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1) Complaint against a palm oil company in Papua held in limbo by RSPO

November 2, 2016, 12:16 pm
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2) Protester crashes Dutch royal visit
3) Papuans mull over lost local cuisines on council’s birthday


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Article included photos/maps



1) Complaint against a palm oil company in Papua held in limbo by RSPO
2 November 2016 / Alice Cuddy 
The grievance was filed against PT Nabire Baru, an arm of Goodhope Asia that is accused of a raft of violations in Indonesia’s easternmost region. The company denies the allegations.


  • In April, an NGO complained to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil about a plantation firm alleged to have grabbed indigenous land in Indonesia's Papua province.
  • The official grievance has yet to be accepted or rejected by the RSPO's Complaints Panel, even after more than six months.
  • Observers have noted that an executive from the parent company of the firm in question also sits on the RSPO's Board of Directors. The roundtable denies that there is any conflict of interest.
  • The RSPO is the world's largest association for ethical palm oil production, whose members consist of palm oil companies, banks and NGOs that choose to join.


A complaint lodged earlier this year about alleged abuses by a palm oil company in Indonesian Papua has raised questions over the credibility of the industry’s largest certification scheme in investigating member violations.
n April, indigenous rights NGO Pusaka wrote to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) with detailed allegations that PT Nabire Baru — a subsidiary of Goodhope Asia, which is owned by Sri Lankan palm oil giant Carson Cumberbatch — had violated “both legal 
regulations and the customary law” of the Yerisiam Gua people, as well as the RSPO’s own principles and criteria, which ban unsustainable practices like the conversion of virgin rainforests and land grabbing that aren’t necessarily illegal in countries where palm oil is produced.
Central to the complaint were claims that Nabire Baru took communal land belonging to the indigenous group in Papua’s Nabire district without a collective decisionmaking process.
“The company only ever met and managed to gain the support of a small group of community members, causing disharmony to emerge within the Yerisiam indigenous community,” the letter states. 
Nabire Baru was also accused of using guards from the police special forces to intimidate the local community as it expanded its operations, destroying “ecologically important” and “sacred” sago forestland relied on by the Yerisiam people for food and trade.
“The sago groves in question have existed naturally since ancient times, and are sacred sago groves which have provided food for the people of Sima village from generation to generation up to the present day,” said a separate letter sent on behalf of the Yerisiam indigenous community.


An image from awas MIFEE’s West Papua Oil Palm Atlas shows PT Nabire Baru’s concession in Indonesia’s easternmost region.

Pusaka called on the RSPO, which was established in 2004 to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil, to “immediately investigate the allegations” and “resolve the conflict in an open manner which involves the wider Yerisiam community.” If the 
violations were confirmed, it said the RSPO should revoke the certification of Nabire Baru and its parent company. 
However, more than six months later, the case against Nabire Baru is still yet to be either accepted or rejected by the RSPO as a formal complaint. 
According to its latest update, the RSPO is still registering the complaint under the status “reported case received.” 
But the grievance does not appear in the RSPO’s case tracker as an official entry, in which documents relevant to the case would normally be made available for public scrutiny.
Pusaka Director Franky Samperante said three meetings have taken place at the RSPO’s Jakarta office since he filed the complaint. In late September, a field visit to the area was organized, but Samperante said he is yet to receive any official information on its result from the RSPO.
In the meantime, he said, the problems in Nabire persist. 
The RSPO “is still very slow responding to our complaints. While in the field, the company is still not solving the problems [of the] indigenous Yerisiam,” he explained.
Pusaka’s letter to the RSPO is not the first time issues with the company have been raised.
In early 2015, a group of organizations calling themselves the “Coalition caring for oil palm victims in Nabire” urged the governor of Papua province to revoke the company’s permit over its alleged violations.
At the same time, online watchdog awas MIFEE described Nabire Baru as “possibly the most controversial plantation in Papua,” while the case was also featured in an inquiry into land conflicts affecting indigenous peoples conducted by Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights.
The company has denied all of the allegations.
Samperante in an email this week said he feared there were “bias (sic) interests” within the RSPO, as he called on the certification body to come to an “objective and independent” decision based on the facts of the case. 
The roundtable is composed of palm oil companies, NGOs and banks that choose to become RSPO members, requiring the firms to adhere to certain standards in their operations and allowing them to promote their products with the RSPO’s green label.

Jago Wadley, a senior forest campaigner with London-based NGO the Environmental Investigations Agency (EIA), which has done extensive research into the functioning of the RSPO, described the lack of decision as “both unsurprising and galling to all who seek to depend on RSPO impartiality.”
“Failure to process complaints in line with procedure indicates, at best incompetence, and at worst wilful intent to ‘protect’ violators from due process,” he said.
He added that the case suggests the organization “has essentially abandoned its essential procedures in ways that benefit a board member’s company by keeping its violations ‘off the books.’”
Edi Suhardi, sustainability director at Nabire Baru’s parent company Goodhope, is an RSPO vice president and sits on its Board of Governors.
Andrew Ng, a founder of the consultancy Grassroots, said the time taken to reach a decision on the complaint was “consistent with the pattern and track-record of RSPO in addressing complaints in general.”
“In a Secretariat of 60+ people they have one person handling complaints as the coordinator. It used to be far, far worse…But we’re still light years away from even basic satisfaction that the system functions according to RSPO’s own procedural requirements.”
According to the complaints system, which is described as a “fair, transparent and impartial process,” the RSPO “will only decline to investigate if the complainant is unable to provide adequate evidence or if the complaint can be resolved bilaterally.” 
Despite ongoing calls from Pusaka for the RSPO to process its complaint and claims that the violations are continuing, Stefano Savi, the RSPO’s global outreach and engagement director, said it is still “currently being treated as a reported case,” citing the willingness of both parties involved to “resolve the issues amicably.”
He added that the RSPO “highly values the necessity of the neutrality” of Complaints Panel members and ensures that there is no conflict of interest when it comes to such cases.

Suhardi, the Goodhope sustainability chief and RSPO vice president, said he was not aware of the delay in accepting or rejecting the complaint.
He explained that board members play no part in decisions over complaints relating to companies they are involved in, and noted that RSPO decisions on such cases in the past have sometimes taken “years for examination and more years to resolve.”
Suhardi added that the RSPO was finalizing its report on the September field visit, which he hoped would clear up all complaints.
Outside of the RSPO, a meeting was held last month between the two sides in which they discussed the issues. 
During the meeting, Sanjaya Upasena of Goodhope Asia vowed to “100 percent support the community…as long as they are not self-centered,” according to a transcript provided by Suhardi. 
“Not even point 1 percent we will abandon them if it is not personal but the interest of the whole community,” he added.
But as calls continue for the issues to be quickly resolved, Ng of Grassroots said the need for the RSPO to have an efficient complaints mechanism cannot be underestimated. 
“For an industry like palm oil, already known as controversial and high-risk in areas of environmental degradation and human rights violations, the need for RSPO to have a credible and transparent redress mechanism is simply magnified, if this organization 
wants to show that it is serious,” he explained.
Wadley of EIA agreed.
“Where the complaints procedure does not function, the RSPO does not function,” he said.
Banner image: The canopy of an oil palm plantation in Indonesia. Photo by Rhett A. Butler
Article published by Philip Jacobson on 2016-11-02

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2 NOV 2016 - 5:16PM

2) Protester crashes Dutch royal visit

The Dutch royals were welcomed to Canberra by a little half-Dutch girl, a protester for West Papua, and a slew of Australians with Dutch heritage.

It was a family gathering of sorts when the Dutch King and Queen met Australians with heritage from the land of tulips and windmills.
But King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima's visit to the nation's capital on Wednesday wasn't without controversy as a protester crashed their tour to demand rights for West Papuans.
The royals capped off their Canberra visit at the National Archives of Australia where they inspected the document which led to thousands of Dutchmen and women heading to Australia, the 1951 migration agreement.
They met Petronella Wensing, who was a 29-year-old mother of two when she arrived after a two-month boat journey in 1953.
She marked a new life Down Under when on her first day she gave birth to her third son, Ed.
"I think the connection will always stay there," she told AAP.
"I hope my kids appreciate the Dutch background."
The royals posed for a picture with a number other Australians with Dutch heritage, including sports journalist Stephanie Brantz.
"Family portrait," Ms Wensing chuckled to them.
But the royal visit didn't entirely go to plan, with the couple met by a protester outside the Archives reminding the Dutch of their colonial history in West Papua.
"Your royal highnesses, welcome to Australia!" he bellowed with a megaphone.
"Next time you see your government, could you please ask them to apologise to the people of West Papua."
In another unplanned moment, the couple earlier arrived at Parliament House to meet a half-Dutch toddler joyfully sitting on the road outside.
Nearly 20-month-old Eleanor Eschauzier waved the Dutch flag waiting for the king and queen after they laid a wreath at the MH17 memorial.
When the little girl in a red coat sitting on the road flopped over and began to cry, the king joked that's what he would do too.
Earlier, the couple visited the memorial for Australian victims of MH17 in a garden adjacent to parliament, laying sunflowers at its base.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Speaker Tony Smith joined them.
The royal couple later met members of the federal police, consular staff and defence representatives who helped in the aftermath of the July 17, 2014 event.
Mr Smith noted 298 people lost their lives, including 196 Dutch citizens and 38 people who called Australia home.
"Australia is very grateful for your country's leadership and solidarity in the response to the MH17 tragedy," he said at a morning tea.
The royals are expected in Sydney on Thursday.

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3) Papuans mull over lost local cuisines on council’s birthday
Nethy Dharma Somba The Jakarta Post
Jayapura | Wed, November 2 2016 | 08:12 am

The Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP), an institution formed as part of the implementation of the 2001 Law on Special Autonomy for Papua, will focus on the rescue of Papuan culture, which is in crisis as a result of the rapid influx of other cultures.

“The MRP will focus on rescuing the culture of Papua and rescuing culture is the same as saving the people of Papua. All Papuan communities have been complaining about how their culture is starting to be ignored by outside cultures,” said MRP chairman Matius Murib during the 11th MRP anniversary in Jayapura on Monday.

One of the factors behind this cultural loss is the rapid, unfiltered flow of foreign cultures into Papua, he added.

The younger generation in Papua also seemingly yearns for cultural preservation. In a series of speeches delivered in their mother tongue from 10 youths representing the five cultural regions of Papua, they all wished for the preservation of culture and language to be included in school curriculums.

“If we, the younger generation no longer have culture, then we will lose our identity and no longer be recognized as Papuans. We hope the governor, the Papuan People’s Representatives Council [DPRP] and the MRP devise a regulation to preserve Papuan culture, one measure of which being setting Oct. 31 as Papuan Cultural Day,” said a young man from Asmat representing the Anim Ha culture in the southern Papua region.

MRP, said Murib, held a hearing to ascertain the views of all indigenous communities from the five cultural regions of Papua. 

“In the meeting, members of indigenous communities complained about local culture increasingly being eroded by foreign cultures, so there must be a concerted effort to save it,” he said.

The indigenous communities also reportedly complained about the long period of Papuans losing their own land, especially with the proliferation of regional division.

“Land is heritage, so land should also be maintained and preserved. I hope the regional administrations in Papua will make regulations to protect customary land. I urge indigenous people not to sell their land but only to lease it,” added Murib.

Papua Jungle Chief community head Charles Toto considers Papuan cuisine to be one aspect of the region’s culture that is nearly extinct. 

“I see that 80 percent of the special food of Papua is no longer cooked by Papuans. It’s a sign that the typical cuisines of Papua are being further neglected,” said Toto.

Toto and his colleagues are currently mapping out different cuisines in Papua. 

“Many of the typical cuisines of Papua are no longer prepared by the local community because of the many foreign cuisines consumed by people every day. Papua’s typical food must be preserved because it is Papua’s uniqueness,” said Toto.

He cited the fact that only vegetable salt in the world existed only in Papua, which is made by the community from the Korowai tribe. The vegetable salt is made from the leaves of young rattan.

“Such cultural wealth must be preserved because it is the wealth of the community,” said Toto.

Papua provincial secretary Heri Dosinaen said he would support the establishment of Oct. 31 as Papuan Cultural Day with a regulation. 

“A special bylaw will be made so that Papua Cultural Day is commemorated every Oct. 31. The regulation will soon be written and subsequently set into special provincial regulation,” he said.

Papua is made up of the cultural regions of Saireri, La Pago, Mee Pago and Anim Ha and 273 local dialects.
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1) West Papua resources fray discussed alongside climat

November 3, 2016, 12:28 pm
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2) Climate change link to West Papua resource exploitation probed
3) Jakarta diplomacy odd and backwards, ULMWP

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1) West Papua resources fray discussed alongside climate
10:11 am on 3 November 2016 
A conference getting underway in Sydney today looks to address two major areas of concern to people in the Pacific region in the same sitting.
‘At the Intersection: Pacific Climate Change and Resource Exploitation in West Papua' runs for two days, hosted by Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney's West Papua Project.
                                             Deforestation is rife across New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
The keynote speaker is Vanuatu's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ralph Regenvanu. Others attending include climate change scientists and West Papuan analysts.
The conference has been organised by Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon from Western Sydney University who said climate change and pernicious resource extraction in West Papua had a deep connection.
She said there was a need to find common strands of the two problems, and how it might it be useful to address them together.
"The Indonesian colonisation of West Papua is what has led to this gross resource exploitation, and the flow-on effects of human rights violations and environmental destruction in West Papua. So the two are very related," she explained.
"They've never been discussed in tandem, but that's the point of this conference, to do so."
Dr Webb-Gannon said there were various critical issues that required attention.
She noted how the impacts of climate change throughout the Pacific Islands region highlight the importance of preserving West Papua's rainforests from rampant logging and forest clearance.
"We want to question in this conference whether if we can halt or even stop some of the resource exploitation - whether that's mining at Freeeport, gas mining along the coast of West Papua or even looking at reducing the land clearing in Merauke - then maybe this can help slow down Pacific climate change which is also quite alarming."
The conference will utilise Open Space Technology to elicit creative strategies and policy advice from expert participants.

