Vanuatu’s submission on the Impact of miliratism on Indigenous land of West Papua to the EMRIP and Periodic Review on Indonesia

Vanuatu’s submission on the Impact of miliratism on Indigenous land of West Papua to the EMRIP and Periodic Review on Indonesia (Shadow Report)

MILITARISATION OF INDIGENOUS LAND OF WEST PAPUA.

Vanuatu Free West Papua Association is forwarding this Petition to the UN Experts Mechanisms on the Right of Indigenous Peoples and the Universal Periodic Review on Indonesia (Shadow Report)

We have received reports from Indonesia Amnesty International and Transparency International that the human rights situation caused by the presence of Indonesian Military in West Papua is becoming worst. The situation currently is that:

• The Indonesian Government has banned internet access for Indigenous West Papuans.

• from the ground it is difficult to gather information due to reporting restrictions, placed on International journalists in the region 

• The increased Indonesian military deployment in West Papua since 2018 has resulted in around 2,000 casualties, displacement of around 50,000 civilians and 5,000 fled to seek asylum in PNG.

Indonesian Military to West Papua has also contribute as a resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and what has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.

The Indigenous Melanesian People of the West Papua Province of Indonesia are regarded as minority ethnic group that needs to be free from genocides and inhuman treatments.

We reaffirm the Principles of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS that recognizes ‘the inherent dignity of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’.

The Indigenous Melanesian people of West Papua are also part of that foundation of freedom, justice and peace of the Melanesian Archipelago. They are the Melanesian Indigenous minority under Indonesia regime, who have a right to freedom and self-determination as declared by the UN Resolution 15, 14 on decolonization.

We strongly affirmed that any development in the indigenous land of West Papua should apply the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent of indigenous West Papuan as enshrines the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF SOLITARITY WE THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENTIRE INDIGENOUS MELANSIAN PEOPLE:

We appeal to the International Community to:

1 Facilitate an urgent UN Human Rights fact findings mission to West Papua.

2 Send International journalist to West Papua to report on the current issues affecting the indigenous population.  

3 Mediate a peaceful transition for a free West Papua and

4 Up hold the principle of UN resolution 15,14 of 2000 to yearning West Papua to its freedom, and,

5 FINALLY, WE CALL UPON Indonesia to withdraw its administrative and military power from West Papua.

Dated 26th January 2022 in Port Vila, Vanuatu

Subject: West Papua: EMRIP and UPR Reports

Dear Leaders, 

Trust this year has begun well for all of us, wherever we are, while our thoughts and prayer goes out to families qnd loved ones affected by the pandemic the region, military operations in the central highlands of Papua and volcanic eruption in the Kingdom of Tonga.

This is a short notice but an important one, on submission of human rights reports on West Papua to the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) and the Universal Periodic Review on Indonesia (Shadow Report).

The EMRIP contribution reports are on the theme "The militarization of indigenous land: a human rights focus." The Expert Mechanism hereby requests contributions from Indigenous Peoples, States, National Human Rights Institutions, academics and other stakeholders for this report. 

Submissions should be sent by e-mail to ohchr-expertmechanism@un.org no later than 31 January 2022. A draft report will be introduced by the Expert Mechanism at its annual session to take place from 11 to 15 July 2022, after which it will be finalised and presented to the Human Rights Council at its 51st session in September 2022. Submissions are until 31 January 2022, and no longer than 5 pages. 

Meanwhile, the shadow reports for the Indonesia UPR is to be submitted on March 31.

With this, I would like to ask if any of our solidarity partners would collaborate with, or independently make submission to cover issues on impact of militarism on the internal displacement, the environment, on health, and women and children, and other sectors, while restating the recommendation for an OHCHR visit to West Papua, or an independent HR investigation in West Papua. 

Let me know if you are interested and what you think on how we could go about this. 

Warm regards,

K.r