ELSHAM finds evidence of 749 acts of violence in Papua

 

JUBI
15 August 2012
Jayapura: ELSHAM, – the Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights in Papua – found evidence of 749 acts of violence that befell the people living in Papua. Most of these acts of violence occurred during arbitrary arrests and detentions.This is reported in the recently launched book, Masa Lalu dan Tak Lalu – The Past and Never Past – which was published by ELSHAM and the International Centre for Transitional Justice.

During its investigations, the researchers examined 108 testimonies about human rights violations . They spoke to 76 people in Biak, 12 people in Manokwari, ten people in Paniai and ten people in Sorong. The period covered was from the mid 1960s (prior to the Act of Free Choice in 1969) up to the period of ‘reformasi’ (following the downfall of Suharto).

Their researchers spent three months out in the field, studying testimonies and obtained information about 749 cases.

Of the 749 cases, 312 were violations against males and 56 violations against women. The details were obtained from101 victims who were  interviewed. One hundred and one victims  had suffered violations together with a group of people or with more than one person. The types of violence were arbitrary arrests and detentions, 234 cases,  military operations against the civilian population including operations to forcibly evict people 181 cases, and torture and ill-treatment, 97 cases.

There were also 86 cases of deaths as the result of extreme torture,  threats 53 cases, assaults 28 cases, the seizure or destruction of  people’s belongings, gardens or livestock  22 cases, orders to report 26 cases, attacks and searches of people’s homes 4 cases, lack of access to food or medication 4 cases, forcible removals, preventing people from finding work 4 cases, forcible removals 3 cases, lack of access to food or medications, denial of access to families 2 cases, trials without lawyers,  2 cases, preventing people from travelling  2 cases. Finally, there was prevention of access to education. A total in all of 749 cases.

Other points included in the report  were that during the first period, from 1960 till 1969, several witnesses spoke of this period being marked by armed clashes  between the Indonesian army and troops of the OPM  (Papuan Freedom Organisaation)  which were frequently followed up by military attacks aimed directly at  the civilian population and arbitrary arrests and acts of torture, and the arrest of  people regarded as being against integration with Indonesia.

During the second period, from 1969 to 1998,  the focus was on destroying the remnants of the OPM, who were still involved in guerilla actions in the forests, People living in the towns as well as in the villages  were kept under tight guard and were required to obtain permits from the army if they wanted to travel anywhere. Peoeple who had once been arrested  were often re-arrested  for no apparent reason.

In the third perid following ‘reformasi’ after the fall of Suharto, there were many pressures for changes to be made in the situation in Papua. However, civil actions by  students and political groups of people calling for independence  were dealt with by acts of violence.

[Translated by TAPOL]

 

One thought on “ELSHAM finds evidence of 749 acts of violence in Papua

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  1. I was born in Papua New Guinea on the eastern side which was lucky enough to get their freedom over 40 years ago. As life goes on for the rest of the world West New Guinea stands frozen in time like something out of a science fiction movie!

    Indonesia invaded this island nation and conducted a sham election with the help of the Secretary of State of the United States, Henry Kissenger who was later appointed to the Board of Directors of the largest gold mine in the world … which just happens to reside in … West New Guinea … his brother is an attorney whose firm represents the mine. The mine lost it’s insurance when the company that insures them found out about the mine possibly being linked to human rights violations of villagers living next to the mine!

    The memo that reveals Kissenger’s involvement in suppressing the free election of West New Guinea is now in the United States National Archives for anyone who wants to use the internet to take a look. There should be a law against representatives of our government using their positions in office for personnel gain. But to sell out the freedom of an entire nation for profit takes the cake!

    Our forefathers would roll over in their graves to see such a travesty of justice as this and our Congress who keeps allowing the Leahy Act a Federal Law which is still good law is actively being violated by our entire Congress which is allowing fighter planes to be sent to Indonesia which has been torturing their own people and murdering thousands of the indigneous men, women and children of this country they stole with the help of the United States Government!

