Tag: Papua Merdeka

Lawyer, five students and others arrested in Manokwari

Above Photos: Assault & Arrest of Melki Bleskadit, Rev. Daniel and 6 youth Human Rights and Democracy Papuan Student Activists.
Names: Jems Aisoki, Yakonias Imbiri, Wilson Wader (Secretary of Youth Solidarity for Melanesian West Papua), Edi Kogoya, and two Youth Activist Students whose identity is not yet known. (trans)

In both cases, the reports have been abridged in translation by TAPOL

According to a report received this morning (14 December) from LP3BH,
the legal aid and investigation institute based in Manokwari, a member
of their lawyers team has been arrested by the police while he was
involved in monitoring a flag-raising incident on Tuesday, 14 December.

As reported by Yan Christian Warrinussy, executive director of the
LP3BH, the flag-raising is  an event held every year on 14 December to
mark the  anniversary of the independence proclamation by the West
Melanesian Council 22 years ago [in 1988] by Dr Thomas Wanggai [who died
shortly thereafter]

This year's anniversary flag-raising took place outside the office of
the Manokwari district office, under the leadership of Melkianus
Bleskadit, who was subsequently arrested by the police, acting on the
orders of police chief Agustinus Supriyanto . The Rev. Dance Yenu and
five others, all students were arrested, apparently for unfurling a flag.

A member of the institute's  human rights defenders team, Simon Risyard
Banundi, was arrested while monitoring the event, as part of the LP3BH's
human rights activities. Banundi is also a member of the Indonesian
organisation of lawyers, PERADIN which is the oldest lawyers
organisation in Indonesia.

The institute says that his arrest is in clear violation of article 17
of the criminal procedural code, Law 39/1999 on Human Rights, and Law
18/2003 on Lawyers and the International Convention on Human Rights
Defenders as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In a subsequently message, Warinussy  described the action by the
police  as being 'very arrogant', and  pointed out that Banundi, who has
been working as a member of the staff of the LP3BH for a year, has
frequently issued statements that are very critical  of the activities
of the police as well as the army, in response to their efforts to
reform both the police and the army, and critical in particular the
police special force, Brimob in Manokwari who are often seen drinking
alcohol with local people while bearing weapons that belong to Brimob.
On several occasions, they  are heard firing these weapons into the air.

Since his arrest this morning and up until 8pm, Simon Banundi has not
yet been interrogated because he is refusing to answer any questions as
he has no lawyer to accompany him. Nor have the police given any reason
for Simon's arrest.

In the opinion of PERADIN, his arrest is unlawful because he was in the
course of performing his duties a human rights defender

The flag-raising event is also reported in today's Bintang Papua though
they have not yet reported the arrest of Simon Banundi. The paper did
however report that the security forces had mustered a large number of
personnel, saying that they 'would not tolerate any unfurling of the
flag'. No fewer that 999 personnel were deployed in anticipate of the
event.

The paper reports that the deployment of special forces has been under
way for four days 'in order to ensure that the general public can
proceed with their activities without hindrance' according to the
police in the capital city of Jayapura , as well as along the border
with PNG, in order 'to guard vital places such as the governor's office,
the DPRP's headquarters and other places.
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KomnasHAM holds dialogue about cases of violence in Papua

JUBI, 8 December 2010

KomnasHAM is trying hard to discuss the continuing violations of human
rights and the use of violence still occurring in Papua, Ridha Saleh
told journalists in Jayapura on Wednesday. He said that after reporting
the videos of torture and the burning of prisoners’ vital organs to the
military commander of Cenderawasih Military Command, they were keen to have a dialogue and seek opinions about these violations that are still occurring in Papua.

He said too that prior to reporting the case of the videos, they had
undertaken investigations and collected data about these cases which
occurred recently in Puncak Jaya. They were told that according to the army and the local people, there are three elements who have been causing chaos in Puncak Jaya, the TPN/OPM, the Indonesian army and o-called unknown elements.

A dialogue had taken place with all these people and also involved some other people, including some academics, the department of law and human rights, the army and members of the community.. The dialogue took place at Swissbel Hotel in Jayapura.

[This is the first time we have read about such a dialogue having taken
place. TAPOL]

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KNPB Congress: “West Papua must unite for Referendum”

 

KOMITE NASIONAL PAPUA BARAT [KNPB]
WEST PAPUA NATIONAL COMMITTEE
==================================================
Pers Release

We inform to all the international media, the international community
and to all the observers of the West Papua problem that KNPB (the West
Papua National Committee) has held the I Congress in the Kampung
Harapan, Jayapura on 19 untill  November 22 2010. This congress was
attended by delegation from territories and the consulate from various
elements that were combined in KNPB.

