Category: Opinion

Bobii: Australian PM’s Words Hurt the People of Papua

Opinion/Analysis

By Selpius Bobii in Abepura State Prison

 14 October 2013

“People seeking to grandstand against Indonesia, please, don’t look to do it in Australia, you are not welcome. ………. The situation in West Papua is getting better, not worse” were the words of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on 7 October 2013 after three Papuan citizens scaled the wall and entered the Australian Consulate in Bali(1)

These words of the Prime Minister of Australia are extremely hurtful to the people of the nation of Papua as they are the precise opposite to the truth of the situation in Papua, where things are getting progressively worse for the indigenous population.   Even Lukas Enembe, the Governor of Papua stated that the Province was experiencing a decline in a lot of key areas such as health, education and local economics(2).  Lukas Enembe also witnessed to the well known fact that “Papuans are an increasing minority in their own land. Papuans have been overpowered by other peoples who are not from this land.” (3)

Space for even some minimal semblance of democracy in Papua has been absolutely closed whilst the State of Indonesia continues to commit one after another atrocity against the indigenous people of Papua.  Alpius Mote for instance, aged 17 years, was shot dead by the Indonesian Special Police Unit BRIMOB on 23 September in Waghete, District of Tigi, when a number of locals voiced objection to arbitrary arrests and most insulting ‘over-the’top’ sweeping by armed forces targeting males with long beards and hair. Then there’s the brutal military operations that have been continuing relentlessly for months in Puncak Jaya and also in Paniai to chase those suspected of being part of the TPN/OPM. Operations which have only led to the innocent civilians becoming victims (such as 12 year old Arlince Tabuni who was shot dead on 1 July 2013 in the village of Popumo, Lani Jaya). There has also of late been an escalation in Papua in the level of intimidation and terrorising acts towards the indigenous people of the land and even more so  against Papuan activists (6).

In just these last days the bodies of yet 7 more civilians have been found  – including a 4 year old and 11 year old child – after their vehicle left Sarmi to head towards the city of Sentani near Jayapura but they never arrived (4). All 7 bodies were found in their upturned vehicle and it is believed they had been abducted.  It was reported that they were killed by what has become a common term now in Papua, ‘unknown assailant/s’(5).

In order to hide the many forms of tyrannic oppression in Papua, RI has until this time denied access to both international journalists and international human rights (HAM) workers to visit Papua. Indeed ever since Papua was annexed into the Republic of Indonesia (RI) on 1 May 1963, it has been isolated and closed to these international groups. Indigenous Papuans have been forced to live in this state of being terrorised and yet isolated from the reach of the outside world, experiencing violence and a state of upheaval in their lives. Such that for Papuans it’s like existing in the ‘living hell’ of Indonesia.

The Australian Prime Minister has never experienced the forms of brutal and tyrannic oppression that indigenous Papuans are forced to live under; neither has he seen first-hand the real -life conditions  that indigenous Papuans have been suffering for over 50 years now under the Indonesian Republic. If one has never experienced such oppression and has never seen first-hand the real life conditions of indigenous Papuans but there have been constant reports of brutality and severe oppression for 50 years, then would it not be right that Australia as the current Chair of the United Nations (UN) Security Council should together with other members of the UN Security Council organise for a UN Special Representative to carry out investigation into the alleged human rights violations and the political status of West Papua? Such as was requested formally by the Prime Minister of Vanuatu in his historical speech at the recent 68th session of the annual debate of the U.N General Assembly in New York on 28 September 2013.

The people of Papua can only think that Tony Abbott’s words “The situation in West- Papua is getting better, not worse” must be the result of influence from propaganda and provocation by the Indonesian Government recently when  he firstly visited Jakarta on 30 September and then when he returned again to Bali to attend the APEC Conference in early October. Indeed of late the State of Indonesia has lifted its level of diplomacy with the use of propaganda and provocation towards the international community and in particular key leaders around the world – of which the Australian Prime Minister is one – in their efforts of working to undermine any possibility of sympathy arising towards the problems of Papua. To achieve that end Indonesia has employed no small level of resources and staff.

From the perspective of Papuans the new Australian Prime Minister is not all that different from those in the position before him regarding the issue of Papua. Of course Papuans totally appreciate the importance of the position and interests between the governments of Australia and Indonesia. Furthermore,  Papuans truly understand the Australian Prime Minister’s attitude towards Papua must be one of caution in order to protect bilateral relations between Australia and Indonesia. However Australia as a member of the U.N and what more in the trusted position as the current chair of the UN Security Council, has both a legal and moral obligation to uphold and respect human rights around the world and particularly in those particular regions which there is known to be serious concerns such as Papua. Australia cannot avoid its responsibilities to protect and respect the dignity of humanity where freedoms and the very right to life is being threatened such as is the present threat to the indigenous peoples of Papua who are now known to be heading towards annihilation of their race due to a slow moving genocide.

The Australian Government has been in the frontline recently  in regards to the matter of Papua.  On 24 September 2013 seven indigenous Papuans who landed as refugees at Boigi Island in the Torres Strait (including one woman who was pregnant and a 10 year old child) were transferred to Horn Island.  After being interviewed by authorities they were given no choice of staying in Australia and were forced to choose between being sent back to Indonesia or going to PNG. They very swiftly transferred to PNG (7). Then on 6 October 2013 three young Papuan males scaled the wall of the Australian Consulate in Bali and entered the compound so as to seek Australia’s help for Papua. They then also sought refuge for themselves.  Despite the risk they then faced from Indonesia, in the early hours of that same morning before 0700 hours the 3 had been immediately asked to leave the compound with the threat that the police would be called. In being forced to leave the compound after pleading for help for Papua, of course they were terrified about their safety as their lives were then much more at risk, as they well knew the ramifications could mean torture or leading to them ‘disappearing’ as a result of actions by the Indonesian armed forces.  The Australian Senator Richard Di Natale immediately called on the Australian Government to request they be given protection but without response (8). The nation of Papua finds the actions of the Australian Consulate in Bali absolutely unacceptable as the 3 young people had in fact entered the Consulate to seek safety and protection (9).

