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- 12/19/16--01:06: _1) Hundreds arreste...
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Contact seosamh20@hotmail.com
- Feb. 3, Helicopter Aviation Indonesia PK-AUG, crashed in Paniai, three injured
- June 4, Amur Aviation Indonesia PK-UAF Bell 206, helicopter crashed in Nabire while landing, one died
- June 14, AMA PK-RKC Cessna 208, plane landed next to the runway, hitting resident homes in Lolat Yahukimo, three citizens injured
- Oct. 30, Indostar Aviation PK-INA AS 350B2, aircraft crashed during approach to landing site in Nduga, Papua, pilot injured
- Oct. 31, Alfa PK-SSW DHC 4 Caribou, plane crashed into a mountain in Ilaga, Puncak Jaya, four people died
- Dec. 18, Air Force Hercules A-1334, plane crashed in Wamena in Jayawijaya regency, 13 people died
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- By Len Garae
- By Len Garae
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Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Media release 17 December 2016 -AWPA condemns the arrest of 6 KNPB members in Nabire, West Papua
Six members of the KNPB were arrested in Nabire on Friday the 16 December.
Four members were arrested at the Police station when they went to inform the police of a planned peaceful demonstration to be held on the 19 December. Two other members were arrested when the security forces
raided the home of resident Zadrak Kudiai.
The planned rally on the 19 is to show support for West Papua becoming a full member of the MSG but also to remember that on the 19 December 1961, the then President Sukarno issued the “People’s Triple Command” (Trikora) calling for what he termed the liberation of Dutch New Guinea but in fact was the call to invade New Guinea.
This put pressure on the Dutch to agree talks with Jakarta eventually leading to the betrayal of the West Papuan people by the international community.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, “it is ironic that the new Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand said (he “has made it his mission to inform the people of the South Pacific nation about the improved conditions in Papua and West Papua once he has been cleared to commence his duties in Wellington next year”), yet Collins said , thousands of people have being arrested at peaceful rallies since May and the six in Nabire are the latest to be jailed and this was simply because they were doing the right thing by informing the police of the planned rally”.
Hopefully any rallies that take place will be allowed to go ahead peacefully and there will not be a repeat of the brutal crackdowns at other peaceful rallies in the past.
Ends
Background
Asia Pacific repport
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2) Indonesian Police Arrest Dozens Ahead of West Papua Protest
3) AUSSIE “PUNKS FOR WEST PAPUA” DOCO WINS ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL AWARD
4) Papua sees 15 aviation accidents, 18 fatalities this year: KNKT
1) Hundreds arrested in Papua demonstrations
Indonesian police have arrested at least 300 people in cities across the republic for a Papua demonstration, according to reports from West Papua.
Demonstrators march in Timika in West Papua Photo: Supplied
The West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, had notified police about its intention to hold a series of public demonstrations in various towns and cities today to commemorate the first Indonesian military invasion in 1961.
Police in the various centres rejected granting them permission, but the KNPB and other activists proceeded anyway.
Indonesians demonstrating for West Papuan self-determination in Bandung Photo: Supplied
As well as in cities in the Papua region such as Jayapura, Nabire, Timika and Wamena, there were mobilisations in other parts of Indonesia including Jogjakarta, Jakarta, Bandung and Manado.
Ground reports indicated that police arrested at least 300 people for taking part in these demonstrations.
In Bandung, the Indonesians demonstrating for Papuans to be granted a new self-determination process were met by counter demonstrators.
Demonstrators in Timika, West Papua Photo: Supplied
There have been many demonstrations calling for West Papuan self-determination this year, from which mass arrests have taken place.
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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indonesian-police-arrest-dozens-ahead-west-papua-protest-44274881
2) Indonesian Police Arrest Dozens Ahead of West Papua Protest
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JAKARTA, Indonesia — Dec 18, 2016, 10:47 PM ET
Indonesian police have detained dozens of people ahead of a West Papua independence protest on Monday.
At least 200 people were arrested in several cities in Papua and Java, said Veronica Koman, a lawyer for Papuan independence activist Filep Karma.
Monday is the 55th anniversary of the official declaration of an Indonesian military campaign to take control of Papua from the Dutch.
Koman said several people were arrested last week when they applied for demonstration permits.
She said the headquarters of the pro-independence National Committee for West Papua in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, was vandalized during a police raid on Monday.
The Dutch colonizers of the Indonesian archipelago held onto West Papua when Indonesia became independent after World War II. It became part of Indonesia following a U.N.-supervised referendum in 1969 criticized as undemocratic.
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https://www.facebook.com/notes/punks-for-west-papua-the-documentary/aussie-punks-for-west-papua-doco-wins-another-international-award/1218053071563690
3) AUSSIE “PUNKS FOR WEST PAPUA” DOCO WINS ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL AWARD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday 19th December 2016
Whilst a screening of Australian documentary “Punks For West Papua” was shut down in Indonesia earlier last week on International Human Rights Day, director Anthony ‘Ash’ Brennan has won another international award for this riveting 46 minute film winning the ‘Best Overall Feature Film For Artistic Rendering Of A Documentary’ category at the 2016 Variety Film Festival in LA. The festival judges described the film as “A music movement and a human rights question; “Punks For West Papua” is a shout for freedom, is anyone listening?”.
Speaking of winning this latest award, Sydney’s Ash Brennan said “This is amazing news for the Free West Papua Campaign and the people of West Papua whose struggle is unknown to most of the world - awards like these help increase the global awareness of the genocide of the indigenous West Papuans.”
Punks For West Papua trailer - https://vimeo.com/167078538
With screenings raising much needed awareness and inspiring more people to create campaigns to raise funds to help the West Papuan people, the “Punks For West Papua” documentary has also won several awards and has made the Official Selection in 10 festivals around the world this year, including:
Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards (Winner – Award Of Recognition: Feature Foreign Documentary)
IndieFEST Film Awards, San Deigo (Winner - Award Of Merit)
Miami Independent Film Festival (Official Selection)
Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards (Official Selection)
Los Angeles CineFest (Official Selection)
Sydney Indie Film Festival (Official Selection, Winner – Best Documentary)
Sydney World Film Festival (Official Selection)
Melanesian Spearhead Group vote happening on Tuesday
Over the next two days in Vanuatu, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua will join the leaders of the 4 Melanesian countries, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, to vote on West Papua's full membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
With West Papua's full membership to the MSG, Melanesian leaders can fully deliberate the multi-faceted nature of Indonesia's human rights abuses and its impact on Pacific people.
Meanwhile, today in West Papua, there are reports of 100’s of people being arrested whilst peacefully demonstrating in support of West Papua’s full membership to the MSG.
For further media information please contact P4WP Documentary Publicist:
DEBORAH GANN – RESERVOIR PR+MGMT AUSTRALIA
T: 0481 264 077
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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/12/19/papua-sees-15-aviation-accidents-18-fatalities-this-year-knkt.html
4) Papua sees 15 aviation accidents, 18 fatalities this year: KNKT
Jayapura, Papua | Mon, December 19, 2016 | 01:02 pm
The National Transportation Safety Commission (KNKT) in Papua said there have been 15 aviation accidents in Papua this year, ranging from minor accidents with no casualties to major accidents, like the one over the weekend, which killed 13 people.
“There have 15 cases, from minor accidents, like planes skidding off the runway during landings, to major accidents where passengers have lost their lives,” said Norbert Tunyanan, the representative of KNKT in Papua.
The geographical conditions in Papua are such that the residents and the economy rely heavily on air transportation. There are many flights operating for passengers and for cargo.
Papuan KNKT recorded 18 deaths from the 15 accidents this year. Aside from the 13 fatalities in the biggest accident so far, the other five fatalities were from an accident involving Amur Aviation helicopter, which killed the pilot, Sr. Comr. (ret) Karmana in Nabire, in June and from an accident in Ilaga Puncak Jaya on Oct. 31, where an Alfa flight crashed and killed four people.
The most tragic accident occurred on Sunday, in which an Air Force Hercules crashed in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency.
The 13 victims, 12 Air Force military personnel and a technician, were brought to Malang using an Air Force plane on Sunday.
Olivia Kawer, sister of the pilot Marlon Kawer, told The Jakarta Post through a phone interview that the family in Biak was in mourning. Marlon has three children. (evi)
Some accidents in Papua in 2016:
2) Activists stage peaceful rally, ask UN to monitor situation in Papua
3) Hundreds arrested at West Papua protests
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
1) Trikora Day protest, 405 people were arrested in four regions of Papua
News Portal Papua No. 1 | Jubi,
Security forces stand guard in front Rusunawa, Waena, Jayapura - Jubi / Zely Ariane
Jayapura, Jubi - On the anniversary of Trikora December 19, 2016, the combined police and military forces conducted at least 405 arrests, beatings and raids sweeping secretariat and student dormitories in In Jayapura, Nabire, Merauke and Wamena.
The actions by it following the banning of a peaceful demonstration by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) protesting Trikora December 19, 1961 and is considered the starting point of human rights violations in Papua. The peaceful protest was also carried out to support the full keanggota ULMWP at MSG.
According to the editors of various sources of the field, a total of 405 people were arrested in four regions of Papua. In Merauke as many as 126 people were arrested and have been released, in Nabire 74 people were arrested and 62 have been released, in Jayapura 40 people were arrested, four people were reported there at the Hospital Dock 2, and in Wamena around 165 people were arrested and about 30 people have been freed.
Expo, Jayapura
The peace rally planned since the last two weeks are not entirely successful. In Jayapura Jayapura City Police block, and injured demonstrators disperse the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the rallying point of the Expo, Jayapura, Papua, Seninm (19/12/2016).
"The police this time there is no negotiation. They came straight playing push, hit and catch, "said Kobabe Wanimbo, told journalists at the Expo Jubi near the scene.
He said, the brutal police action that left eight KNPB demonstrators were injured. Bruises, inert, until the wound opened to bleed.
Eight people were beaten and injured, among others Anton Pekei (19), Fredi Sobolim, Vitus Neilambo, Alo Nawipa (20), Magai Natalis (20), Maikel Pekei (19), Osman Kenangalem, and Gio Wenda.
Natalis Magai suffered a wound opened in testa (forehead) right along 10 CM. Usman Kenagalem menerita cut crown and bleed, and Sefanus beaten until broken his right of hands.
