Author: westpapuamedia

Independent Journalism from West Papua to the World

Dr Neles Tebay statement on West Papua to the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights

Statement to the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights

 

‘Public Hearing on Human rights situation in South East Asia with special focus on West Papua’

 

29 November 2011

By Dr Neles Tebay

Coordinator of the Papua Peace Network and Rector of the ‘Fajar Timur’ Catholic School of Philosophy and Theology, Jayapura

First of all, I would like to apologize for not being able to be with you and among you in this important meeting. I have taken the decision to not coming to Brussels, because the tension in West Papua now is running high. The Papuans are preparing themselves to celebrate 1st of december. More Indonesian security forces are being deployed in West Papua. Many people here are worried and restless. Therefore, I have decided to stay among and with People here in this time of crisis.

I would like to thank you for allowing me to share my observation and opinion about the relationship between Indonesia and West Papua.

The relationship between Jakarta-based government and the Papuans has been and is still being characterized by mutual suspicion and mistrust.

West Papua under Indonesian rule has become a land of violent conflicts.

The conflict derives from different interpretation of the integration of West Papua into the Republic of Indonesia.

Indonesia considers that West Papua is an integral part of its territory. West Papua, then, shpould always be maintained as Indonesia’s territory.

Therefore Papuan resistance is considered as a threat to the Indonesia’s territorial integrity.

The eradication of separatist movement in West Papua has been reason to justify all forms of state violence against the Papuans and human rights abuses committed againat the Indigenous Papuans.

I thinki, more human rights violations will likely continue to happen in the future because thousands of additional troops have been deployed in West Papua and the root cause of the Papua conflict has not been addressed yet .

Menwahile many indigenous Papuans see their ancestral land of West Papua is occupied by Indonesian military. They feel that they have been and are still being colonized by Indonesia.

Therefore they have been raising their resistance against a colonial power on their ancestral land. Their resistance has been manifested through violent and non-violent menas. I see that the Papuans will continue raising their resistance against Indonesian rule by any means.

I think, it is now the time for the central government and the Indigenous Papuans to think about policies to end the human rights violations.

I do believe that more human rights violations are likely to occur in West Papua unless the root causes of Papuan separatism are resolved.

So it is important for the both parties to engage in a constructive dialogue to identify these root causes of separatism and settle them without unnecessary bloodshed.

The good news is that the Indonesian government under the leadership of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indigenous Papuans have expressed publicly their willingness to engage in dialogue to seek peaceful solutions to the Papua conflict.

President Yudhoyono is commited to settle the Papua conflict through dialogue. He has publicly announced the government’commitment to engage in dialogue with the Papuans to seek better solutions and options to setle the grievances in West Papua.

So, If I may suggest, I would like to ask the European Union, including the European Parliament and the European Commission, to support the Indonesian government’s initiative for an open dialogue with the Papuans to settle peacefully the Papua conflict. The European Union can offer any necessary assistance in order to support the government of Indonesia so that the Papua conflcit can be settled through an open dialogue with the the Indigensous Papuans.

Thank you so much for your understanding and attention.

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It is time to put talk into action: Aust Parliament speech by Jane Prentice MP (Ryan)

Hansard Transcript of  Speech given to the Australian Parliament House of Representatives on Monday November 21,  by Jane Prentice MP (Ryan), Liberal Party of Australia.

Mrs PRENTICE (Ryan) (10:42): Like others in this chamber I applaud the sentiment and goals expressed by President Obama in his address to the Australian parliament last week. His words do bear repeating, so I quote:

As two global partners, we stand up for the security and dignity of people around the world.

President Obama said that the larger purpose of his visit to this region was ‘our efforts to advance security, prosperity and human dignity across the Asia-Pacific’ and that ‘Asia will largely define whether the century ahead will be marked by conflict or cooperation, needless suffering or human progress’. He went on to say:

We stand for an international order in which the rights and responsibilities of all nations and people are upheld. … Every nation will chart its own course, yet it is also true that certain rights are universal. … As two great democracies we speak up for these freedoms when they are threatened. We partner with emerging democracies, like Indonesia, to help strengthen the institutions upon which good governance depends. This is the future we seek in the Asia Pacific — security, prosperity and dignity for all.

As I said in my maiden speech, in our region we have a particular responsibility to assist our developing friends, not in a patronising way but with a genuine hand of friendship and support. The developed world has not found a successful form of providing aid to our neighbours, in much the same way that we have much to learn in helping our own Indigenous Australians. In both cases we must persist, because if we fail we let our neighbours down—and, indeed, our first Australians.

I then went on to mention some of the many issues confronting our nearest neighbours. It is against this background that it is important that we acknowledge the respect for human rights that must be accorded to all people.

The people of West Papua are facing challenges that in many ways flow from colonial times, when lines were drawn on maps to suit the interests of colonial powers. As a country we have for more than 100 years been prepared to send our service men and women all over the world, not only into conflict situations but also as peacekeepers. Yet here, literally on our doorstep, we continue to turn a blind eye to the suffering of one of our nearest neighbours.

On that note, with everyone focused on the Asia-Pacific region, as President Obama said, we must stand up for the fundamental rights of every human being. In particular I look to our neighbours in West Papua. Mark my words, history will judge us very harshly. Indeed, we will stand condemned for our lack of action and our lack of compassion. I call on the government in its close partnership with President Obama to ensure basic human rights and freedoms for the people of West Papua. It is time to put talk into action.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PROOF
CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Asia-Pacific Region
SPEECH
Monday, 21 November 2011
BY AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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Indonesia opens fire as Papuans raise flag

December 1, 2011 – 

Security forces opened fire at a separatist flag-raising ceremony in Indonesia’s restive Papua region Thursday, on the 50th anniversary of the region’s claim to independence.