The Australian Prime Minister subsequently  stated that the Australian Government is going to suppress any activism in Australia that opposes Indonesia in support of West Papua. Abbott’s statement was immediately criticised by Vanuatu’s first and former Prime Minister Ati George Sokomanu who demanded Tony Abbott explained his statement to the leaders of the Pacific (10). Sokomanu stressed that whilst immigration issues could be dealt with by the courts, that Australia must be prepared to discuss questions of human rights. He stated that due to the fact that Australia and New Zealand are the closest neighbours,  “ I think for the sake of the people of West Papua with their rights, that Australia and New Zealand should broaden their view to provide support and do whatever they can to help the people of Papua to achieve their independence”(11).

The Australian and international communities that are concerned about the suffering of indigenous Papuans, are following the political direction of the new Australian cabinet under PM Tony Abbott.  We are yet to see whether as Papua’s closest neighbour, the Australian government will follow a foreign policy that shows some special care in handling cases of human rights violations in Papua and the political status of the land of Papua? Or whether the Australian Government will merely guard its bilateral relations with Indonesia and allow the Republic of Indonesia to continue to act in such ways that it creates marginalisation, discrimination, making a people a minority in their own lands and carries acts of humanitarian evils through its armed forces against the indigenous people of Papua? Actions that together are leading to the annihilation of the ethnic West Papuan race.

Footnotes
1. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/claim-of-australian-threat-to-west-papuans-in-bali-consulate- protest-20131007-2v4cg.html

2.(Indonesian version) www.tabloidjubi.com/2013/10/12/banyak-kemunduran-di-papua/

3.(Indonesian version) www.tabloidjubi.com/2013/10/12/gubernur-papua-oap-jadi-minoritas/

4. Details of the victims are as follows Bartolomeus Fere (aged 53 years), Agustina Fere (38), Yan Marthen Fere (30), Boas Hawase (35), Elisabet Felle (40), Melinda Felle (11), dan Avia Hawase (4).    (Indonesian version) (www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/7-warga-sentani-papua-diculik-orang-tak-   dikenal.html).

 5. Cenderawasih Post, Edition Monday, 14 October 2013.

 6. Such as for example that experienced by the 4 activists in Fak-Fak on 29 September 2013 Abner Hegemur, Yanto Hindom, Morten Kabes, dan Kaleb Hegemur. The activists were riding home on motor bikes on the main road leading to the town of Fak-Fak after visiting some children alleged to have experienced violence by the armed forces at the Tetar village in the Patipi District outside of Fak-Fak. They were followed throughout their journey home by the Special Forces Unit Densus 88 (the anti-terrorist forces now operating throughout Papua against civilians) accompanied by another 4 armed forces vehicles. A number of the vehicles then located themselves in front of the activist’s motorbikes whilst the remainder followed from behind. Those in front kept changing positions with those behind adding to the terrorizing effect on the 4 riders. This continued throughout their journey until they reached the borders of town of Fak-Fak at which time the vehicles drove off.

(Indonesian version) http://www.majalahselangkah.com/content/teror-dan-intimidasi-terhadap-aktivis-papua-masih-berlanjut

 7. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/11/west-papuans-refugee-camp-border

 8. Rofinus Yanggam, Yuvensius Goo and Markus Yerewon

9. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/claim-of-australian-threat-to-west-papuans-in-bali-consulate-protest-20131007-2v4cg.html

 10. https://vanuatudaily.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/vanuatu-daily-news-digest-9-october-2013/

 11. http://thevoiceofwestpapua.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/abbott-requested-explain-of-he-statement-to-pacific-countries/

Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of Front PEPERA & a Papuan Freedom Political Detainee in Abepura Prison, Jayapura

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‘OTSUS Plus’ a further blurring of Papuan History

Opinion / Analysis

By  Selpius Bobii in Abepura Prison,

11 October 2013

“ All leaders have notes of their mark in history, so I figure this forms mine in the history of Papua.” These were the words of the Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe to journalists following the acceptance of the draft Papuan  ‘Special Autonomy (OTSUS) Plus’ legislation.  The draft legislation was a result of work by the Cenderawasih University (UnCen) Academic Assistance Team together with the Papuan Provincial Government. The ceremony for the handing over of the draft OTSUS legislation (referred to as the ‘Papuan Governance Legislation’) took place at the Aston Hotel in Jayapura on 9 October 2013. (www.tabloidjubi.com/2013/10/10/draf-uu-otsus-plus-terus-digodok/).

To look more closely at the Governor’s comment, was he speaking out of some ambition to make a mark in history for the period he was governor in Papua whilst SBY was still President of Indonesia? Being noted as the governor present at the time the Otsus Plus legislation was forced onto the Papuan indigenous community. If we look back at what the indigenous Papuan community has had to endure we see the evidence that under leader after leader both at the national level and the Papuan regional level, that there has been nothing but a ‘blurring’ of history in Papua. The Otsus Plus legislation that is about to be applied in Papua will but add to that blurring of Papua’s history.

Until this time all policies in Papua have been set from Jakarta and the reins have always been held from Jakarta. Those in official positions within the provincial and kabupaten (regency) levels of government in Papua have acted as ‘bridges’ to enable the Central Government’s projects to be a ‘success’, in line with their ends of marginalisation, discrimination and making Papuans a minority.   Which on the broader scale have amounted to a process of annihilation of the ethnic Papuan race.

No matter who holds the power at the provincial level, they will never liberate the people of Papua from the discrimination, marginalisation, being made a minority and the annihilation of the ethnic Papuan people, which has been planned and carried out by the Republic of Indonesia (RI) constantly until now.  Since the time Papua was annexed by Indonesia, the efforts of Indonesia to this end have been nicely ‘wrapped’ so that they are systematic and ‘tidy’, but make no mistake they are planned and measured by the Central Government taking place through a number of strategies and tactics.

