Tag: Jayapura

Police say exchange of shots with armed civilians, the family say it was the police who shot Eduard

by Victor Mambor, Editor, Tabloid Jubi

December 1, 2013

Jayapura 1/12 [Jubi]- The statement of the Vice-Captain of Papua Police Region, Police Brig-Gen Paulus Waterpauw to a national media source about the incident that killed a citizen of Depapre has been refuted by locals from Yongsu village, Depapre District, Jayapura Regency.

The Police Vice-Captain said that there had been armed contact between a mobile brigade [Brimob] of the Indonesian Police with an armed civilian group in the Depapre area of Jayapura, killing one of the civilians on Saturday. Apart from that it was claimed that a Brimob member was shot in the hand. However when Yongsu villagers were contacted by Jubi on Sat 30/11 evening, they said there had been no armed contact in Depapre. A villager who didn’t want to give their name said that a villager named Eduard Okoseray [40] who worked as the village secretary of Yongsu, Depapre District had died from being shot by Brimob Papua forces.

Another Yongsu villager who wanted his name concealed who was contacted by Jubi Sat 30/11 night said the same thing. ‘The event happened on 29 Nov 2013. Eduard was not looking after the operational aid money for the village. The District head facilitated police from Brimob. The Papuan police arbitrarily shot Eduard’.

The event was also noted by Matius Murib, Director of Baptist Voice. Matius said, ‘the victim Eduard, male 40, was village secretary of Yongsu, a victim of Brimob brutality at Yapsi village, Depapre [29/11].

The police’s different version of the incident as exchange of fire was declared by Kabid Humas Papuan Police AKBP  Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono, Sat 30/11 afternoon. He said one police was hit by a bullet that exploded by itself before the exchange of fire. To this journalist, Pudjo said it happened during an ambush by an armed group calling themselves Cycloop King Group [Kelompok Raja Cycloop]

‘The bullet was too active, it went off as soon as it was put in the gun and someone was hit. But that happened on top of the vehicle. The soldier was hit in the cheek and shoulder but is in a stable condition, still at Bhayangkara Hospital’

Pudjo also claimed that the police seized some evidence.

But the Yongsi villagers said it was not true there was armed conflict. ‘The police make up false opinions, please help to advocate for the people of Depapre who are scared. There was no police victim. He shot himself when holding the rifle loosely on the very bumpy road to Yongsu’ explained the Yongsu villager [Jubi]

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EYE WITNESS SAYS MATIAS TENGKET WAS EXECUTED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE

By Benny Mawel at Tabloid Jubi

November 28, 2013

Jayapura, 28/11 (Jubi) – The family of Matias Tengket and the chairman of the West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) of the Sentani region has discovered the chronology of the murder of Matias Tengket who was found dead in the Kali Kamp Wolter estuary at Sentani Lake, a day after the KNPB mass murders by police, last Tuesday (26/11).

Matthius Tengget before his burial. (photo: Songgolom Pahabol/WPM)
Matthius Tengget before his burial. (photo: Songgolom Pahabol/WPM)

KNPB received this chronology from a Sentani male citizen who was unwilling to mention any names. KNPB regards this male as an eye-witness.

During the time of the event, the eye witness was fishing at the Sentani Lake which is likely to become a location for execution. This location is not far from the discovery of the corpse, still in Kali Kamp Wolter estuary, on the shore of Sentani Lake, behind the Museum or Expo Waena Pavilion, Jayapura city, Papua.

The Sentani KNPB chairman, Alen Halitopo, stated that when the Police chased the crowd, Matias Tengket ran to hide from being physically harmed. He ran into a street on the edge of Kali Kamp Wolter reaching the estuary. “A black Avansa car chased him from behind. The car stopped in front of Matias. The people armed with weapons pushed and shoved him,” said Alen in Matis Tengket’s funeral home, in Hawai, Sentani, Jayapura Regency, Papua, Wednesday (28/11).

At that time, according to Alen, there were children fishing. People who were armed with the weapons chased the away the children who were fishing by pointing their weapons at them. At that moment the children ran in fear and fled.

One of the children who was at that time fishing told the events of the situation and also saw the immediate execution process of Matias. “He saw, while running, people pulling Matias onto a boat. They struck him with the end of a weapon,” continued Alen.

The time went very fast. According to Halitopo, the eye witness who told the story to them suspected that Matias was already dead before he entered the boat. “They drove the ship quite far into the centre of the lake. They then returned to where the Avanza was parked and hereafter moved to Waena Mega Mall,” he said.

