Human Rights Monitor
Annual Report 2024: Human Rights and Conflict in West Papua
Executive Summary
The armed conflict in West Papua throughout 2024 remained a driving force behind human rights violations in the Papuan provinces, characterised by reports of extrajudicial killings, disappearances and torture by security forces, particularly in the highlands. Authorities continued to restrict freedom of expression by dispersing peaceful protests. Under Indonesia’s new government, led by former military general Prabowo Subianto, pressure on West Papua’s indigenous peoples’ land and cultural heritage has intensified. Military forces secure the exploitation of West Papua’s natural resources through national strategic projects and private investment, heightening the risk of violence in these regions.
Infrastructure projects and resource extraction remained the government’s priority, yet offered minimal advantages to indigenous Papuans. Despite special autonomy funding, healthcare and education saw little improvement, particularly in conflict zones where military personnel replaced professional teachers and health workers who fled due to violence.
According to local media and human rights defenders, by December 2024, over 85,000 Papuans remained internally displaced following armed clashes and security force raids that destroyed their homes and livestock. The heavy military presence deterred many from returning home, leaving displaced persons with limited options. Most survive in makeshift camps or with relatives, lacking access to basic services.
The structure of this report consists of two primary sections. The first one, ‘Civil and Political Rights’, is subdivided into six subsections that include: impunity, killings and torture, freedom of expression, and additional key topics, thoroughly presenting documented cases and relevant statistical evidence. The second section, ‘Conflict and Displacement’, explores the armed conflict’s effects on indigenous populations and the challenges faced by internally displaced persons, underscoring the complexities of the human rights situation in West Papua.
Full report
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