Tag: brutality

Amnesty: RELEASE PARTICIPANTS OF PEACEFUL GATHERING IN PAPUA

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PUBLIC STATEMENT
Index: ASA 21/033/2011
20 October 2011
Indonesia: R elease participants of peaceful gathering in Papua
Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of at least fourteen people who are currently being detained and interrogated by the police in Papua. They were arrested yesterday for participating in the Third Papuan People’s congress, a peaceful gathering held in Abepura, Papua province. Five of them, including Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi, August Makbrawen Sananay Kraar, Dominikus Sorabut, and Gat Wenda have been charged for ‘rebellion’ and ‘incitement’ under Articles 106, 110 and 160 of the Criminal Code, which carry up to life imprisonment.
On the afternoon of 19 October 2011, the final day of the congress, military and police units approached the venue and started firing shots into the air to break up the peaceful gathering. This caused widespread panic among the participants who began to flee. As they fled, police units from the Jayapura City police station and the regional police headquarters fired tear gas and then arbitrarily arrested an estimated 300 hundred participants. The participants were held overnight at the regional police headquarters but most have now been released without charge.
Police and military officers allegedly beat participants with their pistols, rattan canes and batons during the arrest. The bodies of two participants, Melkias Kadepa, a student, and Yakobus Samonsabra, were found near the area of the congress with bullet wounds. Later that evening, security forces raided the Sang Surya seminary in Abepura arresting one person and allegedly firing bullets in one of the rooms.
The Indonesian government must immediately investigate allegations of excessive use of force to forcibly disperse the participants and investigate allegations of ill-treatment against some of them. There should also be an independent, impartial and prompt investigation into the deaths of Melkias Kadepa and Yakobus Samonsabra. If the investigations find that there were human rights violations involving the security forces, then those responsible, including persons with command responsibility, should be prosecuted in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness, and victims provided with reparations.
The reported heavy handed actions of the Indonesian security forces to disperse the peaceful gathering is a clear violation of the rights to freedom of expression, opinion and peaceful assembly which are guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a state party, as well as the Indonesian Constitution. While the Indonesian government has the duty and the right to maintain public order, it must ensure that any restrictions to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are no more than is permitted under international human rights law.
Further, the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms state that law enforcement officials must apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force and firearms. The 2009 Indonesian Police Regulation on the Use of Force also highlights the need to respect the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality when using force.
Several thousand people representing various tribes from all over Papua attended the Third Papuan People’s congress from 17- 19 October 2011. Organisers had informed the Jayapura police of the gathering as required by law. At the peaceful gathering, participants reportedly raised the prohibited Morning Star flag, a symbol of Papuan independence, and made declarations of independence. During the period of the congress there was a build up of an estimated 500 military and police personnel surrounding the venue. In recent years, over a hundred people have been arrested, charged or detained for peacefully raising the Morning Star flag in Papua.
Amnesty International takes no position whatsoever on the political status of any province of Indonesia, including calls for independence. However the organization believes that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate referendums, independence or any other political solutions that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

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0

Indonesian crackdown on Papuan Congress sparks outrage

 

Indonesian crackdown on Papuan Congress sparks outrage

A joint statement by TAPOL (UK), the West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT,
US) and East Timor Action Network (ETAN, US)

On Wednesday, a meeting of thousands of indigenous Papuans in
Jayapura, West Papua, became the scene of a brutal crackdown by
Indonesian security forces. Indonesian troops and police Mobile
Brigades reportedly fired hundreds of shots to disperse the crowd,
pistol-whipped participants and beat them with batons and rattan
canes. They arrested around 300 participants. According to the
Indonesian press, security forces turned violent when Papuan
indigenous leaders, who had gathered to discuss their basic rights,
issued a declaration of independence.

“This appalling display of excessive force has no place in a modern
democracy,” said Lord Avebury, Vice Chair of the UK Parliamentary
Human Rights Group. Avebury called on the Indonesian government to
immediately release detainees and conduct and publish a full
investigation into the incident.

Two people are confirmed dead, with many more injured and five charged
with treason. Among those arrested were Congress organiser Mr Selphius
Bobii, and prominent indigenous leader Mr Forkorus Yaboisembut, head
of the Papuan Customary Council (Dewan Adat Papua). The arrests are a
provocative response to a peaceful gathering, targeting one of West
Papua’s most respected tribal leaders, said the US-based West Papua
Advocacy Team.

