Month: March 2012

POLICE SEIZE FUEL, OWN GAS STATIONS IN NABIRE, PAPUA

by John Pakage for West Papua Media

Wednesday, 28 March 2012

Opinion

PROTESTS AGAINST FUEL PRICES INCREASE SWEEP INDONESIA AND PAPUA

In Nabire, Papua, there are gas stations owned by active Police officers, and rumours are circulating that security forces are manipulating subsidized fuel stocks in Papua. While in Papua Police officers own gas stations, elsewhere Police officers are seizing fuel belonging to civilians. Take for example the case in Tuban, East Java: on March 22, 17 drums of diesel fuel were found by police during sweeping raids to counter fuel hoarding in anticipation of the Indonesian government’s increases to fuel prices which come into effect April 1 2012.

Besides this, Police Inspector-General Saud Usman Nasution, Division Head/Community Relations, also stated that there have been no fewer than 266 charges laid in 232 cases of fuel hoarding in Kalimantan, with a further 11 cases still under investigation. If Police are empowered to seize people’s fuel, then who can tackle the Police’s control of fuel stocks in Papua?

Meanwhile though the price of fuel has yet to increase officially, in Papua and especially in the areas of the interior, fuel prices have already skyrocketed up to Rp. 20 000-30 000 ($2.15-3.25 USD) per litre, leaving one to wonder: just how high will prices rise after April 1?

To oppose the program of the SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono)-Boediono government to raise fuel prices from Rp. 5000 to 6500 ($0.55 to $0.70 USD), mass protests have spread throughout Indonesia. With students and workers leading the way, it is not simply party cadres demonstrating, but even housewives are taking to the streets and refusing to accept the government’s policy.

Regrettably, at the time of these massive demonstrations, President SBY, who was selected by the Indonesian people, has not even been present in Indonesia. Will the President answer the demands of the people, meet with them and comment on their aspirations? Until now no such word has been uttered by the President.

Many parties judge fuel prices increase to be unrelated to world fuel price fluctuations but rather intended simply to increase net revenues, as suggested by Hendrawan Supratikno, member of Committee 5 of the People’s Legislative Assembly (DPR), Tuesday March 27.

Of course, the increase to fuel prices is felt directly by the people, such that a coalition of Papuan students from different Universities in Jayapura have demonstrated in front of the Papua People’s Legislative Assembly (DPRP), Tuesday March 27.

Alas, the government seems unwilling to alter its fuel increase policy even facing masses of thousands organizing actions all over Indonesia.

Still, the efforts to pressure the Indonesian government continue. These actions have brought victims: the protest in Jakarta left 15 people injured after a clash with police at Gambir, Central Jakarta; the victims were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM).

Here are the names of those hospitalized, as posted at RSCM Emergency Department:

1. Fajar, student from Univertas Pamulang (UNPAM)

2. Makmun, student from UNPAM

3. Pungky, student from UNPAM

4. Erwin, student from Palu, South Sulawesi

5. Fariz, from Lenteng Agung

6. Ahmad Sofyan, student from UNPAM

7. Okki, student at IISIP

8. Alif al hafidi from Bogor

9. Alan Fitnur from Cirebon

10. Moch Taufik

11. Moh. Imam, student from BSI

12. Idris Syahrian, PDIP officer, Bekasi

13. Ahmad Bagja from Komplek Depag, Tangerang

14. Bribtu Dhany, from Mako Den B, Pelopor Cipinang

15. Zein, student from Sulawesi

Besides this, in Makassar as well, Metro TV has reported on the beating of a student by Police. The student’s condition is of course cause for serious concern.

Meanwhile, President SBY continues to sojourn overseas. To counter the mass demonstrations, SBY has deployed thousands of Military (TNI) troops as well as fully armed Police units. Not only this, but Interior Minister Gamawan Fauzi asserted that if the legislation confirming the fuel price increase is made law then local and regional officials known to participate in protest actions will be fired.

The increasing authoritarian and undemocratic character of the State is becoming more visible, as laws guaranteeing freedom of public expression are being pushed aside.

The Interior Minister’s pressure has not succeeded in reducing the number of state officials joining in voicing the people’s aspirations. In East Java, Mayor of Surabaya Bambang Dwi Hartono, who is also a cadre of PDI-P (Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle Faction), joined the protests rejecting the President’s policy.

Responding to the grave threat from the Interior Minister towards the Mayor of Surabaya, Bambang Dwi Hartono stated that he was chosen by the people of East Java therefore the Minister may go ahead and fire him.

The Mayor’s weighty decision is an example worthy of emulation: putting one’s position on the line for the good of many.

# John Pakage/westpapuamedia

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Police threaten strong action against demonstrators

JUBI 21 March 2012The chief of police in Jayapura has declared that the demonstration organised by the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB) on 20 March was in violation of the regulations in force.

‘We have noticed that such actions are occurring more frequently and that they differ from other demonstrations that have been held. because the participants were carrying traditional attributes such as bows and arrows, police chief Alfred Papare  told journalists.

He said several things had occurred : stones were thrown at members of the police force, flower pots were destroyed and attacks were made against journalist which had resulted in serious traffic congestion.

He said that in any action the police take against these people who have violated the law, they also expect the local government to support them against those who are acting in violation of the law.

‘Even though these actions did not turn anarchistic, I insist that they should not happen again; if this happens we will take firm action and we call on the local government authorities to support us in this,’ he said.

He also called on the local people who become involved in such actions to carefully consider the consequences of such actions, and to consider whether they are in violation of the laws in force.

