Category: News alert

An urgent note to our readers regarding latest OTK shootings

MEDIA ALERT – PLEASE NOT THIS IS NOT A NEWS ITEM, THIS IS A NOTE TO OUR READERS

West Papua Media

July 3, 2012

Two OTK  (Unknown/specially trained persons) Attacks on civilians in West Papua over previous days have been heavily reported by Indonesian controlled media as being blamed on OPM/TPN independence fighters.

An attack in Wamena today has left two Indonesian colonists dead, and West Papua Media is currently getting reports from credible witnesses of a massive retaliatory rampage by Indonesian Army (TNI) Troops from Battalion 756, the battalion that rampaged across Wamena on June 6.

We are also getting credible reports of a major engagement between the TNI and TPN surrounding the village of Bolakme, outside Wamena in the Baliem Valley.

There are many conflicting reports about this incident coming froma wide variety of sources, so West Papua Media is conducting careful and critical investigation currently.

Additionally, the shooting on Sunday of Sawa Tami village chief Yanuarius Yanafrom by OTK attackers is claimed by direct witnesses to be the work of “well-built Malay men”, and we also have credible but unverified reports of the killing of 8 more people claimed by Indonesian to be OPM, but in fact ordinary villagers.  West Papua Media is awaiting identification of these victims before we publish.

Claims made by Indonesian media outlets that the shootings in both Wamena and Keerom are not currently borne by facts, and are exclusively based by Public affairs statements by Indonesian military, police and intelligence officers.  Zero attempt has been made by Indonesian journalists to seek genuine first hand witness statements, or any comment from credible independent observers, and no attempt has been made by ANY Indonesian media outlet to verify the claims of the security forces – a basic failing of journalism.

West Papua Media is in possession of a significant number of direct witness statements on the latest Keerom shooting, and after careful and sober investigation, verification, cross checking and fact checking, we will publish our findings.  There is yet to be any proof of  TPN involvement, and much evidence of an assassination by plain clothes Kopassus or Kostrad officers, consistent with a long history in Keerom regency of brutal random killings of motorcycle riders by Kopassus, “ninjas”, jihadists, and now Kostrad.

There are significant difficulties in getting an accurate picture in a highly dynamic and repressive context, with active military operations against witnesses and ordinary civilians.

West Papua Media will endeavour to publish as soon as we get a clear, verified and detailed story.  We recommend that every report that comes out from both Wamena and Keerom is treated with extreme caution until all verification has been done.

Thank you for listening

West Papua Media Editorial team

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Update: Keerom Shootings

Monday July 2 2012

0150 Papua time

westpapuamedia

A series of shootings have occurred in the remote West Papua – PNG border area of Arso, in Keerom district on Sunday July 1.

Initial reports have confirmed that one man, a village chief, has been shot dead by Indonesian army troops from Kostrad (Strategic Reserve) Battalion   as he was walking back to his village from an army post, after telling soldiers that any ceremonies held that day would not involve the raising of the banned Morning Star flag.

In an incident that may prove be connected to the first shooting, further credible reports are claiming that soldiers opened fire and shot 8 villagers who had come to investigate the first shooting.  Soldiers have arrested these eight victims and are accusing them of being OPM members, however preliminary reports indicate they are ordinary villagers.

Reports are currently conflicting at this point, so West Papua Media will bring more information as it becomes confirmed.

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1 July opened the Eyes of the World, says Thaha Alhamid

Bintang Papua, 28 June 2012
Jayapura: In response to the decision of the OPM co-ordinator to raise the Morning Star Flag  for three days from 1 July, to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the TPN/OPM, the Papuan Presidium  Council (PDP) has called on all sides not  to do anything to blemish that historic day such as perpetrating acts of terror  which can only spread fear among the Papuan people.’Regardless of whether you are for or against,’ said Thaha Alhamid, general secretary of the PDP, ‘1 July is indeed  an important milestone  for it was on that day that the Papuan people declared the independence of Papua, which opened the eyes of the world.’.

He said that everyone knows about that historic moment, including Lambert Pekikir and his colleagues, and he hoped that they would do nothing to damage the significance of that day.

‘Brother Lambert knows all about the importance of  that day and he is obliged not to do anything that would damage that anniversary. Nothing should be done to turn that day in a day of violence and blood-letting.’

He said that  the day marked an event of political importance and if anyone wants to celebrate it, they should do so by peaceful means and out of mutual respect. ‘Treat that day as an important political moment (for dialogue) and not for anything involving firearms.’

Thaha went on to say that the declaration of independence on that day had opened the eyes of the world to two facts.

‘Firstly,the Papuan people could not accept  the political decision taken by the UN with regard to the Act of Free Choice and rejected Resolution 2504 which clealy failed to treat the Papuan people as the subject, and secondly, that the Papuan people have their aspirations which differ from those  expressed in the UN resolution. ‘It was on 1 July,’ he said, ‘that  the Papuan people gave their reaction to the UN decision of 1969 which legalised Papua’s incorporation as part of Indonesia.’