The meeting is the third of its kind to take place in West Papuan
history, and was reportedly attended by around 4,000–5,000 people.
While the Congress attracted thousands more to the surrounding area,
many were prevented from gaining entry to the event by security
forces, or were too afraid to enter.

“It is bitterly ironic that when Papuans meet to discuss their basic
rights, Indonesia responds by violating those rights,” said Carmel
Budiardjo, senior campaigner for the UK-based NGO TAPOL. “The daily
discrimination and violations experienced by Papuans are bad enough,
but an attack of this nature on a democratic congress is an absolute
outrage,” she continued.

The use of the infamous ‘makar’ or treason laws to deny the right to
freedom of expression and assembly is an increasing problem in Papua,
suppressing activists and fuelling simmering resentments among the
indigenous population. On Wednesday, US Congressman Mr Eni
Faleomavaega expressed concerns about the arrests, calling for the
immediate release of Mr Forkorus Yaboisembut. The US-based East Timor
Action Network has also condemned the arrests. “The right to gather
and speak out is a fundamental freedom, it doesn’t just disappear
because the government doesn’t like what is being said,” said John M.
Miller, the network’s National Coordinator.

The situation in Jayapura last night was tense amidst fears of
reprisals and further actions by security forces against local
residents and those involved in the Congress. TAPOL, WPAT and ETAN
call on the international community to urge Indonesia to show
restraint, release the detainees, and commit to a peaceful resolution
of the West Papua conflict.

/ Ends

Contacts

UK: Paul Barber, Coordinator, TAPOL, +44-20-8771-2904
paul.barber@tapol.org

US: Ed McWilliams, West Papua Advocacy Team, +1-575-648-2078
edmcw@msn.com

John M. Miller, East Timor Action Network,
+1-917-690-4391 john@etan.org

Photos and video clips

Photos of victims available from TAPOL on request, including victims
suffering gunshot wounds and beatings.

Check West Papua Media Info for breaking news and video clips direct
from West Papua.

Background notes for editors

The Third Papuan People’s Congress

The Congress, themed ‘Affirming the basic rights of the indigenous
Papuan people for the present and the future’ was planned to last for
three days. It opened in Abepura, Jayapura, on 16 October 2011 with
between 4,000 and 5,000 delegates in attendance representing more than
200 tribal groups from across the territory. Over 20,000 more
gathered in the vicinity of the Congress. The organisers were forced
to hold the event in an open field as requests to hold it at a more
suitable venue were rejected.

For the first two days the Congress proceeded peacefully, but the
atmosphere was increasingly tense due to the build-up of over 2,000
members of the security forces in Jayapura. According to local sources
reported by West Papua Media Info, troops encircled the conference
with around 70 vehicles including Army Pansers, a water cannon,
Armoured Personnel Carriers and Barracuda armoured jeeps. On the third
day at the close of the conference, Indonesian troops armed with
automatic weapons, along with units of Brimob, the notorious mobile
brigade of the Indonesian police, reportedly opened fire in an attempt
to disperse the Congress.

History of the Papuan People’s Congress

The First Papuan People’s Congress was held on October 16–19 in 1961,
and issued a manifesto declaring their independence. The Second
Congress held in May–June 2000 issued a resolution which affirmed
their sovereignty as a people and led to the establishment of the
representative body, the Papuan Presidium Council (PDP). Just over a
year later, in November 2001, the PDP chairman, Theys Eluay was
kidnapped by a unit of Indonesia’s Kopassus Special Forces and
assassinated. In a travesty of justice which characterises the problem
of impunity for security forces in Indonesia, the perpetrators were
sentenced to between two and three and a half years.

Elsewhere in Papua: strikes at Freeport

At the same time as the Congress was underway, thousands of Papuan
workers employed by the massive Freeport copper-and-gold mine in West
Papua continued their strike to demand a substantial rise in wages.
The strike, which has hit production at the multibillion dollar
company, which is losing millions, has been met by security force
violence. Since the late 1970s Freeport has been the largest taxpayer
to the Indonesian state, while the majority of Papuans continue to
live in dire poverty: the Papuan provinces remain the poorest in
Indonesia.

