PAPUAN, Jayapura – The field of Theys Hiyo Eluay’s grave, which was be used by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) together with the people of West Papua to commemorate the 50th year of the annexation of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia, had its planned use called off.
This was because the Jayapura Police, led by the Jayapura police chief, Commissioner Roycke Harry Langie S.Ik, had allegedly booked this historic field to hold social activities to welcome the (HUT) Police Anniversary and Police Hospitals Foundation (YBK) .
“Yes, the field is used for social activities in order to welcome YBK and police anniversary,” Papua Police Public Relations Head, Chief Sumerta I Gede said, as confirmed by suarapapua.com reporter this afternoon.
Arnold Belau, suarapapua.com journalist, who also visited the Garden Tomb at Theys Square in Sentani revealed, it appears that some members of the Police gathered in the field, while doing the distribution of basic necessities and medicine to civilians.
“Not many people are there in the tomb of Theys. There are only members of the Police and the wives of the police, and a parked armored car, 1 police truck, 3 cars of the air force, and 1 mobile health car, “said Belau, via cell phone connection.
According to Belau, it does not seem that KNPB mass movement and mass of Papua people are to hold worship at the field at the Tomb of Theys as scheduled.
Earlier, Chairman of the KNPB, Victor Yeimo appealed and issued a call for the date of May 1, 2013 to be celebrated as the annexation of Papua into the Indonesian state, or national day of mourning for the people of Papua.
Yeimo said that the KNPB together with West Papuan people will use the park grounds of the Theys Hiyo Eluay tomb in Sentani, to hold religious and political speeches.
A Personal reflection on the West Papuan struggle from a leading West Papuan independence activist.
“ Dear Mum You raised your children with sincere of love, you guide your children with education of wisdom When your children create an offense, you give advise to your children with wisdom from your Melanesian culture. When your children were arrested and imprisoned, you went to visit your children even when the authorities of Indonesia tried to stop you from it. Today I remember mama, when I sat next to mum in the guard room, you start greet me, Herman, how is your health condition these days? I am fine mum but I really apologize for making you come to prison to see me as always you do. Thank you for your love, mama! Washington DC, Herman Wainggai”
What are the changes that happened in the past 50 years that West Papua has been ruled by Indonesia? Why do I reflect on my personal journey and write this ? Because this has been the reality of the lives of the Papuan people under the Indonesian military system since the 1st of May, 1963 and since the so called Act of Free Choice in 1969 when West Papua through military and political pressure was unjustly integrated into Indonesia. We [West Papuans] have maintained our dignity in the face of oppression, insult and prejudice. So many of our people have suffered and died, and they will continue to suffer and die under the military regime of Indonesia. This is why we cannot stop our struggle for justice and freedom.
Life is a struggle for West Papuan people. Indonesia has imposed a brutal military occupation, and the West Papuan people have become victims of rape, murder, abuse, torture and intimidation. When I was in West Papua in the 1990s, I studied at a university, I was also actively involved in the West Papuan people’s struggle and I organized many nonviolent demonstrations against the brutality government of Indonesia. I knew there were many risks to face when I was in my country at that time because I was unsure of how I could deal with the authority of Indonesia. One of the biggest challenges in my life occurred when me and my friends organized a peaceful demonstration in my country. As a result of the nonviolent protest I was convicted of subversion and incarcerated twice for almost three years in my country of West Papua. While I was in the prison of Indonesia, I thought that I would be killed by the oppressor government of Indonesia if I was still in prison for a long period of time. Begining that moment, I started to think more about my safety and personal life and staying alive was my biggest concern. I decided that best plan was to leave West Papua after I released out from the prison. It would be better for me to escape from my country to exile. I would be safe, able to increase international attention on the issue and also to continue the struggle in a nonviolent manner from afar.
