The Ambiguity of Human Rights Policy in Papua

This document is a human rights research report in e-book format published in March 2017 under the title “The Political Ambiguity of Human Rights in Papua: A Report on the Human Rights Situation in Papua in 2016”. This vi + 87-page report was written by Achmad Fanani Rosyidi, edited by Sudarto, proofread by Bonar Tigor Naipospos, and officially published by Pustaka Masyarakat Setara (SETARA Institute) as part of the Human Security Report Series.

This research report provides a critical and in-depth analysis of the sociopolitical dynamics and the state of human rights enforcement in the Papua region throughout 2016. The title “The Ambiguity of Human Rights Policy” reflects the report’s main thesis, which highlights the contradictions or inconsistencies in the Indonesian government’s policies: on the one hand, it vigorously promotes an approach focused on economic development and large-scale physical infrastructure in Papua, yet on the other hand, it continues to perpetuate a restrictive security approach (security approach). This report documents various incidents of civil and political rights violations on the ground, restrictions on freedom of expression, and examines the effectiveness of resolving cases of violence in order to promote a more inclusive and dignified human security paradigm for the people of Papua.