Theo van den Broek: Paralyzing Papuan Political Resistance, Human Rights Regulated from Behind
Abstract
In this reflection, the characteristics of the social situation in Papua at the end of 2022 are being described. The current situation is the result of the ‘security approach strategy’ pattern that has been implemented by the Indonesian government for the past 3 ½ years. The government hopes that with a “security approach” the conflict in Papua can be resolved. De facto, what was achieved: the implementation of the strategy resulted in the opposite situation, namely: the conflict was not resolved, but became much more complex and difficult to resolve. The security approach strategy turned out to be accompanied by an escalation of violence which not only threatened the physical lives of many citizens, but also had a very negative impact on a number of sectors of social life (including: the law enforcement sector, the freedom of expression and assembly sector, the democracy sector, and the population sector). . After 3 ½ years of embracing the security approach, it turns out that the people of Papua, in particular the indigenous Papuans, feel that they have been driven into a dead end. An atmosphere in which there is no more bright spot for a dignified solution to the problem. In order to pave the way towards a good and peaceful resolution of the problem, we need to [1] eliminate the negative impact of the 3 ½ year policy, and [2] the willingness of all parties to show a true ‘political will’ and open themselves to dialogue, including discussing political aspects which are actually the main root of problems in Papua.
