Tag: indigenous people

Structural discrimination against Papuans in many districts of Papua

[A very revealing report about how indigenous Papuans are being denied access to something as basic as education, thus maintaining their position as the underdog – TAPOL]JUBI, 23 March 2012

 

The author of the book, Paradoks Papua, The Papuan Paradox. said that there is systematic discrimination against the indigenous Papuan people in Keerom in all fields of endeavour.

Cipry  Jehan, the author, was speaking at a seminar on Just Development which was convened by the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Keerom.

‘There is structural social injustice in the district of Keerom and it is structured around peoples’ clans and religions.’

He said that this discrimination is apparent in all facets of life and is because the government concentrates all its development activities in the districts of Arso and Skamto.

‘Both these districts are populated by transmigrants (newcomers from outside Papua) whereas indigenous Papuans live mostly in Waris and Towe and they are not catered for in all this development.’

He said that discrimination in the field of education is evident from the nursery school level  right up to secondary school level. For example, in this district [Keerom], nursery schools [taman kanak-kanak] are spread right across  the districts whereas in the districts of Waris and Towe Hitam which is where the majority of the population are indigenous Papuans, there are no educational facilities at all. ‘Education facilities for the  Papuans  are very disappointing indeed.’

The author who is himself from the island of Flores.said he feels very sorry for the indigenous people in Keerom who are not getting their right to education. ‘This is after all one of the most important of all peoples rights. The government  pays no attention to this important matter.

‘The government is much more consistent about sending troops to this area than sending teachers.and doctors,’ he said.

Translated by TAPOL

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UN wants to send Special Rapporteur to Indonesia to investigate MIFEE


Bintang Papua, 12 October 2011The UN Commission to Combat Racial Discrimination and Protect the Rights of Indigenous People has sent a letter to the Indonesian ambassador to Geneva, Anwar Kemal, regarding several matters.

In the first place, to agree to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to visit Indonesia in connection with MIFEE, the Merauke Integrated Energy and Food Project in West Papua. In the second place to hold talks with CERD for this matter to be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Committee in Geneva from 13 February – 13 March 2012. And thirdly, to to make available comprehensive information regarding all the matters contained in the afore-mentioned latter.

This was made  public following a meeting by a number of NGOs in Jayapura on 12 October which was attended among others by Foker-NGO-Papua, Sawit Watch, Greenpeace, Justuce and Peace Commission/Jayapura, Walhi and Sorpatom in Jayapura on 12 October.

The Coalition of NGOs said that the response of the UN to the MIFEE project had exerted pressure on the Indonesian government to halt all activities related to the MIFEE project and to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to investigate this project before 13 January 2012.

The coalition said that MIFEE would have a strategically significant inpact on the availability of foodstuffs and energy resources in Indonesia.

This project will cover an area of 1.6 million hectares which will be used to produce millions of tons of rice, corn, beans and sugar as well as promote cattle-rearing. Dazzled  by this massive project, they have closed their eyes to a huge problem that will confront the population of Merauke whose land will be consumed by the MIFEE.project.

The MIFEE project is a highly ambitious mega  project of the Indonesian Government based on a slogan to produce food for the whole world. They intend to take control of an area of 1.6m ha of land for agri-business purposes. The resultant food will be exported, meaning that MIFEE is directed towards the export market. Thirty-six companies have already been attracted by the MIFEE project with investment capital to the value of Rp 18.9 trillion, along with domestic capital.

Research undertaken by various organisations has identified a number of problems.

First of all, this project which will cover a total area of  altogether 2m ha of land belonging to the indigenous people will have a direct impact on the traditional rights of the these people.

Furthermore,  this expansion will cut down forests belonging to indigenous people in order to grow  palm oil and will result in the influx of a huge number of people from outside the area, threatening the local people’s livelihoods and destroying their traditional economic practices.

These developments will exert huge pressure on the Malind people and their traditions in particular, and the Papuan people in general, turning them into a minority people in their own land.

In addition, these developments which are supported by various state forces will require the protection of the Indonesian army.

Fourthly, the decisions regarding exploitation of natural resources are hugely dependent on the central government and are being developed in accordance with national laws that ignore the indigenous people, despite the adoption of the Special Autonomy law in 2001, the aim of which was to decentralise decision-making to the provincial level with regard to a number of issues, while nothing has happened regarding the introduction regulations.for the implementation of this law.

Fifthly, it is understood that most of the MIFEE area has been classified as ‘forest’ and placed under the jurisdiction of the forestry department, whose interpretation of the forestry laws impinge on the rights of the indigenous people.

Finally, there are reports that local communities have been manipulated by investors and government officials so as to secure their signatures  to provide the legal basis for certificates affirming their right to the land of the indigenous people.