Thaha also said that  he hoped that the security forces would adopt the persuasive approach , to seek to build mutual trust and avoid military operations.

He sad that the Papuan people and in particular the people in Jayapura are utterly worn out by the situation of fear.  ‘The Papuan people dont want to go on living in an atmosphere of fear. Papuan people are tired of living like this,’ he said.

He went on to say that  a peaceful situation of mutual respect  for constructive dialogue must be the way forward to resolve all the problems in Papua. ‘A political solution to reveal the reality of our past history must be achieved by peaceful means,’ he said. ‘Violence  can only lead to  people getting injured and to yet more violence.’

My message is: ‘Stop all the violence and let us enter into dialogue.’

[Translated by TAPOL]

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Joint prayers in Papua by Street Parliament banned by the police

Bintang Papua, 27 June 2012

Jayapura: The Street Parliament planned to hold joint prayers by Papuans in the city of Jayapura, in response to the security situation in Papua during the months of May and June and their impact on human beings.

Unfortunately however, the police have refused to grant permission for these joint prayers to be held., according to Yusak Pakage, co-ordinator of the Street Parliament.

The intention was for Christians as well as non Christians to take part in this joint prayer meeting as a sign of the brotherhood between the Papuan people of all religions, for democracy and to avoid horizontal conflicts.

But when the organisers of this event informed the police of their intentions, the police refused to grant permission. Yusak therefore  apologised to the Papuan people that the event will not take place, after having announced their intention to organise these joint prayers.

Yusak also said that they visited the mayor of Jayapura to inform him of their intentions and he expressed support for the idea.

The intention to hold joint prayers was also raised with the  board of the Hope Church in Jayapura, for the joint prayers to take place in the church. But the executive board of the church was not willing for this to happen, fearing that this would be seen as a political event.

Yusak also drew attention to 1 July  which is the anniversary of the establishment of TPN/OPM and the commemoration of Bahayangkara,  and urged the Papuan people not to be provoked in any way..

[Translated by TAPOL}

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Gillard must raise West Papua with SBY in Darwin visit: AWPA

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088
Media release 1  July 2012

Aust PM to meet Ind President in Darwin. Should raise West Papua

Background 

1st Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting – Joint Communique

http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/1st-indonesia-australia-annual-leaders-meeting-joint-communique


————————————–


Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088

The Hon Julia Gillard MP

Prime Minister

Parliament House

Canberra

ACT 2600

 

1 July 2012

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) in Sydney, I am writing to you concerning the deteriorating  human rights situation in West Papua.

In the past two months there has been a large number of shooting incidents in West Papua by unknown assailants. The Indonesian security forces have tried to blame the attacks on the Free Papua Movement (OPM) however, the OPM has denied involvement in the attacks.

What is not in doubt is the attack on the village of Honai Lama, a sub-district of Wamena in the Baliem Valley by the  Indonesian security forces in which one person has been reported killed and up to 17 wounded and a large number of houses set on fire. There have also been reports that the military and police on Yapen Island have conducted military operations in villages looking for  peaceful political activists which the security forces  claim are so-called separatists. These military operations are creating a population living in fear from the security forces.

The security forces in West Papua have been targeting peaceful activists including members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB). In one horrific incident the security forces killed Mako Tabuni, deputy chairman of the KNPB. The police claimed he was armed and resisting arrest but witnesses said he was not armed and shot by men in plain clothes from a passing car. 
 Some media reports have also said the Australian trained Detachment 88 was also involved in the killing.

As you will be meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the 2nd Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders` Meeting in Darwin in the next few days, we urge you to raise our concerns about the attacks against the civilian population by the Indonesian security forces in West Papua.

We note that in the official communiqué from the inaugural Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting in Bali in November 2011, the statement that the two countries would work together on

“the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights, the rule of law and capacity building”.

and on the defence relationship

“Reinforcing our comprehensive security cooperation, both leaders directed senior officials of both countries under the Security Cooperation Consultation Group to review existing cooperation, and to coordinate and set priorities under the Plan of Action of the Lombok Treaty.  Both leaders also further encouraged the finalisation of the Defense Arrangement as a basis for an enhanced defence cooperation between the two countries”.

In the wake of increased violence in Papua it would appear that the Indonesian Government is failing in its attempts to bring democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law to the territory.

As Australia helps train the Indonesian military and in particular Detachment 88, we have to accept some responsibility for the Indonesian security forces behavior in West Papua.

I urge you to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian President asking that he control the security forces in West Papua and urging him to order the security forces to return to their barracks as a way of avoiding further escalation of an already tense situation.

Yours sincerely

Joe Collins

AWPA (Sydney)

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