Indonesia tells ICRC to leave Papua

The foreign ministry in Jakarta says the government is offended both by the ICRC’s failure to obtain proper permission to operate in Papua and by the prison visits.
Its spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, says the ICRC should not abuse Indonesia’s democratic reform and act as though it can do whatever suits its interests.

The ICRC says it runs sanitation projects in Papua and also visits detainees, including jailed members of the separatist Free Papua Movement, to ensure they are treated properly.

The head of the ICRC’s Indonesia delegation, Vincent Nicod, says it’s part of the ICRC’s activity relating to international humanitarian law to ensure that political prisoners are provided worldwide with decent conditions.
The dispute comes amid a surge if violence since before last week’s Indonesian elections.