According Natalis Magai, one injured, police forces coming from the direction Abepura evict the protesters without negotiation. Expulsion is done by encouraging, beat and teargas.
"We militants (KNPB member in charge of security) to protect the masses from the police. Police push-push us. I had the clothes they pull armi. I love off. They rabek my shirt, "said Natalis he showed his shirt torn in the chest.
He said, forcing a mass retreat from the action of the road to the navigating bridge Expo page. "When I see a fellow militant on behalf of Tebay Esterlina drawn like a pig and detained. I tried to defend a friend, but police land a punch to me three times I countered. But the blow to the four I fell unconscious. I'm torn Testa remove the blood, "he said showing his wounds.
Abepura police chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Korwa Arnolis when questioned about the arrest, said police did take action to secure the three points of action, Rusunawa, Expo and Circle Abepura.
He said, he himself is responsible in Abepura location of the mass action. On the territory there is no excessive action against future action.
"My activities with my younger siblings no excesses. I place no measures that violate the rights of excessive, "he said via mobile phone.
Expo at the point as much as 7 other people were beaten, arrested and taken to the Jayapura Police. The seventh person is Gobadius Kogoya, Teren Surabut, Fredi Walianggen, Edi starling, Esterlina Tebai, Elihut Tebai and Yeimo Opin.
Housing 3, Waena
In Perumns 3 Waena, the combined forces Police Sector South Jayapura, Jayapura police chief and the military went to the headquarters of the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) Waena and confiscating the belongings of the organization.
Earlier, authorities arrested around 15 people who gathered to prepare for the action right in front of the entrance of the secretariat KNPB Centre, commonly known as Vietnam, in Housing 3 Waena.
The combined forces seemed chaired by the Jayapura police chief Tobar M Sirait, pushed into the center KNPB secretariat and carry out a variety of equipment and goods belonging to the organization, including at least seven motorcycles.
Items such as posters, books, clothes, headbands, photographs, until the blackboard looked bundled together and then transported to a pickup truck belonging to the police.
Jubi journalists at the location can not get direct information from the police chief related to the confiscation of property.
Combing then continued down to the Dormitory Rusunawa. The combined armed forces seem to make oak Rusunawa area. Jubi journalists and Suara Papua Sesang cover into not allowed and ordered out
"That's what it is, must not take pictures, erase, delete, out, out," he said one plainclothes officer who did not know his name.
A soldier then ushered reporters out and asked reporters to abide by, without asking to delete pictures photos.
Sweeping continues in Rusunawa. In the operation, which lasted for one hour, the police brought tens of Boarding Rusunawa motors.
Vice Rector 3 Uncen, Fredik Sokoy said the "operation carried out was not an order from campus but purely from the police in order crime that occurred in the city of Jayapura," he said.
Dormitory management board Rusunawa, Augustine Mosip said he menyayangan attitude of the police who entered the hostel and make sweeping motors, because they are not bagging permit.
"Law enforcement agencies but if they do not respect the law how? Properly before entering the boarding permission from the university and the police chief, but today there is no notice, "he said while delivering an apology to the boarder Rusunawa, Waena.
The authorities did not understand the law and democracy
Ones Suhuniap, General Secretary KNPB when met Jubi asserted itself very disappointed and actions of the security forces is proof that officers do not understand the law and democracy.
"We are very disappointed. Our action is a peaceful demonstration, and we’ve been posing a notification letter, and the police once again silencing the democratic space, dispersing, torturing my members, this is one crime in the country Trikora, "he said.
Ones deplored sweepings officers, "If you want to catch the masses stayed arrested and taken away, why can go do the sweeping, damaging belongings and confiscated? This action of the peaceful protest, no crime, no murder, no cases in dormitories, wear what the law is the police, and the Law on them, "said Ones.
For Ones apparatus action is proof that the recommendations issued by the relevant UN emergency silencing of expression and human rights in Papua was proven today.
Meanwhile, First Secretary of the Central Board KNPB, Mecky Yeimo encountered among the mass action at Expo Waena condemned the violent incidents and arrests on a peaceful protest this time.
"For us the arrest was indeed commonplace, but this time catching inhuman and undignified. They conduct raids, and lift the goods there. "Mecky said.
He also continued the day's events were similar to Trikora events of 1961. "Today Trikora they do the same thing as last Trikora. But the arrests, raids will only increase the maturity of our struggle, "he said.
Separately, the Papua Police chief spokesman, Superintendent Ahmad Kamal Mustopa explain this arrest is done because it was found objects in Rusunawa illegal. He explained that when the demo progresses, some people run and get into Rusunawa.
'After coordination with the management of the hostel, we perform the checks in Rusunawa. We find motorcycles without registration, marijuana, attributes Papua Merdeka and KNPB, sharp weapons such as arrows and machetes, ammunition and a laptop three points, "said Head of Public Relations.
Several people were arrested, according to him will be examined and if not found proof of ownership of these items will be removed.
Jubi confirmed, Agus Kossay, KNPB Chairman stated that the seizure of goods outside the belongings KNPB in sekretariatan they are not the responsibility of the KNPB.
"We are not responsible for items such as a motor, or other things that are found outside our secretariat officials, officials may not use it as an alibi to hit us. Facts on the ground speak otherwise, "said Agus.
According to the information of the Governing Body KNPB, goods confiscated from their secretariat, among others: mixer 2 pieces, amplifier 2 pieces, laptop 1 fruit and charger, speakers active, laptop charger Acer-mouse and flash one unit, notebooks, HP Samsung 1 The unit, 3 history books, wireless mike 1 set, lamp 3 pieces, 1 folder document, whiteboard, and framed photo Tabuni Bucktar as well as an ax and a machete each 1 unit. (*).
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2) Activists stage peaceful rally, ask UN to monitor situation in Papua
Jakarta | Mon, December 19, 2016 | 09:11 pm
Papuan and non-Papuan activists held a march in Jakarta on Monday to demand that the United Nations (UN) respond to the current heated situation in the easternmost part of the country.
The Alliance of Papua University Students (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-West Papua) marched from the Arjuna Wijaya chariot statue in Central Jakarta to the UN representative office on Jl. MH Thamrin, also in Central Jakarta.
“We want the UN to be involved in determining our faith, which is to hold a referendum for West Papua and the Army’s withdrawal from the region,” AMP spokesman Jefry Wenda told The Jakarta Post.
Seventy-seven people participated in the march, which was also staged in conjunction with the expected announcement of United Liberation Movement on West Papua’s official membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group on Tuesday.
(Read also:Participants of West Papua rally arrested)
The FRI-West Papua, consisting of non-Papuan Indonesian activists and intellectuals, was established to demonstrate solidarity by non-Papuans with Papuans in their struggle for independence.
Marches were also held in other 15 cities across the country, with reports of several hundred rally participants being detained by the police in Sulawesi and Java. (adt/jun)
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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/hundreds-arrested-at-west-papua-protests/news-story/f7bcc56beab51d05c86791000e0a166c
2) Hundreds arrested at West Papua protests
Associated Press
Indonesian police have detained several hundred people at protests around the country demanding independence for remote West Papua.
Arrests were made in cities in Sulawesi, Java and Papua but demonstrations went ahead on Monday in at least 15 places, said Veronica Koman, a lawyer for independence activist Filep Karma.
Police in the capital Jakarta had warned organisers against protesting but relented and allowed a group of about 50 people to march down a main thoroughfare.
Monday was the 55th anniversary of the official declaration of an Indonesian military campaign to take control of West Papua from the Dutch.
The Dutch colonisers of the Indonesian archipelago held on to West Papua when Indonesia became independent after World War II. It became part of Indonesia following a UN-supervised referendum in 1969 criticised as a sham for involving only a tiny proportion of the population and Indonesia's use of strong-arm tactics.
Supporters of West Papuan independence want a second and unfettered referendum. The Indonesian government is determined to hold on to the mineral-rich region and also fears any concessions would energise other separatist movements.
"Melanesian people are our brothers and sisters, not you, you are Asians," said Anthony Gobai, one of the protesters who addressed the Jakarta rally as dozens of police watched.
Indonesians who joined the protest knelt on their knees and apologised to West Papuans for their government's rule of a region that is ethnically and culturally distinct from much of Indonesia.
Indonesia maintains a tight grip on West Papua and restricts journalists from reporting there. However the independence movement appears to be increasingly well organised, with different groups now united under an umbrella organisation that is seeking membership of an association of Melanesian island states.
More than 5000 people have been arrested in pro-independence protests since April.
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2) Freeport’s new boss pushes Papua expansion deal
3) Over 500 arrested in West Papua demonstrations
4) Accused of treason, dozens of Papuans arrested in Manado
5) Indonesia house urges govt to evaluate primary weapons defense system
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1) MSG meetings in Vila not expected to decide on Papuan bid
7:22 pm today
Fiji's prime minister and foreign minister Frank Bainimarama is not in Vila for this week's MSG meeting, but a leaders summit to decide on West papuan membership is expected early in the new year. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
A series of Melanesian Spearhead Group meetings are taking place this week in Vanuatu's capital to look at the group's membership guidelines.
Last month, the MSG secretariat scheduled this week's meeting in Port Vila for leaders of its members to discuss a West Papuan bid for full membership.
However there will not be a leaders summit component at this week's meetings, with the expectation that they will now meet early in the new year.
But today in Vila, MSG senior officials met, and tomorrow the group's foreign ministers are to meet, to discuss the findings of a constitutional committee that has reviewed MSG rules on membership.
It's understood there won't be a decision on the full membership application by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua this week.
In a sign of the sensitivity around the issue within the MSG, leaders have this year deferred a number of summits where West Papuan membership was a priority item.
The Sub-Committee on Legal and Institutional Issues was tasked by MSG leaders at their Honiara summit in July to clarify guidelines for observer, associate and full membership in the group.
The MSG's five full members - Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's FLNKS Kanaks Movement - have been divided over whether to grant full membership to West Papuans.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua was granted observer status in the MSG last year but its bid for full membership has been deferred pending clarity on the guidelines.
The Liberation Movement's leaders, including Octo Mote, Benny Wenda, Rex Rumakiek and Jacob Rumbiak are in Port Vila for this week's meetings.
Indonesian representatives are also present.
