>From Bintang Papua, 19 October 2010 DOZENS FLEE TO PNG After the Papuan Morning Star Flag was recently flown outside a customary dwelling in Kampung Ambora, dozens of villagers have fled across the border to Papua New Guinea, fearing that they are likely to be hunted down by the security forces. This was confirmed for Bintang Papua by Decky Yakore, a member of the district legislative council - DPRD of Jayawijaya district.. In connection with this incident, the local police force in Jayapura - polres Jayapura - have taken seven people into custody. They have already been designated as suspects and will face charges under Article 110 and Article 107 of the Criminal Code, regarding conspiring to engaged in acts to overthrow the government, and face punishment of up to 15 years. According to a local inhabitant named Daud (not his real name), the flag flying occurred as the result of a provocation, and others too were arrested. News was spread that Papua was now free, following a visit to the area by chairman of DAP, Forkorus Yaboisembut who had just returned from the USA, which inspired the people to unfurl the Papuan flag. ---------------- JUBI 19 October 2010 Papuan people will use peaceful means in their struggle Forkorus Yaboisembu, chairman od DAP, the Papuan Customary Council has said, on his return from the USA that the US government (sic) has promised to support the struggle of the Papuan people.He said that fifty members of the US Congress, along with 80 representatives of a variety of NGOs have proclaimed their support for the Papuan struggle. The Papuan people he said are gathering together as much data as possible and continuing to formulate their strategy for a peaceful struggle, he said, citing the words of the leader of the Republican Party in the US, Michael Steele. Forkorus also met John Miller, director of the East Timor Action Network, to discussed ETAN's support for the Papuan struggle for independence. 'You supported Timor Leste in their struggle for freedom, which means that you should also support Papua's struggle for freedom. Forkorus also used this visit to Washington to inform the US government via the intermediary of Congress about why the Papuan people want independence . He said they had also had a private meeting with the Republican Party. ---------------------------- JUBI, 18 October 2010 IMPARSIAL: Komnas HAM should be criticised Imparsial issued a statement in Jakarta in which it said that Komnas HAM, the National Human Rights Commission, needs to be criticised in connection with a number of cases of gross violations of human rights that have occurred in Papua. Imparsial director, Poenky Indarti said that there are many human rights violation cases in Papua that still not been resolved. Many of the cases have got stuck with the police and the attorney-general's office. Poengky said: 'The police are not capable of resolving these cases.' She said that the police are always spying on civilian activists, especially those involved in defending human rights and always making accusations of separatism against human rights activists. She also said that incidents of violence continue to occur. These include the case of Opinus Tabuni who was killed in August 2008 and the case of the JUBI journalist Ardiansyah Matrias, who was killed on 30 July 2010. 'Human rights activists need to continue to sruggle about these cases,' she said.
Forkorus and friends receive heroes' welcome
Forkorus and friends receive heroes’ welcome
(Bintang Papua)The chairman of DAP, the Papuan Traditional Assembly, Forkorus Yaboisembut, and five others who recently attended the public hearing at the US Congress arrived back on Papuan soil yesterday at Sentani Airport to a heroes’ welcome as if returning from the battle-field. On their
arrival, Forkorus and his group were welcomed by the Boy Eluay, the son
of Theys Eluay.
Troops from the Petapa security forces maintained a tight guard along
the way taken by Forkorus and the others. As they entered the airport
arrivals area, they were invited to step on a large china plate and
nokens [string bags] were draped round their necks [a ceremonial welcome
for special people] while the woman in the group had her head half
covered with a jilbab. The Petapa guard was closely maintained from the
arrivals area to the cars waiting outside. A group of musicians was also
there to welcome Forkorus and his colleagues. They then drove for 45
minutes to a specially constructed pendopo .
After prayers were said, Forkorus said that they had visited the US at
the invitation of the US Congress to attend a public hearing at the
Congress. He said that this was evidence that the US regards the Papuan
with respect and wants to build a new friendly relationship in order to
help the Papuan people.
Responding to negative remarks made by the US ambassador who said that
Papua is part of NKRI, he said that this was just a political
statement whereas all the arrangements for the group’s departure to the
US had been handled by the US embassy in Jakarta.
