Papuan Human rights defenders targeted after UN special representative's visit

July 2007

Dear,

My name is ------------- and I am a member of West Papua Action in Ireland .

West Papua Action is gravely concerned to hear that after the visit to West Papua of UN Special Representative to the Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders Ms. Hina Jilani, human rights defenders are being targeted as a result of denouncing human rights issues to the UN official. Human Rights Defenders in Papua are continuously at risk for their human rights work.

I am informed that Frederika Korain and Priest Perinus Kogoya from SKP Jayapura, Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive Director of the Institute of Research, Analysis and Development for Legal Aid in Manokwari and Albert Rumbekwan, the head of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham) in Papua Province have allegedly been subjected to intimidation, threats and surveillance following their meeting with Ms. Hina Jilani, in which they had discussed with her about the human rights violations in Papua.

THE CASES:

On their way back from the Sentani Airport in Jayapura on June 8, 2007 , Frederika and Priest Perinus Kogoya's car was rammed by a blue Kijang car with license plate number DS 1693 AF, driven by two persons who informed them that they were intelligence commanders from the Trikora military regional command (Komandan Intel Kodam XVII Trikora). It is thought the defenders' car was intentionally rammed in order to intimidate them.

Mr. Yan Christian Warinussy has reported that he has repeatedly been placed under surveillance, both at his home and at work, on 11 th, 16 th, and 18 th June 2007. It is believed that he is being watched by an Armed Forces Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) officer named Hery in Manokwari.

Mr. Albert Rumbekwan has received several death threats in text messages to his cell phone. Unknown people have also surrounded the office of Komnas Ham Papua. Mr. Rumbekwan was also followed by a car when going home from work. Threats were also made towards his family. The threats were made between 11 th and 17 th June, 2007 .

Indonesia is a member of the UN Human Rights Council, which has mandated Ms. Hina Jilani to carry out her work. Attacks on human rights defenders who have communicated with Ms. Jilani should be considered very grave, as should the Indonesian authorities' failure to investigate such incidents, as they exhibit disregard for Indonesia 's international human rights obligations and pledges.

As a signatory to the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Indonesian State has a responsibility to guarantee the safety of human rights defenders as stated in article 12.2 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders:

"The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration." Despite the above, the Indonesian military continues to attack and intimidate human rights defenders with impunity. This is aggravated by the authorities' failure to investigate such incidents and to punish those found to be responsible.

As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Indonesia has pledged to uphold human rights to the highest possible standards, but these incidents are seriously undermining the country's credibility in this regard. Attacks against human rights defenders are seen as attempts to also silence the victims they represent and amount to attacks on human rights themselves. Although Indonesia has established a National Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham), which the international community has viewed as being a positive advancement towards the protection of human rights, this institution and its members still faces hindrances to their work and even threats, as the above case shows all too clearly.

WE URGE:

The Indonesian government to ensure that human rights bodies and institutions are able to function in line with their mandate without constraints, so that they can properly investigate human rights violations, enabling the prosecution of the perpetrators of these acts.

Your government to ensure that all attacks, threats and acts of intimidation cease and all other barriers to the work of human rights defenders are immediately halted.

The government must ensure that the afore-mentioned cases are immediately and impartially investigated and that all persons found responsible are brought to justice, with adequate reparation being provided to the victims. In particular the worsening human rights situation in West Papua must be addressed without further delay.

I look forward to your prompt and effective response in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

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