Month: June 2012

KNPB members will surrender to Indon police in challenge on OTK shootings

Bintang Papua, 25 June MEMBERS OF KNPB WILL SURRENDER TO THE POLICE

Jayapura: Victor Yeimo, the international spokesperson of the KNPB, the  National Committee of West Papua. has announced that members of the KNPB will soon be surrendering enmasse to the police in Papua.  He said that they are absolutely convinced that  the series of violent actions that have occurred in Jayapura  were nothing to do with the KNPB. He said that the series of shootings and acts of violence were part of a big scenario  the mastermind of which is not yet known.

This is why the KNPB has decided to put pressure on the police  to investigate these incidents that were the work of  ‘mysterious ‘ or unknown people {referred to now across Papua by the acronym “OTK”: Orang Terlatih Khusus or Specially Trained People – WPM}. ‘The police need to investigate this As yet, they have not be able to say who was responsible and have not made any arrests. The KNPB suspects hat this is all part of a huge scenario by the state authorities  which has quite deliberately been stirred up by the police and the military,’ said Yeimo

With regard to the shooting of Mako Tabuni, this was a violation of the law of the land. ‘If the state has respect for human beings the case of Mako would have been handled according to due process, and not resulted in loss of life.’

He went on to say that the shooting of Mako Tabuni is clear evidence that the law here in this country does not side with the  Papuan people. There are no grounds whatever for allegations that the KNPB was responsible. Such activities are not part of the policy of the KNPB which has from the very start declared its  intention to struggle along with the Papuan people in accordance with the principle  of respect for human life  and has totally rejected the path of violence.

This is why all members of the KNPB will gather together and surrender to the police. The KNPB is not a terrorist organisation. If it were to be proven that someone from the KNPB  was indeed involved, this would be in order to stigmatize the organisation which  is waging  a struggle for independence and for a referendum. ‘This is why we will be surrendering in the near future,’ he said, without mentioning any date.

[Translated by TAPOL]

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Human Rights Workers: Those who shot Tabuni must be brought to justice

Mako Tabuni Shot Dead
Mako Tabuni Shot Dead (Photo credit: AK Rockefeller)

JUBI, 25 June 2012

According to the Network for Law Enforcement and Human Rights in the central highlands, JAPHPT, the Criminal Code requires that those who were responsible for shooting Mako Tabuni should be brought to justice.

If the police believed that Tabuni was the mastermind of all the shootings, they should have arrested him and produced evidence of this. The chairman of the JAPHPT,  Theo Hesegem, said that the way the police had handled the arrest, along with the shooting of Tabuni, had eliminated any evidence  they might have had about what Tabuni was carrying.

They have also, in the process, demonised the Papuan people and damaged Indonesia’s reputation in the international community.

Indonesia is a state that recognises the rule of law and should act in accordance with the Criminal Code regarding the person who shot Tabuni.

Meanwhile, the chief of police  of Jayapura City, AKB Alfred Papare now admits that its reputation has been damaged by the shooting of Tabuni. He went on to say however that the police  had acted in accordance with police procedures because of reports that the victim was in possession of a firearm.

Translated by TAPOL

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Police urged to publicise the photo of Mako Tabuni’s bag

JUBI,  26 June 2012

The Papuan people are still very concerned about the shooting of Mako Tabuni on 14 June. Alius Asso, chairman of the Nayak Asrama  in Abepura, has called on the police to publicise the photo they took of Mako Tabuni at the time of the killing, which shows the bag that he was carrying at the time.

‘We want the security forces to show us the photo of the bag he was carrying. This is very crucial because the police have alleged that Tabuni had a pistol and bullets in his bag.’

The photo was taken as Tabuni was standing eating a snack at Perumnas III Waena, Asso said: ‘This is very strange  How would he have got hold of a  pistol and bullets? It is up to the police to prove this,’ he said.

He also denied that Mako Tabuniwas was in any way responsible for the shooting of a German at Base G and for the series of shootings that occurred at the time. ‘What proof do the police have of this? They should have arrested Tabuni and questioned him instead of shooting him dead.’

Asso went on to say that Mako Tabuni was not a terrorist. On the contrary he was involved in the struggle of the Papuan people.

It should be recalled that the police told journalists that they had been forced to shoot Tabuni because he was trying to resist as they arrested him. They also alleged that they found sixteen .38 calibre bullets in his bag.

 

Translated by TAPOL

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Jakarta-Papua dialogue should be held quickly, says commentator

JUBI, 22 June 2012

In the view of the political commentator Frans Maniagasi, the Indonesian government should hold a dialogue with the Papuan people as quickly as possible, in line with the policy of the Papuan Peace Network (JDP). He said this is very urgent indeed because Papuan lives are continuing to be lost.

‘The dialogue for which Pastor Neles Tebay has been working must be held as quickly as possible, ‘ he said, during a ceremony marking environmental day in the province of Papua.

He said that more and more Papuan lives are being lost, stressing that this has been going on for a very long time, since the 1960s.

The dialogue should discuss the emancipation of the  Papuan people. ‘This is a struggle for emancipation,’ said Maniagasi, who recently published a book called ‘Papua’s Future: Freedom, Special Autonomy and Dialogue.’

He said he realised that  the various stages of dialogue would encounter many difficulties because of the  problems among the Papuan people themselves.’The Papuan people consist of a number of tribes and cultures.’

But he said that these  differences could be overcome. ‘The question is – do we want to work together or not? ‘The most important thing is for us to sit down together, to discuss and to work together to push for the dialogue.’

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World Council of Churches raises questions about the situation in Papua

JUBI, 20 June 2012A number of things that have been happening recently in West Papua have drawn the attention of the World Council of Churches  The secretary-general of the Council, the Revd Olav F. Tveit, headed a delegation which visited the offices of the Provincial Province of Papua to seek information about the questios of justice, peace and the welfare of the Papuan people.

The assistant for Economic Affairs and Development, Drs Ellya Loupatty said that the WCC delegation had met with representatives of the provincial government to discuss a number of issues that have emerged in the provinces of Papua, among others, welfare, justice and peace.

‘I met them along with the chief of staff of XVII-Cenderawaih, Major-General Daniel Ambaat, to put forward our views on a number of issues, such a the people’s welfare, justice and matters related to peace in the area,’ he told journalists. He said that the delegation had also raised the question of the environment, in connection with the felling of Papuan forests.

He said that all the questions had been responded to very well. ‘We also spoke about education and health issues in Papua.’.

Asked about the response of the delegation, Revd  Tveit  had expressed the hope that all matters would be handled professionally and in accord with the dignity of the human being. They were happy to encourage the churches to participate along with the government in every way possible to improve the standard of living of the  Papuan people. The church representatives had also spoken about issues of justice. which we listened to.’

He went on to say that the churches delegation raised some questions about recent events, which we as members of the provincial government explained. He said that issues about justice had also been raised  which we listened to, and explained that they were being dealt with according to our future programmes. ‘We also explained that matters related to security and order were being handled by the police force.’

[Comment: Could this be the opening move for the World Council of Churches to devote some serious attention to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Papua? TAPOL]

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