Tag: nonviolent action

Central Highlands parliamentary group reject new MRP

Bintang Papua, 11 April 2011The swearing of the new MRP by the minister of the interior has been rejected by the parliamentary caucus of the Central Highlands, following the death on 7 April of Agus Alue Alua, who was the chairman of the MRP from 2005 – 2011.

Swearing in the new MRP could lead  major problems  and should be considered very carefully before going ahead, said Melkyas Gombo.

He said that the names of all the members should be made public. Papuan people knew all about the problems facing the MRP as a body concerned with  cultural affairs, so it is quite wrong to keep anything hidden from them.

‘We believe that the government is involved in some kind of  a game, and is keeping hidden the swearing in. The names of all the members should be made public,’ he said.

He said that if the government was not prepared to announce the names of all the members, then the swearing in ceremony should not take place, because they may  include people who were not chosen by the Papuan people  and would be seen by the Papuan people as people who were not likely to  speak out on behalf of the Papuan people.

He also said that the Papuan people were still in mourning the death of Agus Alua and it was not the right time for the new MRP to be sworn in.

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MRP member Hanna Hikoyabi given 14 days to clarify her political position

Bintang Papua, 14 April 2011Abridged in translation by TAPOL

Hanna Hikoyabi is given 14 days  to clarify her political position of rejecting OTSUS

There were two persons whose swearing in as members of the new MRP did not take place, when the Indonesian interior minister Gamawan Fauzi swore in the members of the new MRP on 12 April. Of the 75 members, only 73 were sworn in.

One was Agus Alue Alua whose death was announced some days ago. The other was Hanna Salomina Hikoyabi. With regard to Ms Hikoyabi, she has been told by the interior minister that she must provide a ‘clarification’ within fourteen days before her membership of the MRP can be accepted. If she fails to provide this, another woman will take her seat in the MRP.

Didi Agus who is the acting head of the Unified Nation of the People of the Province of Papua refused to explain what conditions she would have to comply with nor why her swearing in was being delayed. But in an indirect fashion, he implied that it was connected with widespread actions rejecting special autonomy which took place during the run up to  the appointment of members of the new MRP in the early months of 2011.

Besides calling for the ‘return’ of OTSUS, they  also called for a dialogue between the Papuan people and Indonesia, mediated by a third party. These demands were drawn up at a mass assembly of Papuans that took place from 7 – 10 June 2010, which was held at the offices of the MRP. According to Didi, this could not be seen s a decision of the MRP and not all members were being held responsible for the decisions.

In a previous meeting that took place recently  between the minister of the interior and the governor of Papua in Jakarta,  it was stated that some candidates for the new MRP had constantly been talking about the ‘disintegration’  of the nation, whereas according to presidential regulation (PP) 54, 2004,  members of the MRP  must be loyal to the  Pancasila and to the Indonesian Constitution as a Unitary State.

If these problems were being raised, it would not only be Hanna Hikoyabi whose membership should be considered but others too who  also took part in the June 2010 meeting.

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Papuan people’s coalition refuses to recognise new MRP

JUBI, 13 April 2011

The coalition of Papuan People United for Justice, KRPBK has declared that it refuses to recognise the new MRP.

Spokesman of the coalition Selpius Bobii, said that inauguration of the new MRP was a sign of lack of respect for the chairman of the former MRP who has just passed away.

‘This inauguration is an insult to and abuse of the struggle of the
indigenous Papuan people which was waged by the first MRP.’ he said.

The coalition issued a press release one day ago calling on all 73
members of the new MRP to resign from the body.

The inauguration of the new MRP took place on 12 April and was sworn in by the Minister of the Interior, Gamawan Fauzi and was attended by the governor of Papua Bas Suebu, the governor of West Papua, Octovianus Atururi and the heads of various districts in West Papua

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Benny Giay shocked by death of Agus Alua, calls for MRP inauguration to be postponed

JUBI, 9 Apil, 2011

The chairman of the Synod of the KINGMI Church Papua, Dr Benny Giay said that the sudden death of Agus Alue Alua has come as a great shock not only to his family but to all West Papuans.

Agus Alua, the rector of the Theology College of Philosophy and
Theology, was a member of the last Majelis Rakyat Papua and his death occurred just as the second MRP was about to be sworn in, against the background of much controversy. [It is known too that although Agua Alua had been proposed as a member of the new MRP, his name was excluded under pressure from the government.]

‘Because the Indonesian government saw Agus Alua as a threat, they were not happy about him being a member of the new MPR. In the midst of all this, he died which has shocked us all,’ said Dr Giay.

He said that Agus Alua’s views were known to be opposed by the
government who regarded him as a separatist, which is why they did not want him to be chosen as a member of the new MRP.

Asked about what may have led to his death, Giay said he had frequently come under pressure from many sides, sometimes through messages on his cell phone or through direct terror threats.

All this is very likely to have been because of the decision adopted by the MRP at a meeting in 2010 when they adopted eleven recommendations, one of which called for a referendum in Papua about the status of Papua.

He said that the death of Agus should be seen as a crime against the basic rights of the Papuan people and aganst their rejection of special autonomy.

Dr Giay said that despite his death, the government was going ahead
with the inuguration of the new MRP although many were calling for this to be postponed, at the very least until after the period of mourning for the loss of Agus Alua.

He also called for all those who have been appointed to the new MRP to boycott the inauguration. He was hoping in particular that all 40
members from the Central Highlands would boycott the inauguration, out of respect for Agus Alua who was also from the Central Highlands.

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Komnas HAM member warns of potential conflicts in Papua

Bintang Papua 13 April, 2011 

The deputy chairman of the Papua branch of the National Human Rights Commission is afraid that serious conflicts could occur in Papua around such issues as the election of the governor, conflicting views regarding special autonomy/OTSUS and the new Papuan Asembly, the MRP, conflicts between religious groups or between the churches, and the Puncak Jaya case. Other issues that were potentially controversial were the recent shooting dead of two people in the Freeport area, the serous flooding in Paniai and a number of mysterious deaths that have not been investigated.

Mathius Murib conveyed these thoughts to Bintang Papua in an SMS message.

He urged all sides in Papua to remain vigilant, to do everything possible to preserve peace in Papua and not to be provoked into making emotional responses. What is needed, he said, is well-thought out criticism in an era of democratisation and recognition of basic human rights in Indonesia. People should be careful to abide by the laws and regulations.

He expressed the hope that the newly appointed MRP would struggle for the basic rights of the Papuan people and hoped that the members of the new body would acknowledge the struggles waged by the late Agus Alue Alua and his colleagues in the previous MRP.

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