Herman Awom who also particiated in the visit to the US said that during
their presence at the congressional hearing, two other Papuans were
deliberately included by Indonesia, Franzalbert Yoku and Nikko Messet,
whose words describing Papuans as stupid and lazy were described as
regrettable by Eni Faleomavaega. a member of the US Congress.
Eni Faleomavaega said it was regrettable that Nikko Messet had said of
his own people that they were lazy and stupid.
It was also reported that Forkorus and his colleagues will repeat their
testimonies on the following day at the graveside of Theys Eluay.
No separatism in Papua, says military commander
Bintang Papua, 5 October 2010 [Abridged in translation] No separatism in Papua, says military commander According to the military commander of the Cenderawasih Command, there are no separatist groups functioning in Papua any more, Security can therefore be left to the police, with the army providing back-up when called upon to do so, said Major-General Hotma Marbun. 'If there were any separatists, we would crush them,' he said. He was speaking on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Cenderawasih military command, he said. Asked about the 'Papua Peace Force' which has been announced by Forkorus Yoboisembut, chairman of DAP, the Papuan Traditional Council, Hotma said: 'There is no such thing. I dont know anything about it. If it did exist, it wouldn't mean anything. They are using the word peace, aren't they?' A message was read out on behalf of the commander of the Indonesian armed forces Admiral Agus Suhartono. He said that reflecting the emerging global framework strategy and Indonesia's national interests, the country is facing a number of threats to its national security including security in South Maluku, terrorism, separatism, violations of its borders, natural disasters, illegal activities (no mention about what these are), horizontal conflicts and a lack of energy resources. In the context of the strategic environment, he said that Indonesia faces the threat of global warming and continual endeavours together with all components to safeguard the integrity of NKRI, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. He then said that the armed forces would continue to pursue the process of reformasi.
INDONESIAN ARMY ON STREETS IN TENSE WAMENA AS LOCAL CRISIS TALKS GO NOWHERE
INDONESIAN ARMY ON STREETS IN TENSE WAMENA AS LOCAL CRISIS TALKS GO NOWHERE
Nick Chesterfield, westpapuamedia.info
Photo Report: Warning Graphic Photos
(Wednesday, October 6, 2010). West Papuan people in Wamena are expressing fear after the shooting of community security guards by police on Monday. In a show of force, Indonesian security forces have deployed hundreds of fully armed combat troops on the streets to prevent local people from gathering in protest against the police shootings of members of Petapa.
(Fully armed combat troops patrolling Wamena streets, Wednesday October 6, 2010. Photos taken by witness in hiding)
A high level reconciliation team made up of has met briefly to try and avert any conflict but it has ended its meeting without any clear result. Local activists fear that the Indonesian state is outraged by the threat of a community security guard providing protection to West Papuan people seeking to engage in acts of free expression.
On Monday, a detachment of community security guards attempted to seek an explanation with Airport police for the heavy handed seizure of uniforms. Police at the Wamena North airport police station refused to provide an explanation , instead emerging firing live ammunition into the crowd after a missile was thrown breaking a single tooth of the Jayawijaya police chief I Gede Sumerta. As retribution for the broken tooth, police pursued the crowd for over a kilometre, shooting dead Ismail Lokobal in the chest. Police then arrested another ten people. Amos Wetipo and Frans Lokobal were shot in the head and wrist respectively after they refused to get out of the police truck when it returned to the station. Shooting of unarmed and bound detainees is deemed by international law as an extrajudicial execution.
However, according to a local human rights team, Indonesian police are consistently refusing to take responsibility for the attack and pursuit on unarmed members of the Community Security Force Pentapa, nor are they accepting any responsibility for unprovoked shooting of detainees inside a police truck. Instead they are blaming Pentapa for attacking the police post. Indonesian police have told AFP that they will have to wait until an autopsy is conducted to determine the cause of death for the shot man.
(Note: westpapuamedia.info is publishing clear and obvious photos showing the gunshot wounds in Mr Lokobal’s chest.)
No Need for Autopsy
The crisis meeting was attended by Disaster Coordinator Wetipo Amos, Chairman of ELSHAM (Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights) Theo Hesegem, and other representatives of NGOs, church leaders and DAP, together with the Vice Regent of Jayawijaya, and members of Parliament.
