Daily Archives: June 12, 2012

Rights activist condemns police for preventing activities by KNPB

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JUBI, 5 June 2012

The independent human rights activist, Sebby Sambom, said that it was deeply regrettable that the police force in Papua had used acts of brutality to prevent the KNPB, the National Committee for West Papua, from conducting an action on Monday 4 June. As a result of the police actions, one life was lost and others were injured,  including KNPB members and members of  the security forces.

He said in a brief message to JUBI that the security apparatus had acted against the law and violated freedom of expression which is guaranteed according to Article 19, para (2) of the International Covenant  on Civil and Political Rights. Indonesia ratified the Covenant  under Law 9/1998.

Sebby accused the police for not respecting basic human rights which has resulted in the serious crisis situation now prevailing in Papua. ‘This is a humanitarian crisis  by a colonial government  which refuses to respect universal human rights,’ he said.

‘The fact is,’ said this former political prisoner, ‘that colonial powers never respect the situation of its colonised people.’

He said that the problems in Papua can only be resolved  if there is intervention by the international community.

‘We call  for the full attention and intervention of the international community, in particular, the United Nations and the UN Human Rights Council

[Translated by TAPOL]

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Kontras Challenges Indonesian Military, Spy Roles in Wake of Papuan Killings

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http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2012/06/kontras-challenges-indonesian-military-intelligence-roles-in-wake-of-papuan-killings/Pacific Scoop
June 11, 2012 Report – By Jubi and the PMC news desk

In the wake of many shootings that have occurred this month in the
West Papuan region capital of Jayapura and its environs, the human
rights group Kontras has challenged the role of the Indonesian
military and police and questioned the work of the state intelligence
agency.

The coordinator of Kontras (Commission for the Disappeared and Victims
of Violence), Olga Helena Hamadi, said the police should investigate
all the shooting incidents and reveal who was who behind them.

She said the TNI (Indonesian military), police and intelligence should
work harder on this issue.

“It is strange that all these shootings  are occurring in the heart of
the city, yet not one of the perpetrators has yet been arrested,” she
said.

“The police should investigate these incidents. It is the duty of the
police to safeguard the security  of our citizens. It is not enough
for the police to issue statements saying that these incidents are the
work of  OTK – Orang Tak Kenal or Unidentified People.”

If the army and the police were finding it difficult to  discover who
was who are behind these shootings, civil society groups  should work
in collaboration with each other to work out a solution, she said.

The chairman of BUK (United for Justice), Peneas Lokbere, said the
police must have the confidence of the community.

“If they fail to reveal any of the forces that are behind these
incidents, they will lose the the confidence of the community,” he
said.

Albertus, a representative of the Franciscans  Secretariat in
Jayapura, also said the police must reveal the people who were behind
these activities.

“The police are entrusted with the task of  providing security and
tranquillity for the community,” he said.

Albertus added that the shootings had created fear  and anxiety among
the people in general which makes it difficult for the community to
feel sure about their safety.

Source: Jubi – abridged translation by by the Indonesian human rights group TAPOL

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Imparsial: SBY must take action to stop the terror in Papua

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JUBI, 11 June 2012

Imparsial, the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor, has expressed concern about the many acts of terrorism such as shootings by OTK – Orang Tak Dikenal  – in Papua. The executive director of Imparsial, Poengky  Indarti,called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to get involved in solving the problem and accept responsibility  for a situation that threatens the lives of civil society..

‘These mysterious killings  are a threat to innocent people and must be stopped without delay,’ she said. ‘The President must summon all the authorities, the chief of police, the military commander, the chief of BIN – the intelligence agency, and the Minister of the Interior and acting governors .He must take responsibility for safeguarding the lives of the people.

‘There are indications that  neither of the governors are conducting an oversight of the activities of the troops in Papua who seem to be out of control.’

‘This situation must not be allowed to continue,’ she said, adding that the  President ‘must immediately start making preparations for a Jakarta-Papua dialogue so as discuss what the problems are  in Papua.’

She also said that according to Imparsial one of the problems is the process of electing the governors. Her organisation sees the shootings as preparatory to the forthcoming elections of the governors. This is what happened some time ago in Aceh when the same kind of thing happened. There are vested interests in Jakarta who want to benefit from disturbances in the regions as the year 2014 approaches [the next round of presidential, parliamentary and gubernatorial elections.]

[Behind the speaker is a poster with the words: WHO IS THE MASTERMIND?]

[Translated by TAPOL]

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District chief criticises brutal actions by soldiers

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JUBI, 6 June 2012

The bupati  (head) of the district of Jayawijaya, Jhon Wempi Wetipo, has expressed his deepest regret  at brutal actions taken by members of the 736 Wamena battalion  who went on the rampage, damaging a number of government facilities, following the death of a soldier who had been set upon by local people.

He said that the correct way to respond to the attack of one of their colleagues  was to hand the case over to the police for the matter to be handled in accordance with the law.

‘I very much regret what happened in Honai Lama, seeing it spread to the city. Facilities that have been built by the government should be guarded by forces of the state, not destroyed,’ he said.

‘What is the purpose of such actions? It means just destroying things that have been built with money from the people’.

He said that the various government authorities  in the district  will hold a meeting to discuss what needs to be done in this matter. The facilities that were destroyed included some offices and a shopping mall that had only just been built.

He said that the attacks on members of the security forces  had occurred after local people were infuriated because two men on a motorbike knocked down  a young child.

One of the soldiers who was attacked has since died  after a stab pierced his heart. The other soldier is in a critical condition afer been stabbed in the chest.

Following the atack on the soldiers,  dozens of their colleagues went on the rampage in the town of Wamena and the situation became uncontrollable. ‘Even the police were unable to do anything.’

[Translated by TAPOL]

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