West Papua's Independent Human Rights Media
One part of why WPM has been so busy behind the scenes. For use in training our journalists.
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OPEN LETTER
November 7, 2015
Dear Supporters of building capacity for credible Free Media in Papua,
YOUR URGENT SUPPORT FOR WEST PAPUA MEDIA’S ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA ADVOCACY COSTS HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE TO THE ABILITY FOR FRONTLINE CITIZEN AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS TO DELIVER FEARLESS, CREDIBLE AND ROBUST JOURNALISM FROM WEST PAPUA TO THE WORLD.
PLEASE VISIT WWW.WESTPAPUAMEDIA.INFO/DONATE TODAY AND GIVE GENEROUSLY. WE NEED YOUR HELP, URGENTLY, TODAY
West Papua Media is now entering its ninth year delivering credible independent and indigenous journalism from West Papuan journalists, and human rights, legal, social justice and environmental defenders, to the world. We have been a fully-fledged outlet since June 2010, and we hope to continue well into the future. Of course we have always been volunteers, and often fund this work out of our own well worn pockets. But we need your help to help us to continue to support and build a credible free independent media in West Papua, that can operate with safety..
Our impact has been huge and positive. Our initial model – which we stick to today – has a network of clandestine, trained stringers and undercover journalists in the field around Papua who could securely verify source reports independently, safely, and quickly. With the advent of instant social media capacity many activists have moved to sending UNVERIFIED reports to certain exile activist groups, who have little capacity or desire to spend the hard slog involved in ensuring that reports that they publish are accurate, verifiable or even true. In the race to get the most clicks, credibility of the West Papua story has suffered, as photos of old events, or events in other parts of the world, are relabelled as “evidence” of Indonesian brutality and distributed virally on social media by many who will not do even basic fact checking. This is very harmful in the long run, and it is something the WPM’s constituency in Papua literally cry about.
West Papua Media IS different. We believe in credibility. We believe in verifying and proving beyond all doubt that an abuses have occurred, by using a scientific process of verifying independently Who did what to whom, when where, how and why. We ask for proof, or we label assertions as quotes. We do metadata analysis of photographs (and of course reverse image searches to make sure the image isn’t recycled and relabelled).
We believe there are enough powerful stories of survival and resistance of Indonesia’s colonial brutality in West Papua, and its peoples’ desire for basic rights like the universal right to Self-determination to not need to make it up. But it is hard, it costs a lot of money to make it happen, and that money is hard to come by – which is why we urgently need your help. The very act of producing credible media is a powerful act of Self-determination, as is so powerfully demonstrated by our indigenous media partners, Tabloid Jubi, Suara Papua, and Majalah Selangkah, to name but a few.
We have worked with literally hundreds of international media outlets to deliver groundbreaking independent coverage of West Papua to the world. We have worked with generations of frontline activists and journalists to bring to real and honest aspirations of West Papua to the world. Together with our partners and pioneering West Papuan journalists, West Papua Media has re-established links between international media safety organisations to really draw attention to the lack of media safety and freedom in Papua.
Two particular reports – the Pacific Media Freedom Report and Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index (both of which WPM was closely involved with) – cemented a change in the narrative on access by international journalists to Papua, and created a new situation where a limited amount of journalists (mainly from New Zealand) have been granted approval to travel
Make no mistake, the media ban remains firmly in place for those who wish to cover the aspirations of the people, the military and police repression, and issues related to colonial exploitation, like mining, agribusiness, Oil Palm and of course illegal logging – all of which are conducted by senior members of Indonesia’s security forces.
Our clandestine network has smuggled in scores of journalists to West Papua since 2007, and provided unmatched security and fixing services for well over 300 individual journalists, many of whom are regular writers on the issue now. We have helped many journalists make their careers with major scoops, although the few of those journalists who give back are in the minority, we maintain a close working relationship with these journalists. We have published over 1,200 articles on our site, and generated content for over thirty-thousand article since 2007.
Just google “West Papua Media” to see the impact we have had, and to read papers about our work.
We need your urgent support to flourish
Just as West Papua Media (WPM)is moving forward with a host of exciting new projects and technologies to support media freedom in Papua, our crew are again staring down the barrel of a day-to-day funding gun.
Yes, the main website of Westpapuamedia.info has been a little quiet. However, published investigations and news articles are just the tip of the iceberg for what we do.
