Urge Indonesian Authorities to Ensure Albert Rumbekwan’s Safety

Alert Issued: August 8, 2007

“What else do you Papuan separatists want, all that’s left is to wait like your leader Munir . . . You better get to know God quickly. . .”
--Text message sent to Albert Rumbekwan, July 31, 2007

Three days after meeting with a U.N. envoy, the representative of the National Human Rights Commission in the troubled Indonesian province of Papua received a message on his cell phone. The June 11 message threatened Albert Rumbekwan and his children with death, accusing him of using human rights to hurt Papua.

Since that day he has received numerous threats, and on one occasion men in vehicles waited outside his office for hours after yelling at him to come out. Some text messages threaten that he will soon be killed like other murdered defenders such as Munir. Others purport to be copies of warnings sent to the authorities that Rumbekwan himself is planning to murder people, while others pretend to be from Rumbekwan urging people to kill members of the security forces.

Rumbekwan is just one of the many defenders who have received threats in a province largely closed to foreign press, diplomats, and international human rights workers.

Although the police have assigned officers to guard Rumbekwan, the threats continue. Please urge the Indonesian authorities to ensure Rumbekwan’s safety and to investigate the threats immediately and effectively. The National Human Rights Commission should also take active measures to ensure the safety of their representative in Papua.

Tell Me More

Read HRF’s Letter to Indonesia following UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Hina Jilani’s trip.
 
Sample Letter

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Office of the President
Istana Merdeka
Jakarta 10110
Indonesia

Dear Policy Maker,

I was extremely concerned to hear about the almost daily acts of intimidation experienced by National Human Rights Commission representative Albert Rumbekwan in Papua. I urge you to ensure that he remains safe and to identify and prosecute the perpetrators. The Commission itself should take every measure at its disposal to ensure the safety of its representative in Papua.

The threats began just days after Rumbekwan met with U.N. Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders Hina Jilani. Indonesian officials have noted that Jilani’s visit is part of Indonesia’s commitment to human rights as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council. Indonesia should be commended for its invitation to the U.N. envoy and its willingness to facilitate her visit to Papua.

However, since then Rumbekwan and other human rights defenders, including staff from the Catholic Church’s Office of Justice and Peace, have been subject to intimidation by persons operating with impunity. Until these problems are addressed, Indonesia’s commitment to human rights is called into question.

We hope that law enforcement authorities will take measures to ensure that these threatening and intimidatory acts are brought to an end. If any police, military, or intelligence agencies are using vehicles or mobile phones to threaten defenders they should be disciplined and prevented from continuing these actions. Regardless of the source of the threats, police should investigate thoroughly, using all available evidence including any license plate numbers and phone numbers that have been reported to them. The National Human Rights Commission itself should take every measure to ensure that Rumbekwan and his family remain safe.