Tag: Tapol

Papuan youth set alight by Indonesian civil security officers

TAPOL Press release

3 November 2011 – Evidence has emerged of a horrific attack on a Papuan student in the town of Wamena in West Papua‘s central highlands.

Yusuf Hiluka, set alight by police officer in Wamena on Oct 19 (via TAPOL)

According to a report received by TAPOL, at around 04:45 am on Wednesday 19 October, Yusuf Hiluka, 23, was stopped outside the office of the Regent of Jayawijaya District by two officers from Satpol PP (Satuan Polisi Pamong Praja), the district civil security unit, while making his way from a friend’s house to the Wamena bus terminal.

Without questioning Mr Hiluka, the Satpol PP officers poured glue on his head and set it alight. Mr Hiluka’s head and the back of his neck were engulfed in flames.

Mr Hiluka fled screaming to the nearby police station to seek protection. The perpetrator was detained immediately and held in police detention. An investigation has been conducted, and in accordance with customary law, a payment by the perpetrators to the victim’s family is being arranged.

Mr Hiluka suffered burns to his forehead and hands [1], and according to reports he is still awaiting hospital treatment for his wounds. The motive for this attack is not known, but it is yet another unexplained incident in a series of violent events that have devastated West Papua in recent months. It occurred on the same day that up to six people were killed during the violent dispersal of the Third Papuan Peoples’ Congress by Indonesian security forces in the provincial capital, Jayapura [2].

TAPOL calls on the regional Chief of Police, Inspector General Bekto Suprapto, to recognise the gravity of this cowardly attack, ensure that a thorough independent criminal investigation is carried out and that those responsible are brought to justice. The use of customary law in such cases cannot be deemed sufficient, either in obtaining justice for the victim, in punishing the perpetrator, or in acting as a deterrent against future violations.

ENDS

Contact: Paul Barber +44 (0) 7747 301 739 or paul.barber@tapol.org

Notes:
1. Photos of Mr Hiluka and his injuries are available on request from TAPOL.

2. See TAPOL/WPAT/ETAN press release, ‘Indonesian crackdown on Papuan
Congress sparks outrage’, 20 October 2011, at
http://tapol.gn.apc.org/press/files/pr111020.pdf.

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Current condition of tapol Kimanus Wenda and funds needed for operation and travel costs

Received from Solidaritas Korban Pelanggaran HAM Papua (Solidarity for Victims of Human Rights in Papua)
[Translated by TAPOL]

Papuan prisoners continue to be subject to discrimination in a number of ways such as the lack of finance, the lack of access to health facilities and racist insults against Papuan people. There are no NGOs, church groups or individuals who are regularly monitoring the situation of Tapols/Napols [this differentiates between political and non-political prisoners in Papua] who are currently in prison in Papua.

Take the example of Filep Karma who was for nine months left unattended in Dok II Hospital in Jayapura, in 2010. Ferdinan Pakage was tortured and sustained permanent injuries in his right eye from a prison official in Abe Prison, Abepura, in 2008. And most recently, Kimanus Wenda who, according to the recommendation of a doctor, needs to have operation for a tumour in the abdomen, but there has been no response from the prison officials in Nabire prison. He was even shackled with handcuffs and kept in an isolation ward in May 2011

The condition of Kimanus Wenda in Nabire Prison is now critical; he has been vomiting because of the tumour. Last Thursday at 12 midnight, he was vomiting and so dizzy that he urged an official to be transferred to hospital but this was refused. [precise meaning of a sentence in the text here is unclear]. Although he had asked to be transferred to Jayapura a number of times as recommended by the doctor, there was no response from the officials at the prison.

In view of the present condition of Kimanus Wenda, the SKPHP had a meeting with the Kanwil (?) and then with the Papua department of law and human rights [Depkum HAM Papua] on 19 September. However, the head of Depkum HAM, Daniel informed his family of a number of conditions:

* A guarantee from the family
* A formal request from the family
* A statement from Nabire Hospital
* Confirmation from the doctor
* A request for police to provide guards.

Solidaritas Korban said that it was prepared to find all these documents and that his family would provide the funds but only for a ticket for Kimanus to make the journey from Nabire to Wamena, meaning that funding for the guards was the responsibility of the state.

