Author: westpapuamedia

Independent Journalism from West Papua to the World

POLICE CHIEF: ‘I WILL ARREST OPM PEOPLE WHO CAUSE DISTURBANCES’

Bintang Papua, 23 May 2012

Jayapura: In response to the announcement by the TNI/OPM Revolution Co-ordinator, Lamberth Pekikir, that they intend to fly the Kejora – Morning Star – flag  on 1 July, the anniversary of the OPM and also when Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visits  West Papua on 25 June, the police chief of Papua, Inspector-General Bighman Lumban Tobing said that the police force would take firm action.

He said that the general situation in Papua is general speaking  ‘conducive’  though there have been some security disturbances  recently in Puncak Jaya by elements who intend to break away from the NKRI – Unitary Republic of Indonesia.

The police chief said that all components in society  including the media are responsible for keeping the situation in Papua conducive.As the hosts of the National Raimuna Xth event [which the president will attend]; we are jointly responsible for maintaining a conducive atmosphere, ensuring that the news from Papua will be about tranquillity in the area.

The chief of police also said that they would take firm action against any group that attempts to cause security disturbances in Papua. He said: ‘I will arrest and take firm action against any group that intends to cause disturbances in this place. ‘

He said that there were no plans to bring in additional troops and they will rely on the organic TNI troops and the police force now in Papua to keep order. He repeated his conviction that all components of society will ensure that the National Raimuna event will proceed smoothly.

The Raimuna event will take place in Waena and will last from 25 June till 1 July and will be officially opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
Ten thousand members of the youth organisation Pramuka all 16 – 20 years old and of Pandega, 21-25 years old  [the Indonesian boy scouts movement] from PNG, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei will also be taking part.

[Abridged in translation by TAPOL]

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Jefrai Murib has serious medical problems but is not getting the treatment he urgently needs

JUBI, 23 May 2012
The hospital in Jayapura where Jefrai Murib has been getting treatment has been creating difficulties regarding the medical treatment needed by this political prisoner.The chairman of BUK, Bersatu Untuk Keadilan – United for Justice – Peneas Lokbere said that to continue his treatment, he should have been examined again by the doctors on 22 May,  and would need to undergo a course of physiotherapy  and be given medicine that he needs for the paralysis  which has affected  the right side of his body.

According to Lokbere, when he went to the hospital for the treatment he required, he was not allowed to enter the hospital and was told that the doctors who should have been treating him had finished their work at the hospital for the day and had gone home. This happened on two days running and then he was told that he should go to the General Hospital for treatment.

Because of this, said Lokbere, Jefrai had been unable to get the necessary treatment.

He also said that they had asked the prison where  Jefrai is being held to cover the costs of the treatment required, but had failed so far to get the prison to respond to this request. Jefrai has lost the ability to move the right side of his body but was not getting the medical treatment that he urgently requires.

On the following day, 24 May, JUBI reported that Lokbere and his colleagues had decided to try to raise money to cover the costs of Jefrai’s treatment, by asking  for money from people in the streets.

Lokbere said that they were having to do this because the costs of the treatment were currently having to be borne by the prisoner’s family.

Other political prisoners such as Filep Karma and Ferdinand Pakage were also in need of treatment so attempts to raise money for them would have to start as soon as possible.

As regards the condition of Jefrai, the doctors have said that his is an emergency case.He needs treatment for eight hours a week and his condition must be regularly checked by the doctors. ‘He needs help very quickly,’ said Lokbere because his is an emergency case.

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JUBI, 24 May

Jefrai’s lawyer refused entry to meet Jefrai

A doctor who is treating the political prisoner Jefrai Murib ordered Cory Silva, a lawyer acting for the prisoner, to leave the premises of the hospital. The lawyer  had intended to  ask the doctor at the hospital  to make the necessary arrangements for the political prisoner to get the medical treatment that he needs.Examination by doctors had confirmed that Jefrai Murib has high blood pressure and blood clots (this is surely DVT – deep vein thrombosis, caused by excessive periods immobile – Tapol) after having been examined by a team of doctors. ‘The right side of his body is completely unable to function,’ she said. The doctor has suggested a course of physiotherapy for him as the condition had been present for a long time. The doctor said that treatment was urgent in order to prevent the blood clots from spreading to other parts of his body.

His doctor has also approached a physiotherapy specialist, Fernandes who suggested a course of treatment.When Peneas Lokbere tried to make contact with the physiotherapist, he was told that he was not available at the time and the prisoner would need to go elsewhere for treatment. but they had been unable to make contact with a physiotherapist.

When the lawyer was eventually able to contact the specialist, he was told by Fernandes that he should go to the General Hospital. Cory Silva wa criticised for trying to interfere with the prison management ans was ordered to leave the premises.The doctor also said that it was up to the prisoner’s family to handle of the case.

Cory Silva said that  what the doctor had said was quite inappropriate because it was the duty of the prison where Jefrai was being held to take full responsibility for Jefrai getting the necessary treatment.

Peneas Lokbere insisted that it was the responsibility of the doctor at the  prison to make the necessary arrangements and if he was refusing to do so then he should be replaced so as to make sure that the treatment needed by Jefrai could be started as soon as possible

Another of Jefrai’s lawyers, Yusman Conoras  complained that the doctors at the prison clearly had no understanding of the human rights aspect of this matter.  He said that it was the responsibility  of  the prison authorities  to provide the proper treatment for those who are being held in the prison Moreover, a prison should be giving guidance to the people being held in the prison and not just trying to punish the prisoner.

JUBI  reported that as yet, no comment had been forthcoming from the doctor in question.

