Tag: Papuan people

Human rights NGOs in Papua may seek international action about violations in Papua

Bintang Papua, 14 June 2011
Jayapura: On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Wasior
incident, which was described by Komnas HAM – the National Human Rights
Commission – as a gross violation of basic human rights, two leading
human rights organisations in West Papua, BUK – United for Truth – and
KontraS-Papua – Commission for the Disappeared and the Victims of
Violence, held a press conference in Jayapura.

They said that there has been a failure to show any serious concern
about the violation of basic human rights in Papua. In view of this,
they said that they now intend to bring these cases up before an
international mechanism. ‘There has as yet been no international move
to take action on these cases, but we intend to raise these issues by
waging a campaign in the hope that this will bring pressure to bear on
the Indonesian government to resolve these cases,’ said Selpius Bobii,
the BUK co-ordinator. who was accompanied as the press conference by
the co-ordinator of KontraS-Papua, Olga Hamadi.

He also said that they would make formal approaches by letter to a
number of government institutions as well as NGOs.

‘Immediately after this press conference, we will be sending letters to
Komnas HAM, to the attorney-general’s office, to Amnesty International ,
to the media in Papua as well as to NGOs in Germany and elsewhere.’

The organisations felt that such action was now called for as a way of
exerting pressure so as to ensure that these cases are recognised as
gross human rights violations and are brought before a court of law.

‘It seems that it is necessary to bring pressure to bear on the various
NGOs and on the government to persuade them to be more serious about
resolving a number of human rights cases in Papua,’ they said.

According to data that has been collected by BUK, these cases resulted
in the deaths of six people at the time of the incidents, while seven
others died subsequently as a result being subjected to torture. Seven
people are reported to have disappeared, while no fewer than 305 others
were subjected to sweeping operations known as ‘Tuntas Matoa’.

‘There has also been discrimination against the families of the victims
because their parents have been branded as separatists. This is apparent
from the way that /respect /funds have been distributed, bearing in mind
the fact that the families have been treated differently than others in
the community.’

With regard to the human rights violations that have been perpetrated in
Papua at the hands of members of the Indonesian army (TNI) and the
Indonesian police (POLRI), in all these cases, it has been virtually
impossible to bring them before a court of law. ‘In the case of those
incidents that were actually taken to court, nothing was done to side
with the victims; the perpetrators were protected with the argument that
whatever had been done was in the interest of the security of the state.
An example of this was the Abepura case where those who were found
guilty are no longer behind bars.

The Wasior incident occurred on 13 June 2001. It was triggered when a
person demanded compensation for the theft of his traditional land
rights but this failed to solicit any response. On the contrary, the
people concerned were accused of disrupting security and were arrested,
tortured, and in many cases killed or made to disappear.

‘Cases that have been identified by Komnas HAM as gross violations of
human rights have reached a stalemate.after disputes between Komnas HAM
and the attorney-general’s office, with the latter using formalistic
excuses.

They went on to say that the Wasior case as well as the Wamena case (the
fatal shooting of Opinus Tabuni in August 2010) had been acknowledged by
Komnas HAM as gross violations of human rights but it had been virtually
impossible to deal with such cases because the administrations of the
provinces of Papua and West Papua which came into being following the
special autonomy law (OTSUS) had also failed to respond.

In view of all this, the representative of BUK made the following demands:

1. The president of Indonesia should immediately resolve the Wasior and
Wamena cases and in doing so recognise the fact that Papuans are
citizens of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia, NKRI which means that
their standing and dignity within the state is in keeping with the
values of the Papuan people as citizens of Indonesia.

2. The attorney-general’s office should end its machinations with regard
to the Wasior and Wamena cases and co-ordinate with other state
institutions so as stop their activities which have resulted in
reinforcing the cycle of impunity.

3. The administration of the province of Papua, along with the DPRP,
Komnas HAM-Papua and the MRP (Majelis Rakyat Papua ) should act together
as quickly as possible to ensure that the Wasior and Wamena incidents
are brought before a human rights court in the Land of Papua.

