Mahfud MD: Vanuatu Is Making It Up

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said the Republic of Vanuatu was making it up. This statement was delivered by Mahfud in response to Vanuatu's attitude that accused Indonesia of committing human rights violations in Papua.

Moreover, in the general session only Vanuatu accused Indonesia of being resistant to human rights enforcement in Papua. Meanwhile, other countries, said Mahfud, did not mention anything about Papua.

"For Indonesia, Vanuatu is making it up," Mahfud said in an online press conference, Thursday, October 1.

Mahfud also questioned Vanuatu's purpose in raising the issue at the UN general assembly. Because, the country is considered not a representation of Papua.

"He is not a Papuan. Vanuatu is not a people, does not represent the Papuan people. Because Papua is Indonesia. Indonesia is Papua, that's all," he said.

Even so, Mahfud emphasized that anyone who wants to carry out an investigation into a number of events that occurred in Papua is welcome. However, he said, the propaganda about human rights issues in Papua has been fueled mostly by those who are separatist groups.

"Please. There, protect human rights, carry out investigations, then we will use it and then make decisions or attitudes as a country. Institutions, "said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

The Republic of Vanuatu is a country in the Pacific cluster. This country is quite vocal and often voices issues of human rights violations in Papua.

Previously, Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman accused Indonesia of committing human rights violations in Papua, and it continues to this day.

According to him, allegations of human rights violations in Papua are of particular concern to Pacific countries who have called on Indonesia to allow the UN Human Rights Council to visit Papua.

However, said Loughman, the Government of Indonesia did not respond to the call.

"I ask the Indonesian government to respond to the calls of the Pacific leaders," he said.

Last year, Vanuatu also accused Indonesia of not giving permission to the UN Human Rights Council to visit Papua.

"We are concerned about the Indonesian Government delaying the confirmation of time for the Human Rights Commissioner to visit Papua," said Vanuatu's Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Sumbue Antas in 2019.