Updated August 20, 2008 10:54:04
Indonesia says it will not re-open investigations into the 2002 killing of two American school teachers and an Indonesian in remote Papua province.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda says the case is now closed despite a new report alleging the military's involvement.
The report, in the South East Asia Research Journal, claims military agents helped organise an ambush near Freeport's massive Grasberg gold and copper mine.
American and Indonesian investigators found that Papuan separatist rebels were behind the attack.
Local rights groups have long claimed the military had a hand in the killings.
Tags:indonesiacrime
Source: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200808/s2341021.htm?tab=latest
Thursday 21 August 2008
Indonesian Armed Forces Accused of Timika Attack
Tuesday, 19 August, 2008 | 18:15 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:
The Indonesian Armed forces has been accused of involvement in the assault against a PT Freeport employee bus convoy in Timika, Papua, back in 2002. The accusation was exposed in last month’s edition of the South East Asia Research journal.
“We found not just one mastermind behind this action, but many,” American anthropologist, S. Eben Kirksey and journalist Andreas Harsono wrote in the journal.
Antonius Wamang, one the leaders of the Papua Armed Forces, a member of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), was charged with masterminding the attack that killed two American teachers. Wamang was sentenced for life
following a trial.
The journal revealed the involvement of someone who was connected within the army and helped Wamang to prepare the attack. “This person told Wamang to purchase the weapons for the attack, in Jakarta”, said Andreas,
as quoted by the AFP.
The chief of the Indonesia Armed Forces Headquarters’ Information Center, Air Marshall Sagom Tamboen urged the matter to be followed up if there is evidence. “But if the findings are linked to the recent American Congress
declaration, we can regard this as a series of interventions on Indonesian’s internal affairs,” he said.
TITIS SETIANINGTYAS
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:
The Indonesian Armed forces has been accused of involvement in the assault against a PT Freeport employee bus convoy in Timika, Papua, back in 2002. The accusation was exposed in last month’s edition of the South East Asia Research journal.
“We found not just one mastermind behind this action, but many,” American anthropologist, S. Eben Kirksey and journalist Andreas Harsono wrote in the journal.
Antonius Wamang, one the leaders of the Papua Armed Forces, a member of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), was charged with masterminding the attack that killed two American teachers. Wamang was sentenced for life
following a trial.
The journal revealed the involvement of someone who was connected within the army and helped Wamang to prepare the attack. “This person told Wamang to purchase the weapons for the attack, in Jakarta”, said Andreas,
as quoted by the AFP.
The chief of the Indonesia Armed Forces Headquarters’ Information Center, Air Marshall Sagom Tamboen urged the matter to be followed up if there is evidence. “But if the findings are linked to the recent American Congress
declaration, we can regard this as a series of interventions on Indonesian’s internal affairs,” he said.
TITIS SETIANINGTYAS
NGO welcomes Indonesian military commander’s removal from Papua
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
Accessibility Information
Posted at 08:00 on 21 August, 2008 UTC
The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, or ETAN, has welcomed the removal of Colonel Burhanuddin Siagian from his command in Papua.
A leading Indonesian military officer, Siagian faces two indictments in East Timor for crimes against humanity committed in 1999.
The Colonel has been the target of an international campaign urging his removal from Papua and calling for his trial.
Last year, as regional military commander in Papua, he issued death threats against anyone daring to demonstrate their support for Papuan independence.
It is yet be confirmed whether Siagian will be transferred to another Indonesian province.
However ETAN’s John Miller says that while his removal from Papua is a welcome move, Jakarta should take the next steps and suspend him from any command and then hand him over for trial for the crimes he committed in East Timor
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
Accessibility Information
Posted at 08:00 on 21 August, 2008 UTC
The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, or ETAN, has welcomed the removal of Colonel Burhanuddin Siagian from his command in Papua.
A leading Indonesian military officer, Siagian faces two indictments in East Timor for crimes against humanity committed in 1999.
The Colonel has been the target of an international campaign urging his removal from Papua and calling for his trial.
Last year, as regional military commander in Papua, he issued death threats against anyone daring to demonstrate their support for Papuan independence.
It is yet be confirmed whether Siagian will be transferred to another Indonesian province.
However ETAN’s John Miller says that while his removal from Papua is a welcome move, Jakarta should take the next steps and suspend him from any command and then hand him over for trial for the crimes he committed in East Timor
Forum urged to consider West Papuan rights
22-Aug-2008 08:06 AM
THE Pacific Island Forum (PIF) has been urged to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with Indonesia.
Joe Collins of the Sydney-based Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) told the Fiji Daily Post yesterday that the human rights situation in the Indonesian-ruled territory should be raised with Indonesia at the Post- Forum Dialogue.
“Indonesia is a Post- Forum Dialogue partner and here is a chance for the pacific island countries to express their concerns about the human rights situation in West Papua with Indonesia,” Collins said.
Reports of human rights abuses committed by Indonesian security forces in West Papua have been on the increase since the Forum 2007 meeting.
Acts like the raising of the national flag, the Morning Star by West Papua independence lobbyists is illegal and Indonesian authorities normally clamped down hard on those involved.
“The West Papuan people are a Pacific people and it should be the leaders of the pacific countries who are leading the way in showing concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in West Papua,” said Collins.
“The intimidation by the security forces of the West Papuan people is all pervasive and creates a climate of fear in the people of West Papua. The overwhelming military presence ensures that the security forces can act with total impunity,” he added.
Collins said it was time for the independent countries of the Pacific to show their concern for all Pacific peoples who are still struggling for their right to self - determination.
WPA has also written to all the PIF leaders with their please which includes a call for West Papuan political prisoners to be released.
AWPA also called on the PIF to send a fact-finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory.
Source: http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=18385
THE Pacific Island Forum (PIF) has been urged to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with Indonesia.
Joe Collins of the Sydney-based Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) told the Fiji Daily Post yesterday that the human rights situation in the Indonesian-ruled territory should be raised with Indonesia at the Post- Forum Dialogue.
“Indonesia is a Post- Forum Dialogue partner and here is a chance for the pacific island countries to express their concerns about the human rights situation in West Papua with Indonesia,” Collins said.
Reports of human rights abuses committed by Indonesian security forces in West Papua have been on the increase since the Forum 2007 meeting.
Acts like the raising of the national flag, the Morning Star by West Papua independence lobbyists is illegal and Indonesian authorities normally clamped down hard on those involved.
“The West Papuan people are a Pacific people and it should be the leaders of the pacific countries who are leading the way in showing concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in West Papua,” said Collins.
“The intimidation by the security forces of the West Papuan people is all pervasive and creates a climate of fear in the people of West Papua. The overwhelming military presence ensures that the security forces can act with total impunity,” he added.
Collins said it was time for the independent countries of the Pacific to show their concern for all Pacific peoples who are still struggling for their right to self - determination.
WPA has also written to all the PIF leaders with their please which includes a call for West Papuan political prisoners to be released.
AWPA also called on the PIF to send a fact-finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory.
Source: http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=18385
Sunday 10 August 2008
Man shot at UN Indigenous Day
11-Aug-2008 08:54 AM
THE Australian-based Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights (IPAHR) has reported the fatal shooting of a man in Wamena in the Indonesian-ruled West Papua on Saturday.
IPAHR spokesman Matthew Jamieson said the man identified as Opinus Tabuni, 35 was short during a gathering to celebrate United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
“Mr Tabuni is said to have been shot in chest and killed after Indonesian
security forces fired into the crowd at about 3.45 pm today (Saturday),” Jamieson said.
Tabuni was an organiser for the tribal council in the Wamena region (Lapago)one of the groups lobbying for West Papuan independence.
IPAHR reported that four flags -the UN flag, the Indonesian flag, the West Papuan Morning Star flag and the SOS emergency flag – were raised during the event.
Thousands of people had gathered in Wamena city to mark UN. Indigenous Peoples’ Day when the incident happened.
The Morning Star is a banned separatist flag.
Leader of the Papua Tribal Council, Fadhal Alhamid, said when the police saw the flag, they immediately fired warning shots and somebody screamed someone that had been shot.
The demonstrators reportedly refused to move from the site of the demonstration until there is international intervention in West Papua.
There have been no official confirmation of the fatal shooting.
Human rights violation against pro-independence activists in West Papua often go unreported in mainstream media due mainly to a tight control over local media by Indonesian authorities.
Source: http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=18126
THE Australian-based Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights (IPAHR) has reported the fatal shooting of a man in Wamena in the Indonesian-ruled West Papua on Saturday.
IPAHR spokesman Matthew Jamieson said the man identified as Opinus Tabuni, 35 was short during a gathering to celebrate United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
“Mr Tabuni is said to have been shot in chest and killed after Indonesian
security forces fired into the crowd at about 3.45 pm today (Saturday),” Jamieson said.
Tabuni was an organiser for the tribal council in the Wamena region (Lapago)one of the groups lobbying for West Papuan independence.
IPAHR reported that four flags -the UN flag, the Indonesian flag, the West Papuan Morning Star flag and the SOS emergency flag – were raised during the event.
Thousands of people had gathered in Wamena city to mark UN. Indigenous Peoples’ Day when the incident happened.
The Morning Star is a banned separatist flag.
Leader of the Papua Tribal Council, Fadhal Alhamid, said when the police saw the flag, they immediately fired warning shots and somebody screamed someone that had been shot.
The demonstrators reportedly refused to move from the site of the demonstration until there is international intervention in West Papua.
There have been no official confirmation of the fatal shooting.
Human rights violation against pro-independence activists in West Papua often go unreported in mainstream media due mainly to a tight control over local media by Indonesian authorities.
Source: http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=18126
Thursday 7 August 2008
Indonesia ignoring cholera outbreak
By Norman Voss
Column: Indonesian Justice
Hong Kong, China — Shocking health conditions and deaths from cholera are being reported in Indonesia's most resource-rich region. As of last weekend, 173 deaths had been reported among the indigenous people in the eastern province of Papua. The victims suffered severe diarrhea, which have been confirmed to be caused by cholera.
The epidemic is spread through contaminated water or food and can lead to death within a few days. Papua, whose indigenous population experienced serious hardships during the Suharto regime and continues to suffer severe human rights violations, has now been struck by a major health disaster. Yet the Indonesian government is not providing sufficient support.
Local church groups have been recording cholera cases in the Kamuu valley in the district of Dogiyai. They have tried to alert authorities, including the Health Department in the nearby city of Nabire, ever since the first cases were discovered in April this year.
Indigenous Papuans are forced to rely on the support of local non-governmental groups while the health authorities continue to ignore the situation. The Ministry of Health has so far acknowledged only 87 deaths among 575 cases of infection. Organizations in Papua are calling for urgent help.
The epidemic is likely to spread and there is imminent danger of further deaths. Urgent prevention measures are required, which include the provision of means for proper disposal of fecal waste, treatment of sewage, the decontamination of water supplies and public health education.
Indonesia was the starting point for a major cholera pandemic called “El Tor” that began in 1961 and spread over the following decade to other countries including Bangladesh, India, the Soviet Union and Italy.
The ongoing deaths have brought despair and desperation among the affected communities, and frustration over official negligence has already resulted in riots. An outbreak of violence in the town of Moanemani is an indicator of the thin level of trust between the indigenous population and the administration in the provinces.
