INDONESIA: Insufficient government aid results in 55 starvation deaths over the past month in Yahukimo District, Papua Province

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received disturbing information concerning hunger and the loss of several lives due to starvation in the Yahukimo District, Papua Province, Indonesia. Between November 11, 2005 and December 10, 2005, at least 55 people have died due to starvation, while 112 people have become critically ill from the severe lack of food.  A further 15,000 to 55,000 residents of the famine-hit district are also in danger of malnutrition, hunger and starvation if sufficient aid is not provided to the villagers immediately. The famine hit in early November after the failure to harvest sweet potato this season. Many of the affected live in villages in the hills and mountains of the Yahukimo District and with the absence of crops, are isolated and unable to find food.

It was reported that only minimal government aid has been provided to the victims, only after heavy media attention criticized the administration on its failure to act. The media has condemned the lack of government action in response to the food shortage claiming that the situation is worse now because state officials refused to act. It has also been reported that the government has not acknowledged the 55 starvation deaths which have occurred since early November. Government and military officials have responded to media criticism with the explanation that state funds are insufficient to provide medical or food assistance to the victims as the villages can only be reached by helicopters.

The residents of Yahukimo District, particularly those living in mountainous areas, are in dire need of food assistance; many villagers are close to death and only a few affected areas have received aid. Please call on those responsible for famine relief in Indonesia, as per under the constitution and international obligations, to safeguard the victims’ right to food and life. We urge the relevant authorities to take immediate action in providing food and medical assistance to all those affected by the famine and that long-term steps be implemented to ensure proper mechanisms are in place to handle famine and food shortages in the future.

Urgent Appeals Desk – Hunger Alert
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Location: Yahukimo District, Papua Province, Indonesia
Victims: 55 starvation deaths, 112 critically ill people and 15,000 to 55,000 residents in the district suffering from famine.
Date: Beginning November 11, 2005

At least 55 people died and 112 others have become critically ill due to starvation and malnutrition between November 11, 2005 and now in Yahukimo District, Papua Province, Indonesia. The situation has not improved despite intense media coverage and some government assistance, and there is high possibility that more people are dying due to hunger.

According to the information we have received, seven out of 14 sub-districts in Yahukimo district at the center of Jayawijaya mountain area are suffering from famine and it has severely affected the lives of up to 55,000 residents in Yahukimo, who are the indigenous people of Papua. The famine hit the area after a sweat potato harvest failure this year. Yahukimo district in Papua Island is the most far eastern province of Indonesia. It is located from about 2,000 kilometers east of Jakarta and 800 kilometers from Jayapura, the Papuan capital, which can be reached only by air. The villages particularly in the mountainous areas of the district are also so isolated they can only be reached by helicopter, river or on foot.

It was only when the situation in Yahukimo was exposed in the media, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia, said that he would give a sanction to the local government asking for its responsibility about this incident. After that, some high-ranking officials from the central government visited the affected area for several days to observe the actual situation of the people. However, after the visit, the Minister of Public Welfare and the Minister of Health reportedly denied that the incident at Yahukimo was caused by starvation.

But many local groups and civil figures have confirmed that thousands of people are suffering from famine and criticized that the government has tried to avoid national and international attention on this matter. They also argued that the hunger situation would have not worsened in the last month had the local and central governments recognized the problem and taken appropriate action sooner. A Papua opposition leader earlier blamed the government for the famine, saying the disaster was a result of the ignorance of the Government of Indonesia about its people. The secretary of the Papuan Custom Council said that huge amounts of money under the special autonomy program had been channeled to local governments but a major part of it had not been reached to the people. It is also reported that that the shortage of food has actually been occurring since August of this year.

Meanwhile, the state authorities have dispatched some food aid and medicine to the famine stricken areas, but the relief efforts have been severely delayed due to bad weather and lack of infrastructure to reach the mountainous areas. The aid has also been insufficient due to the state’s said lack of funds needed to transport goods via helicopter, which is costly.

At the moment, a large amount of food and medical aid supplies have arrived at Wamena, the closest city from the affected area, but most of the supplies are still stuck in the city. The Biagema and Hilipuk villages also received some food aid that included 10 kg of rice, 10 boxes of instant noodles, three boxes of baby food and some blankets and clothing last week. However, the amount is insufficient to provide more than a few days assistance to the starving and malnourished villagers.

Local human rights groups urge the Government of Indonesia to take stronger measures so that the relief aid can reach the affected people more quickly. They also express that even though the government has recently made several promises to prevent famine from happening again in the Yahukimo District, the groups still question the sincerity of them and believe that in the end, only a small number of victims will receive aid from the government.

Denial of the right to food is the denial of one of the most basic fundamental human rights. Article 11(2) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (IECSCR) clearly requires the state parties to recognize the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger and listed their obligations. As a state party to the ICESCR, which was ratified by the country on September 30, 2005, the Government of Indonesia therefore has a core obligation to take the necessary action to mitigate and alleviate hunger. There are also several articles under Indonesia’s constitution that hold the country responsible to respect, protect and fulfill a citizen’s right to life, health, shelter, social security and food. The country’s constitution further demands that the state has the responsibility to provide proper medical and public service facilities and must also take care of impoverished persons under their jurisdiction.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

The AHRC is deeply concerned by the situation in Yahukimo and urges the Government of Indonesia to take all possible measures to provide adequate food and medical assistance to the affected people as soon as possible. We also urge the Government to ensure that all the victims receive sufficient aid equally and to take genuine steps to establish effective policy/mechanisms to prevent famine in the future. Please write to the relevant authorities below expressing these concerns.

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