(CB):
My Lords, will the Minister accept that I have an interest in
this because I advised BP on its gas deposit in West Papua and
visited there regularly for seven years? Can the Minister say
whether journalists, both Indonesian and international, now have
free access to West Papua? Do they have the ability to shine some
light on the accusations of human rights abuses—and, if not, will
we continue to press the Indonesian Government to give that right
of access?
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon) (Con): The noble Lord speaks
with great experience of the region and the country. I can assure
him that, as I alluded to in an earlier response on this
Question, President Jokowi has granted many more open rights. He
has granted an equalisation of rights of access for journalists
reporting on West Papua. Of course, the situation continues to be
monitored on the ground. To answer the noble Lord’s question
directly, there certainly is reporting. That is why we raised in
the UPR that the free access to which the President has certainly
committed is not translating itself on the ground. I assure the
noble Lord, and your Lordships’ House more generally, that we
will continue to raise not just the freedom of journalists within
the region but all issues of human rights in West Papua.
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