The eye witness is very well acquainted with the family (Matias’ family?) in Sentani. “He immediately telephoned us during the event of the shooting at the estuary. Three people fell into the water,” said Alen.

At that time, said Alen, KNPB members could not go to check because the moment had already passed. The Police were on guard everywhere. “The same morning, I sent two people to the location. A good friend of Matias’ stood rigid in a fishing net. They pulled his head and flipped his body to take two to three photos,” he said.

A KNPB member cannot take a lot of photos. Maybe there were the people who telephoned the Police. Because it was not long before the Police arrived. The friends fled from the location. They went home and thought maybe the police will contact them.

“We will see. Mr Pilipus Halitopo contacted us to go see the corpse which was located at the Bhayangkara hospital. We went and checked that it was actually a member of the Sentani KNPB,” he said.

When the KNPB director arrived at Bahayangkara hospital, police chief Abe, AKP Decky Rumpasanny said something that was not plausible. “Police chief Abe said to us, how could you eat this raw (kami-kamu baku makan itu bagaimana – an expression, meaning “how can you accept this raw story as fact?”)?  Maybe he meant the Sentanti person who killed Matias. We are not consumed (we are not concerned) with the issue,” he said.

According to Alen, KNPB could not believe that irrational sentence because he had found out the chronology of events just recently from the eye-witness. “We don’t need to kill anyone, when it is not related to the conduct of Indonesia’s security force,” Halitopo asserted.

Previously, The AKBP Jayapura Police Chief, S.IK to journalists in Jayapura stated, the corpse which was discovered is named Matias Tengket, found by a citizen and is located in Polri Bhayangkara hospital in the capital. From the hospital reports it was revealed that there were no signs of violence or mistreatment to the victim’s body, therefore it has been determined to have not been related to the riot pursuit towards KNPB actions. While the corpse is bruised, according to Police, it is suspected that the victim recently passed away or shortly before being found.

The family of Matias Tengket has refused to have an autopsy performed on Matias Tengket.

(Jubi/Mawel) – Translated By West Papua Media Translation Team

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Shootings, killings, beatings, arrests as Hundreds flee to jungle after Indon Police open fire on peaceful KNPB demo

opening fire

From the entire West Papua Media team in PNG and West Papua

November 28, 2013

WPM apologises for the delay in posting due to the remote location of the WPM team, and the delays in finding independent witnesses to help in cross-checking of this extreme situation.  This situation is developing and will be updated as more information comes to hand.

Key developments:

  • Indonesian police open fire on peaceful protesters in Jayapura, with at least four gunshot wounds and one death;
  • West Papuan activists and families forced to flee to the jungle for safety;
  • Indonesian security forces conduct scores of raids, sweeps and offensives against West Papuan civilians;
  • Attacks happen during visit of National Police Chief General Sutarman
  • over 200 people arrested across West Papua;
  • Journalists attacked by Indonesian police;

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Images from the crackdown in Jayapura (Credit:West Papua Media/MS); Images from Arrests in Timika (Credit: KNPBNews.com); and Wamena (Credit: WestPapuaMedia/KNPBNews.com).

Indonesian forces have again opened fire on a peaceful Jayapura gathering of about 500 people held by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), with the shooting of at least 4 demonstrators, and the confirmed death of at least one, on November 26.  A total of 15 people are still in serious condition in hospitals around Jayapura with a range of wounds sustained during the live fire dispersal by Indonesian police.

In the worst single act of Indonesian state violence since the October 19 2011 crackdown on the Third Papuan Peoples Congress, ongoing sweeps and arrests have been continuing in the time since, causing most members of the KNPB fleeing with their families into the relative safety of the jungle.  Unconfirmed reports have also surface that the police have called in the Indonesian Army (TNI) to hunt for KNPB members.

Correspondents have also reported to West Papua Media that Indonesian radio stations in Papua have been broadcasting repeated messages from the Indonesian police against all pro-independence forces, starting with the KNPB.  “We will use force to break apart the KNPB,” a senior Indonesian Police figure in Papua was heard to say on all Jayapura radio stations early on Wednesday morning.  Unconfirmed reports have said that these broadcasts have been repeated hourly across West Papua, with the National Police Chief also issuing warnings that separatism will not be accepted any more.

The rally was part of a nationwide day of mobilisations in solidarity with the opening of the Free West Papua Campaign office in Papua New Guinea on November 28.  31 people were arrested by Police in Timika, and 3 arrested in Sorong as KNPB chapters there also organised rallies and prayers to support the opening of the PNG office, which is being held with the involvement of thousands of people throughout Papua New Guinea, including senior members of the PNG Parliament.