Distrust and suspicion are largely a result of government policies put in place to exploit the rich natural environment. During the Suharto regime, a transmigration policy brought innumerable migrants from other parts of Indonesia to Papua, whose population is largely Christian. Many of the migrants to arrive were Muslim traders.
Over the years the migrant population has risen to 40 percent. The resulting inflow of business and the different culture are felt as an attack on the indigenous culture and habitat of the local people. Tensions have in the past sparked riots and even independence movements, which faced serious repercussions from the armed forces, including the arrest and torture of many suspects.
Papua has enormous natural resources, but the indigenous people have not benefitted much from them. Timber and minerals are the main export resources, and the activities of logging and mining companies are destroying both the environment and the local way of life. The exploitation of natural resources plays mainly into the hands of the migrant traders, with indigenous people largely ignored.
Indonesian Social Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie told a delegation from the World Council of Churches that under democracy, internal migrants cannot be stopped from moving to Papua, where their skills and talents make it easy for them to dominate the more "backward" societies.
It seems however that under Indonesian democracy the violation of rights by the army, the police and the Ministry of Health also cannot be stopped.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Andri Hadi has admitted that the transmigration policies of the past were a wrong approach and are the cause of many problems the Papuans are facing today.
But what is needed most now is a serious reaction from the health authorities to control the cholera epidemic and prevent its spread into the neighboring district of Paniai. Medicine, doctors and proper waste disposal teams need to be equipped and sent to the region.
So far, in the most resourceful region that creates major income for the state, not even basic standards of healthcare have been provided to prevent what could become a major epidemic.
--
(Norman Voss is a staff member of the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong. He studied physics and pursued a master’s degree in international and public affairs. His work presently includes human rights issues in Indonesia and the advocacy of human rights reforms.)
Column: Indonesian Justice
Hong Kong, China — Shocking health conditions and deaths from cholera are being reported in Indonesia's most resource-rich region. As of last weekend, 173 deaths had been reported among the indigenous people in the eastern province of Papua. The victims suffered severe diarrhea, which have been confirmed to be caused by cholera.
The epidemic is spread through contaminated water or food and can lead to death within a few days. Papua, whose indigenous population experienced serious hardships during the Suharto regime and continues to suffer severe human rights violations, has now been struck by a major health disaster. Yet the Indonesian government is not providing sufficient support.
Local church groups have been recording cholera cases in the Kamuu valley in the district of Dogiyai. They have tried to alert authorities, including the Health Department in the nearby city of Nabire, ever since the first cases were discovered in April this year.
Indigenous Papuans are forced to rely on the support of local non-governmental groups while the health authorities continue to ignore the situation. The Ministry of Health has so far acknowledged only 87 deaths among 575 cases of infection. Organizations in Papua are calling for urgent help.
The epidemic is likely to spread and there is imminent danger of further deaths. Urgent prevention measures are required, which include the provision of means for proper disposal of fecal waste, treatment of sewage, the decontamination of water supplies and public health education.
Indonesia was the starting point for a major cholera pandemic called “El Tor” that began in 1961 and spread over the following decade to other countries including Bangladesh, India, the Soviet Union and Italy.
The ongoing deaths have brought despair and desperation among the affected communities, and frustration over official negligence has already resulted in riots. An outbreak of violence in the town of Moanemani is an indicator of the thin level of trust between the indigenous population and the administration in the provinces.
Distrust and suspicion are largely a result of government policies put in place to exploit the rich natural environment. During the Suharto regime, a transmigration policy brought innumerable migrants from other parts of Indonesia to Papua, whose population is largely Christian. Many of the migrants to arrive were Muslim traders.
Over the years the migrant population has risen to 40 percent. The resulting inflow of business and the different culture are felt as an attack on the indigenous culture and habitat of the local people. Tensions have in the past sparked riots and even independence movements, which faced serious repercussions from the armed forces, including the arrest and torture of many suspects.
Papua has enormous natural resources, but the indigenous people have not benefitted much from them. Timber and minerals are the main export resources, and the activities of logging and mining companies are destroying both the environment and the local way of life. The exploitation of natural resources plays mainly into the hands of the migrant traders, with indigenous people largely ignored.
Indonesian Social Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie told a delegation from the World Council of Churches that under democracy, internal migrants cannot be stopped from moving to Papua, where their skills and talents make it easy for them to dominate the more "backward" societies.
It seems however that under Indonesian democracy the violation of rights by the army, the police and the Ministry of Health also cannot be stopped.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Andri Hadi has admitted that the transmigration policies of the past were a wrong approach and are the cause of many problems the Papuans are facing today.
But what is needed most now is a serious reaction from the health authorities to control the cholera epidemic and prevent its spread into the neighboring district of Paniai. Medicine, doctors and proper waste disposal teams need to be equipped and sent to the region.
So far, in the most resourceful region that creates major income for the state, not even basic standards of healthcare have been provided to prevent what could become a major epidemic.
--
(Norman Voss is a staff member of the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong. He studied physics and pursued a master’s degree in international and public affairs. His work presently includes human rights issues in Indonesia and the advocacy of human rights reforms.)
New strategy behind separatism in Papua
Jakarta Post
Benny YP Siahaan, Geneva
Separatism in Papua is now perhaps the only remaining serious and long-standing separatist problem in Indonesia after the issue of Acehnese separatism was finally and successfully resolved. Following the Aceh peace deal in 2005, it is expected that the Papuan rebellion will follow in the footsteps of Aceh.
However until now there has been no indication that separatist sentiment in Papua is dwindling, in spite of the Indonesian government's offer of a special autonomy package and various other efforts to win "hearts and minds" of Papuans.
There is a growing nonviolent separatist movement in Papua. In the last few years, we have noticed an incremental change in the strategy of the Papuan separatist movement. This strategy is two-pronged.
First of all, its members often resort to acts of open defiance deliberately designed to provoke the security forces to retaliate. When this tactic proves successful, violent clashes occur, with obvious negative consequences.
A clear example is the violent demonstrations in Abepura in 2006, in the course of which several members of the Indonesian police lost their lives.
Demonstrations are now a fact of life to the Papuan people. The question is how long can the state security apparatus refrain from using a heavy hand when facing clear provocation or violent demonstrations.
Secondly, separatism is driven by allegations that genocide and ethnic cleansing are taking place in Papua. On this particular issue, so far there are at least two studies alleging the existence of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
The first is by the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, and the second is a study by the West Papua Project of the University of Sydney.
This new strategy is tantamount to a "time bomb". At any moment, it can yield results, particularly if violence occurs as a result of provocation.
In the latter case, one should be thankful for the fact that, in the Abepura tragedy, the police were not provoked to resort to brutal retaliation as in Santa Cruz, East Timor in 1991.
Indeed, after realizing that their legal argument claiming that Papua is not a legitimate Indonesian territory has little future, the separatist movement has looked to the human rights approach and the concept of the responsibility to protect (R2P) as one of the more effective means of attaining their goal.
Based on previous experience, the human rights approach proved successful in East Timor, particularly after the Santa Cruz incident in which Indonesian soldiers shot demonstrators, leading to widespread international condemnation.
After that, attention in East Timor became focused on human rights rather than on decolonization, which the separatists thought would take too long.
Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is one of the most controversial concepts in the field of international relations and human rights in the more than a decade. In recent years R2P has become a source of inspiration to many separatist groups.
According to this concept, a country or group of countries can intervene to resolve a dire situation in a country in the event that it fails to fulfill its responsibilities, particularly if the state in question is unwilling or unable to prevent or stop genocide, mass killings or other major human rights violations.
Although the proponents of R2P claim that support for the R2P concept is increasing, up to the present there is no consensus as to when such an intervention can legitimately occur, under whose authority, or how it can be carried out. The opponents of R2P argue that it is a breach of sovereignty.
Furthermore, the existence of the R2P concept entails the risk of "moral hazard". Moral hazard, according to Kuperman and Crawford (2006), can be defined as being similar to a situation when people are protected by insurance.
Some of them may behave recklessly or act irresponsibly because the negative consequences of their act are borne by the insurance company.
This is the logic behind the recent shift in the strategy of Papuan separatists. For example, if we look at the aim of the above-mentioned West Papua Project of the University of Sydney, whose study claimed that genocide is taking place in Papua, the aim is to..."raise public awareness of the conflict between West Papua and Indonesia, with particular reference to human rights implications and the threat to the stability of the South Pacific region."
Hence, all they need is an incident such as happened in Santa Cruz in East Timor to turn everything upside-down and where possible on a bigger scale than Santa Cruz.
Defining the separatist problem in Papua is not an easy task, particularly after it has lingered over a span of more than 35 years, during which time it has evolved into a very complex issue. Over-simplification can be hazardous.
Furthermore, from what we have learned in East Timor and Aceh, repressive security policies have themselves contributed significantly to the increasing of secessionist sentiment and have thereby generated insecurity. In other words, violence generates violence.
On the basis of these considerations, we should seek, even at some cost, to find alternative approaches and in particular, examine the nonviolent solutions to the complex contemporary problems in Papua. The strategy of restraint and to continue to educate the military and police on human rights are vital in this respect.
The writer is an Indonesian diplomat based in Geneva, Switzerland. The views expressed are solely his own.
Benny YP Siahaan, Geneva
Separatism in Papua is now perhaps the only remaining serious and long-standing separatist problem in Indonesia after the issue of Acehnese separatism was finally and successfully resolved. Following the Aceh peace deal in 2005, it is expected that the Papuan rebellion will follow in the footsteps of Aceh.
However until now there has been no indication that separatist sentiment in Papua is dwindling, in spite of the Indonesian government's offer of a special autonomy package and various other efforts to win "hearts and minds" of Papuans.
There is a growing nonviolent separatist movement in Papua. In the last few years, we have noticed an incremental change in the strategy of the Papuan separatist movement. This strategy is two-pronged.
First of all, its members often resort to acts of open defiance deliberately designed to provoke the security forces to retaliate. When this tactic proves successful, violent clashes occur, with obvious negative consequences.
A clear example is the violent demonstrations in Abepura in 2006, in the course of which several members of the Indonesian police lost their lives.
Demonstrations are now a fact of life to the Papuan people. The question is how long can the state security apparatus refrain from using a heavy hand when facing clear provocation or violent demonstrations.
Secondly, separatism is driven by allegations that genocide and ethnic cleansing are taking place in Papua. On this particular issue, so far there are at least two studies alleging the existence of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
The first is by the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, and the second is a study by the West Papua Project of the University of Sydney.
This new strategy is tantamount to a "time bomb". At any moment, it can yield results, particularly if violence occurs as a result of provocation.
In the latter case, one should be thankful for the fact that, in the Abepura tragedy, the police were not provoked to resort to brutal retaliation as in Santa Cruz, East Timor in 1991.
Indeed, after realizing that their legal argument claiming that Papua is not a legitimate Indonesian territory has little future, the separatist movement has looked to the human rights approach and the concept of the responsibility to protect (R2P) as one of the more effective means of attaining their goal.
Based on previous experience, the human rights approach proved successful in East Timor, particularly after the Santa Cruz incident in which Indonesian soldiers shot demonstrators, leading to widespread international condemnation.
After that, attention in East Timor became focused on human rights rather than on decolonization, which the separatists thought would take too long.
Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is one of the most controversial concepts in the field of international relations and human rights in the more than a decade. In recent years R2P has become a source of inspiration to many separatist groups.
According to this concept, a country or group of countries can intervene to resolve a dire situation in a country in the event that it fails to fulfill its responsibilities, particularly if the state in question is unwilling or unable to prevent or stop genocide, mass killings or other major human rights violations.
Although the proponents of R2P claim that support for the R2P concept is increasing, up to the present there is no consensus as to when such an intervention can legitimately occur, under whose authority, or how it can be carried out. The opponents of R2P argue that it is a breach of sovereignty.
Furthermore, the existence of the R2P concept entails the risk of "moral hazard". Moral hazard, according to Kuperman and Crawford (2006), can be defined as being similar to a situation when people are protected by insurance.
Some of them may behave recklessly or act irresponsibly because the negative consequences of their act are borne by the insurance company.
This is the logic behind the recent shift in the strategy of Papuan separatists. For example, if we look at the aim of the above-mentioned West Papua Project of the University of Sydney, whose study claimed that genocide is taking place in Papua, the aim is to..."raise public awareness of the conflict between West Papua and Indonesia, with particular reference to human rights implications and the threat to the stability of the South Pacific region."
Hence, all they need is an incident such as happened in Santa Cruz in East Timor to turn everything upside-down and where possible on a bigger scale than Santa Cruz.
Defining the separatist problem in Papua is not an easy task, particularly after it has lingered over a span of more than 35 years, during which time it has evolved into a very complex issue. Over-simplification can be hazardous.
Furthermore, from what we have learned in East Timor and Aceh, repressive security policies have themselves contributed significantly to the increasing of secessionist sentiment and have thereby generated insecurity. In other words, violence generates violence.
On the basis of these considerations, we should seek, even at some cost, to find alternative approaches and in particular, examine the nonviolent solutions to the complex contemporary problems in Papua. The strategy of restraint and to continue to educate the military and police on human rights are vital in this respect.
The writer is an Indonesian diplomat based in Geneva, Switzerland. The views expressed are solely his own.
US congressmen send letter on Papua to Yudhoyono
New York (ANTARA News) - Some 40 United States Congressmen have sent a letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono demanding the "immediate and unconditional" release of two sympathizers of the outlawed separatist OPM (Free Papua Organization), Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage.
"We, the undersigned, members of the U.S. Congress, respectfully call to your attention the cases of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who, in May 2005, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004," they said in their joint letter.
"We urge you to take action to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage," the letter said.
Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Sudjadnan Parnohadingrat confirmed the US congressmen had sent a letter to President Yudhoyono.
"It`s true. The letter was dated July 29, 2008, and sent through us. We passed it on to Jakarta," Ambassador Sudjadnan told ANTARA on Wednesday.
He said the sending of the congressional letter to the president was not a trivial matter because it was signed by 40 US Congressmen.
The ambassador said he had often explained to people in the US who asked about Karma and Pakage that they had been detained for criminal acts and it had been proven in court, and even in the Supreme Court.
He said the government could not interfere in the case of Karma and Pakage because it was a matter in the hands of the judicial authority.
The initiative to send the congressional letter was coordinated by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years imprisonment respectively in May 2005 for hoisting the "Bintang Kejora" (Morning Star) flag of OPM in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004.
(*)
COPYRIGHT © 2008
"We, the undersigned, members of the U.S. Congress, respectfully call to your attention the cases of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who, in May 2005, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004," they said in their joint letter.
"We urge you to take action to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage," the letter said.
Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Sudjadnan Parnohadingrat confirmed the US congressmen had sent a letter to President Yudhoyono.
"It`s true. The letter was dated July 29, 2008, and sent through us. We passed it on to Jakarta," Ambassador Sudjadnan told ANTARA on Wednesday.
He said the sending of the congressional letter to the president was not a trivial matter because it was signed by 40 US Congressmen.
The ambassador said he had often explained to people in the US who asked about Karma and Pakage that they had been detained for criminal acts and it had been proven in court, and even in the Supreme Court.
He said the government could not interfere in the case of Karma and Pakage because it was a matter in the hands of the judicial authority.
The initiative to send the congressional letter was coordinated by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years imprisonment respectively in May 2005 for hoisting the "Bintang Kejora" (Morning Star) flag of OPM in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004.
(*)
COPYRIGHT © 2008
President yet to receive US Congressmen`s letter on Papua
08/07/08 21:32
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has yet to receive a letter said to have been sent by US Congressmen demanding the "immediate and unconditional" release of two sympathizers of the outlawed separatist OPM (Free Papua Organization), a presidential spokesman said.
"Until now, we have not received it. We have checked with the Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy here but neither of them knows about it," Dino Patti Djalal said on Thursday.
Dino was commenting on a report that some 40 US Congressmen had sent a letter to President Yudhoyono demanding the "immediate and unconditional" release of two OPM sympathizers identified as Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage.
"We, the undersigned, members of the U.S. Congress, respectfully call to your attention the cases of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who, in May 2005, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004," the US Congressmen said in their joint letter.
"We urge you to take action to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage," the letter said.
Indonesian Ambassador to the US Sudjadnan Parnohadingrat confirmed the US congressmen had sent a letter to President Yudhoyono.
"It`s true. The letter was dated July 29, 2008, and sent through us. We passed it on to Jakarta," Sudjadnan told ANTARA on Wednesday.
Dino admitted that the letter had already been published in the East Timor and Indonesian Action Network (ETAN)`s website.
He questioned the ETAN`s interest in meddling in the issue of Papua, the more so because East Timor had seceded from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
The current security conditions in Papua were relatively stable and special autonomy for the country`s easternmost province was running well, he said.
"The US Congress must look at this. Please respect the stability there and the government`s independency with regard to the Papua issue," he said.
Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years imprisonment respectively in May 2005 for hoisting the "Bintang Kejora" (Morning Star) flag of OPM in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004.(*)
COPYRIGHT © 2008
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has yet to receive a letter said to have been sent by US Congressmen demanding the "immediate and unconditional" release of two sympathizers of the outlawed separatist OPM (Free Papua Organization), a presidential spokesman said.
"Until now, we have not received it. We have checked with the Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy here but neither of them knows about it," Dino Patti Djalal said on Thursday.
Dino was commenting on a report that some 40 US Congressmen had sent a letter to President Yudhoyono demanding the "immediate and unconditional" release of two OPM sympathizers identified as Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage.
"We, the undersigned, members of the U.S. Congress, respectfully call to your attention the cases of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who, in May 2005, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004," the US Congressmen said in their joint letter.
"We urge you to take action to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage," the letter said.
Indonesian Ambassador to the US Sudjadnan Parnohadingrat confirmed the US congressmen had sent a letter to President Yudhoyono.
"It`s true. The letter was dated July 29, 2008, and sent through us. We passed it on to Jakarta," Sudjadnan told ANTARA on Wednesday.
Dino admitted that the letter had already been published in the East Timor and Indonesian Action Network (ETAN)`s website.
He questioned the ETAN`s interest in meddling in the issue of Papua, the more so because East Timor had seceded from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
The current security conditions in Papua were relatively stable and special autonomy for the country`s easternmost province was running well, he said.
"The US Congress must look at this. Please respect the stability there and the government`s independency with regard to the Papua issue," he said.
Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years imprisonment respectively in May 2005 for hoisting the "Bintang Kejora" (Morning Star) flag of OPM in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004.(*)
COPYRIGHT © 2008
Wednesday 6 August 2008
Papuans Stage Major Rally against Special Autonomy Law
Nethy Dharma Somba , The Jakarta Post , Jayapura | Tue, 08/05/2008 10:15 AM | The Archipelago
LONG MARCH: Some 3,000 Papuans from the Indonesian Christian Communication Forum hold a
peaceful demonstration in Jayapura, Papua, on Monday. They protested the lack of progress
in implementing the special autonomy law on Papua. (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)
At least 3,000 people mobilized by the Papuan Christian Communication Forum staged a
rally in Jayapura on Monday, questioning the functioning of the special autonomy law.
They claimed the law had been in force for seven years, but that most indigenous Papuan
people had not seen any improvement in their welfare.
The protesters from 45 churches in Jayapura flocked to the Papuan gubernatorial office at
9 a.m. local time, unfurling banners with slogans including: "Special Autonomy Law --
Blessing or Disaster", "Special Autonomy for whom" and Papua Pancasila Yes, Papua Sharia
No."
Besides questioning the special autonomy law, protesters opposed campaigns by
Jakarta-based groups calling for sharia law in Indonesia.
The protesters, who wore red and white, with a cross on their heads, were received by
Papuan provincial administration secretary, Tedjo Suprapto, representing Papuan Governor
Barnabas Suebu, who was away.
Salmon Yumane, a rally coordinator, said the provincial administration and the Papuan
Representatives Council were ignoring local interests by failing to promulgate and
enforce regulations needed to put special autonomy into practice.
"How can we assess the achievements of the special autonomy law, if the regulations are
not in force," Yumane said.
"It seems as if the local administration and council have forgotten to make the
regulations, thereby leaving local Papuan people living in poverty," he said.
Rev. Richard Paay, a local speaker at the rally, said the law had been in effect for
seven years, but no changes had taken place.
"For seven years, local people who mostly live in poverty, have heard about trillions of
rupiah (to be distributed to them), but many Papuans still die due to poor sanitation.
Where does the money go?," Paay asked.
Paay said students who wanted to do higher level studies were asked to pay hundreds of
thousand of rupiah in entrance fees.
The administration has built modern markets, but Papuan people still had to sell their
goods in small alleyways. For whom were the markets built?
Instead of getting benefits from the autonomy law, Papuans only got unfavorable results.
"People have been forced to face hardships like joining long lines for kerosene, due to
shortages, while prices of basic commodities continue rising, although most Papuans do
not have their own incomes," Paay said.
Paay asked the administration to encourage participation from the churches to make the
autonomy law effective.
"If the administration faces difficulties in implementation, just inform the church....we
are ready to give support," he said.
LONG MARCH: Some 3,000 Papuans from the Indonesian Christian Communication Forum hold a
peaceful demonstration in Jayapura, Papua, on Monday. They protested the lack of progress
in implementing the special autonomy law on Papua. (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)
At least 3,000 people mobilized by the Papuan Christian Communication Forum staged a
rally in Jayapura on Monday, questioning the functioning of the special autonomy law.
They claimed the law had been in force for seven years, but that most indigenous Papuan
people had not seen any improvement in their welfare.
The protesters from 45 churches in Jayapura flocked to the Papuan gubernatorial office at
9 a.m. local time, unfurling banners with slogans including: "Special Autonomy Law --
Blessing or Disaster", "Special Autonomy for whom" and Papua Pancasila Yes, Papua Sharia
No."
Besides questioning the special autonomy law, protesters opposed campaigns by
Jakarta-based groups calling for sharia law in Indonesia.
The protesters, who wore red and white, with a cross on their heads, were received by
Papuan provincial administration secretary, Tedjo Suprapto, representing Papuan Governor
Barnabas Suebu, who was away.
Salmon Yumane, a rally coordinator, said the provincial administration and the Papuan
Representatives Council were ignoring local interests by failing to promulgate and
enforce regulations needed to put special autonomy into practice.
