JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com. The civil society group of Papua itu Kita in Jakarta has demanded that a police officer who sexually abused children arrested during state repression in Fak-Fak, be fired and prosecuted.
Papuan Rights campaign “Papua itu Kita”, explained that three under-age children were sexually abused by the members of the state security apparatus. On May 2, 2016, large-scale arrests took place in the city of Jayapura. A total approaching 1,744 people were arrested simply for peacefully protesting to support the full membership of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
“It was the largest arrest post-tragedy 65 (the bloody coup the brought former dictator Suharto to power) and became the only largest arrests post-reformasi (the mass movement that removed Suharto in 1998), where democracy has become a choice that should support the freedom of expression and speech,” said Papua itu Kita through a press release on its official website, on 7 May.
It is said, the arrest did not stop in Jayapura, but (continues) until Fakfak. In four waves, the police have arrested 122 people. The arrest of thousands of people not only harm the democracy but also tear up our conscience. Because the three under-age children who were arrested had experienced sexual abuse from the police (fak-fak.com).
” WM (16 years old) his penis squeezed, DB (14 years) and TM (12 years old) were forced to watch pornographic videos and then being forced to masturbate. The act of sexual violence was carried out in the examination room of Fakfak police station,” said Papua itu Kita.
In response, Papua itu Kita, as a movement of solidarity with civil society for humanity and justice for the people of Papua, announced:
first, condemn the acts of sexual violence committed by police against WM (16 years), DB (14 years) and TM (12 years old ).
Secondly, discharge, arrest and prosecuted the perpetrators with a legal process which is transparent and accountable.
Thirdly, the Indonesian Commission of Child Protection (KPAI) should participate in investigating the cases of sexual violence against children in Papua.
Fourthly, the State must establish a comprehensive system and non-discriminatory as a safeguard for children, especially in Papua.
“That sexual violence, particularly against children, cannot be justified for any reason. Especially, if the perpetrator is a police officer. With jargon “to protect, foster and embracing the citizens, they should be able to provide protection and safe space for children,” they wrote.
Meanwhile, Papuan human rights activists in Fak-Fak, Freddy Warpopor, confirmed this media and said the incident was true.
Those who arrested at that time were 98 people. Among them there are 18 children who call themselves the Sons of West Papua also get arrested. One of the children was forced to watch pornographic films named DK (14) and other friends forced to do masturbation by the police officers.
“The Children, the victims, identified the police officer (who forced the victim to watch pornographic films) when we showed the photo. Only the name is not yet known. It is already included in the category of pornography. After asked to watch, they get beaten, slapped and forced to smoke cigarette. They were forced to do a push-up and then slapped. The children were subjected to torture, ” said Warpopor.
originally alerted via WestPapuaMedia #LiveUpdatesPapua, with additional reporting from Satu Juli
April 3, 2016
Update: 45 people have been confirmed detained without release since 8pm last night in Fakfak, mostly are primary and secondary school students.
On 2 May 2016, almost 2000 activists were arrested throughout West Papua, as they were engaging in peaceful activities to support the ULMWP’s full membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Today, most of the activists have been released, after many were tortured and mistreated.
45 people have been confirmed detained without release since 8pm last night in Fakfak, mostly are primary and secondary school students. That region was to hold a peaceful march the next day, on 3 March, coinciding with the Meeting that is to be held today in London, regarding the Right to self-determination of the Papuan People.
This is a video of last night, when the Papuan activists were arrested and taken away from the ULMWP Secretariat/Fakfak Region, to the police station. More than 16 people were arrested at the time, at around 5.30 pm. That evening, others were arrested at around 8 pm. The names of the 16 arrested whom we know of, are:
Special Wrap-up report by West Papua Media, with local sources.
(Apologies for delay in posting as WPM was chasing hi-res photo essays from outlying regions. This will be a separate item as soon as we get hold of them.)
August 26, 2013
Scores of non-violent activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) were arrested across Papua over the last two weeks, when Indonesian Police carried out pre-emptive sweeps ahead of a day of mobilisation on August 15, a day intended to celebrate Papuan cultural identity and demand rights to free expression be respected.