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2) Climate change link to West Papua resource exploitation probed

From Dateline Pacific, 4:04 pm on 3 November 2016 

A conference underway in Sydney today is seeking common solutions to two major areas of concern to people in the Pacific region.
'At the Intersection: Pacific Climate Change and Resource Exploitation in West Papua' runs for two days, hosted by Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney's West Papua Project.
The keynote speaker is Vanuatu's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ralph Regenvanu. Others attending include climate change scientists and West Papuan analysts.
The organiser, Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon from Western Sydney University says climate change and pernicious resource extraction in West Papua have a deep connection.

TRANSCRIPT

CAMMI WEBB-GANNON: The island of New Guinea is home to the second largest swathe of pristine rainforest in the world outside of the Amazon, and the logging that's happening there is taking place at a breakneck speed, and we want to question at this conference whether if we can halt or even stop some of the resource exploitation - whether that's mining at Freeport, gas mining along the coast of West Papua or even looking at reducing the land clearing of MIFEE, the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate - then maybe this can help slow down Pacific climate change which is also quite alarming. And so we want to look at whether campaigns for climate change could also apply pressure to campaigns opposing resource exploitation in West Papua, and to look at what benefits approaching both issues with similar sorts of energy and strategies might bring.
JB: You mentioned Merauke, that forest clearance and what's being done to the peatlands is part of a very disturbing ecological event really. What about those fires, isn't the Indonesian government cognisant of the environmental destruction happening?
CW-G: I think that's probably not their primary concern. The environmental destruction is far away from where the decision making is taking place. It's far away from the companies that are profiting from the resource exploitation. And West Papua has traditionally been viewed as a large expanse of vacant and usable land by the central government in Indonesia, and that's been a long-standing position on West Papua's land. It's been used as a place to send people from overcrowded islands like Java and Sumatra to relieve overcrowding in other parts of Indonesia. General (Ali) Murtopo said in 1969, I believe, that if West Papuans want their own land, they might need to go to the moon because Indonesia's not going to let any West Papuan people interfere in their plans for the land use.
JB: Charming...
CW-G: So I don't think the environment and indigenous rights and human rights are issues at the forefront of the decisions being made in terms of land clearing and overturning of peatlands and the fires that result. So it’s up to West Papuan lobby groups and supporters and people concerned about climate change in the Pacific and more broadly to bring these issues to international attention.
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3) Jakarta diplomacy odd and backwards, ULMWP
5:04 pm on 3 November 2016 
A warning by Indonesia's Defence Minister for Pacific countries not to speak out about West Papua has been described as an odd and backward form of diplomacy.
The Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu urged Australia to rebuke Pacific states, in particular Solomon Islands, for raising West Papua in global forums and inviting Papuans to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

He subsequently told Australian media that it's better if Canberra delivers the warning to Pacific governments, because if it was left to him he would 'twist their ears'.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua's Pacific regional ambassador Akabou Amatus Douw said the minister's statements in the past week show a militaristic attitude, out of touch with Pacific Islanders.
At September’s UN General Assembly session, leaders of seven Pacific states spoke out about rights abuses in Papua and on support for Papuan self-determination.

Ryamizard warned that Indonesia would not stay silent when its sovereignty is compromised - he described Indonesia as a sleeping tiger that can attack if disturbed.
Mr Douw said the minister's sleeping tiger analogy was, in a sense, apt.
"This expression is symbolic," he explained, "meaning that Indonesia's sleeping face [will] never wake up to see what [is] their wrongdoing with massive atrocities and genocide to the Papuan minority."
The ULMWP, which has observer status in the MSG, is pushing for full membership in the group, something opposed by Indonesia which is an associate MSG member.

Mr Douw has urged the leaders of Australia and Indonesia to have a robust discussion on West Papua.
The Indonesian President Joko Widodo is due to have his first state visit to Australia this month for bilateral talks with Australia's prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Douw is pushing for the two governments to abolish the Lombok Treaty between the two countries which formalised both governments' agreement to oppose Papuan separatism.
“This already became a hell policy," said Mr Douw, "because the fact that Australian government trained Indonesian army who evolved in killing and torturing Papuan freedom fighter then we indicated that killing of younger generation is new form of genocide."

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1) Jakarta pressures Australia on West Papua

November 4, 2016, 1:30 am
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2) Solomons won’t enter media duel with Jakarta
3) Papua New Guinea today Australian Activist Speaks Out Against Jakarta Request

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1) Jakarta pressures Australia on West Papua
By
 PACNEWS/Pasifik
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INDONESIA has asked Australia to caution its Pacific Island neighbours against interfering in the West Papua issue.
It asked Australia to urge them to withdraw support for West Papuan membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), warning that the issue could pose a ‘stumbling block’ to closer ­bilateral ties.
Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu told The Australian newspaper he made the request to Australia’s defence and foreign ministers during their annual meeting in Bali last week and ‘the response has been good. It is unlikely they will refuse’.
“I have told Australia … we should maintain our close relationship and not let issues like this be a stumbling block to our relationship,” he said.
At Friday’s ministerial meeting, Australia and Indonesia also agreed to consider joint patrols of areas of the contested South China Sea and pirate-infested Sulu Sea between Indonesia and The Philippines. That will likely be discussed further when Indonesian President Joko Widodo makes his first official state visit to Australia on Sunday.
The bid for West Papuan membership of MSG, likely to be decided by year-end, has become a rallying point for the Free West Papua movement, which argues that the territory’s UN-supervised vote to stay with Indonesia in 1968 was secured by cheating and military intimidation.
Indonesia is an MSG associate but is lobbying hard against Papuan admission since the United Liberation Movement of West Papua gained observer status last year.
The group’s chairman, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, champions West Papuan representation. He was one of seven Pacific leaders to speak out against human rights abuses in the Papua provinces and to support self-determination at last month’s UN General Assembly.
After the ministerial meeting on Friday, General Ryamizard said: “I have told Australia we never interfere with the internal affairs of any other country and we will strongly object if other countries do so to us.
“So please tell Solomon Island and those six nations (from the MSG) never to interfere or encourage West Papua to join them.
“Those countries better keep their mouths shut and mind their own business. It is better that (Australia) speaks to them ­ gently. If it was left up to me, I would twist their ears.”


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2) Solomons won’t enter media duel with Jakarta

4:18 pm today 

The Solomon Islands government says it’s not in a position to respond to a warning from Indonesia's government not to speak out about West Papua.

Indonesia's Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has urged Australia to pass on a message to Pacific Island governments to not interfere in Indonesian domestic affairs.
In media comments in the past week, he pressed Canberra to rebuke Pacific states, in particular Solomon Islands, for raising Papua in global forums and inviting Papuans to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The Solomons' envoy on West Papua, Rex Horoi, said his government won't respond to what is effectively a media statement.
"Due to the fact that we have not received any formal communication (on the matter) either from Jakarta or from Canberra, why should we respond at this stage? Therefore we will not respond until we receive such communication through diplomatic channels," he said.
Mr Ryacudu also told Australian media that it is better if Canberra delivers the warning to Pacific governments, because if it was left to him he would 'twist their ears' and described Indonesia as a sleeping tiger that can attack if disturbed.
However Mr Horoi said Pacific countries raised Papua in global fora because West Papuans lives matter.
"We speak collectively on abuse and human rights violations in West Papua because we have received reliable sources of information," he explained, "and therefore that is the collective concern of the civil society, public and governments of the region."
Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has confirmed having discussed West Papua last week with the Indonesian Defence Minister, but wouldn't be pressed on whether Canberra will pass the warning on.

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3) Papua New Guinea today 
Australian Activist Speaks Out Against Jakarta Request
Leader of the Australian West Papua Association (Sydney) (AWPA), Joe Collins, has spoken out against reports that Jakarta has requested Australia to pass on a message to the Solomon Islands to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Indonesia.

“This is an outrageous request as it is the duty of all nations to raise concern about human rights abuses not only in West Papua but no matter where they are committed.

“The Solomon Islands and the other six Pacific leaders who raised concern about the human rights abuses in West Papua (at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September) are to be congratulated for their courageous stand on the issue of West Papua,” said  Collins.

He said that it is a pity that Australia does not follow the Pacific leaders in also condemning the ongoing human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian Military.

“Not only should Australia refuse the request of the Indonesian defence minister but should be supporting the Pacific leaders in calling on Jakarta to allow a PIF facing mission to West Papua.”

Indonesia's Defence Minister was quoted by media as having requested Australia to pass on the message to the Solomon Islands, saying that as a major donor, Australia should raise the issue of non-interference with Solomon Islands.

Joe Collins, along with AWPA’s Secretary Anne Noonan, were awarded the 2012 John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award.

AWPA’s role is to lobby and inform the Australian Government and the International Community and in particular regional organisations such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Melanesian Spearhead Group to raise concerns about the human rights situation in West Papua.


SOURCE: SOLOMON TIMES ONLINE
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1) We Will Respond Through Diplomatic Channels: Horoi

November 4, 2016, 1:06 pm
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2) Indonesia’s Pacific diplomacy takes on new edge
3) Jokowi’s Oz visit to focus on economic, maritime cooperation

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http://www.solomontimes.com/news/we-will-respond-through-diplomatic-channels-horoi/8629

Friday, 4 November 2016 12:47 PM

1) We Will Respond Through Diplomatic Channels: Horoi

The Solomon Islands Special Envoy to West Papua says that the government will only respond to what has been said in the media through proper diplomatic channels.


Indonesia's Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has urged Australia to pass on a message to Pacific Island governments to not interfere in Indonesian domestic affairs.
Mr Horoi told Radio New Zealand that the fact that there has not been any formal communication (on the matter) either from Jakarta or from Canberra "there is no point in responding at this stage."
“We will not respond until we receive such communication through diplomatic channels," he said.
News that Indonesia had requested Australia to pass on a message of non-interference on the issue of West Papua to Solomon Islands raised alarm bells with Solomon Islanders.
The Indonesian Defence Minister also described Indonesia as a sleeping tiger that will react if pushed, drawing criticism from locals and abroad, describing such language as insensitive.

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2) Indonesia’s Pacific diplomacy takes on new edge
From Dateline Pacific, 4:04 pm on 4 November 2016 
Indonesian diplomatic overtures to the Pacific Islands region over West Papua have taken on a new dimension.
Indonesia's Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has urged Australia to pass on a message to Pacific Island governments to not interfere in Indonesian domestic affairs.
This comes after seven Pacific countries raised concern about human rights abuses in West Papua at the United Nations General Assembly.
Johnny Blades reports.


TRANSCRIPT

Indonesia's Defence Minister said he has pressed Canberra to rebuke Pacific states, in particular Solomon Islands, for raising Papua in global forums. He's also warned them not to invite Papuans to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group. The Solomons' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has been active in pushing for greater regional representation for Papuans. However his government's envoy on West Papua, Rex Horoi, says the Solomons won't respond to what is effectively a media statement.
Due to the fact that we have not received any formal communication (on the matter) either from Jakarta or from Canberra, why should we respond at this stage? Therefore we will not respond until we receive such communication through diplomatic channels.
But he says Pacific countries raise Papua in global fora because West Papuans lives matter.
We speak collectively on abuse and human rights violations in West Papua because we have received reliable sources of information and therefore that is the collective concern of the civil society, public and governments of the region.
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has confirmed having discussed West Papua last week with the Indonesian Defence Minister, but wouldn't be pressed on whether Canberra will pass the warning on. Dr Stewart Firth from the Australian National University's State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program says Jakarta has misinterpreted Australia's relationship with Pacific countries. He says these are sovereign states who value their sovereignty - and that just because Australia may give them aid, it doesn't mean it can determine their foreign policy.
What's worrying the Indonesians is the way in which this whole question of membership in the MSG has assumed a kind of symbolic political value to West Papuan independence activists. And earlier this year we saw major demonstrations in a number of towns in West Papua, for which people were arrested and so on, because they were demonstrating in favour of West Papuan membership in the MSG.
Dr Firth says for leaders of numerous Pacific island states, West Papua is the one foreign policy issue which has a domestic constituency, as evidenced by the rise of civil society movements in support of Papuan rights across the region.
It's unusual for there to be any organisations formed in the Pacific on a foreign policy issue. You have to go right back to the nuclear issue, when the French were testing, to find something similar. So these leaders, including even (Peter) O'Neill in PNG, have to balance that public opionion against foreign policy considerations.
Meanwhile, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua has described the Indonesian minister’s statements as an odd and backwards form of diplomacy.
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3) Jokowi’s Oz visit to focus on economic, maritime cooperation
Jakarta | Fri, November 4 2016 | 08:27 am
The Jakarta Post


President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s visit to Australia from Nov. 6 to 8 is expected to focus on economic and maritime cooperation despite the Foreign Ministry ruling out earlier proposals for joint patrols with Australia in the South China Sea. 

“The visit is aimed at strengthening the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement [IACEPA] and the visit will focus on economic and maritime cooperation,” Edi Yusup, the Foreign Ministry’s East Asia and Pacific director, said on Thursday.

He added that Jokowi’s visit was being made at Australia’s invitation and was a reciprocal visit as Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had visited Indonesia last November.

 The visit will also follow up on the recent meetings between the respective foreign and defense ministers of Indonesia and Australia in Bali, which emphasized maritime cooperation.

Regarding earlier reports that Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu had proposed joint patrols in the South China Sea with Australia, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said: “We can only have bilateral cooperation within our own territories.”

Australia is not a claimant in the South China Sea where several ASEAN countries and Japan have overlapping claims with China. 

Indonesia is also officially not a claimant, but a skirmish this year with Chinese vessels occurred off the Natuna Islands, which China recognizes as Indonesian territory. 

Apart from stressing improved cooperation in counterterrorism and deradicalization, the joint press release from the bilateral meeting in Bali between Australia and Indonesia’s defense and foreign ministers raised the need to seek ways to improve stability in the South China and Sulu seas. 