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2) Freeport’s new boss pushes Papua expansion deal
3:32 pm today
Chappy Hakim, a retired Indonesian air force chief who says he knows next to nothing about mining, now heads the local unit of mining giant Freeport-McMoRan.
This comes as Freeport seeks the go ahead for an $US18 billion expansion of its Grasberg mine - one of the world's biggest deposits of gold and copper - in Papua.
Mr Hakim was appointed last month as the company seeks to reverse Indonesia's plans to stop the exports of ore.
Reuters reports him as saying his experience leading the air force and later an air safety panel after a string of deadly plane crashes would help him with both human resource management and mine safety issues.
Freeport said Mr Hakim's appointment was made in consultation with the government and comes as the company fights to win an extension on its mine beyond 2021.
Freeport needs to sign off in late 2017 on the $18 billion plan to transition Grasberg from open pit to underground mining, and it wants the contract renewed before committing the money.
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3) Over 500 arrested in West Papua demonstrations
2:10 pm today
There were over 500 reported arrests from West Papua demonstrations in Indonesian cities yesterday.
The demonstrations were calling for self-determination for West Papuans on the anniversary of the first Indonesian military invasion in 1961.
Demonstrations were held in Jayapura, Merauke, Nabire, Manokwari, Timika, Yahukimo and Sorong and also in cities outside Papua such as Jakarta, Manado, Ambon, Bandung and Yogjakarta.
Police in the various centres rejected granting the demonstrators permission, but the activists proceeded anyway.
In total, 528 demonstrators were arrested by Indonesian police across these cities.
In Wamena, 165 people were arrested, of whom 15 are understood to have been released.
Arrests numbered 126 in Merauke with all later released.
Children were reportedly among the 74 arrested in Nambire and also amongst those arrested in Merauke and Wamena.
Activists with the West Papua National Committee, which organised many of the demonstrations, were subject to beatings in Jayapura and had their central headquarters vandalised.
There are also allegations of ill-treatment of demonstrators who were arrested in Nabire where several are badly injured after assault by rattan cane and coal.
The latest round of mass arrests brings to well over 5000 the number of people arrested in Indonesia for peaceful demonstrations in support of West Papuan self-determination this year.
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4) Accused of treason, dozens of Papuans arrested in Manado
Manado, North Sulawesi | Mon, December 19, 2016 | 10:14 pm
The Manado Police arrested more than 70 Papuan students who were about to stage a rally on Monday, accusing them of treason.
The police detained them as they were preparing for rallies in two locations in Manado, North Sulawesi. Some of the students were arrested in Papuan Student Dorm while others were arrested in the front yard of North Sulawesi Council. The police said they confiscated Bintang Kejora or Morning Star paraphernalia associated with Papua’s independence movement.
“Every possibility that is not in line with Indonesia’s unity [NKRI] will be processed,” Manado Police chief Sr. Comr. Hisar Siallagan said Monday.
He claimed the condition in Papua was peaceful and there was no demand for an independence referendum. He said the government even gave special attention to Papua’s development acceleration even though it cost a lot of money. “I don’t see any urgency [for the rallies],” he said.
In 2016, Papuan students in Manado had attempted to stage three rallies. Each one was dispersed by the police.
According to data made available to The Jakarta Post by Veronica Koman, the lawyer of Papuan self-determination activist Filep Karma, the rallies on Dec. 19 were held in Jayapura, Merauke, Nabire, Yogyakarta, Manado, Wamena, Jakarta, Sorong, Manokwari, Timika, Yahukimo, Bandung, Ternate and Ambon.
The lawyer said a total of 528 people were arrested Monday, with Wamena recording the highest number of people arrested (165 people, 15 were released).
In Jayapura, the arrest involved beatings, Veronica said, and seven people were badly injured. (evi)
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5) Indonesia house urges govt to evaluate primary weapons defense system
Senin, 19 Desember 2016 17:53 WIB |
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The House of Representatives has urged the government to evaluate Indonesias primary weapons defense system (alutsista), following the latest accident on December 18, when a C-130HS Hercules registers numbered A-133 crashed in Wamena, Papua, on Sunday morning.
"When there is old military equipment, the government should replace it," Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives, Fadli Zon, said here on Monday.
The Hercules was obtained by Indonesia from a foreign country under a grant scheme.
The deputy speaker affirmed that the investigation of the aircraft accident should be conducted transparently, whether the plane crashed due to overloading, bad weather or age.
In addition, he supported the modernization and revitalization of the Indonesian Armed Forces main weaponry system.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago and has a vast territory.
"Marine and air areas are important. Papua areas can be reached only by air," he pointed out.
The Air Force has confirmed that 13 people were killed in the crash in Wamena, Papua, on Sunday morning.
"The airplane flew 13 people, consisting of 12 crew members and one passenger, from Abdul Rachman Saleh airbase in Malang (East Java). All of them were killed in the crash," Air Force Deputy Chief Vice Marshal Hadiyan Suminta Atmadja said, at Halim in Jakarta on Sunday.
The crew members of the Hercules plane were Major Marlon Kawer (pilot), Captain J. Hotlan F. Saragih (Co-Pilot), First Lieutenant Arif Fajar Prayogi (Navigator),First Lieutenant Hanggo Fitradhi, Warrant Office Class 1 Lukman Hakim, Warrant Office Class 1 Suyata, Warrant Office Class 1 Kusen, Sergeant Major Khodori, Warrant Officer Class 1 Agung Tri, Warrant Officer Class 2 Agung S, Sergeant Major Fatoni, and Second Sergeant Suyanto.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/B003)
"When there is old military equipment, the government should replace it," Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives, Fadli Zon, said here on Monday.
The Hercules was obtained by Indonesia from a foreign country under a grant scheme.
The deputy speaker affirmed that the investigation of the aircraft accident should be conducted transparently, whether the plane crashed due to overloading, bad weather or age.
In addition, he supported the modernization and revitalization of the Indonesian Armed Forces main weaponry system.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago and has a vast territory.
"Marine and air areas are important. Papua areas can be reached only by air," he pointed out.
The Air Force has confirmed that 13 people were killed in the crash in Wamena, Papua, on Sunday morning.
"The airplane flew 13 people, consisting of 12 crew members and one passenger, from Abdul Rachman Saleh airbase in Malang (East Java). All of them were killed in the crash," Air Force Deputy Chief Vice Marshal Hadiyan Suminta Atmadja said, at Halim in Jakarta on Sunday.
The crew members of the Hercules plane were Major Marlon Kawer (pilot), Captain J. Hotlan F. Saragih (Co-Pilot), First Lieutenant Arif Fajar Prayogi (Navigator),First Lieutenant Hanggo Fitradhi, Warrant Office Class 1 Lukman Hakim, Warrant Office Class 1 Suyata, Warrant Office Class 1 Kusen, Sergeant Major Khodori, Warrant Officer Class 1 Agung Tri, Warrant Officer Class 2 Agung S, Sergeant Major Fatoni, and Second Sergeant Suyanto.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/B003)
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2) Arrest December 19, two people are at risk of criminal 20 years
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1) Rights groups decry violence against activists, civilians in Papua
Margareth S. Aritonang The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Tue, December 20, 2016 | 07:20 pm
Controversial demands -- Activists joining with the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua and the Papuan Students Alliance stage a rally in front of the UN headquarters in Jakarta on Dec. 19. (Antara/M.Agung Rajasa)
Jakarta-based human rights watchdog Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam) and its local partner in Papua, Elsham Papua, condemned intimidation and violence by police officers against activist Whens Tebay during a rally in Jayapura on Monday.
The two groups said Whens went to monitor the rally, which was held to promote West Papuan independence, before the police forcibly dispersed it. The police arrested 10 protestors and physically attacked several people attending the rally, the activist said.
Elsham Papua said in a press statement that the police had arrested, interrogated and hit Whens during the rally. The police later confiscated his camera and forced him to erase all photos taken during the rally.
“This is deeply regretful,” said Elsham Papua director Ferdinand Marrisan. “The police did not give Whens a chance to speak as he was immediately arrested”.
The group said the police had also arrested Papuans in other parts across the country during the commemoration of Trikora Day, during which they protested what they consider to be the illegitimate annexation of the region into Indonesia.
In the celebration of Trikora Day earlier this week, the Manado Police in North Sulawesi arrested 72 students from Papua and charged them with treason for planning to hold an event calling for the independence of West Papua.
Both Elsham Papua and Elsam called President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to remind law enforcers of his commitment to maintain peace in Papua.
“President Jokowi must tell the National Police chief [Gen. Tito Karnavian] to oblige police officers throughout the country, including in Papua, to respect and uphold human rights when carrying out their job,” the organizations declared. (ebf)
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
2) Arrest December 19, two people are at risk of criminal 20 years
News Portal Papua No. 1 | Jubi,
TNI members along with the police conducting searches and checks around Rusunawa, Waena - Jubi / Zely Ariane
Jayapura, Jubi - As many as 39 of the 41 votes secured mass Resort Jayapura City police in action December 19, 2016 have been released, Tuesday (12/20/2016). The other two namely HY (20) and IA (24) called the police as the field coordinator ditatapkan as a suspect.
Jayapura City Police Chief, City of Jayapura Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Tober Marison Sirait said dozens of people were secured when demonstrations December 19, 2016 in the city of Jayapura. Dozens of people are secured in several different locations. 24 secured in Unit VI, Rusunawa, Housing III, Waena, secured in Waena nine people, four people at Expo Waena and four others in North Jayapura.
"While the two suspects charged with Article 106 Subsidiary Article 110 more subsidiary Article 157 junto Article 87 junto Article 55 of the Criminal Code on treason and disseminating incitement to hatred. The threat of punishment of 20 years in prison. Until now the two suspects still undergoing examination at the police station Jayapura City," said Tober AKBP Sirait, Tuesday (20/12/2016).
In addition to securing 41 people, the police according to AKBP Tober, also seized a number of items of evidence in the form of a single white board contains the results of the meeting ready for action, December 19, 2016, the fruit megaphones to make speeches, flags KNPB brought when oration, famlet contains photographs of victims persecution, video recording while speeches and leaflets took action.
"We have examined more demo participants as witnesses before being sent home. They were escorted by members of Sabhara to the destination," he said.
While the Head of Public Relations of Papua Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ahmad Mustafa Kamal asserted, evidence that the police held the two suspects reinforce the act of treason. Investigators are also still doing the deepening of the case in order to entrap the actor or more above their head.