On 19 September, Solidaritas Korban had a meeting with Kontras Papua at which the following was agreed:

A division of tasks regarding the documents required.
We would need to raise money for the journey by two persons to Nabire
We would find the money for the stay in hospital, the operation and other requirements after Kimanus was in Jayapura
Information about these decisions would remain confidential.

Once the money for the tickets was available, Solidaritas Korban would:

Lobby the doctor.
Issue a press release
Seek contributions from the general public out in the streets
Lobby for funds to cover the costs of the hospital stay, the operation, the tickets to Nabire and so on.

The amount of money required is as follows:

Rp 1,347,000 x 2 for a total of Rp 2,694,000 for one-way tickets.
Airport tax and local transport, Rp 1,000,000
Solidaritas Korban transport costs incurred to handle arrangements for Kimanus
The total amount of money needed: is Rp 4,694,000

Jayapura, 19 September 2011
Solidaritas Korban Pelanggaran HAM Papua

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Report of the arrest of John Magai Yogi and two of his colleagues at Polres Nabire

YLSM News:

Report of the arrest of John Magai Yogi and two of his colleagues at Polres Nabire

Jhon Magai Yogi is the son of General Thadius Magai Yogi, the Comander of the TPN – OPM Dev II Makodam Pemka IV Paniai with its headquarters in Eduda, was arrested yesterday 26 Feb 2011 by security forces TNI/Police after being sent from Enarotoli on an Aviastar aircraft. At this time he is being held in detention in Kores (Police HQ) Nabire together with two of his colleagues who until now are unidentified.

The reason for their arrest are not yet known. The Me Tribe ltraditional leaders Mr Yakobus Muyapa and Mr Daud Kadepa have also reported today to the Nabire police station. They have asked the authorities to immediately release those arrested at the police post because Nabire and Paniai are designated calm areas in comparison to other areas in Indonesia.

While there is a Papuan independependence struggle in Nabire and Paniai, especially in Eduda Mabes TPN/OPM Paniai, there is an ongoing commitment to peaceful non-violent struggle, a struggle that is proper and valued by the entire West Papuan community in our land. These two leaders will again approach the Police head in Nabire on Monday 28 Feb. for further consultation said Daud Kadepa via mobile phone on 27 Feb at 2.31pm.

After I heard the report of the arrest John Magai Yogi’s phone was not yet able to be answered as it had been confiscated by the arresting authorities.

For John Magai Yogi’s Mobile Phone number while in detention at the Police Station in Nabire, please contact: +62 821 981 48668

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HRW: Indonesia: Explain Transfer of Imprisoned Activists

Human Rights Watch logo
Image via Wikipedia

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/12/10/indonesia-explain-transfer-imprisoned-activists

Release All Political Prisoners
December 10, 2010

“Prisoners have rights too, and ignoring those rights is no way to celebrate Human Rights Day. The authorities should explain why Filep Karma and Buchtar Tabuni have been thrown in a police lock-up and denied access to lawyers.”

Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch

 

(New York) – The Indonesian authorities should immediately allow two Papuan political prisoners and three others to fairly contest their transfer from prison to a police headquarters and permit them access to their lawyers, Human Rights Watch said today. Filep Karma, 51, and Buchtar Tabuni, 31, have been held at the Jayapura police station in West Papua since being brought there a day after a riot at Abepura prison on December 3, 2010.

On international Human Rights Day, Human Rights Watch also reiterated its call for the Indonesian government to free immediately the more than 130 Papuan and Moluccan activists imprisoned for peacefully voicing political views, and to reform laws and policies to protect freedom of expression.

“Prisoners have rights too, and ignoring those rights is no way to celebrate Human Rights Day,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should explain why Filep Karma and Buchtar Tabuni have been thrown in a police lock-up and denied access to lawyers.”

The Jayapura police chief, Commissionaire Imam Setiawan, told the media that the police had “secured” Karma and Tabuni at the Jayapura police station for provoking a riot that occurred at Abepura prison following an attempted prison break on December 3 in which a prisoner was shot and killed. Karma and Tabuni informed Federika Korain of the United Papuan People’s Democracy Forum (FORDEM) that they were transferred to the police station without being told that they had committed an offense.