West Papua Conflict

One of the world’s longest-running conflicts, the independence
struggle between the Free West Papua Organisation (Organisasi Papua
Merdeka, OPM) and the Indonesian state has been raging for 48 years,
since Indonesia took control of West Papua on 1 May 1963. The conflict
escalated when West Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia
following the controversial Act of Free Choice in 1969.

Recent context

A period of heightened political activity in the middle of 2011,
including the holding of a Papua Peace Conference in Abepura from 5-7
July and calls for dialogue with the central government, generated
positive signs that tentative progress is being made towards resolving
the Papuan problem, but was followed by a series a violent incidents
and human rights violations. The outcomes of the Peace Conference,
organised by the Jaringan Damai Papua (Papua Peace Network) led by
Father Neles Tebay, provided an aspirational agenda for a peaceful
Papua with a series of ‘Indicators of Papua, Land of Peace.’

Note: The term West Papua covers the whole territory of West Papua,
which in 2003 was divided into two provinces: Papua and West Papua.

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15

AHRC: One person killed, hundreds arrested and five persons charged with rebellion at Third Papuan People’s Congress

[West Papua Media Note: at time of writing two people have been confirmed dead: Martinus Siep (Petapa security guard) ; and Melkias Kadepa.  A full list of the dead injured and arrested is being compiled and casualties are expected to rise significantly]

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-213-2011

20 October 2011
———————————————————————
INDONESIA: One person killed, hundreds arrested and five persons charged with rebellion at Third Papuan People’s Congress

ISSUES: extra-judicial killing, freedom of expression, Military, ; Police Violence, Indigenous people, Torture, Ill-treatment
———————————————————————

CAMPAIGN: End Violence in West Papua

Dear friends,

The AHRC has received information regarding the killing of at least one person and the arrest of hundreds of participants at the Third Papuan People’s Congress including Forkorus Yaboisembut and Edison Waromi on 19 October 2011 in Abepura, Papua. Concerns about the safety of the arrested persons and the need for an investigation into the killing need your urgent intervention. (photo: security forces in Papua surround the Third Papuan People’s Congress)

CASE NARRATIVE:

According to reports received by the AHRC, around 2200 members of the Indonesian army (TNI) and the mobile brigades (BRIMOB) were mobilized on the occasion of the Third Papuan People’s Congress that began on 17 October 2011, and was attended by more than 4000 indigenous Papuan participants, at the Taboria oval (Zaccheus Field) in Abepura, Papua. At least 100 members of the security forces had surrounded the area andfour police cars, two armoured vehicles from the police and a further two armoured vehicles from the mobile brigades of the police (BRIMOB) had approached close to the area. This show of force with heavy firearms was seen as a form of intimidation to the unarmed participants. Several persons were reported to have refrained from participating at the event due to this.

The event concluded at around 2pm on October 19, and a political declaration regarding the self-determination of the indigenous Papuan population was read out. Following this declaration the security forces opened fire, allegedly as warning shots only. Tear gas was used and security personnel from the army and police started dispersing the crowd and beating up numerous participants. About 300 persons were arrested and taken into custody in trucks. Around 200 of them were later released, while 100 remain detained at the Regional police headquarters (POLDA Papua). Video material is available from MetroTV.

Forkorus Yaboisembut and Edison Waromi, elected at the event as indigenous political leaders, were also arrested. Selfius Bobi (Chair of the organising committee of the congress) is currently being investigated by the police as well. According to the law, the police are required to release detained persons within 24 hours or lay charges against them. The police has so far charged 5 persons with with article 110 p.(1), 106 and 160 of the Indonesian Criminal code, rebellion/secession (maker): Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Gladius Waromi, August Makbrawen Sananay Kraar, Dominikus Sorabut, and Gat Wenda. Numerous Papuan political prisoners have been sentenced for up to 20 years based on this charge in the past.

