Human Rights Watch is urging the Indonesian government to rethink its classification of rebels in West Papua as terrorists.
This comes as military operations intensify in the region after an Indonesian general was killed by West Papua Liberation Army guerilla fighters.
Indonesian president Joko Widodo had vowed a military crackdown in Papua and declared the group a terrorist organisation.
Human Rights Watch's Andreas Harsono says the broad classification gives security forces incredible powers of detention and surveillance.
He joins me now...so what is the actual impact of this terrorist label Andreas?
West Papua Liberation Army unit, led by Egianus Kogoya. Derakma, Nduga regency, Papua. March 2019 Photo: Supplied