"How can we assess the achievements of the special autonomy law, if the regulations are
not in force," Yumane said.
"It seems as if the local administration and council have forgotten to make the
regulations, thereby leaving local Papuan people living in poverty," he said.
Rev. Richard Paay, a local speaker at the rally, said the law had been in effect for
seven years, but no changes had taken place.
"For seven years, local people who mostly live in poverty, have heard about trillions of
rupiah (to be distributed to them), but many Papuans still die due to poor sanitation.
Where does the money go?," Paay asked.
Paay said students who wanted to do higher level studies were asked to pay hundreds of
thousand of rupiah in entrance fees.
The administration has built modern markets, but Papuan people still had to sell their
goods in small alleyways. For whom were the markets built?
Instead of getting benefits from the autonomy law, Papuans only got unfavorable results.
"People have been forced to face hardships like joining long lines for kerosene, due to
shortages, while prices of basic commodities continue rising, although most Papuans do
not have their own incomes," Paay said.
Paay asked the administration to encourage participation from the churches to make the
autonomy law effective.
"If the administration faces difficulties in implementation, just inform the church....we
are ready to give support," he said.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Monday 21 July 2008
Subversion charges likely after flag-raising ceremony
Monday, 21st July 2008. 4:05pmBy: Nick Mackenzie.Reports from Fakfakstate that six West Papuans involved in a flag raising ceremony, with the banned Morning Star flag, early last Saturday morning, will be charged under the Indonesian Criminal code for crime of 'subversion'.
These reports follow earlier information that 35 local West Papuan, including ex-political prisoners, were involved in a flag raising ceremony outside the “Act of Free Choice” building (Fakfak Archives office) on 4.30 am Saturday morning July 19, 2008.Local Human Rights workers reported that Indonesian Police in Fakfak arrested 46 local West Papuan people, which included some people not involved in the ceremony.Human Rights workers report that the Indonesian Police appear to have had prior knowledge of the ceremony and attacked the demonstrators beating them, kicking them with boots and torturing the demonstrators. The men in the group were then stripped to their underwear before being taken to the Police compound. Two women were included in those arrested.The names of those now charged with Subversion ‘Makar’ under section 110 of Criminal Code and detained by Indonesian Police are: Simon Tuturop, 58, Tadeus Weripang, 52, Viktor Tuturop, 42, Tomas Nimbitkendik, 19, Benedidiktus Turuop, 35 and Teles Piahar, 20.Three men, Walter Wareopor, 60, Daniel Nimbitkendik, 14, and Simon Hindom, 50, who had bush knives/machetes in their possession were charged under Emergency Regulation Section 12.It was reported that the other 37 detainees would be sent home after meeting with and being briefed by the Fakfak Regent, Dr Wahidin Puarada.The ex-political prisoners, Simon Tuturop and Tadeus Weripang, involved in the protest had been previously arrested, in July 1982 in the capital Jayapura, for involvement in an event which declared West Papua independent.It is understood that the Police have charged the six detainees under Indonesian Criminal code relating to subversion and overthrowing the Government. Reports from Fakfak confer with the Jakarta Post (July 20, 2008) which suggests that group is charged ‘under Article 106 of the Criminal Code, the detainees can be charged for plotting a coup. The charge carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.”Paula Makabory representing Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights said: “The detainees should be released as it is not credible for the Indonesian Police to charge these people on that basis of ‘subversion’. Performing a flag raising ceremony and protesting against Indonesian authority is not an act which could overthrow the Government. The demonstration was peaceful and such political expression should be a democratic right in West Papua and Indonesia.“Public remembrance of the past injustice from the Soeharto period and the ongoing repression of Human Rights, including the Right to ‘self-determination’, is what Indonesia Government agencies seek to subvert by arresting these people. This demonstration is only a threat to the status quo in West Papua because it shows the world the kind of Indonesian domination which West Papuans face. ”“To arrest and detain this group, charged under the subversion parts of the criminal code, are draconian. This symbolic protest in itself is clearly not going to overthrow the State of Indonesia.“This whole flag raising issue must be an embarrassment to the Indonesian Government,” Paula Makabory went on to say.
These reports follow earlier information that 35 local West Papuan, including ex-political prisoners, were involved in a flag raising ceremony outside the “Act of Free Choice” building (Fakfak Archives office) on 4.30 am Saturday morning July 19, 2008.Local Human Rights workers reported that Indonesian Police in Fakfak arrested 46 local West Papuan people, which included some people not involved in the ceremony.Human Rights workers report that the Indonesian Police appear to have had prior knowledge of the ceremony and attacked the demonstrators beating them, kicking them with boots and torturing the demonstrators. The men in the group were then stripped to their underwear before being taken to the Police compound. Two women were included in those arrested.The names of those now charged with Subversion ‘Makar’ under section 110 of Criminal Code and detained by Indonesian Police are: Simon Tuturop, 58, Tadeus Weripang, 52, Viktor Tuturop, 42, Tomas Nimbitkendik, 19, Benedidiktus Turuop, 35 and Teles Piahar, 20.Three men, Walter Wareopor, 60, Daniel Nimbitkendik, 14, and Simon Hindom, 50, who had bush knives/machetes in their possession were charged under Emergency Regulation Section 12.It was reported that the other 37 detainees would be sent home after meeting with and being briefed by the Fakfak Regent, Dr Wahidin Puarada.The ex-political prisoners, Simon Tuturop and Tadeus Weripang, involved in the protest had been previously arrested, in July 1982 in the capital Jayapura, for involvement in an event which declared West Papua independent.It is understood that the Police have charged the six detainees under Indonesian Criminal code relating to subversion and overthrowing the Government. Reports from Fakfak confer with the Jakarta Post (July 20, 2008) which suggests that group is charged ‘under Article 106 of the Criminal Code, the detainees can be charged for plotting a coup. The charge carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.”Paula Makabory representing Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights said: “The detainees should be released as it is not credible for the Indonesian Police to charge these people on that basis of ‘subversion’. Performing a flag raising ceremony and protesting against Indonesian authority is not an act which could overthrow the Government. The demonstration was peaceful and such political expression should be a democratic right in West Papua and Indonesia.“Public remembrance of the past injustice from the Soeharto period and the ongoing repression of Human Rights, including the Right to ‘self-determination’, is what Indonesia Government agencies seek to subvert by arresting these people. This demonstration is only a threat to the status quo in West Papua because it shows the world the kind of Indonesian domination which West Papuans face. ”“To arrest and detain this group, charged under the subversion parts of the criminal code, are draconian. This symbolic protest in itself is clearly not going to overthrow the State of Indonesia.“This whole flag raising issue must be an embarrassment to the Indonesian Government,” Paula Makabory went on to say.
Indonesia arrests six for treason over Papuan flag
21, 2008
JAYAPURA, (Indonesia) - INDONESIAN police have arrested six people on charges of treason after a group of Papuans hoisted an separatist flag in West Papua province at the weekend, a police official said on Monday.
The group raised the outlawed Morning Star flag, the symbol of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), early on Saturday in Fakfak, West Papua province, 300 km from the provincial capital Manokwari.
After questioning 49 people, six suspects were arrested on charges of treason, while three others were arrested for possessing machetes, Mr Agus Riyanto, a Papua police spokesman said.
Treason can carry a maximum sentence of life.
The suspects included former political detainees previously arrested for hoisting the separatist flag in 1982, Mr Riyanto added.
The police also confiscated a 2 metre-wide flag, several documents in Papuan and knives from the group.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has promised to end decades of conflict in Papua and speed up development but critics say rights abuses continue and little has been achieved under the 2001 special autonomy agreement for Papua.
Independence activists in Papua have waged a campaign for nearly 40 years to break away from Indonesia, while a low-level armed rebellion has also simmered for decades.
Indonesia has denied any systematic violations in Papua, although human rights groups have alleged that security services in the area have routinely abused their powers. -- REUTERS
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_259931.html
JAYAPURA, (Indonesia) - INDONESIAN police have arrested six people on charges of treason after a group of Papuans hoisted an separatist flag in West Papua province at the weekend, a police official said on Monday.
The group raised the outlawed Morning Star flag, the symbol of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), early on Saturday in Fakfak, West Papua province, 300 km from the provincial capital Manokwari.
After questioning 49 people, six suspects were arrested on charges of treason, while three others were arrested for possessing machetes, Mr Agus Riyanto, a Papua police spokesman said.
Treason can carry a maximum sentence of life.
The suspects included former political detainees previously arrested for hoisting the separatist flag in 1982, Mr Riyanto added.
The police also confiscated a 2 metre-wide flag, several documents in Papuan and knives from the group.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has promised to end decades of conflict in Papua and speed up development but critics say rights abuses continue and little has been achieved under the 2001 special autonomy agreement for Papua.
Independence activists in Papua have waged a campaign for nearly 40 years to break away from Indonesia, while a low-level armed rebellion has also simmered for decades.
Indonesia has denied any systematic violations in Papua, although human rights groups have alleged that security services in the area have routinely abused their powers. -- REUTERS
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_259931.html
Sunday 25 May 2008
With Scottish Independence on his mind, will Gordon Brown taking Indonesian lessons next month?
Richard Samuelson, Co-Director, Free West Papua Campaign (UK)
12 May 2008
NEXT YEAR or in 2010, the people of Scotland are now almost certain to be given the opportunity to vote in a referendum to choose independence or staying in the United Kingdom. In response, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised to "do whatever is necessary to ensure the stability and maintenance of the Union". (1)
NEXT MONTH, Gordon Brown will welcome to Downing Street a leader who knows a thing or two about doing "whatever is necessary" to combat independence movements: the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Ten years ago, when Yudhoyono was a General in the Indonesian army, he and his military colleagues failed to prevent East Timor from breaking away from Indonesia. They tried to kill off East Timor’s bid for freedom by killing a third of the East Timorese people (2) … but even that wasn’t enough. And now, a decade later, having swapped his General’s uniform for a civilian suit, President Yudhoyono is determined, once again, to do "whatever is necessary" to stop West Papua going the same way.
According to a recent speech by UK Foreign Office Minister, Meg Munn MP, "Indonesia’s experience in East Timor, Aceh and Papua is not simply an internal affair. It can act as a model to others." (3) With this in mind, it would only be logical for Gordon Brown to ask the Indonesian President’s advice on how to prevent Scottish independence.
Using Indonesia’s "experience" in West Papua as a "model" for what the UK’s "experience in Scotland" could be like, here is how Yudhoyono’s advice to Gordon Brown might sound:
"1) AS PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA, my first advice to you, Prime Minister Brown, is that you must fill Scotland with British military forces. Build British military posts all over Scotland, in the centre of every city and in even the smallest Scottish village. Remember, the main reason for the British military’s existence is to maintain the unity and territorial integrity of the United Kingdom. You can also flood Scotland with British intelligence agents disguised as taxi drivers or shop keepers. Then you will catch as many Scottish separatists as possible. Your British soldiers, police and intelligence agents can then kill them, torture them, rape them, intimidate them and imprison them as a warning to other Scottish separatists.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: During my four years as President, we have hugely increased the Indonesian military and intelligence presence in West Papua. After one of my military commanders was indicted by the UN for war crimes in East Timor, I promoted him and sent him to West Papua. Since then he has warned the Papuan people "… it is the duty of the TNI [the Indonesian military] to crush any struggle or activity undertaken by any group in the community which tends towards separatism"(4)
Our Indonesian intelligence agents are everywhere in West Papua, disguised as taxi drivers or shop keepers. They catch as many Papuan separatists as possible. Then our Indonesian soldiers, police and intelligence agents can kill them, torture them (5), rape them, intimidate them and imprison them as a warning to other Papuan separatists.