A rally in Wamena drew several thousand enthusiastic and cheering supporters wearing traditional dress (many bedecked in the banned Morning Star flag) on a long march mass action, led by KNPB Wamena region Chairman, Simion Dabi  This was the only rally where police were vastly outnumbered by participants, and police blockaded several points along the route but did not attempt to prevent the rally from going ahead.

Jayapura
The Jayapura shooting victim, KNPB activist Matthius Tengget from near Oksibil in the Star Mountains, died of his wounds in custody.  However, his body was not retrieved until Wednesday evening after it was dumped into the lake, allegedly by those members of the Brimob paramilitary police units who shot him as they were conducting the dispersal.  At time of writing, his family were conducting his funeral in Sentani.

According to a statement from KNPB General Chairman Victor Yeimo, currently in Abepura prison, “KNPB and family members of the victims are also looking for four (4) other KNPB members that are missing: their whereabouts are unknown or their bodies have not yet been found. Three of the victims carry the Mul surname and the fourth Lambe. We strongly suspect that the police shot them and disposed of their bodies.”

“Until now we are still looking for possible victims of yesterday’s mass action who were most presumably shot and disappeared: in their attempt to disperse yesterday’s demonstration, the Police and the Mobile Brigade fired a lot of shots and they chased many demonstrators towards Buper, the Housing Complex III, Ekspo, until Iyoka and all the way to the edge of Sentani Lake,” said Yeimo.

Up to 15 people were hospitalised from both gunshots and beatings, including a group of three young women from the Yahukimo dormitory who were savagely beaten by police during their arrests.  More reports have also been given that scores of female activists were rounded up and severely beaten by Indonesian police and military officers.

The shootings were under the operational field command of the notorious hardliner Deputy Jayapura Police Chief Kiki Kurnia, Abepura area POlice commander Deky Hursepunny, together with Jayapura Police Chief Alfred Papare, with the Deputy Papua
Police Chief Paulus Waterpauw and Papua Police Chief Tito Karnavian allegedly sighted monitoring the situation from their private Kijang vehicles.

Police have predictably launched a propaganda offensive across its tame colonial media networks in West Papua, accusing the KNPB of conducting a riot.  However, stringers for West Papua Media, independent witnesses in the busy Waena shopping area, and KNPB spokespeople have all vehemently denied riotous behaviour by the protesters, instead describing how a peaceful sit-in was brutally dispersed under the orders of a cohort of four senior police officers, who have been personally responsible for ordering significant and ongoing human rights abuses against KNPB members.

Direct Witness to Brutality
A survivor of Tuesday’s violence fled to Papua New Guinea immediately after the shooting, was directly interviewed by West Papua Media  – unidentified for their own safety – and has described how police opened fire without targeting, instead firing indiscriminately into the crowd.

Before the shooting, a mass of people had gathered in the field outside the Expo Waena bus terminal and market in front of the Museum, mainly sitting and chatting while listening to speeches.  According to the witness, police surrounded the gathering on three sides, and the protest leader Buchtar Tabuni attempted to negotiate with senior police present, including the Alfred Papare, Kiki Kurnia and Deky Hursepunny. As it became clear that police were refusing to negotiate with Tabuni, demonstrators agreed to maintain the peaceful action.

According to the witness, Senior police then yelled to the crowd, ordering them to disperse.  However, almost immediately, and without further warning of escalation of the threat, Police commanders ordered the front ranks of police in front of the bus terminal to open fire.

“When the the shooting started, as I was running, I saw the KapolSek Deky Hursepunny and Kapolresta Alfred Papare standing at the gate, directing his police where to fire,” the witness said.

Upon questioning, the witness testified that police initially fired tear gas, but switched very quickly to automatic weapons.   The witness also confirmed that instead of individually targeting demonstrators, police seemed to be firing wildly into the crowd, firing indiscriminately.

Both the order to open fire without warning, and the subsequent excessive use of firearms against civilians are direct violations of both Indonesian and international law.  International Lawyer Jennifer Robinson, Convener of the International Lawyers for West Papua and currently meeting in PNG, told West Papua Media that “This use of excessive force against KNPB members is in breach of international law and Indonesia’s own police regulations on the use of force”.

“This latest incident falls within a repeated pattern of the use of excessive and lethal force by Indonesian police against peaceful activists in West Papua which is indicative of a broader state policy. Continued impunity for the police involved is unacceptable and the failure to punish gives rise to command and state responsibility,” Robinson said.