"We will soon complete the case file, in coordination with the Attorney General Penunt (prosecutor) and deepening the case in order to attempt to ensnare actor or more above their head," said Head of Public Relations Polda Papua. (*)
2) Two West Papuans charged with treason for demonstrating
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1) MSG foreign ministers discuss membership
22 minutes ago
Melanesian Spearhead Group foreign ministers are this evening meeting in Vanuatu's capital to discuss guidelines which relate to a West Papuan bid for membership in the group.
MSG senior officials met yesterday in Port Vila and, as with today's foreign ministers meeting, the findings of a constitutional committee review of MSG rules on membership are the main agenda item.
This comes as the MSG considers a full membership application by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.
Vanuatu prime minister Charlot Salwai accepts traditional head dress from the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. Photo: Len Garae
The foreign minister of Solomon Islands, Milner Tozaka, said the MSG leaders in July requested legal clarification on guidelines for membership.
"So that request has been attended to appropriately by the legal people and they have made a recommendation to be used for the foreign ministers to look at and then we will recommend it to the leaders for endorsement," he explained.
Milner Tozaka confirms there won't be a decision this week on the full membership application by the Liberation Movement, which already has observer status.
The leaders of the MSG member states are not expected to have their summit until early in the new year.
The Movement's leaders are present at this week's MSG meetings in Port Vila, along with leaders of all the main pro-independence groups.
Vanuatu's prime minister Charlot Salwai has reiterated his country's support for the Liberation Movement to be give full membership, as well as for West Papua to be independent.
Mr Salwai said his country's foreign policy remained firm that Vanuatu is not completely free of colonial bondage until all of Melanesia is free.
It's understood that Solomon Islands and New Caledonia's FLNKS Kanaks movement are also in support on the matter of the MSG membership.
However the other two full members of the MSG, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, have tended to side with Indonesia on this issue.
Indonesia, which has associate member status at the MSG, is firmly opposed to West Papuans being granted full membership in the group.
Jakarta says Papuans are already covered by the Indonesian republic in terms of representation in the MSG.
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2) Two West Papuans charged with treason for demonstrating
20 minutes ago
Over 500 people were reportedly arrested from West Papua demonstrations in Indonesia. Photo: Supplied
The Jayapura demonstration was one of more than 14 rallies in Indonesian cities, calling for West Papuan rights to self-determination to be respected.
More than 500 people were reported to have been arrested for participating in the rallies.
While the vast majority were released later in the day, two arrested in the Papua provincial capital have been charged.
Demonstrators march in Timika in West Papua. Photo: Supplied
Hosea Yemo and Ismael Alua are reportedly members of the West Papua National Committee, (KNPB), the pro-independence representative group which organised some of the rallies.
Papua provincial police said the two were arrested after allegedly inciting sedition or treason against the state, and provoking other participants of the rally to commit treason.
A treason charge could lead to a jail term of up to 15 years in Indonesia.
Demonstrators in Timika, West Papua. Photo: Supplied
Police said that from the Jayapura demo, they also found 1kg of hashish at the KNPB's premises, and confiscated a number of weapons from the crowd.
Law and order has been maintained in the cities and the situation was back to normal, according to police who said they avoided using excessive force in handling the demonstrations.
However, Jakarta-based human rights monitoring groups have condemned intimidation and violence by police officers in the Jayapura rally.
West Papuan photographic journalist Whens Tebay Photo: Tabloid Jubi
The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy, and its local partner in Papua, Elsham Papua, said it condemned intimidation and violence by police officers against photographic journalist Whens Tebay during the rally.
Mr Tebay said police arrested, interrogated and hit him, later confiscated his camera and forced him to erase all photos taken during the rally.
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2) Vanuatu PM reiterates West Papua support
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1) Vanuatu’s Position Has Not Changed
A large delegation of West Papuan independence leaders met with the Prime Minister, and presented him with a traditional Bird of Paradise chieftain's headdress
Dan McGarry
Vanuatu Prime Minister, Charlot Salwai, was cheered by approximately 50 leaders of West Papua who are currently in Port Vila, when he assured them his Government’s position on West Papua “has not changed and will not change”.
Not only that but that the entire Vanuatu society beginning with the chiefs, churches, women’s groups and youth groups are mobilised to call for the freedom of the people of West Papua.
He told them that the historical policy of the Government since independence 36 years ago is still the same for New Caledonia, French Polynesia and West Papua to achieve self-determination.
West Papua global campaigner, Benny Wenda, said it is the delegation’s dream and prayer for the Melanesian leaders in MSG spearheaded by Vanuatu, to grant West Papua full membership to the sub-regional organisation.
As a global campaigner for the West Papua struggle, Benny Wenda is confident that finding all the leaders of the struggle in West Papua shaking hands and laughing and speaking one language in Port Vila, means they and their Melanesian people in West Papua are linked by the one spirit that binds the people of Melanesia for the leaders of MSG to grant them full membership of the Melanesian organisation.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Joe Natuman, Minister of Lands Ralph Regenvanu and Parliamentary Secretary Johnny Koanapo were also present with Prime Minister to welcome the West Papua delegation.
As a token of gratitude to the Government of Vanuatu for its staunch support for West Papua, the Prime Minister was presented with a West Papuan traditional crown-like head gear made of the feathers of a bird of paradise and two baskets.
His colleagues were also presented with baskets.
Meanwhile in all towns in West Papua and Jakarta, reports allege one protester has been killed and 528 people have been arrested along with six children less than ten years old, for taking part in a peaceful parade to call on MSG to grant full membership of MSG.
“It cannot be explained why the arrests were made and the office of the ULMWP was destroyed when our colonisers are also an associated member of MSG,” Wenda said.
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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/321038/vanuatu-pm-reiterates-west-papua-support
2) Vanuatu PM reiterates West Papua support
RNZI 3 minutes ago
The prime minister of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai says his country's position on West Papua remains unchanged and will not change.
The Prime Minister of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai. Photo: ITU Pictures / R. Farrell
Mr Salwai said government and people of Vanuatu are behind West Papua to address the issue of human rights violations by Indonesia and the independence of the Melanesian people of West Papua.
He made the comment this morning when he received a high level delegation of West Papuans who are in Port Vila as the Melanesian Spearhead Group meets.
Although the MSG is split on the issue, Mr Salwai also said that he was happy with the progress so far in the international campaign of West Papua.
He also reiterated his support for New Caledonia's Kanaks in their decolonisation and French Polynesia at an regional and international level.
2) Many people do not like cheap fuel prices in Papua: Jokowi
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1) Jakarta keeps strong grip on Papua as rallies intensify
Moses Ompusunggu and Lita Aruperes
Jakarta/Manado | Wed, December 21, 2016 | 11:37 am
Jakarta is continuing its strong handed approach to Papua and West Papua, the country’s easternmost provinces torn between poverty and violence, despite calls to soften its stance in handling the restive region.
In Manado, North Sulawesi, 85 protesters have been detained by the local police for displaying the morning star flag — the symbol of West Papuan independence — in front of the North Sulawesi governor’s office in the city.
The rallies were organized by the National Committee on West Papua (KNPB), an organization advocating the right to self-determination for the people of the two provinces.
KNPB chairman Hiskia Mogea criticized the police’s move, saying that it did not “comply with the procedures”. “The protesters had not yet started the rally when the police arrived to arrest them,” Hiskia said on Tuesday.
The group said at least 528 protesters were arrested by the police following massive demonstrations held in various cities across the country on Monday to commemorate the 1961 military operation to seize what was then known as West Papua from the Dutch.
One of the detained protesters, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said the detainees had been mistreated in custody, claiming that the police had only served them once since the arrests took place on Monday.
In Jakarta, an advocacy group is considering taking legal action against the government for blocking a web portal containing information about human rights violations in Papua.
The Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) is considering taking legal action against President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration for the block put on suarapapua.com, a prominent Papua-based online news outlet deemed to contain “negative” content according to country’s information law, which many consider to be draconian.
LBH Pers head of research and network development Asep Komarudin said the institute, which is suarapapua.com legal representative, may either file a civil lawsuit to challenge the Communications and Information Ministry’s censorship, or file a report with the police accusing the ministry of violating freedom of the press guarantees in Article 18, point 1 of the 1999 Press Law.
“The ministry provided no clear reason for blocking the website, but we believe the site was blocked because it stood as a local news source that routinely reported on human rights violations in the region,” Asep told The Jakarta Post.
“It was the voice of the voiceless [in Papua].”
The blocking of the website came amid a series of government crackdowns on websites it deemed as sources of sectarian sentiment, known in Indonesia as SARA, amid rising political tension related to the blasphemy allegations against non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
Following the report by suarapapua.com, LBH Pers then sent a letter to the ministry to seek information about its rationale for blocking the news outlet.
In response to the complaint by LBH Pers, the ministry said in a letter dated Nov. 21 and signed by the ministry’s director general for information applications, Semuel Pangerapan, that suarapapua.com was blocked upon request by “a ministry/government institution authorized to determine whether a website has violated the law”. It did not explain further.
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2) Many people do not like cheap fuel prices in Papua: Jokowi
Jakarta | Thu, December 22, 2016 | 09:46 am
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo acknowledged that it is not easy to make the price of fuel in Papua equal to prices in other areas of the country because of different demands.
The government’s plan to reduce fuel prices in Papua for the last year-and-a-half only began in October.
With the new one-price fuel policy, premium is now priced at Rp 6,450 (49 US cents) per liter, down from Rp 100,000 to Rp 60,000 in regencies in Papua.
“Many people don’t like cheap fuel prices [in Papua] because they have enjoyed [the benefits of] selling fuel for many years,” he said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.
One of the government’s strategies to reduce fuel prices in Papua was through buying aircraft to carry fuel so it can be transported by air instead of by land.
Despite the fact that state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina had to spend Rp 800 billion to buy fuel-transport aircraft, Jokowi said the firm would not suffer losses.
“This year I actually expect profits to increase, more than Rp 40 trillion,” he said.