During the visit, Jokowi will meet Prime Minister Turnbull, Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove and Australian opposition leader Bill Shorten. 

Jokowi will also address the Australian parliament and meet representatives of the Australian business community.

The visit will also discuss food security cooperation, particularly regarding the beef and cattle industry, in which Indonesia is pushing for greater collaboration in cattle breeding to ensure sustainability. 

Edi said both sides would try to speed up talks on the IACEPA, which is expected to boost bilateral trade.

“In the meeting, we’ll emphasize the IACEPA [negotiations], which should be completed by the end of 2017,” he said.

According to data from the Trade Ministry, Indonesia’s trade with Australia reached US$8.5 billion in 2015, in which Indonesia had a $1.1 billion deficit. 

This year, Indonesia’s trade with Australia had reached $5.5 billion as of August.

The President’s entourage will include Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Thomas Lembong, and Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) head Triawan Munaf. (sha)
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1) Australia should go to Papua and see the human rights situation for itself

November 5, 2016, 1:30 am
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Note Jowiki's trip cancelled



2) The Pacific is divided on West Papua



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1) Australia should go to Papua and see the human rights situation for itself

Elaine Pearson
Support of Indonesian sovereignty over Papua does not mean shying away from scrutiny of abuses
As Indonesia’s president, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, touches down in Australia for the first time since assuming the presidency, will human rights feature at all in the talks? Indonesian officials are already working overtime to control the agenda, with the defence minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu, warning Australia against “interfering in the West Papua issue” and asking Australia to send a message to Pacific Island nations that support autonomy for Papuans.

Ryamizard told an Australian journalist, with no apparent irony: “Those countries better keep their mouths shut and mind their own business. It is better that Australia speaks to them gently. If it was left up to me, I would twist their ears.”
Although Australia has consistently supported Indonesian sovereignty over Papua, the issue remains one of various sensitivities in the Australia–Indonesia relationship. But that discomfort does not give Indonesia a free pass to commit human rights abuses in the province, nor should Australia shy away from discussing such matters at the highest levels.

The provinces of Papua and West Papua are a remote, isolated region, where the OPM (Free Papua Movement) has led a low-level insurgency for decades. That insurgency has long been the excuse for significant military involvement in Papua. With the heightened police and military presence, there have been reports of security force abuses including killings, torture, excessive or unnecessary use of force, and mistreatment of peaceful protesters.
At least 37 Papuans remain behind bars for peaceful acts of free expression or expressing solidarity with the independence movement. All of this impunity is aided by reduced scrutiny of abuses as foreign journalists and human rights organisations face a half century-long restriction on visiting the province.
Perhaps Indonesia feels especially confident in rallying Australian support, since it scored something of a coup in August with the Papua visit by the attorney general, George Brandis. He was the first Australian cabinet minister to visitPapua, and human rights were glaringly absent from all public statements he made about that visit. His choice of travelling companion was also troubling – he was accompanied by Wiranto, Indonesia’s poster child for impunity for serious abuses. 
Wiranto, the co-ordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, was Indonesia’s armed forces chief in 1999 when the military and government-backed militias carried out atrocities against the East Timorese after they voted for independence.
In fact, given that background, it’s even more important for the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and foreign minister, Julie Bishop, to ask some hard questions about what Indonesia is doing to address human rights violations in Papua and how Australia can help.
Australian acceptance of Indonesian sovereignty over Papua does not mean discussion of human rights concerns in Papua should be taken off the table. Let’s remember that Jokowi himself has previously called for greater respect for human rights in Papua and for the Indonesian government to stop blocking foreign journalists and observers from visiting Papua.
Here’s one suggestion that Turnbull could broach with Jokowi: if Indonesian officials are so keen to gain Australia’s support on Papua, then why not allow a multi-party parliamentary delegation from Australia, accompanied by journalists, free access to visit the province? 
Australia’s parliament has long had an interest in the region, with a Parliamentary Friends of West Papua group co-chaired by Jane Prentice MP and Senator Richard Di Natale. Such a visit, not a junket, should include a range of Australian politicians armed with expertise in trade, tourism, economic and social portfolios and include meetings with Papuan leaders, civil society, imprisoned activists and ordinary Papuans.
In fact, when General Luhut Pandjaitan, then coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, visited Canberra in June he extended an invitation to the Australian government to visit Papua, saying, 
I ask also any member of the cabinet to join us to go there. We have nothing to hide. It is not the time to hide something. Let us work together to make it transparent. If you want to criticise Indonesia we are happy to receive that criticism. But please, give that criticism based on data, not rumour.
A visit would help Australian politicians understand more about a region only a few hundred kilometres to our north that remains isolated and undeveloped. It would enable Australians to hear directly from Papuans about the issues affecting their lives – surely this is part of what Jokowi wants in trying to win the hearts and minds of Papuans.
Elaine Pearson is the Australia director at Human Rights Watch.
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2) The Pacific is divided on West Papua

Author: Patrick M. Walsh, Observer Research Foundation
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has just been given approval to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as a full member this December, which advances their position from the observer status granted in 2014. This marks the most significant recognition of West Papua as a political identity since the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority administration in the 1960s.
This decision by the MSG is rich with political meaning and adds further depth to the already intricate mosaic of Pacific island relations: the Free West Papua campaign celebrates a tangible advancement in its age-old bid for self-determination; the MSG wrangles with its own internal politics; and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) emerges from its last annual gathering two members larger (with admission of French Polynesia and New Caledonia) but apparently hamstrung on the West Papua issue.
Although the Free West Papua campaign has gained considerable momentum and popular appeal in recent years, the bid for self-determination has been long, tragic and even to this day deliberately overlooked by the international community. In 1969, the UN acknowledged Melanesian rights to self-determination in Western New Guinea by facilitating an ‘Act of Free Choice’.
Many claim that Indonesia interfered with the referendum through intimidation and coercion of voters. Since the so-called ‘Act of No Choice’, Melanesian sovereignty in West Papua has been reduced to a memory and a fringe resistance movement.
The international community’s neglect of indigenous Papuans forms a familiar story — the rights of a sovereign people subverted by Cold War politics, under-the-table mining contracts and a fear of antagonist aggression. West Papua is still held in this decades-old inertia.
While Pacific island nations have undoubtedly been the most vocal in support of their Melanesian brothers and sisters, the Free West Papua campaign has driven a wedge within regional forums.
The Pacific Islands Forum has several times attempted to address the West Papuan issue throughout their annual meetings. But the Forum has been careful to avoid specific mention of the indigenous quest for self-determination and consistently recognises Indonesia as the sovereign power of former Dutch New Guinea. In 2016 the Forum seems to have shelved the issue, given the cursory and almost dismissive mention of West Papua in the official communique.
The actions of seven Pacific island leaders at the 71st UN General Assembly revealed the lack of internal PIF consensus. In the absence of a whole-region forum to lobby on their behalf, leaders from Tuvalu, Palau, Vanuatu, Tonga, Nauru, Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands individually called for immediate global attention to human rights abuses in West Papua. Notably, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands associated human rights abuses against indigenous Papuans with their right for self-determination.
While Pacific activism at the UN is almost becoming an institution, this latest round of politicking is a useful litmus test of the current state of Pacific regionalism.
Critics would argue that PIF inactivity on West Papua is yet another example of the organisation’s inability to act collectively on behalf of their constituencies. Although a changing diplomatic dynamic in the Pacific might justify the PIF diverting sensitive issues into sub-regional and individual hands.
Regardless of the interpretation, it is obvious that West Papua has brought to public attention an unresolved issue within the Forum — their collective stance on decolonisation. The West Papua case sits alongside the puzzling granting of full PIF membership to New Caledonia and French Polynesia, both French colonies. This seems inconsistent with the PIF’s identity as defender of independence and self-determination in the Pacific.
Perhaps West Papua is appealing to the PIF at a bad time: an age of ‘new diplomacy’ characterised by internal fractions, a potentially unwieldy number of interest groups, and the rise of sub-regional identities. Or perhaps the PIF has decided to bet on Indonesia as an emerging partner in the region, perpetuating the political inertia that has prevented West Papuan independence since decolonisation.
In contrast with the PIF, the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s acceptance of West Papua as a full member cements their role as the new regional champions for self-determination, even if PNG and Fiji did not seem to actively support the decision.
It is unlikely that extra-regional support for the Free West Papua campaign will happen without regional cohesion. The PIF needs to wrangle out of their 18 members a clear message on decolonisation. And the MSG should at least appear united in their acceptance of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. Ambivalence on the West Papua issue won’t help gain the attention and sympathy of a historically reluctant international community.
Patrick M. Walsh is a researcher at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.
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Photo-Morning Star at Sydney Harbour

November 5, 2016, 2:48 pm
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We had heard there was an Indonesian naval ship in Sydney harbour so went to wave the Morning Star at it. But no ship. So what the hell we waved it anyway. I'm sure the Indian sailors were interested.













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Photos-Doctors for Refugees rally Sydney

November 5, 2016, 7:40 pm
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Doctors for Refugees rally Sydney 5 November 2016



























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Leaders agree to disagree on West Papua

November 6, 2016, 11:29 pm
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Article in October Islands Magazine


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1) Minister Allows Peatland Restoration Using Village Funds

November 6, 2016, 11:34 pm
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1) Minister Allows Peatland Restoration Using Village Funds


2) Fiji looks to grow defence links with Indonesia


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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2016/11/07/055818205/MINISTER-ALLOWS-PEATLAND-RESTORATION-USING-VILLAGE-FUNDS
MONDAY, 07 NOVEMBER, 2016 | 09:34 WIB
1) Minister Allows Peatland Restoration Using Village Funds

TEMPO.CO, Jambi - Suprayoga Hadi, the Director General of Special Region Development, the Underdeveloped Village Development and Transmigration Minister, said that village funds may be used for peatland restoration program. The village funds will be allocated mainly for infrastructure projects and people empowerment.
“Infrastructure [projects], such as canal blocking, storage reservoirs, irrigation pumps and drainage may [use village funds]. They will be pushed if villagers need them to restore peatland,” Suprayoga said in Jambi on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
However, he said, the proposals must be made through the Village Development Planning and Consultation (Musrenbang). “We will propose [the budget for] priority [projects].” After the consultation, the program may be included in the Village Administration Work Plan in the draft village budget.
The Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) is aiming to restore peatland in 2,945 villages in seven provinces. The BRG chief Nazir Foead said that restorations are needed to mitigate high frequency of forest and land fires, adding that Indonesia has the most variety of peatland in the world. “It will strengthen Indonesia’s bargaining power in global politics,” he said.
Seven provinces are named as the top priority in peatland restoration, namely Jambi, South Sumatra, Riau, Papua, West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan.
ARKHELAUS W.
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2) Fiji looks to grow defence links with Indonesia
Fiji is developing its defence links with Indonesia.
Fiji's Defence Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola has invited his Indonesian counterpart General Ryamizard Ryacudu to an official visit to Fiji.
This follows a meeting between the two in Jakarta on Saturday when their two governments reaffirmed development ties and discussed defence co-operation.
The Fiji Times reports that areas of strategic interest, including peacekeeping and counter terrorism, were discussed.
Ratu Inoke indicated that Fiji is keen to pursue technical assistance and capacity-building opportunities in these areas coupled with joint training exercises.
Earlier, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported that General Ryacudu signalled intelligence sharing initiatives with Fiji, and offered an Indonesian-made weaponry system as well.
The system includes arms and ships.
Ratu Inoke said the two sides were committed to improve defense cooperation, and planned to sign a memorandum of understanding related to defense cooperation in the first quarter of 2017.
The FBC reported that Ratu Inoke was in Jakarta last week for the 7th Indonesia Defence Expo.
There, he acknowledged Indonesia's assistance towards the establishment of the Regional Police Academy and other forms of assistance.
He also noted that Fiji and Indonesia have enjoyed over 40 years of bilateral relations that were further strengthened by the Fiji-Indonesia Police Cooperation MOU signed in 2011.
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1) West Papua to get regional military command soon

November 7, 2016, 11:59 pm
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2) Goodhope Asia Accused Of Land Grabbing In West Papua For Palm Oil

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1) West Papua to get regional military command soon
Selasa, 8 November 2016 14:29 WIB | 21 Views


Commander of Regional Military Command (Kodam) XIII/Cassowary in West Papua, Major General TNI Joppye Wayangkau Onesimus. He was born in Serui, Yapen Islands Regency, Papua, and alumni of the Military Academy in 1987, as the first Regional Commander XIII/ Cassowary formed in November 2016. (kodam17cenderawasih.mil.id)

Timika, Papua (ANTARA News) - Chief of the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command XVII, Major General Hinsa Siburian, has expressed support for the creation of a Kasuari Regional Military Command XVIII in West Papua province.

General Mulyono, Army Chief of Staff, is set to officiate the new regional military command in Manokwari, capital of West Papua province, later this month, coinciding with the inauguration of Major General Joppye Onesimus Wayangkau as its commander, he said here on Tuesday.

"Of course, that is a pride for the people of Papua. He (Joppye Onesimus Wayangkau) has made history by being the first chief of the Kasuari Regional Military Command XVIII. What is more, he is a native of Papua," he said.

The personnel of the new regional military command will include all army soldiers assigned in West Papua, some personnel of the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command XVII, and the rest from units of the army headquarters in Jakarta.

The new regional military command was built on the former site of companies C and D station of the district military command 1703 at Arfai village, South Manokwari sub-district, West Papua.

The regional military command will oversee Biak and Sorong military resort commands.

National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo said the creation of the new regional military command was aimed at serving defense interests.

"There are no political interests and purposes in the creation of the new regional military command in Papua. The TNI only wants the aspect of defense fulfilled in the region. Thus, the operation control can be conducted properly, should undesirable situations occur," he said.

