Tag: economic marginalisation

WOMEN SAY: DEPUTY GOVERNOR MUST KEEP HIS PROMISE

WOMEN SAY: DEPUTY GOVERNOR MUST KEEP HIS PROMISE

Bintang Papua, 8 February 2011

Hundreds of women traders (known as mama-mama) visited the office of the governor of the Papua province to demand that the deputy governor, Alex Hesegem keep the promise he made to give them assistance in the form of capital. The women stayed in the hall of the governor’s office, demanding to meet the deputy governor. After waiting for two hours, they were eventually able to meet him.

He said he was happy to enter into dialogue with the women but things became tense when they persisting in demanding that he keep his promise. He responded by saying that this would certainly be done, I can do it tomorrow.’

But he asked he women to draw up a list of their names because another official insisted that anyone receiving half a million rupiahs would have to pay a fee of five thousand rupiahs. This is reportedly the reasons why the capital has not yet been provided. Some women said that they had no objection to paying this fee.

‘This problem has been going on for two years, and we have been going back and forth to the governor’s office, but all the time they keep telling us to go somewhere else.’

She said that she hoped that after supplying the list of women, the
matter will be resolved because they were worn out, going back and forth about this.

The issue dates back to 2007 when the deputy governor held an open
house. When the mama-mama went there to meet the officials, they
requested help in the form of half a million rupiahs for each one of
them yet to this very day, they have not received anything.

[COMMENT: This just shows the problems Papuan people continue to
encounter in order to secure for themselves a role in engaging in trade
and business in Papua. TAPOL]

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Institute of Papuan Intellectuals calls for a referendum

Bintang Papua, 7 September 2010

[Abridged in translation]

The Central Council of the Institute of Intellectuls in the Land of
Papua has issued a statement which rejects any move to Revise and
Evaluate Special Autonomy. They said that the Special Autonomy Law – OTSUS – was adopted nine years ago but, they asked, what has the
government done in all that time?

When it was adopted, OTSUS was described as being an alternative move by the central government in response to the wishes of the indigenous people to secede from the Indonesian Republic. This was because of the huge disparity in many spheres, such as welfare, education, economic activities,.health, infrastructure and human rights violations.

In fact, OTSUS was introduced by the Indonesian government in order to ensure that West Papua remains with the Republic of Indonesia.

Implementation of the law should have involved the introducetion of
special regulations – Perdasus and Perdasi – but the central government along with officials of the two provinces, Papua and West Papua have turned OTSUS into a disaster for the people of the Land of Papua. So what can the central government be proud of achieving in its wish to revise and evaluate OTSUS?

The statement said in conclusion:

The Institute of Intellectuals of the Land of Papua and its members
throughout Papua, in other parts of Indonesia and abroad, hereby declare:

1. We reject any revision of OTSUS and any evaluation of the
implementation of OTSUS.

2.We call for a Referendum.

3. We call on the UN to facilitate the process for a referendum in West
Papua.

4. We call on the UN to take action to uphold the rights of the indigenous people of West Papua.

Signed by:

Pares L. Wenda, Chairman for Politics, Law and Human Rights

Natalsen Basna, General Chairman

Complaints about market space for Papuan women

Bintang Papua, 7 September 2010

[Abridged in translation]

Solidaritas Perempuan (Women’s Solidarity) Port Numbay has called on
the Papuan provincial legislative council (DPRP) to pay proper attention
to the needs of Papuan women – mama-mama – traders who have not been
provided with suitable space in the market, Pasar Hamadi to sell their
wares.

In a demonstration to represent the aspirations of the women, they
complained that the Jayapura municipal administration has failed to
promote the interests of the women and the customary rights of the
Ireuuw people to a decent place for stalls in the market. They said that
there were still quite a lot of the women without decent locations to
conduct their business.

This was in breech of the Special Autonomy Law 21/2001 which stresses
the need to take sides with the indigenous Papuan people. This is a
matter that needs the special attention of the government, especially
the provincial administration, they said.

Solidaritas Perempuan itself consists of eleven mama-mama. It insists
that the traditional rights of the people must be respected.

The chairperson of the organisation, Yosephine Hamadi, together with the
local coordinator, met a member of the DPRP and wants to meet members of
Commissions A and B.

A representative of Commission A, Hein Ohee, said that he felt unable
to respond to the demands of Solidaritas Perempuan because they did not
appear to be united among themselves on the matter.

He also said that the market’s location was still problematic following
a recent fire, and since the reconstruction of the market after the
fire, complications had arisen over the traditional rights of the Ireuuw
people and the compensation payments, all of which needs further
discussion, and the risk that anything done in the location might lead
to further problems.

The complaint by Solidaritas Peremmpuan that the decision about the
location for the women revealed a lack of justice and understanding,
reflects concerns not only of the Ireuuw people but of Papuan women in
other parts of Papua. They said that they would have further meetings
with the trade department to try to resolve the issue.

Uranium exploration could harm indigenous population

Tabloid JUBI, 31 August 2010

Uranium exploration could harm indigenous population

The chairman of the Papuan Customary Council (DAP), Forkorus Yoboisembut is concerned that the explorations into uranium now being conducted by Freeport in the Timika region are failing to take the interests of the indigenous people into account and could result in having a negative impact on their welfare.

These explorations, which have already been under way for eight months are not transparent. ‘We have made strong representations to the company that these exploration can be harmful to the customary groups,’ he said.

To ensure that the local communities do not have any objections regarding the exploration of uranium, the investors and the government should co-ordinate with the traditional owners (of the land).’ There is a need for transparency by the investors about how long the explorations will be conducted and what the local communities will receive in payment,’ he said.

The amount of uranium thought to be present in the Freeport mine is far higher than the minimum rate of 83 ppm (parts per million), whereas the economically viable minimum universally accepted is 1,000 ppm

‘I think that the investors and the government need to be more open towards the local communities about the benefits and disadvantages of the exploration of uranium that is now under way,’ he said.

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