Tag: right of free expression

Bishop wants Papuans to hold dialogue before any dialogue with Indonesia

Bintang Papua, 20 July, 2012Mgr Leo Laba Ladjar , the Bishop of Jayapura, believes that the Papuan people should hold a dialogue between themselves before entering into dialogue with Indonesia. He acknowledged that this dialogue would be quite difficult. He was speaking during a meeting of all Catholic clerics with representatives of the police force to build a  partnership for security and order in Papua.

He said that Papuan people should sit together and discuss how to promote development in Papua.

Response to KNPB calls

In response to the desire of the KNPB – National Committee of West Papua for all its members to surrender to the police and to call on the Bishop to mediate,  he said that this was quite acceptable  as long as the organisation’s intentions were genuine and it was not simply seeking to meet the Bishop which might cause people to suspect their intentions.

He described the KNPB as an organisation that has rejected all the programmes of the government such as Special Autonomy, UP4B and other things

‘I have the impression that the KNPB refuses to listen to anyone. I would not want to listen to things that they are doing  at a time when they are becoming ever more determined and radical. I dont know how long the KNPB will continue to reject any improvements. Perhaps they are seeking to get something that they have not been able to get so far.’

[COMMENT from Tapol: Perhaps what the Bishop describes as radical is the recent call by the KNPB for a referendum to be held in West Papua.]

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Police disperse humanitarian action in Jayapura

JUBI, 19 July 2012
Note: The bulk of this posting was posted yesterday but we are re-posting it with an important addition from Andreas Harsono. TAPOL]

Note: The Papuan Solidarity  for Human Rights Victims, SKPHP, is the
organization which supports political prisoners, including Filep
Karma, in Papua. They regularly do fund raising to buy medicines for
the prisoners. In 2010, they did a specific campaign for Filep Karma,
raising around $3,000 from the streets. Now the Indonesian police
stopped them from doing that on the grounds that SKPHP has no legal
entity.

Regarding Filep Karma’s fund raising, we have now raised IDR116
million. It is enough to do the surgery in Jakarta. He will meet his
local doctor, Donald Arrongear, this week. SKPHP and Karma are still
negotiating with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights about he goes
directly to the PGI hospital in Jakarta (without going to the Jakarta
prison first). They’re also suspicious with a new prison guard from
Java Island who wants to accompany him to Jakarta.

Police disperse humanitarian action in Jayapura

JUBI, 19 July 2012

The police in Papua forcibly dispersed  a humanitarian action taking
place when Papuans were out collecting money to help political
prisoners. They were from an organisation called Solidarity  for Human
Rights Victims, SKPHP. The police said that they had dispersed the
people because the SKPHP  has not registered with the provincial
administration.

The news was confirmed by Peneas Lokbere, a member of the SKPHP, who
told JUBI that before undertaking the action they had notified the
police of their intentions in both Abepura and Jayapura. Having done
this, it meant that the police would grant permission for the action
to take place.

Nevertheless, while the action was in progress on Friday at 1pm, the
police dispersed those taking part in the action. ‘We were forcibly
dispersed,’ said Peneas. ‘They said that this was because  we had not
registered the organisation with the authorities. and therefore, we
were not allowed to continue with this collection of funds.’ He also
said that after the police came to disperse the action, they dispersed
peacefully.’We did not offer any resistance. If we had resisted, it
would have led to a lengthy process.’

Peneas said that  they would follow up their action on Friday, 20
July. ‘We will go to the police and ask for permission to continue
with action.’

The street collections were being undertaken to provide for the
medical requirements of the political prisoners and the other prisoner
who are  ill at the prisons in Abepura and Jayapura. Among those who
are ill in Abepura Prison are Filep Karma, Ferdinand Pakage and Jefrai
Murib.

Their intention was to carry out this action from 9am Thursday 19 July
until Saturday.21 July.

[Translated by TAPOL]

The article is illustrated by a photo showing a large banner which
says: ‘The government doesn’t want to pay for medical treatment for
Filep Karma and Ferdinand Pakage’.   They are carrying posters which
say: ‘The Papuan  political prisoners are not criminals.’

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Statement from the International Parliamentarians for West Papua on the Escalating Violence in West Papua

West Papua flag
West Papua flag (Photo credit: lussqueittt)

P.O. Box 656, Oxford, OX3 3AP England, U.K.Date: : July 22nd 2012

Statement from the International Parliamentarians for West Papua on the Escalating Violence in West Papua

To: Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President, Republic of Indonesia
Mr. Andi Matalatta, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Republic of Indonesia
Mr. Hendarman Supandji, Attorney General, Republic of Indonesia
Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, Chief of National Police, Republic of Indonesia

As members of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, we voice our concerns over the escalating violence in West Papua, especially in Wamena and Jayapura.
We are saddened by the recent murder of West Papuan independence leader Mako Tabuni and we express our sincerest condolences to his family and friends. We call on you to conduct a thorough investigation into Mako Tabuni’s death.

We are also concerned by the recent re-imprisonment of Buchtar Tabuni and his colleagues, Jufri Wandikbo and Assa Alua, and the continued imprisonment of Filep Karma, an Amnesty International recognized prisoner of conscience, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for raising the Morning Star flag at a peaceful protest.  We ask you to release and to drop all charges against these detainees and others who have been held for peacefully expressing views. We also request your help in assuring that Mr. Tabuni and his colleague be released immediately from custody, as we have further concerns that he may be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

We call on you to allow foreign journalists and humanitarian organizations entry into West Papua in order to provide a comprehensive report of the human rights situation there.

