Tag: National Committee for West Papua

AAP: Exodus in Papua amid fears of crackdown

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/exodus-in-papua-amid-fears-of-crackdown-20111127-1o10t.html

 Karlis Salna, AAP South-East Asia Correspondent

November 27, 2011 


AAP
Human rights groups have called for Australian monitors to be allowed into Papua amid reports people are fleeing parts of the Indonesian province due to fears of another violent crackdown on pro-independence rallies planned for next week.
In a joint letter to Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, Human Rights Watch and the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre have called for Australian embassy staff to be deployed to the restive Indonesian province to monitor events on December 1.
Large numbers of people are expected to gather in cities and other areas in Papua on Thursday for rallies to mark an unofficial independence day and the 50th anniversary of the first raising of the Morning Star flag.

The flag has been adopted by the separatist Free Papua Movement(OPM) and is regarded as a symbol of independence in the province which has been racked by a surge in violence over the past six months.

However, the Indonesian government considers the raising of the flag an act of treason.
At least three protesters were killed and another 90 people injured last month when Indonesian police and military stormed a pro-independence rally in Abepura after the raising of the Morning Star flag.
Video of the aftermath of the rally, broadcast on Australian television, also showed police beating unarmed protesters, including children.
As many as 300 people were arrested.
A spokesman for the pro-independence group, the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB), has told AAP that large numbers of people have begun leaving Jayapura and Manokwari in Papua, fearing a backlash from security forces at rallies planned for Thursday.
As Indonesia remains off limits to foreign journalists, the report could not be confirmed.
In the letter to Mr Rudd, Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights Law Centre raise concerns about the likelihood of a repeat of last month’s violence as well as the use of excessive force by the police and military.
The letter calls on Mr Rudd to urge the Indonesian government to allow full and free access of journalists to Papua and to deploy Australian embassy staff to monitor and observe events on December 1.
The human rights organisations say there should also be a full and impartial investigation into the deaths and injuries, and allegations of excessive use of force by the authorities, arising from the demonstration in Abepura on October 19.
But the letter also criticises the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty who had described the actions of the protesters at the rally as provocative.
“In our view, a clear and firm public statement on Australia’s position on human rights in the area is critical, especially since there is a real risk that Australian Ambassador Greg Moriarty’s recent reference to the actions of Papuan People’s Congress leaders as illegal, provocative and counterproductive may otherwise be interpreted as supporting a government crackdown on the congress,” the letter said.
Mr Moriarty, however, had also pointed to the response by Indonesian security forces as being disproportionate.
The letter to Mr Rudd also questions Australia’s funding and training of Indonesia’s elite anti-terrorism squad Densus 88, members of which were among the security forces present at the rally on October 19.
“Australia plays a critical leadership role on human rights in Asia and the Pacific and should take a principled and proactive stand on human rights with a key partner like Indonesia,” the two human rights organisations said.
Indonesia has been battling a long-running but low-level insurgency since its takeover of Papua in 1969.
However, the security situation has deteriorated in recent months with the province experiencing its worst violence in years.
Figures from Indonesia’s Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence show at least 40 people have been killed as a result of the violence since the beginning of July.
© 2011 AAP
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Movement Against Freeport is set up by Papuan Students

Bintang Papua,28 October 2011

A number of UNCEN student organisations along with the KNPB, the
National Committee for West Papua, have announced the establishment of
a movement to oppose Freeport. They regard this company as having been
the cause of many problems in Papua. The students unfurled two banners,
one of which depicts the US flag intertwined with the logo of Freeport,

The new organisation is called People’s Movement Against Freeport Crimes
– Gerklaf. The co-ordinator of the new organisation is Fanny Kogoya and
Bovid Defa is the secretary.At the end of the ceremony, the US flag was
set on fire. This opposition movement regards the presence of Freeport
as having come about as the result of a political contract between the
USA and its allies in order to ensure the continuance of Papua within
the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.

The integration of Papua within Indonesia, according to wording on the
banners, goes back to 1963 and the New York Agreement of 1963, the
contract concluded with Freeport in 1967, the Act of Free Choice in 1969
and the Bunker Proposal [Bunker was the US diplomat who was involved in
the conclusion of the New York Agreement.].

Before the declaration was announced, the leaders of eight student
organisation delivered speeches. Fanny Kogoya said that the new movement
would press for the consolidation of the movement throughout the whole
of Papua, to strengthen opposition to Freeport.

They also said that any plans to renegotiate the contract with Freeport
should involve indigenous Papua people.[This is a reminder of the fact
that past contracts with Freeport have all been concluded with the
Indonesian government, without the presence of the representatives of
the Papuan people.]