Many beatings were meted out on KNPB members by Police during the arrests, with allegations that rifle butts were repeatedly used – a standard practice for the Indonesian police against peaceful demonstrators in Papua.

Plain clothes police special forces, described by the witness as “Polisi Preman” (Police gangsters), then continued two days of terror against West Papuan civilians, some in no way connected with the civil resistance movement.  This campaign, at time of writing, shows no sign of lessening.

“We were running across Waena.  Police used many rental cars and were driving around in balaclavas like terrorists, pointing automatic weapons outside their vehicles, and shooting now around Perumnas 1, causing all who could see it to hide in their houses.  At the same time a black Avanza stopped in front of us, followed by white and red Avanzas, pointing weapons at all Papuans present. We ran, because we knew we were about to be shot – we had to seek safety with Indonesian transmigrants, who were unaware of the situation,” the witness told West Papua Media wearily.

“After police shoot the demonstrators, participants fled to the forest.  Police then conducted a brutal sweep, targeting anyone who was wearing dreadlocks, beard, or even wearing sunglasses, and arresting them all,” the witness said.  Civilians have fled in panic, and the witness described Waena as deserted when they fled.  Families of those at the demonstrations have fled to the jungle.  It is not known of normal social functions are continuing, due to the difficulty in getting direct contact with sources in Jayapura.

Our witness reported that two days prior to the demonstration, Indonesian army helicopters were searching extensively around the hills in areas that would be the the first point of refuge for civilian after any shooting.

The witness survivor believes that this indicated that the shootings by police were premeditated and planned, although West Papua Media has been unable to independently confirm this.  However the attacks on protesters occurred just prior to the arrival at Sentani airport of National Police Chief General Sutarman, who has exploited the lack of honest reportage by colonial media to issue more threats against any Papuans who dare dream they can freely express themselves.

“We will take firm action against groups or individuals wanting to separate Papua from Indonesia because Papua is part of Indonesia,” State media Antara quoted Sutarman telling the colonial press in Jayapura.

Tabloid Jubi reported that the Papua Deputy Police Chief Waterpauw has denied KNPB the right to freedom of expression, permanently. ” I made it clear to the group West Papua National Committee ( KNPB ), immediately stop the steps that are likely to violence . Whatever the form of their intention and desire to perform activities in public hearings, (it) will never be given permission or recommendation to implement it , because we know the purpose of the organisation and their desire is clear , (they) want to form a state , split off and so on , “said Waterpauw on Tuesday ( 26/11 ) evening in Jayapura City police headquarters.

An independent international observer in Jayapura contacted by West Papua Media just prior to publication, speaking on condition of anonymity, went even further than the witness now in PNG, stating unequivocally that the crackdown was a “premeditated, highly engineered manufacturing of consent of the type that Tito Karnavian is such a master of, just like his OTK killings.”

“It beggars belief that Karnavian, hoping to please his boss – or more to the point those who would seek to replace the boss with Karnavian – would not be the engine of of a textbook counterinsurgency operation to smash a pesky bunch of separatists.  The only problem is, those separatists are unarmed and were conducting a peaceful gathering.  It looks like the whole thing was organised for a long time.  It is well beyond time those gangsters were held to account,” the observer said, naming Karnavian, Kurnia, Papare and Waterpauw as the perpetrators of massive human rights abuses against Papuan civilians.

The observer added that they saw the gathering just prior to its dispersal and can vouch for the gathering’s peaceful conduct, but was disturbed at the large number of security forces that were surrounding Waena.  “There were at least ten platoons of Brimob, and hundreds of swanggi (ghosts) everywhere, surrounding on three sides the KNPB sitting in a park,” the observer said – confirming maps drawn by the survivor witness.  “They were itching for brutality.  How is this Policing?”

A total of twenty eight people were arrested, but were released by Wednesday night.  KNPB national spokesperson Wim Rocky Medlama told SuaraPapua.com that they are fed up with the police’s actions, which are arrogant and excessive. “This is too excessive. And I think that the police have much to learn. So that they undertake their duties in accordance with the orders”, as quoted in SuaraPapua.com.

Olga Hamadi, the coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Papua, also told SuaraPapua that the police’s actions were excessive and the pattern of arrests should stop.

“I’ve only just heard this information. I think that the police are too excessive. Patters of arrests such as this should no longer be necessary. This is included under the rights of each person to express themselves. Moreover this is a democratic country right”, she said in an SMS message sent to Suara Papua, adding that people expressing their views should not be attacked and arrested. “They should be given space. The issue of expressing views in public should not be responded to with arrests and law enforcement. If [the police] are going to be like this it won’t solve the Papuan problem”, said Hamadi.

