US paying serious attention to Papua (Bintang Papua) According to the moderator of the Papuan Presidium Council, Herman Awom, the hearing held at the US Congress was of great significance for the Papuan people. 'This was the first time in 48 years that Papua was discussed on an international forum. In our dialogue we urged the US to press Indonesia to open dialogue on the question of the failure of special autonomy, OTSUS and the Papuan people's rejection of OTSUS. A number of Papuan leaders said that they would continue to demand dialogue as the solution to the Papuan problem, and the holding of a referendum. Awom said that OTSUS had failed to prevent the marginalisation of the Papuan people. It had led to large-scale migration which was intensifying the marginalisation of the Papuan people. 'Dialogue with Indonesia should be mediated by a neutral third party, with the two sides recognised as equals, as was the case between Indonesia and Aceh. 'For us, there is no other way forward than freedom.' Forkorus Yoboisembut said that genocide in happening in Papua.' While no large-scale killings are occurring, genocide is occurring gradually. Indonesia should allow foreign observers and foreign journalists to visit Papua to prove to them that genocide is not occurring,' he said. As regard s the US position that supports the NKRI and regards OTSUS as the best solution, he said he understands that this is in order for the US to preserve good relations with Indonesia. 'But we called on the US not to sacrifice the Papuan people for a second time. The hearing at the US Congress was an important development, bearing in mind that we were not yet a state that could enter into dialogue. -------------------------
INDONESIAN ARMY ON STREETS IN TENSE WAMENA AS LOCAL CRISIS TALKS GO NOWHERE
INDONESIAN ARMY ON STREETS IN TENSE WAMENA AS LOCAL CRISIS TALKS GO NOWHERE
Nick Chesterfield, westpapuamedia.info
Photo Report: Warning Graphic Photos
(Wednesday, October 6, 2010). West Papuan people in Wamena are expressing fear after the shooting of community security guards by police on Monday. In a show of force, Indonesian security forces have deployed hundreds of fully armed combat troops on the streets to prevent local people from gathering in protest against the police shootings of members of Petapa.
(Fully armed combat troops patrolling Wamena streets, Wednesday October 6, 2010. Photos taken by witness in hiding)
A high level reconciliation team made up of has met briefly to try and avert any conflict but it has ended its meeting without any clear result. Local activists fear that the Indonesian state is outraged by the threat of a community security guard providing protection to West Papuan people seeking to engage in acts of free expression.
On Monday, a detachment of community security guards attempted to seek an explanation with Airport police for the heavy handed seizure of uniforms. Police at the Wamena North airport police station refused to provide an explanation , instead emerging firing live ammunition into the crowd after a missile was thrown breaking a single tooth of the Jayawijaya police chief I Gede Sumerta. As retribution for the broken tooth, police pursued the crowd for over a kilometre, shooting dead Ismail Lokobal in the chest. Police then arrested another ten people. Amos Wetipo and Frans Lokobal were shot in the head and wrist respectively after they refused to get out of the police truck when it returned to the station. Shooting of unarmed and bound detainees is deemed by international law as an extrajudicial execution.
However, according to a local human rights team, Indonesian police are consistently refusing to take responsibility for the attack and pursuit on unarmed members of the Community Security Force Pentapa, nor are they accepting any responsibility for unprovoked shooting of detainees inside a police truck. Instead they are blaming Pentapa for attacking the police post. Indonesian police have told AFP that they will have to wait until an autopsy is conducted to determine the cause of death for the shot man.
(Note: westpapuamedia.info is publishing clear and obvious photos showing the gunshot wounds in Mr Lokobal’s chest.)
No Need for Autopsy
The crisis meeting was attended by Disaster Coordinator Wetipo Amos, Chairman of ELSHAM (Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights) Theo Hesegem, and other representatives of NGOs, church leaders and DAP, together with the Vice Regent of Jayawijaya, and members of Parliament.
Local West Papuan activists, who have asked not to be identified, have called on the Indonesian government to immediately send the military in Wamena back to their barracks and for police officers to take responsibility for their action.
westpapuamedia.info
Photos of DAP Commnity Security Guards
Related Stories:
WAMENA KILLING WAS EXTRAJUDICIAL MURDER: WITNESSES
BREAKING NEWS: INDONESIA SHOOTS 3, 1 DEAD IN WAMENA
Mobilising a Papuan peace force in Sabron by DAP!
BREAKING NEWS: INDONESIA SHOOTS 3, 1 DEAD IN WAMENA
BREAKING NEWS:
INDONESIA SHOOTS 3 COMMUNITY SECURITY GUARDS IN WAMENA, 1 DEAD
Nick Chesterfield, westpapuamedia.info
Monday, October 4 1800 AEST: Information has just been received from sources in Wamena that Indonesian security forces have shot dead three West Papuan men who were part of the newly formed civil people’s guard. Members of Petapa, the indigenous non-violent security force formed by the Papuan Customary Council to protect West Papuan people engaging in peaceful free expression, were attempting to defuse a tense situation caused by an Indonesian police raid at 0800 local time this morning.
A crowd had gathered outside the Jayawijaya Police headquarters peacefully but vibrantly demanding the return of uniforms and legally approved paraphernalia for the Petapa, or Regional Indigenous Council Civil Bodyguard. Police officers escalated the situation without warning and with full force, as they came running from the Police office firing live rounds into the air and at the crowd according to witnesses interviewed by a local human rights team today.
ISMAIL LOKOBAL, 34, died after being shot in the heart outside the local DAP (Dewan Adat Papua, or Papuan Customary Council) office. POLRI officers had chased the crowd, firing indiscriminately toward them, and chased down most of the victims as they attempted to seek refuge in the DAP office.
