Our work

Papua

Tensions are running high in the Indonesian province of Papua. These tensions are rooted in power abuse and human rights violations by the Indonesian government, as they seek to suppress the political aspirations of the Papuan population.
 
Ever since 1969, relations between the Papuan community and the Indonesian government have been extremely strained. The main reasons are: 
  • power abuse and human rights violations by the Indonesian army and police
  • lack of good governance
  • social-economic inequality between the Papuas and migrants from other parts of Indonesia
  • the destruction of the domestic environment through mining and large-scale logging
Tensions also exist between various ethnic Papuan groups, due in part to divergent political views on Papua’s future.
  

Activities by Justitia et Pax

Justitia et Pax is engaged in policy influencing at national and international levels, in close cooperation with partners in Papua, so that:
  • the voice of Papuan religious leaders and faith-based civic organisations devoted to peace and reconciliation efforts in West Papua is heard
  • the human rights violations in Papua are put on the international agenda
  • the ‘Papua, Land of Peace’ initiative gains a stronger profile in the Netherlands, Europe (European Commission, Council of the European Union) and at the United Nations
  

Policy influencing in the Netherlands and the European Union

Justitia et Pax raises the issue of human rights violations in Papua with the Dutch government and the European Union. Justitia et Pax does so independently as well as in close cooperation with partner organisations such as ICCO / Kerk in Actie, People on a Mission and Cordaid, along with other participants in the ‘Faith-based Network on West Papua’.
  

'Papua, Land of Peace'

To achieve a sustainable peace and reconciliation, the communal voice of religious leaders and their organisations and institutions is essential. At the request of Papuan partners, in 2003 Justitia et Pax established an international, inter-religious network on West Papua, for which it performs the secretariat function. This ‘Faith-based Network on West Papua’ supports the peace work by religious leaders (Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim) in Papua.
 
The ‘Faith-based Network on West-Papua’ conducts the ‘Papua, Land of Peace’ initiative. Through this initiative, the human rights committees of Papuan churches peacefully protest against the structural violation of the rights of the Papuan population by the Indonesian government. They do so without expressing any views on the political status of the two Papua provinces.
  

The ‘Faith-based Network on West Papua’:

  • is devoted to capacity building in Papua
  • brings issues concerning Papua to the attention of national governments and international forums, such as the United Nations and the European Union. In this way it attempts to contribute to increasing the pressure on the Indonesian government to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Papua.
  

International support for sustainable solutions

Justitia et Pax also seeks international support for other solutions that may contribute to a sustainable peace in Papua:
  • protecting the domestic environment of the Papuan population
  • achieving socio-economic rights, such as the right to education and healthcare (established in 1966 in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
  • setting up a peace dialogue between representatives of West Papua and the Indonesian government
  

Supporting education

Justitia et Pax and ICCO are jointly coordinating an education study in one of the Papuan districts. The results can be used as a lobby instrument in Papua, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the European Union (EU). The EU devotes a large share of its development aid budget for Indonesia on education.
  

Collaboration

  • church organisations on West Papua
    Solidarity ties have existed between Justitia et Pax Netherlands and church organisations on West Papua since many years, including with diocesan Justitia et Pax commissions and religious orders and congregations.
  • strategic collaboration with Cordaid and Mensen met een Missie
    In the last five years, Justitia et Pax, Cordaid and Mensen met een Missie have intensified their cooperation with Papuan organisations concerning the ‘Papua, Land of Peace’ initiative. In the Netherlands, Kerk in Actie and subsequently ICCO also became involved in this initiative.
  • collaboration with the ‘Faith-based Network on West Papua’
 
 

Publications

 
Geneva Appeal (April 2005), in which the ‘Faith-Based Network on West Papua’ outlines the steps that the Indonesian government, the United Nations, the European Union and the international community should take in order to achieve peace and justice for the Papuan population. The publication can be ordered via the Justitia et Pax secretariat, info@justitiaetpax.nl
 
 
History As a Dutch colony, Papua was part of the Dutch East Indies. Following Indonesia’s independence in 1945, Papua remained a Dutch colony under the name of Dutch New Guinea. In 1963, the United Nations granted control of the territory to Indonesia, on condition that the population could decide for itself whether to pursue autonomy or to continue under Indonesian rule.
 
'Act of Free Choice'
During the subsequent process of public consultation in 1969, known as the 'Act of Free Choice', Indonesia put the population under strong pressure to vote for Indonesian rule; and successfully so. The name of the province was changed to Irian Barat, and later changed again by President Suharto into Irian Jaya. In 2001 the name was changed back to the original Papua, which is now divided into the provinces of Papua and West Papua.
Links
  
 
 
Father and son, Kagua, Papua (photo: UN/W. Stone, 1997)
Father and son, Kagua, Papua (photo: UN/W. Stone, 1997)