The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal held public hearings on the continuing state and environmental violence in West Papua at The Centre for Climate Crime and Justice, Queen Mary University of London between 27-29 June 2024.
This followed an indictment prepared by international and Indonesian human and environmental rights organizations and associations, stating that the Indonesian state has forcibly taken Indigenous Papuan lands through racial discrimination, leading to cultural loss and violent repression, including unlawful detention, extrajudicial killings, displacement, and environmental degradation. It urged the international community, particularly the UN, to respond urgently to the situation in Papua.
The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal is an international organization established in 1979 to examine and pronounce independent judgements on severe violations of human and peoples’ rights that do not find a space in the procedures of established courts of international law.
INTERPRT was present throughout the public hearings, delivering evidence and facilitating workshops on each day of the tribunal. These mapped testimonies across West Papua and can be viewed here: Day 1 Map, Day 2 Map, Day 3 Map.
The documentation submitted to the Tribunal and the testimonies heard in the public hearings painted a picture of a devastating, criminal and continuing attack on West Papuan lives and livelihoods. The evidence was delivered by numerous international NGOs and local civil society organisations as well as testimonies from individuals who have witnessed human rights violations and environmental destruction. The panel of expert judges comprised Teresa Almeida Cravo (Portugal), Donna Andrews (South Africa), Daniel Feierstein (Argentina), Marina Forti (Italy), Larry Lohmann (UK), Nello Rossi (Italy), and Solomon Yeo (Solomon Islands).
In the Final Judgement of the Permanent People’s Tribunal, presented on 1 October 2024 to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Tribunal judges made extensive, urgent recommendations. These addressed ancestral land, environment and Indigenous Papuans; internally displaced peoples; justice and the rule of law; access to UN and humanitarian assistance; the culpability of the private sector; reparations; and the role of other countries of the region, the international community, private actors, and national and international civil organisations.