[AFP]
Indonesia designated Papuan separatist rebels as a terrorist group Thursday after they killed an army general, a policeman and four civilians this month, but observers warned the move could inflame tensions and lead to human rights abuses.
Violence by separatist insurgents in the Papua region fit the definition of terrorism under amendments to the country’s anti-terror law that were passed in 2018, said Mohammad Mahfud MD, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs.
“We are treating organizations and people who commit massive violence in Papua as terrorists,” Mahfud told a news conference as he announced the designation.
By Ryan Aditya in Jakarta
Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti has condemned the invitation to Myanmar coup leader General Min Aung Hlaing to attend the ASEAN ministerial conference in Jakarta at the weekend as revealing Indonesia’s true colours that it is accepting of human rights violators.
“Min Aung Hlaing’s arrival actually shows that Indonesia is indeed very apologetic towards human rights violators not just domestically but internationally,” said Maulidiyanti.
Maulidiyanti said that Indonesia had acted the same way when it received Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) extraordinary leadership conference in 2016.
Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman has challenged the contrasting positions taken by the Indonesian government in response to calls to resolve the Papua problem and in its response to the military coup in Myanmar.
Koman said Indonesia’s position on the Myanmar coup had been very good, but not its attitude on the Papua issue.
“It’s funny, Indonesia pays no attention to international pressure to resolve the conflict in Papua, but has the courage to stand up to Myanmar, which is actually a very good move”, said Koman during a webinar held by the Milk Tea Alliance Indonesia last Sunday.
Indonesia appoints Christian as new national police chief
Rights groups call on Protestant Listyo Sigit Prabowo to curb abuses allegedly committed by the force
Indonesia s parliament has approved the appointment of Listyo Sigit Prabowo, a Protestant, as the new national police chief. (Photo courtesy of polri.go.id)
Indonesia has named a Christian as the new national police chief, the third person from the religious minority to hold the post in the Muslim-majority nation.
Commissioner General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, a Protestant, was the only nominee and was approved by parliament on Jan. 20,
The new chief, who heads the National Police s Criminal Investigation Agency and is a close ally of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, will replace General Idham Azis, who recently retired.
Alliance presses for police accountability in deaths of FPI members 9th January 2021
ANTARA FOTO/Aprillio Akbar Jakarta (ANTARA) - Some 10 human rights watchdogs grouped in a civil society alliance highlighted the need for the Indonesian police to demonstrate accountability in the deaths of six slain members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).
Police officers must meet the human rights standards in every action they take, though it is for law enforcement purposes, Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti remarked.
Kontras, along with nine other human rights defenders in Indonesia, responded to the outcomes of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM s) probe into the recent fatal shooting of six FPI members in a press statement on Friday.