Governor Enembe has stated to journalists that all Papuans want “major changes” and one can only think that he perceives this draft legislation is the solution to awaken Papua and bring about those ‘major changes’.  However what if the Otsus Plus legislation does NOT bring about those expected major positive changes or in fact any changes that lead to a better situation for indigenous Papuans? The Otsus Plus legislation is not only NOT the solution to bring an end to the problems in Papua but in fact will clearly have the opposite effect and bring nothing but calamity and disaster for the indigenous peoples of Papua.

The legislation is intended to protect the rights of and empower the indigenous people of Papua, however all agree that the application of OTSUS this last 12 years by Indonesia (2001-2013) has been a total failure, and that it has neither protected or respected the basic rights of indigenous Papuans (including even the most basic right to life or their basic political rights).  The efforts of Indonesia to revise the Papuan Special Autonomy legislation so as to become the Papuan Special Autonomy Plus legislation is bound to meet exactly the same fate as the Special Autonomy legislation and completely fail!

Governor Enembe’s statement that the draft Otsus Plus legislation is the “desire and aspiration” of the Papuan community and “something to be struggled for”  brings much shame on Papua and is in fact a public lie.  As the Papuan community never wanted the Otsus Plus package that is now being forced on Papua and it has never been the ‘aspiration’ of the indigenous Papuan community.  The revision of Otsus to become Otsus Plus is rather the desire and aspirations of the political elite in Jakarta and in particular of SBY’s Cabinet. These efforts are being driven by SBY due to both Otsus and then the UP4B program (the Accelerated Development Unit in Papua and West Papua) having previously failed.

The results of the work carried out by the Uncen Academic Assistance team as follow-up to the draft Otsus Plus legislation – the initial document of which was prepared by President SBY through Feliks Wanggai – simply cannot be claimed to be something of the desires and aspirations of the Papuan people.  As the Uncen team is but part of the hands and feet of the Republic of Indonesia and has intentions to defend the oppression in Papua by RI and by so doing to extend the suffering of the indigenous people of Papua.

Having Uncen University involved in this way to give some false legitimacy to the legislation, was also practised by Indonesia in 1999 in order to force another of Jakarta’s projects onto Papua.  It was at that time that the Uncen Assistance Team was formed by RI to be involved in the initial draft Special Autonomy legislation.  Yet when the draft legislation was provided to the Central Government in Jakarta it was then cut right back. The final draft which was then totally according to Jakarta’s agenda was approved by the national Legislative Assembly and it was then applied under the order of the President in the year 2000 against firm opposition from the indigenous Papuan community becoming operative in 2001.

The draft legislation in this instance as prepared by the Academic Assistance Team together with the Papuan Provincial Government is merely intended to deceive the public, local, national and international. As the final draft legislation that will be presented for approval will actually be that prepared by President SBY’s Cabinet and in particular by the President’s Special Staff person in the area of Regional Autonomy Fileks Wanggai.
Sadly those lecturers at the Cenderawasih University who have been involved in the project have allowed themselves to be used as a ‘bridge’ to enable Jakarta’s project to pass through the system.  The draft Papuan Otsus Plus legislation has been handed to the Papuan Governor by the University rector Professor Dr Karel Sesa. From the time Papua was initially annexed into the Republic of Indonesia on 1 May 1963 the Uncen University has always played a role of securing and legitimising programs from Jakarta. They managed to destroy all their important records that were a part of the regime of the colonising Indonesia and in so doing to bring much suffering on Papuans. This role of legitimising Jakarta’s agendas was in fact from the start one of Indonesia’s  intentions in establishing Uncen University.

It is most ironic that despite the wave of rejection by the Papuan indigenous community of Otsus Plus, that the Uncen Assisting Team has been working together with the Papuan Provincial Government to ensure ‘success’ of Jakarta’s political package. In so doing they have pawned their very self-worth for positions of importance and wealth.  Their consciences have become blinded by their passion for wealth and positions of influence. Their expert knowledge has been used to support the colonial domination of Indonesia rather that to rescue the nation of Papua from the crisis of this era under RI’s colonial power. This is a matter of great shame and which brings much sadness.

The fate of the Papuan nation”s community is being played with by these persons politically prostituting themselves for the sake of personal gain. The strength of the nation of Papua to resist the destructive effects of RI’s ways and means has been weakened with the support of certain Papuans themselves working both within and outside the Indonesian government systems.  People working merely to chase personal importance and the interests of their own factions.  The consequence being that the indigenous Papuan community has become the victim of their conspiracies of interests at the local, national and international level.

This oppression must be bought to an end! The entire Papuan community must be aware of these realities and commit to walk together so as to realise the goal together.  Papuan activists in all locations need to consolidate and act as one, uniting agendas and stepping forward together. In particular youth and students in all locations need to strictly head only towards the struggle for the liberation of the nation of Papua. Whilst the international community in solidarity is asked to continue all efforts with actions, campaigns and diplomatic efforts to liberate Papua as their supportive efforts are so badly needed towards the end of upholding justice and the human dignity of Papua above all other interests.

To the Republic of Indonesia it is demanded that continuing discussion of the unilaterally prepared draft Otsus Plus legislation (referred to as the Papuan Governance legislation) stops  immediately. The unilateral application of political packages of any kind by Jakarta will never bring an end to the problems in the land of Papua. Rather RI needs to enter into dignified dialogue and non-conditional consultations between RI and the nation of Papua, facilities by a neutral third party and held in a neutral location so as to find a dignified solution to the problems.

There is no word for ‘give-up’ in the dictionary of the revolution of liberation; and neither is there a term ‘too late’ in the field of struggle. There is still time. The people of Papua have strength, have faith, have hope and have the Lord. We must be strong and stay able. We must rise up and go forward. We must oppose all forms of tyranny and oppression and be firm in our convictions that we will eventually be victorious. That will indeed be a most glorious moment when the times comes..

‘ Unity without limits! Struggle until victorious!’
Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of Front PEPERA &  is a Papuan Freedom Political Detainee in  Abepura Prison, Jayapura
 

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Papua, a Thorn in the Side of Indonesia

Opinion / Analysis

by Selpius Bobii in Abepura Prison

written 25 September 2013

“The Republic of Indonesia is quite capable of removing a thorn in the side of another nation but is not capable of removing the thorn in its own side” were the words of a certain Indonesian commenting on the State of Indonesia at this time.

