Tag: human rights

Torture trial exposed as a ‘grand deception’ – Indonesian Government caught lying to US and Australian Governments

Article from The Age

A MILITARY trial into abuses by soldiers in Papua, trumpeted by Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as evidence of the country’s commitment to human rights ahead of Julia Gillard’s visit, has proven to be a grand deception.

The trial of four soldiers began on Friday in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, amid assurances from the Indonesian government and military that those appearing were involved in the torture of two Papuan men depicted in a graphic video.

But when the trial started, it became apparent that the four defendants had nothing to do with the incident depicted in the video, which took place in Papua on May 30. Instead, they were four soldiers involved in another incident, in March, which was also captured on video. While disturbing – it involves soldiers kicking and hitting detained Papuans – the abuses in the March incident are milder than the genital burning torture in the May video.

Dubbed the ”red herring trial” by The Jakarta Post, human rights advocates said the deception proved the matter must be investigated by Indonesia’s human rights body and the perpetrators tried in Indonesia’s Human Rights Court.

Papuan activists said the ”farcical” military tribunal hearing was a deliberate strategy to deflect international condemnation ahead of the visits of Ms Gillard, who travelled to Jakarta last week, and US President Barack Obama, who arrives tomorrow.

A day before Ms Gillard’s visit, Dr Yudhoyono announced the trial was to take place and urged Ms Gillard not to raise the topic when they spoke. ”There’s no need to pressure Indonesia. We have conducted an investigation and are ready for a trial or anything that is required to uphold justice and discipline,” he said.

But at the weekend, Lieutenant Colonel Susilo, spokesman for TNI’s military command in Papua, admitted the soldiers before the tribunal had nothing to do with the torture.

”It is difficult for us to investigate the perpetrators in the second video because they did not show any attribute or uniform,” he said. ”So what we could do was working on the first video. We could recognise their units and faces easily. ”

Ms Gillard’s office and the Department of Foreign Affairs declined to comment.

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Indonesian authorities suspected of launching cyber attacks on NGO websites

The websites of several NGO groups campaigning for human rights in West Papua have been under a serious DDoS attack for most of this week, forcing them offline as their servers have been overloaded. In the UK press, the finger of suspicion is focusing on the Indonesian authorities.

Survival International, the Asian Human Rights Commission, Friends of
People Close to Nature, Free West Papua Campaign and West Papua Media Alerts have seen their websites crippled in what is being described as a ‘coordinated cyber terrorism act’. All these campaign groups hosted video footage showing Indonesian troops torturing West Papuans, which has heaped shame on the Muslim majority country .

Channel 4 News in the UK tonight broadcast a report which also included footage from a demo held in West Papua earlier today. Newspapers including the Guardian and Yorkshire Evening Post have published reports on the cyber attacks, with more expected tomorrow.

Toby Nicholas, a new media expert at Survival International, said “What
they’ve done is remarkably effective and expensive – that’s why we think it’s linked to the Indonesian government or military authorities. There is no way this will stop our campaign for the tribespeople in West
Papua. If anything it makes us more determined.”

At the time of writing all the NGO websites remain down.

Links to news reports so far below. TV news report to follow:

Guardian newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/28/survival-international-website-torture-video

Press Association:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5j6fx4NxV3iaYoS8jalBIv5svH4dA?docId=N0036491288275207847A

Orange:
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/cyber_attack_on_rights_charity#newscomments

Yorkshire Evening Post:
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Cyber-attack-on-human-rights.6603648.jp

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IHRC: Freeport must show respect for Komnas HAM

Press Release by the Indonesian Human Rights Committee for Social Justice (IHRC)

A forum which was to be mediated by the National Human Rights Commission 
- Komnas HAM - involving four customary clans which form part of the 
Amungme people, along with the copper-and-gold company Freeport, which 
should have taken place on 18-19 October 2010 could not take place as 
planned because Freeport showed ill-will towards the event and said that 
it would not attend. The company simply sent the convenors a letter on 
18 October suggesting that the event should be postponed till 15 
November 2010.

At a meeting which took place on 19 October, Freeport only sent members 
of their staff, so Komnas HAM  decided to re-schedule  the mediation 
forum till 27 October at 9am, at its office.

In view of these developments, the IHRC wishes to state the following:

Freeport has shown disrespect and ill-will towards an institution of the 
Indonesian Republic, namely Komnas HAM, as well as disrespect for the 
legal system of this country.

