Abridged in translation. Bintang Papua 6 October 2010 UNCEN students raise referendum with new US ambassador During a visit to Jayapura, the new US ambassador to Indonesia, Scot Marciel, visited the Padang Bulan health clinic and a number of government offices. During a visit to Cenderawasih University, there was a one-hour dialogue with the students at which the students raised their demand for a referendum and called for merdeka a number of times during questions and answers. They expressed their disappointment that the ambassador's visit to the university was only one hour long and the newly appointed ambassador made no reference to the issue of a referendum or similar matters. [According to a report in JUBI posted earlier, UNCEN students had said that they rejected the ambassador's visit if it was only to discuss matters such as education.] Ambassador Marciel who was accompanied by several staff members from the US embassy said he had just be appointed to the job and did not yet know much. 'I still need to study a lot. I will study everything first,' he said. Speaking to journalists, he said that the purpose of his visit to Papua was to visit UNCEN and the health clinic and a number of officials such as the MRP and the governor and he would be discussing the question of education with the Indonesian authorities. Responding to questions about a referendum, he said that the US government supports special autonomy status for Papua within the NKRI. He said that his government had never supported separatism for Papua. During his visit to the health clinic, he met midwives. 'I am visiting Papua to take a look at development here and to meet health personnel and other Papuan leaders.' During his meeting with midwives, he discussed issues related to pre-natal care and malaria which have been funded by the US since 2006. During his meeting with members of the MRP, the implementation of special autonomy was discussed. MRP members told him that special autonomy had been a failure. 'The Papuan people have said that special autonomy has failed and we facilitated this,' they said. They said that the failure of special autonomy was evident from the fact that there had been very little improvement in the living conditions of the Papuan people and moreover, the government had pressed ahead with a decision to split up the province which was not in accord with the terms of special autonomy. According to Agus Alua, chairman of the MRP , the ambassador said only that he first needed to study all this information.
No separatism in Papua, says military commander
Bintang Papua, 5 October 2010 [Abridged in translation] No separatism in Papua, says military commander According to the military commander of the Cenderawasih Command, there are no separatist groups functioning in Papua any more, Security can therefore be left to the police, with the army providing back-up when called upon to do so, said Major-General Hotma Marbun. 'If there were any separatists, we would crush them,' he said. He was speaking on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Cenderawasih military command, he said. Asked about the 'Papua Peace Force' which has been announced by Forkorus Yoboisembut, chairman of DAP, the Papuan Traditional Council, Hotma said: 'There is no such thing. I dont know anything about it. If it did exist, it wouldn't mean anything. They are using the word peace, aren't they?' A message was read out on behalf of the commander of the Indonesian armed forces Admiral Agus Suhartono. He said that reflecting the emerging global framework strategy and Indonesia's national interests, the country is facing a number of threats to its national security including security in South Maluku, terrorism, separatism, violations of its borders, natural disasters, illegal activities (no mention about what these are), horizontal conflicts and a lack of energy resources. In the context of the strategic environment, he said that Indonesia faces the threat of global warming and continual endeavours together with all components to safeguard the integrity of NKRI, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. He then said that the armed forces would continue to pursue the process of reformasi.
US paying serious attention to Papua: Awom
US paying serious attention to Papua (Bintang Papua) According to the moderator of the Papuan Presidium Council, Herman Awom, the hearing held at the US Congress was of great significance for the Papuan people. 'This was the first time in 48 years that Papua was discussed on an international forum. In our dialogue we urged the US to press Indonesia to open dialogue on the question of the failure of special autonomy, OTSUS and the Papuan people's rejection of OTSUS. A number of Papuan leaders said that they would continue to demand dialogue as the solution to the Papuan problem, and the holding of a referendum. Awom said that OTSUS had failed to prevent the marginalisation of the Papuan people. It had led to large-scale migration which was intensifying the marginalisation of the Papuan people. 'Dialogue with Indonesia should be mediated by a neutral third party, with the two sides recognised as equals, as was the case between Indonesia and Aceh. 'For us, there is no other way forward than freedom.' Forkorus Yoboisembut said that genocide in happening in Papua.' While no large-scale killings are occurring, genocide is occurring gradually. Indonesia should allow foreign observers and foreign journalists to visit Papua to prove to them that genocide is not occurring,' he said. As regard s the US position that supports the NKRI and regards OTSUS as the best solution, he said he understands that this is in order for the US to preserve good relations with Indonesia. 'But we called on the US not to sacrifice the Papuan people for a second time. The hearing at the US Congress was an important development, bearing in mind that we were not yet a state that could enter into dialogue. -------------------------
Papuans in Merauke reject MIFEE
National Executive
UNITED FRONT OF STRUGGLE OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST PAPUA [Eknas Front PEPERA PB]
‘SAFEGUARDING THE HISTORY OF THE MORNING STAR’
STATEMENT
The mega project, the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate – MIFEE – was announced on 18 February 2010 by the former Bupati of Merauke, J.G
Gebze and officially launched on 11 August 2010 by the Minister of Agriculture, Siswono Yodohusodo on behalf of the President. The project
will involve 36 investors, 13 of whom are already operating in the area. The project will cover an area of 2.5 million hectares and bring into
the area a work force of four million people.
MIFEE will have an impact on every aspect of the lives of all indigenous Papuan people, particularly the Anim Ha customary people in South Papua.