For some time now Indonesia has been busily involving itself in finding solutions for problems of other nations, as if it had no domestic problems of its own.  Yet there are still many extremely serious problems within Indonesia that need the Indonesian Government’s urgent attention and Papua is one that’s most obvious.  For the last 50 years Papua has been a ‘thorn in the side’ of Indonesia . Indeed the Indonesian Government has tried to ‘fix’ the problem by applying a range of strategies and approaches, however all have been according to Indonesia’s agenda and so each has failed to remove the thorn. The reality is that as long as the thorn remains buried deep in Indonesia’s flesh that there will continue to be problems.

Indonesia has been using its charm in a number of both official and non-official forums held around the world, talking of its commitment to being involved in handling various issues of conflict currently being faced around the world. Problems such as that in Palestine, Egypt and the Moro Islamic tribal issue in the Philippines to name but a few. However the Indonesian Government is not ready to face up to addressing the situation in its own backyard when it is Indonesia that is under the spotlight by the international community.

Indonesia has continued until this time to accuse foreigners of meddling in the internal affairs of Indonesia, however Indonesia for some reason doesn’t seem to recognise that Indonesia itself has meanwhile continued to interfere in the affairs of another nations. The Indonesian Government has for instance had a hand in the affairs of Israel and Palestine with Indonesian having stepped forward to the front line to defend the acknowledgement of the world community regarding the independence of the Palestinians. Yet despite Indonesia giving attention to these various problems overseas it has not addressed the matter of that thorn in the side back home in Indonesia. Not only have the problems in Papua remain unaddressed, but in fact there has never even been any efforts made to find a solution to bring an end to the problems in Papua, such as through dignified unconditional dialogue between the nations of Indonesia and Papua.

Following the launch of the branch of the Free West Papun Campaign in Oxford in the United Kingdom (UK) for example, the Indonesian Government at both the legislative and executive level were infuriated. Even Indonesian civilians became involved with the upset and it was talked about at every level of society. The UK Government was criticised and even accused of meddling in the affairs of another nation. The Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Legislative Assembly (DPR) Priyo Budi Santoso  stated “ The Indonesian Government must officially convey its protest to the UK Foreign Affairs Minister with a copy to the Queen of England. There should be mutual respect.”(www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/dpr-inggris-terlalu-mencampuri-urusan-indonesia.html).

Then there was the most recent issue with the Freedom Flotilla from Australia entering Indonesia waters. An incident that attracted harsh and high level criticism from a number of parties within Indonesia. The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security was most concerned at the time of the Flotilla’s expected arrival and stated that the Indonesian Navy and Airforce were both on alert in anticipation of its arrival. Even the Indonesian President made a severe warning to other nations  at the time stating that other nations must not violate the sovereignty of Indonesia and in so doing create international friction (www.majalahselangkah.com). Through its Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, Indonesia diplomatically sought the Australian Government’s assistance to interrupt the Flotilla’s journey. However as a democratic nation Australia could not interfere as no law had been broken and they were obliged to allow the allow freedom of expression and opinion and accordingly the convoy to continue. The Australian Government however through its Foreign Minister Bob Carr made quite clear that they would give no assistance to, and were in no way responsible for the Australian citizens on the Flotilla, if they entered Indonesian or PNG rterritory and were arrested by Indonesian or PNG armed forces and legally charged (www.republika.co.id/berita/internasional/). Tony Ervianto even made accusations that there was some foreign interests behind the Freedom Flotilla. (www.news.detik.com).

Internationally, Indonesia has always stressed that the problems in Papua are domestic business and not the business of foreign nations, however the circumstances are clearly proof that the Indonesian Government is not in fact capable of handling and bringing an end to that so called ‘domestic business’. In the Indonesian President’s state speech on 16 August 2011, he promised that the problems in Papua would be finalised through an approach of dignified dialogue. However until this time SBY’s promises have yet to be realised. Indeed fine words but words with no actions.

If Indonesia could bring a dignified end to the problems in Papua, then of course those in the international community who are concerned about Papua would not feel a need to interfere in the internal affairs of Indonesia. However as Indonesia is only capable of the talk and there is no realisation, whilst meanwhile human rights violations continue unceasingly, so that ‘thorn in the side’ of Indonesia will continue to  attract the international spotlight.

Until this time Indonesia has undertaken a range of strategies and means to stem the spread of support for Papuan independence aspirations, yet all their efforts have failed totally. One of those strategies was the implementation of Special Autonomy in Papua but that also failed to achieve Indonesia’s objective of repressing Papuans independence aspirations. Special Autonomy was not something born out of the desires of the Papuan community but rather something was based on Jakarta’s agenda with the hidden goal of repressing Papuan’s desire for independence.

Following the failure of Special Autonomy in Papua, Indonesia is now in the process of planning to pass certain Papuan Governance legislation. The fact that the draft of that legislation is but a copy of the Aceh Governance legislation has attracted concern from a number of circles. The Executive Director of the Organisation for Research, Investigation and the Development of Legal Assistance (LP3BH), Yan Christian Warinussy, commented that the draft was the work of a few people around President SBY acting recklessly and unconstitutionally in allowing the draft Papuan Governance legislation to slip through. That this draft legislation is but a copy and paste of Aceh’s legislation is indeed an embarrassment and poor reflection of the Presidency(www.majalahselangkah.com).

Indonesia has also tried the welfare (illusion) approach in its efforts to face up the movement of the Struggle of the Papuan nation. Then there has been the security approach, the legal and then the social-cultural approaches.  Not one of these approaches however will ever be successful in removing that ‘Papuan thorn’ in Indonesia’s flesh.  Indonesia must change its paradigm and undertake an approach based on wisdom to handle and bring an end to the Papuan problem.  As long as Indonesia has an attitude that the issue of Papua was finalised back in 1969 with the ‘Act of Free Choice’ and continues to defend its hold on Papua through a number of approaches that are but one of the same, so the problems of Papua will continue without cease, like a thorn that irritates Indonesia.