Local West Papuan activists, who have asked not to be identified, have called on the Indonesian government to immediately send the military in Wamena back to their barracks and for police officers to take responsibility for their action.
westpapuamedia.info
Photos of DAP Commnity Security Guards
Related Stories:
WAMENA KILLING WAS EXTRAJUDICIAL MURDER: WITNESSES
BREAKING NEWS: INDONESIA SHOOTS 3, 1 DEAD IN WAMENA
Mobilising a Papuan peace force in Sabron by DAP!
WAMENA KILLING WAS EXTRAJUDICIAL MURDER: WITNESSES
WAMENA KILLING WAS EXTRAJUDICIAL MURDER: WITNESSES
Nick Chesterfield, westpapuamedia.info
Tuesday, October 5, 2010: Evidence is continuing to emerge from Wamena, in West Papua’s Highlands, that a shooting of unarmed community security guards by Indonesian police on Monday was a extrajudicial murder by Indonesian Police.
According to witnesses interviewed by a local human rights investigation team, Ismael Lokobal, the coordinator of the Balim Petapa (unarmed community security security guards formed by Dewan Adat Papua), was shot whilst trying to seek shelter from indiscriminate police shooting at the DAP Balim Lapago office about 1 km from the police station.
Amos Wetipo and Frans Lokobal were shot when police opened fire after they refused to get down from a police truck outside the Wamena North K3 Police station. Wetipo was shot in the head by police standing at the back of the truck, bullets also striking Frans Lokobal in the wrist. Both men suffered from heavy blood loss according to witnesses, and Amos Wetipo is reportedly in a coma.
The shootings occurred after unarmed Petapa members went to the police station to seek and explanation for the unauthorised seizure of a box of berets for Petapa uniforms, and Rp40 million in cash. No Petapa paraphernalia that was seized contained any banned items or symbols so there was no reason for its seizure. Human rights sources reported to westpapuamedia.info that Petapa members felt the seizure was heavy handed and repressive, and refused to leave the police station without an explanation, when police emerged firing assault rifles directly at the gathered crowd without any verbal warnings or warning shots. Indonesian media have incorrectly reported that the Petapa members had attacked the police station causing an officer to be injured, but this is untrue.
Petapa was formed by the DAP in July after a series of violent incidents carried out by security forces and transmigrant militia members, and had been providing a visible peacekeeping security presence for mobilisations on peaceful demonstrations, which though allowed under Indonesian law are almost always dispersed with force by security forces. Whilst they have been trained in physical self defence, a significant part of Petapa’s training has been on non-violent conflict resolution. Petapa are not mandated by DAP to be anything but a defensive security guard.
The Baptist Church of Papua is deeply disturbed by the continued violence meted out by Indonesian security forces in the highlands, and had called for the police to take responsibility for their actions. “The barbaric behavior of this state apparatus is not human. Security forces should not shoot and kill civilians for any reason and or ideology,”said Reverend Socratez Sofyan Yoman, President of the Baptist Church of Papua.
“Violence and the killing of God’s people is not the way the settlement but creates new more difficult problems. The unity of the Indonesian state (NKRI) can not be managed and maintained in with violence and spilling people’s blood,” Yoman said. “The shooting shows that the people of Papua are not safe in the land of their ancestors. The security forces should be responsible and do not quibble with blaming civilians,” explain Reverend Yoman.
Local human rights sources are calling for an immediate, open investigation by Komnas HAM (National Human Rights Commission), with international monitoring, and the the police officers guilty of shootings to be charged with murder and sentenced appropriately.
The situation in Wamena is extremely tense on latest information, and demonstrations are likely. Local human rights sources are calling for the Indonesian security forces to exercise restraint and professionalism.
westpapuamedia.info
A Preliminary report in Bahasa Indonesia contains photos of the dead, injured and arrested men (not of their deaths and arrests) and a full chronology. is available for download here: KRONOLOGIS PENEMBAKAN ANGGOTA PETAPA DI WAMENA
More photos and reports to come.
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West Papua Media Alerts 
