Tag: west papua media alerts

IHRC: Freeport must show respect for Komnas HAM

Press Release by the Indonesian Human Rights Committee for Social Justice (IHRC)

A forum which was to be mediated by the National Human Rights Commission 
- Komnas HAM - involving four customary clans which form part of the 
Amungme people, along with the copper-and-gold company Freeport, which 
should have taken place on 18-19 October 2010 could not take place as 
planned because Freeport showed ill-will towards the event and said that 
it would not attend. The company simply sent the convenors a letter on 
18 October suggesting that the event should be postponed till 15 
November 2010.

At a meeting which took place on 19 October, Freeport only sent members 
of their staff, so Komnas HAM  decided to re-schedule  the mediation 
forum till 27 October at 9am, at its office.

In view of these developments, the IHRC wishes to state the following:

Freeport has shown disrespect and ill-will towards an institution of the 
Indonesian Republic, namely Komnas HAM, as well as disrespect for the 
legal system of this country.

Freeport has shown ill-will and disrespect for the dignity of the elders 
of the Amungme and Kamoro people and towards the directors of Lemasa and 
Lemasko, the bodies that represent those who hold customary rights over 
the land that is being used by Freeport.

Komnas HAM should act seriously and speedily in its efforts to resolve 
the dispute between Freeport and the Amungme and Kamoro people by 
convening a Mediation Forum on 26 October to be attended by the 
leadership of Freeport and the leadership of Komnas HAM, in order to be 
able to reach a peaceful, democratic and dignified resolution that 
ensures justice for the victims. If the mediation forum on 26 October is 
a failure, the Amungme people who live in mountains and the Kamoro 
people who live along the coast will organise a peaceful mass action 
which will take the form of a boycott of all the products of Freeport.

Jakarta, 26 Octoebr 2010
Executive Committee of IHCS

Gunawan, Secretary-General

Ecoline Situmorang, Chairperson





			

		
	
	

					
					



	
 

	


	


	


		
AWPA calls on  Julia Gillard  to raise the human rights situation in West Papua on her visit to Indonesia
			

				
The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)


Media release   25 October   2010


AWPA calls on  Julia Gillard  to raise the human rights situation in West Papua on her visit to Indonesia


The Australian Prime Minister will visit Indonesia on the 1 and 2 November to discuss ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and increase cooperation across a number of economic, security, development and environmental challenges.


Joe collins of AWPA said “in light of the recent reports of torture of West Papuans we are calling on the Prime Minister to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian President.

We are also calling on the Prime Minister  to send a parliamentary delegation on a fact finding mission to West Papua  to investigate the human rights situation in the territory”.


AWPA has regularly  raised concerns that any aid or training given to the military could be used against the West Papuan people  and we  again urge the Prime Minister   to put a moratorium on the training, funding and any ties between  the Australian military and any Indonesian units found to have been involved in human rights abuses.


Although the Indonesian military said they would investigate the incident we believe  a full independent inquiry held  by a relevant United Nations human rights organisation will be the only

inquiry

acceptable

to the West Papuan people and are urging the Prime Minister  to call for such an inquiry.


Info. Joe Collins Mob. 04077 857 97


————————————–


Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088

Email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au


The Hon Julia Gillard MP

Prime Minister

Parliament House

Canberra

ACT 2600


25 October 2010


Dear Prime Minister,


On behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (Sydney),  I am writing to you concerning your coming trip to Indonesia on the 1 and 2 November. AWPA would like you to raise the human rights situation in West Papua[1] during your talks with President Yudhoyono


I am sure  you are aware of the recent media reports on the torture of West Papuans by the Indonesian military in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua. The torture of the West Papuans by the Indonesian military  was captured on video and shows in one scene a Papuan  man having a plastic bag forced over his head and screaming in pain as a burning stick is held to his genitals.  The horrific video has been seen around the world and rightly condemned. The Indonesian military has  confirmed that members of the TNI did torture the West Papuans.


Just days after the release of the video  another report surfaced of the burning of Bigiragi village, in the  Puncak Jaya district by officers from the police’s Mobile Brigade. An official from the Papuan Customary Council (DAP) told the Jakarta Globe  he had received graphic images of the destruction of Bigiragi village.


These incidents of human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian security forces are unfortunately not unusual and reports of  the Indonesian security forces conducting military operations looking for the OPM in the Puncak Jaya region  have been ongoing for years leaving the local people in fear and traumatised.


We understand that the whole island of New Guinea will always be strategically important to Australia and it is in the interests of the Australian Government to have a stable region to our north.  However, in West Papua, the policies of the Indonesian Government, compounded by the actions of the Indonesian security forces will lead to the very instability the Australian Government is trying to avoid.  Although Indonesia has made great progress towards democracy in recent years, unfortunately this has not translated to an improvement in the human rights situation in West Papua as the above incidents show.


AWPA and other civil society organizations have written regularly to Australian Governments over many years about our country’s ties with the Indonesian military. We have recently written to you concerning the torture of peaceful activists in Maluku. We have raised concerns that any aid or training given to the military could be used against the West Papuan people  and we again urge  you to put a moratorium on the training, funding and any ties between  the Australian military and any Indonesian units found to have been involved in human rights abuses.


