Category: syndication

KNPB members unable to attend trial of Buchtar Tabuni

 

JUBI, 18 July 2012The first hearing in the trial of Buchtar Tabuni, chairman of the KNPB, the National Committee of West Papua took place but none of the thousands of members of the KNPB were present to give their support to the accused.

They were probably absent because of the circulation of text messages  and terror phone calls, giving them reason to believe that they would be included on the DPO, the  ‘wanted persons’ list and would be arrested and they didn’t want their names to be made public.

One man from the central highlands who did not want to give his name said that not all the members of the organisation were known to the police. ‘We dont want to have our names included on the ‘wanted’ list. Had we attended the trial, this would have helped.them..

He said that the absence of KNPB members at any of the trial hearings  would mean that the police succeeded in dampening the militancy of the KNPB.

But others who attended the trial said that the absence of KNPB members was a sign of who supports their struggle and who doesn’t support it. ‘It  proves,’ said one person, ‘who are the real friends and who are people who just want to take part in activities.’

But another person said that the KNPB members  were not prepared to take the risk of facing fabricated charges. They were protecting themselves by not attending the trial. ‘They probably don’t want to be charged with all manner of things,’ he said.

The police guard round the courthouse for the Buchtar trial was not as tight as the guard that was mounted when Forkorus Yaboisembut was on trial, when Brimob troops were guarding the courthouse. Nor were there as many people attending the trial of Buchtar as had attended the trial of Forkorus.

[Translated by TAPOL]

[Comment: Following the brutal murder on 16 June of Mako Tabuni, a leader of the KNPB, members of the organisation certainly could not take the risk of attending any trial that would put them in danger of suffering the same fate. TAPOL]

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Police disperse humanitarian action in Jayapura

JUBI, 19 July 2012
Note: The bulk of this posting was posted yesterday but we are re-posting it with an important addition from Andreas Harsono. TAPOL]

Note: The Papuan Solidarity  for Human Rights Victims, SKPHP, is the
organization which supports political prisoners, including Filep
Karma, in Papua. They regularly do fund raising to buy medicines for
the prisoners. In 2010, they did a specific campaign for Filep Karma,
raising around $3,000 from the streets. Now the Indonesian police
stopped them from doing that on the grounds that SKPHP has no legal
entity.

Regarding Filep Karma’s fund raising, we have now raised IDR116
million. It is enough to do the surgery in Jakarta. He will meet his
local doctor, Donald Arrongear, this week. SKPHP and Karma are still
negotiating with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights about he goes
directly to the PGI hospital in Jakarta (without going to the Jakarta
prison first). They’re also suspicious with a new prison guard from
Java Island who wants to accompany him to Jakarta.

Police disperse humanitarian action in Jayapura

JUBI, 19 July 2012

The police in Papua forcibly dispersed  a humanitarian action taking
place when Papuans were out collecting money to help political
prisoners. They were from an organisation called Solidarity  for Human
Rights Victims, SKPHP. The police said that they had dispersed the
people because the SKPHP  has not registered with the provincial
administration.

The news was confirmed by Peneas Lokbere, a member of the SKPHP, who
told JUBI that before undertaking the action they had notified the
police of their intentions in both Abepura and Jayapura. Having done
this, it meant that the police would grant permission for the action
to take place.

Nevertheless, while the action was in progress on Friday at 1pm, the
police dispersed those taking part in the action. ‘We were forcibly
dispersed,’ said Peneas. ‘They said that this was because  we had not
registered the organisation with the authorities. and therefore, we
were not allowed to continue with this collection of funds.’ He also
said that after the police came to disperse the action, they dispersed
peacefully.’We did not offer any resistance. If we had resisted, it
would have led to a lengthy process.’

Peneas said that  they would follow up their action on Friday, 20
July. ‘We will go to the police and ask for permission to continue
with action.’

The street collections were being undertaken to provide for the
medical requirements of the political prisoners and the other prisoner
who are  ill at the prisons in Abepura and Jayapura. Among those who
are ill in Abepura Prison are Filep Karma, Ferdinand Pakage and Jefrai
Murib.

Their intention was to carry out this action from 9am Thursday 19 July
until Saturday.21 July.

[Translated by TAPOL]

The article is illustrated by a photo showing a large banner which
says: ‘The government doesn’t want to pay for medical treatment for
Filep Karma and Ferdinand Pakage’.   They are carrying posters which
say: ‘The Papuan  political prisoners are not criminals.’