More arrests
Earlier on Tuesday morning at 8:13 local time. KNPB Secretary-General Ones Suhun was arrested with 6 members of the KNPB (Assa Asso, Okram Wanimbo, Sam Lokobal, Meminda (Mendenas) Sol, Konoru Wenda, and Bonsan Mirin) by Indonesian Police outside the Student dormitories at Putaran Perumnas 3, Waena, Jayapura.  They had just begun to hand out leaflets about the afternoon’s peaceful rally calling for the respect of West Papua’s right to self-determination. Most were released by Wednesday night.

Reports received by West Papua Media overnight from distressed sources fleeing through the jungle have confirmed that a further series of brutal sweeps and raids had occurred all afternoon and evening on Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday, with unconfirmed reports of Puma helicopters being used to find activists.  Hundreds of heavily armed Police were used to raid the offices of the KNPB Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon, also confiscating  all the contents and destroying what was left.

At least thirty more people were reportedly arrested overnight on the 26th, although this has not been independently verified by West Papua Media, however Buchtar Tabuni was moved by his supporters to a safe location.

Across Papua
In Sorong, the KNPB rally was also forcibly broken up by Police, and Marthinus Yohame (regional Chairman of KNPB), Kantius Heselo (Vice chair KNPB Sorong), Natalis Surabut Gebby Mambrasar, Nius Loho and Welem Surabut, were arrested for holding the rally, but were released overnight.

In TImika,  31 people were arrested by a Joint Police and TNI taskforce at Kelly Kwalik’s Cemetery Park at about 8.15 in the morning as they began to gather for their demonstration.  Police also arrested The Chairman of KNPB Region Timika, Steven Itlay and the chair of Mimika’s Parliament, Abihut Degey  while leading peaceful rally in demand the right of Self-determination in West Papua and are being held still at the Police Post, Mile 32. Their names are:
1. Steven Itlay
2. Abihud Degey
3. Billy Hagawal
4. Dony Mote
5. Petrus Bobii
6. Bony Bora
7. Yulianus Edoway
8. Paulus Doo
9. Martinus Pekey
10. Paulina Pakage
11. Agustin Pekey
12. Sony Ukago
13. Daniel Kotouki
14. Seprianus Edoway
15. Argenes Pigay
16. Menase Dimi
17. Timotius Kossay
18. Welius Kogoya
19. Demianus Kogoya
20. Kasianus Kamke
21. Aduart Suruan
22. Melianus Gobay
23. Pais Nasia
24. Makson Kotouki
25. Maria Piligain
26. Markus Entama
27. Yustinus Pigome
28. Sior Heselo
29. Semuel Edoway
30. Agus Itlay
31. Yakonias Womsiwor

Biak also saw its KNPB rally broken up police, with several arrests reported and injuries sustained.  KNPB Biak Chairman Apollos Sroyer reported to West Papua Media that the actions of police were again excessive in preventing a prayer session from going ahead, using scores of police and troops to blockade access to the church.  Police dispersed the crowd later in the afternoon.

In Manokwari, KNPB members were also banned from holding any events in solidarity with the PNG office opening, but were able to negotiate with the hundreds of riot police, and the rally went ahead with several hundred participants, dispersing peacefully after a prayer in the late afternoon.

In remote Yahukimo in the highlands, an action supported by KNPB Yakuhimo in support of the IPWP/ILWP meeting at Parliament Haus in PNG on Nov 27, and FWPPNG office opening in PNG was held in front of the Ruko Putra store.  The action was carried out in face of threats from Brimob officers and a platoon of fully armed TNI of Kodim Wamena 1702 (Battalion 752), and also 15 Kopassus special forces brought in from Jakarta.  They were backed up by a large but unknown number of police from from POLRES Dekei Yahukimo under the command of the local Polresta Eliakin Ap.

The forces presence was was requested by Ones Pahabol, the Yahukimo Bupati (District Head). Ones Pahabol is also the local head of the Committee of the 17th District of the GIDI (Indonesian Evangelical Church), who is considered extremely pro-Indonesian.  According to KNPB sources in Yahukimo, Pahabol’s reason for requesting military support was to break up any KNPB demonstration, and he ordered the dispersal of the KNPB activists because he was prohibiting the expression of the KNPB in public.

However the KNPB reported that even though the local government, police and local church committee refused to give permission for the rally to go ahead, the district head of gidi church did give them permission. However the KNPB commented that it was “as if the church were giving permission to the military to kill their parishioners.  Despite this military threat we give our full support to the IPWP meetings happening in PNG on the 27th – 29th.” said a KNPB spokesperson from Yahukimo.