    Not to mention that Timor was also violated in like manner, the common denominator is these island states rich resources which are being stolen by men who have no legal right to these resources! 1/3 to 1/4 of Timor’s population was genocided again with Kissenger’s approval! and now conservative estimates put the genocide in West New Guinea at about 2 million people and in independent reports it is called “slow motion genocide”! What it really is is the murder of the Christian population by Moslems and it is in all reality a Jihad by best definition! So your tax money is being used to murder Christians … are you ok with this?

    We the people need to speak out about the outright theft of a whole country and the murder and mutilation of it’s citizens. We get upset about the hijacking of a single airplane, while we as a country put our stamp of approval on the theft of an entire free nation state! How can we celebrate the 4th of July with a good consciense! Please write to your representative and protest our involvement in aiding and abetting a criminal state which took away the freedom of a whole island nation! We have descended to a state similiar to the Nazi reign of terror in Germany! How are we any better when we continually look the other way as men and women from our country profit from the death of Christians in
    West New Guinea?

    We are allowing Indonesia to suppress freedom with our blessing! Our green berets are currently training the Indonesian army and police in violation of the Leahy Act! How can our nation who is fighting in Iraq and Afganistan against radical Moslems who would like to see all of us dead then allow another radical Moslem group namely the Kopassus and Brimob (police) units to carry out a 40+ year reign of terror on the Christian nation of West New Guinea? Do you want your tax money to be used for this terrorist Jihad campaign being waged against the citizens of West New Guinea?

    Please get the word out to Christians all over this country and the world that fellow Christians are perishing every day in West New Guinea, while Indonesia allows their military and police to be the forces that carry out this hidden crime not being reported by a totally irresponsible world press. I am getting a disappointing reaction from our professional clergy in this country, men in the ministry I have contacted have shown me a very dissappointing response when I try to inform about this situation. I want to see more clergy get involved in this as they should know more than anyone that the Bible makes it very clear that we as Christians our brothers and sisters in Christ and we all partake in Holy Communion which is the bond we all share by proclaiming we are one body in Christ! Just like you can not disregard parts of your own human body, ,., we can not disregard the part of our body that lives in West New Guinea! We have a Christian obligation no matter the denomintation to support our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer daily persecution for their faith in Jesus!

    Vote with your money as well don’t take tourist trips to Indonesia, boycott Indonesian goods so they feel the economic impact! Dont reward evil with good by giving Indonesian genocide a reward of your money. Boycott all Indonesian coffee, tea, and any other product they sell to us. Let them know we care about our brothers and sisters in Christ and we will not tolerate their torture and murder! or the burning of their villages by Kopassus and Brimob!

    There is somethng you can do and you can send a loud and clear message! Tell others and get the word out! The life of someone in West New Guinea depends on you.
    Dont be like the Christian minister I contacted in Upper Arlington in Columbus, Ohio who represents a well to do congregation who told me there was nothing he could do! He acknowledged he knew about the problem but when it became clear he would not help he would not let me contact the young people of his church to see if they would want to get involved and help get the word out about this Jihad of Christians.

    How utterly irresponsible of him! If you know how to make a website, I would encourage you to do so and to start airing the story of West New Guinea and their 40 + years of suffering for just wanting the right to rule themselves which by United Nations rules they were supposed to have received this in 1969 but had it stolen from them by Henry Kissenger who got himself appointed to the Board of Directors of the largest gold mine in the world. Judas sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver … Kissenger got a little bit more for his soul…. but the men, women, and children of West New Guinea just want to have their own 4th of July! Will you help them get their freedom?

    Please do something, if nothing else tell one person today, about this Indonesian Jihad being conducted in total secrecy and not being reported by the world press. The best sources for the truth coming out is utube reports using key word searches.

Please leave a comment. Keep it nice to other users, and remember, no disrepect tolerated. Yell at the killers, not each other; Criticise the abusers deed, not their race or faith.. And please keep it relevant and punchy.

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