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IRONIC SURVIVAL: Surviving MIFEE

Alex Mahuze is a Malind tribesman and a sago farmer in Merauke. His clan has for generations lived in harmony with nature. The arrival of the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) program has forced him to earn money through other means, which ironically harms the environment. He lost his lands and his culture is threatened, but Alex fights on.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/29128486 w=500&h=400]

Originally at EngageMedia: engagemedia.org/​Members/​papuanvoicesmerauke/​videos/​ironic_survival/​view

Re-uploaded by westpapuamedia as courtesy to Papuan Voices Merauke and EngageMedia: EngageMedia cannot share effectively due to software restrictions in embedding iframes across many platforms. This is temporary fix to help get it out further.

video information
produced by Papuan Voices [Merauke}
contact write the producer
produced Sep 15, 2011
distributor Papuan Voices [Merauke}

* Sago, or Metroxylon sagu is a species of palm in the genus Metroxylon. It tolerates a wide variety of soils and may reach 30 meters in height. Several other species of the genus metroxylon, particularly metroxylon salomonense and metroxylon amicarum, are also used as sources of sago through Melanesia and Micronesia. In addition to its use as a food source, the leaves and spathe of the sago palm are used for construction materials and for thatching roofs, and the fibre can be made into rope.

* Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate – MIFEE – was announced on 18 February 2010 by the former Bupati of Merauke, J.G Gebze and officially launched on 11 August 2010 by the Minister of Agriculture, Siswono Yodohusodo on behalf of the Indonesian President. The project involves 36 investors, 13 of whom are already operating in the area. MIFEE covers an area of 2.5 million hectares and plans to bring into the area a work force of four million people.

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Warinussy on the politics behind the recent conflicts in Papua

Bintang Papua, 14 September 2011Manokwari: Yan Christian Warinussy, a Papuan human rights lawyer and executive direction of LP3BH, believes that the road leading toward dialogue between Papua and Indonesia has become clearer in the past few months.

The recent escalation of violence in various parts of the Land of Papua. such as Jayapura, Biak, Nabire and Manokwari as well as the Central Highlands will not dampen the aspirations of the indigenous Papuan people, that which were proclaimed in the Papuan Peace Declaration drawn up at the Papuan Peace Conference held by the Papuan Peace Network (Jaringan Damai Papua) on 5-6 July this year in Jayapura.’From the record of conflicts that have occurred in the Land of Papua up to the present day, I have been able as a human rights activist to reach a better understanding of the specific characteristics and background of the reasons for the various violent conflicts that have occurred in the Land of Papua recently. Moreover, we now know who the persons who having been plotting these incidents are, along with their political purposes. All this has helped us to understand the motivation behind these strange incidents which has made it possible for us to draw conclusions about who it is who is behind all these criminal incidents,’ said Warinussy.

Each of these incidents has occurred without leaving any trace of who was involved. This impression has been further strengthened by the fact that the police force throughout the land of Papua have been unable to identify who was behind each incident. It is also apparent that  the police have been unable to discover any significant evidence to reveal the perpetrators of these incidents.

In fact, he went on to say, each of these incidents have occurred without anything left behind that might help to identify the perpetrators. This would suggest that the criminal perpetrators are part of  a special unit that have undergone intensive training  and have been trained even to commit murders without leaving a single trace and in this way make it difficult for the police to conduct any criminal investigations. These crimes  have resulted in the Papuan people feeling more afraid to take actions in conformity with their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of opinion.

The intention appears to be to show to the central and local governments and to the international community that the security situation in West Papua is not safe because of the presence of the TPN/OPM. Yet, we have heard nothing at all from the TPN/OPM about who they think are behind these recent incidents. This has been aimed at thwarting the deeply felt aspirations of the indigenous people for dialogue with the Indonesian government.

Vested interests in the Land of Papua have for years pursued a strategy  within the context of development and general governance aimed at causing frictions  between those vested interests. This is something that needs to be discussed openly between all those involved, including the indigenous Papuan people, in order to find a peaceful solution and realise the aspirations for a Papuan land of peace as quickly as possible.

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Police, unprovoked, shoot man in Merauke

A silhouette showing a police officer striking...
Image via Wikipedia

by westpapuamedia.info

Information has been provided to West Papua Media that in an unprovoked attack, an Indonesian police officer shot a West Papuan teenager on on August 30  in Merauke, West Papua.

Activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Merauke reported that Benedict Umap, 19, was shot outside the KNPB Secretariat office on  Johar Kelurahan Kelapa street at 1530 by Brigadier Jhon Piter Dias of Merauke Police.

According to witnesses, Umap had been walking back to his house, and was approached by Brigadier Dias without just cause.  Dias fired several shots from his rifle without provocation into Benedict Umap’s left leg, resulting in gunshot wounds and a broken leg.  Umap then scrambled with a broken leg to the Regional General Hospital Merauke assisted by family members who witnessed the shooting.

KNPB Merauke has described the situation as highly tense at this arbitrary and casual act of police brutality, with local residents and Papuan people in Merauke fearful of further police violence.

photos from KNPB Merauke

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