(AI) and AI Indonesia have criticised Canberra's聽awarding of an honorary officer of the Order of Australia 鈥斅爐he highest government honour 鈥斅爐o General Andika Perkasa, chief of the Indonesian armed forces.
鈥淚ndonesia鈥檚 armed forces have been accused of unlawful killings and violent repression of peaceful protesters in West Papua,鈥 AI campaigner Veronica Koman said on December 7.
鈥淭o award the general in charge of the same military accused of these grave human rights violations is a slap in the face to all the internally displaced people, civilians killed in the armed conflict and all the other victims of human rights abuses that have not been investigated.鈥
The United Nations estimates between 60,000 and 100,000 Papuans are displaced due聽the Indonesian armed forces lethal opposition to聽the West Papuan independence struggle.
Perkasa聽was given the award in recognition of his role in building cooperation between the Australian and Indonesian Armies, spokesperson Penny Williams said.
鈥淭he Australian government should hang its head in shame for rewarding someone presiding over an unaccountable military 鈥斅爌articularly when it is the recipient of so much Australian aid,鈥 Koman said.
鈥淭his is an insult to the victims and families of the gross human rights violations in Paniai where only one soldier is being prosecuted in what victims have rejected as a show trial,鈥 AI聽Indonesia's Ari Pramuditya said.
鈥淣o soldiers have taken any responsibility for the torture of seven Papuan children leaving one dead in Sinak in February. Soldiers who mutilated four Papuan civilians in Timika in August have not gone to trial,鈥 she added.
鈥淚f Australia is truly committed to human rights then its bilateral relationships should also reflect that commitment and ask Indonesia to allow Australia to access and deliver aid to all those displaced on their own land.鈥
Australia鈥檚 honours and awards secretariat told Crikey聽on December 14 that defence minister Richard Marles recommended the appointments for 鈥渄istinguished service of a high degree to Australia or humanity at large鈥.
Human Rights Watch said Indonesian soldiers' alleged abuses were rarely investigated, let alone聽prosecuted.