WPM has lately been focusing on a lot of costly behind the scenes work, developing exciting new secure technologies and methodologies for getting frontline journalists and human rights defenders in West Papua the ability to safely communicate between editors, content creators, field workers and sources. This is including:
What else we been doing whilst not publishing?
Of course our core work is journalism, and that has not ended. Our journalist-only newswire has been very busy, providing story ideas and leads to a number of journalists around the region and the world. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on this newswire (for security you will have to provide proof of journalism status of course)
During 2015, WPM has also been directly assisting over 40 international and regional journalists intensively in getting stories out into the media, getting and also working to secure international journalists to continue and increase coverage across many story sectors for 2016 and beyond.
We have also been assisting journalists to travel into West Papua undercover. Whilst the Indonesian President Jokowi loudly claimed that the Foreign Media ban is officially ended, the reality is foreign media still are subject to massive surveillance and restrictions, especially in coverage of genuine Papuan aspirations.
WPM is also engaged in a major digital archiving project for journalism content, and a new website with more social integration and will be launched in 2016.
However, because we have not been publishing so much original content, most of this work has gone unnoticed and unfunded, and donations have been slow (but well appreciated). West Papua Media urgently needs your generous assistance to pay for significant communications costs imposed on us over the last few months and to guarantee our uptime.
Currently, about eight major investigations into abuses in West Papua are on hold due to the lack of resources to get independent, credible, on-ground verification from our clandestine network of stringers and journalists inside West Papua. These include:
Please help us bring this to publication and reality.
We urgently need to raise around $A8000 to pay for Website costs, anti-ddos mirroring and cybersecurity, phone bills (over $1500 is owing on that alone), and the obvious costs of phone internet access for all of our team. Our phone and internet access is critical, with red letters turning into restrictions on our ability to report.
We are also attempting to provide secure Blackphones to frontline journalists, so sponsorship is being sought for the (heavily discounted) purchase of these units. We can also provide them, with training, for sale to those concerned about Indonesian and Australian government surveillance on your communications.
Your support will go a long way to helping get truthful, credible investigative journalism from West Papua to the world. Please remember we are all entirely volunteer and do not get paid for our work, despite it being a full time job.
How to donate
PLEASE SUPPORT THE WORK OF WEST PAPUA MEDIA. WE ARE ENTIRELY NON-PROFIT AND RELY ON YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR SURVIVAL
Please donate directly to us below via Paypal, Bitcoin or via our bank below.
If you are in Australia you can contribute by depositing directly into the following Bank Account:
BankAustralia
BSB: 313140
Account Number: 12089588
Please contact us via My secure contact form for full banking details for international transfers
A formal crowdfunding appeal will be shortly forthcoming – any supporters who may be able to offer crowdfunding experience and support are greatly encouraged to contact us at http://www.westpapuamedia.info/contact
WPM is also looking for more volunteer translators, researchers, and folks experienced in graphic design who may be able to volunteer their time (or be paid in kind). Please contact us if you would like to help out
Please help if you can by donate generously as soon as you can, as our server subscription is literally about to expire tomorrow (November 8), and we are still hundreds of dollars shy of keeping it online.
Thank you for your support
West Papua Media team
Jayapura, Jubi/BenarNews – During his visit the United States this week to attract more investment, President Joko Widodo, his ministers and officials in the field of economy were scheduled to officially meet with executives of US companies.
However, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno L.P. Marsudi denied the president would meet representatives from Freeport, which has an interest in obtaining a contract extension after 2021.
“Rumours in media that the president had a schedule to have breakfast with Freeport are not true,” said Retno was quoted in Solopos.
The US Company that operates the world’s largest gold mine and third largest copper mine in Papua, is enforcing the Indonesian Government to extend their Contract of Work while refer to the Indonesian regulation the extension could be approved two years prior the last contract was terminated. However, before his departure to the US, Jokowi gave a signal to Freeport could obtain the extension after the end of contract, it means in 2019.
No Intention to Develop Papua
In between the crowded debates and controversy about the contract extension for PT. Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) in Mimika, the voices from Papua are rarely heard.
But for Papuans, this issue of contract extension is not only a matter of time. The Papua Governor Lukas Enembe was doubt the intention of PTFI to develop Papua.
“We submitted 17 points of Government’s Proposal consist of 11 points of Papua Government and 6 points of the Central Government in order to renegotiate with Freeport, including the Freeport’s involvement to build infrastructure in Papua, the increment of royalty and tax payment to the Provincial Government, share divestment, environmental issue and prioritizing Papuans to be employees. That’s our priorities,” Enembe told BeritaBenar on 17 October 2015.