To avoid the Papuan issue attracting the constant spotlight of the international community, Indonesia should have taken real steps before now to deal with the problems in Papua, one of which should have been the mechanism of dignified dialogue between the nations of Indonesia and Papua.  As long as Indonesia continues NOT to take real steps to bring an end to the problems in Papua, the international community in turn will continue to keep the spotlight on Papua.

Or is Indonesia is actually waiting for the international community to intervene to sort out the Papuan problem? If Indonesia is not capable of sorting out the Papuan problem, then Indonesia should be honest about that before the international community including the UN. So that others can handle and bring an end to the problems. Indonesia has not only allowed the problems in Papua to continue too long already without any real steps or solutions to make’ Papua a land of peace’ but in fact  Indonesia has continuously taken actions intended to delay the time when the problems in Papua will be brought to an end.  Allowing the problems in Papua to continue will only lengthen the list of victims; And not only loss of human lives but also the loss of earthly things, time, and endless thoughts and feelings as a consequence of the oppression.

The international community including the USA, have again and again requested Indonesia to bring an end to the problems in Papua through means of dialogue between Jakarta and Papua. However until this time Indonesia has constantly  ignored pressure from the international community. Perhaps because Indonesia considers the matter of Papua was already finalised back in 1969. However this perception is so very wrong! If the problem of Papua had already been finalised why are there still constantly people in Papua losing their lives? Why is there relentless marginalisation and discrimination? And why are Papuans intentionally being increasingly made a minority on their ancestor’s land? All of which are amounting to an annihilation of the ethnic Papuan race.

These things have continued without ceasing from the origin of this political conflict commencing with the annexation of the nation of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia through a military and political invasion by Indonesia. It’s time that Indonesia left its longtime paradigm that closes the door on finding a solution and rather undertakes a democratic and dignified approach through dialogue and negotiations, to give rise to a dignified solution – as the first step towards bringing peace and prosperity to the land of Papua and its people.

 ‘Humans which value basic human rights are those who will protect and respect the rights of their fellow beings.’

Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of Front PEPERA West Papua & is a Papuan Freedom Political Detainee held in Abepura State Prison

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Tragic Bloodshed in Waghete, Papua – Suspected Serious Human Rights Violations

Analysis/ Opinion

by Selpius Bobii

Abepura Prison,  27 September 2013

Ever since West Papua was annexed into the Republic of Indonesia on 1 May 1963, it has been nothing other than a land smeared with blood, and at every moment the blood of Papuans has been shed by continuous killings.   On 23 September 2013 there was yet again bloodshed with a tragic incident in Waghete, Tigi district, in Deiyai Regency of the Central Highlands.  The incident started from ‘sweeping’ (house to house searches) carried out by joint armed forces of BRIMOB (an Indonesian National Police special operations unit), and a special unit of the Indonesian Military (TNI) unit 753, the Paniai District Police and local police from the Sub-District Units of Tigi and the Paniai Koramil.  The following article looks in detail at the background to why this incident occurred and at the impact of the incident on the local community.

When asked why the joint armed forces were carrying out sweepings in the area in the first instance, the High Commissioner for Police in the District of Paniai responded that they were making the area safe for civilians from the practices of gambling, drunkenness and the carrying of sharp objects (www.tempo.co/read/news/2013/09/23/058515978). However the facts clearly indicate that the sweepings were being carried out not to make the area safe for civilians against the said vices of drunkenness and gambling, but rather to:

  1. Confiscate any sharp instruments including all types of smaller knives, large machete like knives, axes and bows and arrows
  2. Confiscate shovels
  3. Confiscate mobile phone memory cards with photos of those active in the Papuan Freedom Movement
  4. Confiscate traditional woven dillybags (nukens) with patterns of the Morning Star flag, and to
  5. Target community members with dreadlocks and long beards.

Of course the very items that the armed forces confiscated during the sweeping – small knives, larger machete type knives, axes and shovels – are those used by the community for maintaining their gardens which is their source of food.  As in the Deiyai regency most civilians are farmers who farm the mountain slopes. The forces even confiscated any traditional darts, which are something which by customary beliefs cannot be separated from the life of the Mee Tribe as they are symbolic and special to that tribe. That they would even consider confiscating the peoples carrying bags and mobile phone memory cards with Papuan photos is a shameful reflection of the police and military, as those are symbols of Papua that are widely available and have been published in many books, media and other publicly available forms.
The TNI and police are well aware the people need those tools in particular to survive and they well know those items are widely accessible, so the question begs why did they really intentionally undertake operations to confiscate these items?

The targeting of civilians with dreadlocks and long beards –  based on the false perception of the police and military that anyone of that appearance is a member of the TPN /OPM – is also a shameful reflection of the thinking of the armed forces, as long beards and dreadlocks are an age-old tradition of Papuans.  The Indonesian police and military should understand and respect something of the cultural and social ways of the people of Papua such that they don’t recklessly carry out arbitrary actions which can lead to the sacrifice of innocent civilians’ lives. Reckless and improper actions which  also destroy the image of the police and Indonesian army in the public eye. Throughout the many years of Indonesia’s presence in Papua police, TNI and National Intelligence (BIN) have always assumed that Papuans with dreadlocks and long beards are all TPN OPM members. Whenever met with people with those physical characteristics the armed forces always act with improper and cruel actions intended to make life hard for those individuals. This is absolutely unreasonable! We could just as much say that every Papuan who longs for liberation from the cruel oppression of Indonesia could be called OPM!  When is Indonesia going to wake up to the reality that that no action whatsoever of the Indonesian military and police against the people of Papua will ever be able to destroy the Mambruk (Papuan) ideology in their hearts; that their cruel actions will never be able to stifle the political aspirations embodied by the Papuan movement for freedom.  Reckless,  cruel and improper actions by the armed forces such as occurred at Waghete must stop!  The forces instead need to adopt persuasive approaches (with dialogue and non-violent means)  in facing up to civilians in all circumstances and not use repressive measures such as has been evidenced at Waghete.