Media Attacks
Several Journalists were also attacked by police during the Waena dispersal, forcing an apology from the Jayapura police chief Alfred Papare.   Police officers reportedly beat and threatened the journalists at a scene behind the administrative court offices , Waena , Jayapura.  According to a report in SuaraPapua.com, the three West Papuan journalists that suffered intimidation from police, were Aprila Wayar ( tabloidjubi.com ) , Micelle Gobay ( SKH torch Papua ) , and Arnold Belau ( suarapapua.com ), Hengky Yeimo (MajalahSelangkah) as well as a national reporter , Alvarez Oru Maga ( Reuters )

In addition, independent media website Suara Papua has been subjected to a denial of service attack, after they published accounts conflicting from the official police version of the story.  It is believed by many season observers on cyber conflict in Indonesia, that this is the work of a shadowy  cyber- division of the Indonesian police trained and funded by the Australian government, despite the fake outrage generated by the Canberra-Jakarta spy scandal.

In news to hand just before publication, two more bodies have been recovered from around Jayapura suffering gunshot wounds, though it is unconfirmed whether they were victims of the November 26 shootings, or further murders by security forces.

A highly credible source reported to West Papua Media that on November 27 at 3.30pm, a Papuan youth named Ottis Membilang (17), was shot by two TNI soldiers.  According to witnesses, Membilang was standing on the side of the road in front if his home near the Mega store at Waena when 2 TNI members arrived in an unidentified vehicle and shot and killed him for no apparent reason.  This is within metres of the area that West Papua Media’s witnessing survivor of November 26’s violence described troops and police  driving around in Avanzas, wearing balaclavas and threatening to shoot all nearby Papuans.

At the time that the first victim Mathius Tengget was being buried by his family, another body was found at Koya Barat (West Koya), at Wlara Tami near Skouw. KNPB sources have yet to confirmed if the body belongs to one of those missing since Tuesday’s brutality. The Tami River has long been a notorious dumping ground for victims of the Indonesian security forces’ Ninjas, as the river after rain sweeps all bodies far out into the Pacific Ocean into shark infested waters.

More to Come.

West Papua Media

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Thousands of students rally to reject Otsus Plus and provincial division

By West Papua Media editors, with local stringers

November 5, 2013

Thousands of Papuan university and high school students led demonstrations in Jayapura on November 4, firmly rejecting attempts by Jakarta to impose the revived “new, improved” version of the failed Special Autonomy package, named “Otsus Plus”.

A coalition of student organizations, collectively known as ‘Students, Youth and People’s Movement’ (Gerakan Mahasiswa, Pemuda dan Rakyat Papua (GempaR Papua) –  the acronym GempaR literally translates as “Unarmed Insurrection” or “Uproar”), also called the actions to reject Jakarta’s latest plans to divide Papua into 33 districts and three further provinces.  The movement has been started by students from seven different high schools, technical colleges and universities in Jayapura, including Cenderawasih University, UMEL MANDIRI, STIKOM, STT GKI I.S.KIJNE and the opposition to the imposition of Special Autonomy Plus.  The rally was subject to several threats of violence from Indonesian security forces, who routinely deem all gatherings on peaceful Papuan aspirations as subversive and treasonous, according to rally sources.

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The planned administrative divisions of Papuan land and districts under Otsus Plus have been widely interpreted as a colonial act by most Papuan civil society groups, according to Papuan observers, and seen as a covert method of further increasing the massive militarisation of Papua.  Each new district automatically gains its own military and policy company (150 men for each), and each further province each gains their own battalions of Military (1500 men) and Police (1200 men), further adding to the estimated 45,000 troops in Papua, the most militarised area under Indonesian occupation.

“Special Autonomy ‘Plus’ will not change (the mind of) Papuans.  Special Autonomy Plus is not a solution for indigenous Papuans. We firmly reject the plan for Autonomy Plus in Papua and West Papua, we reject it, Autonomy Plus and the New Re-districting are the same (still) killing Papuan people, not the solution to prosperity ” said Hendrik Koroto, Demonstration Coordinator and student at the Faculty of Engineering.

As is standard with any demonstration in Papua, the Indonesian police attempted at least twice to violently prevent the students from peacefully continuing on the march, shadowing the gathering with several hundred heavily armed security personnel.  The notoriously hardline Jayapura Deputy Police Chief Kiki Kurnia, again confronted the marchers in an effort to disperse them, threatening the use of heavy force on the students with a display of hardware including heavily armed police, water cannon and Barrucuda armoured assault vehicles. Intense negotiations took place for almost 15-20 minutes between organisers and Senior Police However, Jayapura Police Chief Alfred Papare agreed to allow marchers to continue their march using one lane to allow traffic to pass.