He accused Freeport to have no intention to Papua’s development. He took Timika City as an example, that until now the city is lacking of feasible infrastructures. “Freeport has been operating since 1967, but what about Timika and how’s Papuan condition right now? Infrastructures in Timika are still underdeveloped. The number of indigenous Papuan workers in Freeport is not equal with the number of non-Papuan workers. If it continues like this, Freeport is better leaving. Without it, Papuans will still survive,” said the Governor Enembe.
The local authority estimates there are only 30 percent of the company’s employees are Papuans, while the rest are recruited from outside of Papua.
Further Enembe refers to the attitude of PTFI that according to him hindering the water surface tax payment. Each year, Freeport should pay 360 billion rupiahs for the water surface tax, but the fact is up to now PTFI only paid approximately 1.5 billion for each year.
“Freeport took many advantages of the government’s rotation every five years, and violated the commitment made between the government and Freeport. And the government just ignored this fact. But it is clear, Freeport has to pay 360 billion rupiahs each year,” he said.
The Governor Enembe said the Provincial Government also support the policy taken by the Mimika Regional Government charging PTFI to pay a penalty amounted USD 3.6 billion or Rp 481 trillion to the indigenous tribes living in the surrounded mining area.
“It’s the people’s demand because Freeport has exploited the mountain and its materials since being operated, but never given the in kind benefits to the local community,” said Enembe.
It’s a Political Treaty, Not Business Agreement
Musa Sombuk, Lecturer at Papua State University and doctoral candidate at Australia National Univrsity thought the tax issue, profit sharing, and other issues that endured for years as consequences of PTFI’s contract of work is a “political agreement” rather an economic agreement between the company and the Indonesian Government.
“At first time doing operation, it was clear that Indonesia need a cash. Now, the Freeport’s contract is not transparent, unequal and the profit sharing is not fair. Freeport also did any means in order to gain land ownership,” said Sombuk.
When confirmed by BeritaBenar, PTFI spokesperson Riza Pratama declined to give comments on the renegotiation process with the Central Government, but he denied PTFI did the cunning ways in obtaining the land. He said the customary community at the PTFI mining area has gave their permission and tenure rights since PTFI started their operation for the first time. According to Reza, the company also has paid the penalty and is continuing the development program for indigenous communities at the surrounded the mining area.
Sombuk, who admitted his involvement in the audit of PTFI in 1997, said the company is not only taking the copper and gold, but also the tailing –sand waste containing the iron ore, that could reach 30 billion tons. Several grams of tailings, according to him, could result 1 gram of 23 carat gold. “Now there’s 30 billion tons of tailing and it must be gold-contained. Where will the gold from tailing go?” said Sombuk.
“Just imagine, Freeport should use the dump truck to dispose the tailing, but they just drain it to the Ajikwa River that is bearing the risk and impact to the people’s health and environment,” said Sombuk.
According to Sombuk, PTFI could survive until now because it gained support and facilities from the government, both regional and provincial. The vague regulation and the attitude of both government and company for not being transparent making the law enforcement is risk with the corrupt practice.
“We never know whether the local permits have any cost consequences. If it has, such as the charge on waste draining in Ajikwa River, we don’t know to whom it should pay and how much?” asked Sombuk. (Victor Mambor/rom)
By Pastor Honaratus Pigai
OPINION / ESSAY
November 2, 2015
The creation of human beings is indeed one of the brilliant works of God, giving freedom to humans to choose between right and wrong, good and bad. It is the very intelligence of humans which differentiates us from other living things in the creation. We are indeed unique. Animals share the characteristic of humans that they tend towards using violence in order to defend themselves. Animals also have instincts.
Unlike human beings, animals don’t possess the means to be able to evaluate the appropriateness of actions.. The instinct of animals is but one of survival. Yet despite the “higher level intelligence” of humans, at times they will act not just out of an instinct to survive when threatened, but rather as a predator against their fellow humans. (Something like a group of lions which may seize by violence the territory of another lion group.)
Sadly there are far too many instances of such predatory behaviour being seen in Papua against the indigenous people of the land.
Humanity – one would have thought – should have ceased using violence against their fellow beings long before this point in human history. What’s more those nations that call themselves ‘civilised’. It is appropriate that human violence only be tolerated when one nation is faced with an threat to their safety by another nation. So then violence would only be used in a way that is legal under human law (to defend) against that which is carrying out the wrong.
However here in Papua violence is being systematically used not against criminals, but against the people.
