Category: Press Release

AWPA letter to Foreign Minister re crackdown by security forces in West Papua

Press Release   West Papua
The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
 
AWPA letter to Foreign Minister re crackdown by security forces in West Papua
20 October 2011
AWPA has written  to the Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd re crackdown by the security forces on delegates at the Papuan People’s Congress.
Joe Collins of AWPA said “ the Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd should urgently raise the matter with the Indonesian President asking that he control the security forces in West Papua and urging the release of all those arrested for simply holding a meeting which is their democratic right” .

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088

Ph/fax 61.2.99601698  email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600
 
20 October 2011
Dear Mr Rudd,
I am writing to you concerning the dangerously deteriorating situation in West Papua. Yesterday, the Indonesian security forces fired on delegates who were attending a peaceful Papuan People’s Congress which was between  the 17 and 19 October. West Papua’s military commander, Major-General Erfi Triassunu, confirmed the shooting although claimed they were only warning shots. However, it is difficult at this stage to know if there are casualties but one person is believed to have been killed with others injured. Reports also indicate that hundreds have been arrested including representatives from various civil society organizations including church groups.
Panic was caused amongst the delegates when hundreds of members of the security forces, accompanied by armored vehicles   surrounded the participants at the Congress. As well as live ammunition delegates reported that the security forces also used tear gas and rifle butts on the participants during the arrests.
We urge you to urgently raise the matter with the Indonesian President asking that he control the security forces in West Papua and urging the release of all those arrested for simply holding a meeting which is their democratic right.
Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
Secretary
AWPA (Sydney)
cc.Various human rights organisations
.
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AHRC: INDONESIA: Security forces open fire at Third Papuan People’s Congress

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
AHRC-PRL-042-2011

INDONESIA: Security forces open fire at Third Papuan People’s Congress

(Hong Kong, October 19, 2011) At around 3pm today the security forces surrounding the Third Papuan People’s Congress in Indonesia opened fire and dispersed the event. Possible casualties are not known as of now. Several persons are reported to have been arrested, including Forkorus Yaboisembut and Edison Waromi, indigenous political leaders.

The AHRC has received reports from several credible sources about the violent intervention by the Indonesian military (TNI) and the mobile brigades of the police (BRIMOB) at the Tunas Harapan field in Abepura, Papua, where the event took place. See our earlier press release in which the AHRC reported the military and police’s aggressive approach to the event. Some reports allege that several persons have been killed.

There are fears that raids by the security forces through the town, as seen in the past, may be repeated tonight. In several past instances, the police and military tortured and shot suspects. The situation in the wider Jayapura and Abepura area remains tense. Shops are closed and traffic is blocked by the security forces.

More than 2000 members of the army and police were reported to have been mobilised.

“This violent intervention and use of firearms is a disproportional use of force to deter the participants of this event, and violates their right to freedom of expression and political opinion,” said Wong Kai Shing, Executive Director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, in response to the violence.

“The current situation requires close monitoring,” he continued. “We call on all authorities to ensure that any arrested persons are not subjected to torture and their procedural rights are protected. Any arrested persons should be charged with internationally recognised crimes based on evidence or released immediately.”

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URGENT – AHRC: Authoritarian style show of force at Third Papuan People’s

BRIMOB vehicle
Image via Wikipedia


PRESS RELEASE
AHRC-PRL-041-2011

Security forces in Jayapura

(Hong Kong, Jayapura, October 19, 2011) About 100 TNI soldiers and several members of the mobile brigade of the police (BRIMOB) are reported to have approached closer to the location where the Third Papuan People’s Congress in Jayapura, Papua is currently being held. The organisers fear that the mass violence frequently perpetrated by the armed forces and police may be repeated in this event.

Some journalists are reported to have been blocked from accessing the area and reporting on the event.

The West Papua National Committee called for this Third Papuan People’s Congress and one of the aims of the Congress is to select a new leadership.

“This heavy and disproportional deployment of force is a threat to the security of a peaceful gathering of indigenous Papuan people,” said Wong Kai Shing, Executive Director of the Asian Human Rights Commission. He went on to say, “It is the duty of the Indonesian authorities to protect their right to freedom of expression and assembly and to refrain from causing any intimidations or making threats.”

