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West Papua 2020 Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly Full Report

West Papua 2020: online and offline attacks against freedom of expression and assembly in the region

Press Release 

London, 16th September 2021

Peaceful demonstrators, student activists, West Papuan and Indonesian political activist groups, human rights lawyers and defenders and individual civilians experienced extreme repression for their involvement in peaceful demonstrations and meetings which occured in 2020 in West Papua and outside West Papua. 

Special autonomy – big on funds, short on human rights and democracy

In 2001 the Indonesian government passed a special autonomy law relating to the governance of West Papua. After 20 years the funding arrangements contained in the law and its regulations are to be evaluated and revised. The general nature and detailed elements of this evaluation are significant for many reasons. Among the most important is that development projects in West Papua have become the preferred way of governing the territory.

TAPOL Joins the Papuan People’s Petition

TAPOL Joins the Papuan People’s Petition

(London, 25 May 2021) TAPOL has today launched a briefing aimed at informing the international community about why West Papuan people are rejecting the extension and revision of the special autonomy law. In support of a call by West Papuan grassroots organisations, we have become part of the movement of civil society organisations associated with the Papuan People’s Petition (Petisi Rakyat Papua, PRP) as its 111th member.

Reconciliation has been forgotten in Papua's Special Autonomy

According to the Governor of Papua, a draft law on governance in Papua (RUU) is now being considered by the Minister of the Interior. The draft law will be formally ratified in August 2014. There have been many complaints by Papuans about this draft because of the lack of transparency, down to the substance, article by article, which only complies with the political interests of the political leaders and will not meet the basic needs of the Papuan people.

Stop ‘Otsus Plus’ and return to Articles 77 and 78 of Otsus Papua

After reading the contents of the Draft Law (Rancangan Undang-Undang, RUU ) on Papua Special Autonomy, recently known as ‘Otsus Plus,’ in particular the twelfth and thirteenth drafts, as a Senior Advocate Papuan Human Rights Defender,  I would like to urge the Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe, and Governor of West Papua, Abraham Octavianus Atururi, to immediately return to the mandate of Articles 77 and 78, Law No. 21/2001 on Papua Special Autonomy as amended by Law No.35/2008.

Indigenous Papuans Could Become a Minority in the Papuan Regional Representative Assembly (DPRP)

In essence, Special Autonomy (Otonomi Khusus, OTSUS) is simple: its introduction to Papua clearly meant siding with, protecting and empowering the rights of the indigenous Papuan people in every aspect of life as well as developing Papua (the provinces of Papua and West Papua), including in political affairs. It is for this reason that a number of articles were included in Law No. 21, 2001 which specifically regulate the political rights of the indigenous Papuan people.

Obituary of Agus Alue Alua: A life of dedication to the Papuan People

Agus Alue Alua was born on 13 September 1962. He studied at the Catholic secondary school Dok V, Jayapura and later worked as a teacher, then spent three years studying at the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium.

From 1997, he took part in discussions within Catholic circles about the need to wage a struggle for the rights of the Papuan people, always stressing the importance of eschewing violence and pursuing the path of peace.

Reflections on the upholding of human rights in the era of Papuan special autonomy: Violence still persists

Jayapura - Special Autonomy (OTSUS) came into being at a time of struggle when the Papuan people had become the objects of development, resulting in many incidents of violence and human rights violations over many years. This was acknowledged in the introductory paragraphs of the OTSUS law and Articles 45- 47 of OTSUS, in which the State acknowledged that mistakes had been made. There were hopes that an era of truth would emerge by means of creating peace and the right to life for the people of Papua. At the same time, however, there were groups who were against the enactment of OTSUS.

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