Most daily life in my country is a nightmare, which is why many West Papuan leaders and friends have been killed, either inside prison or after released. For me, to leave was big decision to make because it meant I would be leaving all my family and friends behind. This was an extremely hard decision to leave my country of West Papua but I think it was great decision for myself and I was also happy to help my other friends who came with me on the outrigger when I left the country and crossed the open ocean for four days to seeking safety in Australia.
New York City is historically significant place to the West Papuan people because of the New York agreement, which ultimately handed control of West Papua to Indonesia in the 1960s. The United Nations building is also located in New York. Fifty years later, I found myself living in the United States of America and every time I have visited to the United Nations building I have developed a deep love for differences in culture, cities, experiences, works and ideas. These are everlasting impressions that will be vivid in my mind and heart for the rest of my life and have been significant in creating my experience today. I am always impressed by the architecture and inspired by the purpose of the United Nations and the work that they do, as well as the flags outside the building. I learned a lot of things about myself and the world that I never would have had the opportunity to learn if I had not left my home country of West Papua. My time abroad has sometimes been lonely and crazy but it is also the best experience of my life to be able to continue to fight for my people from the USA and hopefully make a difference. I have had moments when I have been extremely uncomfortable, or when I simply have to smile, laugh and embrace the awkward, but that’s what truly makes the journey abroad experience so valuable. I have been forced out of my country, my comfort zone and away from the community but am able to experience another culture that is completely different than my own, a valuable learning experience to say the least. For these significant experiences, I will never regret my decision to step out of my comfort zone and risk this journey abroad because it has been the best of my life, filled with adventure, challenges, and of course, the beautiful awkward.
This feeling of abandonment compelled me to meet people from all over the world from every ethnic group, country, age and religious background and I gained a broader more accepting world view and obtained vast amounts of knowledge all while continuing my advocacy works to help the people of West Papua. The United Nations was established after World War II and its most important service is being a place for the countries of the world to come together every year to discuss, communicate and debate issues happening around the world. It regulates the activity of the world’s government. The issue of human rights violations in West Papua and brutal militaristic control of Indonesia is something I believe UN needs to act on in order to stand by their upheld values on judgment, human rights, and freedom. This has been an ongoing conflict for 50 years, it is unresolved and the military operation continues to destroy West Papua. Intimidation, terror, murder, rape, and what could be called‘slow motion genocide,’ these are the realities of life for the trampled people of West Papua. It has been far too long that the West Papuans have being oppressed and it is for this reason that the cause of West Papua should be relisted on the UN Security council agenda sometime.
I have often seen the flags being flown outside of the UN building. It is a beautiful and prideful sight and is a constant reminder to me that the West Papuan flag should be flying outside the building, and someday it will. This is what the West Papuan people have been and will continue to fight for. In the land of West Papua, a man can serve fifteen years in jail simply for raising the Morning Star flag, which has significant historical, political, and cultural meaning to the people of West Papua.
Telling my story has become a new aspect of my dream and big part of my journey. This is a story that I want the world to know, so that my country and my people can live a life of freedom and independence like the other 193 countries who are UN members.
Therefore, in the name of justice, truth and freedom, human rights and political rights for the people of Papua, a free nation of Melanesia, we ask the Australian Government, the government of The United States of America and all other International communities, for a dialog between the Jakarta Government and the Federated republic of West Papua that is mediated by a third party nation or representatives of the United Nations.
For many people around the world the first day in May is a time a celebration, a day to remember how ordinary people won the right to the eight hour working day.
But in West Papua May Day is a day of national mourning.
Fifty years ago on 1 May 1963 the United Nations abandoned West Papua. After a brief nine months administering the country the United Nations pulled out of West Papua to allow the Indonesian government to rule the territory on behalf of the International Community.
Fifty years later the Indonesian security forces are still in West Papua and a free and fair referendum on West Papua’s political status is yet to take place.
Here’s a rundown of how West Papuans across the country commemorated the day.
