Author: westpapuamedia

Independent Journalism from West Papua to the World

Lawyer complains of lack of professionalism as Buchtar trial

 

 

JUBI, 10 September 2012The tight security by the police round the courthouse  while the trial of Buchtar Tabuni was  in progress was described as being unprofessional by a member of the legal team of the defendant.

Gustaf Kawer said: ‘The tight security round the courthouse  is a violation of the basic principles  of court practice. This is a public trial which means that anyone can come and attend it.  Excessive security  while the trial is in progress is very unprofessional,’ said Kawer.

Buchtar Tabuni is charged with having caused damage to the Abepura Prison on 3 December. The trial hearing was suspended and the trial will resume on 13 September, because witnesses did not turn up for the hearing as a result of which the lawyers  promised that they would produce the witnesses, said Matius Murib.

The hearing on 13 September will be the last occasion  for the witnesses to appear. The deputy director of the prison is adequate and will not be summoned again after having be summoned to appear three times.

Kawer said that the proceedings were not conducted professionally; the witnesses should have appeared at the appointed time but that did not happen. Furthermore, he said, the judge should behave  independently in the way he chairs the court and should not take sides either with the state or the victim..

At today’s hearing of the Buchtar Tabuni trial, there were forty people from Dalmas and the Jayapura police command, who were fully backed up  by personnel from the Abepura police command, who were headed by the head of the Jayapura police command, Kiki Kurnia.

[Translated by TAPOL]

 

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Papuan people warned to beware of propaganda in run-up to UN General Assembly

 

Bintang Papua,
7 September 2012

Indigenous Papuans have been warned to beware of well-structured propaganda efforts in the run-up to the forthcoming UN General Assembly session by people who have the backing of the Indonesian government.

This warning came from a group of Papuan leaders including the governor of Doberai Region of the Federal Republic of West Papua, (NRFPB) Barnabas Mandacan, the special staff of the presidency Zakaria Horota, and the chairman of  the West Melanesian Council, Melky Bleskadit.

Barnabas urged the Papuan people to fully support the UN assembly meeting and to strive hard to ensure that it includes a reference to  Papua’s history from 1 December 1961 up to the Third Papuan Peoples Congress in October 2011.

‘We have no other option. We want to gain our freedom. Issues that are being blown up by the media and other sources  will not influence the views of the Papuan people. There must be a revision of history,’ said Barnabas.

The presidential staff  called on indigenous  Papuans to avoid any provocations aimed at undermining their unity.

‘The revision of history must begin with negotiations between the NRFPB and Indonesia.While the format is being worked out, the struggle for recognition as a nation will continue.’

He went on to say that Indonesia had come under extraordinary pressure at the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva because of the human rights abuses continuing in Papua. ‘All the violence in the past as well as the violence that is now happening must be made the focus of Indonesia’s attention in order to ensure that Jakarta is committed to the need to resolve the Papuan problem,’ he said.

According to the plan being worked out by the NRFPB, the pre-negotiation stage will occur from August to September 2012  while on 19 October  three flags will be unfurled  in seven districts of Papua. The three flags are the Morning Star flag, the UN flag and the Red-and-White flag.

The transfer of administrative powers  from NKRI to the UN and from the UN to the NRFPB will take place from October 2012 to May 2013.

A rally will take place on 12 September. Bleskadit went on to say that there were significant differences between the Indonesian and the Papuan people in terms of anthropology, politics and law.

There should be no intervention from authoritarian sources. The format for resolving the problems between the two sides.must be rational.

‘These are serious matters that need to be solved. Papuan freedom is a golden bridge  which could save Indonesia from crisis.’

[Translated by TAPOL]

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So, who is the real terrorist? West Papua Responses to Australia, U.S. and Indonesia

Opinion

By Victor F. Yeimo
Chairman of the West Papua National Committee [ KNPB ]

September 9, 2012

(text edited/retranslated by West Papua Media for linguistic clarity)

Last week, Australia, the United States and Indonesia strengthened their economic, political and security ties while the people of West Papua were lamenting their oppression. That’s a sure sign that the practice of colonialism and capitalism will continue in West Papua. We do not know how much more blood will be shed as the people of West Papua will fall victim to the Indonesian military.

The world seems blind and deaf to the repression in West Papua. The world does not care about the Papuan struggle in upholding truth, justice, honesty and humanity. Instead, the world (community seems to be) trampling human values, truth, justice, honesty and all the rules of its international law.  The world only cares about its political and economic interests.