Although the Indonesian military said they would investigate the incident we believe  a full independent inquiry held  by a relevant United Nations human rights organisation will be the only  inquiry  acceptable to the West Papuan people and urge you to call for such an inquiry.  We also urge you to send an Australian parliamentary delegation on a fact finding mission to West Papua  to investigate the human rights situation in the

territory.


Yours sincerely


Joe Collins

Secretary

AWPA (Sydney)


[1] AWPA (Sydney) uses the name “West Papua” to refer to the whole of the western half of the Island of New Guinea. “West Papua” at this time is divided into two provinces, Papua and West Papua.


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Bintang Papua: Komnas HAM confirms torture video and denies any manipulation
			

				



Bintang Papua, 2010 21 October 2010


Komnas HAM confirms torture video – nothing to do with manipulation


Jayapura:  Although the military commander of the Cenderawasih military  command will be conducting an investigation into the use of violence  against Papuans by members of the TNI – Indonesian armed forces – as  seen on a video that is widely circulating on the internet, the National  Human Rights Commission Papuan branch has confirmed that members of the  TNI did indeed torture a citizen. The reports have nothing to do with  manipulation.


Mathius Murib SH, deputy chairman of Komnas HAM Papua , who is himself  from Puncak Jaya, told journalists on  Thursday that the events shown on  the video occurred on 17 March, 2010 at 3pm in Kelome, district of  Tingginambut, and the victim was Rev. Kindeman Gira who was shot dead by  a member of the TNI.


‘The victim was a God-fearing man and a member of the congregation of  the GIDI Church in Turagi, Tingginambut. Although other sources have  said that the incident occurred in April 2010, Komnas HAM sticks by its  findings based on an investigation at the location of the crime.


One of the victims of the violence which lasted for six minutes and  which was  photographed was able to escape with his life, but his  physical condition was very bad and he is badly traumatised, making it  impossible for him to give an account of what happened.


Military operations should stop

Komnas HAM has meanwhile called on the military commander of Cenderawaih  military command and the chief of police in Papua to halt all operations  in the area and not to increase the number of troops there which can  only lead to yet more trauma and more victims among the civilian  population in Puncak Jaya.


The circulation of the video showing the violence has led to strong  condemnation from a variety of sources. Murib said that acts of violence  have been occurring in Puncak Jaya  for a long time, ever since 2004 and  up until 2010, but such an approach has not resulting in ending the  conflict  and has only made things worse.


The security forces and those in charge of law enforcement were urged to  behave in a more professional way and act in accordance with Human  Rights Principles and Standards in everything that they do in Puncak  Jaya and everywhere else in Papua.


Those civilian groups who bear arms in any parts of Papua  should  immediately halt their actions and engage in consolidation to restore  the situation in Puncak Jaya to normal.


Murib said that from 17 August 2004 until 2010, 50 deaths of civilians  and members of the security forces have been reported.


Komnas HAM has also asked the governor of the province to make it  possible for the church to enter into negotiations with their followers  in the region to behave in a spirit of love and friendship and eschew  all methods of violence.


The chairman of Front Pepera, Selpius Bobii said that a number of bloody  incidents had occurred right across Papua and West  Papua, giving clear  evidence that the Indonesian state is committing acts of violence as is  revealed in the two videos lasting one minute and ten minutes. He said  that the army and the police should stop denying the use of violence  against the civilian population in the central highlands. ‘There is  authentic evidence and it cannot be denied by the security forces,  saying that the situation is under control. The commander should also  admit that this is being perpetrated by his subordinates and should not  try to deny things.’


He said the military commander and chief of police must take  responsibility* *for all the human rights violations occurring in Papua  and West  Papua and stop telling lies about the s ituation in Papua  being normal. He also called upon the Indonesian people  to open  themselves to talks  with the Papuan people to find a solution to all  the problems occurring i the Land of  Papua.


The number of victims since 2004:


2004: seven people died and four were seriously wounded.

2005 five  people were seriously wounded.

2006 two people died.

2007 one person died.

2009 five people died and eight were wounded.

2010 four people were taken hostage, five people were wounded and four  people died.

In 2004, five hartop vehicles were destroyed by fire and one police  patrol vehicle was shot at.

In 2007. a rifle was seized.

In 2009 six weapons were seized, as well as 29 bullets, two ammunition  magazines taken, one S-Trada Troton was shot at, two TNI command posts  were destroyed as well as a steel bridge, while two primary school  buildings and one lower secondary school – SMP – were burned down.


In 2010, a sircraft was shot at and there was an attack on a TNI command  post.


Source: Komnas HA Papua report.


Translated in full by TAPOL



			

		
	
	

					
					



	
 

	


	


	


		
News from Papua: Villagers flee to PNG, 7 arrested; DAP leader on Papua's peaceful struggle; Imparsial on need to criticise Komnas HAM
			

				
>From Bintang Papua, 19 October 2010

DOZENS FLEE TO PNG

After the Papuan Morning Star Flag was recently flown outside a
customary dwelling in Kampung Ambora, dozens of villagers have fled
across the border to Papua New Guinea, fearing that they are likely to
be hunted down by the security forces.

