THE ROLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN DEFENDING AND PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN WEST

Neles Kebadabi Tebay

West Papua is the western half of the island of , sharing a common border with the independent nation of (PNG). It is only 250 km from . As a Dutch colony, it was called Nederlands Nieuw Guinea ( New Guinea). The first Indonesian President called it Irian Barat (West Irian). The second Indonesian President called it Irian Jaya. Since October 2001, through the bill of special autonomy for Papua, the territory is called Papua. However, indigenous Papuans call the territory West Papua. The majority of indigenous Papuans are Christians. Northern Papuans are typically members of Protestant churches while southerners tend to be Catholics. Christian churches include the Evangelical Christian Church (GKI), the Christian Missionary Church (GKII), the Catholic Church, the Advent Church and the Baptist Church. This contribution will be restricted to the involvement of the Catholic Church in defending and promoting human rights in West Papua. The article will deal with three main points. The first describes the human rights violations in West Papua. The second part examines the motives of the Catholic Church in the protection and promotion of human rights according to the teaching of the Church. The third part presents how the Catholic Church defends and promotes these rights in West Papua. In the conclusion, I will highlight the fundamental causes of the West Papuan case. These causes must be addressed in order to solve the Papuan case justly, democrati- cally and with respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.'

1 For more detailed informationabout human rights violationsin West Papua from 1963 to 1995, see Carmel Budiardjoand Liem Soei Liong, WestPapua: The Obliterationof a People, London:TAPOL, 1984. See also Robin Osbome,'s Secret War: The Guerilla Struggle in Irian Jaya, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1985. The latest human rights violationsin West Papua have been investigatedand documentedby the Catholic Church and the Jayapurabased Institutefor Human RightsStudies and Advocacy (ELS- HAM). 363

Human Rights Violations in West Papua

The Papuans do not need any explanation about human rights violations, because they know them well from their experience. They know what it means to suffer due to the violation of human rights. Papuans have been victims of human rights violations since May 1, 1963, the date where the governmental responsibility in West Papua was handed over to the Indonesian government by the Dutch. These violations include killing, torture, arbitrary arrest, disappearance and rape. They continue even until today. The Jayapura based Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (ELSHAM) reports that during the last four years (1998-2002), there have been 136 cases of extra-judicial killings and 838 cases of arbitrary detention and torture.2 The latest example of such violation is the abduction and assassination of Theys Hiyo Eluay, chairperson of the Papuan Presidium Council and a tribal chief. He was abducted shortly after leaving the base of , Indonesian Army's special forces, on 10 November 2001, late at night, in Jayapura, the capital of West Papua. He was found dead the next day in Skow village, 50 km from the border of Papua New Guinea. According to the government- established inquiry team, Theys was killed by some members of the Army's special forces. As soon as the governmental administrative of Papua was transferred from the Dutch on May 1, 1963, the Indonesian government began its occupation. Papua was considered as an Indonesian province. The government then combined a policy of economic development with a very strict security approach. The government increased the numbers of military and deployed them all over Papua. Soon afterwards, the whole territory was completely under military occupation. During the years preceding the referendum or consultation of tribal chiefs in 1969, the military increased their operations. The purpose of this show of power was to win the popular consultation. The idea of an independent state of West Papua should be eradicated completely. The military operations involved human rights violations. The Papuans became victims of unlawful killing, intimidation, torture and arbitrary detention. When the United Nation 'took note' of the report of the Secretary General on the practice of the popular consultation in Papuan in 1969, the Papuans were declared to be 'separatist'. The Indonesian army continued to deploy their troops in order to maintain territorial integrity. The operations were conducted in the name of "cracking down the separatist movement." The actions of the 1960s were followed by the declaration of Papua as a military operation zone (DOM, Daerah Operasi Militer). During the 1970s and 1980s some regions in Papua were even closed to visitors from outside.

2 See, Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (ELS-HAM), Annual Report 2001.