The events that led to the killing and wounding of civilians that day in Waghete started with the above stated sweepings which were being conducted in a manner that was far too excessive and abusive.  A particular activist present at the time (who cannot be named for safety reasons ) told the armed forces at the time that the community didn’t accept their excessive sweeping actions, but to no effect. They testified that before the shootings on 21 September 2013 the joint armed forces had carried out sweepings and detained 15 Papuans who had dreadlocks and long beards. Then on 23 September 2013 the forces returned to the same location where those persons had been arrested and carried out sweepings yet again with excessive abusive behaviour.

It was the second aggressive sweeping according to the witness that was just too much, and some in the community couldn’t keep silent.  He testified that it was not the adults who voiced the community’s protest but rather high-school and upper secondary school students together with a number of other youth. The armed forces had also confiscated some of the young peoples’ phone memory cards then according to the witness the young people protested in particular after seeing two Papuan mothers on their way to  their gardens having their gardening shovels confiscated then an adult male’s koteka (penis sheath) being checked by forces.  The witness stated: “The protest came from the school children and no adults were involved.  Then the police responded to their protest with excessive violence. The Head of the Paniai District Police a number of times shouted out a command to those under his command to shoot the children.  I was there at the time and saw myself the Head of the District Police together with police officers under his command, chasing and shooting at the school children with their weapons. That day I also heard there were 4 civilians detained.”

The Police spokesperson claimed that the disturbance occurred due to provocation by a group of supporters of a particular failed candidate in the local government elections. However another activist at Waghete (who also cannot be named for security reasons) testified that “the tragedy at Waghete was entirely due to the actions of the joint Indonesian police and military forces and cannot be said to be connected in any way to a problem of the local elections.”

This accusation by the police was just a strategy to try and  turn criticism back towards the local civilian population.

The facts are clear that it was the military and police that provoked the civilians into carrying out some type of protest in response to their excessively abusive treatment of the people  during the sweeping and their arbitrary arrest and detention of a number of community members. The forces then met the young people’s opposition with extremely excessive violence including shooting, killing, arbitrary arrest, and torture of civilians. If there had not been excessively abusive sweeping by the joint armed forces in the first instance then of course there would never have been opposition from the young people. Secondly if the response from the civilians had not been dealt with so repressively by the police and military then of course there would also not have been victims of  shooting, torture, intimidation and arbitrary arrest. In summary it was precisely the excessively abusive sweepings by the military and police that triggered the reaction from the civilians; It was precisely the repressive reaction from the armed forces to the civilians’ opposition which caused the tragic killing and serious shooting injuries of civilians in Waghete.

In considering whether there is any element of truth in the police’s accusation that civilians attacked them with rocks, or pieces of timber or arrows, a human rights activist Yohanes Mote who was present at the time of the shooting stated to the magazine Selangkah, “At the moment the incident occurred I was there. The community didn’t take up arrows. We were really disappointed that they were checking the penis sheaths of the men (traditional clothing of males). As there’s nothing inside penis sheaths but male genitals is there. We asked them why if they wanted to carry out sweeping because of gambling and drinking (alcohol), had they not stopped the drinking and gambling.  The gambling and drinking had been allowed to continue by the police so that through that we Papuans could be killed and shot like this.”, (www.majalahselangkah.com/content/penembakan-pelajar-di-deiyai-aktivis-ham-minta-kapolri-copot-pelaku-dan-evaluasi-polisi-di-papua).

Another activist who also can’t be named for security reasons testified “The students didn’t attack the armed forces with arrows. I only saw two or three students throw rocks in the direction of the armed forces but the rocks didn’t even hit them. Rather the police and military brutally shot those children. The one that shot Alpius Mote was an aide of the Paniai Head of Police. Alpius died on the spot as the bullet went right through his right side and came out his back. He didn’t die whilst being taken to the Paniai hospital (as the police claimed). Whilst regarding Alex Mote (another victim), the bullet entered the right side of his chest. After Alpius was shot dead the police gathered up all the bullet cartridges. I couldn’t take a photo at that moment as it would have been impossible.”

From the explanations of these two activists who were present at the time of the sweepings and shooting, it is clearly evident that the accusation of the police that the community attacked them was merely words to try and justify their own repressive actions of wounding and killing unarmed civilians. It is most ironic that the Papuan Provincial Police spokesperson also tried to legally justify the police and TNI’s actions, stated that the shooting by their forces was in line with their procedures since the citizens were becoming increasingly anarchist. He tried to justify the shootings on the basis that if the forces hadn’t fired then the situation would have escalated (www.news.viva.co.id/news/read/446352-bentrok-aparat-dan-warga-di-papua–1-tewas).

Returning to the initial action of the forces – being the sweeping – one must ask the question why were the police and TNI carrying sweepings out in such an excessively abusive manner in the first place. From the facts provided by witnesses as stated above, it would seem that the sweeping was intentionally carried out in such a way so as to give rise to some type of conflict in Waghete. The sweeping was not intended to make the community safe from vices of drinking and gambling as the police claimed, but rather to give rise to a conflict that would enable the armed forces to do away with those in the community with long dreadlocks and beards who were considered by the forces to be OPM/TPN members. The sweepings also provided an opportunity for them to confiscate any items that were symbolic of the freedom struggle. It was an intentional act carried out to make people terrified and to torture, kill and injure innocent civilians at that location.

Witnesses testified that on 21 September around 15 people with dreg locks and long beards were violently arrested and detained at the Paniai District Police Command headquarters. Then on 23 September one student was shot dead and another shot in the chest. An English teacher from the local Deiyai upper secondary school Yance Pekey who voiced opposition to the treatment by the armed forces, was also inhumanely ‘dealt with’ at his office. It is understood he was also detained together with the other 3 civilians at the Paniai District Police Station. From data available to date it is understood that the total of civilians detained over these few days was 19. To the date of writing their names have not been made available by the police and neither has access been allowed  to visit any of them. (For the preliminary report to this incident  see: www.westpapuamedia.info/2013/09/27/preliminary-report-into-waghete-deaths-and-sweepings/).

