1 Aug 2013

Indonesia queries West's Papua focus

1:58 pm on 1 August 2013

A senior Indonesia vice-presidential advisor has questioned why people in western countries focus on problems in West Papua while ignoring many other parts of Indonesia with problems.

The Deputy for Political Affairs to Vice President Boediono, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, says while there are issues of violence and undemocratic behaviour by the military in Papua region, it is not always the security forces who perpetrate abuses.

She says the government is doing its best to develop the Papua region, with an emphasis on improving the welfare of its citizens.

"A lot of problems have taken place in many parts of Indonesia. We are still struggling to consolidate our democracy, Our state institutions are still being reformed and we have to admit that we have problems of injustices or violence, sometimes police and military violence, in different parts of Indonesia. But I must say that people in New Zealand, Australia and in Europe have zoned in mostly on what is happening in Papua."

Dewi Fortuna Anwar