As the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, we support the indigenous people’s of West Papua’s call to a genuine act of self-determination, a right which was not recognized in the 1969 Act of Free Choice. We are therefore deeply troubled by your government’s suppression of political activity in West Papua. We urge you and your government to end the violence in West Papua, by listening to West Papuans call to self-determination, rather than attempting to silence them.

Signed,

Andrew Smith, MP (United Kingdom)
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion House of Commons (United Kingdom)
Lord Richard Harries (United Kingdom)
Dr. Russel Norman, MP (New Zealand)
Jamie Hepburn, MSP (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scotland)
Catherine Delahunty, MP (New Zealand)
Bill Kidd, MSP (Glasgow Anniesland, Scotland)
Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, MP (Port Vila, Vanuatu)
Cllr Alex Sobe (Leeds City Council)
Eugenie Sage, MP (Aotearoa)
Cate Faehrmann, MLC Green MP (Australia)

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WPNA demnstration will call for greater concern from the government

Tabloid JUBI,
9 July 2012

Jayapura: The aspirations of the Papuan people for Papua to become a zone of peace are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Imprisonment, killings, corruption, terror and acts of intimidation against the civilian population are now occurring in  Papua but no one knows who will take responsibility for all these things.

In response to this situation, the West Papua National Authority (WPNA) and other pro peace and anti violence organisations decided to organise a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday this week, calling on the Indonesian government and the Papuan  people to spare no efforts in resolving the conflict in Papua and to seek a solution as quickly as possible in the interests of peace, justice and order for the Papuan people and the Indonesian people now living in the Land of Papua.

‘All of us who feel these concerns  should join together in a peaceful demonstration to mourn he current situation. When will there be pease in Papua,’ said one leaflet that has been distributed widely in Jayapura.

The co-ordinator of the demonstration Sius Ayemi said that they would organise the demonstration under the slogan: ‘Papua Mourns’.on Tuesday, 10 July from 9am until late in the afternoon.They will not allow people in the demonstration to bring alcohol or  sharp implements which could lead to anarchy. and disorder.

One of the leaflets says:  ‘Dont just think about us or our organisation but ask yourselves  when will there be peace in Papua?’

[Translated by TAPOL]

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Two nonviolent activists arrested for pleading for international community to ‘Save Papua from Genocide and Grievances’.

from the West Papua Media team

July 10, 2012

In recent months, West Papua has come under an international spotlight over Indonesian military and police impunity for brutal assaults on civilians and non-violent activists.   Despite the palpable repression on the Papuan street , activists from the self-declared Federated Republic of West Papua on July 10 held a peaceful demonstration in Jayapura,  with the theme, “Save Papua from Genocide and Grievances”.

Leading up to the demonstration, POLDA (Regional Police command) Papua refused to issue a permit to rally organizers, and even banned activists from the Federated Republic of West Papua to organize any peaceful demonstrations under threat of treason charges being leveled on rally organizers of peaceful demonstrations.

A coordinator of today’s rally, Sius Ayemi,  told West Papua Media prior to his arrest that police refused permission despite four rounds of intense negotiations and several letter, denying basic rights to freedom of expression.  In a phone conversation to the West Papua Media team, Ayemi has challenged the Indonesian government and its military regime to “reconsider military approaches in West Papua,” and called on the international community “to stop believing the Indonesian government’s rhetoric about its commitment to dialogue, or the (Indonesian) Republic’s effort to ‘wage peace aggressively’.”

The demonstration was to start at several different locations  – Expo Waena/UNCEN, Entrop/Hamadi /Argapura  and Pasir 2 / Dok 9 – at around 9:30am, then converging to meet at the DPRP (Papuan legislative assembly) office in Jayapura.   Police blockaded the demonstrators at the first two locations, preventing demonstrators from proceeding to the DPRP office.   However,  demonstrators from Pasir 2 and Dok 9 were able to march to the DPRP office but were quickly and brutally rounded up by one company of fully armed police.

Markus Yenu, the Federated Republic of West Papua Governor of Manokwari and a planned speaker at the rally, told West Papua Media that the police physically pushed the demonstrators backward with their guns and told them to go home.  He told the West Papua Media team by phone, “the moment we arrived in front of the DPRP office, we were threatened, searched and dispersed by police officers and requested harshly to hand-in all the attributes for the rally.” He further mentioned that the police confiscated several cameras, megaphones, mobile phones, placards and banners.

According to witnesses on the ground,  Sius Ayemi was attempting to negotiate with the police in a disciplined-manner but was quickly surrounded by few police officers who arrested him and bundled him away, together with Edison Kendi who stood next to Mr. Ayemi at the time of the arrest.  Until now, both Sius Ayemi and Edison Kendi are still being held at police custody in Jayapura.

West Papua Media attempted to make few phone calls to KAPOLDA Papua, KAPOLRI and WAKAPOLDA Papua but they all refused to comment about the arrest of the two activists and ended the call.

Local human rights sources have asked for advocacy for the release of Sius Ayemi and Edison Kendi, by calling the below contact details:

Kapolri +62811910277,                                                                                                                                       Kapolda +62811950376,                                                                                                                                 Wakapolda +62811496251

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