I would like to remind all people living in and around Jayapura  that they should consider what the aim of the action is and whether such actions are in conformity with the law. Dont just play around and start getting involved,’ he said. He said that people have the right to speak about their aspirations but they must not violate the law.

He also said that people who take part in such actions  should not carry sharp weapons while under the influence of drink  or behave like anarchists towards  the general public but make sure that pedestrians are not prevented from using the pavements.

If these conditions are not complied with, he said, the police will take firm action.

As for the news that further actions are planned to take place on 5 April, he said that the police will take action to prevent this from happening.

[Translated by TAPOL]

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‘It is as though there is a war here,’ says local leader

Statue erected to celebrate the inclusion of W...
Photo of Yos Sudarso, pointing to PNG and Australia as his next targets, in Jayapura erected by Indonesia to celebrate the invasion of West Papua
JUBI: 24 March 2012

The Ondoafi – local community leader – of Web which is located in Keerom district , Bernadus Welip, has spoken out about the presence of many military posts in his area as well as along the border (between West Papua and PNG) and said that  it is as if there is a war going on.

‘There are a great many army posts in my region which amazes me. Does this mean that there is a war here?’

He said that the presence of the military has made the people there feel very uneasy indeed. The people here cannot move around freely from one kampung to another kampung, or from  kampung to a hamlet. or from one hamlet to another.

‘We can no longer move around as we used to be able to and this makes people here feel very unsafe,’ he said.

He said that he hoped the government would withdraw the troops from there. ‘The best thing is for the military personnel to be withdrawn from here. The people will feel much freer if they do.’

P. Willy OSA, the pastor in the diocese, confirmed what the Ondoafi said. ‘I feel as if I am under threat because I stand up for my community,’ he said.  P.Willy was ordained as a Catholic priest two years ago.

According to the priest, the presence of the troops is a matter of great anxiety for the people of his congregation.

‘When the priest is away, the people feel very unsafe. They feel like this because they are always being asked questions about all kinds of things.’

He went on to say that there are far too many military posts, which makes the people feel that they are not free.

‘There are military posts every three kilometres, as well as posts along the border. ‘What we have here are Kopasus, koramil and the police,’ he said

[Translated by TAPOL]

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Theo van den Broek on the letter sent to UN by Federal Repblic of West Papua

JUBI 23 March 2012Theo van den Broek, a political commentator about Papua, has said that the United Nations will only respond to letters that come from one of its members whereas all its members are nation-states.

Referring to the decision to register the Federal Republic of West Papua with the United Nations by representatives of the IIIrd KRP (held last October), Theo said that it was necessary to know whether a letter had indeed been sent to the UN and what would happen to it.

‘I understand that they sent a letter but that does not mean that the letter will now be handled by the UN or put onto its agenda. All that will happen will be that the letter was indeed sent but it was passed on to the administration and recorded as a letter that had been received. The letter will be given a number and recorded as a letter that had been received. And that will be it,’ he said.

He said that it would be handled automatically by the administration. He gave an example of what would happen to a letter that he might send to the Dutch government asking to be registered as a Dutch person or perhaps relating to the payment of taxes. It would be registered as a letter coming from a Dutch citizen and an acknowledgement would be received but it would not actually be dealt with because the letter raised problematic matters.

As for the letter from the Federal Republic, it will be recorded somewhere but as it comes from a body that is not recognised by the UN, it will probably never be acknowledged because it does not come from one of its members, given that all its members are nation-states, said Theo. ‘Anyone can send a letter to the UN but if it comes from a body that is not a member of the UN, it is not possible to expect that it will be taken seriously.’

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Military commander denies current military operations in Papua and rejects legitimacy of the IIIrd KRP

JUBI, 23 March 2012The commander of the district military command in Jayapura denied that any military operations are taking place in Papua. Lieut-Colonel Rano Tilaar was speaking to journalists after taking part in a Joint Forum of the SKPD (?) and the start of a Consultation on Development in Jayapura.

‘There are no military operations under way in Papua, but only Security Operations Along the Border. We have to realise that although the situation in general is calm and orderly, there are conflicts going on, vertical conflicts as well as a horizontal conflicts,’ he said.

The vertical conflict is related to various problems between the government and those wanting independence – or separatism – while horizontal conflicts are those that occur between groups within the community where there are differences between the native population and the newcomers.

‘We need to be conscious of what is meant by nation and state. What is the meaning of the legacy inherited from our ancestors and the natural resources which offer great potential if they are not exploited jointly in the interests of the nation and the state.’

According to Rano, in the present political situation in Papua, the TNI – Indonesian Army – regards the group which pursues the ideology of  M – merdeka – as our brothers. The difference between us, he said, is they have not yet accepted the ideology of NKRI – the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

When asked his opinion about the  the Third Papuan Peace Congress [held last October], he said that this meeting was not representative of the Papuan people because according to information he has received from local customary leaders and religious leaders, there was no legitimacy for the creation of a state and the appointment of the president and the prime minister of that state, because others felt that they had not been consulted  and they were not willing to legitimise the congress as being representative of the Papuan people.

‘It only represented a group of people and it was correct to apply the charge of makar – treason – from the point of view of the law because that was a treasonous act.’

(This article unfortunately does not report the contradictions in this story, and fails to mention the fact that significant sweeps against civilians are ongoing throughout the Highlands in Tingginambut and Mulia – against Free Papua guerillas led by Goliat Tabuni – as well as major operations across the entire border region, including allegations of village clearances.  West Papua Media)
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