Freeport has shown ill-will and disrespect for the dignity of the elders 
of the Amungme and Kamoro people and towards the directors of Lemasa and 
Lemasko, the bodies that represent those who hold customary rights over 
the land that is being used by Freeport.

Komnas HAM should act seriously and speedily in its efforts to resolve 
the dispute between Freeport and the Amungme and Kamoro people by 
convening a Mediation Forum on 26 October to be attended by the 
leadership of Freeport and the leadership of Komnas HAM, in order to be 
able to reach a peaceful, democratic and dignified resolution that 
ensures justice for the victims. If the mediation forum on 26 October is 
a failure, the Amungme people who live in mountains and the Kamoro 
people who live along the coast will organise a peaceful mass action 
which will take the form of a boycott of all the products of Freeport.

Jakarta, 26 Octoebr 2010
Executive Committee of IHCS

Gunawan, Secretary-General

Ecoline Situmorang, Chairperson





			

		
	
	

					
					



	
 

	


	


	


		
AWPA calls on  Julia Gillard  to raise the human rights situation in West Papua on her visit to Indonesia
			

				
The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)


Media release   25 October   2010


AWPA calls on  Julia Gillard  to raise the human rights situation in West Papua on her visit to Indonesia


The Australian Prime Minister will visit Indonesia on the 1 and 2 November to discuss ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and increase cooperation across a number of economic, security, development and environmental challenges.


Joe collins of AWPA said “in light of the recent reports of torture of West Papuans we are calling on the Prime Minister to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian President.

We are also calling on the Prime Minister  to send a parliamentary delegation on a fact finding mission to West Papua  to investigate the human rights situation in the territory”.


AWPA has regularly  raised concerns that any aid or training given to the military could be used against the West Papuan people  and we  again urge the Prime Minister   to put a moratorium on the training, funding and any ties between  the Australian military and any Indonesian units found to have been involved in human rights abuses.


Although the Indonesian military said they would investigate the incident we believe  a full independent inquiry held  by a relevant United Nations human rights organisation will be the only

inquiry

acceptable

to the West Papuan people and are urging the Prime Minister  to call for such an inquiry.


Info. Joe Collins Mob. 04077 857 97


————————————–


Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088

Email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au


The Hon Julia Gillard MP

Prime Minister

Parliament House

Canberra

ACT 2600


25 October 2010


Dear Prime Minister,


On behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (Sydney),  I am writing to you concerning your coming trip to Indonesia on the 1 and 2 November. AWPA would like you to raise the human rights situation in West Papua[1] during your talks with President Yudhoyono


I am sure  you are aware of the recent media reports on the torture of West Papuans by the Indonesian military in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua. The torture of the West Papuans by the Indonesian military  was captured on video and shows in one scene a Papuan  man having a plastic bag forced over his head and screaming in pain as a burning stick is held to his genitals.  The horrific video has been seen around the world and rightly condemned. The Indonesian military has  confirmed that members of the TNI did torture the West Papuans.


Just days after the release of the video  another report surfaced of the burning of Bigiragi village, in the  Puncak Jaya district by officers from the police’s Mobile Brigade. An official from the Papuan Customary Council (DAP) told the Jakarta Globe  he had received graphic images of the destruction of Bigiragi village.


These incidents of human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian security forces are unfortunately not unusual and reports of  the Indonesian security forces conducting military operations looking for the OPM in the Puncak Jaya region  have been ongoing for years leaving the local people in fear and traumatised.


We understand that the whole island of New Guinea will always be strategically important to Australia and it is in the interests of the Australian Government to have a stable region to our north.  However, in West Papua, the policies of the Indonesian Government, compounded by the actions of the Indonesian security forces will lead to the very instability the Australian Government is trying to avoid.  Although Indonesia has made great progress towards democracy in recent years, unfortunately this has not translated to an improvement in the human rights situation in West Papua as the above incidents show.


AWPA and other civil society organizations have written regularly to Australian Governments over many years about our country’s ties with the Indonesian military. We have recently written to you concerning the torture of peaceful activists in Maluku. We have raised concerns that any aid or training given to the military could be used against the West Papuan people  and we again urge  you to put a moratorium on the training, funding and any ties between  the Australian military and any Indonesian units found to have been involved in human rights abuses.


Although the Indonesian military said they would investigate the incident we believe  a full independent inquiry held  by a relevant United Nations human rights organisation will be the only  inquiry  acceptable to the West Papuan people and urge you to call for such an inquiry.  We also urge you to send an Australian parliamentary delegation on a fact finding mission to West Papua  to investigate the human rights situation in the

territory.