West Papua has become the object of economic transactions and political interests of U.S and Indonesia.  This dirty practice is still applied in the so-called “open era”. The lust of economic and political expansion of the states, without feeling of guilt, continues to increase the suffering of the West Papuans. The people of West Papua are not stupid.

People of West Papua fully understand how colonialism and exploitation scenarios work in this modern century.  Labelling and stigmatisation of indigenous people as terrorists, and then kill and take control of land and its natural resources are the ways that are always used by the colonial countries and capitalists.  Australia, Britain, the U.S. and Indonesia are implementing those ways in West Papua.

The peaceful resistance movement in West Papua is being silenced by the Indonesian military forces.  The space of peace and democracy has closed and Indonesia has opened a space of violence, so that they can easily kill and destroy the West Papuan peoples’ struggle with the stigma of terrorism.  Using that stigma to cement military cooperation between Indonesia, the U.S., Australia and other countries is considered essential.  For them, it is important to kill Papuans and to occupy the land of West Papua.

Violence has been created by rulers who oppress and exploit the people and the land of West Papua.  Terrorism is created for global rulers who have an interest in mastering the fields of exploitation.  Terrorism was created by the colonial rulers who invaded to take control of someone else’s land.  The territory of West Papua is controlled by Indonesia. The people of West Papua were massacred by Indonesia. Military power is funded, supported and trained by Australia, the U.S. and other pro-colonial and capitalist countries.

This is evidenced by the attitude of the Australian government and the presence of three ministers from Australia during the visit of the U.S. Secreatary of State Hillary Clinton to Indonesia while increasing support for the Indonesian defense forces. Meanwhile, thousands more Indonesian troops are being deployed to West Papua, and police in West Papua, led by the former head of Detachment 88 Anti-Terrorism Tito Karnavian, and detectives at the Criminal Investigation Unit of Papua Police are now controlled by members of Detachment 88.
Their goal is only one, to kill all members of the peaceful resistance movement in West Papua, to eliminate the people of West Papua, and to rule the roost on this land for the benefit and prosperity of colonialism and global capitalism.

So, who is the real terrorist?

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Third Degree Radio: West Papua Media’s model

http://thirddegree.org.au/story/2012/09/05/west-papua-media

In Conversation with Nick Chesterfield from West Papua Media

In West Papua, massive gold mines dump toxic sludge into river systems, an independence movement is aggressively crushed by Indonesian soldiers and political leaders are assassinated – and only rarely do we hear about it. In response to an Indonesian media blackout in the region, a variety of people inside and outside West Papua formed West Papua Media, an organisation which attempts to bring independent news about West Papua to the rest of the world.

With Simon Unwin
August 2012

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Greens condemn mixed messages on West Papua

 

Media Release

  PRESS RELEASE – AUSTRALIAN GREENS

September 7, 2012

The Australian Greens have today questioned the mixed messages the Australian Government is sending Indonesia about human rights in West Papua.

“The Australian Government needs to take a consistent stance in defence of human rights in our region, not just pay them lip service,” said Australian Greens Leader and Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne.

“Why is Stephen Smith signing a new ‘Defence Co-operation Agreement’ with Indonesia this week, when just last week Bob Carr was calling for an inquiry into the alleged involvement of the Indonesian military in the assassination of an indigenous West Papuan leader?”

The Australian Greens spokesperson for West Papua, Senator Richard Di Natale, questioned how Stephen Smith could have ‘no concerns’ about West Papua.

“The human rights abuses in West Papua were exposed on ABC’s 7:30 Program just last week. For Minister Smith to say that he has no concerns regarding West Papua is a clear case of wilful ignorance,” said Senator Di Natale.

“How can Australia turn a blind eye to the allegations that troops we have funded and trained are carrying out human rights abuses against the indigenous peoples of West Papua?

“Australia should require assurances that our military support will not lead to further violations of human rights. And we must call for West Papua to be opened up to foreign journalists and human rights monitors so that we can hold those assurances to account.

“The lives and human rights of our West Papuan neighbours should be a priority in our dealings with Indonesia. And it should certainly warrant a lot more attention and respect from Australia’s Foreign and Defence Ministers than just a discussion ‘in passing’.”

Media contact: Andrew Blyberg 0457 901 600

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