AMOS Wetipo, 42 was shot in the head, and FRANS LOKOBAL, 36 was shot in the wrist. Both men are in a critical condition from bloodloss, but it is unknown at time writing if they have been provided medical treatment, or are likely to survive.LAORENS LOGO, 38; Johanis HESELO, 41; Aleks Wetapo, 35; Oto Wetapo, 36; all members of the Regional Indigenous Council Civil Bodyguard, have been arrested, severely beaten by Police and are being held at Polres Jayawijaya. The situation is being described currently as extremely tense. A dispersal order and curfew is being enforced, but it is unclear whether local people are going to accept the killings.
More information as it comes to hand.
(c) West Papua Media Alerts 2010.
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AHRC: INDONESIA: President ignores parliament while protesters are arrested over major human rights case
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-204-2010
September 30, 2010A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
INDONESIA: President ignores parliament while protesters are arrested over major human rights case
On September 28, 2009 the House of Representatives issued several recommendations to the President to bring the perpetrators of the infamous student disappearances of 1998 to justice. Human rights activists who protested against the inaction of the president in Jakarta with a tent action in front of the presidential palace were arrested during the evening of September 27, 2010. The Asian Human Rights Commission strongly condemns the arrest of human rights defenders after a peaceful protest.
Between 1997 and 1998, 24 students and other activists were abducted by the Army Special Forces Command for their involvement in the struggle for change and democracy in the so-called New Order government of that time. Until the final fall of the New Order regime in 1998 massive human rights violations and political oppression marked the history of Indonesia. The National Human Rights Commission had conducted inquiries into the abduction and disappearance of the protesters in 2006 and passed the case into the Human Rights Court process as established by a special law. However, the required follow up of the attorney general has never taken place who claimed that the parliament and the president would have to take action first.
While Parliament made its recommendations one year ago, it is the President who is now delaying justice in the case by not taking any action to implement the Parliament’s recommendations after one year. The recommendations were:
1. the president to issue a presidential decree to establish an ad hoc human rights court on the case of the student disappearances of 1997/98;
2. the president to establish the whereabouts of 13 victims of the event, who are still missing until today;
3. full remedies to be given to the victims and victim’s family;
4. the government to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.Several human rights groups including the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) have voiced their demands to the president on several occasions. On Monday this week the civil society speakers held a peaceful protest event in front of the presidential palace voicing their demands. At around 6pm 30 protesters including family members of the disappeared students of 1997/98 were arrested and brought to the Central Jakarta Police Station. They were released only around midnight.
On September 28, 2010 the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto promised KontraS that government will do their part in following the recommendations of the parliament. Would the case be brought up as a political issue, Mr. Djoko worried, the opposition parties in the parliament may use it to “hit” on the President.
The AHRC condemns the arrest of human right defenders and victim’s family members after peaceful protest action and is very disappointed with the negligence from the President and the Attorney General’s Office side in regard to the case student disappearances of 1997/98. The perpetrators continue enjoying immunity while the victims and their families have not received compensation.
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Asian Human Rights Commission
19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building,
998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) – 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) – 2698-6367
facebook/twitter/youtube: humanrightsasia
KNPB Wamena activists arrested for distributing rally material
westpapuamedia.info
Information received from sources in Wamena
Today (Wednesday 22 September) at 17:00 in Wamena (Papua time), there were arrests of KNPB Wamena area activists by Jayawijaya police, who were distributing the call to action for a mass peaceful rally tomorrow (23 September 2010) in Wamena.
(This is a violation of the rights to free and peaceful expression)
Name of KNPB activists pre-emptively arrested:
1. Leonard Logo 23 years.
2 Edo Doga 27 years.
Both activists are currently being held in isolation in punishment cells at Jayawijaya Police HQ.
Please forward this to advocates, and also telephone the following:
- Jayawijaya police chief, +6285254344334
- Dandim (Military Commander) Jayawijaya +6296933005.
- Regent of Jayawijaya district: +6296931085.
- Polda (Police HQ) Papua +62967-521308,
- Regional Offices Law and Human Rights in Papua Province. +6296931005.
- Jakarta offices, Komnas HAM, +6281288899966 and +62967586112, +62213925227
- Komnas HAM Papua +62967521592
- Governor Bas Suebu, Papua province, +62967534395
Photos and full report to come
— westpapuamedia.info
Information received from sources in Wamena
Today (Wednesday 22 September) at 17:00 in Wamena (Papua time), there were arrests of KNPB Wamena area activists by Jayawijaya police, who were distributing the call to action for a mass peaceful rally tomorrow (23 September 2010) in Wamena.
(This is a violation of the rights to free and peaceful expression)
Name of KNPB activists pre-emptively arrested:
1. Leonard Logo 23 years.
2 Edo Doga 27 years.
Both activists are currently being held in isolation in punishment cells at Jayawijaya Police HQ.
Please forward this to advocates, and also telephone the following:
- Jayawijaya police chief, +6285254344334
- Dandim (Military Commander) Jayawijaya +6296933005.
- Regent of Jayawijaya district: +6296931085.
- Polda (Police HQ) Papua +62967-521308,
- Regional Offices Law and Human Rights in Papua Province. +6296931005.
- Jakarta offices, Komnas HAM, +6281288899966 and +62967586112, +62213925227
- Komnas HAM Papua +62967521592
- Governor Bas Suebu, Papua province, +62967534395
Photos and full report to come
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West Papua Media Alerts 