4. A Papuan Human Rights court should be set up immediately.

5. If the government fails to deal seriously with the Wasior and Wamena
cases, we as representives of all the victims of human rights
violations in the Land of Papua will bring these matters before an
international court of law.

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Indonesia must end criminalization of peaceful political protests in Papua

Amnesty International calls today for the immediate and unconditional release of seven prisoners of conscience, arrested and charged merely for their involvement in a peaceful political protest and flag-raising.

Their case highlights the continued failure of the Indonesian government to distinguish between armed groups and peaceful political activists.

A group of activists including students took part in peaceful march on 14 December 2010 protesting against injustice and human rights violations by the Indonesian security forces against Papuans. The march ended at the Penerangan Sanggeng field in Manokwari where other political activists had gathered to commemorate the anniversary of the independence of “West. Melanesia”. These activists are part of a group that emerged in Papua in the mid-1980s advocating the independence of Papua as “West Melanesia”.

During the ceremony the “14 Star Flag”, a symbol of West Melanesian independence, was raised. The Manokwari Sub-district Public Order Police (Polres) immediately responded by dispersing the crowd and arresting five students: Jhon Wilson Wader, Penehas Serongon, Yance Sekenyap, Alex Duwiri and Jhon Raweyai. They also arrested Melki Bleskadit and Daniel Yenu, two other political activists at the demonstration.

For several months the activists were forced to sleep on a wet floor in their detention cell at the Manokwari sub-district police headquarters (Mapolres) and all seven activists contracted malaria and lost a significant amount of weight. Their health and conditions of detention have since improved.

All seven men have been charged with “rebellion” under Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and with “incitement” under Article 160.

The trial of five of the men, all university students, began on 6 June 2011.

The rights to freedom of expression, opinion and peaceful assembly are guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a state party, as well as the Indonesian Constitution. While the Indonesian government has the duty and the right to maintain public order, it must ensure that any restrictions to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are no more than is permitted under
international human rights law.

Amnesty International calls on the Indonesian authorities to withdraw a 2007 government regulation that bans the display of regional flags which are used by separatist movements. Amnesty International believes that this regulation is contrary to the spirit of the 2001 Special Autonomy Law that granted Papuans the right to express their cultural identity.

Furthermore, the ban on waving these flags cannot be considered legitimate grounds for restricting freedoms of expression and association as set out in the ICCPR.

Amnesty International takes no position whatsoever on the political status of any province of Indonesia, including calls for independence. However the organization believes that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate referendums, independence or any other political solutions that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

Amnesty International has reported on dozens of arrests in recent years of political activists who have peacefully called for independence, particularly in areas where there has been a history of pro-independence movements such as Papua and Maluku.

Prisoner of conscience Filep Karma is serving a 15-year prison sentence for taking part in a peaceful ceremony in December 2004 in Abepura, Papua, where the prohibited pro-independence  “Morning Star” flag was raised.

Most recently, in August 2010, the police, including the Special Detachment-88 Unit (Densus-88), arbitrarily arrested 21 men in the province of Maluku for planning peaceful political activities. The police reportedly tortured or otherwise ill-treated 15 of them during their arrest, detention and interrogation in order to force them to confess.

All 21 were charged with “rebellion” and are serving prison sentences of between nine months and three years.

Link: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA21/012/2011/en

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Churches call for revision of contract with Freeport

Bintang Papua, 8 June 2011The Alliance of Churches in the Land of Papua, PGGP, has called on the government to revise the work contract concluded with the mining company, Freeport.

‘The presence of this foreign company in the district of Mimika has not resulted in any improvements in the conditions of the local people,’ said Wiem Maury, secretary of the PGGP. He said that in addition to this,  the very presence of Freeport in the area has always been a very serious problem for the people.

‘The welfare of the people who are the true owners of the rich natural resource continue to be a matter of great concern. Nor is there any guarantee about security in the area either,’ he added..

He said that the call for a revision of the contract was one of 22  recommendations agreed at the Papuan Transformation Conference that took place from 3-5 June this year.

He said that a representative of the government had attended the conference, along with representatives of all the different Christian denominations that are present in both Papua and West Papua.

The purpose of the conference was to try to reach a common perception  between church leaders and the government on the crucial  issues of empowerment of the community, education and spiritual attitudes.

