A human rights lawyer and another human rights advocate have been called to speak at a roundtable discussion on human rights in Indonesia at the Faculty of Law this month. 

Yan Christian Warinussy, lawyer and director of the Institute for Research, Analysis and Development of Legal Aid, will speak about the prospect of political dialogue between Jakarta and the Papuans to address the social injustice in the province. 

In the 12 years since the fall of President Suharto, human rights have been at the heart of political development and change in Indonesia, with the human rights movement playing an important role. 

But Indonesians still face many challenges, including continuing impunity of the police and military, corruption, poverty and destruction of the environment, the University of NSW said today in a statement. 

Continuing conflict, human rights violations, social injustice and stalled political discussions in West Papua have created deep distrust among Papuans toward Jakarta’s policy, and growing concern inside Indonesia and internationally, it said. 

The two leading human rights advocates from Jakarta and West Papua will come to Australia to promote dialogue and understanding.

Christian Warinussy will be joined by Usman Hamid, the coordinator for missing persons and victims of violence in Jakarta. 

Hamid has been sued for criminal defamation by the retired State Intelligence Agency head, Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono, alleged to have orchestrated the murder of a leading human rights lawyer, Munir Said Thalib. He will speak on the issue of democratic consolidation in Indonesia and legal impunity. 

They will speak at several public forums in Sydney and Canberra. They will explore the developments in Indonesian democracy and human rights and the current situation in West Papua.