At around 4pm on October 19, Mr. Kadepa, one of the Congress participants, was found dead behind the office of the military resort command (KOREM) in Abepura. Mr. Kadepa’s corpse was then taken for an autopsy to a local hospital. (photo: police troup truck at the incident location)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Soon after the Second Papuan People’s Congress in 2000, the elected political representative of the indigenous Papuan community, Theys Hiyo Eluay was abducted and killed by the Indonesian military. All perpetrators of the case were later aquitted. During the Third Papuan People’s Congress the participants again questioned the legality through which Indonesia claimed sovereignty over the then decolonized former Dutch Western New Guinea in a UN administered process that was later shown to have been flawed. At the event Yaboisembut, head of the Papuan Customary Council was elected as the President and Waromi as the Prime Minister of the West Papuan Federal State. The Papuan flag was also displayed at the event. These acts were seen as secessionist activities (Indonesian: MAKAR).

In other flag raising events or gatherings where political opinion were expressed in the past many persons had been arrested and subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Foreign journalists are not given access to the Papuan provinces by Indonesia and several international groups including the Red Cross have been banned from operating in Papua.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below asking them to intervene in the case immediately to ensure the safety of all arrested persons, an investigation into the killing and that all perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with international human rights norms.

Please be informed that the AHRC is also sending letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, the working group on arbitrary detention, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, calling for their intervention into this matter.

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,

INDONESIA: Security forces kill at least one person and arrest hundreds at Third Papuan People’s Congress

Name of victims: Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Gladius Waromi, August Makbrawen Sananay Kraar, Dominikus Sorabut, Gat Wenda, Selfius Bobi, Mr. Kadepa and hundreds participants of congress
Name of alleged perpetrators: members of the Indonesian army (TNI), members of the mobile brigades (BRIMOB) of Regional Police of Papua province
Date of incident: 19 October 2011
Place of incident: the Taboria oval (Zaccheus Field) in Abepura, Papua

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the killing of at least one person and the arrest of hundreds of participants at the Third Papuan People’s Congress including Forkorus Yaboisembut and Edison Waromi on 19 October 2011 by members of the Indonesian army (TNI) and members of the mobile brigades of the police (BRIMOB).

According to the information I have received from the AHRC, around 2200 members of the Indonesian army (TNI) and the mobile brigades (BRIMOB) were mobilized on the occasion of the Third Papuan People’s Congress that began on 17 October 2011, and was attended by more than 4000 indigenous Papuan participants, at the Taboria oval (Zaccheus Field) in Abepura, Papua. At least 100 members of the security forces had surrounded the area andfour police cars, two armoured vehicles from the police and a further two armoured vehicles from the mobile brigades of the police (BRIMOB) had approached close to the area. This show of force with heavy firearms was seen as a form of intimidation to the unarmed participants. Several persons were reported to have refrained from participating at the event due to this.

I am informed that the event concluded at around 2pm on October 19, and a political declaration regarding the self-determination of the indigenous Papuan population was read out. Following this declaration the security forces opened fire, allegedly as warning shots only. Tear gas was used and security personnel from the army and police started dispersing the crowd and beating up numerous participants. About 300 persons were arrested and taken into custody in trucks. Around 200 of them were later released, while 100 remain detained at the Regional police headquarters (POLDA Papua).

Forkorus Yaboisembut and Edison Waromi, elected at the event as indigenous political leaders, were also arrested. Selfius Bobi (Chair of the organising committee of the congress) is currently being investigated by the police as well. According to the law, the police are required to release detained persons within 24 hours or lay charges against them.

I am disturbed to learn that around 4pm on October 19, Mr. Kadepa, one of the Congress participants, was found dead behind the office of the military resort command (KOREM) in Abepura.

In light of the above information I am of the opinion that the killing of one person and the arrest of hundreds of participants at the Third Papuan People’s Congress by members of the Indonesian army (TNI) and members of the mobile brigades (BRIMOB) are a violation of the right to life and a violation of the right to freedom of expression and require and independent investigation.

I am therefore urging you to ensure that all human rights violations are investigated and that no persons remains detained or chareged solely for the peaceful expression of their political opinions. The Regional Police of Papua (POLDA Papua) must ensure a fair treatment of all arrested persons according to international norms and that no person is subjected to torture or ill-treatment.

I also urge you to ensure that an impartial and professional investigation into the death of Mr. Kadepa is conducted and all those found guilty are prosecuted according to the law.