Sorong
Thomas Blessia
Grief took on new intensity as the Indonesian security forces shot dead two Papuan protesters in Sorong and wounded two others. According to human rights defenders from Elsham, the Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights in West Papua, who also have an office in Sorong, shortly after 10pm on Tuesday night police from Aimas Police station together with Indonesian soldiers.
arrived at the home of Ishak Klaibin (49). In a report obtained by West Papua Media Elsham Sorong reports that Papuan activists were holding a meeting to prepare for demonstrations the following day.
According to Mr Klaibin a number of Papuans got into an argument with the police and soldiers who shot dead Abner Malagawak (22) and Thomas Blesia (22). Malagawak was shot in the shoulder while Blesia was shot in the back of the head.
Apner Malagawak
Three other people, Salomina Klaibin (31), Herman Lokmen (18), and Andreas Safisa (24), were wounded in the attack.
Jayapura
Despite the killing of the Malagawak and Blesia the night before in Sorong and knowing the risk to their safety given the refusal by the Indonesian police, military and recently inaugurated Papuan Governor, Lukas Enembe, to grant official permission for peaceful demonstrations, Papuans from across the country continued with planned nonviolent demonstrations.
In Jayapura, the capital of West Papua, the demonstration was jointly organised by the West Papuan National Parliament and the National Federated Republic of West Papua, and the march led by Buchtar Tabuni. The West Papua National Committee (KNPB), West Papua National Authority and Melanesian Women of Papua – all came together to support civilian based protest.
The activists gathered outside the University student dormitory, Asrama Nayak, and proceeded to march towards Abepura, a university suburb in Jayapura. Five hundred West Papuan activists accompanied by drums, flautists and banners marched. They sang, cried out “Free Papua” and carried banners denouncing fifty years of occupation by the Indonesian military. The protesters held banners declaring “Fifty years of lies, manipulation, torture and killing”, “Not Integration; Annexation”, “The Indonesian occupation is illegal”, “Enough is Enough” and “Stop violence against Papuan women”. Many of the banners were decorated with the photos of Papuan victims of torture by the Indonesian security forces.
Human rights defenders from Elsham, who were present monitoring the demonstration reported that as the protesters passed the military command at Padang Bulan, the name of neighbourhood where the Elsham office is located, soldiers fired their weapons seven times into the air.
Around the same time local stringers at the protest reported that several activists walking on the street in Jayapura were seized by security personnel, forcibly loaded into a military truck and driven some thirty kilometres away to an army base at the foot of Mt Cyclops. The activists later managed to escape when the truck was forced to stop near Sentani. Papuan citizen journalists also told New Matilda and West Papua Media that during the march in Jayapura Indonesian police attempted to arrest Markus Yenu, a well-known protest leader from Manokwari. However, they were prevented from doing so when activists nonviolently positioned themselves between Yenu and the police. According to eyewitnesses Yenu promptly disappeared into the crowd and is now reported to have gone into hiding.
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Slideshow: photos from May 1 Anniversary mobilisations, and Indonesian militia counter-demonstration (Photos: West Papua Media, and supplied)
According to West Papuan journalist Okto Pogau writing for Suara Papua (The Voice of Papua), water cannons, tear gas cannons and hundreds of heavily armed police and military were positioned in several sites between the centre of Jayapura and Sentani, a further 50kim away. In Sentani, beside the memorial site of West Papuan independence leader Theys Eluay, and in Kampung Harapan (the village of hope), a pro-independence stronghold, there was a heavy police and military presence. KNPB media reported the determination of the organisation to defy Indonesian police attempts to destroy them. Despite the presence of the security forces, peaceful demonstrations, speeches by KNPB chairman Viktor Yeimo and a worship service went ahead in Sentani. However, the security forces did manage to break up a KNPB demonstration in Waena, an outlying suburb of Jayapura.
In Jayapura Indonesian police, soldiers and citizens organised a counter demonstration. They drove through the streets of Jayapura in vehicles emblazoned with giant Red and White flags, the Indonesian national flag, honking their horns.