(Reported by Evarianus Supar/Uu.S012/INE/KR-BSR/F001)



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2) Goodhope Asia Accused Of Land Grabbing In West Papua For Palm Oil

by Pratap Chatterjee, CorpWatch Blog November 7th, 2016
The Yerisiam Gua indigenous community of West Papua filed a complaint six months ago against a Sri Lankan owned conglomerate for taking over their land to create a palm oil plantation. To this day, the industry body charged with oversight has yet to formally respond to their concerns.

The charges were filed against PT Nabire Baru, a subsidiary of Goodhope Asia, which in turn is majority owned by a subsidiary of Carson Cumberbatch, a conglomerate based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2012, the company was reported to have cleared 32,000 hectares in Nabire province on the island of New Guinea on which they intended to plant four million palm trees. (One half of the island is the country of Papua New Guinea while the other half is the Indonesian province of West Papua, where Nabire is located)

This PT Nabire Baru plantation encroaches on the customary lands of the Yerisiam Gua peoples, who have written letters and protested peacefully against the project for the last four years. On April 12, 2016, Enos Abujani, a member of the Yerisiam Gua community, spotted PT Nabire Baru bulldozers felling sago trees in the Manawari grove, which the indigenous people consider sacred. After Abujani informed the rest of the community, a small group arrived to protest. 

"I felt my stomach churning as I watched them work," Gunawan Inggeruhi, a community human rights advocate, told awasMIFEE!, an activist group based in the UK. "I feel sorrow, as if I have been stripped naked," Mama Yakomina Manuburi added. "[The grove] is our livelihood. If I pound the sago inside the trunk, I can get 100,000 Rupiah, I can buy the things I need, such as salt, MSG, soap."

The bulldozers were accompanied by Brimob, the Indonesian police mobile brigade, whom the local community have often accused of violence against customary land owners. “We have never asked Brimob to come here. Actually their presence makes us feel nervous, not safe”, Karel Maniba told told awasMIFEE! "How could we have asked for them? How could bringing in Brimob to work as security guards be anything to do with us?" 

One week later, the community members filed an official complaint with the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an industry group that PT Nabire Baru belongs to. (The RSPO was created in 2004, mostly by industry, to certify palm oil companies on mutually agreed standards including on responsible land management.)

"To this day there is no clear agreement between the indigenous community and PT Nabire Baru, yet our forest continues to be transformed into bare earth as expansion continues. The company stubbornly and unilaterally cleared the sago grove, going against the community opposition," wrote Roberthino Hanebora, the secretary of the Yerisiam Gua Wider Ethnic Group. "The sago groves in question have existed naturally since ancient times, and are sacred sago groves which have provided food for the people of Sima village from generation to generation up to the present day."

Goodhope staff say they have since met with the Yerisiam Gua community to discuss their complaints. "Not even point one percent we will abandon them if it is not personal but the interest of the whole community," Sanjaya Upasena of Goodhope Asia told community members, according to a company transcript. "100 percent support the community ... as long as they are not self-centered."

Palm oil plantations have been a source of controversy for over 20 years, ever since agribusiness companies started to set them up in Indonesia and Malaysia. Many such plantations have set up on land carved directly out of primary rainforests in order to meet demand for the oil, which is a key ingredient in a number of household products from cosmetics like shampoo and lipstick to foods like icecream and snacks. 

"For an industry like palm oil, already known as controversial and high-risk in areas of environmental degradation and human rights violations, the need for RSPO to have a credible and transparent redress mechanism is simply magnified, if this organization wants to show that it is serious," Andrew Ng, a founder of the consultancy Grassroots, told the MongaBay website. "[But] in a secretariat of 60+ people they have one person handling complaints as the coordinator."

The RSPO has often investigated member companies but it has only taken serious action once. Earlier this year the industry body suspended IoI, a Malaysian company following activist complaints. But five months later, the suspension was lifted. 
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1) Open space scientific discussion to study the legal and political status of West Papua

November 8, 2016, 11:35 am
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2) Bright Indonesia program set Papua, W. Papua as priorities
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A google translate . Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at


1) Open space scientific discussion to study the legal and political status of West Papua





Illustration demonstration demanding the rectification of history Papua - Doc. Jubi



Jubi | News Portal Papua No. 1,
Senin, 07 November 2016 — 16:52

Jayapura, Jubi - Spaces scientific discussion should be opened to discuss the history of the political status of West Papua or West Papua and Indonesia's claim to sovereignty over the territory. At least that is the main message of the Panel Discussion Surgical Journal West Papua and Self-Determination in International Law, held in the Hall of the University of Science and Technology Jayapura (USTJ), Saturday (11/05/2016).

A 40-page journal published by the English-Indonesian West Papua National Committee (KNPB) to the public in Papua. The journal is written by Melinda Janki, an international lawyer based in London and Guyana, as well as one of the key figure behind the establishment of the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) in London, England.

The journal is discussed in front of at least 300 people who packed the Hall USTJ, Saturday afternoon.

"I am grateful to my friends KNPB for bringing the problem studied scientifically. My, deputy rector responsible for menginjinkan colleagues did a tremendous discussion related to West Papua and Self-Determination in International Law, "said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs USTJ, Mr. Isak Rumbarar when opening the event.

Discussion led by representatives of Komnas HAM Papua, Frits Ramandey the three speakers from the five who planned to attend. Harry Ronsumbre representing the West Papua National Parliament (PNWP), Jason Ngelia representing youth and students, and Victor F Yeimo, chairman of the West Papua National Committee (PNWP). While Dr. Basir Rohrohmana, Lecturer in Law, University of Cenderawasih (Uncen) and Ps. Socrates Sofyan Yoman unable to attend.

A substantive right of self-determination and the violation of the Act of 1969

For Frits Ramandey very important discussion that afternoon to answer many questions related to the completion of West Papua. And the journal, according to him, has given two important things, namely how the mechanism and process of West Papuan self-determination previously made, and where lies the Act of disability law (Act) 1969.

"This forum to answer questions a lot of people, how to resolve an identity in the international mechanism," he opened the discussion forum.

This is justified Victor Yeimo who took an active role in the publication of the journal. "Indonesia's claim over the sovereignty over West Papua and West Papua to claim the right of their own fate is governed by international law and not domestic law," he said.

Melinda Janki, in the journal propagated resume the committee, offers two important foundations of international law regarding the rights to West Papua to self-determination. The first cornerstone is a substantive right and the second is a procedural violation, the violation of the Act of 1969.

Substantive right in question is, West Papua (formerly Netherland Guinea) as a non self-governing territories (colonies) so that the right to determine their own destiny. "Therefore, the United Nations Declaration of 1514 in December 1960 on the guarantee of independence for the countries and people of the colony became the cornerstone implementation of self-determination," said Janki in the resume.

Harry Ronsumbre in his presentation said, "Indonesia is recognizing the right of self-determination of West Papua. It was also clearly stated in the Document Information Service UNTEA (United Nations Temporary Executive Authority). Establishment of New Guinea Raad also proves that West Papua was under government custody since 1949, "he said.

Indonesia itself acknowledges the substantive right, when it signed an agreement New York August 15, 1962. Transfer of administration from the Netherlands to Indonesia under the agreement, it aims to make preparations for self-determination (hereinafter referred to as the Act) in 1969.

The problem then is in implementation of the Act of 1969 that are not under international law, or procedurally defective.

"There is no implementation of the Act as UNTEA command. We have a record and living witnesses related to these violations. For example, participants were quarantined Act, Act but instead of doing one of the rules of deliberation about pensuksesan Repelita (Five-Year Development Plan) Soeharto. They talk of development, there are agreed only because the government trustee status, or take care of any administration, "said Harry.

Janki itself in the journal cited examples violations of the Act to explain why the 1961 Act is not legally valid.

"In addition to violating the principle of one man one vote (one man one vote) that followed only 0.2% of the population of Papua, the situation of the implementation of the Act was also overshadowed by the Indonesian military occupation of at least 15,000 since 1963, there is no free choice and no freedom of speech," explained Janki ,

On this basis, according to Victor Yeimo, KNPB founded and fought for decades, namely to demand the implementation of a peaceful referendum, democratic and final for the future of West Papua.

"We've become a self-governing territory should not get the right of self-determination, Indonesia's claim to West Papua has been refuted by itself by Indonesia's own admission that the West Papua has the right to self-determination in the period 1962-1969," said Victor.

Invalidity of the Act, said Victor, reinforced by the results of the Act which in fact has never been declared the United Nations in recognition of Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, but only has the ongoing recording process (Resolution 2504). That's what makes the suit Papua's political status continues today.

"We are still not self-governing territory under international law. We are not separatists. And we are entitled to struggle by peaceful, dignified honest and open, because the truth is we clear legal basis, "he said.

Victor then asked the University and the academic world, including historians to study law and politics openly and scientifically, as practiced by Papua Studies at Warwick University England.


Jason Ngelia, representing the younger generation of Papuans in the forum about the importance of young people and students studying history and political culture of West Papua. "Pertebal knowledge, history and our political culture. Be part of the historical process, to expand its strength in the independence movement, "he said.

He attaches great importance to scientific discussion spaces such as is done in many places by people who are more diverse. "We also need to invite friends who are pro-Indonesia, they do not necessarily know this history, we must listen to them as well," said Jason.

Slightly different from the two other speakers, particularly Jason expressed his doubts on the commitment of the United Nations as an institution which he does not move against the big colonial countries like the US. "Palestine has received the support of more than one hundred countries, but the United Nations can not act when a large country (in the UNSC) said no," he said.

He advocated advocacy should be more emphasis on strengthening the capacity in the country through the knowledge and creative struggle. "Do not promise freedom, because it depends on the process of struggle and our own strengths," he said.

At the end of the discussion, Frits Ramandey stressed the importance of spreading knowledge of international legal instruments related to the political status of Papua. It was necessary to gather scientific argument, either pro or con, that people are increasingly intelligent.

When asked regarding the level of international advocacy of self-determination rights of West Papua, Victor Yeimo said that the process of development of Pacific Coalition for West Papua (PCWP), with the whole process in the Pacific is a step forward to add voice support to suppress the state of the UN.

"This year has been seven countries in the Pacific, next year should be more countries. Furthermore, we must turn back the status of decolonization Decolonization Committee not to register but turn back. We must also teach Indonesia that self-determination (referendum) is the only reasonable mechanism, other countries do it. Rather it is an indicator of democracy, "he said.

USTJ provide examples

By Komnas HAM Papua USTJ willing memafasilitasi praised for scientific discussions related topic that is often regarded as a country of this menace. "This event is a manifestation of our opposition to the Edict of police chief," said Frits Ramandey.

Isak Rumbarar in his opening message seems not to worry. He claimed to have received a variety of inputs including a lawsuit permitting discussion of the book.

"When (the request to hold the event) came to us in USTJ, many say why permitted and all sorts. I would say, keep going where otherwise permitted again? What should be under the-under the tree? or on the streets? So I convey to the entire community, myself, the vice rector responsible for menginjinkan colleagues conduct scientific discussions tremendous discussion related to West Papua and Self-Determination in International Law is assessed discussed academically in college, "he greeted rousing applause of the participants.

Nelius Wenda, Preiden BEM USTJ being part of the committee, grateful successful event took place on the campus of his beloved. "We are grateful to KNPB who entrust USTJ as a place to do a book review. We BEM USTJ facilitate this place because this book review embodiment Tri Darma Higher Education, which is service to the community, "said Nelius to Jubi Sunday (11/06/2016).

As a student, added, problems that occur in the community should be studied scientifically, and campus autonomy should be respected and appreciated by anyone any institution. "We hope the campus while maintaining its integrity by not turning off students' critical attitude by pressure or any outsider cooperation," said Nelius.

The majority of young faces filled the hall, a former political prisoner, jajarang KNPB, some former members of the Papua Presidium Panel, including the press.

Participants none moved from a discussion that lasted about 3 hours with sufficient material weight to the size of the public discussion. It sort of gives the message level of enthusiasm Papuans to self-determination aspirations of West Papua.

A fragment of violence against pro-independence Papuan family who played about 10 young people, seemed to make the audience moved. A man in the middle of the participants, it appears many times wiping away tears with his shirt collar.

Of the forum, the country should begin to realize, could not continuously ignore the demands of many Papuans on the history of the integration of this region into Indonesia.

Increasingly Indonesia ignore, even more evident political claims Indonesia over Papua only tangible military force that can not be adapted to the climate of democracy. (*)


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2) Bright Indonesia program set Papua, W. Papua as priorities
Jakarta | Tue, November 8, 2016 | 08:12 pm
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry and state-owned electricity company PLN are working to jointly map electricity needs in Papua and West Papua provinces in an effort to realize the ministry’s Indonesia Terang (Bright Indonesia) project by 2019.
 The ministry’s new and renewable energy director general, Rida Mulyana, said on Tuesday the mapping would help both entities set priorities in the procurement of electricity in the easternmost provinces 
“We have done a lot of studies and held discussions with PLN in both provinces. After the mapping, we will immediately procure electricity there,” he said.
With the program, Indonesia expects to increase its electrification rate to 97 percent over the next three years from 85 percent in 2015.
Currently, Papua’s electrification ratio is only 45.93 percent while West Papua’s is 82.7 percent.
While working for Papua and West Papua, Rida said the ministry and PLN were also studying other provinces as previously planned in the Bright Indonesia program. The program previously stalled for months due to budget cuts in the revised 2016 state budget, as well as a Cabinet reshuffle, which saw a change in the position of energy and mineral resources minister from Sudirman Said to Ignasius Djonan.
However, Rida ensured that the ministry would continue the program, which is expected to electrify 12,659 remote villages, mostly in eastern Indonesia, through new and renewable energy sources. Aside from Papua and West Papua, electricity will be procured for Maluku, West Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara, as stipulated in the latest plan. (adt/hwa)
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1) President calls for integrated development planning in Papua

November 8, 2016, 10:13 pm
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2) Committee set up to oversee one-price fuel policy

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/107692/president-calls-for-integrated-development-planning-in-papua

1) President calls for integrated development planning in Papua

Rabu, 9 November 2016 10:57 WIB | 274 Views


Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Development planning and its implementation in Papua should be done in an integrated way, President Joko Widodo told his aides in a cabinet meeting Tuesday.

