REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2023: THE DARK CLOUD OF HUMAN RIGHTS STILL COVERS PAPUA

On December 10, we celebrate International Human Rights Day in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights (DUHAM)" in Paris in 1948. Although DUHAM has become a universally recognized foothold, the fact is that there are still many countries, including Indonesia, that continue to violate human rights. As part of this reflection, let us take a closer look at the situation in Papua, where a dark cloud of human rights still surrounds the region.
Indonesia, as one of the countries that recognizes and ratifies DUHAM, should be the guardian of human values. However, in reality, human rights violations continue to occur in the country, creating injustice, a decline in democracy, and a decline in human dignity.
Forced evictions, the criminalization of environmental activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, as well as the repression of civil society protest movements, are all still realities in Indonesia. Especially in Papua, cases such as Abepura, Wasior Berdarah, and Biak Berdarah and the negative impact of the Omnibus Law on job creation law are still in the spotlight.

Omnibus Law The Job Creation Law, which has the potential to cause massive human rights violations, is of particular concern. Such changes in legislation can harm the rights of labor groups, damage the environment, and destroy Indigenous peoples, as happened in Boven Digoel, Papua.
In addition, the repression of freedom of expression and opinion of citizens, especially related to the rejection of the Omnibus Law on job creation, further aggravates the situation. The arrests and criminalization of activists, students, journalists, and human rights defenders who voiced their disapproval of the policy serve as a vivid example.
The impact is not only limited to the economic resilience of citizens but can also trigger multidimensional crises that spread to social, political, and security aspects. Citizens' trust in government and the state is increasingly eroded.
As a nation, we have a responsibility to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice. This is not only a sacred duty but also a debt of history to the fighters for democracy who have made sacrifices. Do not let human rights violations become a black shadow in our history. We must stand together to ensure that human values remain respected and protected throughout the country.