The declaration that was read out by Bovid called on the one hand for
the expulsion of Freeport, while on the other hand saying that Freeport
should become the property of the Papuan people.The words on the banner
were:’The Papuan people must assert their sovereignty over their
natural resources.’

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KNPB on the recent acts of violence in Papua

Bintang Papua, 6 September

According to the KNPB – National Committee for West Papua – the many acts of violence that have been occurring in Papua recently would appear to be part of a scenario designed by certain quarters.’

‘This scenario is being promoted by people who want to get their hands on funding. These acts of terror or intimidation are aimed at warning Papuans not to go on pressing for their human rights.,’ said Mako Tabuni of the KNPB, speaking alongside Buchtar Tabuni, the general chairman of the KNPB, as well as Viktor Kogoya, during a press conference at the Prime Garden, Abepura on 6 September.

They said that the KNPB would not be influenced by these incidents. ‘We, as the voice of the Papuan people, will continue to speak up for the human rights which are the true aspirations of the people of West Papua,’ said Mako Tabuni.

On this occasion too, he said, the fifteen arrests were made by joint patrols of the Indonesian army and police (TNI/Polri) of fifteen Papuans (thirteen have since been released ). They were detained by members of the police force in Jayapura. The arrested men are all members of the Wahno Baptist congregation which is located in south Jayapura. He also said that the arrests were made to the accompaniment of acts of violence, and moreover, the correct procedures were not complied with.

The arrests were made in the village of Nafri on 1 August because those in authority had not been able to arrest the real culprits who had committed the acts of violence.

He also said that a nine-year old boy, Dessy Koyoga, had disappeared from the home of Biben Kogoya, the local sub-district chief, at the time of the arrest of the fifteen people.

‘There are indications that the boy was kidnapped by the security forces involved in the arrests. The parents of the boy are still searching for their young son.’

The KNPB say that a special team should be set up by the DPRP (the local legislative assembly) along with those NGOs which have responsibility for undertaking investigations so that the true facts about this case can be made known.

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Security measures escalate in Papua

Bintang Papua, 20 August 2011

KNPB, the National Committee for West Papua, is scheduled to announce
the results of the meeting organised by ILWP, International Lawyers for
West Papua in Oxford, at 9am this morning , at the tomb of Theys Hiyo
Eluay.

Bintang Papua also reported that Major-General Erfi Triassumu, commander
of the XXVII/Cendrawasih Military Command, said he has not yet had any
reports about the results of the ILWP meeting in Oxford, but said that
the ILWP event has triggered events affecting the security situation,
especially in Papua.

In a meeting with the press, he said that promises made by various
groups were causing confusion among the population. It was not only
because of the armed activities of civilian groups that had occurred
before and after the ILWP meeting. The security situation had indeed
intensified throughout Papua recently, which had happened both before
and after the ILWP meeting.

Other factors were the election of the governor of Papua as well as the
special autonomy law – OTSUS. People were hoping that OTSUS funds would
be evenly distributed among the communities, although some of the funds
could not yet be released.

He said that he along with the police chief in Papua had together
committed to doing what they could to restore a conducive situation in
Papua.

Meanwhile, the district chief of Puncak Jaya, Lukas Emenbe. called on
everyone whatever their differing opinions to hold a dialogue in order
to agree on peaceful solutions. ‘ All these problems can be resolved,’
he said, ‘as long as we publicly express our opinions.’

The military commander, asked whether there would be an increase in the
number of troops in preparation for the forthcoming Idul Fitri [the last
two days of Ramadan] said that organic troops may carry out routine
movements because the Korem under Battalion 751 in Sentani does not
have special units available for security purposes.

Asked about the manoeuvres by armed groups which had been involved in
fighting in urban areas such as in Nafri, he said because of the current
civil emergency status, the police would be in the front line together
with the local government, because the govrnor, the district chief and
the city mayor are the ones who are responsible for security.’

‘I will assist if there is a request from the police for additional
personnel to help the police,’ he said.

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ROAD TO FREEDOM IN JAYAPURA – Video

by Frengky Making

The rally organised by the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB) on August 2 2011 was led by Mako Tabuni from KNPB. The protesters were on the streets the whole day. There were more than 10,000 people, from Sentani, Jayapura as well as students from Abepura. The peaceful rally was organised to support the seminar by International Lawyer for West Papua (ILWP), initiated by Benny Wenda in London, the UK, which looked into the history of the 1969’s People’s Act of Free Choice (PEPERA).

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/27921972 w=500&h=400]
 07:05
video information
produced by Frengky Making
produced Aug 18, 2011
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