Biak
In Biak forty pro-independence activists led by Oktofianus Warnares (46) raised the Morning Star flag. According to Elsham staff in Biak the demonstration was forcibly dispersed by police and an unknown number of activists were arrested. Also in Biak, the West Papua National Committee, whose activists were recently accused of bomb-making – a charge they deny – led a prayer service. Local KNPB activist, Mnumumes, said that “1 May is the day that colonialism entered West Papua and that West Papua continues to be colonised until today.”
Fak-Fak
In Fak-Fak, a town on the North West Coast, Elsham staff report that the Morning Star flag was raised at three locations, at the Inpres Wagom Mountain Primary school, at the Second Middle School and in front of the North Fak-Fak District Office.
Paniai
In Nabire, the district capital of Paniai, Human rights defenders and church workers, under the banner of the Coalition of Papuan People from Nabire (Koalisi Rakyat Bangsa Papua Kabupaten Nabire) held a press conference commemorating the 50 year anniversary of West Papua’s annexation by the Indonesian state.
The speakers at the press conference all declared that “West Papua’s incorporation into Indonesia, the Act of Free Choice in 1969 (a shame referendum), Special Autonomy, the Unit for the Acceleration of Development in West Papua were all problems that remained unresolved.” The speakers, who included Rev. Esebius Pigai,
Daniel Zonggenau (A tribal leader from Meepako), Theo Mirip (a senior chief from the Nduga tribe), Mrs Pina Jagani (a Papuan woman’s leader), Frans Madai (a youth leader) and Yones Douw (a human rights activist), were dismissive of a new policy package called Special Autonomy Plus recently announced by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhuyono. Douw and the other Papuan leaders in Nabire demanded that “the Indonesian government immediately begin political talks with the Papuan people, mediated by an international third party.”
Timika
Viktor Mambor from the independent West Papuan media outlet, Jubi reported on events in Timika. According to Mambor, Papuans raised the Morning Star flag in front of the new Mimika Presidential primary School. The protest was dispersed by police shortly afterwards. Mimika Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Rontini Jeremias, quoted by the Antara news agency on Wednesday (01/05), said that ten residents were arrested and a Morning Star flag, betel nut tree flag pole and rope were seized.
“We follow the rules of the state, not the citizen’s rules. Who is at fault remains our process, “said Commissioner Rontini.
Benny Pakage, a human rights activist from Timika/Mimika said that police detained 15 people. Pakage also mentioned that a number of security forces were hit, but that no one was killed.
Beyond West Papua
There were also reports of demonstrations by Papuans in Java and solidarity demonstrations as far away as Noumea, Kanaky (also known as French Caledonia) where the National Kanaky Socialist Liberation Front (FLNKS) has backed West Papuan’s call for a seat at the table of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
One thing is certain: protest in West Papua shows no sign of letting up. As the Indonesian government continues to refuse to countenance talks West Papua becomes a bigger political problem.
West Papua, Jayapura – Both the Papuan Regional Police (Polda) and Indonesian Military (TNI) Command XVII/Cenderawasih are reportedly at full strength to “secure” actions that commemorate the annexation of West Papua by the Indonesian state on 1 May 1963.
Police anti-demonstration apparatus in a show of force, Jayaura, May 1, 2013 (Photo: SuaraPapua.com)
Arnold Belau, a journalist from suarapapua.com reported that dozens of police (Polri) and military (TNI) trucks were driving through the streets of Jayapura. A number of trucks were parked in places that have been sites of regular protest action by Papuans in the past.
“I just came from the housing estate Perumnas III, right at the round-about of Uncen campus. There are 5 Brimob trucks, and several military trucks parked there. I didn’t see any signs of protest or public speaking near the taxi ranks. The situation was very tense,” said Belau, via mobile connection from Jayapura.
Apart from Perumnas III, Belau also monitored the Waena area, right in front of the Museum Budaya (Cultural Museum), on the road towards Sentani, a usual location for protest action.
