Tag: genocide

MRP dualism threatens the existence of the Papuan people

Bintang Papua, 23 June 2011

Pastor Jonga: ‘MRP has now become a mechanism for the government’s splitting tactics.’

The controversy about the setting up of an MRP for West Papua had
continued to rumble on and is likely to last for a long time. There are
people who now claim that having two MRPs will threaten the existence
of the indigenous Papuan people.

This was the theme of a seminar held by the Students Executive Council
(BEM) on Wednesday this week.

The controversy emerged when the governor of West Papua, acting on
behalf of the Minister of the Interior, announced the creation of the
West Papua MRP. The seminar was held at the auditorium of the
Cenderawasih University, and was attended by about a hundred people.The
main speakers were Fadhal Alhamid of the Papuan Customary Council (DAP)
and Pastor Jong Jonga, representing the religious community The
moderator was Laus Rumayon.

Fadhal Alhamid said that the danger posed by MRP dualism was that the
standard set for basic human rights of Papuans living in the province
of West Papua would be different from those set in the province of
Papua. In addition, the creation of the West Papua MRP was to promote
certain vested interests, part of a conspiracy between the governor and
the vice-governor of West Papua. ‘The MRP reached an agreement
regarding cultural and economic unity.But if there are now two MRPs,
there is the danger that this unity will disappear.’

He also said that responsibility for creating the second MRP rests with
the MRP itself. ‘We should raise the question of whether they were the
ones responsible for creating the second MRP.’

He also drew attention to the position of people in the leaderhip of
the Papua MRP and the West Papua MRP. ‘The fact that Ibu Dorkas is the
chairman of the Papua MRP and is also the vice-chairman of the West
Papua MRP has led to a great deal of confusion.

The other speaker, Pastor Jong Jonga, dealt more specifically with his
own experiences with congregations living in the district of Keerom. ‘In
my opinion, special autonomy (OTSUS) has failed to provide protection,
tranquillity and security indigenous because its benefits are only
being enjoyed by people living in the vicinity of the district capital.
‘These were precisely the regions where the percentage of indigenous
Papuans is very low as compared to the percentage of newcomers or
migrants.’ What they were hoping for, he said, was that the MRP which
had been intended as a unifying body would now become a means for
splitting the Papuan people.’

During questions and answers that followed the speeches, the students
focused primarily on OTSUS. Many said that OTSUS had become nothing
more than a mechanism to prolong the sufferings of the Papuan people.
OTSUS has become the long arm of the central government. ‘What was
needed now,’ the one questioner said, ‘was for the DPRP to take action
to disband the West Papua MRP.’ Many in the audience shared these views.

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‘If You Mess With Us You’re Dead’

via NewMatilda.com

By Jason MacLeod

indo soldier in west papua

There was nothing clandestine about the beating of human rights activist Yones Douw in West Papua last week. Jason MacLeod reports on the latest in a long pattern of public violence by the Indonesian military

“You can mess with the police,” said the Indonesian soldiers, “but if you try it with us, you’re dead.”

According to witnesses that was what was said to Yones Douw, a 42-year-old Papuan human rights defender as he was beaten with lumps of wood by soldiers from Kodim 1705, Nabire’s District Military Command in the Indonesian province of Papua. Immediately after the beating Douw went to the local Siriwini hospital but was refused treatment. Local staff demanded a letter from the police before they would treat his wounds. Douw now fears for his safety and has gone into hiding.

The incident occurred on the 15 June. Douw, a church worker with the Kingmi Church’s Bureau of Justice and Peace in Nabire, heard that a protest was going to take place at the 1705 District Military Command (Kodim) base in Nabire, Papua province, and he went to the base to monitor it. Thirty minutes after he arrived, a group of protesters turned up in three trucks, broke into the front entrance of the base and started to shatter the windows and throw objects. Douw immediately rushed into the base to calm the protesters.

In response, the military fired shots into the air and started hitting the protesters. Douw was struck on the head with pieces of wood many times. He also sustained injuries on his shoulder and wrists from the beatings. The protesters fled the scene, pursued by members of Kodim 1705 and armed troops from neighbouring Battalion 753. This is what gave Douw time to escape.

Yones Douw was not the accidental victim of some random act of violence. And the protesters he was defending were not some random mob of outraged Papuans or an attack by the Papuan Liberation Army, Papua’s lingering guerrilla force. The attack on the Nabire District Military Command was an expression of a grief stricken family angered at the senseless killing of one of their own. The family wanted to hold the military accountable for the killing of Derek Adii, a man who was beaten to death by soldiers a few weeks earlier.