Organisers across Papua claimed varying degrees of success in holding the cultural parades, hailing the assertion of Papuan cultural identity in the face of a “deliberate campaign of cultural suppression by the Indonesian colonial security forces” as a “moral victory that would show that West Papuan people are not going to die quietly,” according to sources who spoke with West Papua Media (WPM).
The parades were organised by West Papuan activists on the anniversary of the contentious New York Agreement – that began the process of Indonesian colonisation of Papua – to demonstrate against ongoing the threats to the survival of Papuan culture. The parades were also celebrating the opening of the new Free West Papua Campaign office in The Hague in The Netherlands under the coordination of Oridek Ap (the exiled son of executed West Papuan musician and cultural hero Arnold Ap).
Despite Police being widely reported by Indonesian colonial media stating they would allow the parades to go ahead, activists and stringers for WPM reported from across the country of waves of arrests – or detentions as described by Indonesian security forces – and intimidation that prevented several of the parades from occurring.
Nevertheless, the events went ahead in Jayapura, Wamena and Biak, with much smaller gatherings unconfirmed across the rest of the country.
Papuans villagers arrested and searched, detained in Aula Fakfak Police for interrogation (photo: Alex Tethool / Jubi / Fakfak)
In the west coast town of FakFak, police arrested several dozen people on August 13, according to reports from Tabloid Jubi, and human rights sources. Jubi reported that officers intercepted two trucks carrying dozens of villagers as they were preparing to attend the Cultural Parade on the 15th. Police commandeered the trucks to the police headquarters in Fakfak, detaining and interrogating the villagers – including large numbers of women and children – in the Police Hall. Police refused to explain their actions to Papuan media, according to local observers. Unconfirmed reports from Fakfak say the majority of villagers were released, but the date of their release, or the ability for them to continue their participation in the cultural parades is still unknown.
Jayapura
In Jayapura, KNPB Chairman Agus Kosai was arrested by Police as he and other KNPB members attempted to move a sound system from his village near Sentani (about 12km outside Jayapura) to the gravesite of slain independence hero Theys Eluay in Waena. KNPB treasurer Toni Kobak and National Spokesperson Wim Medlama were also arrested with 13 other KNPB members. Police interrogated them but later released them, ordering them home after seizing their banners and equipment.
Refusing to be intimidated, the released KNPB members then ignored the Police directive, made new rally materials and proceeded with the planned Cultural Parades regardless in Jayapura.
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Thousands of local people turned out in Jayapura to showcase Papua’s vibrant indigenous cultural diversity, reflecting and representing Papuan cultures from every corner of the country. The day itself had been planned as a deeply symbolic act of cultural resistance through survival, drawing on the actions of slain ethnomusicologist Arnold Ap in a nonviolent assertion of Papuan sovereignty resisting Indonesian colonisation and control of Papuan lives.
Indonesian Police surveille activists during the Papuan Cultural Parade, Jayapura, August 15, 2013 (Photo: West Papua Media / YS)
Illustrating this attempt at control, many acts of cultural expression such as banned dances, banned songs, and banned displays of cultural heritage were actively monitored by heavily armed Indonesian Police, however the sheer number of participants prevented further arrests.
Coordinator of the Peace Demonstration Warpo Sampari Wetipo, told the crowd from a stage mounted atop a Kijang car, “we in KNPB are standing with the people of Papua, despite the Indonesian military’s terror by prohibiting any peaceful demonstration and action, we do continue to fight without fear, to demand the right of self-determination for us, the people of West Papua.”
Buchtar Tabuni, West Papua Parliament Chairman, and revolving door political prisoner currently between arrests, reminded the crowd that they were gathered to “Declare to the world that the people of Papua are demanding the recognition of their right of self-determination with fairness and dignity.” By demonstrating their cultural resistance, Tabuni said that West Papuan people were asserting their identity “as a community of the Melanesian family, that Papuans are not part of the people of Indonesia or Malay.”
Reports from the Jayapura rally suggested that police were initially prepared to utilise force against the participants after they defied the order to go home. Significant military hardware was deployed, with security forces surrounding the thousands of people gathered at Theys’ gravesite with Armoured personnel carriers, water cannon, tear gas trucks and several Barracuda armoured assault vehicles.
According to reports filed to WPM, activists had prepared unspecified “unique” methods of non-violent de-arresting techniques should the need arise, though it is unclear whether the Indonesian security forces were prepared to respect the nonviolence of the day.
