Tag: knpb

Police threaten strong action against demonstrators

JUBI 21 March 2012The chief of police in Jayapura has declared that the demonstration organised by the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB) on 20 March was in violation of the regulations in force.

‘We have noticed that such actions are occurring more frequently and that they differ from other demonstrations that have been held. because the participants were carrying traditional attributes such as bows and arrows, police chief Alfred Papare  told journalists.

He said several things had occurred : stones were thrown at members of the police force, flower pots were destroyed and attacks were made against journalist which had resulted in serious traffic congestion.

He said that in any action the police take against these people who have violated the law, they also expect the local government to support them against those who are acting in violation of the law.

‘Even though these actions did not turn anarchistic, I insist that they should not happen again; if this happens we will take firm action and we call on the local government authorities to support us in this,’ he said.

He also called on the local people who become involved in such actions to carefully consider the consequences of such actions, and to consider whether they are in violation of the laws in force.

I would like to remind all people living in and around Jayapura  that they should consider what the aim of the action is and whether such actions are in conformity with the law. Dont just play around and start getting involved,’ he said. He said that people have the right to speak about their aspirations but they must not violate the law.

He also said that people who take part in such actions  should not carry sharp weapons while under the influence of drink  or behave like anarchists towards  the general public but make sure that pedestrians are not prevented from using the pavements.

If these conditions are not complied with, he said, the police will take firm action.

As for the news that further actions are planned to take place on 5 April, he said that the police will take action to prevent this from happening.

[Translated by TAPOL]

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DPRP member: ‘Journalists important for the Papuan people

Bintang Papua, 23 March 2012Journalists are very important for Papua
Ruben Magay

Jayapura: Without journalists, nothing would be known by the general public about the aspirations of the Papuan people, said Ruben Magay chairman of Commission A of the DPRP, the Papua Provincial Legislative Assembly.

Referring to recent demonstrations organised by the KNPB – National Committee for West Papua –  he warned that demos should avoid becoming ‘anarchistic’ and start throwing things at journalists.

‘Demonstrations to press for our aspirations are in accord with the laws in force in Indonesia but people should understand  that they must refrain from abusing or attacking journalists, as this is in violation of the ethical code of the press. A recent demonstration was held to call for a referendum, but if people resort to anarchistic behaviour, this would result in the aspirations not being made known to in public. He urged the KNPB to remember that the demos they organise should always be orderly and peaceful.. ‘They should avoid trying to force their wishes on other people,’ said Magay, who in earlier days often took part in  demonstrations himself.

He referred to Law 29/1998 on demonstrations in which it is stated that  people wishing to proclaim their aspirations and their opinions to the general  public were fully entitled to do so  and should always conform with the regulations in force.

[Abridged in translation by TAPOL]

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Thousands cram gravesite of Theys to support IPWP

West Papua flag

March 8, 2012

by West Papua Media with local sources

Several thousand people crammed the grave site of murdered independence hero Ondofolo Theys Eluay on March 7, to hear resolutions from the Pacific regional Feb 29 launch in Canberra of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP).

Organised by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), the gathering passed without hindrance by security forces, despite reports from participants that several heavily armed units of the Indonesian army and police were shadowing the mass of demonstrators as they conducted a converging Long March from the Waena UNCEN student dormitories, Abepura, Kotaraja, Kamkey and surrounding areas.

The gravesite of the revered Chief, the former Papuan Presidium leader assassinated by Indonesian Kopassus officers in 2001, is the traditional site for mass rallies for self-determination in West Papua, guaranteed access to the land in perpetuity by the family of Theys Eluay.  Indonesian-owned businesses and commercial development is gradually surrounding the gravesite amidst a perceived strategy by Indonesian authorities to block access to what has become a sacred site to West Papuan people.

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The Voice of Papua independent media reported KNPB spokesman Buchtar Tabuni telling the gathered crowd that “all the people of Papua and Papuan students in Australia have joined in the launch event in Australia for IPWP-Pacific, and have come to talk about self-determination for the people of West Papua.”

“Whatever the risks, we are the children of West Papua, would bet ourselves to this struggle.  This is how it is in our land of West Papua,” said Buchtar.

The rallies dispersed peacefully without incident.