In mid-May Douw, a chronicler of human rights violations in the troubled Paniai region for some years now, published a report that was picked up by Jubi, West Papua’s only independent news service. Douw’s report detailed the killing of Derek Adii on 14 May 2011. Adii, a 26-year-old Nabire man had just completed his application to join Papua’s burgeoning civil service.

According to Douw’s report, Adii was boarding the crowded passenger vessel KM Labobar at Nabire’s dock when he was beaten by six members of the military. One of the soldiers allegedly pulled out a bayonet and stabbed Adii in the head. The six men then threw his body overboard. Adii died at the scene.

Douw believes he was beaten by the military for retribution — not only for reporting Adii’s killing but also for continuing to shine a spotlight on human rights abuses in West Papua, an area the Indonesian police and military are trying to close off from international scrutiny by locking out journalists and even diplomats.

The circumstances surrounding Adii’s very public murder and Douw’s public beating in the front yard of a military base located on a main road in the middle of a town is typical of the patterns of human rights abuses in West Papua. Australian National University scholar and former Director of the Catholic Office of Justice and Peace in West Papua, Br Budi Hernawan OFM who is studying torture in West Papua, says that torture and human rights abuses in Papua are a kind of “public spectacle”.

In the 400 odd cases of torture that Hernawan has studied it is mostly poor and innocent Papuan civilians are rounded up and publicly abused. The perpetrators are nearly always the Indonesian military and police. It is classic state terror, the purpose of which is to violently pacify the population, to enforce the security apparatus’ control over human bodies and the body politic — and to intimidate and silence Papuan dissent.

It is a script that Yones Douw has refused to buy into. In the meantime other Papuans have stepped into Douw’s shoes. They are now chronicling the military’s attack on him and sending reports out to a domestic and international network in the same way that Douw has been ceaselessly reporting on the human rights abuses of others.

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Front Pepera: “Military and Police called upon to immediately restore sense of security to the people of Kamuu Valley”

WEST PAPUAN PEOPLE’S UNITED STRUGGLE FRONT (WPPUSF) –

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

(EKNAS FRONT PEPERA PB)

Secretariate: Padang Bulan II – Abepura – Jayapura – Papua

=============================================================================

“Together for the History of the Star of the East”

 

Press Release

 

“Military and Police called upon to immediately restore sense

of security to the people of Kamuu Valley”

 

In the aftermath of the bloody tragedy that began on April 13 2011, the people of Dogiyai Regency have fled their homes.  On April 13 and 14, TNI (Indonesian Military) and POLRI (Police) units killed two local civilians (Dominikus Auwe and Aloisius Waine) and left three others in critical condition (Otin Yobe, Matias Iyai and Albert Pigai).  According to information obtained on April 15, joint Military/Police operations have combed several villages in Dogiyai, razing at least ten homes and destroying crops and livestock.  In an ongoing situation of effective all-day curfew in Moanemani, the capital town of Dogiyai, it is difficult to gather information about these incidents and it is therefore still impossible to confirm the exact number of people who have been killed as a result of these Military/Police sweepings.

Military and Police troops with full combat weaponry continue to be deployed to Dogiyai Regency from surrounding regencies, including Deiyai, Nabire, Paniai and Timika; meanwhile Papua Provincial Police headquarters in Jayapura sent a platoon (two trucks) of troops on Sunday April 17.  Constant troop convoys are running between Moanemani and Paniai in a show of force on the part of the Indonesian Military and Police while villages surrounding Moanemani are combed by the troops.  Moanemani and surrounding districts are quiet, with the local population in hiding.  All government activities have ceased, including schooling.  Not a single person can be seen in Moanemani, save for soldiers and Brimob (Police Mobile Brigade) officers firing their weapons into the air.

All local civilians have fled to villages in nearby regencies, and many have sought refuge in the forest.  As a result, local people are suffering starvation and sickness that has led to several deaths, including that of eight-year old Detianus Goo who had escaped into hiding with his mother.  This child, from Putapa Village, Kamu Selatan District, Dogiyai Regency, died on April 16 at 9 AM (Papua time).  Besides him, Rosia Goo, a 40-year old woman who fled from Mauwa to Udekebo to seek safety, died in Udekebo on April 16.  Meanwhile, residents of Kimupugi and Ikebo whose physical conditions of old age or disability prevented them from fleeing have been in a severe state of torment, under threat of police violence.  Local Police threatened to attack homes if the weapons seized by residents were not returned by April 18 2011.