“At Expo, right next to Cultural Museum, there are 5 police trucks, 1 mobile water cannon, 3 armoured military vehicles and 10 Brimob (paramilitary police) patrol cars. There are hundreds of fully armed security forces near the vehicles” said Belau.
In the Sentani area Belau reported that Kampung Harapan (the village of hope) has been also occupied by hundreds of security forces. They stand alert in combat gear and are armed with automatic weapons.
“In Kampung Harapan, I observed 4 police trucks, 2 police vehicles, and 1 military truck. At the junction of the Institute of Agriculture, also in Sentani, there is 1 water cannon vehicle, 1 police truck, and 1 truck with a mounted tear gas cannon,” said Belau.
Belau continued to monitor the Sentani area, especially at the memorial of Theys Hiyo Eluay, the slain West Papuan independence leader where a protest of national mourning will be organized by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and their supporters.
Indonesian police and army units have conducted heavily armed security sweeps across Jayapura ahead of mass demonstrations to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Indonesia’s annexation of West Papua.
Thousands of members of civil society organisations are today converging on Jayapura, West Papua, to hold the demonstrations, however, reports from West Papua Media stringers on the ground in Jayapura have documented a series of brutal raids to prevent public participation in the planned rallies.
Led by a coalition of pro-independence networks including activists from the National Federated Republic of West Papua (NFRPB) and the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), the demonstrations are intended to “show a peaceful expression of continued and universal opposition to Indonesia’s colonial violence against indigenous West Papuans,” and continue to call for self-determination for Papua’s people, a basic human right now denied by Indonesia with the May 1 50-year anniversary of Papua’s annexation, according to organisers from the NFRPB.
Organisers have also called for rolling and widespread strikes, particularly amongst Papuan members of the Indonesian civil service, and for Papuan university and high school student to join the rallies and use May 1 as a “public holiday for West Papuan people’s future”.
The raids began at 0300 (3am local time) on April 30, after the new Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe endorsed a decision by Chief of the (Indonesian) Papua Police, the Australian-trained former head of the notorious counter-terror unit Detachment 88, Inspector General Tito Karnavian, to criminalise all public gatherings for May 1. Karnavian made significant public statements in both Indonesian and Papuan press saying that he will not tolerate dissent to be publicly expressed today, despite this ban being a breach of the of freedoms of expression and association guaranteed under the Indonesian Constitution.
Police have announced to Jayapura residents and rally organisers, that if demonstrations occur, Police will first attempt to use persuasion to disperse the approach of rally participants, and if rally participants ignored persuasion, then they would use force and “destroy” any gatherings.
Organisers have reported that on top of the extra thousand heavily armed police announced by Karnavian, hundreds of heavily armed plain clothes special forces police and soldiers have arrived in the city, with most moving around on motorbikes. In addition, hundreds of soldiers from the Indonesian Army (TNI) were yesterday witnessed riding on motorbikes whilst in full battle kit in a clear show of force and intimidation against Papuan civilians.
Several student dormitories housing rally delegates from various centres across Papua were raided by heavily armed police on April 30, allegedly including Australian-trained members of the counter-terror Detachment 88 attached to the Jayapura ResKrim (Criminal Investigation Branch), as part of a sweep to capture key organiser and West Papua National Authority Manokwari Governor Markus Yenu. In one raid, police from ResKrim detained for 15 hours an elderly former political prisoner named Alfred Kapisa (72), beat, interrogated and subjected him to violence, because according to human rights sources, he was found with a rally flyer on his kitchen table and was suspected of being involved as an organiser.
A raid on the Manokwari student dormitory at 1442 local time, where Yenu was present with the Manokwari rally delegations, ended with police left empty-handed after the students told the police that the delegation were the student’s official guests.