I am looking forward to your intervention in this case.
Yours sincerely,

—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
The President of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3863777 / 3503088.
Fax: +62 21 3442223

2. Mr. Kemal Azis Stamboel
The Chairman of the First Commission of House of Representative of Indonesia
Gedung DPR RI Nusantara II, Lantai 1
Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto
Jakarta 10270
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 5715518
Fax: +62 21 5715523

3. Chairman of Third Commission of The House of Representative of Indonesia
Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 6 Jakarta
INDONESIA
Tel:+62 21 5715569
Fax: +62 21 5715566

4. Military Commander in Chief
Mabes TNI, Cilangkap,
Jakarta 13870
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 8459-1244 / 8459-1243
Fax: +62 21 845-6805

5. Mr. Pramono Edhie Wibowo
Army Chief of Staff
Jl. Veteran No. 5 Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tlp: +62 21 3846002 / 3456838
Fax: +62 21 3848300

6. Mr. Erfi Triassunu
Commander of Regional Military Command XVII Cendrawasih
(Kemiliteran Daerah Papua / Kodam Papua)
Jl. Polimak atas Jayapura Provinsi Papua
INDONESIA
Fax: +62 967 533763

7. General of Police Timur Pradopo
Chief of Indonesian National Police
Markas Besar Kepolisian Indonesia
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru
South Jakarta 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3848537 / 7260306 / 7218010
Fax: +62 21 7220669
Email: info@polri.go.id

8. Head of Division of Profession and Security of Indonesian Police
Markas Besar Kepolisian Indonesia
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru
South Jakarta 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3848537 / 7260306 / 7218010
Fax: +62 21 7220669
Email: info@polri.go.id

9. Chairman of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas)
Jl. Tirtayasa VII No. 20 Komplek PTIK Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 739 2352
Fax: +62 21 739 2317

10. Head of National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia
Jalan Latuharhary No.4-B,
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392 5227
Email: info@komnas.go.id

11. Ms. Harkristuti Harkrisnowo
General Director of Human Rights
Department of Law and Human Rights Republic of Indonesia
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav.6-7 Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 525 3006 / 525 3889 / 526 4280
Fax: +62 21 525 3095

12. Chief of Regional Police of Papua province
Jl. Samratulangi No. 8 Jayapura
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 0967 531014
Fax: +62 0967 533763

13. Chief of Jayapura city district police (Polresta Jayapura)
Jl. A. Yani No.11
Jayapura
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 967 531027
Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

7

800 arrested, many tortured after troops open fire on Papuan Congress

in partnership with newmatilda.com

STOP PRESS – AT time of publication, confirmed information that another victim, Melkias Kadepa has been found dead in the bushes, in Abepura, according to Matius Murib, the Chairperson of Papuan Human Right Committee in Jayapura.

Troops Open Fire On Papuan Gathering

By Alex Rayfield

arrests in west papua
Participants in the Third Papuan People’s Congress are arrested by Indonesian security forces.

The Indonesian military and police opened fire late yesterday on a gathering of West Papuan leaders. At least one person is believed to have been killed and hundreds have fled the capital

The Indonesian military and police started shooting at around 2:37pm West Papua time, yesterday 19 October. Information about what exactly transpired are still sketchy but at least one person was shot (believed dead), scores have been arrested, hundreds have fled to the hills and jungle surrounding the capital, and the capital is in a state of lockdown.

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A Papuan priest who was fleeing the shooting contacted New Matilda to report that an army truck passed him carrying Papuan participants who had been present at the Third Papua Congress. According to the witness they were “covered with blood” and had been “beaten and shot”.

The violence erupted at the conclusion of the Third Papuan Congress, a three-day gathering held at the Taboria oval (Zaccheus Field) in Abepura, during which Papuan leaders declared their independence from the Indonesian state.

As many as 20,000 West Papuans met, danced and debated how to achieve their civil and political rights. For three days the atmosphere had been tense. The venue was ringed by Armed Personnel Carriers, military trucks and Barracudas — a type of armed jeep favoured by the paramilitary police. Machine guns were trained on the participants and thousands of soldiers and paramilitary police armed with automatic weapons were present.

Papuan activists feared that the military and police would try to forcibly break up the peaceful gathering. But the Papuans were determined to have the congress.

One activist told New Matilda “maybe we will die but the congress will go on”. Continue it did. The banned “morning star” flag was flown and the banned national anthem was sung. By lunch time on the third day (19 October) Papuan activists, members of the organising committee and well connected church leaders heard that the police and military were going to use force to break up the congress.