The government has implemented a one-price fuel policy in Papua and West Papua, aimed at bringing social justice to all Indonesians. Premium is now priced at Rp 6,450 per liter while diesel and kerosene are sold at Rp 5,150 and Rp 2,500 per liter, respectively. (win/dmr)
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2) Hiluka Linus: I See There Babies Aged One Year Follow Detained in Jayawijaya
3) Double Action This Persecuted Officials On December 19, 2016
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
original bahasa link at
1) Is deemed to be intervention trial, the Indonesian delegation protested delegation MSG
News Portal Papua No. 1 | Jubi,
Atmosphere session of senior officials in the preparation of membership criteria MSG MSG - IST
Jayapura, Jubi - unpleasant incident occurred in the Senior Official Meeting (SOM) Melanesian Spearhead Groups Wednesday (12/21/2016). The Indonesian delegation is considered to dictate the minutes of the session to arrange the words in the minutes leading to protests from the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).
Not only ULMWP the protest, delegates MSG countries, such as the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji was protested at the attitude of the Indonesian delegation that dictate a particular sentence in the minutes of the hearing. Because of this incident, the Indonesian delegation, together with delegations ULMWP asked to leave the meeting room for a few minutes while other delegations to continue the formulation of criteria for membership.
Octovianus Mote, Secretary General ULMWP to Jubi said he did file a protest to the leader of the session on the attitude of the Indonesian delegation. According to him, MSG is home Melanesia, not homes Asia. So that each party in the house MSG must respect the procedures Melanesia.
"We must respect the procedures of Melanesia. It is inappropriate, associated members and observers intervene in the trial such as this," said Mote, Thursday (22/12/2016).
According to Mote, SOM forum has been stepped away so it does not need to be dictated to by Indonesia and ULMWP.
"This forum is a forum to negotiate and MSG had stepped away to negotiate the issue of Papua and Indonesia so that both ULMWP and MSG MSG need not dictate," said Mote.
The trial finally decided either Indonesia or ULMWP given an opportunity to submit written statements pertaining to membership on MSG and cancel the sentence dictated by the Indonesian delegation in the minutes of the hearing.
Meanwhile, quoted from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Director General for Asia Pacific and Africa Desra Believe, Chairman of the Indonesian delegation to the Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM) MSG, in Port Vila, Vanuatu, this time to say Indonesia encourage Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to preparing norm-setting and clear guidelines for new membership applications which respects the principles of sovereignty, non-interference in another country's domestic and international law.
"Thus, the efforts of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to become a full member of MSG will be closed forever," said Desra.
Indonesia's presence, he said, represents 11 million people in Indonesia Melanesian cultural backgrounds, spread across five provinces of Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, West Papua and Papua. Indonesia also encourage regional cooperation in the field of MSG climate change, connectivity, trade and investment, and law enforcement. Indonesia also expressed bidding to host the Police Ministers' Meeting to-2 in Indonesia in 2017 that will come.
But this Desra statement seems excessive. The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Charlot Salwai when meeting with a delegation ULMWP Vanuatu after the hearing confirming the position has not changed. As a full member of MSG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu together Kanak Liberation Front (FLNKS) fully supports the desire ULMWP become members of the MSG. Fiji and Papua New Guinea two other MSG member states in the opposite position.
"Position of Vanuatu fixed and will not change in ULMWP and the people of West Papua," said Salwai.
Director General of MSG, Amela Yauvoli said preparation MSG membership criteria is not a new agenda. It has been on the agenda since the beginning of 2016.
"Currently some neighboring Melanesian countries want to become members of the MSG, not only ULMWP. Therefore, MSG membership criteria must be clarified," said Yauvoli.
MSG decisions about new membership will be decided in the meeting of the leaders of the MSG in January next year. (*)
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
original bahasa link at
2) Hiluka Linus: I See There Babies Aged One Year Follow Detained in Jayawijaya
Author Arnold Belau -Desember 21, 2016
Linus Hiluka, former political prisoners together with Theo Kossay Papua current visit hundreds of people held in Jayawijaya. (Photos facebook)
JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com- Linus Hiluka, former Political Prisoners (political prisoners) Papua in Wamena, Papua, said he has seen and met a year old baby and still drink milk in Jayawijaya, where Indonesia's colonial forces detained hundreds of people were arrested before Trikora the day of departure,
"I've seen with my own eyes. There is a baby who was about a year. He was still drinking milk. He was detained with his mother at the police station, "said Linus Hiluka, to suarapapua.com of Wamena, Monday (19/12/2016) yesterday.
According to him, the authorities had acted arbitrarily. Because of the arrests were made without a warrant, arrest also was performed abysmally.
"My team and had already attended the Police station. Sad when I see babies who are still drinking milk. Besides that captured the little kids who do not know anything. Kids - young children aged 4-17 years Jayawijaya police detained in Papua, "he said.
Hiluka continued, "We are a team of human rights pengunggan Care Central, we Concerned Community Detention conditions in Jayawijaya. It's not true. This violation of the right to life of the Papuans. And this is not liked by the people of Papua, "said Hiluka.
Linus said, the authorities have acted outside the law. The authorities also did not respect the rules and laws in the country of Indonesia on freedom of expression, human rights and social and political covenants ratified by Indonesia.
"This he said democracies. But there is no such thing as democracy in Indonesia. Indonesia too brutal in Papua. Infants and children were also arrested. The question they were arrested for what? Do they have evil intentions? No. Indonesia is making other then another play, “he said.
Children who are captured by the police in Wamena while in police custody where Jayawijaya, Papua on December 19, 2016. (Facebook Photo)
He said officers arrested the man in Wamena as many as 150 people. He said, was captured in a different time. There were arrested in the morning and there were arrested in the afternoon.
"So am dorang (forces) arrested 63 people and in the morning until noon 87 people were arrested. So all in all there are 150 people, "he said.
As reported by the media earlier, the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Center reported that police colonial Indonesia has arrested 473 people in beberpa cities in Papua and AMP Yogyakarta reported in Yogyakarta police have arrested 38 activists AMP and activists of the Popular Front Indonesia's West Papua (FRI-West Papua).
Ones Suhun, general secretary of the Central KNPB explained, arrests in various cities conducted by the NII in Indonesia when the colonial police action Trikora voiced commemorate Sukarno in Yogyakarta.
"We act together and simultaneously across Papua Trikora because for us it was the beginning of the destruction and the beginning of human rights violations and social problems which occurred during the 50 years in Papua," said Ones to suarapapua.com of Jayapura, Monday (19/12 / 2016).
He explained that the arrests were made by the Indonesian colonial forces in several cities, namely in Merauke, Wamena, Nabire, Jayapura, Gorontalo, Manado and Yogyakarta.
"The arrest took place in various district about. Those regions are Merauke 126 people, diantatanya 5 small children 21 adults and all attributes KNPB confiscated. 150 people in Wamena: 18th night 63 people were arrested and on 19 noon as many as 87 people were arrested. In Sulawesi, as many as 85 activists arrested KNPB Gorontalo and Manado. 37 people arrested in Jayapura, Nabire 75 people were arrested, "he said detailing.
While in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Yogyakarta Colonial authorities have arrested 38 people at Zero point, Yogyakarta when they want to take action.
"So if added to the 38 that from Yogyakarta that all 511 people," said Ones.
From the information gathered this media, police from Jayawijaya Police have deported 150 people were detained at 20:30 pm Papua time on December 19, 2016.
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
original bahasa link at
3) Double Action This Persecuted Officials On December 19, 2016
Author Mary Monireng -Desember 22 2016128
Eddy Yalak (22) The violent forces that resulted in a broken right hand when the action on December 19, 2016. (Arnold Belau - SP),)
JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com - Edy Yalak (22) and Jack Mote (24), Central KNPB activists suffered serious injuries due to being hit by Indonesian security forces on Monday (12.19.2016) in Waena, Jayapura, Papua.
Edy Yalak fracture, right hand section. Meanwhile, Jack Mote uluh seriously wounded in the heart and back of the head is leaking because punched and pulled roughly a joint police and army on December 19, 2016.
Both security forces arrested in the morning around 09:30 WP. Edy together with other colleagues initially arrested on the bridge Expo Waena. Meanwhile, Jack Mote was arrested in front of the entrance of the secretariat KNPB center in Vietnam, Housing 3 Waena.
After both were tortured to serious injuries, the security forces did not immediately ran to a nearby house saki. Edy and Jack together with other peers instead taken to the Jayapura Police.
Languishing in a holding cell for several hours with must endure, then both heavily guarded party apparatus, medical treatment in hospitals Doc 2 Jayapura. At midnight, the two victims were repatriated at the request of the board KNPB Center.
Edy and Jack told reporters claim to have the inhumane treatment of the security forces.
"I broke my hand because I fed a dead rubber which is used by the police when hitting the mass action, including me," Edy said when interviewed at the central secretariat KNPB, Tuesday (12/20/2016).
In the same place, Jack Mote also claimed mistreatment of the combined forces. He then secured the mass action which will be heading to the office of the Parliament of Papua.
Because they suffer, they must undergo treatment at the secretariat KNPB Center.
Equal treatment also experienced a number of masses from various districts / cities when a peaceful protest. Intimidation, arrest to torture occurs in Trikora contested acts 55 years ago and supports ULMWP become a full member in the MSG members, Monday (12/19/2016).
At least 511 people were arrested in various areas.
Ones Suhuniap, general secretary of the Central KNPB, in his statement to explain, in the day that many activists were arrested and deported. But two members on behalf of Hosea Yeimo KNPB and Mael Alua named as a suspect.
The second reason for the detention of activists, according Ones, is unclear.
"The police set them as suspects for refusing to sign the dossier requested the investigator," he said.
Ones claims the two are guilty of such acts is not anarchist. "Those two chapters subject to Article treason and sedition. Even to this day still detained in Jayapura Police. "
Ironically, he beber, in Wamena, several small children under the age of joint forces also arrested. Small children were undergoing a process of detention in Jayawijaya.
Announcers: Mary Monireng
Announcers: Arnold Belau
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2) Indonesian govt talks to Nauru about relations
3) Indonesians form West Papua committee
4) ’Everything can be burnt’ - West Papua in the Jokowi era
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1) Four more charged with treason for Papuan demos
2:46 pm today
Four more people have been charged with treason after demonstrating for West Papuan self-determination on Monday.
Monday, which was the 55th anniversary of the first Indonesian military invasion of Papua, was marked by demonstrations in at least 14 Indonesian cities.
About 500 people were reported to have been arrested for participating in the demonstrations.
Police in the Papua provincial capital Jayapura confirmed they had charged two Papuans for inciting treason against the state, and provoking other demonstrators to commit treason.