 

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Rallies reject Indonesian status quo in Papua, and demand referendum

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February 22, 2012

By Nick Chesterfield at WestPapuaMedia.info with local sources

Thousands of people took part in peacful rallies across West Papua on Monday, February 20,  rejecting attempts by Indonesia to impose new development policies on Papua, and demanding an internationally supervised referendum as the key step towards solving the Papua problem.

The rallies, organised by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), took place in Jayapura, Biak,  Manokwari, Timika, Nabire, Wamena, Yakuhimo and Merauke.  According to initial reports, all rallies remained peaceful despite standard Indonesian security force threats to forcibly break up proceedings.

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In Jayapura, a long march was held from Abepura to the offices of the Papuan People’s Assembly (Majelis Rakyat Papua or MRP) with the crowd of close to a thousand people shouting “we want referendum”; “Special autonomy has failed, why start it again”; and “We reject the dialogue between Jakarta and Papua and demand a Referendum”.

Mako Tabuni, on behalf of the KNPB, told the gathering that the the plans by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to impose a new body U4PB (or Program to Accelerate Development of Papua and West Papua) to implement the failed Special Autonomy package is not a solution to the problems in Papua and was thoroughly rejected by West Papuan people.  Only a Referendum would address those grievances, and it must be. held soon.  U4PB, with authority over all of Papua, is to be headed by former army intelligence chief Bambang Darmono, himself subject to numerous allegations of human rights abuses whilst stationed in Aceh.

Tabuni expanded: “when in Papua, there are two paths of narrow and wide roads. Papuan Special Autonomy the road is paved with a lot of money, including UP4B, but the road is narrow.  The road to independence is a wide open road, like the road to referendum being fought KNPB”.

Former Political Prisoners Yusak Pakage and Saul Bomay echoed the KNPB concerns and demanded that Indonesia just try to listen to the will of the people and stop trying to implement policies proven to have been a failure, like Special Autonomy.

The demonstrators dispersed peacefully with a promise of escalation of mass actions.

westpapuamedia

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Bintang Papua: 12 civilians tortured by security forces

Bintang Papua, 6 November 201112 Civilians torture by security forces? Komnas HAM demands clarifications from army commanderTwelve civilians in Kurulu, Jayawijaya are thought to have been tortured by members of the security forces on 2 November 2011 in violation of legal procedures., said Matius Murib, the deputy chairman of Komnas HAM Papua branch, in a statement to Bintang  Papua.

He said that the commander in chief of Cenderawasih Military Command, Major-General Eri Triassunu investigated members of the security forces who are thought to have committed these acts of torture, for them to explain the reasons for the torture to the victims and the general public.

Such behaviour fails to respect human dignity and violates human rights and is not in compliance with calls to put an end to violence in Papua. All parties should choose  the path of peace and dialogue as the way to solve the problems.

The head of public relations of the Cenderawasih military command, Colonel  Ali Hamdan Bogra was asked to confirm that these acts  of torture were perpetrated by members of the TNI security forces but he refused to respond..

Meanwhile, Buchtar Tabuni of the central executive of the KNPB told journalists on 4 November that these acts of  torture  by the TNI had occurred in Kurima Kampung on 2 October 2011

The torture was preceded by cheap provocations from the TNI Battalion 756 saying that a TPN group in Umapagalo Kampung had held a meeting with  the people of Kampung Umapagalo. After hearing about this meeting, the military commander organised a sweeping operation. During this operation, further acts of torture occurred.

According to Bucktar Tabuni, the KNPB sent a report about the torture perpetrated by the TNI, along with photos of the victims  to the central committee of the KNPB as well as sending it to the media.

After listing the names of the twelve victims, the KNPB said that these acts of  violence  were accompanied by screams of abuse and the victims were beaten with wooden truncheons, kicked with heavy army boots and threatened with rifle butts as well as gunshots.

A report of these acts of violence by the TNI against the twelve civilians was then submitted to the police in Kuruku but the police refused to accept it, saying that the operation  had failed to conform with legal procedures.

According to Buchtar and Mako Tabuni, the victims of this incident intend to submit this case to the district court in Wamena.

A spokesperson for Buchtar and Mako declared that the Cenderawasih military commander  should accept responsibility for the actions of his men in Kostrad 755/Kurulu. He said: From now onwards, we will not accept any attacks against the civilian population  in the Land of Papua  because these activities by the Indonesian military are acts of subversion (makar) in which members of the community were attacked by members of the state apparatus without there having been any acts of resistance by the local communities.

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