Whilst one group was negotiating with police, a large number of students unexpectedly took to the road, and several waves of students began to march on the Governor’s office, holding hands and neighbours with a tight protective formation.    Police dragged barbed wire in front of the Governor’s office and blocked the main entrance with 5 police trucks, and several other vehicles, The student and civil society gathering then occupied the forecourt of the Governor’s office for over two hours, during which time Governor Enembe agreed to meet a delegation from the student representatives.  No arrests were reported but threats were allegedly made against keynote speakers and rally organisers, according to witnesses who spoke with West Papua Media stringers.
—

WestPapuaMedia

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‘OTSUS Plus’ a further blurring of Papuan History

Opinion / Analysis

By  Selpius Bobii in Abepura Prison,

11 October 2013

“ All leaders have notes of their mark in history, so I figure this forms mine in the history of Papua.” These were the words of the Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe to journalists following the acceptance of the draft Papuan  ‘Special Autonomy (OTSUS) Plus’ legislation.  The draft legislation was a result of work by the Cenderawasih University (UnCen) Academic Assistance Team together with the Papuan Provincial Government. The ceremony for the handing over of the draft OTSUS legislation (referred to as the ‘Papuan Governance Legislation’) took place at the Aston Hotel in Jayapura on 9 October 2013. (www.tabloidjubi.com/2013/10/10/draf-uu-otsus-plus-terus-digodok/).

To look more closely at the Governor’s comment, was he speaking out of some ambition to make a mark in history for the period he was governor in Papua whilst SBY was still President of Indonesia? Being noted as the governor present at the time the Otsus Plus legislation was forced onto the Papuan indigenous community. If we look back at what the indigenous Papuan community has had to endure we see the evidence that under leader after leader both at the national level and the Papuan regional level, that there has been nothing but a ‘blurring’ of history in Papua. The Otsus Plus legislation that is about to be applied in Papua will but add to that blurring of Papua’s history.

Until this time all policies in Papua have been set from Jakarta and the reins have always been held from Jakarta. Those in official positions within the provincial and kabupaten (regency) levels of government in Papua have acted as ‘bridges’ to enable the Central Government’s projects to be a ‘success’, in line with their ends of marginalisation, discrimination and making Papuans a minority.   Which on the broader scale have amounted to a process of annihilation of the ethnic Papuan race.

No matter who holds the power at the provincial level, they will never liberate the people of Papua from the discrimination, marginalisation, being made a minority and the annihilation of the ethnic Papuan people, which has been planned and carried out by the Republic of Indonesia (RI) constantly until now.  Since the time Papua was annexed by Indonesia, the efforts of Indonesia to this end have been nicely ‘wrapped’ so that they are systematic and ‘tidy’, but make no mistake they are planned and measured by the Central Government taking place through a number of strategies and tactics.

Governor Enembe has stated to journalists that all Papuans want “major changes” and one can only think that he perceives this draft legislation is the solution to awaken Papua and bring about those ‘major changes’.  However what if the Otsus Plus legislation does NOT bring about those expected major positive changes or in fact any changes that lead to a better situation for indigenous Papuans? The Otsus Plus legislation is not only NOT the solution to bring an end to the problems in Papua but in fact will clearly have the opposite effect and bring nothing but calamity and disaster for the indigenous peoples of Papua.

The legislation is intended to protect the rights of and empower the indigenous people of Papua, however all agree that the application of OTSUS this last 12 years by Indonesia (2001-2013) has been a total failure, and that it has neither protected or respected the basic rights of indigenous Papuans (including even the most basic right to life or their basic political rights).  The efforts of Indonesia to revise the Papuan Special Autonomy legislation so as to become the Papuan Special Autonomy Plus legislation is bound to meet exactly the same fate as the Special Autonomy legislation and completely fail!

Governor Enembe’s statement that the draft Otsus Plus legislation is the “desire and aspiration” of the Papuan community and “something to be struggled for”  brings much shame on Papua and is in fact a public lie.  As the Papuan community never wanted the Otsus Plus package that is now being forced on Papua and it has never been the ‘aspiration’ of the indigenous Papuan community.  The revision of Otsus to become Otsus Plus is rather the desire and aspirations of the political elite in Jakarta and in particular of SBY’s Cabinet. These efforts are being driven by SBY due to both Otsus and then the UP4B program (the Accelerated Development Unit in Papua and West Papua) having previously failed.