2) I next advise you to BAN the Scottish flag, the Saltire, BAN the National Anthem, "Scotland the Brave" and BAN all other "separatist symbols" such as the thistle and Scottish dancing.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: We have made it a criminal offence for West Papuans to raise their flag, the Morning Star, or to sing their national anthem, "O My Land, Papua". Both are counted as "rebellion" under Indonesian law and are punishable by up to 20 years in prison (6). And under a new decree I have just issued (without any consultation with the Papuan people, of course), I’ve also banned displaying the flag or any other "separatist symbols" such as the Mambruk bird on a bag or T shirt. (7) Last July, our Indonesian Police also investigated allegations that some Papuan teenagers had been seen performing a separatist dance.
3) Next you must BAN all "regional/Scottish" political parties, especially the Scottish National Party. This means that, irrespective of what may be the democratic will of the Scottish people, the only choice Scots will have when they go to vote will be parties which totally support British territorial integrity! You may also consider assassinating their leaders. At the very least, imprison them for as long as possible.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: Under Indonesian law (8), we have made it impossible for the Papuans to form a "Free West Papua Party" by requiring that all political parties are represented in at least 50% of all the Indonesian provinces. So when West Papuans go to vote they can choose between my Party, The Democratic Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the Party of the Functional Groups [Golkar] (Indonesian nationalist), or the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Indonesian nationalist), or the United Development Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the Prosperous Justice Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the National Awakening Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the National Mandate Party (Indonesian nationalist) or finally the Crescent Star Party (Indonesian nationalist). This is the choice we offer Papuan voters under Indonesian democracy.
Our friends in Burma prefer to keep Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest, but in 2001 we in Indonesia decided it was better to assassinate the West Papuan independence leader, Theys Eluay (9). Our Special Forces strangled him to death because he was becoming much too popular amongst his own people and he was making West Papua known in the rest of the world. Then in 2002 we arrested another West Papuan independence leader, Benny Wenda. First we tried to bribe him into working for us but when he refused we tried to kill him too. And of course every time a Papuan raises the Morning Star flag, we put them in prison too.
4) Next you must BAN all Scottish separatists from standing in elections or from working in the Civil Service. Simply BAN everyone in Scotland from holding public office if they refuse to sign an oath to "to maintain the integrity of the United Kingdom". And you must also make it a legal requirement of the Scottish Parliament "to maintain the integrity of the United Kingdom". Then if a Member of the Scottish Parliament or a Scottish Civil Servant says anything about wanting independence for Scotland you can dismiss them from their post immediately. You’ll find it’s a very effective way to keep people silent.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: Under Indonesian Law, all West Papuans who want to stand for election or become a Civil Servant must make an oath "to maintain the unity and integrity" of Indonesia (10). And in our Special Autonomy Law for West Papua we’ve made it law that the Local Papuan Parliament is expressly required "to maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia". In 2005, when a Papuan Civil Servant called Filep Karma, raised the Morning Star flag, we naturally dismissed him from his job … and also put him in prison for 15 years. We find this approach works very well for us in West Papua. We can tell the world that the Governor of Papua and the members of the Local Parliament are the "elected representatives of the Papuan people", but we Indonesians know that these people will almost always stay silent about human rights abuses and Papuan demands for an independence referendum … or else we will fire them.
5) And finally, hold a SHAM INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM. If you are worried that if you give them a free and democratic vote the Scottish people might make the wrong choice, i.e. independence for Scotland, simply make sure that whatever they actually want, you will get a 100% vote in favour of maintaining the United Kingdom!
‘One person – one vote’ is of course out of the question. You must order the British military to hand-pick a thousand or so "Scottish representatives", then put a gun to their heads and order them to vote for the United Kingdom. You can call it "the Act of Free Choice".
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: Very inconveniently, we were required under international law to allow the West Papuans to exercise their right to self-determination, but my old mentor General Suharto knew that if we allowed them ‘one person – one vote’ they would undoubtedly make the wrong choice; independence for West Papua. So our Indonesian military simply rounded up 1,026 Papuan elders, locked them inside our military camps, put a gun to their heads and ordered them to vote for Indonesia. (11) This part of our "Indonesian model" was entirely successful. 100% of the "Papuan representatives" voted in favour of Indonesia.
We called it "the Act of Free Choice"."
---------------------
Of course, when Gordon Brown speaks of doing "whatever is necessary" to maintain the United Kingdom he doesn’t have assassinating Scottish independence leaders, banning Scottish flags or holding sham referendums in mind. Despite praising it as "a model for others", the UK will not be following Indonesia’s West Papua model. This imagined advice from Yudhoyono to Brown would be laughable if it wasn’t also so seriously true about how Indonesia is treating the West Papua people.
So this question must be put clearly and strongly to Gordon Brown: If this Indonesian model is so obviously unacceptable as a way to counter Scots who want independence from the UK, why do UK Ministers keep saying it is acceptable, sometimes even praiseworthy, as the way to counter West Papuans who want independence from Indonesia?
Don’t West Papuans deserve exactly the same democratic rights & freedoms as the Scots, the English, the Irish and the Welsh? At their meeting in London next month, we hope Gordon Brown will tell President Yudhoyono that they DO.
Richard Samuelson
Co-Director, Free West Papua Campaign (UK)
http://www.freewestpapua.org/
Tel: 07891 235112
E-mail: samoxen@dsl.pipex.com
Address: PO Box 656, OXFORD OX3 3AP
NOTES: (overleaf)
(1) The Daily Telegraph: "Gordon Brown won't let Union split" 10 May 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/1944747/Gordon-Brown-won't-let-England-and-Scotland-split.html
(2) The Australian: "UN verdict on East Timor" 19 January 2006 http://www.etan.org/et2006/january/14/19truth.htm
(3) Speech by UK Foreign Office Minister, Meg Munn MP, at a Wilton Park Conference "Indonesia: Political and Economic Prospects" 3 March 2008 http://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/documents/Meg%20Munn%20Speech%20901.pdf
(4) Cenderwasih Pos, 7 July 2007: Statement by indicted war criminal and Indonesian military (TNI) commander in the West Papuan capital Jayapura:
"… it is the duty of the TNI [the Indonesian military]to crush any struggle or activity undertaken by any group in the community which tends towards separatism"
"What is absolutely certain is that anyone who tends towards separatism will be crushed by TNI".
"In the interests of the NKRI (Republic of Indonesia), we are not afraid of human rights. We are quite prepared to imprison anyone, or dismiss them from their posts, whenever such [an action] is in the interests of the NKRI".
(5) See, for example, report on TORTURE by Dr Manfred Nowak, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, 7 March 2008 : "…in Papua .. [Indonesian] mobile paramilitary police units have routinely been engaging in largely indiscriminate village ‘sweeping’ operations in search of alleged independence activists and their supporters, or raids on university boarding houses, using excessive force".
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/7session/A.HRC.7.3.Add.7AEV.doc
(6) Two prominent examples of West Papuans jailed for peacefully raising the Morning Star flag are Filep Karma & Yusak Pakage, who are currently serving 15 & 10 year prison sentences, respectively. Amnesty International has recognised Filep & Yusak as Prisoners of Conscience and is calling for their immediate and unconditional release. See: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=42
(6) Indonesian Government Regulation Number 77 of 2007 (PP 77/2007) on "Local Symbols" was issued by President Yudhoyono in December 2007. Article 6.4 states: "The design of a local symbol and flag must not have main similarities to the design, logo and flag of any illegal organization or separatist organization/ group/ institution/ movement in the Unitary Republic of Indonesia."
(8) Indonesian Law No. 31 of 2002 requires that political parties must have regional party boards in at least 50% of the total Indonesian provinces, and in 50 % of the total districts/municipalities in each province concerned, and in 25 % of the total sub-districts in each district/municipalities concerned. http://www.kbri-bangkok.com/about_indonesia/province_papua/province_papua.html
(9) The Age: "Kopassus guilty of Eluay murder" 22 April 2003 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/21/1050777211770.html
(10) Article 2 of the Official Pledge for Indonesian Civil Servants and military personnel http://jdihukum.banten.go.id/dokumen/UU%2048%20NO%209.pdf
(11) "[In the Act of Free Choice a] 1,000 handpicked representatives … were largely coerced into declaring for inclusion in Indonesia". (Foreign Office Minister Baroness Symons, House of Lords, 13 December 2004.)
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Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
http://www.freewestpapua.org/
12 May 2008
NEXT YEAR or in 2010, the people of Scotland are now almost certain to be given the opportunity to vote in a referendum to choose independence or staying in the United Kingdom. In response, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised to "do whatever is necessary to ensure the stability and maintenance of the Union". (1)
NEXT MONTH, Gordon Brown will welcome to Downing Street a leader who knows a thing or two about doing "whatever is necessary" to combat independence movements: the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Ten years ago, when Yudhoyono was a General in the Indonesian army, he and his military colleagues failed to prevent East Timor from breaking away from Indonesia. They tried to kill off East Timor’s bid for freedom by killing a third of the East Timorese people (2) … but even that wasn’t enough. And now, a decade later, having swapped his General’s uniform for a civilian suit, President Yudhoyono is determined, once again, to do "whatever is necessary" to stop West Papua going the same way.
According to a recent speech by UK Foreign Office Minister, Meg Munn MP, "Indonesia’s experience in East Timor, Aceh and Papua is not simply an internal affair. It can act as a model to others." (3) With this in mind, it would only be logical for Gordon Brown to ask the Indonesian President’s advice on how to prevent Scottish independence.
Using Indonesia’s "experience" in West Papua as a "model" for what the UK’s "experience in Scotland" could be like, here is how Yudhoyono’s advice to Gordon Brown might sound:
"1) AS PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA, my first advice to you, Prime Minister Brown, is that you must fill Scotland with British military forces. Build British military posts all over Scotland, in the centre of every city and in even the smallest Scottish village. Remember, the main reason for the British military’s existence is to maintain the unity and territorial integrity of the United Kingdom. You can also flood Scotland with British intelligence agents disguised as taxi drivers or shop keepers. Then you will catch as many Scottish separatists as possible. Your British soldiers, police and intelligence agents can then kill them, torture them, rape them, intimidate them and imprison them as a warning to other Scottish separatists.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: During my four years as President, we have hugely increased the Indonesian military and intelligence presence in West Papua. After one of my military commanders was indicted by the UN for war crimes in East Timor, I promoted him and sent him to West Papua. Since then he has warned the Papuan people "… it is the duty of the TNI [the Indonesian military] to crush any struggle or activity undertaken by any group in the community which tends towards separatism"(4)
Our Indonesian intelligence agents are everywhere in West Papua, disguised as taxi drivers or shop keepers. They catch as many Papuan separatists as possible. Then our Indonesian soldiers, police and intelligence agents can kill them, torture them (5), rape them, intimidate them and imprison them as a warning to other Papuan separatists.
