Category: Press Release

KomnasHAM-Papua condemns recent violence and makes recommendations

Bintang Papua. 15 August 2011

Jayapura: Komnas HAM, the National Human Rights Commission has condemned the brutal actions by unidentified people against innocent civilians as well as members of the security forces.that have occurred since June in
the province of Papua.

The chairman of Komnas HAM’s office in Papua, Julles R.A Onggen SH, together with other members of the commission called a press conference to discuss the security situation in Papua. They said that the significant increase in acts of violence was very worrying indeed, particular because of its impact on the need to safeguard peace in Papua.

They made the following points and recommendations:

First, they strongly condemned the many acts of violence perpetrated by unidentified persons towards the civilian population and members of the
armed forces acting in the course of their duties.

Second, they called on the police to take action speedily and objectively in accordance with the laws in force regarding acts of violence, while at the same time not forgetting to use the cultural approach in accordance with the terms of special autonomy to minimise these acts of violence.

Third, the Commission has set up a joint team consisting of the Komnas HAM, the DPRP, the provincial government of Papua, local governments, the churches and NGOs to investigate these acts of violence, each making their own specific contribution.

Fourth, it called upon all sections of the community to remain calm, not to be provoked, to live peacefully together, respecting each other in order to safeguard security.

Fifth, to request the military commander of Kodam XVII to clarify the issue of the KINGMI Church and it will set up a team to investigate the matter.

Sixth, in accordance with the provisions of article 34 of the Constitution, the Commission will seek the commitment of the national government as well as local governments to provide social security for the dispossessed, the poor, the street children and the unemployed people.

Seventh: in connection with the sixth point, to call upon the provincial government to put this into practice in accordance with the special autonomy law.

Other points dealt with the recognition of collective rights, including the need for peace, for development and for a healthy and clean environment. The provincial government should also ensure that civil and political rights are safeguarded, such as the right to compensation for those whose rights have been violated, freedom of thought and freedom of religion.

It also called on the provincial government to safeguard people’s economic, political and social rights, freedom from fear and impoverishment and from racial discrimination, the right to get a job with a decent wage.

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AWPA: Time to rethink ties with Kopassus.

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Media release   16 August  2011
Time to rethink ties with the Indonesian Special Forcesunit, Kopassus.
In light of the  leaked  Kopassus documents AWPA is calling on the Australian Government to rethink its policy of ties between the Australian military and the Indonesian Special Force Group, Kopassus. The leaked  documents show  lists of West Papuans  who are supposed to be supporting  separatism when in reality they are members of civil society organisations concerned about the human rights situation and the welfare of the people of West Papua.
Joe Collins of AWPA said “the level of spying by the Indonesian military  on West Papuans is oppressive, with  agents spying at  every level of West Papuan society.   There is an obvious systematic campaign to intimidate both  human rights defenders  and  the West Papuan peoples a whole “.
 It is now Forty eight years since Indonesia took over administration of West Papua from  UNTEA in 1963 and the West Papuan people still continue their struggle for justice and self-determination. The large peaceful rallies by thousands of West Papuans  at the beginning of this month  calling for a referendum indicate just how unhappy  West Papuans are with Jakarta‘s rule over their lives.
Jakarta should be asking the question, why?
In May the military began a “socialising programme “ in Puncak Jaya with the idea of   renovating  homes, churches and markets while in July the people of the region  suffered another military operation with reports of up to 600 members of the security forces  involved in sweeps through the region  resulting in  civilian and military casualties.  This is all reminiscent of the US programme in Vietnam to try and win the  “hearts and minds” of the Vietnamese people.
It is unfortunate that various sources in the security forces and government try to blame the troubles in West Papua on overseas involvement with one police official saying there are indications that there is “suspected foreign funding of the OPM “. Yet in December last year   cables released by WikiLeaks in relation to West Papuan human rights  revealed that US diplomats blame the government in Jakarta for unrest in West Papua due to neglect, corruption and human rights abuses.
To avoid the situation in West Papua deteriorating further Jakarta should  take up the offer of dialogue from  representatives of
civil society organisations in West Papua who have been calling on Jakarta for years to dialogue with the West Papuan people to try and solve peacefully all the issues of concern they have.  As Winston Churchill is reported to have said   “to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war
AWPA is urging the Australian Government yet again  to put a moratorium on the training, funding and any ties between  the Australian military and the special forces unit  Kopassus, until a full inquiry is held into the activities of these units in relation to  human rights abuses in the archipelago.
Info. Joe Collins
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Mob. +61(0)4077 857 97
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