DAP: Papua on the brink of genocide

JUBI, 4 March 2011

The chairman of DAP, the Papuan Traditional Council, Forkorus
Yaboisembut, is reported as saying that the process of elimination of
the Melanesian Race which is currently turning the indigenous Papua
people into a minority in their own homeland does not yet fall within
the definition of genocide. But it is the intention of the Indonesian
State to bring the indigenous Papuan People to the brink of genocide.

‘It cannot be said that, according to the definition of genocide, that
is what is happening, but the situation is moving in that direction,’ he
said.

He said that the growth in the indigenous population has not increased
at all, as compared with what has been happening in Papua New Guinea.

‘At the time of Papua’s integration into the Republic of Indonesia, the
indigenous population (Orang Asli Papua or OAP) numbered around 800,000, whereas in PNG it was 900,000.’

Since then, the population of PNG has increased to 7.7 million or more,
which is out of all comparison with the growth of the OAP who now number 1.8 million. If there had been no discriminatory measures against the OAP, this would have grown to 6 million. This lower growth is partly also due to several government programmes, such as the Family Planning Programme and the transmigration programme. Added to this is is spread of HIV/AIDS which is undermining the growth potential of indigenous Papuans.

On top of all that, he said, from 1969 until the fall of Suharto in
1998, Papua was a Military Operations Zone (DOM). And now what it
happening is the continual violation of human rights.

He accused the Central Statitics Bureau (BPS) of publishing data that
does not conform with the reality in Papua. He said that this data
serves the interests of the Indonesian state while victimising the OAP.

‘The BPS ‘s intention is to show that there is no such thing as genocide occurring in Papua, They have even been claiming that the indigenous Papuans still comprise the majority in this part of the country.

He also referred to the UN Convention on Genocide which defines genocide as the intentional, systematic elimination of an ethnic group

Human rights situation raised with US diplomat visiting Papua (westpapuamedia.info)
Papuan Churches: Declaration Regarding Failure of the Indonesian Government in Governing and Developing the Indigenous Peoples of Papua (westpapuamedia.info)

March 11, 2011 1

DAP rejects transmigration

JUBI, 21 February, 2011

DAP rejects transmigration

The chairman of DAP, the Papuan Traditional Council, has called on the
Indonesian government to be more judicious about plans to send yet more transmigrants to Papua.

Forkorus Yaboisembut said that plans by the Transmigration Department to move more transmigrants into Papua was a matter of great concern.

‘I very much hope that Papua will not yet again be the target for more
transmigrants because this is turning the Papuan people into a minority in their own homeland.’

He went on to say that sending more transmigrants in Papua was creating many more problems. In addition to turning local communities into minorities, it is also fostering feelings of jealousy because the
majority of people who run businesses and own plenty of capital are
those who have come from other parts of Indonesia.

Transmigration is also resulting in local Papuan cultures being swamped
by cultures from outside.

The government has announced that it has allocated Rp 600 billion to
cover the cost of bringing more transmigrants to Papua from other
parts of the country. The new transmigration programme is scheduled to continue until 2014.

February 26, 2011 1

Human rights situation raised with US diplomat visiting Papua

Bintang Papua, 16 February 2011

HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION REPORTED TO US DIPLOMAT

Biak: The traditional Papuan community in Biak reported the current
social and political situation in Papua to the first secretary for
political affairs at the US embassy, Melanie Higgins, when she visited
the office of DAP (Dewan Adat Papua) in Biak. Their representatives drew attention in particular to the human rights situation and the
deteriorating welfare since the enactment of the Special Autonomy Law (OTSUS) which had led to the failure of OTSUS.

The issue that came to the fore was that for the Papuan people the
solution was merdeka – independence. ‘This poured forth from the hearts of the indigenous people during their meeting with the US diplomat on Wednesday. They said that this would be the best solution for the accumulation of problems in Papua,’ said Yan Pieter Yarangga, chairman of DAP in Biak-Supiori, following his meeting with Higgins.

He said that the visit by Melanie Higgins was consistence with the US
decision to evaluate OTSUS in Papua. She was able to hear how OTSUS had been implemented in the ten years since its enactment.

Besides talking about the failure of OTSUS, they raised some specific
cases, such as the beating of a civilian by a member of the security
forces (TNI) over a land dispute regarding land being held by the Air
Force.

They also talked about such matters as history, the development process and the growing number of poor Papuans. Women who were present spoke about the growing number of HIV/AIDS victims in Biak and everywhere in Papua.

‘We talked about many serious problems which were an indication of
genocide. ‘But we very much regret the fact that according to the US
there is no genocide in Papua,’ said the chairman of the local DAP.

He said that the indigenous people of Papua nevertheless warmly
appreciated the visit by Melanie Higgins and the present position of the US, and understood their US support for NKRI (Unitary State of the
Republic of Indonesia.).

‘But they should realise that we will not retreat and will continue to
struggle until we reach a solution for the political status for the
people of Papua and hope that Melanie Higgins will pass on the views of the indigenous Papuan people to the US government, in so that they would be passed on to the central government in Jakarta for them to take steps in favour of a comprehensive solution of the Papuan problem.’

‘Actually, there were many problems to raise with her but time was
short, so we came to the conclusion that we should raise a number of
basic indicators about problems of a very substantial nature.’

Bintang Papua: Rejection of OTSUS intensifies DPRP should convene plenary session (westpapuamedia.info)
Selection of MRP members should stop, say church leaders (westpapuamedia.info)
Press Release issued by the Papuan People’s Coalition for Truth (KRPBK) (westpapuamedia.info)
Civil Society Coalition: Reflections on Human Rights in the Papuan Special Autonomy era (westpapuamedia.info)

February 19, 2011 2

DAP: Transmigration harmful to local people

JUBI,16 February 2011

Responding to a report that the government plans to send more
transmigrants to Papua, the chairman of DAP, Dewan Adat Papua, Forkorus Yoboisembut said this was a serious matter because it would turn the Papuan people into a minority, as well as triggering conflict.

‘As the representative of the adat (traditional) people in Papua, I
reject the transmigration programme which fails to safeguard the
position of the local people,’ he said. It is reported that the government has allocated Rp 600 billion to pay for the transmigration of people from Indonesia to a number of places in Indonesia regarded as being ‘under-populated’, including Papua.

‘I hope the central government will consider this matter carefully
because the transmigration programme to Papua has already resulted in the marginalisation of the indigenous people at a time when a lot of
development work is going on.’

Forkorus said that the location of transmigrants in many places in
Papua has made it difficult for the local communities to preserve
their own culture and lifestyles. Development of more luxurious
lifestyles intensifies the marginalisation of the little folk. In addition, with the government’s attention being focused on the transmigrants, feelings of envy emerge because the local people do not get the same degree of attention.

He also said that the transmigration programme under way in Papua
undermines Papuans’ sense of being masters in their own homeland because the vast majority of those now running the economy are non-Papuans. Papuans are not yet able to compete with the newcomers in economic affairs and this is something the government needs to give serious attention to.