After Yenu and the Manokwari delegation moved to the Mamberamo dormitory, the Abepura police chief allegedly pressured the Chairman of the GKI (Indonesian Christian Church) Synod Alberth Yocku to issue an eviction demand for delegates to vacate the dormitories, managed by the GKI. A platoon and several carloads of heavily armed Police then arrived in the courtyard of the dormitories, and gave the delegates an hour to vacate, upon threat of arrest. The GKI had often come under criticism from Papuan civil society, churches and even Papuan politicians in the Indonesian parliament as being no more than a puppet of Jakarta.
Meanwhile, Indonesian civil society organisation National Papua Solidarity (NAPAS) has condemned the Papuan police decision to ban public dissent, saying in a statement that the ban “represents a reactive, paranoid and discriminative approach of the Indonesian government that limits the exercise of the civil and political rights of Papuans.”
“Furthermore, the decision would undermine the existing processes and initiatives to find a peaceful solution for Papua conflicts,” NAPAS coordinator Zely Ariane said in the statement.
“The ban to commemorate the 50th anniversary event illustrates the Indonesian government position that aims to monopolies the interpretation of Papuan history for the sake of the state, not for Papuans,” Ariane said.
“When both the Governor of Papua and the Chief of Police of Papua deliberately ban any activities of Papuans to commemorate this historic moment, history repeats itself. Papuan’s rights of free speech of free speech and freedom of movement and of assembly were not protected and guaranteed then and now. Therefore, we question both the local authorities in Papua and the national authorities of Indonesia whether they treat Papuans as citizens or just inhabitants,” said Ariane.
Credible sources in Jayapura have reported to West Papua Media that members of the military and police are very wary of KNPB involvement in the 50 year anniversary demonstrations, after these sources spoke with Kopassus officers posing as ojek (motorbike taxi) drivers. Indonesian security forces have long blamed KNPB members for major acts of violence including “unknown persons” (OTK) shootings, though no credible evidence has ever been proven.
However, organisers have reported to West Papua Media that consolidation and planning meetings for today’s commemorations were held between all participant components of Papuan civil resistance, and successfully developed an understanding for joint action, highlighting the goals of Negotiations, Referendum and Recognition as three points of an agreed campaign pathway agenda. Additionally, all components have reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful actions and non-violence as a strategy for all civil resistance mobilisation.
Activists are pressing on with their plans to hold rallies and commemorate today’s anniversary. Whilst activists are expecting a violent police response, they are prepared with a diversity of civil resistance and non-violence tactics to maximise the strategic backfire on Indonesian security forces.
Reports from the ground in Jayapura have detailed fears of a major escalation in repression by security forces. Currently over a thousand police have illegally set up a camp on the Papuan land that is the gravesite of Indonesian assassinated Papuan independence hero Theys Eluay. Human rights sources have expressed concern that this military occupation of one of Papua’s most important sacred site for self-determination and freedom expression is a deliberate provocation by the military to create outrage and potential violence in public gatherings today.
Elsewhere in Papua, unconfirmed reports have emerged from Sorong that a May 1 rally being held there has already been forcefully broken up by police. Human rights sources have reported that two civilians, Tomas Blesia and Abner Malagawak were shot dead, and Salomina Klaibin and Herman Lokden were wounded by security force gunfire, reportedly as people gathered peacefully for the rally. Conflicting reports have claimed that the victims were members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN), but West Papua Media has not been able to independently verify this claim.
More updates will appear on West Papua Media throughout the day, and urgent breaking news will be available on our Twitter feed @westpapuamedia.
Note: Journalists needing comment or contact numbers for speakers inside Papua are encouraged to call the West Papua Editorial team on +61401222177. This contact is bilingual in English and Bahasa Indonesia. The Coordinating Editor can be reached intermittently throughout the day on +61450079106, but not for immediate comment.
Grief took on new intensity as the Indonesian security forces shot dead two Papuan protesters in Sorong and wounded two others. According to human rights defenders from Elsham, the Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights in West Papua, who also have an office in Sorong, shortly after 10pm on Tuesday night police from Aimas Police station together with Indonesian soldiers.
West Papua Media Alerts 