Human Rights Watch Press Release on Papua

Human Rights Watch takes no position on Papuan claims to self-determination

Human Rights Watch (HRW) supports the right of all individuals in the world, including in Indonesia. All Papuan should understand that such supports from HRW is not for self determination. In contrast it is a support for liberating individual expression. In Western countries, liberal ideology is well established and unlikely mislead to a physical conflict. In other countries, (for example Indonesia) physical conflict is a potential power to burst at any time. That is why, prevention by law is vital to maintain peace among people. Unfortunately the law sometimes in opposite to liberal ideology.

Human Rights Report on Papua

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is one of the most influential human rights defender in the world. However, it is clear that 2008 HRW report on Indonesia was made by too simple and too fast in jumping into conclusion. For example: about threats and intimidation against human rights defenders that HRW said significantly increased in Papua and West Papua was not clear and the evidents were not convincing. I am afraid that the HRW monitoring team in Indonesia consists of amateurs who do not understand the problem in Papua and West Papua.