Tag: west papua

DPR Laments Military Operation in Papua

Important development – for media information

DPR Laments Military Operation in Papua

From Tempo http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2010/09/06/brk,20100906-276937,uk.html

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The House of Representatives (DPR) Law Commission deputy chairman, Tjatur Sapto Edy lamented the military operation in Puncak Jaya Regency, Papua, following the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) report. According to Tjatur, such approach is no longer suitable with the democracy that is being practiced in the country.

“There should be no more military operations,” he told Tempo last weekend. Human rights violation normally takes place in areas that have such practices, he said.

Komnas HAM, in meeting with the Law Commission in Jakarta last Friday, reported that a military operation was taking place in Puncak Jaya, Papua. According to Komnas HAM’s deputy chairman Yoseph Adi Prasetyo, the information was based on reports from the Papua people. “The operation was held at the request of the local government,” he said after the meeting.

The reason for the operation, Yoseph said, was because the local people held a series of demonstrations in protest of the local regent, who was allegedly involved in a corruption case. Police posts in Puncak Jaya were also attacked, reportedly by the Free Papua Organization (OPM) led by Buliat Tabuni. Demonstrators suspected of being OPM member were to be arrested.

That is why the Puncak Jayawijaya Regent Lukas Enembe, according to Yoseph, invited the 753 Battalion from Nabire to carry out a military operation with funds from the regional government. The operation began last April and is continuing. Based on the information gathered by Komnas HAM, 50 people have died during the execution of this military operation.

Etha Bullo, a politician from the Democrat Party in Puncak Jayawijaya, denied any wrongdoing. According to Etha, Puncak Jayawijaya regent’s policy was a persuasive measure to ensure security in the area. “It is not true that people have died. Lukas just called me and everything is okay,” Etha.

Meanwhile, Tjatur Sapto has promised to obtain more data concerning the military operation and to study it further to obtain clarification. He hoped all parties will avoid violent acts to prevent negative results. “I will ask for clarification from related parties,” he ended.

SANDY INDRA PRATAMA

Uranium exploration could harm indigenous population

Tabloid JUBI, 31 August 2010

Uranium exploration could harm indigenous population

The chairman of the Papuan Customary Council (DAP), Forkorus Yoboisembut is concerned that the explorations into uranium now being conducted by Freeport in the Timika region are failing to take the interests of the indigenous people into account and could result in having a negative impact on their welfare.

These explorations, which have already been under way for eight months are not transparent. ‘We have made strong representations to the company that these exploration can be harmful to the customary groups,’ he said.

To ensure that the local communities do not have any objections regarding the exploration of uranium, the investors and the government should co-ordinate with the traditional owners (of the land).’ There is a need for transparency by the investors about how long the explorations will be conducted and what the local communities will receive in payment,’ he said.

The amount of uranium thought to be present in the Freeport mine is far higher than the minimum rate of 83 ppm (parts per million), whereas the economically viable minimum universally accepted is 1,000 ppm

‘I think that the investors and the government need to be more open towards the local communities about the benefits and disadvantages of the exploration of uranium that is now under way,’ he said.

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AJI to continue investigating the murder of Ardiansyah

Bintang Papua, 31 August 2010

AJI to continue investigating the murder of Ardiansyah

Following the investigations which were undertaken by the Jayapura branch of AJI (Aliansi Jurnalis Indonesia) into the death of the journalist Ardiansyah Matra’is, the national AJI is planning to undertake a more thorough investigation into the case.

A member of the central board of AJI, Eko Matyadi, who is responsible for advocacy, said he would be flying to Merauke the following day. Besides trying to discover more data about the death, he will seek to verify the earlier results of AJI’s investigations that the journalist’s death was not due to natural causes.

‘Although no autopsy is available yet from the police, our findings are that he did not die of natural courses; There were signs of injuries on his body that were the result of violence. This is what we what to confirm.’

He said that his organisation was coordinating with the police about their trip to Merauke.

He stressed that the state must accept responsibility for investigating the death of a journalist because journalists are citizens just like other citizens. ‘Jouranlists are human beings with the same rights to life and for the safeguard of their personal security,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Victor Mambor, the chairman of AJI in Jayapura, said that AJI will continue to insist on the four demands made recently to the police in Papua, calling on them to be more serious in their investigations of the death of Ardinasyah. Victor also expressed regret that a statement by PWI on behalf of Papuan journalists had apologised to the police for the peaceful action by Journalists Solidarity on 23 August.’While there is no issue between AJI as an institution and the PWI, for me personally there is still an issue to be resolved.’

He said that the demonstration to the Papuan police was well within the constitutional rights of all citizens of the state, there had been no violation of the law, while actions undertaken by journalists in solidarity with their professional colleagues were entitled to the protection of the law.’

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Another Journalist attacked by Indonesian intels in Papua

http://www.newssafety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19470:radio-contributor-attacked-in-indonesias-papua&catid=134:asia-pacific-media-safety&Itemid=100525

Radio contributor attacked in Indonesia’s Papua

Source : BBC Monitoring 31.08.2010

On 24 August 2010 Musa Kondorura, a contributor to Kantor Berita Radio (KBR) 68H in Wasior Sub-district, Teluk Wondama District, West Papua Province, was attacked by two men, Luki and Hendra, who claimed to be members of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN).

Kondorura reported the incident to the local military sub-district commander. Along with the Teluk Wondama regional secretary, the commander organized a meeting between Kondorura and his two attackers, however the pair did not attend, saying that they had already reported the incident to the district head.

The motive behind the attack is not yet known.

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STRUGGLE IN PARADISE: New short film on West Papuan activists struggle for justice

STRUGGLE IN PARADISE ( NU BOTENANG DOHONG BE DOA SYAI), Follows the extraordinary journey of Herman Wainggai, a West Papuan independence leader and former political prisoner, living in exile in Australia.
In West Papua, Herman spent more than 20 years as an activist in a nonviolent student’s movement.
In 2006, Herman feared the safety of his life and led a group of 43 West Papuan asylum seekers to Australia. In Australia his activism continues, spurred on by daily text messages from inside West Papua which report an increase in Indonesian military and intimidation. When Herman receives the confronting news that a man from his island was killed by Indonesian authorities, he decides to hold a meeting with fellow West Papuan student activists at the border of West Papua and Papua New Guinea. After the risky boat journey, the student activists inform Herman of the current situation in West Papua and the risks they face as activists fighting a nonviolent struggle..

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