The first Kongres of  KNPB produced the resolution that became the
attitude and the commitment of all the participant, that: the Focus of
the KNPB Program was to finish up the status of West Papua through the
process of politics and the law. To push the process of the resolution
legally and politics, KNPB nationally reduced the political program and
the organisation. Firstly, the Political program of  KNPB is  to achieve
the goal of the West Papua, that is Independent in a manner Politics
went through the most democratic rout that is the Referendum. Secondly,
the Organisation program that is KNPB as the media pushed the formation
of the Nasional of West Papua Council as the body representative, at the
same time as the symbol of the association in driving the struggle
through to the formation of the temporary Government post the
referendum.

Better scrutinised and understood the discussions whole in the congress
that was held, the forum for the congress of the I Komite Nasional Papua
Barat [KNPB] produced resolutions that were unity of the attitude and
the resolve from all over delegation of the Papua people from the
committee's territories and delegations of the organisation of the
struggle, that is:
1.	Immediately to finish up the West Papua politics status through the
referendum route as the most democratic solution and
2.	Immediately carried out the internal strengthening of the struggle
for the nation of West Papua through the association and the repairing
in the defence of the military, civil and the International diplomat in
the political and organisation program of KNPB.
3.	We urge the defence of the military to immediately unite and carry
out the repairing in order to pushes the agenda towards the referendum.
4.	We urge to all the elements of the struggle to immediately pushed the
formation of the Nasional Council as the symbol of the national
association towards the solution to the referendum in the problem
resolution of West Papua.
5.	Immediately stopped the debate and mutual conflicts between the
foreign diplomat and immediately to unite in works of the campaign and
diplomacy in order to pushes the process of the resolution through the
law and politic route.

This congress also succeeded in choosing the central management for,
where Buchtar Tabuni was chosen again with the unanimous vote to
continue to become General Chairman of  KNPB, whereas Mako Tabuni became
Vice Chairman of KNPB. General Secretary was filled up by Agus Trapen
and Danny Wenda. Whereas the national Spokesperson was Jefri Tabuni and
Victor F. Yeimo was chosen to be the Internasional Spokesperson.

This this resolution was passed towards organised internal the struggle
headed the nation goal of West Papua namely nation independence of West
Papua.
“We Must End”

Sinceraly,

Victor F. Yeimo
International spokesperson
(+6281384553160)
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Powerful images from Manokwari show mass opposition to Indonesian occupation of West Papua

westpapuamedia.info

November 9, 2010

Manokwari, West Papua:  Powerful images have emerged from mass actions calling for  US President Barak Obama to stop assisting Indonesian state violence, and to seek a lasting peaceful solution to West Papuan people’s suffering.

West Papua National solidarity for Obama (SONABPO) called the peaceful demonstration held on November 8 in Manokwari, to coincide with the visit to Indonesia of Obama.  After two separate protest marches combined, the crowd grew to at least 6200 people.  Despite fears of unrestrained Indonesian security forces in attendance, events were largely peaceful, with the large crowd outside Sanggeng stadium listening to hours of speeches demanding both Indonesia and the US to take responsibility for their role in the systemic brutality of the Indonesian colonial occupation.

(more below)

 

The demonstration was also in support of the Washington Solution conference on West Papua starting on the 9th November

The main demands of the rally were:1.    The USA must review their 1962 New York Agreement that transferred West Papua to Indonesia.

2.    President Obama and US Congress must review how US assistance to Indonesian military can be leveraged to solve human right abuses in West Papua.

3.    Indonesian government as a political body that is the cause of problems in West Papua,  must open themselves to solve the problems in West Papua.

4.    We West Papuan Melanesians strongly reject the failed Special Autonomy (package imposed by Indonesia) and call for referendum

5.    We West Papuan Melanesians,  support the Washington Solution (self determination) to be held on the 9th of November 2010 in Washington DC USA.

6.    We West Papuan Melanesians demand for the referendum to be conducted in West Papua for democracy and justice.

7. United Nations – Nations (UN) must soon send a team / International Observer Force to West Papua.8. We West Papuan Melanesians are asking for International community to support West Papua Transitional Government to meet Indonesian Government.

After they expressed their political views, representatives from the DPRD promised to continue working according to Papuan aspirations but conceded the were hobbled by being an instrument of  Jakarta.

The rallies dispersed by themselves peacefully.

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PAPUA STUDENTS: Freeport should close; US must be hed responsible for Crimes Against Humanity

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PAPUA STUDENTS ALLIANCE (AMP)

 

PRESS RELEASE

Freeport McMoRan copper and Gold should be closed down and the United States should be held responsible for crimes against humanity and against the environment in Papua.