By 2pm Jayapura time the Congress was concluding. Forkorus Yaboisembut, the Chair of the influential Customary Papaun Council was elected President and Edison Waromi was elected Prime Minister of the “West Papua Federal State”. The crowd was ecstatic. One senior tribal leader sent New Matilda the following message by SMS: “Kongres has been successful! No reaction from the military. God bless!”

The jubilation was premature.

Immediately after New Matilda received that SMS, Yaboisembut and Waromi read a declaration of independence. The police and military then opened fire and stormed the stage. As Forkorus Yaboisembut was being arrested, his personal bodyguards stepped in to protect him. A witness reports at least one person was then shot. According to an SMSNew Matilda received from Yaboisembut: “hundreds were surrounded, shot, beaten and then arrested”.

Prior to being arrested, Yaboisembut spoke to a journalist from Bintang Papua, a local Jayapura daily. Yaboisembut was reported as saying that the objective of the congress was to discuss the basic rights of the indigenous Papuan people and not to destroy the the republic of Indonesia.

“Although we will be discussing political rights, we respect the Indonesian government because our intention is not to destroy [the republic of Indonesia]. This is a matter of principle,” he said.

“What we are doing is to struggle for the rights of the indigenous Papuan people. This includes our basic right as a nation.”

Yaboisembut knows what he is talking about. He recently wrote a book about international law, self-determination and the right to secession — a right upheld by the international community most recently in South Sudan and before that Kosovo.

Human Rights defenders in West Papua can confirm that in addition to Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi and his wife and child, Selfius Bobi (Chair of the organising committee), Agus Krar, Abraham Kareni, Yudit Kambuaya and Jan Piet Mirino were also arrested.

At the time of writing those arrested were being detained at the local Jayapura police station. Another source reports that Selfius Bobi has not been seen since. Staff fromWest Papua Media Alerts hold grave fears that he is being tortured.

Extreme violence has been used to break up a peaceful gathering.

This was the third time West Papuans have held a congress. The second congress was in 2000. It culminated in the election of the Papuan Presidium Council which collapsed in late 2001 after the Chair, Theys Hiyo Eluay, was assassinated by Kopassus, Indonesia’s Special Forces.

The first Papua Congress was held on 1 December 1961, a day West Papuans commemorate as their national day, and some 18 months before Indonesia occupied West Papua on 1 May, 1963.

Yesterday was the second time the Papuans declared independence from Indonesia. The first was by Seth Rumkorem on July 1 1976 at Markas Viktoria, a guerrilla base on the Papua New Guinea border.

Yaboisembut’s declaration of independence in front of thousands of Papuan people and thousands of heavily armed police is a clear escalation of the struggle for independence. It also illustrates Yaboisembut’s conviction that the struggle needs to be waged through an unarmed popular civilian uprising.

UPDATE 12.35pm:
This information was gathered by West Papua Media Alerts from local contacts. It has not been verified by New Matilda.

Two victims have been named: Martinus Siep was shot dead, and Pilatus Wetipo was shot in the leg and is now in hiding.

Eight truckloads of Congress delegates were taken into police custody. People arrested by the security forces are now missing.

A witness from Wamena has said: “While I was in hiding I saw with my own eyes in front of me nine people who tried to escape up the hill behind the catholic dormitories were shot dead and were taken away by security forces in Panser [armoured vehicle]. Until now I don’t know where they’ve been taken too”.

The security forces have raided Cendrawasi University in pursuit of two delegates from Serui who got shot in the leg and arm. Therefore, all students and delegates in Yawa dormitory have dispersed and are in hiding.

The security forces have also raided dormitories looking for the Congress committee, the Congress leadership and student leaders. Delegates from Biak are reporting that a lot of their representatives are still missing.

Selfius Bobi, who is chair of the Congress organising committee, is missing.

A priest who was hiding in the jungle behind the Congress venue witnessed security forces positioned in the bush shooting down to the venue below, and forces in armoured Panser and police trucks open fire, causing confusion and chaos among participants. He believed security forces had placed themselves behind bushes and were waiting for anyone who escaped up the hill so that they could shoot them and quickly throw them into the vehicles.