"I asked each ministry or institution, local governments, not to work separately. They must be focused and integrated in order to improve peoples welfare," the president, widely known as Jokowi, said.

The president reiterated that development in Papua is not merely touching the issue of budget adequacy.

The governments budget in 2016 fiscal year has allocated a total Rp85.7 trillion of fund for Papua and West Papua.

"This is a huge amount of funds, but the allotted budget is unequal to the improvement of peoples welfare we want to reach," he added.

The problem was not merely on the amount of funds but on the planning process that has yet to involve integrated sectors and regions, making the development expenditure ineffective, he pointed out.

"I have information that 46 percent of ministries or institutions tend to choose regions where (the development planning) can be implemented more easily," he said.

Many districts in Papua are located in remote areas, but it should not be used to justify such moves, he admitted.

"Therefore it should be fixed and improved," the president added.

He called on all parties to focus on improving access to health and education, in a bid to upgrade the Papuans quality of life.

The Human Development Index in Papua has increased by 0.5 point although it still stood below 60.

"I want to see acceleration of basic infrastructure development as well as inter-region, districts and cities connectivity. This acceleration is important to create an equal development and justice for the people," Jokowi said.

On the other hand, the one fuel price policy has indicated a collective effort to materialize justice for all Indonesians, he added.

He expressed hope that the policy could encourage economic growth, reduce cost for transportation and logistics, and lower commodities price.

Development in Papua should consider human rights values and good governance, while maintaining local traditions, and local communities should be involved in the development process.

"Use the cultural approach that pays respect to local wisdom, and put Papuans as the subject who plays an important role in the development of Papua," Jokowi said.(*)

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2) Committee set up to oversee one-price fuel policy
Jayapura | Tue, November 8, 2016 | 02:21 pm
The Papua Regional Legislative Council (DPR Papua) announced on Tuesday that it had established a working committee to supervise the implementation of the central government's newly launched one-price fuel policy, which aimed to set fuel prices in the country’s easternmost province on par with those in Java.
DPR Papua member Carolus Bolly of the Democratic Party said the committee, for example, would study the impacts of the policy on the prices of staple goods in the province.  
“If product prices are still high after the implementation of the policy, we should find out the factors that cause it,” Carolus said on Tuesday.
Carolus also predicted that the policy, launched last month by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, would immediately reduce local transportation costs but would take longer to push down prices of other goods and services.
Under the new policy, people in Papua and West Papua can now buy Premium gasoline for Rp 6,450 (50 US cents) per liter, diesel for Rp 5,150 per liter and kerosene for Rp 2,500 per liter.
Fuel in the underdeveloped regions use to be sold for Rp 50,000 to 100,000 per liter before the government stepped in with the new policy.
The government, however, said it would not provide additional subsidies to state oil and gas company Pertamina to cover fuel transportation and distribution costs to the two provinces. (hwa)
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1) Jokowi Wants Papuans to be Involved in Developme

November 9, 2016, 11:31 am
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2) Agents costly for one-price fuel policy
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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2016/11/09/307818991/JOKOWI-WANTS-PAPUANS-TO-BE-INVOLVED-IN-DEVELOPMENT
WEDNESDAY, 09 NOVEMBER, 2016 | 16:58 WIB
1) Jokowi Wants Papuans to be Involved in Development

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo hopes that the people of Papua and West Papua would be involved in developments and not just act as spectators. “I'm telling you, in executing the development in Papua, it is important take notice of human rights’ values,” Jokowi said on Tuesday, November 8, 2016.
According to Jokowi, the Papuans are the most essential subject in the development itself, so a cultural approach is also important. “Government management must also be great and free of corruption,” he said.
Infrastructure developments is one of the agenda that is being pushed by the government. Jokowi said the acceleration and connectivity of infrastructures between regions is important for an equal development. Establishing fuel prices in Papua to be the same as in the island of Java is Jokowi’s first move. The president said that the single price policy can help drop logistical expenses.
In a meeting on the evaluation of Papua’s development, he said that the funds allocated for Papua was not comparable to the government's goal to achieve the welfare increase in the region. The problem is not just the amount of fund, Jokowi said, but the planning process that implicates various sectors is not fully integrated yet.
Leader of the National Development Planning (Bappenas) Bambang Brodjonegoro said Papua’s development have been focusing to only four big regions, which are Jayapura, Merauke, Nabire, and Biak. According to him, the government should focus on remote regions as well. 
ADITYA BUDIMAN

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2) Agents costly for one-price fuel policy
Jakarta | Wed, November 9 2016 | 08:51 am
Nanang Kristanto was pessimistic. The Jayapura-based civil servant said the government’s newly launched one-price fuel policy would hardly affect fuel prices in remote regions across Papua and West Papua, as illegal gasoline sellers were dominating those areas.

“Official gas stations in Jayapura, whether in Waena or Sentani, only operate until 7 p.m. After that, we can only rely on street sellers, who often double Premium gasoline prices from Rp 10,000 [76 US cents] to Rp 15,000,” said Nanang.

He also said the situations were worse in remote areas near the border of Papua and Papua New Guinea (PNG), such as in Keerom regency, in which fuel prices could be much more expensive depending on how far the area is from urban centers.

In Senggi district, for instance, premium gas sold by street sellers could reach Rp 50,000 to Rp 60,000. “I guess the new policy has yet to be an ideal solution for high fuel prices in Papua,” Nanang said.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has recently launched the one-price fuel policy, which aims to make the price of fuel the same in all regions across the country. The policy, which will force state-run oil and gas firm Pertamina to allocate Rp 800 billion in subsidies every year, was officially launched in Papua and West Papua on Oct. 18 and is expected to run effectively nationwide next year.

Under the new policy, people in Papua and West Papua can now buy premium gas for Rp 6,450 per liter, diesel for Rp 5,150 per liter and kerosene for Rp 2,500 per liter.

The government claimed that fuel in the underdeveloped regions used to be sold for Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 per liter, considering various issues, including high distribution costs to those regions.

Pertamina marketing and trading director Ahmad Bambang said his company would try to increase the number of fuel agents (APMS) in remote areas, including in Papua, to prevent problems caused by illegal gasoline sellers in the future.

“We need to bear the costs to establish more APMS by treating them the same as an official gas station. The problem is, we need the government’s support to increase the profit margin of such stations so that investors could be attracted to invest in APMS,” Ahmad said.

At present, the profit margin of the sales of premium gasoline in gas stations stands only at Rp 270 per liter. As each APMS will only stock a small amount of fuel as compared to an official gas station, investors have often shown reluctance to place their money in APMS sales.

As of May, Pertamina had 481 gas stations and 387 APMS across the country, including 19 APMS in Papua and 13 in West Papua.

In line with the one-price fuel policy, Pertamina plans to allocate Rp 54 billion next year to build more gas stations and agents in remote areas, including in Wamena, Papua, as reported by Tribun News.

Pertamina will also prioritize the implementation of one-price fuel policy in areas near the border of Kalimantan and Malaysia and remote islands in eastern Indonesia, including in Riau and North Maluku.

In the areas close to the Malaysian border, such as Sambas, West Kalimantan, Pertamina plans to collaborate with Malaysia-based oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) to fulfill fuel demand.

“We will do a swap policy with them [Petronas] so they can supply fuel to areas near the border. It’s much cheaper as compared to costs we would need to take to distribute fuel to those areas by planes,” Ahmad explained.

Within the first nine months of this year, 54.5 percent of Pertamina’s gasoline sales came from premium gas, which has a Research Octane Number (RON) of 88, while 28.2 percent came from 90 RON Pertalite and 16.5 percent from the 92 RON Pertamax. The rest came from 95 RON Pertamax Plus and 98 RON Pertamax Turbo.

During this period, the company saw a 17 percent annual decrease in revenues to US$26.62 billion. However, it managed to collect $1.6 billion through efficiencies by renegotiating existing contracts and cutting operational costs. Hence, its net profit soared 210 percent to $2.83 billion.
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1) Indonesia, PNG Officials Discuss Security Issues

November 10, 2016, 12:35 am
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2) Opposition Urge PM to Reassess Approach on West Papua

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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2016/11/10/055819154/INDONESIA-PNG-OFFICIALS-DISCUSS-SECURITY-ISSUES
THURSDAY, 10 NOVEMBER, 2016 | 09:26 WIB
1) Indonesia, PNG Officials Discuss Security Issues



TEMPO.CO, Port Moresby - A number of issues with regard to security were discussed by officials from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) at the Joint Sub-Committee on Security Matters (JSCM) meeting on Wednesday.
Some of the issues were old and had not yet been settled so far, while some are new and were presented by the Indonesian delegation, the leader of the Indonesian delegation to the meeting, Commodore Atok Susanto, said to ANTARA.
The old issues raised by the Indonesian delegation included joint verification that was carried out in Torasi, the case of the Papua fishermen who went missing from Merauke in 2014, the case of the lowering of the Indonesian flag in Nyakyu, and handling of an abduction case.
Among the new issues disclosed by the Indonesian delegation are the release of 14 abductors by PNG despite the fact that their weapons have been confiscated and destroyed.
The abductors should have been handed over to Indonesia to undergo the judicial process, said Susanto, who is an expert on international relations at the military headquarters.
The meeting which was attended by a number of military officials from the two countries also discussed the planned signing of a cooperation agreement and joint sports events.
The Indonesian delegation has also proposed an exchange of visits by military officials at the regional military command levels of the two countries to improve relations between security officials assigned at the Indonesia-PNG border, and joint sports activities, he said.
ANTARA

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http://www.solomontimes.com/news/opposition-urge-pm-to-reassess-approach-on-west-papua/8638

Thursday, 10 November 2016 10:02 AM

2) Opposition Urge PM to Reassess Approach on West Papua

The Parliamentary Opposition Group has urged the Prime Minister and his Government to reassess its approach on the issue of West Papua with Indonesia.


In a statement today, the Opposition Group says the stern warning by the Indonesian Foreign Minister conveyed to his Australian counterpart must not be taken lightly by the Government.
“We all have concerns for human right issues in West Papua. But there are other means of dealing with this issue rather than the confrontational approach taken by the current Prime Minister. This is not only interfering with Indonesia’s sovereignty but also with that country’s domestic affairs,” it said.
The Opposition Group recommended that the Prime Minister embrace the relationship established by the previous government and work through the Solomon Islands Ambassador in Jakarta.
“The continuous disrespect to Indonesia as demonstrated by the Prime Minister will not help the course of West Papua at the international level, not to mention the damage this will cause to Solomon Islands relationship with Indonesia,” it said.
The Opposition Group says the Prime Minister has been ill-advised on this important issue, which will not only worsen the cause for West Papua but also hurt Solomon Islands.
“Indonesia is an important partner for our country in trade, energy, fisheries, development, training and cultural exchange. It is an influential member of some of the multilateral agencies and in the Asian region, which Solomon Islands very much rely on,” it said.
Therefore, the Opposition Group says the Prime Minister would be well advised to engage with Indonesia on the West Papua issue rather than the current confrontational approach he has taken.
Press Release: Office of the Leader of Oppositio
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1) Papuan hero Frans Kaisiepo to feature on Rp 10,000 banknote

November 10, 2016, 11:49 am
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1) Papuan hero Frans Kaisiepo to feature on Rp 10,000 banknote
Jayapura, Papua | Thu, November 10, 2016 | 06:02 pm
For the first time since 1965, when Papua became part of the Republic of Indonesia, the image of a Papuan national hero will feature on a banknote released by Bank of Indonesia (BI).
“A picture of a hero from Papua, Frans Kaisiepo, has been selected to be the main picture on the front side of the Rp 10,000 banknote. This is the first time that the image of a hero from Papua will be the main picture on a rupiah banknote,” Joko Supraktikt, the head of the central bank’s Papuan office, said Thursday in Jayapura.
Joko said banknotes featuring Kaisiepo’s image would be released along with six other banknotes and four coins.
Joko said to put Kaisiepo’s picture on the banknote, the bank needed to obtain approval from the hero’s heirs. “They gave us the nod,” he said.
BI’s Papua and West Papua representative offices proposed four figures to the headquarters: Marthen Indey, Silas Papare, Johannes Abraham Dimara and Kaisiepo.

Kaisiepo was born in 1921 and died in 1979. He was the first Papuan governor of Papua, which was called Irian Jaya at the time, from 1964 to 1973. “The 1965 Papua referendum was held under his administration,” Joko said.
Joko said with the selection of Kaisiepo BI wanted to convey its respect for Papua. He said Rp 10,000 banknotes were the most used in Indonesia. (evi)

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2) PNG vows to probe disappearance of 16 Indonesians

Jumat, 11 November 2016 01:10 WIB | 213 Views
Port Moresby (ANTARA News) - The government of Papua New Guinea has pledged to look into the disappearance of 16 Indonesian nationals who entered the neighboring country during 2014 and 2015, an official said.

Papua New Guinea will convey the results of its investigation to Indonesia through diplomatic channels, chief of the Indonesian delegation to a meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee on Security Matters (JSCSM), Commodore Atok Sutanto told ANTARA in Port Moresby.

The whereabouts of the 16 Indonesian citizens from Merauke district in Papua province are still unknown.

At the one-day meeting held on Wednesday, the Papua New Guinean delegation to the meeting also stated that Yakyu is part of the Indonesian territory and assured that incident like lowering Indonesias Red-and-White flag in the area will not recur.

"Papua New Guinea has pledged to prevent any recurrence of the incident in the future," said Susanto, who is also a high ranking officer for international relations at the National Defense Forces (TNI) Headquarters in Jakarta.

The 16 Indonesians entered Papua New Guinea via Torasi between 2014 and 2015. However, their whereabouts have been unknown since then. (*)
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Summary of events in West Papua October

November 13, 2016, 2:55 pm
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Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088




  Summary of events in West Papua   October –14 November 2016).