This was confirmed for Bintang Papua  by Decky Yakore, a member of the
district legislative council  - DPRD of Jayawijaya district..

In connection with this incident, the local police force in Jayapura -
polres Jayapura - have taken seven people into custody. They have
already been designated as suspects and will face charges under Article
110 and Article 107 of the Criminal Code, regarding conspiring to
engaged in acts to overthrow the government, and face punishment of up
to 15 years.

According to a local inhabitant named Daud (not his real name), the flag
flying occurred as the result of a provocation, and others too were
arrested. News was spread that Papua was now free, following a visit to
the area by chairman of DAP, Forkorus Yaboisembut who had just returned
from the USA, which inspired the people to unfurl the Papuan flag.

----------------

JUBI 19 October 2010

Papuan people will use peaceful means in their struggle

Forkorus Yaboisembu, chairman od DAP, the Papuan Customary Council has
said, on his return from the USA that the US government (sic) has
promised to support the struggle of  the Papuan people.He said that
fifty members of the US Congress, along with 80 representatives of a
variety of NGOs have proclaimed their support for the Papuan struggle.

The Papuan people he said are gathering together as much data as
possible and continuing to formulate their strategy for a peaceful
struggle, he said, citing the words of the leader of the Republican
Party in the US, Michael Steele.

Forkorus also met John Miller, director of the East Timor Action
Network, to discussed ETAN's support for the Papuan struggle for
independence.

'You supported Timor Leste in their struggle for freedom, which means
that you should also support Papua's struggle for freedom.

Forkorus also used this visit to Washington to inform the US government
via the intermediary of Congress about why the Papuan people want
independence . He said they had also had a  private meeting with the
Republican Party.

----------------------------

JUBI, 18 October 2010

IMPARSIAL:  Komnas HAM should be criticised

Imparsial issued a statement in Jakarta  in which it said that Komnas
HAM, the National Human Rights Commission, needs to be criticised in
connection with a number of cases of gross violations of human rights
that have occurred in Papua.

Imparsial director, Poenky Indarti said that there are many human rights
violation cases in Papua that still not been resolved. Many of the cases
have got stuck with the police and the attorney-general's office.
Poengky said: 'The police are not capable of resolving these cases.'

She said that the police are always spying on civilian activists,
especially those involved in defending human rights and always making
accusations of separatism against human rights activists.

She also said that incidents of violence continue to occur. These
include the case of Opinus Tabuni who was killed in August 2008 and the
case of the JUBI journalist Ardiansyah Matrias, who was killed on 30
July 2010.

'Human rights activists need to continue to sruggle about these cases,'
she said.

			

		
	
	

					
					



	
 

	


	


	


		
TAPOL calls for Papua torture enquiry
			

				
Open letter to the UK Foreign Secretary:

19 October 2010

The Right Hon. William Hague, MP
Foreign Secretary,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London SW1A 1AA

Dear Mr. Hague,

We have just learnt of an incident involving two Papuan men who were
reportedly subjected to very serious acts of torture while being
interrogated in the region of Puncak Jaya in West Papua by two or
more men who appear to be members of the Indonesian security forces.

The incident, which appears to have occurred earlier this year, was
recorded on a mobile phone by an individual who was on the spot and
circulated widely on YouTube four days ago.  The video has since been
removed by YouTube, according to yesterday's issue of The Jakarta
Post, 'because of its shocking and disgusting content'.

Monday's edition of The Sydney Morning Herald, which reported the
incident at length after having obtained a copy, describes one of the
men under interrogation as having been stripped naked and bound, with
one of the interrogators placing his foot on the man's chest, while a
colleague administers the torture with a stick that has been
burnt  and is smoldering, causing the man to scream in agony.

This incident is clearly a grave violation of  the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
which Indonesia signed in 1985 and subsequently ratified in 1988.

In view of the extreme seriousness of this incident and the light it
sheds on alleged actions by members of the Indonesian security
forces, TAPOL urges the British Government to make immediate
representations to the Indonesian Government for an investigation to
be conducted by independent experts in order to verify the accuracy
of this report.

We in TAPOL are well aware that the British embassy in Jakarta
regularly follows the situation in West Papua which means that our
Government is well placed to seek the cooperation of the Indonesian
authorities in matters of this nature.

We believe that action by our Government is bound to be taken
seriously by the Indonesian Government and will impress upon them the
need to conduct an immediate investigation. If the incident is
confirmed, the men responsible for these acts of torture should be
called to account and should be severely punished.

Finally we urge the UK Government to suspend all forms of military
cooperation with the Indonesian security forces until there is full
accountability for this incident.  We would be grateful if you could
let us know the current extent of such cooperation and the action you
propose to take.

Yours sincerely

Carmel Budiardjo

			

		
	
	

					
					



	
 

	

			
 
			
			
	
 

 


	 


	

		


			

				
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