 

(JAKARTA, 09 November 2010) – The history of Papua is a history manipulated by the political and economic interests of other countries, especially the United States which eventually encouraged Indonesia to carry out the annexation of West Papua.  The political process that occurred prior to the implementation of the 1969 Act of Free Choice is a process in which the ideological interests of the world played an important role in the process of the history of Papua.  The Capitalist Bloc (the West) led by the United States and the Socialist Bloc led by the Soviet Union played a major political part in the political bargaining which led to the decisions concerning the political fate of the Papuan people up until today.

On the one hand there was the United States which played a role in cutting off political access of the Dutch Government to its colony in West Papua and in encouraging the Netherlands to accept a project of political diplomacy drafted by American diplomat, Elsworth Buncker, which resulted in the so-called Buncker plan in which important political concepts were drawn in relation to the right to self-determination of the West Papua people.  The Buncker plan was at the origin of the famous document known as the New York Agreement (NYA) signed by the Dutch and the Indonesians, under the auspices of the United Nations, which established the technical principles regarding the implementation of a process of consultation of the people on their right to self-determination.  This so-called Act of Free choice (Pepera) took place in 1969 and it was unfair, undemocratic and highly discriminatory towards the people of Papua.

In addition to playing the role of political diplomacy in the Western Block, the United States was also acting out of personal economic interests in order to safeguard its access to the natural resources in West Papua, an area extremely rich in natural gas, mining deposits, minerals, petroleum, forest products, fishery, plantations  and a number of other economic resources which proved to  be very profitable for the interests of the exploitation of foreign capital, especially for the United States, in Papua.  Evidently, the economic interest is Freeport McMoran Gold & Copper, with its basis in New Orleans, one of the largest mining company in the United States, a company which would later cause great problems concerning the political rights of the People of West Papua.  The political intervention of the United States and its behavior towards the Netherlands resulted in an insignificant political support from the Dutch with regard to protecting the right to self-determination of the people of West Papua.   Also the backing by the United States of the clique within the Indonesian army between 1965 and 1966 which facilitated the coming to being of the New Order authoritarian militaristic regime under the leadership of General Suharto, had as a direct result the annexation of West Papua, turning it into a colonized area for economic purposes, as well as a killing field where gross human rights violations were and still are perpetrated by the Indonesian army, an area fully controlled by the United States and the economic interests of the capitalists.

It is common knowledge that the Freeport company funds the Indonesian military with billions of rupiahs to secure the exploration area of PT. Freeport. In a report from the New York Times entitled “The Cost of Gold, The Hidden Payroll: Below a Mountain of Wealth, a River of Waste” (27 Dec 2005)  it is clearly described how much dirty money is received by high-ranking Indonesian military.

Over the past 32 years of control over Papua by the militaristic regime of Suharto, there have been numerous cases of violations of human rights as a result of many Military Operations conducted in Papua.  This situation did not stop after the period of reform in Indonesia in 1998. Regime change was not accompanied by fundamental changes to the system in Indonesia. Evidence of continuous gross human rights violations by the Indonesian military forces up until today can be seen, as two torture videos were circulated on the Internet some time ago.  These two films depicting scenes of torture were published by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), based in Bangkok, through the Youtube site. A few days later, after meetings with President Yudhoyono at the State Palace, Co-ordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto, confirmed in front of reporters that gross acts of torture had indeed been perpetrated by members of the military, on two civilians who were suspected of being members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in the District of Puncak Jaya, Papua. These cases of torture were committed by the Indonesian army, which has long established ties with the American Government in the field of military cooperation.

Considering the complexity of the problems in which Papua finds itself today, where there is no recognition of the democratic rights of the people of Papua, the Papuan Students Alliance states its position as follows:

1. Freeport McMoRan copper and Gold in the land of Papua should be closed down immediately and the United States should be held responsible for crimes against humanity and against the environment in Papua.

2. We demand that the Government of the United States, the United Nations and Indonesia be held accountable for the political conspiracy surrounding the 1969 so-called Act of Free choice, which was in effect a miscarriage of justice and morality, an act full of intimidation and manipulation.

3. We strongly call on the termination of the bilateral military cooperation between the United States and Indonesia.

4. We demand that there be a thorough and comprehensive resolution of all cases of human rights abuses.

5. We demand the withdrawal of the organic and non-organic military troops from Papua.

6. We demand the implementation of the right to self-determination or a referendum for the nation of Papua.

We raise these issues in our statement to the American government, Indonesia, the United Nations and all parties associated with the dark history of the Papuan people to date, so that they may address these matters of concern in an urgent manner.

 

Jakarta, 9 November 2010

General Coordinator

Rinto Kogoya

 

Action PR

Okto: 082112808445

 
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