The Region






Jakarta is becoming increasingly concerned at the internationalization of the issue of West Papua particularly in the pacific region. During her visit to Indonesian Australia’s Foreign minister Julie Bishop was asked by the Indonesian defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu to pass a message to the Solomon Islands asking that it should refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Indonesia, including the issue of West Papua. The Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was one of the seven Pacific leaders who raised the issue of West Papua at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Because Australia contributes aid to the Solomon’s. Ryacudu seems to believe it has influence over the Solomon Islands Government.

AWPA Media Release  “Australia must not respond to Jakarta’s request” at
http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/media-release-australia-must-not.html 



RNZI also reported (1 Nov) that Ryamizard told media that he had implored Canberra to speak to Honiara on the matter because Australia contributes a big aid package in the Solomons.Detik News reports the Minister saying Australia has accepted the request.Ryamizard said friendly countries do not disturb each other by interfering in domestic issues.He warned that Indonesia will not stay silent when its sovereignty is compromised. He described Indonesia as a tiger that can attack if disturbed.The Minister urged Australia to pass on the message to Solomon Islands and other Pacific states that they should not invite West Papua to join the MSG.


During her visit Julie Bishop praised relations between Indonesia and Australia, saying she considers the relationship to be in good shape.


The support of the Pacific Island governments should never be taken for granted as Indonesia continues to lobby, offer aid and increase cooperation with Pacific Countries.


The Solomon Islands Parliamentary Opposition Group urged the Prime Minister and his Government to reassess its approach on the issue of West Papua with Indonesia. In a statement the Opposition Group says the stern warning by the Indonesian Foreign Minister conveyed to his Australian counterpart must not be taken lightly by the Government.“We all have concerns for human right issues in West Papua. But there are other means of dealing with this issue rather than the confrontational approach taken by the current Prime Minister. This is not only interfering with Indonesia’s sovereignty but also with that country’s domestic affairs,” it said.The Opposition Group recommended that the Prime Minister embrace the relationship established by the previous government and work through the Solomon Islands Ambassador in Jakarta.“The continuous disrespect to Indonesia as demonstrated by the Prime Minister will not help the course of West Papua at the international level, not to mention the damage this will cause to Solomon Islands relationship with Indonesia,” it said. (Solomon Times 10 November).



And PNG

At a Joint Sub-Committee on Security Matters (meeting on the 9th November) officials from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea discussed a number of issues with regard to security.  Issues discussed included he case of the Papua fishermen who went missing from Merauke in 2014 and the case of the lowering of the Indonesian flag in Nyakyu. The Indonesian delegation has also proposed an exchange of visits by military officials at the regional military command levels of the two countries to improve relations between security officials assigned at the Indonesia-PNG border, and joint sports activities.



FIJI

Fiji looks to grow defence links with Indonesia

Fiji is developing its defence links with Indonesia. Fiji's Defence Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola has invited his Indonesian counterpart General Ryamizard Ryacudu to an official visit to Fiji. This follows a meeting between the two in Jakarta on Saturday when their two governments reaffirmed development ties and discussed defence co-operation. The Fiji Times reports that areas of strategic interest, including peacekeeping and counter terrorism, were discussed. Ratu Inoke indicated that Fiji is keen to pursue technical assistance and capacity-building opportunities in these areas coupled with joint training exercises.

Earlier, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported that General Ryacudu signalled intelligence sharing initiatives with Fiji, and offered an Indonesian-made weaponry system as well. The system includes arms and ships. Ratu Inoke said the two sides were committed to improve defense cooperation, and planned to sign a memorandum of understanding related to defense cooperation in the first quarter of 2017. The FBC reported that Ratu Inoke was in Jakarta last week for the 7th Indonesia Defence Expo. There, he acknowledged Indonesia's assistance towards the establishment of the Regional Police Academy and other forms of assistance. He also noted that Fiji and Indonesia have enjoyed over 40 years of bilateral relations that were further strengthened by the Fiji-Indonesia Police Cooperation MOU signed in 2011. (RNZI 7 Nov).






Stand on West Papua, NC unchanged: PM Salwai

Vanuatu Daily Post    By Godwin Ligo October 13

Vanuatu Prime Minister has reiterated the government and the country’s stand for the independence of West Papua and New Caledonia, as unchanged. Prime Minister Salwai, made the statement Tuesday afternoon when he officiated at the opening of a Kanaky-West Papua Exhibition at the National Cultural Centre in Port Vila. He said despite Vanuatu being supportive of the New Caledonia Government, and that of French Polynesia for them to become members of the Pacific Islands Forum, this does not change the stand of Vanuatu and the people of Vanuatu which remains strong and unchanged for West Papua and New Caledonia and French Polynesia towards self-governing. The Vanuatu Prime Minister went further to stressed that the exhibition is a self-evidence of the desire for the Melanesian people of Kanaky, West Papua to run their life and freedom


He said emphasized that Vanuatu continues to support their struggle for freedom of the two Melanesian neighbours at regional and international level. Prime Minister Salwai pointed out that the recent call by Vanuatu in support for their freedom was at the United Nations Meeting in New York. He assured the people of West Papua who organized the exhibition that Vanuatu’s position in support of West Papua becoming member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) remain unchanged. Prime Minister Salwai, said the MSG Meeting that was supposed to have taken place in Port Vila week before last, will now take place in December of this year, to address the application of West Papua to become member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, MSG.




Pacific peoples lead push for Papuan decolonisation



              Deforestation is rife across New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades

In a RNZI report (18 October) An academic specialising in West Papua says Pacific Islands peoples are taking the lead on issues of decolonisation within the region. Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon is a research fellow at Western Sydney University's School of Humanities and Communication Arts.

She says the unprecedented level of discussion about West Papuan self determination and human rights at the recent UN General Assembly reflects a new momentum towards decolonisation in the Pacific.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201820417/pacific-peoples-lead-push-for-papuan-decolonisation

   



West Papua resources fray discussed alongside climate

RNZI 3 November 2016 

A conference getting underway in Sydney today looks to address two major areas of concern to people in the Pacific region in the same sitting.

‘At the Intersection: Pacific Climate Change and Resource Exploitation in West Papua' runs for two days, hosted by Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney's West Papua Project.

The keynote speaker is Vanuatu's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ralph Regenvanu. Others attending include climate change scientists and West Papuan analysts. The conference has been organised by Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon from Western Sydney University who said climate change and pernicious resource extraction in West Papua had a deep connection. She said there was a need to find common strands of the two problems, and how it might it be useful to address them together.

"The Indonesian colonisation of West Papua is what has led to this gross resource exploitation, and the flow-on effects of human rights violations and environmental destruction in West Papua. So the two are very related," she explained. "They've never been discussed in tandem, but that's the point of this conference, to do so." Dr Webb-Gannon said there were various critical issues that required attention. She noted how the impacts of climate change throughout the Pacific Islands region highlight the importance of preserving West Papua's rainforests from rampant logging and forest clearance."We want to question in this conference whether if we can halt or even stop some of the resource exploitation - whether that's mining at Freeeport, gas mining along the coast of West Papua or even looking at reducing the land clearing in Merauke - then maybe this can help slow down Pacific climate change which is also quite alarming."The conference will utilise Open Space Technology to elicit creative strategies and policy advice from expert participants.







Asia Human Rights Commission statement on Paniai case(28 October)

INDONESIA: Investigation into the Paniai case in Papua goes nowhere

Ever since the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) established the Ad Hoc investigation team for the Paniai case, under the decision 1 March 2016 letter of the Chair of the Komnas HAM (Number 009 / Komnas HAM / III / 2016), there is no progress in this case (see case details at AHRC-UAC-089-2015 and a related joint statement here). The case reflects the failure of Indonesian government in upholding human rights in order to protect civilians, as mandated by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a state party. The Covenant obligates the government to protect the right to life as fundamental and non-derogable rights of its citizens. In line, the government is also mandated under Paragraph 28A of the Indonesian Constitution (UUD 1945) on the protection of the right to life.  http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-164-2016



Indonesian military officer shot in shootout with separatists in Papua

Minggu, 23 Oktober 2016.

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News)- An Indonesian military officer was shot in an exchange of gunfire with separatists in Philia, Gurage, Puncak Jaya District, Papua Province, on Saturday. "Thats right, one military officer was shot in an exchange of gunfire with armed group members," Major General Hinsa Siburian, commander of the Cenderawasih XVII Military District, said here, Sunday. The shootout occurred in Philia, Gurage, when several military officers were on patrol. First Private Yani was shot at his right hand and left leg, Siburian said. The injured officer was rushed to Mulia Hospital.






West Papua to get regional military command soon

Selasa, 8 November 2016



Commander of Regional Military Command (Kodam) XIII/Cassowary in West Papua, Major General TNI Joppye Wayangkau Onesimus. He was born in Serui, Yapen Islands Regency, Papua, and alumni of the Military Academy in 1987, as the first Regional Commander XIII/ Cassowary formed in November 2016. (kodam17cenderawasih.mil.id)


Timika, Papua (ANTARA News) - Chief of the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command XVII, Major General Hinsa Siburian, has expressed support for the creation of a Kasuari Regional Military Command XVIII in West Papua province.

General Mulyono, Army Chief of Staff, is set to officiate the new regional military command in Manokwari, capital of West Papua province, later this month, coinciding with the inauguration of Major General Joppye Onesimus Wayangkau as its commander, he said here on Tuesday.

"Of course, that is a pride for the people of Papua. He (Joppye Onesimus Wayangkau) has made history by being the first chief of the Kasuari Regional Military Command XVIII. What is more, he is a native of Papua," he said.

The personnel of the new regional military command will include all army soldiers assigned in West Papua, some personnel of the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command XVII, and the rest from units of the army headquarters in Jakarta. The new regional military command was built on the former site of companies C and D station of the district military command 1703 at Arfai village, South Manokwari sub-district, West Papua.


The regional military command will oversee Biak and Sorong military resort commands. National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo said the creation of the new regional military command was aimed at serving defense interests. "There are no political interests and purposes in the creation of the new regional military command in Papua. The TNI only wants the aspect of defense fulfilled in the region. Thus, the operation control can be conducted properly, should undesirable situations occur,” he said. (Reported by Evarianus Supar/Uu.S012/INE/KR-BSR/F001)






Papuan rebel leader reiterates call for referendum

Marguerite Afra Sapiie

Jakarta Post | Wed, October 26, 2016 

Papuan pro-independence leader Filep Karma has called on the government to hold a referendum on independence for the country’s easternmost region.

Filep, a former political prisoner of 11 years, claimed the long-demanded referendum was a win-win solution for both the government and the Papuan people, who still suffered from mistreatment and abuses despite the region being granted special autonomy status. The referendum would provide a fair mechanism for Papuans to decide for themselves whether they wanted to remain as part of the unitary state of Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) or wanted independence, Filep said.

“We used to fight for separation, but now a referendum is better to find out the true aspirations of Papuans. If they want to still be a part of Indonesia, why should [Papuan rebels] continue to struggle for independence?” Filep told the journalists on Tuesday. Should the referendum result in Papuans wanting to remain Indonesian citizens, the rebels would stop demanding for separation, Filep said, however, the government should also promise Papuans a peaceful transfer of independence if the referendum showed otherwise. Filep went on that in 2008, when he was still imprisoned, he had sent a letter to then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, demanding a referendum. Papuans also had long-awaited dialogue with the government over the referendum plan, even though President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had given the green light, Filep said. (bbn)



UN requests Indonesia response to allegations of violent discrimination

Fiji Times RUBY TAYLOR Saturday, October 15, 2016

Update: 1:14PM THE request made by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to Indonesia to formally respond to allegations of racial violence and discrimination against Papuans by November is a sign that the attitude of the UN to West Papua's case is beginning to change, a PACIFIC Islands Association of NGO's (PIANGO) press release has stated.

In the statement, Pacific Islands Association of NGOs executive director, Emele Duituturaga expressed these sentiments following UN CERD chair, Anastasia Crickley's notification to Indonesia's UN Permanent Representative, Triyono Wibowo that the committee's recent session had considered allegations of killings and violence of indigenous Papuans in West Papua.

"I write to inform you that in the course of its 90th session, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has considered, under its early warning and urgent action procedure, allegations of excessive use of force, arrests, killings and torture of persons belonging to the Papuan indigenous people in West Papua, Indonesia, and allegations of discrimination against this people, that have been brought to its attention by a non-governmental organization," Ms Crickley stated in the October 3rd dated correspondence. Duituturaga said the committee's specific requests for information indicated how seriously it was treating the allegations made by civil societies to the UN about the treatment of indigenous West Papuans by the Indonesian government.

"The  ball is in their court now and Pacific civil societies are eagerly awaiting November 14 alongside UN CERD to read their response," Duituturaga was quoted as saying.




Peter Tatchell dedicates Gandhi Peace Award to West Papua

OCTOBER 31, 2016




Koteka Wenda and Peter Tatchell with other members of the Wenda family and the Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award

Today at the House of Lords in the British Parliament, the renowned Human Rights activist Peter Tatchell was awarded the Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award which he dedicated to the people of West Papua and their struggle for freedom. The dedicated award was accepted by Koteka Wenda, the daughter of West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda.

As a lifetime campaigner for human rights and a consistent supporter of West Papua’s freedom, Peter Tatchell has a close connection to the West Papuan struggle and the Campaign is truly honoured that he chose to dedicate the award to West Papua. Upon receiving the award, he spoke of his life’s work and why he was dedicating the award to West Papua.


https://www.freewestpapua.org/2016/10/31/peter-tatchell-dedicates-gandhi-peace-award-to-west-papua/



Freeport workers return to work

Senin, 10 Oktober 2016

Timika, Papua (ANTARA News) - Thousands of mine workers of the Grasberg mine of PT Freeport Indonesia Tembagapura, Mimika District, Papua, began to return to work after more than a week in strike starting 28 September 2016.

A legal advisor to the local union leader, Tri Puspita, said the workers began to work on Saturday after an agreement was reached with the management of PT Freeport Indonesia.