The results of the work carried out by the Uncen Academic Assistance team as follow-up to the draft Otsus Plus legislation – the initial document of which was prepared by President SBY through Feliks Wanggai – simply cannot be claimed to be something of the desires and aspirations of the Papuan people.  As the Uncen team is but part of the hands and feet of the Republic of Indonesia and has intentions to defend the oppression in Papua by RI and by so doing to extend the suffering of the indigenous people of Papua.

Having Uncen University involved in this way to give some false legitimacy to the legislation, was also practised by Indonesia in 1999 in order to force another of Jakarta’s projects onto Papua.  It was at that time that the Uncen Assistance Team was formed by RI to be involved in the initial draft Special Autonomy legislation.  Yet when the draft legislation was provided to the Central Government in Jakarta it was then cut right back. The final draft which was then totally according to Jakarta’s agenda was approved by the national Legislative Assembly and it was then applied under the order of the President in the year 2000 against firm opposition from the indigenous Papuan community becoming operative in 2001.

The draft legislation in this instance as prepared by the Academic Assistance Team together with the Papuan Provincial Government is merely intended to deceive the public, local, national and international. As the final draft legislation that will be presented for approval will actually be that prepared by President SBY’s Cabinet and in particular by the President’s Special Staff person in the area of Regional Autonomy Fileks Wanggai.
Sadly those lecturers at the Cenderawasih University who have been involved in the project have allowed themselves to be used as a ‘bridge’ to enable Jakarta’s project to pass through the system.  The draft Papuan Otsus Plus legislation has been handed to the Papuan Governor by the University rector Professor Dr Karel Sesa. From the time Papua was initially annexed into the Republic of Indonesia on 1 May 1963 the Uncen University has always played a role of securing and legitimising programs from Jakarta. They managed to destroy all their important records that were a part of the regime of the colonising Indonesia and in so doing to bring much suffering on Papuans. This role of legitimising Jakarta’s agendas was in fact from the start one of Indonesia’s  intentions in establishing Uncen University.

It is most ironic that despite the wave of rejection by the Papuan indigenous community of Otsus Plus, that the Uncen Assisting Team has been working together with the Papuan Provincial Government to ensure ‘success’ of Jakarta’s political package. In so doing they have pawned their very self-worth for positions of importance and wealth.  Their consciences have become blinded by their passion for wealth and positions of influence. Their expert knowledge has been used to support the colonial domination of Indonesia rather that to rescue the nation of Papua from the crisis of this era under RI’s colonial power. This is a matter of great shame and which brings much sadness.

The fate of the Papuan nation”s community is being played with by these persons politically prostituting themselves for the sake of personal gain. The strength of the nation of Papua to resist the destructive effects of RI’s ways and means has been weakened with the support of certain Papuans themselves working both within and outside the Indonesian government systems.  People working merely to chase personal importance and the interests of their own factions.  The consequence being that the indigenous Papuan community has become the victim of their conspiracies of interests at the local, national and international level.

This oppression must be bought to an end! The entire Papuan community must be aware of these realities and commit to walk together so as to realise the goal together.  Papuan activists in all locations need to consolidate and act as one, uniting agendas and stepping forward together. In particular youth and students in all locations need to strictly head only towards the struggle for the liberation of the nation of Papua. Whilst the international community in solidarity is asked to continue all efforts with actions, campaigns and diplomatic efforts to liberate Papua as their supportive efforts are so badly needed towards the end of upholding justice and the human dignity of Papua above all other interests.

To the Republic of Indonesia it is demanded that continuing discussion of the unilaterally prepared draft Otsus Plus legislation (referred to as the Papuan Governance legislation) stops  immediately. The unilateral application of political packages of any kind by Jakarta will never bring an end to the problems in the land of Papua. Rather RI needs to enter into dignified dialogue and non-conditional consultations between RI and the nation of Papua, facilities by a neutral third party and held in a neutral location so as to find a dignified solution to the problems.

There is no word for ‘give-up’ in the dictionary of the revolution of liberation; and neither is there a term ‘too late’ in the field of struggle. There is still time. The people of Papua have strength, have faith, have hope and have the Lord. We must be strong and stay able. We must rise up and go forward. We must oppose all forms of tyranny and oppression and be firm in our convictions that we will eventually be victorious. That will indeed be a most glorious moment when the times comes..

‘ Unity without limits! Struggle until victorious!’
Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of Front PEPERA &  is a Papuan Freedom Political Detainee in  Abepura Prison, Jayapura
 

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