Thousands of indigenous Papuans joined a march in Jayapura/Abepura to inaugurate the event earlier this week. An estimated 4000 persons are reported to currently being attending the event on its third day. However, several expected participants have either left the location or decided not to attend following the heavy and intimidating show of force by the army and police. About 2200 members of the security forces were reported to have been mobilised in the wider Jayapura area.

On this third day of the event, four police cars, two armoured vehicles from the police and a further two armoured vehicles from the mobile brigades of the police (BRIMOB) have approached the area. More than a hundred members of the security forces have formed a cordon at the fence at the outdoor location at a 2m distance.

“For more than 50 years now, the Papuan people have not had the space to talk about their identity. As a democratic country, Indonesia should ensure public space to discuss diversity. Threats and intimidations should have no space in a country that has overcome authoritarian rule,” said Markus Haluk, a civil society leader.

Organisers fear that an intensification of the unspoken threat of action by the security forces may escalate the situation and result in many persons being injured or even killed by the ensuing violence.

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The world is watching Papua: Greens

Posted on 19. Oct, 2011 by RichardDiNatale in Media Release, West Papua

The Australian Greens today urged the Indonesian authorities to show restraint at the 3rd Papuan National Congress in Jayapura, and warned them that the world is watching what occurs.

“The Congress is a peaceful event, and the Papuan people have a right to assemble and discuss their future,” said Greens West Papua spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, from the Australian Parliament today. “To meet without threat of violence is a fundamental human right that all citizens enjoy.”

The Senator’s remarks were in response to reports that a heavy police and paramilitary presence was converging on Taboria Oval, the site of the Congress, and that violence seemed imminent.

“No level of violence is acceptable at a peaceful gathering,” added Senator Di Natale. “The authorities will have to answer to the world for any bloodshed.”

Media contact: Andrew Blyberg 0457 901 600

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LP3BP: The Papuan people have the right to self Determination

Press Release issued by LP3BH on 12 October 2011The Institute for Research, Recognition and Development of Legal Aid, in Manokwari was set up on 12 October 1996 in order to provide judicial services to  Papuan people who are lacking in social, economic and political capacity. It was set  up by NGO activists, human rights  activists, traditional leaders, spiritual leaders , the Catholic Church and the GPKAI in Manokwari.

The basic viewpoint of the founders at that time was that many legal and human rights abuses were not being resolved in accordance with the principles of justice and fairness and there was the need for a body to be set up that was in favour of upholding law and human rights in Manokwari and West Papua [which was known at the time as Birds Head.]

On the occasion of its XVth anniversary on 12 October 2011, the  LP3BH wishes to make public its attitude on a number of social and political problems, as follows:

1. The LP3BH is profoundly aware of and in agreement with the opinion that the Papuan  people who for almost forty years, under both the old and the new order  governments, have never had the opportunity to assemble and consult each other about their fate  and their future as a community of people who have the right to self-determination.

2. The LP3BH believes that the political history of Papua as a result of integration needs to be rectified  in accordance with the message adopted at the second Papuan Congress to enter into peaceful dialogue with the Indonesian government, with international mediation.

3. The LP3BH understands and continues to believe that the many criminal actions such as murders, emergency executions  and shootings in and around Jayapura, in the districts of Ilaga-Papua and Puncak Jaya as well as the shootings that continue to occur around the Freeport-Indonesia mine are a clear indication // of the involvement of certain elements of  the security forces of the Indonesian army (TNI), and must therefore be handled by criminal investigations undertaken by the Indonesian police force which is the only force with the legal and judicial powers to do so.

4. The soial and political situation in Papua has greatly improved as a result of the Papuan people deciding to pursue the path of peace in their efforts to solve the conflict in the Land of Papua.

5.  Acts of violence continue to occur in the Land of Papua and take the form of  physical violence as well as armed conflict.

Based on the situation described above, the LP3BH/Manokwari makes the following  demands:

1. The Indonesian Government should put an end to all overt military operations as well as intelligence operations which continue to be conducted against the background and paradigm of security disturbances without being based on political State policies adopted by the Indonesian Parliament/DPR-RI

2. The Indonesian Government should respond wisely and diligently to each and every  offer by the Papuan people to enter into peaceful dialogue free from violence in order to seek a solution to the conflict in the Land of Papua.

3. The Indonesian Government should adopt a more democratic approach, without any movement of espionage, to build a Land of Papua which is more humane. and just and is at all times ready to listen to the innermost feelings of the Papuan people

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