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Concern about journalists alleged to be serving TNI interests

Bintang Papua, 17 July, 2012

Eleven journalists working in Papua are alleged to be passing on information to TNI, the Indonesian army. In response to this report, the Jayapura branch of the Alliance of Independent Journalists, AJI, said:

‘AJI is very concerned  that a number of Papuan journalists  may be agents of the military. If this is true, it would significantly damage the reputation of journalists who are neutral and who consistently serve the interests  of the general public,’ said Viktor Mambor, chairman of AJI-Jayapura.

He said that journalists should carry out their activities in the interest of the general public, in conformity with Press Law/1999 and should not be acting for certain groups or institutions. According to the Press Ethics Code, they must at all times be objective, accountable and transparent.’

The fact that eleven journalists may be assisting the TNI is having a detrimental impact on those journalists who work in conformity with the ethical code because people may very well suspect these other journalists of  working in the interests of certain interests or institutions. ‘This is  serious precedent  and the public could very well regard all journalists as failing to be neutral and transparent. This is very serious indeed,’ he said.

He went on to say that AJI has carefully investigated the claims that some journalists are serving the interests of the military.  ‘We will investigate these claims while at the same time warning all journalists  to work clearly within the terms set by UU/1999.’

Earlier, the website Umaginews.com reported that a number of journalists in Papua are suspected of being military agents.. They include journalists  in the print media, the radio, online, as well as in local and national TV. As a result, many journalists were worried, fearing that they could be suspected of not being neutral or independent.

[Translated by TAPOL]

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WPNA demnstration will call for greater concern from the government

Tabloid JUBI,
9 July 2012

Jayapura: The aspirations of the Papuan people for Papua to become a zone of peace are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Imprisonment, killings, corruption, terror and acts of intimidation against the civilian population are now occurring in  Papua but no one knows who will take responsibility for all these things.

In response to this situation, the West Papua National Authority (WPNA) and other pro peace and anti violence organisations decided to organise a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday this week, calling on the Indonesian government and the Papuan  people to spare no efforts in resolving the conflict in Papua and to seek a solution as quickly as possible in the interests of peace, justice and order for the Papuan people and the Indonesian people now living in the Land of Papua.

‘All of us who feel these concerns  should join together in a peaceful demonstration to mourn he current situation. When will there be pease in Papua,’ said one leaflet that has been distributed widely in Jayapura.

The co-ordinator of the demonstration Sius Ayemi said that they would organise the demonstration under the slogan: ‘Papua Mourns’.on Tuesday, 10 July from 9am until late in the afternoon.They will not allow people in the demonstration to bring alcohol or  sharp implements which could lead to anarchy. and disorder.

One of the leaflets says:  ‘Dont just think about us or our organisation but ask yourselves  when will there be peace in Papua?’

[Translated by TAPOL]

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New supermarket in Jayapura triggers complaints about goods on offer and price differentials

Bintang Papua, 9 and 10 July 2012

[Comment: This report reveals the continuing tendency to promote businesses from outside Papua while failing to advance the interests of local Papuan producers. TAPOL]

Many complaints about price differentials at newly open supermarket in Jayapura

Although the supermarket  Hypermart Jayapura has only recently open its doors to the general public, many people who have purchased goods have complained that there has been a huge differential  between the prices marked on the shelves and the prices of the goods when they reach the cashier to pay for their purchases. As a result people who have been shopping at the new store are being advised to take care about their purchases to avoid losing a lot of money.

One shopper who spoke to Bintang Papua said  that she was charged at the cashier for something costing Rp 91,000 although she hadn’t even purchased the product. Other shoppers made similar complaints. In once instance, the shopper was charged  Rp. 105,000 for cooking  oil while the oil normally costs only Rp. 29,000. Other shoppers complained of striking differences in the prices they were charged.

In most cases, the shoppers were able to get refunds from the store after complaining. A store manager said that they would give refunds to anyone complaining about price differentials.

In a subsequent article, Bintang Papua reported that demands were being made by many people for the supermarket’s licence to trade to be revoked, because the terms of the licence which had been agreed in Jakarta with the business had been violated.

Some people complained that many of the vegetables and fruit that were offered for sale had been imported from outside West Papua or even from abroad. Indigenous Papuans who were able to produce these products in large quantities had not been able to compete with the many products on offer at the store. Another complaint was that the store was selling alcohol

The Indonesian Consumers Association said that there was no need for foodstuffs to be imported from outside Papua or from abroad because they were readily available in the Land of Papua and would enable local producers to compete in the local market. Taking supplies from local producers would also help to improve the level of welfare of the Papuan people

[Abridged in translation by TAPOL]

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