Yours sincerely


Joe Collins

Secretary

AWPA (Sydney)


[1] AWPA (Sydney) uses the name “West Papua” to refer to the whole of the western half of the Island of New Guinea. “West Papua” at this time is divided into two provinces, Papua and West Papua.


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Bintang Papua: Komnas HAM confirms torture video and denies any manipulation
			

				



Bintang Papua, 2010 21 October 2010


Komnas HAM confirms torture video – nothing to do with manipulation


Jayapura:  Although the military commander of the Cenderawasih military  command will be conducting an investigation into the use of violence  against Papuans by members of the TNI – Indonesian armed forces – as  seen on a video that is widely circulating on the internet, the National  Human Rights Commission Papuan branch has confirmed that members of the  TNI did indeed torture a citizen. The reports have nothing to do with  manipulation.


Mathius Murib SH, deputy chairman of Komnas HAM Papua , who is himself  from Puncak Jaya, told journalists on  Thursday that the events shown on  the video occurred on 17 March, 2010 at 3pm in Kelome, district of  Tingginambut, and the victim was Rev. Kindeman Gira who was shot dead by  a member of the TNI.


‘The victim was a God-fearing man and a member of the congregation of  the GIDI Church in Turagi, Tingginambut. Although other sources have  said that the incident occurred in April 2010, Komnas HAM sticks by its  findings based on an investigation at the location of the crime.


One of the victims of the violence which lasted for six minutes and  which was  photographed was able to escape with his life, but his  physical condition was very bad and he is badly traumatised, making it  impossible for him to give an account of what happened.


Military operations should stop

Komnas HAM has meanwhile called on the military commander of Cenderawaih  military command and the chief of police in Papua to halt all operations  in the area and not to increase the number of troops there which can  only lead to yet more trauma and more victims among the civilian  population in Puncak Jaya.


The circulation of the video showing the violence has led to strong  condemnation from a variety of sources. Murib said that acts of violence  have been occurring in Puncak Jaya  for a long time, ever since 2004 and  up until 2010, but such an approach has not resulting in ending the  conflict  and has only made things worse.


The security forces and those in charge of law enforcement were urged to  behave in a more professional way and act in accordance with Human  Rights Principles and Standards in everything that they do in Puncak  Jaya and everywhere else in Papua.


Those civilian groups who bear arms in any parts of Papua  should  immediately halt their actions and engage in consolidation to restore  the situation in Puncak Jaya to normal.


Murib said that from 17 August 2004 until 2010, 50 deaths of civilians  and members of the security forces have been reported.


Komnas HAM has also asked the governor of the province to make it  possible for the church to enter into negotiations with their followers  in the region to behave in a spirit of love and friendship and eschew  all methods of violence.


The chairman of Front Pepera, Selpius Bobii said that a number of bloody  incidents had occurred right across Papua and West  Papua, giving clear  evidence that the Indonesian state is committing acts of violence as is  revealed in the two videos lasting one minute and ten minutes. He said  that the army and the police should stop denying the use of violence  against the civilian population in the central highlands. ‘There is  authentic evidence and it cannot be denied by the security forces,  saying that the situation is under control. The commander should also  admit that this is being perpetrated by his subordinates and should not  try to deny things.’


He said the military commander and chief of police must take  responsibility* *for all the human rights violations occurring in Papua  and West  Papua and stop telling lies about the s ituation in Papua  being normal. He also called upon the Indonesian people  to open  themselves to talks  with the Papuan people to find a solution to all  the problems occurring i the Land of  Papua.


The number of victims since 2004:


2004: seven people died and four were seriously wounded.

2005 five  people were seriously wounded.

2006 two people died.

2007 one person died.

2009 five people died and eight were wounded.

2010 four people were taken hostage, five people were wounded and four  people died.

In 2004, five hartop vehicles were destroyed by fire and one police  patrol vehicle was shot at.

In 2007. a rifle was seized.

In 2009 six weapons were seized, as well as 29 bullets, two ammunition  magazines taken, one S-Trada Troton was shot at, two TNI command posts  were destroyed as well as a steel bridge, while two primary school  buildings and one lower secondary school – SMP – were burned down.


In 2010, a sircraft was shot at and there was an attack on a TNI command  post.


Source: Komnas HA Papua report.


Translated in full by TAPOL



			

		
	
	

					
					



	
 

	

			
 
			
			
	
 

 


	 


	

		


			

				
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