Under the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, “[N]o prisoner shall be punished unless he has been informed of the offense alleged against him and given a proper opportunity of presenting his defense.”

Since being taken to the police station, Karma and Tabuni have requested access to their legal counsel but have been refused. On December 8, Karma’s lawyer, Harry Masturbongs, came to the station but was not allowed to meet with his client. The police have also refused to let Karma’s family visit him.

According to the UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, an “imprisoned person shall be entitled to communicate and consult with his legal counsel.” The rights of an “imprisoned person to be visited by and to consult and communicate, without delay or censorship and in full confidentiality, with his legal counsel may not be suspended or restricted save in exceptional circumstances, to be specified by law or lawful regulations, when it is considered indispensable by a judicial or other authority in order to maintain security and good order.”

On December 9, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the third Bali Democracy Forum, which is aimed at promoting regional international cooperation to foster democracy and political development among countries in Asia. President Yudhoyono said in his opening speech, “There are a lot of variants of democracy but there must be universal values and spirits within the democracy itself.” Human Rights Watch called on the Indonesian government to respect the basic right to free expression, as laid out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Indonesia ratified in 2006.

“Holding political prisoners is embarrassing and totally out-of-step with the image of a modern democratic state that Indonesia is trying to project,” Pearson said. “President Yudhoyono should show his commitment to basic rights by freeing people imprisoned for the peaceful expression of their political views, including Filep Karma and Buchtar Tabuni.”

Background

Filep Karma, age 51, has been in Abepura prison for six years. In May 2005, the Abepura district court found him guilty of treason for organizing a Papuan independence rally on December 1, 2004, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

Buchtar Tabuni, age 31, is a leader of the West Papua National Committee, a Papuan independence organization that has grown more radical since his imprisonment. He was arrested in Jayapura on December 3, 2008, for organizing protests against the shooting of his relative, Opinus Tabuni. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment under article 160 of the Criminal Code for “inciting hatred” against the Indonesian government.

Human Rights Watch has documented beatings in Abepura prison in 2008 and 2009 that led to investigations into prison conditions by the National Human Rights Commission and the removal of the previous prison warden.

Human Rights Watch’s June 2010 report, Prosecuting Political Aspiration, describes the mistreatment of individuals serving prison sentences for peaceful acts of free expression in Papua and the Moluccas Islands, including Filep Karma and Buchtar Tabuni.

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British taxpayers money used to sponsor degree course attended by members of TNI

A letter sent from the UK Foreign Office to human rights group Tapol has revealed that British taxpayers money is being used to sponsor a Master’s degree course in Defence and Security Management, attended by members of the TNI. This revelation comes hot on the heels of footage showing TNI members attacking villagers in West Papua, amid reports of widespread abuse by them in the province.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
South East Asia Pacific Team
King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH
1 November 2010
Dear Mrs Budiardjo,
Thank you for your letter of 19 October to the Foreign Secretary about Papua. We are aware of the incident referred to in your letter and have seen some excerpts of the video footage.

We immediately raised our concerns about this case with the Indonesian authorities, in London with Ambassador Thamrin and in Jakarta with the President’s Foreign Policy Adviser. We have expressed our hope that there would be a full and transparent investigation into the incident and that those responsible would be held accountable.
We have encouraged the Indonesian Government to respond constructively to allegations of human rights abuses, and welcome the Indonesian military’s admission of wrongdoing in this case. We hope that details of the investigation will be made available to the international community.
We continue to stress to the Government of Indonesia that if there is credible evidence of wrongdoing, it should be investigated and those responsible brought to justice.
We believe that the best way to encourage further progress within the Indonesian armed forces is through constructive engagement and the delivery of appropriate training. This has included regular Indonesian placements on MOD flagship courses (e.g. Royal College of Defence Studies, Advanced Command and Staff College), regional training focused on Peace Support Operations and maritime/border security, including an annual Exclusive Economic Zone monitoring course, ship visits and senior level engagement.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) sponsors a Master’s degree course in Defence and Security Management, delivered by Cranfield University, at the Defence University in Jakarta. This course has been very successful over the last 4 years and many of the students are from members of the TNI. The MoD also supports development of the TNI in human rights by offering training in the Law of Armed Conflict.
Yours sincerely
N Atmore
Indonesia Desk Sout East Asia Pacific Group

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