Around 500 protesters had watched a traditional dance and started cheering and running in a large circle when the region’s Morning Star flag was raised on a bamboo pole in the centre, an AFP correspondent at the scene witnessed.

Around 120 police and soldiers, along with a military truck, stormed the crowd and opened fire after the main flag was raised.

Police detained two protesters after kicking and punching them on the ground.

Papuan youth activist leader Markus Haluk told AFP that two people had been shot.

“At the ceremony in Timika, police and military opened fire and wounded one woman and one man. They are both being treated in hospital,” Haluk said.

But Mimika district deputy police chief Mada Indra Laksanta denied the shootings, saying police merely fired warning shots into the air.

“No protesters were shot, we didn’t shoot into the crowd. They were carrying sharp weapons and rocks,” Laksanta told AFP.

“Two protesters fell into the ditch as they were fleeing and suffered abrasions. They were not shot, they only had abrasions,” he said.

“Three police were wounded, their faces and heads were hit with rocks.”

Flag-raising ceremonies were held in a number of towns across Papua, and others were planned abroad in the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.

On December 1, 1961, Papuans first raised the Morning Star flag and sang a new national anthem after being granted freedom from more than 130 years of Dutch colonial rule.

A year later, Indonesia invaded Papua and took over the region with a self-determination referendum in 1969, which was widely seen as rigged.

Papuans, mostly ethnic Melanesians, have rejected the region’s status as a region within Indonesia and poorly armed separatist groups have fought a low-level insurgency.

Displaying separatist symbols such as the Morning Star is considered an act of treason in Indonesia under the criminal code and several perpetrators are serving 20-year jail terms for the offence.

Some are serving life sentences, the maximum penalty under the criminal code for anyone “with an intention to to bring the territory of the state … under foreign domination”.

AFP

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Initial reports from December 1 in West Papua: TNI respond with violence in Timika

Citizen journalists on the ground have started filing the following reports by SMS (translated from Bahasa Indonesia):

(All times given are local time)

Timika

“December 1st was celebrated in Timika. The flag was raised for approximately minutes. A church service began at 9am. The military then forcibly dispersed everyone. Two people were shot (a man and a woman). The man’s name is Viktus Wamang. He is currently in the hospital in Timika. The woman is yet to be identified. Three people have been detained. The situation is very tense. People are still detained on the field in Timika Indah.” 11:30, Dec. 1.

Sorong

“We marched around the municipality office and are now joining a mass prayer. Around 1,000 to 1,500 people are involved. The police are strictly guarding us. Hope that nothing happens to us.” 10:35, Dec 1.

Manokwari

“The streets of Manokwari are crowded. People are holding a 100m long banner that reads ‘The Federal Republic of West Papua’ and includes a photo of the President [Forkorus Yaboisembut] and the Prime Minister [Edison Waromi] and hundreds of Morning Star Flags.” 11:29, Dec 1.

Puncak Jaya (Nemangkawi in the Amungme language), the highest mountain between the Himalaya and the Andes

A European mountain climber unfurled the Morning Star Flag on the summit of Nemangkawi. The photo and a video has just been released on West Papua Media.

People are now coming out of church services. More flag raisings are expected.

It is expected that tension will increase as people come on the streets across Papua.  West Papua Media will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Witness contacts are available from West Papua Media at +61450079106

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Morning Star flag flies atop Papua’s highest peak for December 1

Message to the Papuan Peoples by the climber Christian Welponer of South-Tyrol in Italy, from the top of the highest mountain of West Papua, one of the “Seven Summits”

Christian  Welponer, the world- famous seven summit climber from South Tyrol, an autonomous region of Italy, has summitted the peak of Puncak Jaya where he raised the banned Morning Star flag in solidarity with people of West Papua commemorating the 50th anniversary of  Papua’s Day of  Stolen Independence on December 1.

Papua's banned Morning Star flag, flown by climber Christian Welponer of South-Tyrol in Italy, from the top of the highest mountain of West Papua, one of the "Seven Summits" (screen grab/ Welponer)

Indonesian security forces on November 30 threatened to “Shoot to kill on sight” any Papuan who raises the Morning Star flag, or hold any event that affirms Papua’s independence from Indonesia.  Indonesia applies charges of treason and Rebellion  – or Makar –  to any displays of political expression that speak of self-determination or an independent West Papua.

Significant crackdowns by security forces on unarmed peaceful protestors are expected across Papua on December 1, and Welponer has dedicated his flagraising to all Papuans fighting for their freedom on this day.

West Papua Media has been provided with exclusive imagery of the Welponer holding the Morning Star atop Papua’s highest peak, also the highest peak of the Australasian (not Asian) continent, sitting at 4,884 metres above sea level.  Named Puncak Jaya by invading occupation forces from Indonesia in 1969, known for hundreds of years as Carstensz Pyramid, and known for up to 45,000 years by local Amungme people as Nemangkawi,  the peak is adjacent to the massive Freeport gold and copper mine of Grasberg.  Military security is exceptionally tight around the mine area.

In the video, Welponer compares the struggle of the West Papuan people to the struggle of his people of South Tyrol, who won Special Autonomy status from Italy in 1972,  and delivers a heartfelt message of solidarity for Papuan people for December 1.

Please watch the video below or (if shared) by following this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0oo1q2Kb3E&feature=colike

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