2) I next advise you to BAN the Scottish flag, the Saltire, BAN the National Anthem, "Scotland the Brave" and BAN all other "separatist symbols" such as the thistle and Scottish dancing.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: We have made it a criminal offence for West Papuans to raise their flag, the Morning Star, or to sing their national anthem, "O My Land, Papua". Both are counted as "rebellion" under Indonesian law and are punishable by up to 20 years in prison (6). And under a new decree I have just issued (without any consultation with the Papuan people, of course), I’ve also banned displaying the flag or any other "separatist symbols" such as the Mambruk bird on a bag or T shirt. (7) Last July, our Indonesian Police also investigated allegations that some Papuan teenagers had been seen performing a separatist dance.
3) Next you must BAN all "regional/Scottish" political parties, especially the Scottish National Party. This means that, irrespective of what may be the democratic will of the Scottish people, the only choice Scots will have when they go to vote will be parties which totally support British territorial integrity! You may also consider assassinating their leaders. At the very least, imprison them for as long as possible.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: Under Indonesian law (8), we have made it impossible for the Papuans to form a "Free West Papua Party" by requiring that all political parties are represented in at least 50% of all the Indonesian provinces. So when West Papuans go to vote they can choose between my Party, The Democratic Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the Party of the Functional Groups [Golkar] (Indonesian nationalist), or the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Indonesian nationalist), or the United Development Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the Prosperous Justice Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the National Awakening Party (Indonesian nationalist), or the National Mandate Party (Indonesian nationalist) or finally the Crescent Star Party (Indonesian nationalist). This is the choice we offer Papuan voters under Indonesian democracy.
Our friends in Burma prefer to keep Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest, but in 2001 we in Indonesia decided it was better to assassinate the West Papuan independence leader, Theys Eluay (9). Our Special Forces strangled him to death because he was becoming much too popular amongst his own people and he was making West Papua known in the rest of the world. Then in 2002 we arrested another West Papuan independence leader, Benny Wenda. First we tried to bribe him into working for us but when he refused we tried to kill him too. And of course every time a Papuan raises the Morning Star flag, we put them in prison too.
4) Next you must BAN all Scottish separatists from standing in elections or from working in the Civil Service. Simply BAN everyone in Scotland from holding public office if they refuse to sign an oath to "to maintain the integrity of the United Kingdom". And you must also make it a legal requirement of the Scottish Parliament "to maintain the integrity of the United Kingdom". Then if a Member of the Scottish Parliament or a Scottish Civil Servant says anything about wanting independence for Scotland you can dismiss them from their post immediately. You’ll find it’s a very effective way to keep people silent.
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: Under Indonesian Law, all West Papuans who want to stand for election or become a Civil Servant must make an oath "to maintain the unity and integrity" of Indonesia (10). And in our Special Autonomy Law for West Papua we’ve made it law that the Local Papuan Parliament is expressly required "to maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia". In 2005, when a Papuan Civil Servant called Filep Karma, raised the Morning Star flag, we naturally dismissed him from his job … and also put him in prison for 15 years. We find this approach works very well for us in West Papua. We can tell the world that the Governor of Papua and the members of the Local Parliament are the "elected representatives of the Papuan people", but we Indonesians know that these people will almost always stay silent about human rights abuses and Papuan demands for an independence referendum … or else we will fire them.
5) And finally, hold a SHAM INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM. If you are worried that if you give them a free and democratic vote the Scottish people might make the wrong choice, i.e. independence for Scotland, simply make sure that whatever they actually want, you will get a 100% vote in favour of maintaining the United Kingdom!
‘One person – one vote’ is of course out of the question. You must order the British military to hand-pick a thousand or so "Scottish representatives", then put a gun to their heads and order them to vote for the United Kingdom. You can call it "the Act of Free Choice".
As your Minister said, Indonesia’s experience in West Papua can act as a model to others: Very inconveniently, we were required under international law to allow the West Papuans to exercise their right to self-determination, but my old mentor General Suharto knew that if we allowed them ‘one person – one vote’ they would undoubtedly make the wrong choice; independence for West Papua. So our Indonesian military simply rounded up 1,026 Papuan elders, locked them inside our military camps, put a gun to their heads and ordered them to vote for Indonesia. (11) This part of our "Indonesian model" was entirely successful. 100% of the "Papuan representatives" voted in favour of Indonesia.
We called it "the Act of Free Choice"."
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Of course, when Gordon Brown speaks of doing "whatever is necessary" to maintain the United Kingdom he doesn’t have assassinating Scottish independence leaders, banning Scottish flags or holding sham referendums in mind. Despite praising it as "a model for others", the UK will not be following Indonesia’s West Papua model. This imagined advice from Yudhoyono to Brown would be laughable if it wasn’t also so seriously true about how Indonesia is treating the West Papua people.
So this question must be put clearly and strongly to Gordon Brown: If this Indonesian model is so obviously unacceptable as a way to counter Scots who want independence from the UK, why do UK Ministers keep saying it is acceptable, sometimes even praiseworthy, as the way to counter West Papuans who want independence from Indonesia?
Don’t West Papuans deserve exactly the same democratic rights & freedoms as the Scots, the English, the Irish and the Welsh? At their meeting in London next month, we hope Gordon Brown will tell President Yudhoyono that they DO.
Richard Samuelson
Co-Director, Free West Papua Campaign (UK)
http://www.freewestpapua.org/
Tel: 07891 235112
E-mail: samoxen@dsl.pipex.com
Address: PO Box 656, OXFORD OX3 3AP
NOTES: (overleaf)
(1) The Daily Telegraph: "Gordon Brown won't let Union split" 10 May 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/1944747/Gordon-Brown-won't-let-England-and-Scotland-split.html
(2) The Australian: "UN verdict on East Timor" 19 January 2006 http://www.etan.org/et2006/january/14/19truth.htm
(3) Speech by UK Foreign Office Minister, Meg Munn MP, at a Wilton Park Conference "Indonesia: Political and Economic Prospects" 3 March 2008 http://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/documents/Meg%20Munn%20Speech%20901.pdf
(4) Cenderwasih Pos, 7 July 2007: Statement by indicted war criminal and Indonesian military (TNI) commander in the West Papuan capital Jayapura:
"… it is the duty of the TNI [the Indonesian military]to crush any struggle or activity undertaken by any group in the community which tends towards separatism"
"What is absolutely certain is that anyone who tends towards separatism will be crushed by TNI".
"In the interests of the NKRI (Republic of Indonesia), we are not afraid of human rights. We are quite prepared to imprison anyone, or dismiss them from their posts, whenever such [an action] is in the interests of the NKRI".
(5) See, for example, report on TORTURE by Dr Manfred Nowak, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, 7 March 2008 : "…in Papua .. [Indonesian] mobile paramilitary police units have routinely been engaging in largely indiscriminate village ‘sweeping’ operations in search of alleged independence activists and their supporters, or raids on university boarding houses, using excessive force".
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/7session/A.HRC.7.3.Add.7AEV.doc
(6) Two prominent examples of West Papuans jailed for peacefully raising the Morning Star flag are Filep Karma & Yusak Pakage, who are currently serving 15 & 10 year prison sentences, respectively. Amnesty International has recognised Filep & Yusak as Prisoners of Conscience and is calling for their immediate and unconditional release. See: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=42
(6) Indonesian Government Regulation Number 77 of 2007 (PP 77/2007) on "Local Symbols" was issued by President Yudhoyono in December 2007. Article 6.4 states: "The design of a local symbol and flag must not have main similarities to the design, logo and flag of any illegal organization or separatist organization/ group/ institution/ movement in the Unitary Republic of Indonesia."
(8) Indonesian Law No. 31 of 2002 requires that political parties must have regional party boards in at least 50% of the total Indonesian provinces, and in 50 % of the total districts/municipalities in each province concerned, and in 25 % of the total sub-districts in each district/municipalities concerned. http://www.kbri-bangkok.com/about_indonesia/province_papua/province_papua.html
(9) The Age: "Kopassus guilty of Eluay murder" 22 April 2003 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/21/1050777211770.html
(10) Article 2 of the Official Pledge for Indonesian Civil Servants and military personnel http://jdihukum.banten.go.id/dokumen/UU%2048%20NO%209.pdf
(11) "[In the Act of Free Choice a] 1,000 handpicked representatives … were largely coerced into declaring for inclusion in Indonesia". (Foreign Office Minister Baroness Symons, House of Lords, 13 December 2004.)
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Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
http://www.freewestpapua.org/
WEST PAPUA: TNI BATTALION 756 WMS KILL 7 Papuans IN ASOLOGAIMA DISTRICT
KIMBIM -West Papua (SPM News)-- Seven native Papuans in Kimbin had been shot dead by TNI battalion 756 WMS. The TNI battalion 756 WMS has been assigned to secure Asologaima district. There is not any clear reason why the shooting happened and the situation is tense at the moment. There are about 350 Indonesian military soldiers who are still searching, burning people's houses, gardens, and livestock. The TNI burned down all the people's belongings this morning, Friday (23 May 2008)in Jayawijaya regency.
A SPM News crew who closely monitored the situation in the field reported that the TNI battalion 756 WMS since yesterday night (22/5/2008) had attacked and stormed the people. Their presence has terrorised the native Papuans. There was no clear explanation of this military operation. It seems that the operation is aimed at torturing all native Papuans.
The military's storm attack has killed 7 native Papuans and hundreds of other Papuans who fled to the jungles are in critical conditions. Some churches were also burned by 350 soldiers who were sent to kill and burn down all villages and people's belongings.
At the time when this report was written, the situation was still critical and tense. (WeNdAnAk)
Please contact Musa Haluk directly through his mobile phone HP: (081 344 880 279 ).
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Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 4:52 AM
Subject: TNI BATALION 756 WMS MEMBUNUH 7 ORANG PENDUDUK SIPIL KECAMATAN ASOLOGAIMA
TNI BATALION 756 WMS MEMBUNUH 7 ORANG PENDUDUK SIPIL KECAMATAN ASOLOGAIMA
SPMNews Agamua
KIMBIM --(SPMNews)-- 7 orang Penduduk pribumi Kimbim telah ditembak mati oleh aparat TNI Batalion 756 WMS yang sedang bertugas didistrik Asologaima – Kimbim tanpa alasan yang jelas hingga situasi saat ini masih tegang antara aparat 350 Personil melakukan operasi penyisiran, pembakaran rumah-rumah penduduk, kebun, ternak-ternak dibakar oleh TNI dan membumi hanguskan seluruh harta kekayaan masyarakat pribumi Distrik Asologaima pada hari Jumat (23/05/2008) dini hari Kabupaten Jayawijaya.
Crew SPMNews yang memantau secara langsung dilapangan melaporkan bahwa, aparat TNI Batalion 756 WMS sejak kemarin malam (22/05/08’) telah melakukan penyerangan membabibuta sehingga kehadiran mereka sangat meresahkan masyarakat selama ini dan operasi ini diarahakan untuk membantai seluruh rakyat pribumi tanpa alasan dan motif yang tidak jelas.
