Truth commission urged for Papua

JAKARTA: In a bid to help put closure to many of the human rights abuses in Papua, a working group for the troubled province called on the government to establish a local commission of truth and reconciliation.

The working group said on Thursday that the establishment of such a commission should fully involve the Papuan People's Council (MRP), which is expected to be established within the next five months.

"This is the right time for the Papuan people to accept truth, after being granted special autonomy. Only the truth will determine how the province can continue its autonomy status," said Muridan Widjojo, an executive of the Papuan working group at the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

Various rights abuses have reportedly taken place in Papua since it was put under the control of Jakarta in 1963, with the blessing of the United Nations.

Since then, the Free Papuan Movement (OPM) and other separatist groups have been waging a low-level armed struggle against Jakarta in the resource-rich territory. --JP.