The rally had been tightly safeguarded by KNPB members, who kept the participants separated from security forces and plain clothes special forces personnel with a simple rope line, thus preventing any agents provocateur from provoking police to create a scenario of violence. in Papua. Buchtar Tabuni told the crowd at the end of the rally, “the security forces to help secure us, and also I just want to explain that from yesterday until last night we kept guard patrol, to keep track of things that we do not want to happen and also it helps security deposit until the day’s activities, ”
In Wamena, KNPB activists reported that police and members of the Indonesian army were also being proactive in prevention of the parades, with banner seizures and an active show of force. According to local sources, almost the entire KODIM 756 Wim Ane Sili (lit. “House of the Sound of War” in Dani language) Battalion (up to 1000 soldiers) surround the protest field at Sinapuk,
This massive “show force” was responsible for thousands of people being forced to stay away from the Cultural gathering, according to KNPB Wamena spokesperson Mr Mabel. The gathering was peaceful but was only attended by several hundred people.
In Biak, local members of the KNPB organised a smaller demonstration passing the site of the infamous Biak Massacre, which recently commemorated its 15th anniversary on July 6. Hundreds of people marched from the old market and Terminal Pasar Darfuar ending up at a traditional meeting house (pendopo adat Sorido), to support the opening of The Hague Free West Papua office. Apollos Sroyer, Biak KNPB Chairman, told WPM’s correspondent “The parade was also planned as an expression of welcome to the arrival of messengers from the Melanesian Spearhead Groups (MSG) in the near future to West Papua.”
Sroyer also expressed “gratitude to those MSG members who have expressed their support of the right of self-determination of the people of West Papua,” without mentioning the official rejection of the bid for Observer Status for West Papua by the MSG, widely seen as a betrayal of Melanesian solidarity by many across the Pacific.
(Jayapura) Indonesian security forces have arrested several people in West Papua today as demonstrations were held to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the original declaration of West Papua’s independence.
Victor Yeimo, the Chairman of the West Papua National Committee, has been confirmed as being arrested by police, according to independent witnesses and direct communication with his brother. It is currently unknown if Yeimo was arrested by the Australian funded and trained Detachment 88 counter-terror unit, who had committed to hunt Yeimo.
Several other people have been confirmed arrested jointly by Indonesian military (TNI) and police outside the headquarters of TNI battalion 752 at Expo Waena. The two confirmed detainees are Usman Yogobi and Alius Asso, according to West Papua Media stringers at the scene. More names will be provided as soon as confirmed.
Major rallies were also held in Melbourne (Australia), and were planned to be held in Sorong, Nabire, Fak Fak, Manokwari, Wamena,, Timika and Serui. Information from these rallies have not yet been forthcoming.
KNPB activist, Klismon Woi succumbs to his injuries November 6, 2012
By KNPB News
(Note: West Papua Media has again independently verified all contents of this report with contacts in Fak-Fak, and is reprinting the KNPB News report in full as WPM has confidence in this reportage).
Fak-Fak, KNPBnews – After Paulus Horik was laid to rest yesterday (5/11), another KNPB activist in Fakfak, Klismon Woi, took his last breath this afternoon (6/11) at 12 noon, at the Regional General Hospital of Fakfak in West Papua. The late Klismon was in a critical condition for two days due to the countless bruises and serious injuries on his face and ribs.
According to information submitted to KNPBnews this afternoon by Arnold Kocu, regional coordinator of KNPB Fakfak, the body of the now deceased Klismon Woi was brought back to the funeral home. He also confirmed that Paulus Horik was buried the day before (5/11).
Klismon Woi was a member of KNPB-Fakfak. According to information collected from the field, there are reasons to believe that Paulus and Klismon were killed by people who were especially trained by Indonesian forces that had been monitoring the activities and events led by KNPB activists in the Fakfak region.
Special operations by the Indonesian security forces against KNPB activists have been stepped up since KNPB Chairman Mako Tabuni was shot dead on 14 June. Search and arrest operations, raids and killings have been undertaken continuously by the Indonesian Special forces in an effort to eradicate the peaceful resistance movement led by the KNPB (wd)
West Papua Media Alerts 