Sementara itu, akibat penyerangan yang secara membabibuta telah membunuh 7 orang penduduk pribumi dan ratusan lainya dalam keadaan kritis sedang mengungsi kehutan-hutan akibat operasi yang secara membabibuta dari aparat TNI Batalion 756 WMS. Bahkan ada beberapa gereja turut dibakar oleh aparat TNI 350 personil yang dikirim untuk membunuh, membakar seluruh perkampungan masyarakat dan seluruh kekayaan yang dimiliki oleh penduduk setempat.
Sampai berita ini diturunkan keadaan sangat kritis dan tegang. (WeNdAnAk )
Catatan : silahkan kontak langsung ke Musa Haluk dengan nomor HP: (081 344 880 279 ) om tolong kontak sekarang juga semua orang-orang tua dan korban sedang tunggu kontak balik dari om sebentar sore , ae nombae ibar-ibar contac erinda nombae)
Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
www.freewestpapua.org
A SPM News crew who closely monitored the situation in the field reported that the TNI battalion 756 WMS since yesterday night (22/5/2008) had attacked and stormed the people. Their presence has terrorised the native Papuans. There was no clear explanation of this military operation. It seems that the operation is aimed at torturing all native Papuans.
The military's storm attack has killed 7 native Papuans and hundreds of other Papuans who fled to the jungles are in critical conditions. Some churches were also burned by 350 soldiers who were sent to kill and burn down all villages and people's belongings.
At the time when this report was written, the situation was still critical and tense. (WeNdAnAk)
Please contact Musa Haluk directly through his mobile phone HP: (081 344 880 279 ).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 4:52 AM
Subject: TNI BATALION 756 WMS MEMBUNUH 7 ORANG PENDUDUK SIPIL KECAMATAN ASOLOGAIMA
TNI BATALION 756 WMS MEMBUNUH 7 ORANG PENDUDUK SIPIL KECAMATAN ASOLOGAIMA
SPMNews Agamua
KIMBIM --(SPMNews)-- 7 orang Penduduk pribumi Kimbim telah ditembak mati oleh aparat TNI Batalion 756 WMS yang sedang bertugas didistrik Asologaima – Kimbim tanpa alasan yang jelas hingga situasi saat ini masih tegang antara aparat 350 Personil melakukan operasi penyisiran, pembakaran rumah-rumah penduduk, kebun, ternak-ternak dibakar oleh TNI dan membumi hanguskan seluruh harta kekayaan masyarakat pribumi Distrik Asologaima pada hari Jumat (23/05/2008) dini hari Kabupaten Jayawijaya.
Crew SPMNews yang memantau secara langsung dilapangan melaporkan bahwa, aparat TNI Batalion 756 WMS sejak kemarin malam (22/05/08’) telah melakukan penyerangan membabibuta sehingga kehadiran mereka sangat meresahkan masyarakat selama ini dan operasi ini diarahakan untuk membantai seluruh rakyat pribumi tanpa alasan dan motif yang tidak jelas.
Sementara itu, akibat penyerangan yang secara membabibuta telah membunuh 7 orang penduduk pribumi dan ratusan lainya dalam keadaan kritis sedang mengungsi kehutan-hutan akibat operasi yang secara membabibuta dari aparat TNI Batalion 756 WMS. Bahkan ada beberapa gereja turut dibakar oleh aparat TNI 350 personil yang dikirim untuk membunuh, membakar seluruh perkampungan masyarakat dan seluruh kekayaan yang dimiliki oleh penduduk setempat.
Sampai berita ini diturunkan keadaan sangat kritis dan tegang. (WeNdAnAk )
Catatan : silahkan kontak langsung ke Musa Haluk dengan nomor HP: (081 344 880 279 ) om tolong kontak sekarang juga semua orang-orang tua dan korban sedang tunggu kontak balik dari om sebentar sore , ae nombae ibar-ibar contac erinda nombae)
Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
www.freewestpapua.org
Papuan people lose hope to fight Palm Oil Plantation
[FWPC (UK) comment: Notice the role of Papua Governor Suebu in handing over ancestral Papuan land to the Malaysian oil palm company against the will of the Papuan land owners and also removing the previous West Papuan logs export ban. This is the same Governor Suebu who was named a "Hero of the Environment" by TIME magazine in November 2007.
And notice the role of the Indonesian military and intelligence service (BIN) in making sure that in Indonesia's West Papua colony, Jakarta's interests always come first. This is yet more evidence that Special Autonomy is a sham, instigated by the Indonesians to make it look to the outside world that Papuans have a choice .... just like the Act of NO Choice in 1969.]
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Reported by KPKC GKI di Tanah Papua (The Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua) Synod, Jayapura
The people of Yetti, East Arso District, Kerom Regency - PAPUA have lost their hope in their struggle to reject a Palm Oil Plantation project on their own ancestral land. Barnabas Suebu, governor Papua Province has officially approved PT Rajawali Group company from Malaysia to use 26,000 hectares of the people's land for Palm Oil Plantation field.
On the 18 January 2008, two members from KPKC GKI church Synod visited local GKI branch in Kerom regency to prepare an environmental conservation training in Kerom. During this visit they got information about the plan to open a palm oil plantation field and that the implementation of the plan had nearly become a reality. PT Rajawali Group company had already opened up a field for palm seed production. The forest clearance, however, had not begun yet.
The Papua Provincial government has played a big role in ensuring that the palm oil investors' plan to open a palm oil plantation field in Kerom regency went smoothly. This is proven by the fact that two days before Governor Barnabas Suebu's visit to Kerom regency, his personal staff named Ronald Tapilatu phoned Rev. Pube Manuaron to come to the Governor's house in the State Palace in Dok V Jayapura. Rev. Pube Manuaron who was the chairman of GKI church office in Kerom Regency was invited to the Governor's house to hear explanations about the benefits of palm oil plantation because his church has opposed the government plan.
In the meeting, Dr Agus Sumule (the Governor's personal advisor) explained several benefits of the palm oil plantation such as the following:
1) The people would have lots of money from the land rental payment;
2) They people's capital would be strengthened from the land rental payment;
3) There would be additional benefits from renting the land;
5) Another benefit is that PT Rajawali Group would compensate for the use of water;
6) Local workers would be recruited from the local people.
The meeting was attended by Ronald Tapilatu (an ex-secretary of ELSHAM Papua) and manager of PT Rajawali Group. Rev Pube Manuaron requested that 10 hectares of land that belongs to GKI church in Arso should not be touched by PT Rajawali Group company.
Would the palm oil plantation benefit the native people of Arso? Below are some comments from Father John Jongga, ex-pastor of Waris - Keerom and Frans Jibu from the Indonesian-PNG Border Traditional Foundation, Mrs Sarafina (a women’s leader from Arso) and Stincence Bewangkir who gave testimony about the death of her husband, Marthinus Putui, who was murdered because he refused to allow outsiders to enter his customary (ancestral) land.
Pastor John Jongga: "On the 27 July 2007, the tribal leaders in Arso requested me to tell Governor Barnabas Suebu that the people of Keerom do not approve the plan to use their land as a palm oil plantation field. The people prefer cocoa plantation. However, the Governor has already made a deal with the giant company from Malaysia so he insisted on implementing his plan. I am worried that the people that would be recruited to work for the plantation are not native people from Keerom. The Keerom people will become spectators and the palm oil plantation would hire other workers as has already happened in the palm oil plantation in Arso. I heard that they would get a Chinese plywood company to come here and which would cut down all trees and use them for plywood materials. I have met the Chinese businesmen."
Frans Jibu: “Now the people of the Yetti tribe cannot freely enjoy the richness of their Nature. The government of Papua Province, Keerom regency government, and the Indonesian military came and freely raped our natural wealth from our customary land. Actually, we would like to express our concerns directly to the Governor but Indonesian intelligent agents stopped us and cancelled our plan. Thus, we could not propose our aspirations to the Governor directly when he visited Keerom Regency on the 27 July 2007. Yesterday, we also refused one million hectares of our land to be used for palm oil plantation. But the Indonesian military claimed that they represented us and went to hand over the land to the government. We learned from experience that the Arso palm oil plantation did not give benefits to the native people. In fact, the native people suffered from the plantation. Their land belongs to the outsiders who have divided their lands into lots.
Secondly, the palm oil plantation is not suitable with the local working culture. Local people are hunters and gatherers. We think that cocoa plant is fine, the people could do that.
Thirdly, the land certificate belongs to strangers. Until now we are still confused why the Indonesian military gave our land to PT Rajawali Group company. According to our custom, there needs to be an agreement among clan heads before giving any piece of land to other people; that is our democracy. However, this did not happen. I have seen a game played by the Indonesian military and the government that caused division between people in East Arso and caused the people to hate each other.
We, the people who own the land do not accept the government's plan to open the palm plantation field on our land. To me this is identical with an annihilation process. We have made a statement for the Governor that the palm oil plantation is identical with an annihilation process. However, when the Governor came to Arso, we were not given a chance to deliver our aspirations to him because the Indonesian intelligent agents stopped us. I though that both the Governor and the Regent are supposed to be Papuan customary sons so they should have known the procedures of giving out a piece of our land. I do hope that the two leaders must have understood this and are not allowing Indonesian intelligent agents to inform them. We had a traumatic experience with palm oil plantation. There is no benefit to us. The palm oil plantation will only annihilate us. In 20 years time our tribe will be annihilated from our own land.
I have told the TNI [Indonesian military] battalion commander and the Regent of Keerom, Mr Celcius Watae, that if 1 million hectares of our land was forcefully taken by the military and the government, then, I would be the first person to flee as a refugee to Papua New Guinea. I am the son of the great chief of the Arso tribe. My father was the commander in chief before we knew any missionaries. Thus, if I flee, all my people will flee as well. We'd better go out of our land because we cannot bear the sadness and the painful feelings of witnessing our land being handed over by the military to the government of Papua province who later sold it to PT Rajawali Group company. I am not safe myself. I have been chased by Kopassus (Indonesian special force). I always question how long before this suffering and the shadow of fear would go away and that we will have peace so people could go to their gardens or go hunting without fear and often I am pessimistic about that dream of peace.
Mama Sarafina: "Now I experince difficulties in getting clean water. Before it was easy for me to just drink from rivers but now I can't because of the palm oil plantation fertilizers have polluted the rivers. Big shrimps which size the same as sea lobsters are already extinct. Soon our protected forests (buffer zone) between East Arso and neighbouring country Papua New Guinea would be cleared for palm oil plantation. If the buffer zone is cleared, we will fight against it because it is the last resource for us to make gardens, go hunting, get our traditional medicines and have our cultural festivals. Why are thousands hectares of land in Arso left empty and why not use that land for palm oil plantation? What is the government's reason to look for new land? If all forests in Arso are cleared, we certainly will die.
The weekly newspaper Boda Post first edition in March 2008 reported that 26,000 hectares of iron wood forest would be replaced by palm oil. The forest that is provided for palm oil plantation is a primary (virgin) forest that has thousands of iron forests and other types of wood. The tribal chief of Yetti said that the forest that will be turned into the palm oil plantation is their ancestral heritage. However, the law and the competition between central and regional governments have sacrificed the people's forest.
The Marthinus Putui murder testimony
Stince Bewangkir (32), the widow of Marthinus Putui, told how her husband was murdered. It was Wednesday, 19th May [2007?]. Marthinus was ill so he asked to be taken to Abepura hospital. However, the next morning (20th May) Marthinus died suddenly. His body was taken to East Arso. However, when his body was laid into a coffin, his head, face and body were bleeding which showed that he had been tortured.
