Report of Human rights violation in West Papua

By Revd. Socrates Sofyan Yoman
President of the Fellowship of Baptist Churches of West Papua


THE INDONESIAN MILITARY AND POLICE ARRESTED, TORTURED, SHOT, AND KILLED THE NATIVE WEST PAPUANS AND TERRORISED THE CHURCH LEADERS

The human rights violence committed by the Indonesian military and police in all over West Papuan land has increased sharply. We as the church have a great concern about the worst human rights situation and the future survival of the native West Papuans. The Indonesian military and police have systematically arrested, tortured, shot, and killed the native West Papuans. The West Papuan civilians as the owners of the land of Papua face serious threat of annihilation. Church leaders and community leaders have also been intimidated and terrorised by the Indonesian military and police.

Below is the chronology of what has been happening during the month of June 2009:

1. 25 June 2009 at 14.30 Indonesian State Police killed Melkias Agapa (38 years old). Melkias’ body was taken by the community to Nabire police head quarter. The police argued that Melkias was killed because he was drunk and caused disturbance at Oyehe market in Nabire. This is an exaggeration because a drunk man does not threaten the lives of the community and the police.

2. 24 June 2009 Indonesian military shot to death a mobile brigade personnel named Ahmad in Irinmuli hill. The civilians were accused of the shooting and were classified as members of OPM (Free Papua Movement). The truth was that the civilians did not shoot the mobile brigade personnel. The fact is that the Irinmuli hill is an Indonesian military based area. The military has occupied this area since 2004. The occupation took place after an Indonesian special force killed Revd. Elisa Tabuni on the 17th of August 2004. The shooting of the mobile brigade had been manipulated by the Indonesian military for their own interests. The expected impact of the shooting is as follows:
- The regional government would provide the military’s operational costs;
- The military can increase the number of their personnel for several reasons such as the establishment of new battalions in new regions; for preventing OPM’s disturbance; for career promotions; and for maintaining a climate of fear and instability in the region.
The incident on the 24th of June 2009 was PURELY INDONESIAN MILITARY’S MANIPULATION. The main goal is to establish a new battalion in Tingginambut and to increase more military personnel in the highlands of West Papua. Now the Indonesian military and police are chasing civilians openly. They have created an extraordinary fear for the native West Papuans. The native West Papuans are so deeply fearful on their own land.
3. 22 June 2009 The Indonesian military who operated along the border between PNG and Indonesia shot Isak Psakor, a civilian from Kibai village, East Arso district, Keerom regency. The Indonesian military accused Isak Psakor as a member of OPM (Free West Papua Movement). The fact is that Isak was only an ordinary civilian.

4. Since June 2009, Indonesian mobile brigade personnel have used Monia church building in Tingginambut as their military base. Monia church belongs to Indonesian Evangelical Church (GIDI). The mobile brigade personnel destroyed the church floor and made a fire place and a kitchen inside the church building. All members of Monia church congregation were fled to the jungles because of the fear of their safety. This is indeed an abuse to the Christians in West Papua.

5. In the middle of June 2009 Indonesian police arrested four West Papuans: Otan Enumbi (male/21 yrs old), Wemiles Enumbi (male/23 yrs old), Raket Telenggen (male/23 yrs old), Damingga Telenggen (male/16 yrs old). The four West Papuans were tortured very badly (inhuman).

6. On the 18th to 20th May 2009 Revd. Dr Benny Giay and Socrates Sofyan Yoman were scheduled to speak on a Baptist youth seminar entitled “We drink from our own wells” with the theme “Let us take charge of our life for a better future”. The seminar was held in Wamena. Two things happened. First, a security officerl was in disguise wearing a uniform of a court officer from Wamena Court office. He was waiting in one of the rooms in the Wamena court office. He was listening to what was said by the speakers of the seminar. The distance between the Wamena Court office and the Bahtera church where the seminar was held was very close. Second, Indonesian security personnel went to the Seminar venue in the evening and questioned the existence of the two speakers. They also took pictures of the seminar banners that contain the title and the subtitle of the seminar.

7. 9 August 2008 was the celebration of the world indigenous day. On this day the Indonesian security personnel shot Opinus Tabuni to death. The case remains unsolved until today. There was an impression that nothing had been done to bring the case to justice. In fact, it seems that the case is left unsolved on purpose. The churches, NGOs, and family members have requested the murderer to be revealed and to be brought into the court of justice.

Recommendations:

We urgently insist that the UN send a Human Rights investigation team to West Papua to investigate all forms of human rights violations such as arrests, torture, imprisonment, and killings, etc.
We urgently need a humanitarian intervention from the United Nations and a permanent UN observer in West Papua.
We insist that West Papua must be visited by foreign diplomats, journalists, and NGOs concerned with West Papua issues.
We insist a peaceful and honest dialog between West Papuan people and Indonesian government which is mediated by the United Nations.