"Starting Saturday they began to work again," Tri Puspita said here on Sunday.

She said the union leaders accepted offer from the company management of additional bonus of 15-17 percent effective as from Oct 5, 2016. 

As for the workers demand for evaluation of the performance of a number of staff of the Grasberg Operation, will be made in the next three months, she added.  PT Freeport Indoensia, a subsidiary of the US McMoRan Cooper and Gold has large gold and cooper mines in Papua.(*)





Calls Mount for Jokowi to Implement ‘Papua Roadmap’

Jakarta Globe


President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo during a visit to Wamena, Papua, in December 2015. Calls are mounting for him to start implementing a proposed roadmap for reconciliation in the restive province. (Antara Photo/Prasetyo Utomo)

By : Alin Almanar | on 10:36 PM October 13, 2016

Jakarta. Calls are mounting for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to start implementing a proposed roadmap for reconciliation in Papua, with human rights activists claiming that he has failed to calm tensions in the restive province in the two years since he took office. The Jokowi administration has been focusing on infrastructure development projects to boost the economy in Papua, where a decades-old insurgency has led to several cases of alleged human rights abuses. Activists say the president's developmental approach could barely address the root causes of the tensions, with the insurgency apparently having shown no signs of abating. They have repeatedly urged the government to start dialog in an attempt to resolve the situation, beside forging ahead with social and economic development.The move includes implementation of the "Papua Roadmap" published by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in early 2009, with a series of inclusive dialogs in the province.These dialogs should involve native Papuans, Indonesians from other regions, government officials and insurgents."The process can hopefully end with reconciliation," Papua Peaceful Network coordinator Neles Tebay told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday (13/10). "We hope the dialogs can dig deeper into the root causes of the conflict in the province."


LIPI based the roadmap on research conducted over four years, starting in 2004, during which researchers identified several main causes of conflict in the province. These include failed development in education, health and the economy, discrimination and marginalization of native Papuans, state violence resulting in human rights abuses, as well as various different interpretations of the integration of the province into Indonesia in 1969. "We should keep pushing for dialog if the aim is to achieve peace," Setara Institute deputy head Bonar Tigor Naipospos said. "It doesn't matter if the process fails. Failure doesn't mean that we should stop trying." The Free Papua Organization (OPM) has frequently called for international support from the Melanesian community in the Pacific. Rallies in support of the province's independence in parts of Indonesia have seen dozens of Papuans repressed by authorities in recent months. "The chain of violence can only be broken through dialog," human rights advocate Benny Soesetyo said. "We still believe the president is a humanitarian who has the willingness to listen to the people through dialog."





A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.

original bahasa link at

Manokwari worst incidents of post 1999, the National Human Rights Commission expressly requested LP3BH



             The people of Manokwari carrying the bodies of Onesimus Rumayom - Doc. LP3BH

Jubi | News Portal Papua No. 1,

Jayapura, Jubi - The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) condemned the incident of stabbing, shooting and persecution in Manokwari, West Papua, which occurred on October 26, 2016.

The tragedy that claimed seven Papuans. Two of them died and the remaining injuries were critical and twists.

"Son of Papua named Vigal Pauspaus origin Fak-Fak stabbed, then officials issued a fire that resulted in the death of a community named Onesimus Rumayom (40) and several other civilians were seriously wounded and was being treated in hospital Lift Sea Fasharkan Manokwari," said Natalius Pigai, Komsioner Commission, through information received Jubi, Thursday (27/10/2016).Komnas HAM request immediate legal proceedings against the perpetrators, "must be transparent and objective," said Pigai.Inside the release Pigai again stressed that one of the main factors of human rights violations continue to occur in Papua because until now the President Jokowi never mentioned a word about human rights conditions in Papua.According to him, Jokowi respond to all cases of human rights violations ranging from past human rights violations, agrarian conflicts, to freedom of expression, but not human rights issues in Papua.

"It is unfortunate that not a single word about the human rights situation in Papua is delivered. It shows the president deliberately allowed human rights violations in Papua and can be categorized as an omission (by ommision), "he said.In the records of Komnas HAM, Pigai remind some state violence that also killed many civilians such as the shooting and killing of the activists.

In Yahukimo allegedly committed by Brimob shootings on March 20, 2015; shooting incident also occurred in the District Dogiyai on June 25, 2015; while in Tolikara on July 17, one person was killed and 11 people injured 015. Then Timika shooting case in the District on August 28, 2015 killed two people and wounded six; and previously as many as 18 people died in Jayanti, Timika.

"We also witnessed in April and May two Papuans were arrested; likewise not in July and August 2016 more than 2,000 people were arrested and detained, "said Natalius.Separately, the Executive Director of the Manokwari LP3BH, Yan Christian Warinussy asserted, reports of violence in recent Manokwari will be delivered through a network of international human rights advocacy.

"We continue to network in Geneva, Switzerland, London, United Kingdom, complete with chronology data and photo of the person alleged to have suffered gunshot wounds from weapons belonging to the security forces Polda Papua Barat, Police Manokwari and the Police Mobile Brigade West Papua" he said in a release received Jubi Thursday (27/10)."We also urge the Commission to request information directly from Manokwari police chief, Adjunct Senior Men's Christian Roni visible along West Papua Police Mobile Brigade, Pol. Desman Tarin and West Papua provincial police chief, Brig. Drs. Royke Lumowa allegedly responsible for these violent events, "said Warinussy.LP3BH noted, Manokwari event has become the worst record of human rights violations in Manokwari since 1999. "After the events of Manokwari bloody September 1999 that killed John Wamafma and have not been resolved by law until now," said Yan Christian Warinussy. (*)

http://tabloidjubi.com/artikel-1251-insiden-manokwari-terburuk-pasca-1999-lp3bh-minta-komnas-ham-tegas.html


Benny Wenda’s office release at 



Upcoming event. West Papuan National Flag Day. 

The 1st of December is West Papuan National Day or National flag day . The West Papuan people continue to raise their flag as an act of celebration but also of protest against the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule. They can face up to 15 years jail for doing so.


On Sunday the 4th of December 2016, we will be marching again for #WestPapua to commemorate the Dec 1 True Independence Day of the oppressed nation.

Join us at the Opera House Sydney and walk with us to Town Hall to stand with a defiant and brave people who have been fighting for freedom and independence for more than 50 years.

We will be walking in protest of all of the things that the people are fighting for but most importantly to continue to:

-Press for human rights monitoring -Press for open access to foreign journos

-To protest against our government funding and training the Indonesian military and police to commit genocide in West Papua.

-To raise and address this issue in Sydney and beyond 

Every year we raise the flag of West Papua (Morning Star) on Dec 1 to remind the world that We are standing in solidarity with the West Papuan people.

This is a cultural event and everyone is invited to attend in cultural attire.

https://allevents.in/sydney/flag-raising-for-west-papua-sydney-march/359411431060896  



Individuals can also contribute to raising awareness about West Papua on the 1st December by wearing a West Papuan t-shirt or badge or writing articles/opinion pieces for your church/trade union newsletter. All these simple actions will help raise the issue of West Papuan in the minds of the Australian public.



Opinion pieces/press releases/articles/etc.



Jokowi`s emotional relationships with Papua

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/107273/jokowis-emotional-relationships-with-papua

The $100bn gold mine and the West Papuans who say they are counting the cost

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/nov/02/100-bn-dollar-gold-mine-west-papuans-say-they-are-counting-the-cost-indonesia




ULMWP and the insurgent Papua by Dr Budi Hernawan

http://liveencounters.net/2016-2/12-december-2016/1-dr-budi-hernawan-ulmwp-and-the-insurgent-papua/



Complaint against a palm oil company in Papua held in limbo by RSPO

https://news.mongabay.com/2016/11/complaint-against-a-palm-oil-company-in-papua-held-in-limbo-by-rspo/




West Papua: Widow’s Infrastructure Projects Won’t Fix Human Rights Issues, Activists Say

http://unpo.org/article/19565




France and the Forum

http://insidestory.org.au/france-and-the-forum




Countdown on for Indonesia’s response

http://dailypost.vu/news/countdown-on-for-indonesia-s-response/article_17df02c5-f320-5f6a-a97e-5ce73ca7cba0.html



Continuing Restrictions on Free Expression in West Papua

http://unpo.org/article/19579




GUEST BLOG: Maire Leadbeater – Pacific Nations diplomacy for West Papua puts New Zealand to shame.

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/10/19/guest-blog-maire-leadbeater-pacific-nations-diplomacy-for-west-papua-puts-new-zealand-to-shame/




Goodhope Asia Accused Of Land Grabbing In West Papua For Palm Oil

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=16099




Jakarta diplomacy odd and backwards, ULMWP

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/317225/jakarta-diplomacy-odd-and-backwards,-ulmwp



Complaint against a palm oil company in Papua held in limbo by RSPO

https://news.mongabay.com/2016/11/complaint-against-a-palm-oil-company-in-papua-held-in-limbo-by-rspo/



Photos Commemorating Peace Heroes at historic local anti-conscription site

http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/photos-commemorating-peace-heroes-at.html



Last AWPA update

http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/summary-of-events-in-west-papua-from-13.html


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Old problems hinder Papua taskforce

November 13, 2016, 11:56 pm
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Old problems hinder Papua taskforce
Jayapura | Mon, November 14 2016 | 07:47 am

The taskforce on human rights in Papua has made slow progress in resolving alleged abuses in Papua and West Papua provinces, largely as a result of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), which has persistently disagreed with the approach of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

The taskforce was initially set up by then coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister Luhut Pandjaitan on Oct. 25, 2015, with a one-year mandate.

It was hoped the taskforce could help ease the problems that had bedevilled many human rights cases in the country’s easternmost region.

However, by the time its initial term ended last month, the taskforce had failed to secure any form of law enforcement against the perpetrators of human rights cases they examined, prompting the minister’s office to extend its mandate by another year.

“We will conduct public hearings on the cases so members of the public, as well as activists and legal experts, can see openly the problems [that have hampered our work],” human rights activist and taskforce leader Mathius Murib said over the weekend.

He added that the taskforce would also soon hold meetings with witnesses and victims’ families in three cases.

The team has been tasked with overseeing 11 cases of alleged human rights violations but the three cases Mathius was referring to were the Wasior tragedy in 2001, the killings in Wamena (2003 and the bloody conflict in Paniai ( 2014 ).

A number of civilians from dozens of villages were allegedly killed and tortured in Wasior during a joint police and military operation following a break-in at a military arsenal.

None of the perpetrators in the three cases have been brought to justice.

Komnas HAM has also declared the Wasior and Wamena cases to be gross human rights violations and submitted its findings to the AGO, but the latter has refused to bring the cases to court, citing a lack of evidence.

Mathius said he hoped an open and transparent case hearing could help resolve the problems centering on the different approaches used by the AGO and Komnas HAM.

“While Komnas HAM uses the Human Rights Law, the AGO approaches the cases from the Criminal Code, so they will never be of the same opinion. How can human rights issues be handled using the Criminal Code, which was designed to address regular crimes?” Mathius, who formerly served as the deputy chairman of Komnas HAM’s Papua office, said in Papua’s provincial capital of Jayapura.

Despite lingering concerns about the matter, such a difference of approach has remained an obstacle in resolving human rights cases for years. As a result, many suspected perpetrators have enjoyed impunity, to the dismay of victims and activists.

Regarding the deadly incident in Paniai, which saw six students killed, Komnas HAM’s Papua representative Friets Ramandey said the commission’s examination had been constrained by people’s resistance to investigative teams that came to Paniai after the tragedy.

Papua human rights observer John Jonga, recipient of the 2009 Yap Thiam Hien Award, lamented the taskforce’s poor progress, pointing out that the cases had been discussed at the international level, including at the UN.

“None of the perpetrators have been brought to account and legally processed, thanks to the weakness of law enforcement agencies, including Komnas HAM itself,” he said.

Other cases overseen by the taskforce include the 1996 military operation on the Mapenduma abduction, the 1998 Bloody Biak incident that claimed more than 100 lives, the shooting of Mako Tabuni, the torture of Yawan Wayeni in Serui and the conflict during the Third Papua People’s Congress.

