Indonesian police officers man a security check point near the Freeport mine in Timika, Papua province. (AAP)
Amnesty International is calling on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to use upcoming meetings with Indonesia to address alleged rights abuses in Papua.
Amnesty International is calling on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to use meetings at the East Asia Summit in Bali to press Indonesia into addressing concerns of abuse and violence in Papua.
Ms Gillard is also expected to meet with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono following the conclusion of the summit.
Amnesty International spokesman Josef Benedict told Aileen Phillips, while trade and development will be on the agenda, he hopes there is room for discussions on human rights.
Alarming video of Indonesian forces shooting, beating and kicking civilians at a peaceful rally in West Papua has emerged ahead of a US visit to the region.
The video comes ahead of a visit to Bali by the US President and Secretary of State, for a regional summit. The US has applauded its ‘new partnership’ with Indonesia, but only last week Hillary Clinton criticized its human rights abuses.
These latest clips allegedly show a local police commander giving the order to break up the rally on the outskirts of Jayapura – and the brutal and unprovoked violence that ensued.
Indonesian security forces, many in plain clothes and wearing crash helmets, are seen randomly firing their weapons and arresting scores of people, many of whom are punched, kicked, beaten or forced to crawl along the ground.
Reverend Benny Giay from West Papua says violence has escalated since the Congress was dispersed. ‘I think maybe this is the Indonesian military and police’s response to the international pressure. The response is that they are being sent to Papua to kill, terrorize and abduct Papuans, but please do keep on the international pressure. Please tell people what is happening here for the sake of our future, our lives, our culture, our identity and our very existence.’
West Papua has been ruled by Indonesia since 1963, and more than 100,000 civilians are believed to have been killed during its occupation.
Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Indonesia’s brutal occupation of West Papua is a catalogue of some of the worst human rights abuses and violations of tribal peoples in recent times. Hillary Clinton should use her visit to the country to highlight the horrific violence that Indonesia is wreaking on all those who dare to oppose its rule.’
Note to Editors:
A Survival campaigner who has been to West Papua is available for interview.
JUBI, 11 November 2011Seven customary communities living in the location of the Freeport-Indonesia PTFI mine have asserted their rights to land in the location of the Freeport mine in a press release and called on the company to properly sort out the issue.
In a letter from the seven communities, co-ordinator the group, Markus Timang said:
‘We have read the Memorandum of Understanding between LEMASA (Customary Community of the Amungme people) and PTFI regarding human resources, social-economic resources, human rights, customary rights and the environment which was signed in New Orleans, USA on 13 July, 2000.’
In that agreement, the seven communities acknowledged the contemplations and discussions between the heads of the communities. With particular reference to Article 3 of the MoU regarding the rights and responsibilities of PTFI, the company acknowledged and respected the customary rights of the Amungme and Kamoro communities.
Timang said that the communities have agreed that it is vital for the NKRI (Republic of Indonesia), the PTFI and the owners of the customary rights to ensure that all problems related to the PTFI should not be manipulated by elements who have no customary rights to the land. ‘It is our opinion that that the PTFI should not start reaching agreements about customary rights with persons who are not connected with the location. With regard to problems arising in connection with this land, the PTFI must make contact with those who are directly involved, including ourselves as customary owners of the land to ensure that the problem is properly, fairly and justly handled.
In response to this affirmation, several customary community leaders and social leaders in Timika have questioned why Markus Timang has issued such a statement without reaching agreement with other, more elderly leaders. ‘We know nothing about all this. We need to have your confirmation whether indeed it was you who issued this statement,’ said Abraham Timang, executive assistant of LPMAK, the group responsible for managing the one-percent contribution from PTFI.
Furthermore, other customary leaders have raised questions with regard to community leaders who were involved in a joint agreement that was reached on 10 November this year.
Bintang Papua, 9 November 2011Jayapura: Pastor Neles Tebay, co-ordinator of the Papua Peace Network has stated today that he has received information that the central government is willing to have a dialogue with the Papuan people. He said that the offer from the goverenment, by the Minister-Coordinator for Politics and Law to enter into construction communications with the Papua people was welcome.
‘We Papuan people should welcome the constructive communications being offered by the government, as the way to resolve all the crucial problems in Papua. Even though it is not entirely clear, the willingness to communicate with the Papuan people is a sign of good will and means that the government is very concerned about Papua.’
However, he said that the government must explain to the Papuan people what it means by constructive communications, and what form the government intends this to take. Are there phases through which this will pass This needs to be clarified.
We have only been hearing recently about Constructive Communications without it being made clear what this means. This needs to be brought within the context with the perception of the Papuan people for entering into dialogue between Jakarta and Papua.
He said that a meeting should be held with the Papuan people who want dialogue. In such a meeting, it should be possible to clarify the substance of a Jakarta-Papua Dialogue and Constructive Communications. This meeting should discuss the format of dialogue and the format of constructive communication that would be acceptable to both sides.
He expressed his optimism that there will be a resolution to the problem for the Papua people.
A snippet of footage and chatters around the Freeport strike in West Papua. The Freeport workers’ union says it is a matter of simple “revenue transparency”, the international trade union says the dispute “has nothing to do with” West Papua politics, and a worker recorded in his video testimony that the walk-out was something “important” and worth keeping.
In this video, SP KEP SPSI was represented by Airan Koibur, ICEM was represented by Information and Campaign OfficerDick Blin, and Wayne McAndrew spoke for the CFMEU.
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West Papua Media Alerts 