasize the importance of peaceful dialogue and resolutions that respect human rights and the aspirations of the Papuan people,” said Usman. (Uki Ruknuddin)

 

JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Amnesty International Indonesia has called on Pope Francis to use his visit to Indonesia from September 3 to 6, 2024, as an opportunity to urge the country to address past human rights abuses and to halt ongoing violations linked to current development policies that are socially and environmentally damaging, particularly in Papua and Rempang.

“Pope Francis’ messages of peace, love, and dialogue are highly relevant in a world facing division and intolerance. This visit is crucial to reaffirm 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 is a prime opportunity to push Indonesia to fulfill its human rights commitments, including addressing past serious human rights violations and protecting communities, including indigenous peoples, from flawed economic policies.”

The visit also provides a significant platform to advocate for the end of repressive policies against protests, call for peace in Papua, and prevent discriminatory practices against religious minorities. The murder of human rights activist Munir, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, also demands attention.

Indonesia, now an active member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, has yet to implement several important recommendations regarding past human rights abuses, ongoing violations linked to development policies, and the protection of religious minorities from attacks on their freedom of belief and places of worship.

Amnesty International Indonesia highlights unresolved cases of severe human rights violations, including the 1965/66 mass killings, Tanjung Priok 1984, Lampung 1989, the July 27, 1996 attacks, the 1997/98 abductions and disappearances of activists, the Trisakti and Semanggi shootings, the May 1998 riots, the Munir case, and extrajudicial killings in Papua.

Since January 2021, Amnesty has documented at least 123 cases of intolerance, including the rejection, closure, or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks. Perpetrators are believed to come from various backgrounds, including government officials, citizens, and community organizations.

On June 30, 2024, a village head and a group of people stopped a Sunday service at a Pentecostal church in Sidoarjo, East Java, citing the lack of a building permit. The local pastor stated that the church had been registered as a place of worship since December 7, 2023, and obtaining a permit is a lengthy process. Nevertheless, the village head insisted on the permit requirement.

For building places of worship, the 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree requires approval from at least 60 local residents, endorsed by the village head, and written recommendations from the Ministry of Religion and the Interfaith Harmony Forum. This process can lead to conflicts in areas where minority groups face local opposition.

On May 5, 2024, a group led by a local neighborhood chief attacked Catholic students holding a Rosary Prayer event in a private home in South Tangerang, forcing participants to relocate to a church.

On July 2, 2024, the Garut Regency government in West Java sealed an Ahmadiyya place of worship. Indonesia continues to record cases of restrictions on religious rights and freedoms.

Amnesty International hopes Pope Francis’ visit will highlight these issues and ensure the protection of religious freedom in Indonesia.

“Pope Francis’ visit is crucial in urging Indonesia to end intolerance and discrimination against all minority groups. Religious freedom is a constitutionally protected right in Indonesia,” said Usman Hamid.

“This guarantee must be effectively upheld, with laws and regulations aligned with international human rights standards.”

Call for the End of Human Rights Violations in Papua

Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia is also anticipated to bring attention to the conflict-ridden region of Papua, where civilian rights continue to be threatened.

“Papua, which has suffered violence for decades, must be a focal point. The escalation of violence, militarization, and suppression of dissent in Papua has led to numerous civilian casualties, displacement, and a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention,” said Usman.

Civilians in Papua, including indigenous peoples, have endured massive military operations resulting in extrajudicial killings by state and non-state armed groups, torture, internal displacement, and other violations.

From February 3, 2018, to August 20, 2024, Amnesty has recorded 132 cases of extrajudicial killings resulting in at least 242 civilian deaths. Some cases involved security forces (83 cases with 135 victims) and others by pro-independence armed groups (49 cases with 107 victims).

Among the victims was New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcolm Conning, killed while transporting four civilians in Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, on August 5, 2024. The perpetrator’s identity remains unclear, prompting Amnesty to call for a full investigation.

Another New Zealander, Phillip Mehrtens, has been held hostage since February 7, 2023, by a pro-independence armed group. From January 2019 to February 2024, there were at least 17 torture cases involving 50 victims, reportedly by security forces and state apparatus in Papua.

“Therefore, Pope Francis must also emphasize the importance of peaceful dialogue and resolutions that respect human rights and the aspirations of the Papuan people,” Usman added. (Uki Ruknuddin)