Month: May 2011

DAP – Straighten history of annexation of West Papua

FROM DEWAN ADAT PAPUA via SMS

PAPUA NEWS: May 2 2011.

Today there will be major demonstrations across Papua.  The objectives for today are:

1. to commemorate that today is the anniversary of the annexation of West Papua by Indonesia using the New York Agreement and brutal military operations by the Indonesian military;

2. to challenge and resist the annexation of West Papua by Indonesia, and to continue follow up the demands by the 2nd Papuan Peoples‘ Congress to take the straightening of the history of Papua’s annexation by Indonesia to the next stage;  the first stage was successful historical review of the Act of Free Choice written by Professor Pieter Drooglever.

3. to give support to International Lawyers for West Papua, with 60 international lawyers and the Government of Vanuatu who are assisting with a legal challenge to the annexation and Act of Free Choice of West Papua, that will occur on 2nd August 2011 in London, UK.

The Coordinator of demonstrations across Papua is KNPB (Komite Nasional Papua Barat or West Papua National COmmittee).  Demonstrations are also occurring in Biak, Serui, Manokwari, Sorong as well as Jayapura.  Currently, approximately 2000 people are gathered outside the Governor’s office in Jayapura, conducting peaceful protests, political speeches, and placards.

It is not known at this stage if security forces are attempting any dispersals.

(with aditional reporting from westpapuamedia.info)

Related Articles
7

Indo Police Arrest 6 KNPB Activists in Wamena, West Papua; major tension on streets

from West Papua National Committee [KNPB] on 30 April 2011 jam 17:35

Wamena, West Papua, Saturday April 30 2011

Six people, including a 10-year-old child, have been arrested in West Papua for delivering leaflets promoting major pro-democracy mobilisations across the country scheduled for May 2.

According to Victor Yeimo, international spokesperson for activist group KNPB the names and ages of the arrested activists are Baroy Sambom (24), Etus Wandik (29), Victor Kepno (19), Agustinus Mabel (20), Tohmas Loho (21 and Yarimi Yare (10).

He said: “We got information directly from Simion Dabi, chairman of KNPB Wamena, that the six men are still being questioned by Indonesian Police in Wamena.”

Meanwhile, in Jayapura, West Papua, reports are coming in that the government pressure on activists is mounting. Large numbers of Indonesian troops (TNI) are patrolling and placing red and white Indonesian flags on most street corners. They are also forcing West Papuans to fly red and white flags in front of their homes to commemorate the annexation of Papua into Indonesia on May 1, 1962.

KNPB, through demonstrations coordinator Mako Tabuni, has urged the people of West Papua to not be affected by the provocation of the TNI and to stay focused on the agenda of the demonstrations on May 2. According to its plan, announced last week, KNPB is organising the people of West Papua to commemorate the annexation more somberly as the beginning of oppression in Papua under Indonesian control. It is calling for mass demonstrations to demand a new referendum over the sovereignty of West Papua.

Phone contact available to sources via westpapuamedia.info; please click on contact page for more details.

Related Articles
5

PT Medco refuses to pay compensation for Papuan land used for three years

[COMMENT: Here is a major company bemoaning its fate if required to pay compensation for Papuan land, without acknowledging that its operations have certainly led to the devastation of the livelihoods of the people whose land it has been using for three years. How does one weigh the demise of a company against the lives and livelihoods of indigenous Papuan people who are bereft of the land that is the very heart and soul of their physical and spiritual beings?  This is the first time we have read reports  about the absence of any compensation for Papuan people. It sums up a problem besetting Papuan people across the length and breadth of West Papua. TAPOL]JUBI, 21 April 2011

The inhabitants of Sanggase kampung, district  of Okaba, district of Merauke, have submitted a demand for compensation of sixty-five billion rupiahs from PT Medco for their operations in the kampung for the past three years, but they have had no response from the company.

In other words, the company has simply washed its hands and is not prepared to pay any compensation.

At a meeting held on Thursday this week with the district chief (bupati) of Merauke which was also attended by representatives of the local administration and military chiefs, as well as a number of local people, the representative of PT Medco in Papua Aradea Arifin,  said that paying compensation  of sixty-billion rupiahs  would mean that the company would not be able to function any more.

He said that the land being used by the company is 2,800 hectares. Should such a large amount of money be paid in a case like this?. ‘It simply means asking us to close down our company,’ he said. ‘So it is quite impossible for us to pay the community such a huge amount of money.’

He claimed that during the years of its operations in Kampung Boepe, the company had  given assistance to the local people in the form of building houses, building a church, provided motor cycles and so on which he claimed meant that the company  had acknowledged the problems confronted by the people there

Related Articles
3

Agus Alua and the Voices of Papua

Agus Alua and the Voices of Papua

originally posted at EngageMedia.org

Agus Alua was the former chair of Majelis Rakyat Papua (Papuan People’s Assembly) – a cultural representation of the indigenous Papuan people which has limited authority to protect the rights based on custom and culture, the empowerment of women, and the strengthening of a harmonious religious life.

Alua died on April 8, 2011 after receiving a phone call from Jakarta, and moments before the new MRP membership was to be sworn in. Activists said Alua was ousted from the MRP because of his strong stands against the Central Government’s Papua policies. Here’s how some Papuans see the inspirational man.

(Video will open in another window)
http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/numbaymedia/videos/AgusAlua/embed_view

Related Articles
0

Papuan students in Jakarta call for end to murders of Papuan people

JUBI, 22 April 2011The anti-militarism coalition of  Papuan Students, KoMPAM, has urged the Indonesian government to immediately end the use of repressive measures which continue to be used by the security forces in the Land of Papua.

The statement was issued in relation to the bloody incident that occurred a few days ago in Moanemani, district of Dogiyai.

The student coalition said that they were very angry about the actions of the police which had led to yet more people’s blood being spilt . The government mut accept responsibility for the incident in which two people, Dominikus Auwe and Aloysius Waine were killed while three others, Vince Yobee, Albertus Pigai and Matius Iyai were wounded.

The statement was issued by hundreds of Papuans studying in Java and Bali who took part in  demonstration outside the presidential palace and the national police headquarters in Jakarta.

The demonstrators also called for the immediate resignation of the police chief in Papua and the police chiefs in Nabire and Dogiyai. They also said that there should be an end to the militaristic methods  being used all the time in the Land of Papua, and said that they would draw the attention of the international community to the many human rights violations that occur in Papua.

KoMPAM consists of the Alliance of Papuan Students, APM, the National Front of Papuan Students FNMP, and the Alliance of Papuan Students  from the Central Highlands.

4

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