Now, reports from Indonesia indicate that four more people have been charged under the rebellion law after demonstrating in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province.
A treason charge could lead to a jail term of up to 15 years.
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about 1 hour ago
Nauru’s government has confirmed that an Indonesian government delegation visited the country this month.
An official with Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Jauhari said the purpose of the visit was to discuss how to increase bilateral relations.
He said the delegation met with Nauru President Baron Waqa and his cabinet, and discussed development in Indonesia, including in Papua region.
President Waqa invited Indonesia to attend celebrations for Nauru's 49th anniversary of independence at the end of January next year.
Among the delegation was an Indonesian government consultant on West Papuan affairs, Franzalbert Joku.
Mr Joku said on Facebook that a visit to the Refugees Processing Centre on Nauru was an important part of his delegation’s engagements with the host government.
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3) Indonesians form West Papua committee
West Papua global campaigner Benny Wenda has confirmed that ordinary Indonesians in Jakarta, Capital of Indonesia, have formed a committee to stand with West Papuans to seek an end to alleged human rights abuse and self-determination for the country.
He says now that the world is sitting up to the reports of alleged atrocities and killings of Melanesians in West Papua, ordinary Indonesians are at last accepting the truth that West Papuans have to be set free to decide their own destiny. Wenda made the confirmation in an exclusive interview this week to explain the objective of the visit to Port Vila, by approximately 50 leaders of all pro-independence factions of West Papua.
He said the heavy delegation to Port Vila is necessary to show solidarity for West Papua’s application for the MSG leaders to grant their country full membership to MSG.
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4) ’Everything can be burnt’ - West Papua in the Jokowi era
West Papuans continue to raise concerns about the infringement of their basic human rights in modern Indonesia.
However Indonesia's government under President Joko Widodo says living standards are improving for grassroots people in Papua region.
The face of West Papuan society is changing but RNZ International found that the core ideology of these Melanesian people is not easily destroyed.
utube video
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2) Catch 528 Papuans, 74 organizations tuding discriminatory and brutal security apparatus
3) Four activists KNPB Gorontalo Defined as a suspect and Threatened Article Makar
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1) West Papua, Indonesia not discussed
by Len Garae
DG of MSG Amena Yauvoli and MSG Chairman and Minister of Foreign Affairs and External trade,
Milner Tozaks (right)
The Melanesian Spearhead Group Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting at the Secretariat in Port Vila this week has not dealt with Indonesia’s Associate Membership of MSG or West Papua’s Observer Status of MSG.
The Chairman of the meeting who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and external Trade of the Solomon Islands, Milner Tozaka said his team has reviewed the procedures to be dealt with by the Leaders early next year.
Asked what the new recommendations are the Chairman explained, “One of the important recommendations is a guideline whereby any new application for membership, will have to be forwarded firstly to the Director General (of MSG), who will be consulting the leaders for their direction as to whether to consider the application or not, and subject to their approval, then they would consider the application”.
He made it clear the meeting this week did not deal with either of the two applications.
“The (MSG) legal institution to revisit the application for membership as well as the associate membership has been done and we have not gone into considering the applications for either of them,” the Chairman explained.
Asked if the meeting has agreed that the two applications are in order, he replied, “The status quo remains the same. Nothing has changed in relation to Indonesia as an Associate Member and West Papua as an Observer”.
The Chairman said any changes would only take place after the leaders meet to consider the new criteria have been recommended by the Legal Committee to the leaders for their deliberations next year.
The current Chair said the next meeting will depend on the new Chairman of MSG in consultation with his colleagues but that it is expected to be held early next year.
While farewelling the staff of MSG Secretariat and wishing them and their families “merry Christmas” over kava and snacks at the Secretariat yesterday, the Chairman said, “Following the appointment of Ambassador (Amena) Yauvoli, a Governing body meeting was convened and hosted by Fiji in the beautiful city of Lautoka in early June this year.
“The outcome of the meeting was politically significant for MSG as members re-energised their deliberations on the agenda of membership issue and guideline.
“The outcome of this particular discussion in our meeting this week has further paved the way for our Leaders to deliberate on the issue in 2017.”
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
2) Catch 528 Papuans, 74 organizations tuding discriminatory and brutal security apparatus
Sabtu, 24 Desember 2016 News Portal Papua No. 1 | Jubi,
Jayapura, Jubi -Gerakan Society for Democracy (Democracy Gema) have criticized the Indonesian National Police already umpteenth time in 2016 committing acts of discrimination, brutal, arbitrary and anti-democratic to the people of Papua.
"Measures to fruition arrest Papuans returned 528 occurred in seven of the fourteen regions where several public organizations held a peaceful action to commemorate 55 years of Trikora (19/12/61), which is believed to be the starting point of human rights violations in Papua," the press statement Democracy echoes received Jubi, Friday (23/12/2016).
According to the arrest of democracy echoes in Merauke 126 people, 74 people Nabire, Yogyakarta 38 people, 34 people Gorontalo, Manado 51 people, 165 people Wamena and Jayapura 40 people. In addition to the arrests also occurred searches, confiscation of property, beatings, mass shootings to perform the action you want the peaceful demonstrations.
Gema Democracy criticized the search and seizure actions are not accompanied by the witness of RT / RW or a village official in the Central Office on 19 December morning KNPB. According to them it is an arbitrary action of the police officers that are contrary to the Code of Criminal Procedure (Criminal Procedure Code).
They also condemned the actions that hinder the activity of the journalist and the violence during the action takes place.
"Inhibition for journalists to do reporting on the events that occurred and the arrest of two people who a few days earlier sent a letter of notification peaceful protest to the police are clearly an act that violates the Indonesian constitution Article 28 and Law No. 9 of 1998 on Freedom of Expression in Public , "said the coalition of labor organizations, farmers, students, intellectuals, young people, religious groups, journalists, activists of freedom of expression, public defenders, activists literacy, and the arts community.
Between the time the action is captured, in the region of Wamena and Nabire Merauke there are children who was also arrested and detained and treated the same as adults. "It is contrary to the Juvenile Justice System Law and the Child Protection Act, which requires special legal treatment of children in conflict with the law," said Alghiffari Aqsa, Director of LBH Jakarta, which became elements pendung Gema Democracy.
Violence in the form of beatings from the security forces were also carried out on future action. Future action arrested in Nabire forced to rub the face with charcoal and beaten with a cane by a mob.
An elderly person reportedly died trampled the people who were attacked by the combined forces military, police, Brimob by shooting into a crowd at the meeting points Sinakma market, Wamena.
Previously reported Jubi, Thursday (22/12) Jayawijaya Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Reba Yan confessed mass-mediated dissolution KNPB Wamena is appropriate protap mass dissolution.
According to him, if there is something wrong in the dissolution him ready to be responsible and sentenced to personnel who commit violations.
Most of the mass of the arrested have been released, but there is still detained. Hosea Yeimo (22) and Ismael Alua (22), both members of KNPB is still detained and subjected article treason and sedition clause in Jayapura Police.
Similarly, 4 members of the KNPB Consulate in Manado, Hiskia Meage (30), Eman Ukago (23), William Wim (22), and Panus Hesegem (28) which is subject to Article treason and temporarily detained up to 20 days ahead.
Discriminatory
Many areas that carry out demonstrations, the police never issued a notice STTP the action plan undertaken such groups.
Related to that, Alghiffari Aqsa, in an interview last May with Jubi not assert that the actions of the police officers is very discriminatory.
In the Human Rights Law Article 25, Article 19 of Law No. 12 of 2005, which ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also protects the right of expression and assembly so that according Alghif police action did not issue STTP is evidence that the police or the government is still discriminatory against the people of Papua.
He lamented that the Constitution and the laws of expression applies elsewhere, but not in Papua. According to him, it is tantamount to not recognizing the people of Papua as its own citizens.
"Demand for the adequacy organization such as AD / ART, for example, or related to the registration of Kesbangpol, only excuses by the police to prevent freedom of expression in Papua. Elsewhere, the police never asked for such deficiencies. This only happens in Papua, "he said.
Demand President
Based on these violations, Gema Democracy me
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
3) Four activists KNPB Gorontalo Defined as a suspect and Threatened Article Makar
Hiskia Meage along Attorneys from LBH Manado. (Doc KNBP Gorontalo)
JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com - Four activists KNPB Consulate Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, Manado student who also has been named as a suspect and threatened with Makar article. Four activists were arrested on December 19 along with 83 activists KNPB Gorontalo.
"Yes, we were detained when the peaceful protest by KNPB consultant Manado and Gorontalo on 19 December. Of the 85 mass action, we (81 people) discharged, and four people were detained in the police station and has been named as a suspect (article treason), "John said when contacted suarapapua.com Payage, Friday (23/12/2016) from Jayapura.
John continued, "Four people were detained and to this day he has been named as a suspect by Article Makar, so we will wait for the next process. Which is named as a suspect by Article treason is, Hiskia Meage Chairman of the Indonesian Consulate East, Eman Ukago Chairman KNPB Gorontalo, Panus Hesegem members, and Arni Wetipo members. They have already established treason. "
Described in a written statement received this media, the arrest occurred before the mass action of holding a rally in the North Sulawesi provincial assembly. Mass action were preparing in Dormitory Papua, was stopped by the police under the leadership of Police Chief Adj Intel Manado. Army officers entered the dorm, to catch four people.
In fact, 75 others were also arrested. They were detained for more than 24 hours in the yard Manado Police, and were released on Wednesday morning.
The rally was held to protest against the events Trikora well as support for full membership ULMWP at MSG.
Quoted from Liputan6.com, Police investigators Manado, North Sulawesi, on Wednesday, December 21, 2016, set four students from Papua as a suspect case of treason. This determination is made after 85 Papuan students examined intensively since they were taken to the Police Office of Manado on Monday afternoon, December 19, 2016.
"Finally, four people named as a suspect for violating Article 106 of the Criminal Code," said the Invisible Criminal Police Commissioner Edwin JA Humokor Manado, Thursday, December 22, 2016.
Edwin said, four Papuan students had been detained and will be processed in accordance with applicable law.
Manado Police Chief Pol Hisar Siallagan also confirmed there has been a suspect determination of 85 students who staged a peaceful demonstration on Monday (19/12) ago. He regretted that the students do a stunt like that.