This drastic situation began to be rectified when the DPRP’s (Papua Provincial Legislature) Join Team, led by Commission A head Ruben Magai, travelled to Dogiyai on April 18 2011 and conducted meetings with local government leaders including Papua Police Special Team as well civil society representatives in Moanemani on Tuesday April 19 between 9 AM and 2:30 PM at the Regent’s (Bupati’s) office.  During this meeting, the DPRP Joint Team asked all parties, including local communities as well as Military and Police to maintain security, refrain from selling and consuming alcohol and gambling.  Meanwhile, local community representatives asked Papua Police and the Cenderawasih Division Military Commander to immediately pull all troops out of Dogiyai Regency, including “organic” (locally-based) and “non-organic” (deployed from other regional bases) troops.   They demanded that the local police chief be the only state officer permitted to carry a firearm, and offered to gather and return all weapons stolen by local civilians to the President as these weapons are the tools of the State, however they asked to meet the Papua Provincial Police Chief first.  This meeting in Moanemani ended after some commitments were agreed upon, including: 1) to return a sense of security to the local population of Kamuu, Dogiyai; 2) all Military and Police units to be pulled out; 3) all local economic and administrative activities to be resumed; 4) stolen weapons to be returned to the President, with DPRP as well as DPRD (Regency Legislature) asked to facilitate the transfer.

The DPRP Joint Team, led by the Commission A head accompanied by various DPRP members, Papua Human Rights Commission Vice-Head Matius Murib and Church representative Yones Douw (Coordinator of Justice and Peace for the Synod of Kingmi Papua Church), as well as student and youth envoys, began yesterday afternoon to circulate around the Kamuu Valley, asking local residents to return from their refuges in nearby forests and villages.  Today, regular local activities began to return to normal.  Still, the security situation has yet to fully return to normal given that the arbitrary violent sweepings by Security Forces over the past days have left local communities with severe trauma.  To respond to the current situation in Dogiyai Regency, we urge the following actions to be taken:

1.                           Military and Police immediately restore a sense of safety to the local population of Kamuu Valley, Dogiyai Regency;

2.                           Immediately pull all Military and Police troops out of Kamuu Valley so as to allow local people to feel secure;

3.                           Heads of Security Forces at the Provincial and Central (Jakarta) level, especially Papua Police Chief and the President of the Republic of Indonesia immediately accept responsibility for the deaths of two civilians who were shot to death (Dominikus Auwe and Aloysiuis Waine) as well as shooting victims (Matias Iyai, Albert Pigai and Otin Yobe) who are in critical condition at Nabire Hospital;

4.                           President of the Republic of Indonesia immediately replace all troops currently deployed from the District to the Provincial Level in the Land of Papua;

5.                           Gambling managers disciplined firmly and the perpetrators of the shootings of civilians fired and punished according to the law;

6.                           Dogiyai Regency Government and Papua Province Governor accept responsibility for material destruction (homes, crops, etc);

7.                           Provincial Government and DPRP in the Land of Papua immediately issue a Provincial Ruling banning illicit alcohol, gambling, bars and casinos in the Land of Papua so as to preserve security, order, morals and faith in humanity.

That is our press release, expressed with full sincerity in the hopes of immediate follow-up action by relevant actors.

Port Numbay: Wednesday, April 20 2011

 

“Unity Without Limits, Struggle Until Victory”

SELPIUS BOBII

(Public Head, WPPUSF (Front PEPERA PB))

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Two people shot dead in Dogiyai but no action has been taken to solve the case

JUBI, 16 April 2011Following a number of shootings of inhabitants in the district of Dogiyai in the past few weeks, the place is now like a ghost town. Many of the inhabitants along with their wives and children have left town.

‘All the offices are closed and nothing is happening here any more.because all the inhabitants have fled,’ Hanen Sendu, head of public relations of the district, told Bintang Papua over the phone.

He said that during sweepings by the police and the security forces, a number of houses were burnt to the ground.. ‘This is now regarded as a ‘red’  (ie highly dangerous) zone by the security forces,’ he said .

According to inhabitants from Dogiyai, a number of homes near the Moanemani building where agricultural training was taking place have been burnt down by security forces who were sent there by Brimob based in Enarotali. ‘They arrived from Enarotali and burnt down people’s homes,’ according to a source in the area.

