Researcher: Advocacy Must Be Built on Facts, Not Disinformation

A researcher from Merah Pusaka Strategic Indonesia (MPSI), Annas Fitrah Akbar, has asserted that effective advocacy must be built upon valid data, verifiable facts, and credible documentation, rather than assumptions, opinions, or disinformation that could exacerbate societal issues. The statement was made during a workshop on Strengthening Advocacy Research and Local Actor Network Development in Civilian Protection, organised by the Merah Pusaka Strategic Indonesia Foundation at the Careinn Hotel in Merauke on Monday (29/6/2026). “In this digital era, everyone can disseminate information via smartphones and social media, which is very powerful if done wisely,” Annas said in a statement. He noted that this condition presents significant opportunities for citizen journalism but also brings challenges due to the increased spread of unverified information. “Advocacy must not be built on untested narratives. It is even more dangerous if constructed from slander, hoaxes, or disinformation. Such advocacy not only loses legitimacy but can also aggravate conflicts, harm the community, and hinder civilian protection efforts,” he stressed. Annas explained that citizen journalism is an important instrument in advocacy research because the public is often the first witness to an event. “Documentation in the form of photos, videos, audio recordings, location points, and chronologies can be a very valuable initial source of information if collected correctly and through a rigorous verification process,” he said. However, he cautioned that public documentation cannot be directly used as a basis for advocacy without verifying its authenticity, timing, location, source identity, and consistency with other field facts. “The speed of obtaining information must not override accuracy. In advocacy, what matters most is not who conveys the information first, but who can present facts that are correct, complete, and accountable both scientifically and legally,” he emphasised. According to Annas, documentation by the public must adhere to journalistic principles: accuracy, balance, independence, and respect for human dignity. “Documentation must also avoid image manipulation, video cuts that remove context, or the dissemination of unverified information,” he stated. He assessed that errors in documenting or disseminating information can have enormous impacts, ranging from the formation of misguided public opinion and increased social tensions to the creation of misdirected policies. “Once incorrect information spreads widely, its impact can be far greater than the event itself. Therefore, every advocacy activist, researcher, media professional, and member of the public has a moral responsibility to ensure that all information shared has undergone adequate verification,” he said. Annas stated that in advocacy research, documentation is not merely an activity of recording events but part of the evidentiary process. “Every photo, video, document, and testimony must corroborate each other through a validation process to produce credible data capable of forming the basis for policy recommendations,” he said. He believes that good documentation will improve research quality, strengthen advocacy arguments, and increase the likelihood of public policies that favour the community. “Valid data will produce objective analysis. Objective analysis will generate appropriate recommendations. Ultimately, quality recommendations will help the government make better decisions in protecting civilians,” he explained. He also stressed the importance of strengthening the capacity of local actors in documentation and digital literacy. “Customary leaders, religious figures, youth, students, women, and local communities need to have the ability to document facts professionally, compile chronologies of events, secure digital evidence, and understand the ethics of information dissemination,” he asserted. According to Annas, this capacity building will create a citizen journalism network that is not only fast in conveying information but also possesses high integrity and credibility. Annas invited all workshop participants to make research, documentation, and advocacy an inseparable unity in building civilian protection in Papua. “Advocacy with integrity is born from credible data, testable documentation, and a commitment to the truth. Amidst the torrent of digital information, safeguarding facts is our responsibility to the community and a tangible contribution to building a peaceful, just, and dignified Papua,” he concluded.