UPDATE 1.10PM:
This message was just sent to West Papua Media Alerts by Congress participant Djenggo Nubiri. It has been translated from Indonesian.

“Sister/brother, I’ve just left the police headquarters along with other students who have exams this morning. There are still around 800 detainees in the Jayapura Police Station at the moment. Yeboisembut was injured by the police, he is still being interrogated in a special room. Eduard Pariri, Mrs. Sroer, Kelly Pedai, Abraham Kareni, Nova Sroer, DAUD ABON (Governor of Yapen-Waropen and Mamberamo), Mr. Jacob Sroer and Elieser Awon (ex Free West Papua – OPM – member), Mama Sroer and there are still so many other activists, youths, students, petapa (?), mama-mama (older women), OPMand others. They are still being detained in the Jayapura Police Station’s tennis court since last night. The repressive and violent act by the authority has caused a lot of injuries to the people, some fractured their skulls, broke their legs, while others suffer serious injuries. We had to sign the letter stating we’ve committed criminal acts as they did not allow us to defend ourselves.”

more information as it becomes available. 

Related articles
17

URGENT: POLICE AND MILITARY PREPARE TO STORM PAPUAN CONGRESS

URGENT ACTION – BREAKING NEWS

WESTPAPUAMEDIA.INFO and local sources

October 19, 2011

1400 JAYAPURA : Indonesian troops and police have amassed outside the Third Papuan Peoples‘ Congress in a show of force that credible sources arereporting is to forcibly break up a peaceful gathering of thousands of Papuans in Taboria oval (Zaccheus Field), Abepura, Jayapura, the capital of West Papua.

The Third Papuan People’s Congress is being held for the second time since Indonesia’s invasion in 1963. Papuan delegates openly discussed their rights to self-determination and the pathways to a referendum on the future of West Papua. Forkorus Yaboisembut, the chair of the Papuan Customary Council was quoted in Papuan media sources as saying that the Congress is “part of the struggle of indigenous Papuans to enforce their fundamental rights.” He argued that Papuans are not seeking to undermine or destroy Indonesia. however “we strive to uphold our fundamental rights, including political rights, including the right to independence as a nation…. And whatever be produced, the Government of Indonesia should able to appreciate it.”

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Photos and video sent live from Petapa Community security forces and West Papua Media stringers are showing a massive buildup of military hardware surrounding the conference venue, where up to 20,000 people have been gathering since October 16 to determine their pathway to self-determination. Occupying Indonesian military forces have made regular public pronouncements in recent days that they will not allow any gathering to threaten the unity of the Republic of Indonesia, and peaceful discussion is of this is also banned.
The congress is still continuing. According to witnesses the military presence is strong and fully armed with automatic weapons. Army Panser armed personnel carriers and Police Barracudas are present but they appear not to have made moves to physically break-up the gathering. However, the presence of the security forces seems to have deterred some from attending.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/30776329] [vimeo http://vimeo.com/30776103] [vimeo http://vimeo.com/30775444]

Sources at Congress from Church, West Papua National Authority, Dewan Adat Papua and West Papuan National Cmmittee representatives that they are all prepared to stay and continue to meet until finished. Not sure when that will be. They are in the process of discussing a transitional / parallel government structure.

Delegates of the conference have sent out a series of urgent messages to the international community demanding that act immediately to stop a brutal Indonesian military action that is set to forcibly breakup the historic gathering.

Markus Haluk, the leader of a Papuan youth organization, sent a plea via text message, saying that it’s an “emergency situation.” He wrote, “In some moments possibly we will be massacred and there will be a bloodbath.” Haluk asked international supporters to tell the Kapolda (Head of Police) and the Pangdam (Military Commander for Papua Erfi Triassunu) in Jayapura to retrieve their troops.

Text messages sent to the military commanders from international supporters demand “The world is watching the 3rd Papuan National Congress. Remove troops and police now. Let West Papuans exercise their human right to gather and discuss their future without violence”.

The Australian Greens have also expressed deep concern. “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.”

Senator Di Natale has also been in contact with the Indonesia Embassy in Canberra today to convey the concern.

“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 that occurs.”

Papuan activists who declined to be identified have requested that international supporters telephone the chiefs of Police and the Army (Kapolda – +62 811 950376 and Pangdam TNI +62 811136522) to tell them to withdraw their forces immediately

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