From the above stated detail the Writer concludes that the tragic events from 21 – 23 September 2013 in Waghete involved a number of serious human rights violations. Violations which commenced with the excessively abusive sweeping and harassment by the military and police; followed by the arbitrary arrests, torture,, shooting dead and wounding of citizens and the general terrorising of the local community in Waghete. The actions of the police and military cannot be justified with any reason whatsoever! The tragic killing and wounding of unarmed civilians that occurred fall within the category of serious human rights violations and the culprits must face legal processes and be held responsible (1).

Footnotes

 1)To that end the Writer puts forward the following recommendations to those parties involved:

i) That the TNI and Police in the land of Papua must cease carrying out excessive sweepings and terrorising/ intimidating the people, must cease all torture and other brutal treatment of civilians, all shootings, killings and arbitrary arrests.

ii) That the culprits of the acts at Waghete must be brought to justice in the human rights court or general court to hold them responsible for their actions.

iii) That the Head of the Indonesian Police is strongly urged to immediately remove from office the Head of Police in the Sub-District of Tigi, The Head of the District Police in Paniai and Head of the Papuan Provincial Police. As all three persons have acted irresponsibly and are not capable of ensuring the safety of citizens.

iv) That the Head of the Paniai District Police immediately and unconditionally release all citizens (believed to be 19 in number) who are being arbitrarily detained at the Paniai District Police Station.

v) That the Investigation Team appointed by the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) on 25 September 2013 to look into the tragedy in Waghete,  immediately be sent to the location of the events  to commence investigations.

vi) That the Indonesian Republic National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM RI) immediately form an adhoc team to follow up the early findings that will be reported by the independent DPRP Investigation Team.

vii) That all parties and in particular the local government, leaders of the church and  traditional customary leaders in that region, act immediately to restore security and order in Deiyai.

viii) To all those who are concerned and who work in the field of humanitarianism, your help is requested at this immediate time in advocacy, monitoring and publishing of information regarding this case and in organising assistance for those civilians who have been detained at the cells of the Paniai District Police Station.

ix) The excessively abusive sweepings, the terrorising and intimidation, the torture, shootings, killings and arbitrary arrests of indigenous Papuans by both the Indonesian military and police in the land of Papua will never bring an end to the problems in Papua. The Indonesian Government needs to instead enter into dialogue / unconditional negotiations with the nation of Papua facilitated by a neutral third party and held in a neutral location in order to find a dignified solution to the problems in Papua.

Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of Front PEPERA & a Papuan Freedom Political Detainee in  Abepura Prison, Jayapura

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Bobii: The Creation of New Regions in Papua – A Blessing or Disaster?

Opinion/Analysis

By Selpius Bobii (inside Abepura State Prison)

17 September 2013

 The relatively recent accelerated formation of new provinces, kabupaten (regencies), cities, districts and villages in the land of Papua is causing new areas to spread like a mould, appearing in every direction in Papua. The Indonesian Government’s most recent plan is to create five new provinces in Papua which together with the two existing ones will mean a total of seven provinces in the land of Papua. In order to meet its own requirements for the formation of these planned five new provinces, the government is busy at this time accelerating at a rapid rate the formation of other lower level divisions so as to satisfy their own criteria for creating new provinces. Indonesia claims their reasons for this push are totally associated with welfare of Papuans, but what is the real truth behind why they rapidly opening up so many new regions by dividing others? What is the real reason they want to split Papua into seven provinces and all the endless divisions they are creating within that? The following article takes an inside look at what is really going on in Papua.

Ideally the primary reason for such divisions should be to reduce the extent of the area that must be reached in order to provide government services to any one community. There may be also other lesser reasons also taken into account regarding history, culture, economic factors and perceived fairness. The legislative and executive bodies of the government have the authority to form new regions and it is also their responsibility to have carried out proper research into what is appropriate. In particular there are a number of extremely important criteria that are supposed to be met in the process of approving the formation of a new region. However the reality is that many of the new regions created throughout Indonesia have not in fact fulfilled those conditions. The Centre for Regional Autonomy Studies in Indonesia concluded that the majority of new regions being created throughout Indonesia are in fact nothing more than decisions based on mere emotions and not on rational reasoning[1].

When it comes to the matter of the greatly accelerated opening of new regions in Papua – that are at present mushrooming at a rapid rate – the question begs are they decisions based on proper research of what is suitable or is some other hidden agenda of the Indonesian Government behind that.  Based on observation and study of the matter by the Writer until this time, it’s clearly evident that decisions for the creation of new regions in the land of Papua are loaded with political, security and economic interests of Indonesia and its allies[2].

In looking at the unceasing divisions into new areas in Papua one needs to keep in mind the political ideological conflict that exists between the state of Indonesia and the nation of Papua[3]. Indonesia’s aim is to seize the economic opportunity for as long as possible whilst at the same time working to destroy the wholeness of Papua in a systematic, planned and measurable way. It is only when approached within this framework that we can start to understand the real reasons behind the rapid expansion of new areas in Papua. In the following paragraphs we look at some of the real impacts of these endless dvisions of the land in Papua.

First and foremost the practice of dividing the land into many new regions is providing an open door for Indonesia and its allies to destroy the natural order of the oneness of the creation (both natural resources and the broader environment). The oneness of plants and animals of both land and waters. The destruction is resulting from a number of factors but primarily the effects of multinational companies (mining of minerals, oil and gas), logging companies (legal and illegal), and burning and felling of the forests for other reasons including the development of local district / kabupaten (administrative offices etc), plantations, transmigrants and large-scale farming.

The continual divisions of the land are also creating structural poverty amongst indigenous Papuans.  By destroying the natural order and arrangement of the natural environment the indigenous people of Papua are lose their very source of livelihood. With the lands of their ancestors taken from them or destroyed, the people experience hunger and / or struggle for survival, which on a wider scale leads to annihilation of the race.