"The government has been preoccupied with the action 212 in Jakarta. They even take action here. All the odds are not in accordance with the framework of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) we will take, "Hisar added.
The Director of Legal Aid Manado, Hendra Baramuli Papua who accompanied the students said, would take the next step following the establishment of the suspect.
"We are still studied to the next step," said Hendra.
Announcers: Ardi Bayage
Editor: Arnold Belau
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2) Stop dreaming, separatists: RI
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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/321302/msg-discussions-highlight-indonesia-schism
1) MSG discussions highlight Indonesia schism
RNZI 12:35 pm today
Differences in approach between Indonesian and West Papuan representatives reached a head at Melanesian Spearhead Group meetings in Vanuatu last week.
MSG senior officials and foreign ministers had meetings at the group's secretariat in Port Vila, with the findings of a review of MSG rules on membership the main agenda item.
This comes as the MSG considers a full membership application by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.
The Liberation Movement, which has observer status in the MSG, protested at efforts by Indonesian officials at the meeting to dictate terms on the wording of discussions.
Indonesia, which has associate member status, wanted wording to ensure that the Liberation Movement cannot become a full member.
Full member states of MSG including Papua New Guinea and Solomon islands also protested at what was seen as a breach of Melanesian discussion procedure.
Tabloid Jubi reports that the Indonesian delegation, as well as the ULMWP, was asked to leave the meeting room briefly while other delegations continued the formulation of criteria for membership.
Their views were still considered as written statements.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the MSG secretariat, Amela Yauvoli said preparation of MSG membership criteria is not a new agenda and has been discussed since the beginning of 2016.
He said that currently some neighbouring Melanesian countries want to become members of the MSG, and not only the Liberation Movement, therefore membership criteria must be clarified.
MSG decisions about new membership will be decided in the meeting of the leaders of the MSG in January next year.
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2) Stop dreaming, separatists: RI
George Monbiot
Wednesday 28 December 2016 18.30 AEDT
This story has no message or purpose. It is one of the winter’s tales – accounts of the many bizarre incidents that have marked my life – that I tell at this time of year. For once, I am not trying to make a point.
In 1987, I was working with the photographer Adrian Arbib in the occupied territory of West Papua. Annexed by Indonesia in 1963, it was being governed with characteristic brutality by the Suharto regime. The indigenous people were being forced off their land and replaced, in a programme sponsored by the World Bank, by migrants from Java and Bali. Many had been tortured and killed. Timber and minerals were being stripped from the territory; palm oil plantations were replacing the rich forests and their remarkable wildlife. Much of this continues today.
We had made contact with the Papuan rebels who were trying to fight the Indonesian state with old rifles and bows and arrows. They had told us to wait in a hotel in Jayapura, the sweaty, sagging capital of the stolen province. They would send someone to collect us and take us by sea to their camp on the border with Papua New Guinea.
The town, swarming with soldiers and secret services, was dangerous to them. After a few days, a man in mirrored sunglasses came into the hotel, bundled us into his jeep and took us to a tin hut in the adjoining shanty town, where the local rebel commander sized us up and eventually agreed to send a boat for us. His messengers would stay in touch.
We waited. And waited. Days went by, during which the messengers came and went, always promising to pick us up the following dawn, then producing a reason later in the day why it couldn’t happen.
Bored rigid, I set off one morning for a walk. The forest close to the town was in tatters, broken up by shifting cultivation. It was a hot day, and I soon took off my shirt and slung it over my shoulder. I followed a trail that took me down to a small stream. I crossed it and began to climb through the burnt trees on the other side. Halfway up the slope, I brushed against a rotten stump. I took another step and found myself under attack.
Giant hornets swarmed over my body, buzzing frantically. I knew how dangerous they were: plenty of people had died from their stings. I also knew that if I stood stock still, they would eventually fly away. For a while, I managed not to twitch. The buzzing became louder as reinforcements poured out of the stump. One of them was climbing up the inside of my leg, into my shorts.
Suddenly I could bear it no longer. I lunged up the slope, shouting and beating them with my shirt. Every sting felt like being punched with a knuckle duster. I panicked more, lashing at the hornets, screaming. Then I suddenly stopped, aware that I was being stung to death.
Heart pounding, breathing raggedly, I waited until the last of them disentangled themselves from my hair and they returned to the stump. I could feel every sting: there were eight. I suspected I was as good as dead.
I stumbled across the clearings, shouting for help. In a clump of trees I saw a rickety house on stilts. A ladder led to the platform, 10 feet from the ground. I clung to the steps, shouting. No one emerged, so I climbed up and looked in. There were five people inside: two children, their parents and their grandmother. They looked terrified. I remembered that my shirt was off, my eyes were rolling and I was trembling. I had to reassure them.
“Hello,” I said. “I’m George.” I stepped forward to shake hands with the man, hit my head on the lintel and fell on top of his wife. She screamed. The children began to cry. I picked myself up, babbling apologies. I had to win their trust. I spoke slowly. “It’s very important you understand me. I have just been attacked by hundreds of insects.” The man’s mouth fell open; he didn’t seem to believe what I said. “A swarm of insects. They came out of a tree and started flying round my head. Then eight of them bit me.”
But instead of serangga – which means insects – in my panic I said semangka; or watermelons. The grandmother backed away from me, shaking her head and feeling for the back door. The children began to scream more loudly.
I sat down beside the man and tried to explain it carefully. “I need help. I was walking in your field when I was attacked by watermelons. Eight of them bit me, eight watermelons.”
He stared at me, unable to move, his eyes becoming bigger and rounder as I nodded assurances at him. “Look –” I began again. The young woman was whimpering with terror.
Then her husband suddenly smiled. “Ahh, serangga!” He stood up. “You stay there, I have some medicine for you.”
I was going to be saved! These people lived with the hornets, didn’t they? They must have an antidote, refined over millennia from forest herbs. The man told me to lie on my front. He began to rub something into my back. It felt warm and soothing, and the pain began to ebb. The smell of the medicine was strangely familiar.
I turned my head and saw in his hand a jar of Vicks VapoRub. “No, no! I’m going to die!” I cried. I ran from the room, forgetting that it was 10 feet from the ground. I crashed into the undergrowth, picked myself up and fled. A backward glance revealed the man in his doorway, holding a small jar in one hand, my shirt in the other, staring after me.
Just before I reached the town, the convulsions began. I felt as if I were being picked up by the shoulders and shaken. I began to drool. I stumbled along the streets, shuddering and sobbing, holding on to buildings to stay upright as my legs began to buckle. I fell through the door of the hotel and into our room, where Adrian was sitting on his bed, reading.
He started up. “God you look awful.” I tried to speak, but my mouth didn’t seem to work. I fell face down on to my bed, shivering violently. He must have noticed the welts on my back, because he forced a couple of antihistamines down me. The fit began to subside, and I blacked out almost immediately.
I was gone for 12 hours, and when I woke I felt cleaned out, bereft, as if I had just suffered some great loss. It took me a while to realise that all I had left behind was my shirt.
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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/108650/west-papua-asked-to-prepare-for-railway-project
West Papua asked to prepare for railway project
Kamis, 29 Desember 2016 09:06 WIB | 606 Views
Manokwari, W Papua (ANTARA News) - The Central government has asked the regional administration of West Papua to accelerate preparation for the project to build rail track in the province.
"Instruction from Jakarta is on land clearing where the main tracks would be built," head of the land transport office of West Papua Harold Jan Umpain said here on Wednesday.
Harold said the main track will pass through the city of Sorong, Sorong District, South Sorong, Maybrat, Teluk Bintuni, South Manokwari and Manokwari.
"The main track would extend between the city of Sorong and the city of Manokwari," he said.
He said groundbreaking for the project is expected to be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) himself next year.
Originally the president hoped to break the ground to mark the start of work to build the railway in July 2016 in Sorong, but was delayed on problem in land clearing.
"Land is available and the Sorong city administration has approved, but protracted bickering in land price delayed decision," he said.
While waiting for the agreement in land price negotiations between the city administration and the land owners, the railway directorate general and consultants are working on details of engineering design (DED) of the whole tracks.
"DED on the main track is in final phase. The regional administrations especially the Sorong city, Sorong District, South Sorong, Maybrat, Teluk Bintuni, South Manokwari and Manokwari city administrations are asked to prepare land and deal with land clearing," Harold said.
The Central Jakarta is waiting for report from the Sorong city administration about progress made in land clearing and groundbreaking plan, he added.
Other alternative would be taken if Sorong is not yet ready, he said.
"Groundbreaking ceremony would be held in the regency of Sorong. We have not discussed that possibility with the Sorong district administration as we still wait for word from the city of Sorong," he said. (*)
"Instruction from Jakarta is on land clearing where the main tracks would be built," head of the land transport office of West Papua Harold Jan Umpain said here on Wednesday.
Harold said the main track will pass through the city of Sorong, Sorong District, South Sorong, Maybrat, Teluk Bintuni, South Manokwari and Manokwari.
"The main track would extend between the city of Sorong and the city of Manokwari," he said.
He said groundbreaking for the project is expected to be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) himself next year.
Originally the president hoped to break the ground to mark the start of work to build the railway in July 2016 in Sorong, but was delayed on problem in land clearing.
"Land is available and the Sorong city administration has approved, but protracted bickering in land price delayed decision," he said.
While waiting for the agreement in land price negotiations between the city administration and the land owners, the railway directorate general and consultants are working on details of engineering design (DED) of the whole tracks.
"DED on the main track is in final phase. The regional administrations especially the Sorong city, Sorong District, South Sorong, Maybrat, Teluk Bintuni, South Manokwari and Manokwari city administrations are asked to prepare land and deal with land clearing," Harold said.
The Central Jakarta is waiting for report from the Sorong city administration about progress made in land clearing and groundbreaking plan, he added.
Other alternative would be taken if Sorong is not yet ready, he said.
"Groundbreaking ceremony would be held in the regency of Sorong. We have not discussed that possibility with the Sorong district administration as we still wait for word from the city of Sorong," he said. (*)
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West Papua 2016 Year in Review
West Papua rally Monday 19 September 2016.
Photo: Supplied/ Whens Tebay (In RNZI report 18 Oct.
Support grows in Melanesia, A new generation of activists for West Papua marching in Port Vila.