Regarding the alleged torture of Yawan, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said the police had grilled 157 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) members. “The reenactment of the case has been conducted and we will soon hold a case expose,” he said.
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1) Political development of Indonesia in Papua spotlight Conference Sydney

November 14, 2016, 12:42 pm
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2) Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste Prepare for Strategic Elections

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A google translate.Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
1) Political development of Indonesia in Papua spotlight Conference Sydney
Jubi | News Portal Papua No. 1,
Jayapura, Jubi - Political development in Papua Indonesia helped to warm discussion at a two day conference titled 'At the Intersection: Pacific Climate Change and Resource Exploitation in West Papua' in Sydney, Australia.
"Development in Papua now has a tremendous impact on the dignity of indigenous peoples or indigenous Papuans," said Emil Kleden who expressed his impression on the conference that took place last week it was the Jubi, Wednesday (09/11/2016). Emil Kleden one of the speakers at the conference representing the NGO Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
"This impact is primarily on the loss of the sources of life, the unavailability of enough alternative for indigenous Papuan communities to defend their lives and develop their economies," said Emil on that occasion to present the topic "Commitment to Reducing Emissions Indonesia and Papua, Between Reality and Dreams . "
In a paper presentation, Emil deliver emission reductions of six challenges in Papua, which have a direct impact on climate change.
"The high rate of deforestation, large-scale development that was imposed throughout Papua, policies and approaches that do not change in Papua, the composition is not balanced between growth Papuans and non-Papuans and the impact on economic relations, the large number of indigenous people in the interior, as well as changes production and consumption patterns of all it contributes substantially to the constraints and opportunities of self-determination of indigenous Papuans, "he said.
According to Emil, criticism of the program initiated by the Conservation province of West Papua Province also surfaced at the forum. "The Province of Conservation was criticized as unlikely to work well without the urgent release of the military from West Papua, for the conservation status will further marginalize OAP who depend directly on forests and natural resources," he said.
Conference initiated by West Papua Project, University of Sydney, fronted by Dr. Cammi Webb-Gannon of Western Sydney University, Jim Elmslie, Peter King and Jason MacLeod of the University of Sydney).
RNZI Launched last week, Dr. Cammi Webb said the conference aims to find a common thread between the two important issues in West Papua. "Colonization of Indonesia over West Papua is causing insanely obtain any exploitation of resources, as well as the increasing number of human rights violations and environmental damage. So both are very closely crochet hooks," said Webb.
Emil added, the development of West Papuan political struggle in international forums like the United Nations and MSG as well as a network of West Papua in the Pacific, also addressed the conference.
"Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Land and Natural Resources Vanuatu, was present on that occasion, he was very bright arguments on why it supported the struggle of the people of Papua. Not only the spirit of Melanesia but rather on the fundamental principle of the United Nations, namely self-determination as well as historical factors of Papua, "he said by telephone from Jakarta.
West Papua diplomatic efforts require information from all fronts, political, economic, social and environmental, "for (the term Ralph) add bullet (bullets) in perjuangn diplomatic," said Emil quoted Regenvanu. (*)

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http://thediplomat.com/2016/11/papua-new-guinea-timor-leste-prepare-for-strategic-elections/

2) Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste Prepare for Strategic Elections

By Luke Hunt November 14, 2016
Elections in the two countries could determine their future interactions with ASEAN neighbors.
Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste have stood on the fringes of ASEAN with ambitions of joining the 10-nation trading bloc for more than a decade. Both are struggling democracies, nations with a least-developed tag beside their name, and a history of communal violence. And neither are the sort of ideal sovereign role model that the secretariat in Jakarta would welcome with open arms.
Supporters of their ASEAN applications, however, would argue the same was said about Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar when they joined the 600 million-strong bloc in the 1990s. But those three countries did boast much bigger populations and strategic position needed for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community, launched at the start of this year.
“Stability is an issue everywhere,” said Keith Loveard, a regional risk analyst with Jakarta-based Concord Consultancy.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
“However, neither PNG nor Timor-Leste has demonstrated that they can maintain stability. The PNG government is perpetually hanging on by a fragile thread and to even talk about stability when the capital is effectively a no-go area is a stretch of the imagination.
“Timor-Leste has experienced plenty of problems maintaining stability since independence, not least the jealousies between the eastern and western parts of the country,” he said.
Their reputations are a perennial sore point, but PNG and Timor-Leste will shortly hold strategically important elections, which will be watched carefully by regional observers and serve as a harbinger for their respective futures and their place in the region.
In Timor-Leste tribal elections have just been held and presidential elections will be staged in the new year. Assuming they pass off peacefully, the presidential polls will help clear a path toward the young country’s integration with ASEAN, which has been touted by the Indonesians for 2017.
But Timor-Leste’s past has been turbulent ever since the first United Nations-backed troops were dispatched after independence was won at the ballot box in 1999.
A coup in 2006 prompted the re-deployment of UN and Australian forces. More Australian troops arrived two years later amid further bloodshed and an assassination attempt on then-prime minister Jose Ramos-Horta.
“Timor-Leste’s factionalism remains a problem for the emergence of what might be termed a full democratic state,” said Gavin Greenwood, a regional security analyst with Hong Kong-based Allan & Associates.
“This is unlikely to be altered by next year’s presidential elections … this reflects the country’s troubled past and the country’s small political class – both of which are connected – although there is no indication that they will not meet international standards,” he said.
Timor-Leste applied for membership to ASEAN in March 2011, a bid which was reaffirmed after elections the following year.
Former President and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao says every country within ASEAN supports its regional integration and that a road map had been established, including its active participation in meetings as a future member of the bloc.
But Greenwood noted other member states were unlikely to oppose Jakarta’s backing of Timor-Leste as they would see little to gain from unnecessarily antagonizing Indonesia – by far the biggest force within ASEAN – over a country with little to add to the grouping other than aggrandizement.
“Timor-Leste’s small market and narrow economy hold few advantages, while the global impetus for consolidation into often internally unbalanced trading blocs has come under greater scrutiny post-Brexit,” he added.
Meanwhile, PNG has held observer status within ASEAN since 1976, but its bid for full membership to the group has also faced persistent obstacles.
In particular, Port Moresby still has unresolved sovereignty issues with the island of Bougainville as it enters the final stages of a peace agreement, which ended a decade-long war in 1999 that left up to 20,000 people dead. Fabled for its giant copper mine, Bougainville is now an autonomous part of PNG and a date for an independence referendum has been sketched in for June 2019.
PNG remains a politically confused and challenged nation, and this will not change ahead of elections, said Greenwood.
“Allegations of corruption, the ruling elites’ response to such charges, [and] growing dissatisfaction among the small young educated urban class to such allegations all point towards further instability and possibly unrest,” he said.
In PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and the president of Bougainville, John Momis, insist they are working toward overcoming problems associated with the referendum on independence.
Nevertheless, Bougainvillians have complained that Port Moresby has been holding-out on promised – and much needed – development aid while in PNG fears persist that militias on the isolated island have failed to completely disarm.
Those fears should subside once the independence election is done. But Greenwood and Loveard both noted that “once again” Indonesia would hold a controlling defacto veto on PNG and its efforts to gain membership to the ASEAN trade bloc.
They also said PNG’s bid would not be helped by its geography, which Greenwood noted was even “more remote than Timor-Leste.”
This was further complicated “Melanesian solidarity” in Port Moresby.
Greenwood said the aspirations of the Indonesian Papua’s indigenous population – culturally and ethnically tightly bound with clans across the border in PNG – meant Jakarta would not see much of an advantage in giving PNG a potential platform within ASEAN to challenge its claims in its easternmost provinces.
Essentially, PNG and Timor-Leste have moved closer to ASEAN integration but membership to the 10-nation club is far from a foregone conclusion.
“Seen from the perspective of ASEAN, it’s difficult to see that these two will make much of a contribution to an organization that demonstrates more differences than similarities,” Loveard said.
“Is it feasible to see ASEAN summits in either Dili or Port Moresby? There’s no doubt that both would benefit from membership of ASEAN, not least from open trade, but is the reverse true? It doesn’t seem that way.”
There has also been speculation that Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and even Taiwan could join the ASEAN grouping.
All three would have have more to offer than PNG or Timor-Leste. However, it is important to note that Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar have not emerged as major embarrassments to the trading bloc, as some critics had predicted when they were first mooted in the early 1990s.
But ASEAN’s next expansion wave will center on Timor-Leste and PNG. And if they do make the ASEAN grade, could Bougainville also join the regional club as an independent nation further down the track?
Luke Hunt can be followed on Twitter @lukeanthonyhunt
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West Papua: Local Community Accuses Conglomerate of Severe Land-Grabbing Threatening their Livelihood

November 14, 2016, 1:31 pm
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http://unpo.org/article/19631
November 10, 2016



West Papua: Local Community Accuses Conglomerate of Severe Land-Grabbing Threatening their Livelihood
After almost six-months in the waiting, it has been confirmed that the West Papuan Yerisiam Gua indigenous community’s complaint against a conglomerate responsible for severe logging in their homeland has yet to be officially responded to. The charges brought forward against a subsidiary of Goodhope Asia, a Sri Lankan-owned company, include the clearing of almost 32,000 hectares of land for a palm oil plantation. The large-scale deforestation has led to severe flooding, threatening the livelihood of the local population which, needless to say, does not benefit from this systematic land grabbing and Goodhope Asia’s activities to begin with.
The article below is courtesy of Corp Watch:
The Yerisiam Gua indigenous community of West Papua filed a complaint six months ago against a Sri Lankan owned conglomerate for taking over their land to create a palm oil plantation. To this day, the industry body charged with oversight has yet to formally respond to their concerns. The charges were filed against PT Nabire Baru, a subsidiary of Goodhope Asia, which in turn is majority owned by a subsidiary of Carson Cumberbatch, a conglomerate based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2012, the company was reported to have cleared 32,000 hectares in Nabire province on the island of New Guinea on which they intended to plant four million palm trees. (One half of the island is the country of Papua New Guinea while the other half is the Indonesian province of West Papua, where Nabire is located)

This PT Nabire Baru plantation encroaches on the customary lands of the Yerisiam Gua peoples, who have written letters and protested peacefully against the project for the last four years. On April 12, 2016, Enos Abujani, a member of the Yerisiam Gua community, spotted PT Nabire Baru bulldozers felling sago trees in the Manawari grove, which the indigenous people consider sacred. After Abujani informed the rest of the community, a small group arrived to protest.  "I felt my stomach churning as I watched them work," Gunawan Inggeruhi, a community human rights advocate, told awasMIFEE!, an activist group based in the UK. "I feel sorrow, as if I have been stripped naked," Mama Yakomina Manuburi added. "[The grove] is our livelihood. If I pound the sago inside the trunk, I can get 100,000 Rupiah, I can buy the things I need, such as salt, MSG, soap."
The bulldozers were accompanied by Brimob, the Indonesian police mobile brigade, whom the local community have often accused of violence against customary land owners. “We have never asked Brimob to come here. Actually their presence makes us feel nervous, not safe”, Karel Maniba told told awasMIFEE! "How could we have asked for them? How could bringing in Brimob to work as security guards be anything to do with us?" One week later, the community members filed an official complaint with the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an industry group that PT Nabire Baru belongs to. (The RSPO was created in 2004, mostly by industry, to certify palm oil companies on mutually agreed standards including on responsible land management.)
"To this day there is no clear agreement between the indigenous community and PT Nabire Baru, yet our forest continues to be transformed into bare earth as expansion continues. The company stubbornly and unilaterally cleared the sago grove, going against the community opposition," wrote Roberthino Hanebora, the secretary of the Yerisiam Gua Wider Ethnic Group. "The sago groves in question have existed naturally since ancient times, and are sacred sago groves which have provided food for the people of Sima village from generation to generation up to the present day." Goodhope staff says they have since met with the Yerisiam Gua community to discuss their complaints. "Not even point one percent we will abandon them if it is not personal but the interest of the whole community," Sanjaya Upasena of Goodhope Asia told community members, according to a company transcript. "100 percent support the community ... as long as they are not self-centred."
Palm oil plantations have been a source of controversy for over 20 years, ever since agribusiness companies started to set them up in Indonesia and Malaysia. Many such plantations have set up on land carved directly out of primary rainforests in order to meet demand for the oil, which is a key ingredient in a number of household products from cosmetics like shampoo and lipstick to foods like ice-cream and snacks.

"For an industry like palm oil, already known as controversial and high-risk in areas of environmental degradation and human rights violations, the need for RSPO to have a credible and transparent redress mechanism is simply magnified, if this organization wants to show that it is serious," Andrew Ng, a founder of the consultancy Grassroots, told the MongaBay website. "[But] in a secretariat of 60+ people they have one person handling complaints as the coordinator." The RSPO has often investigated member companies but it has only taken serious action once. Earlier this year the industry body suspended IoI, a Malaysian company following activist complaints. But five months later, the suspension was lifted.
Photo Courtesy of Corp Watch
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1) Papuan Kamoro art set for exhibition in Jakarta

November 16, 2016, 1:34 am
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2) LEAVE WEST PAPUA ISSUE ALONE: FAISI


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1) Papuan Kamoro art set for exhibition in Jakarta
Jakarta | Wed, November 16, 2016 | 09:50 am
With a population of just 18,000 living along the Southern coast of Papua, the Kamoro people are one of the few Papuan tribes who still practice their little known, meticulous tradition of wood carving. 
Unlike their neighbors the Asmat tribe, Kamoro art is perhaps lesser-known, yet actually rich with a peaceful style and form.
As quoted by the Foundation for Kamoro Carvers, “the intricacies in their carvings show a much deeper relationship with the cosmos, their current world and the past”. 
Today, Kamoro’s artistry is increasingly valued with the revival of their wooden carvings.
Although no ancient Kamoro art exists today for carvers to look at or study, a deluge of newer forms have been created by its people in the present: Eastern and Western styles of shields, forms of ancestral figures, sago bowls, paddles with an open shield on the other end, and many others. Often, carvers are known to cut a hidden joke into their wooden carvings, reflecting the Kamoro’s sense of humor. 
Even though a Kamoro museum has not been established, an annual exhibition and art sale organized by the Foundation for Kamoro Carvers is held in Jakarta to display this Papuan tribe’s unusual talent, as well as to provide carvers and female plaiters with financial support.
This year, the sale will be held on Nov. 19-20 at the American Club in South Jakarta.
Admission is free. The event will also welcome a group of seven carvers who will sing, dance, drum and carve. The carved pieces start at Rp 250,000 (US$19). (mra/kes)

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2) LEAVE WEST PAPUA ISSUE ALONE: FAISI
By Ben Bilua | November 15, 2016

THE Leader of Free West Papua Movement in Solomon Islands has called on political parties to leave West Papua issue alone.
Speaking to this paper, Mr Samson Faisi said it is disappointing to see a National Leader use West Papua as a reason to topple Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
He pointed out that there are many important reasons the political parties put to represent their point but not West Papua.
Mr Faisi said Political Parties should find arguments on failed party policies the current government fail to deliver as their base of argument.
He strongly condemn Sir Nathaniel Waena’s statement in the paper yesterday to support the call for the Prime Minister to step down.
“Leave West Papua out of the political issue, West Papua issue deals with human safety and freedom as a human being we should think again.
“It is disappointing to see national leaders acting childish,” Mr Faisi said.
He said he is also an active member of a Political Party and that such statement not only shame but also cause embracement on the country.
Mr Faisi said the West Papua issues is dealing with safety and freedom of humanity and that leaders should see the real issue rather than talking nonsense.
He said seven countries in the Pacific are behind the fight to free West Papua and it is a shame for Solomon Islands to pick on West Papua as scapegoat in the current Political uphill.
Meanwhile Mr Faisi salutes Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare for his support toward West Papua.

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