‘The conference also sought to reach a common position between Papuans with regard to the substance of the special autonomy concerning the issue of taking the side of the local communities, their protectiona and empowerment,’ he said.

Another aim was to reach a common approach between the churches and the government , as the centre as well as in the regions.

According to Victor Abraham Abaidata, the secretary of the organising committee of the conference, a decision was taken to set up a team composed of a representative of the government, representatives of all the churches in Papua as well as a representative of the church at the national level.

‘We have already presented the 22 recommendations to the provincial governments and will soon present them to the central governmentl,’ he said.

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Thousands Walk for Peace in Manokwari without hindrance

by West Papua Media team

Manokwari, June 10, 2011:  Over 5000 people have gathered peacefully in Manokwari, West Papua, watched by about 200 security forces, to call for the release of political prisoners and detainees in Papua.  At time of publication (1530 West Papua Time), the gathering has paralysed Manokwari, according to organisers, but is unimpeded by security forces..

Organised by West Papua National Authority (WPNA), the rally began with a three mile march from Sanggeng soccer stadium to the government’s provincial office (DPRD) at Manokwari.  Thousands of Papuans were chanting “Thou Shalt Not Kill”, calling on the Indonesian government to end human rights abuses.

“Currently the situation in Manokwari is fine and is understood that there are military personal and POLRI present at the scene”, said Markus Yenu, Governor of Area 3, Manokwari.   Mr Yenu highlighted that 100 security personal in civilian clothing and 20 POLRI surrounded the civilians. “We have paralysed Manokwari, but our aspiration is for peaceful action”.

The rally dispersed peacefully with a closing prayer by Reverend Terryanus Yoku.   The majority of demonstrators were women and children.

Yohanna Wainggai, a housewife representing Melanesian Women in West Papua, said “I have to leave all my household duties and come down to this rally to speak on behalf of my children, who completed their studies but have no jobs provided after their studies”.

The organisers were pleased with the demonstration. Hans Sakorai, chairman of FNMPP (Front Nasional Mahasiswa Pemuda Pelajar Papua  or National Front for Papuan Youth and Students) stated “our peaceful rally has nearly 200 military personnel present, but no violence erupted”.

Jack Wainggai, spokesperson for the executive president of WPNA, demanded the “Indonesian authority to release all political prisoners,” and he calls out “for the international community such as Australia, USA and the UN to seriously consider the aspirations of West Papuans for self-determination”.

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WPNA Statement: WEST PAPUANS WALK FOR PEACE: “Thou Shalt Not Kill”

PRESS STATEMENT                                                        10 June 2011

 

 

WEST PAPUANS WALK FOR PEACE: “Thou Shalt Not Kill”

~ the value of trust as a noble door to the solution of Indonesia’s primary problem in West Papua ~

 

In the distinguished tradition of non-violence, West Papua National Authority’s rally in Manokwari on Friday 10 June begins with a three-mile jigjog—from the Sanggeng soccer stadium to the government’s provincial office—with five-to-ten thousand Papuans chanting ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill”.

The Authority’s rally position is the release of Papuan political prisoners. According to rally organizers, lawyer Abraham Wainarisi SH and security co-ordinator Matheus Maryen, these political prisoners are local leaders required by their village communities to negotiate their security with unprecedented levels of Indonesia military and intelligence agents.

The release of political prisoners was the first of five trust-building conditions Jacob Rumbiak placed on the table during his visit to Jakarta in February 2011. There has been no response to The Authority’s encouraging demands.

The other four conditions which The Authority believes are pre-conditional for creating trust between the two nations are:

  • The government’s guarantee of safe and secure conditions for a conference of Papuan leaders that would include those living in the jungle and others domiciled abroad
  • The government’s dismantling of regulations whereby Melanesian West Papuans living abroad and in exile needing to visit family and relatives are treated as ‘foreigners’
  • The government’s implementation of policy and regulations banning use of the word ‘separatist’ which enrages security forces bound by oath to defend the ‘territorial integrity’ of the republic.
  • The government to return all Military and Intelligence units in West Papua to Jakarta
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