The project which has been declared a National Food Granary is unacceptable to the local communities. On 8 August 2010, the customary
Ha Anim people sent a letter to President Yudhoyono but the Indonesian State has ignored the Ha Anim people’s rejection of this project.
The attitude of the government is in contravention of the principles of democracy that have been adopted by the Indonesian state. Any legal
instrument or policy that the government intends to adopt must conform with genuine democratic mechanisms. We herewith make seven points that
would comply with these democratic mechanisms, which the government should take account of in the implementation of this project:
One, in recognition of the aspirations of the people, any government policy should be acceptable to the people after having been made public.
In the case of MIFEE, this has not happened. The MIFEE project was on the working agenda of the SBY-Budiono regime for a hundred days and it
was never made public. The decision to launch the MIFEE project did not involve the people who have customary rights over the land; there were
no meaningful negotiations in compliance with rights and responsibilities taking into account the needs of the people. In other
words, the government and the investors regard this region of Papua as being land that doesn’t belong to anyone. The government and the
investors are not interested in the people but only in the land and its natural resources.
Two, the aspirations of the people as well as the policy of the government should be drawn up within a legal framework. In the case of
MIFEE, the interests of the Indonesian state are involved and therefore during the one hundred day period, the SBY-Budiono government entered
into a Memorandum of Understanding – MoU – with the foreign investors, after which the MoU was adopted as a draft regional regulation – RAPERDA
– of the district of Merauke.
Three, the results of these decisions should have been discussed with the people. In the case of MIFEE, neither the MoU nor the RAPERDA were
discussed with the people. Nor did the plans that were drawn up involve the customary people, the owners of the land. Neither the Indonesian
government nor the local government did anything to publicise the MoU or the RAPERDA.
Four, adoption of the legal documents. The MoU entered into by the SBY-Budiono government during the one hundred day preparatory period was
adopted as Regional Regulation (Perda) No 23 by the Bupati of Merauke, John Gluba Gebze.
Five, there was no announcement of the decision that had been taken regarding the MIFEE project. As is always the case in Papua, the
decisions were not made known to the people: neither the MoU nor the Perda were made known to the customary owners of the land.
Six, adoption of a legal decision. The announcement of the MIFEE project by John Gluba Getze on 12 February, 2010, the 108^th anniversary of the
town of Merauke, was officially announced on 11 August 2010 by the minister of agriculture, Siswono on behalf of the President of Indonesia.
Seven, should the decision fail to comply with the interests of the people, it should be revoked, either because (a) it is ineffective or
(b) the decision in question should be amended if it is lacking in any material way. In the case of MIFEE, the Indonesian state closed its ears
to the many protests made by the indigenous people, by observers and by NGO activists. This is obvious from the fact that thirteen companies are
already operating in Merauke.
As regards the social implications, the number of inhabitants in each kampong could decline sharply and they will become a minority as
compared to ethnic groups brought in from outside Papua, a situation that will become even worse with the arrival of four million low-paid
workers, some of whom have already arrived and who will continue to arrive to work on the MIFEE project. The companies and the government
have never involved the local communities in any decision-making or other mechanisms in compliance with the basic daily needs and customs of
the local communities. The local inhabitants have become mere spectators. These violations have become part of the ‘culture’ of the
companies and the government with MIFEE serving the interests of the Indonesian state and the foreign investors. As a result, social problems
are emerging, such as ethnic cleansing or genocide which infringe the ethical and moral principles of the local tribes and the indigenous
Papuan people in general.
In view of all the above and in order to safeguard the people and land of Papua from the threat posed by the mega MIFEE project, a meeting was
held on 4 June at the OFS Convent, attended by young Papuans and students, primarily from South Papua . It was decided to set up the
Papuan People’s Solidarity to Reject MIFEE or SORPATOM.
One of its activities was the public discussion held on 11 August in Jayapura the theme of which was: ‘Investments in Papua, especially
MIFEE: A catastrophe or a blessing for the Indigenous Papuan people?’
In view of the threats posed by investments, in particular the MIFEE Mega Project, we hereby declare:
1. We support the position adopted by the Ha Nim indigenous people and their sympathisers who reject the MIFEE project on their land
because it poses a threat to the right to life of the local communities.
2. We urge the Indonesian state – SBY – to repeal the MoU about MIFEE.
3. We urge the local government to immediately revoke PERDA No 23 about MIFEE.
4. We call on the provincial assembly, the DPRP, to hold a hearing attended by all those affected, to discuss the MIFEE project.
5. We call on all those who are concerned with safeguarding the people and the land to close ranks and reject every form of
investment which poses a threat to the right to life of the local communities, especially the MIFEE project.
Port Numbay, Thursday, 30 September 2010
[Translated by TAPOL]
Papuan People’s Solidarity to Reject MIFEE or SORPATOM.
KNPB Occupy Theys Eluay's grave to call for Referendum
Information received from KNPB: Several hundred KNPB activists are currently occupying the gravesite of murdered independence hero Theys Eluay at Waena, near Jayapura in West Papua.
SMS messages say that the activists are paying homage to Eluay as they continue to publicly call for REFERENDUM to genuinely determine the status of West Papua according to the universally recognised basic human right of self-determination.
They are also seeking an immediate audience with the visiting US Ambassador to Indonesia, Cameron Hume.
As the grave is on the land belonging to family of the late Chief Eluay, the police do not have a right to remove the activists. However, it is not known if the Police are likely to follow the law or disperse the peaceful occupiers.
Please stay tuned for updates.
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