Pelan pelan, hati hati

Andrew Hickman, a returned field volunteer with PBI in Papua tells us about his experiences in Papua, and what he learnt from his time there.

My time as a volunteer with PBI-IP in Papua could be summed up by the Indonesian words above.  They mean; ‘Slowly slowly, careful careful.’  PBI was new to Papua, in fact ‘internationals’ working on peace and social justice issues were new to Papua, so we needed to tread carefully.  Indeed, at times it felt like we were walking on a knife edge …in the dark.  Making space for peace, in the context of little political freedom was going to be challenging.  Even though we had been invited into Papua by a leading human rights organization (Elsham), it was several months before we met the organisation which was to be our first formal Papuan accompaniment.  Trust, in Papua, is a very precious commodity.

We met Mattias at an event in the small office of Kontras Papua - an Indonesian NGO working on disappearances and social justice issues - to mark the International Day Against Torture.  Such an event was, in itself, an act of trust.  Would the authorities allow the event? Would the presence of foreigners there raise the profile to an unacceptable level that would provoke a clampdown by the authorities?  For ethnic Papuans to associate with foreigners in such a situation provokes nervousness from everyone.  Mattias stood out as open and friendly and immediately trusted us enough to tell us of his work and situation.  Mattias was the coordinator of the Abepura Victims Association.  He had been a victim of police brutality a few years earlier when, in retaliation for an attack on a police station, the authorities had run amok in student dormitories in Abepura. Together with other victims, he had set up the association and was campaigning for their case to be brought to justice in the Indonesian courts.

On my last evening in Papua, Mattias, others from the Abepura Victims Association and local lawyers from a legal aid organisation (PBHI) came to the PBI house to formally hand in a letter requesting to become PBI clients. To me, this was the best farewell present I could receive, rewarding our team's weeks and months of slow and careful work. Months later, PBI was to accompany some of the victims and their PBHI lawyers to the trial of members of the Indonesian security forces at a special human rights court in Makassar, Sulawesi. The aim was to provide moral support and add confidence, enabling them in their claims for justice while not interfering in Indonesian due process. Even today, back in Europe, I smile remembering Mattias' openness and generosity. Looking back, I can add another quality - his bravery in daring to trust foreign strangers in his hope of strengthening support for their peaceful search for justice.