[Translated and summarised by TAPOL]

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Protest demands expulsion of Yapen police and military chiefs for brutal policies

from the West Papua Media team

May 23, 2012

After tens of thousands of Papuans staged mass rallies across West Papua in May 1, 2012, a radical change of tactics by Indonesian security forces has ignited fears in the civilian population throughout the region, according to Papuan peace and justice activists.   Serui, the main town on Yapen Island (off the north coast of Papua) has become a “hot spot” for major military and police operations using intimidation and terror tactics against the local Papuans, local sources told West Papua Media on Wednesday.

On May 23, a peaceful demonstration organised by activists from Manokwari (on the mainland) and Serui was held to express people’s concern about intensifying Police brutality against civilians.

This month, many unconfirmed reports from local activists have documented a steady increase in fear and trauma by the civilian population across Yapen Island stemming from security operations.  Mass rallies have been held to protest the situation but according to organisers, the rallies – expected to number thousands of participants – were not well attended because the extreme violent confrontational policies of the security forces caused many people to stay home due to fear.  Unconfirmed reports from local stringers told West Papua Media that for several days leading up to the demonstrations, shots were fired at night to threaten the locals.

The rally organisers were not permitted to rally but the demonstrators audaciously braved police threats to express their concerns, according to sources in Serui.  Before the rally began at 9am local time, a joint-force Indonesian Police and Army (TNI) conducted a search/interrogation operation, targeting every Papuan who passed through from Mantembu to the gathering place.

Despite heavy security blockades in place preventing many from attending, the demonstration proceeded smoothly from 10am to 1pm local time with up to 1000 people defying Indonesian occupation forces threats of violence..

Amongst the demonstrators, Selpinus Waroy (30) was arrested after the police took his mobile phone and found images and video footage of prior mass rallies.  Police told the organisers that he was to be released by 7pm local time but Waroy had not been released when the article went to press.

The West Papua Media team telephoned Kapolres (Serui Police Chief) Roycke Harry Langie several times for comment, but the Kapolres said that he was not convinced that the call was made from Australia but  instead was from Indonesia. He refused to comment on any questions and hung up.

Marthen Manggaprouw, one of the organisers of the peaceful demonstration, expressed his deepest concern about the Indonesian security forces’ ongoing vicious conduct.

“Even though, the Indonesian military and police continue to intimidate us; continue to terrorize us; we will continue to raise our voices and exercise our democratic right through peaceful means to show the security forces to learn about respecting Papuans as human beings and not animals.”

The demonstrators called for the DPRD office in Yapen District to seriously consider the Indonesian Police’s atrocious behaviour and expel the Head of Police, in Serui Regency, Royce Harry Langie S.IK MH, and the District Military Commander (DANDIM), Letkol Inf. Tornado, for violations of the Code of Conduct with the Indonesian military and police regulations.

They also demand the recognition of the Federated Republic of West Papua, declared at the Third Papuan’s Congress, October 19, 2011 and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners, and release of the ‘Jayapura Five.’

westpapuamedia

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Sharp increase in international concern about Papua

Indonesia’s human rights record reviewed at UN Human Rights Council

TAPOL press release

London, 23 May 2012 – Today, Indonesia’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council during the 13th session of the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland. Concerns about human rights in Papua increased sharply since the last review in 2008, with a significant number of member states raising concerns about freedom of expression, human rights defenders and political prisoners in the region.

“While Indonesia today said it is using a ‘welfare and development’
approach in Papua, the continued presence of thousands of troops and
dozens of political prisoners suggests otherwise,” said Paul Barber,
Coordinator of TAPOL.

TAPOL and United for Truth (Bersatu Untuk Keadilan, BUK) submitted a
report to the review process, making recommendations to improve the
human rights situation in Papua by ending the stigmatisation of
peaceful political activity, repealing repressive legislation and
releasing political prisoners.

Concerns raised by TAPOL based on inputs from local NGOs were picked
up by a number of Member States during the review. Switzerland and
Mexico were among those States questioning Indonesia’s worrying human
rights record in Papua, joined by regional neighbours New Zealand and
Japan. The United States called for action on Indonesia’s repressive
treason laws, backed by Canada and Germany who further called for the
release of peaceful political prisoners.

While Indonesia today announced that it intends to issue an invitation to the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Mr Frank La Rue, it was unclear whether he would be guaranteed free access to the Papua provinces.

Restrictions on access for foreign media and civil society were
challenged by a number of States including France and Australia, while Germany called for immediate access for the ICRC, who were ejected from Papua in 2010.

“The international community has today sent a clear message to Indonesia that the human rights situation in Papua is totally unacceptable,” noted Barber. “With increasing regional and international engagement on the issue, the pressure is on for Indonesia to provide a meaningful response.”

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Police who shot Papuans in Degeuwo must be arrested, says Imparsial

JUBI, 22 May 2012

The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor, Imparsial in Jakarta has urged the police in Papua to arrest those members of Brimob, the police elite force who shot five Papuans in Location 45, while they were engaged in panning for gold in Degeuwo on Wednesday 16 May.

The director of Imparsial Poengky Indarti furthermore said that the involvement of Brimob in this matter was a violation of the regulations, and even more regrettable was the fact that people had been shot and wounded, one of whom had died.

She said that Brimob is a force which was set up to handle major conflicts, not to deal with minor infringements like unauthorised panning of gold, and to face the possibility of attack from abroad. Brimob is regarded as para-military.

The five men who were shot and hit on Wednesday were: Melianus Abaa, 40 years old,who was shot from behind, the bullet penetrated his chest and he died as a result; Lukas Gegepa, 30 yrs, who was shot in the stomach, Alpius Kegepa, who was shot in the right arm, Amos Kegepa, 30 yrs, who was hit in one of this legs,  The fifth man who was shot was Yulianus Wegepa, who was shot in the back.

Translated by TAPOL

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