With the creation of new regions, doors are opened for transmigrants from outside of Papua to move into the area.  The usual practice has been that the government forces Papuans off an area of land with the ‘help’ of the military and police, then builds new housing areas for transmigrants. When newcomers arrive and are given a house, the right of ownership of the land then is lost forever to the indigenous Papuans as has passed to the government or transmigrant.  In recent times both the government and migrants have started buying the land from those who have the traditional customary rights to that site, although it is widely known that at times where the person with the traditional customary right has not agreed to surrender their right to the land in return for money, that they have been ‘escorted’ to a certain place and persuaded by military or police to do so.

Furthermore, the creation of new divisions allows Indonesia to engender discrimination and marginalisation against indigenous Papuans. As the centres of economics in the new locations are usually controlled by the newly arrived transmigrants[4], so with the loss of their lands and natural resources together with the effects of monopolies over local economics by newcomers, Papuans as a result experience severe marginalisation and discrimination in the very lands of their ancestors.[5]

 With each new division is opened the way for the development of new divisions of the military and police in that location.  New divisions of Regional Military Commands (Kodam), Military Command Posts (Korem), District Military Commands (Kodim), Provincial level Police (Polda), District Level Police Command Posts (Polres), Sub-District Police Command Posts (Polsek) and then the many posts of both the military and police. The impact of this ever increasing ‘security’ apparatus that is obvious every way one looks in Papua, is literally threatening the very right to life of indigenous Papuans. Particularly that of Papuan Freedom activists who struggle for the most basic rights of Papuans.

 With the creation of endless new regions there is also seen a proliferation of social sicknesses, diseases and the spread of epidemics that have entered from outside Papua.  By way of example, the number of ‘officially approved’ brothels as well as those not officially approved, that have been established in these newly created regions, all of which receive protection from the government due to the taxes and fees they generate. The government doesn’t open its eyes to the terrible impact that this is having on the local people in undermining their social morality plus with the lack of proper controls in place the spread of diseases including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.  The result as the Indonesian government data now shows, is that Papua has now the second highest number of HIV / AIDS cases in Indonesia after Jakarta.

The creation of new regions also acts like a bridge for Islamisation. There are now whole village areas that were previously Christian who have now converted to Islam and what was a primarily Christian population is now becoming a minority.  People have been influenced by ‘hardliners’ in the Muslim faith by a variety of cheap offers to attract them and it has frequently occurred that the door into the area for Islam has been through ways opened with the government’s creation of new divisions. By no means is it my meaning in saying this, to try and prevent Papuans who are Christians from becoming Muslims as it is the human right of every human being to choose their own religious beliefs; however the methods that have been used until the present time to  cause Papuans to covert to Islam by luring them with a range of cheap offers and promises that are blatant lies, are far from praiseworthy. The extent of constructions of Islamic mosques in new regions in Papua is mushrooming at such a rapid rate that it is clearly pointing to the real possibility that Papua may at some time become a central area for Muslims in especially the eastern part of Indonesia.  This presents a most serious threat to the continued existence of the Christian indigenous community in the land of Papua.

 The creation of each new land division within Papua gives rise to organisations that are focused only on that region’s needs and from this is growing a destructive egocentric and clan-centric attitude amongst Papuans.  Manipulation of clan-centric tendencies against the people was actually a method used previously during the Dutch Regime to deal with the Indonesian liberation movement. Since then it has been used as a primary method of ‘divide and rule’ used by Indonesia against Papuans.  The cumulative effect of all these negative impacts combined with other covert and overt means is a slow-moving but certain genocide against the ethnic Papuan race.

 The creation of new divisions in the land of Papua is not the solution to bringing an end to the problems in Papua and in fact is an act that threatens the very existence and continuation of life of ethnic Papuans. Accordingly all parties involved, including the Indonesian Central Government, Provincial Governments, certain organizations, certain key figures of religious institutions and certain traditional customary bodies of Papua and strongly urged to immediately cease creating new regions in Papua, whether provinces, regencies, wider city areas, districts or village level divisions. Whilst regarding other nations of the world and the United Nations together with the international community, it hoped that they will not allow themselves to be manipulated by the propaganda and provocation of the Indonesian Government in relation to the latter’s plans to create new divisions in Papua. As the hidden agenda behind those divisions is absolutely to destroy the oneness of the creation and in so doing to bring suffering and annihilation of the ethnic Papuan race.

 It is strongly recommended that there be held dignified non-conditional consultations / dialogue between the Republic of Indonesia and the nation of Papua facilitated by a neutral party and held in a neutral location. Let’s unite and step together to make these consultations/dialogue become a reality as a means to finding a dignified solution to the problems.

[1] The results of research by the Centre for Regional Autonomy Studies led by Dr Nurjayadi Pribadi and Associates showed that:

i)  The reasons for the creation of new regions in Indonesia are based on emotion and not on rational matters.

ii) The implications of the creation of new regions is an increased financial burden on the state.

iii) The criteria applied in making the new divisions relate to Regulation No 29 (2000) however the reality is that those regions never show the progress that was stated in the proposals for their formation

 (www.pkkod.lan.go.id/index.php?mod=6&d=62)

[2] The political and security interests of Indonesia are closely related to the political ideological conflict between the state of Indonesia and nation of Papua (west). That conflict can be referred to as the conflict between those adherents of the Indonesian Pancasila ideology and those of the Papuan Mambruk ideology.

[3] A conflict that has been intentionally prolonged by Indonesia and its allies so as to be able to ‘justify’ Indonesia’s actions in Papua whilst at the same time continuing to use the land of Papua like some type of ‘farm’ or ‘kitchen’ to provide for the rest of the world.

[4] Most of whom migrate from areas of Bugis from southern Sulawesi, from Buton - an island off the southeast peninsula of Sulawesi - from Macassar, Java and the island of Madura.
 [5] The division of lands into new areas also creates a type of dependency for the local Papuan community. With Papuans having lost their lands and newcomers controlling the local economics, the Papuan cultural ethic of working hard is undermined as the majority of civilians feel empowered and just wait in hope for assistance from the government such as rice for the poor or other assistance. However in providing such aid the government is not empowering the local community but rather disempowering both the individual and the potential of that particular region.

Selpius Bobii is the General Chairperson of Front PEPERA &  Papuan Freedom Political Detainee held in Abepura Prison, Jayapura

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