The State versus the Community
A State has a certain authority recognised in the protection of its community. It is regarded as the ‘protector’ of the people. Instances of the use of violence by a State should only in the context of protecting its people from some threat of harm. Violence should never be used by the State against the community itself. However what has been occurring in Papua in recent times is totally paradoxical to that (notion).
Although it is forbidden to openly admit that the Indonesian State is opposing the very community that it is supposed to protect in Papua, the fact is that frequently the Papuan community does feel as if it is being regarded as the ‘opposition’ of the State. Particularly around instances when the State forces its own will onto the people. National policies applied in Papua largely can be said NOT to be representative of the Papuan context, nor the needs of the local community. Often heard on the streets in response is “What is asked for is one thing, what is given is another.” This is a reality. The policies are not in accordance with what is asked for, or even what is wanted and hoped for by the community.
It seems likely that violence has been adopted as the one and only ‘solution’ of the State of Indonesia to solving the problems in Papua. At those moments when the community is seen to oppose the will of the State, indeed this seems ever so clear. However Indonesia does not seem to recognise that the violence of its agents is having a counter productive result: among its ramifications is that the State will predictably lose legitimacy and the trust of the Papuan community. This is an important matter for the state, which will only be changed by the State having an approach of dialogue and treating people humanely.
Obviously we are all human beings and that we should as much as possible be using means that are humane and civilised. Would it therefore not be preferable that when a government (representing the power of the state) is adopting any policy that profoundly effects the community, that they would seek the opinion of that community to be affected, prior to that point? The government must not just hide from its obligations, seeking protection behind legalities of power, with statements like ‘This is in accordance with legal procedure’. They must stop the inherent power games against the community, claiming that ‘This is in accordance with a legal decision, so it must be implemented’.
The State must seek to bring about justice and peace for the people, not the opposite! The law is an instrument to be used to attain a civilised state of affairs and good for its citizens, not to be used to spill the blood of the people and create death and tragedy in their lives. The recent human history of Papua is indeed full with the spilling of blood and killing of the Papuan people. There has been absolutely no episode of life for Papuans in this era where there has been a real peace and a lack of violence in the land against its people. The violence itself has become like a little king, a ruler in Papua. Indeed it is no mistake to say that a ‘smooth’ genocide has befallen the indigenous community of Papua.
‘Smooth’ Violence
The State violence in Papua is clothed with a smooth, soft touch. Those that commit the acts of violence and create the anarchy wear security hats and are referred to as the so-called ‘protectors’ of the community. This is a fact of what is happening. Far from the ideals of ‘Peacekeeping and protection,’ it seems have been watered down to meaning ‘closing down (cultural) pride actions that might otherwise arise’.
It’s up to each of us to interpret what is really going on in relation to those wearing those ‘hats’ in light of the realities in Papua. The Writer sees it as a ‘smooth’ violence, a ‘refined’ violence being committed against the people. This really can damage the sense of peacefulness in the community. Even the justice spoken of in the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia 1945 is damaged as a consequence of this neglect by the State of its people.
The State could try just once in a while seeking the opinions from the community regarding policies in Papua. If the majority of opinions sought were in agreement with the policies, by all means continue to apply them. However if the community does not agree, they must be discontinued. Unfortunately there is no such mechanism as this in existence; It is but utopian as the role of the community should already be represented by the Papuan Legislative Assembly (DPRD). They are the ones in the Indonesian structure which represent the community. There is no use regretting this as this is the mechanism which we chose democratically.
The DPRD has an incredibly obvious shortcoming. All manner of aspirations of the people that reach their desk are in one way or another overlooked. As the representative of the community that sits in the most respected of positions it feels indeed like there has been some sort of ‘cutting off’ of a limb. Both attention and partiality of the DPRD towards the Papuan community are severely dulled.
It is truly hoped that the games of violence in Papua – whether of the ‘smooth faced’ type or more crude forms of violence against the people – might be questioned. The hats of the ‘peacekeepers and protectors’ must be removed as the proliferation of Indonesian military forces in Papua is not the solution! Violence is not the solution and neither is money the solution. The solution lies in listening to the true desires of the community. Not the wishes of the Papuan government officials who have no genuine concern for the suffering of the Papuan indigenous community.
The Author is a Church Worker in Timika, Papua.
Translated, annotated and edited by West Papua Media for linguistic clarity. The religious views espoused in this Opinion piece are the author’s own and not necessarily those of West Papua Media.
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