Many young people from Dogiyai are not going to school any more because the security forces have spread fear among the local people.”The women and children have also left. ‘We were being shot at all the time and we were very afraid, so we have left Dogiyai,’ they said, according to a brief message received from the area.

A member of the local legislative assembly, Frits Agapa said that young people were also afraid and have fled into the forests and to kampungs in a nearby district.

‘This is not a war, but when the security behave like this, nobody would want to accept such treatment.’

A few young people who remained in Dogiyai say that they are afraid to leave their homes because they are afraid of being shot at just like their colleagues were shot at a few days ago.

‘The security forces are shooting people for no reason at all,’ said one person living in the area.

—————————

JUBI, 17 April 2011

The association  of students from the Central Highlands has urged the police to take action quickly in response to the tragedy that happened last Wednesday.

‘Besides taking action against all those who have been shooting local inhabitants, the chief of  police should also  place Togel port  under special protection and put an end to the sweeping operations.’ said the chairman of the association, Andreas Gobai.

He also said that the police should put a stop to all the gambling and drinking in Dogiyai and other districts.

‘If he fails to do so, then he should resign for failing to act responsibly regarding the Moanemani case and other incidents that have occurred here in this region.’

Gobai said that his association is pressing for a comprehensive solution in this case.

Three days after the incident, the situation in Moanemani and the vicinity is still not conducive. Many local inhabitants are panic-stricken and have been forced to leave their homes, although everything had been very peaceful until now..

—————————–

JUBI, 16 April 2011

Following the shootings and sweepings by the police and members of the TNI, a few days ago in Dogoyai, some families were shocked by the discovery of the bodies of two young men, Kris Pigome from the Pouwouda kampung and Markus Goo, the son of the chief of Tuwaida kampung. Their bodies were found covered with terrible injuries, near the Nabire Trans highway, about 18 kms from Nabire district.

Their families have been informed of the tragedy.

‘It happened last night. We had advised them not to go to Dogiyai, but they were insistent on going because they wanted to return home to their kampungs, but they were murdered on the way,’ said Vincen Goo, one of the relatives who was contacted by JUBI.

How they died is still a mystery.

‘We have just come from the hospital and we dont know why they were killed. But it is clear that they were murdered,’ said Vincen. The bodies are due to be taken to the homes of the families in Nabire who are now in mourning.

—————————–

JUBI, 17 April 2011

Following the shooting dead of civilians in Dogiyai, the local people are shocked that the local government have not said anything about this incident.

‘People here are naturally very afraid  because since that incident, there has been no attempt to close off the area by the security forces, bearing in mind that members of the security forces have shot some local people dead.

‘If local government leaders had been at their posts and were concerned about the local people, this shooting might never have happened.’

As someone who comes from the area, Petrus Agapa  has also expressed his deep concern about the situation . ‘There are other ways to solve problems like this, not by shooting people,’ he said.

The local people have lost all confidence in the local government .

Until now, neither the acting bupati  nor other local officials  have taken any action to resolve the problem.

‘It seems as if officials in Dogiyai  are just hoping that officials from the provincial government will come along and solve the problem,’ said Agapa.

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More Mysterious Killings near Nabire

http://tabloidjubi.com/index.php/daily-news/seputar-tanah-papua/11794-dua-pemuda-dogiyai-ditemukan-tewas-misterius

Jubi — After shootings and sweeps by rogue police officers and personnel of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) a few days ago in Dogiyai, families and residents currently in Dogiyai are again surprised by the discovery of two bodies of known identity.

The two bodies found were from Kampung Pouwouda, named Kris Pigome and Mark Goo, the children of the Tuwaida Village Head, Southern District of You, Dogiyai District. They were both found dead last night (15 / 4) in the path of the Trans Nabire – Ilaga road, 38 kilometers Nabire.

This incident was known by the family. “It happened last night. They both have advised us not to leave the house or do not make the trip to Dogiyai. But they are two stone heads. Those two seem to travel to return home. But they were killed in the middle of the journey toward Dogiyai,” said Vincent Goo, a family member who contacted JUBI, Saturday (16 / 4).

Until now the cause of death is a mystery for both victims. “We were from the hospital Siriwini (Nabire). We do not know why and who to kill? But clearly they were both killed, “said Vincent. Until this story was written two bodies will preach from the bottom to the family’s funeral home in the city of Nabire. (Wells)

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