Stince Bewangkir: “My husband was working with a Chinese man. They did wood processing. Several Indonesian armed soldiers also came and did wood processing in our customary forest but my husband refused to allow them. When two military weapons were seized from the Indonesian military post in Wemby in 2006, one Indonesian soldier gave Rp. 50,000,000 (fifty million Indonesian rupiahs) to five Arso men with a request that they should get the lost weapons and return them to them. However, they did not succeed and they had used all the money. Then, they came to ask my husband to give access for the military to cut wood from East Arso because the military had threatened to shoot them. My husband wanted to save the lives of the five young men so he allowed the military to cut wood from the forest. However, my husband was murdered by village people who had black magic and who had been paid to kill him by the military. After my husband's death, anyone from outside the Yetti tribe could come and occupy our land and our forest freely.
Meanwhile, Governor Barnasbas Suebu in the Cenderawasih Post (18 March 2008) had cancelled the previous ban on exporting Papuan logs out of Papua. It was great news for more than 40 companies who had Hak Pengelolaan Hutan (rights to cut and manage forests). The Governor said, "we had already banned it (exporting logs from Papua) totally, however, in a meeting with the Indonesian President and Vice President, they requested us to remove (the export ban) by giving certain quotas (to logging companies). We also talked about this quota matter and how we manage what quota and which type of woods".
The removal of the Papuan log export ban certainly would give a great opportunity for timber businessmen to strip all the trees in the Papuan forests.
The story of Yetti tribe, East Arso in fighting to protect their land from government's and ivestor's attack was similar a story in a film of Chiko Mendes when helping a tribe in the higland of Brazil whose land was taken away by investors. Perhaps, we need a strong solidarity to fight against governmet's arbitrariness in taking away by force lands from Yetti people.
KPKC Sinode GKI di Tanah Papua
The Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua Synod,
Jayapura, West Papua
Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
www.freewestpapua.org
And notice the role of the Indonesian military and intelligence service (BIN) in making sure that in Indonesia's West Papua colony, Jakarta's interests always come first. This is yet more evidence that Special Autonomy is a sham, instigated by the Indonesians to make it look to the outside world that Papuans have a choice .... just like the Act of NO Choice in 1969.]
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Reported by KPKC GKI di Tanah Papua (The Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua) Synod, Jayapura
The people of Yetti, East Arso District, Kerom Regency - PAPUA have lost their hope in their struggle to reject a Palm Oil Plantation project on their own ancestral land. Barnabas Suebu, governor Papua Province has officially approved PT Rajawali Group company from Malaysia to use 26,000 hectares of the people's land for Palm Oil Plantation field.
On the 18 January 2008, two members from KPKC GKI church Synod visited local GKI branch in Kerom regency to prepare an environmental conservation training in Kerom. During this visit they got information about the plan to open a palm oil plantation field and that the implementation of the plan had nearly become a reality. PT Rajawali Group company had already opened up a field for palm seed production. The forest clearance, however, had not begun yet.
The Papua Provincial government has played a big role in ensuring that the palm oil investors' plan to open a palm oil plantation field in Kerom regency went smoothly. This is proven by the fact that two days before Governor Barnabas Suebu's visit to Kerom regency, his personal staff named Ronald Tapilatu phoned Rev. Pube Manuaron to come to the Governor's house in the State Palace in Dok V Jayapura. Rev. Pube Manuaron who was the chairman of GKI church office in Kerom Regency was invited to the Governor's house to hear explanations about the benefits of palm oil plantation because his church has opposed the government plan.
In the meeting, Dr Agus Sumule (the Governor's personal advisor) explained several benefits of the palm oil plantation such as the following:
1) The people would have lots of money from the land rental payment;
2) They people's capital would be strengthened from the land rental payment;
3) There would be additional benefits from renting the land;
5) Another benefit is that PT Rajawali Group would compensate for the use of water;
6) Local workers would be recruited from the local people.
The meeting was attended by Ronald Tapilatu (an ex-secretary of ELSHAM Papua) and manager of PT Rajawali Group. Rev Pube Manuaron requested that 10 hectares of land that belongs to GKI church in Arso should not be touched by PT Rajawali Group company.
Would the palm oil plantation benefit the native people of Arso? Below are some comments from Father John Jongga, ex-pastor of Waris - Keerom and Frans Jibu from the Indonesian-PNG Border Traditional Foundation, Mrs Sarafina (a women’s leader from Arso) and Stincence Bewangkir who gave testimony about the death of her husband, Marthinus Putui, who was murdered because he refused to allow outsiders to enter his customary (ancestral) land.
Pastor John Jongga: "On the 27 July 2007, the tribal leaders in Arso requested me to tell Governor Barnabas Suebu that the people of Keerom do not approve the plan to use their land as a palm oil plantation field. The people prefer cocoa plantation. However, the Governor has already made a deal with the giant company from Malaysia so he insisted on implementing his plan. I am worried that the people that would be recruited to work for the plantation are not native people from Keerom. The Keerom people will become spectators and the palm oil plantation would hire other workers as has already happened in the palm oil plantation in Arso. I heard that they would get a Chinese plywood company to come here and which would cut down all trees and use them for plywood materials. I have met the Chinese businesmen."
Frans Jibu: “Now the people of the Yetti tribe cannot freely enjoy the richness of their Nature. The government of Papua Province, Keerom regency government, and the Indonesian military came and freely raped our natural wealth from our customary land. Actually, we would like to express our concerns directly to the Governor but Indonesian intelligent agents stopped us and cancelled our plan. Thus, we could not propose our aspirations to the Governor directly when he visited Keerom Regency on the 27 July 2007. Yesterday, we also refused one million hectares of our land to be used for palm oil plantation. But the Indonesian military claimed that they represented us and went to hand over the land to the government. We learned from experience that the Arso palm oil plantation did not give benefits to the native people. In fact, the native people suffered from the plantation. Their land belongs to the outsiders who have divided their lands into lots.
Secondly, the palm oil plantation is not suitable with the local working culture. Local people are hunters and gatherers. We think that cocoa plant is fine, the people could do that.
Thirdly, the land certificate belongs to strangers. Until now we are still confused why the Indonesian military gave our land to PT Rajawali Group company. According to our custom, there needs to be an agreement among clan heads before giving any piece of land to other people; that is our democracy. However, this did not happen. I have seen a game played by the Indonesian military and the government that caused division between people in East Arso and caused the people to hate each other.
We, the people who own the land do not accept the government's plan to open the palm plantation field on our land. To me this is identical with an annihilation process. We have made a statement for the Governor that the palm oil plantation is identical with an annihilation process. However, when the Governor came to Arso, we were not given a chance to deliver our aspirations to him because the Indonesian intelligent agents stopped us. I though that both the Governor and the Regent are supposed to be Papuan customary sons so they should have known the procedures of giving out a piece of our land. I do hope that the two leaders must have understood this and are not allowing Indonesian intelligent agents to inform them. We had a traumatic experience with palm oil plantation. There is no benefit to us. The palm oil plantation will only annihilate us. In 20 years time our tribe will be annihilated from our own land.
I have told the TNI [Indonesian military] battalion commander and the Regent of Keerom, Mr Celcius Watae, that if 1 million hectares of our land was forcefully taken by the military and the government, then, I would be the first person to flee as a refugee to Papua New Guinea. I am the son of the great chief of the Arso tribe. My father was the commander in chief before we knew any missionaries. Thus, if I flee, all my people will flee as well. We'd better go out of our land because we cannot bear the sadness and the painful feelings of witnessing our land being handed over by the military to the government of Papua province who later sold it to PT Rajawali Group company. I am not safe myself. I have been chased by Kopassus (Indonesian special force). I always question how long before this suffering and the shadow of fear would go away and that we will have peace so people could go to their gardens or go hunting without fear and often I am pessimistic about that dream of peace.
Mama Sarafina: "Now I experince difficulties in getting clean water. Before it was easy for me to just drink from rivers but now I can't because of the palm oil plantation fertilizers have polluted the rivers. Big shrimps which size the same as sea lobsters are already extinct. Soon our protected forests (buffer zone) between East Arso and neighbouring country Papua New Guinea would be cleared for palm oil plantation. If the buffer zone is cleared, we will fight against it because it is the last resource for us to make gardens, go hunting, get our traditional medicines and have our cultural festivals. Why are thousands hectares of land in Arso left empty and why not use that land for palm oil plantation? What is the government's reason to look for new land? If all forests in Arso are cleared, we certainly will die.
The weekly newspaper Boda Post first edition in March 2008 reported that 26,000 hectares of iron wood forest would be replaced by palm oil. The forest that is provided for palm oil plantation is a primary (virgin) forest that has thousands of iron forests and other types of wood. The tribal chief of Yetti said that the forest that will be turned into the palm oil plantation is their ancestral heritage. However, the law and the competition between central and regional governments have sacrificed the people's forest.
The Marthinus Putui murder testimony
Stince Bewangkir (32), the widow of Marthinus Putui, told how her husband was murdered. It was Wednesday, 19th May [2007?]. Marthinus was ill so he asked to be taken to Abepura hospital. However, the next morning (20th May) Marthinus died suddenly. His body was taken to East Arso. However, when his body was laid into a coffin, his head, face and body were bleeding which showed that he had been tortured.
Stince Bewangkir: “My husband was working with a Chinese man. They did wood processing. Several Indonesian armed soldiers also came and did wood processing in our customary forest but my husband refused to allow them. When two military weapons were seized from the Indonesian military post in Wemby in 2006, one Indonesian soldier gave Rp. 50,000,000 (fifty million Indonesian rupiahs) to five Arso men with a request that they should get the lost weapons and return them to them. However, they did not succeed and they had used all the money. Then, they came to ask my husband to give access for the military to cut wood from East Arso because the military had threatened to shoot them. My husband wanted to save the lives of the five young men so he allowed the military to cut wood from the forest. However, my husband was murdered by village people who had black magic and who had been paid to kill him by the military. After my husband's death, anyone from outside the Yetti tribe could come and occupy our land and our forest freely.
Meanwhile, Governor Barnasbas Suebu in the Cenderawasih Post (18 March 2008) had cancelled the previous ban on exporting Papuan logs out of Papua. It was great news for more than 40 companies who had Hak Pengelolaan Hutan (rights to cut and manage forests). The Governor said, "we had already banned it (exporting logs from Papua) totally, however, in a meeting with the Indonesian President and Vice President, they requested us to remove (the export ban) by giving certain quotas (to logging companies). We also talked about this quota matter and how we manage what quota and which type of woods".
The removal of the Papuan log export ban certainly would give a great opportunity for timber businessmen to strip all the trees in the Papuan forests.
The story of Yetti tribe, East Arso in fighting to protect their land from government's and ivestor's attack was similar a story in a film of Chiko Mendes when helping a tribe in the higland of Brazil whose land was taken away by investors. Perhaps, we need a strong solidarity to fight against governmet's arbitrariness in taking away by force lands from Yetti people.
KPKC Sinode GKI di Tanah Papua
The Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua Synod,
Jayapura, West Papua
Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
www.freewestpapua.org
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