Photo: AWPA in Vanuatu Daily Digest April 29 2016
January 2017
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
AWPA report - West Papua 2016
This report details incidents of human rights abuses and events that occurred in West Papua during 2016. It is by no means exhaustive. In the report AWPA uses the name “West Papua” to refer to the whole of the western half of the Island of New Guinea. However, “West Papua” at this time is divided into two provinces, Papua and West Papua.
Summary
There was no improvement in the human rights situation in West Papua in 2016. The West Papuan people continued to suffer from human rights violations committed by the Indonesian security forces throughout the year.
Throughout the year the security forces cracked down on the numerous rallies held in West Papua with thousands of West Papuans arrested simply for taking part in the rallies. Although the majority of activists were eventually released, during the arrests activists are regularly beaten and in some cases faced torture. A number were also charged with treason. A chronology of rallies and arrests are in the report.
The year began with a sweeping operation by the Indonesian security forces in Sinak subdistrict in the Puncak Regency. The security operation was in response to an attack by an armed group on the Sinak Police station in the Puncak Regency which killed three personal and wounded one other. The attack on the police station occurred on the 27 December 2015. The group also took a number of weapons and ammunition from the police station. An article in the local media Tabloid Jubi (9 Jan) reported that about 150 police personnel were deployed to hunt for the perpetrators of the attack. Jubi also reported that the Papua Police Spokesperson said that three platoons of Mobile Brigade from Timika, Jayapura and Puncak Jaya along with Papua Police Special Forces were deployed to the scene to look for the perpetrators “dead or alive.” The rebel group has an estimated 25 members. During the operation a number of residents’ houses were burned and a man was shot dead.
The year ended with over 400 people being arrested in at a rally on the 19 December. The Rally was to show support for the application by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) but also to remember that on the 19 December in 1961, the then President Sukarno issued the “People’s Triple Command” (Trikora) calling for what he termed the liberation of Dutch New Guinea but in fact was the call to invade Dutch New Guinea. Jubi reported that on the 19 December a combined force of police and military arrested at least 405 people in Jayapura, Nabire, Merauke and Wamena.
Throughout the year the security forces cracked down on the numerous rallies held in West Papua with thousands of West Papuans arrested simply for taking part in the rallies. Although the majority of activists were eventually released, during the arrests activists are regularly beaten and in some cases faced torture. A number were also charged with treason. A chronology of rallies and arrests are in the report.
These arrests go against the principles laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states,
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. (Article 19)
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. (Article 20)
It is time that governments dropped the mantra of “Indonesia is now a democracy and human rights abuses are a thing of the past”. The mass arrests of peaceful activists throughout the year proves otherwise.
The Australian Government in particular should realize the issue of West Papua is not going away and should be doing all it can to raise concern about the human rights situation with the Indonesian Government and not be training the Indonesian military. In an article in the Antara News (27 October 2016) Indonesia’s Defense Minister said that Indonesia and Australia would discuss efforts to deepen their military relations at the 2+2 meeting scheduled to be held in Bali, "We will discuss how to deal with the South China Sea issue as well as the threats of terrorism which are our common enemy. The talks will be aimed at deepening our relations," he stated after a press conference on "Two Years of Concrete Work by Jokowi-JK," at Bina Graha, the state secretariat, and "I will never meddle in the affairs of other countries and similarly other countries also must not meddle into our affairs," he stressed (West Papua?).
The Australian Government should also note that it’s now 53 years since Indonesia took over West Papua and West Papuans are still marching in the streets risking arrest and torture. West Papua as an issue is not going away.
If there was no improvement in the human rights situation in West Papua, the good news is the internationalization of the issue.
Increasing support
There is increasing support for West Papua internationally and particularly in the Pacific region. In our region much of the awareness of the issue has come out of the lobbying of the two regional organisations, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) by West Papuan leaders, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and churches. Seven Pacific leaders raised the issue of West Papua at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2016. The Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu all raised concerns about the human rights situation in West Papua. The groundswell of support is extremely encouraging although West Papua has always been on the agenda in the Pacific region and much of the groundwork was laid by West Papuan leaders exiled in Vanuatu where an office was opened. West Papua was also on the agenda of the NFIP movement based in Fiji.
Pacific leaders raise West Papua at UN
From the Solomon Islands Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Manasseh Sogavare statement in relation to West Papua.
“Solomon Islands is gravely concerned about the human rights violations against Melanesians in West Papua. Human rights violations in West Papua and the pursuit for self-determination of West Papua are two sides of the same coin.
Many reports on human rights violations in West Papua emphasize the inherent corroboration between the right to self-determination that results in direct violations of human rights by Indonesia in its attempts to smother any form of opposition.
Recently a new “Pacific Coalition on West Papua” was formed. The initial membership comprises the Solomon Islands Government, Vanuatu Government, Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) and the United Liberation Movement of West Papua and the Pacific Islands Alliance of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO). Two new members are the governments of Tuvalu and the Republic of Nauru. The other two parties who indicated support for the initiative when it was introduced in Honiara at the margin of the 4th Pacific Islands Development Summit are the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Marshall
The 47th Pacific Islands Forum Meeting was held in the Federated States of Micronesia between the 8 - 10 September. CSO’s presented a position paper concerning Human Rights violations in West Papua urging the PIF Leaders to:
a) Actively engage with the Indonesian Government to halt the deteriorating human rights violations and
b) Discuss with the UN Secretary-General at their annual meeting (Forum Update in New York on the margins of UNGA) to appoint a special envoy to conduct human rights assessment in West Papua.
c) Sponsor the re-instatement of West Papua on the United Nations Committee for Decolonisation and enquire into past actions for its removal.
West Papua was mentioned in the official Communiqué. From the Communiqué in relation to West Papua
18. Leaders recognised the political sensitivities of the issue of West Papua (Papua) and agreed the issue of alleged human rights violations in West Papua (Papua) should remain on their agenda. Leaders also agreed on the importance of an open and constructive dialogue with Indonesia on the issue
Melanesian Spearhead Group
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is one of the two main regional organisations in the Pacific and is composed of the four Melanesian countries of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu as well as the Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) of Kanaky (New Caledonia). The organisation celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013.
Although the MSG granted Observer Status to the ULMWP (Indonesia has associate membership) the ULMWP has been lobbying the MSG in the past year for full membership. Foreign Ministers of the MSG countries met in Port Villa in December to discuss guidelines for membership at the request of the MSG leaders who wanted legal clarification on guidelines for membership. The MSG has postponed the decision until next year.
An Indonesian captures the Melanesian Spearhead Group proceedings, 20 December 2016 in Port Vila, on device. West Papuan representatives Benny Wenda and Octo Mote (MSG observers with the United Liberation Movement) in foreground. Photo: Supplied (In RNZI 27 Dec.).
The Solomon Islands diplomat in Geneva, Barrett Salato, raised concerns about human rights abuses in West Papua at the United Nations Human Rights Council (39th Meeting, 31st Regular Session Human Rights Council, 15 March). He told the Council that the human rights violations in West Papua needed urgent attention by the world community and the Solomon Islands remains concerned by arbitrary arrests, summary executions, tortures, ill treatments and limitations of freedom of expression committed by Indonesian security forces. He encouraged Indonesia to establish a dialogue with West Papuan representatives and highlighted the request made by the Pacific Island Forum to allow for a human rights fact-finding mission to be sent to West Papua.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister
The Solomon Star (14 March) also reported that the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said that while the MSG respects the sovereignty of Indonesia over West Papua, it will still vigorously pursue the reports of the violation of human rights in the country that is struggling for self-determination. Allegations of gruesome human rights abuses perpetrated by Indonesian armed forces on West Papuans have been widely reported, however, no concrete action has been taken to bring those responsible to justice. But MSG chairman and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the abuses were something they could not shy away from, even though they recognised that Indonesia had authority over West Papua.
"The matter of self-determination is a matter between the West Papuans and Indonesia to discuss,” Sogavare told the Fiji media during his visit there last week. “But when it comes to human rights violations, I think we can and we have a duty as members of the UN to express our views and concerns and we hope the President of Indonesia will respect that for the good of all. "All right thinking people of planet earth should be able to express concern when a race is persecuted for what they believe in for expressing their thinking and expressing how they want to organise themselves," Sogavare said. He said they continued to encourage the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to send an independent fact-finding mission made up of NGOs and churches to West Papua to find out more about the human rights violations.
Rex Horoi to be appointed Solomons’ West Papua envoy
Radio NZ International reported (22 March) that Former Solomon Islands diplomat Rex Horoi is expected to be appointed his country’s special envoy on West Papua at the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Solomons Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogovare, has intimated that Mr Horoi - the outgoing Director of the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific - will take up the post shortly. Mr Horoi will be responsible for ensuring MSG support for West Papua's inclusion in the United Nations Decolonisation list. Under a Solomon Islands plan designed last year, the country was to have appointed a special envoy to lobby Pacific island governments to support West Papua's inclusion on the list.
Support for West Papua raises concerns in Jakarta
The continuing support for West Papua by a number of countries in the Pacific has raised concerns in Jakarta. To counter the growing support Indonesia is considering strengthen its ties with South Pacific countries by appointing a special envoy to the region with a portfolio including West Papua. Indonesia sent a delegation to Fiji and PNG to strengthen bilateral relations with the countries in the South Pacific region. Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that Indonesia will be consistently present in the South Pacific by sending ministers to the 16 countries in the region. "To Prime Minister Josaia Bainimarama and foreign minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola I have conveyed that we will be consistently present in the region," he said during his visit to Fiji (Antara News 31 March).
Because of this growing support Indonesia’s Defence Minister also asked Australia to pass a message to Solomon Islands that it should refrain from interferring in the internal affairs of Indonesia, including the issue of West Papua.
Indonesian officials had made a number of trips to the pacific region offering various aid packages in an attempt to influence MSG leaders not to grant full membership to the ULMWP. Indonesia has also warned Melanesian leaders they risked undermining trade and unity if they get “hijacked” by the “negative propaganda” of the West Papua independence movement and that by elevating the ULMWP membership it would threaten regional stability. “The ULMWP’s continuing disruptive and destructive practices in the MSG process are dangerous for its unity and integrity,” says Sade Bimantara from Indonesia’s Embassy in Canberra.
Because of this growing support Indonesia’s Defence Minister also asked Australia to pass a message to Solomon Islands that it should refrain from interferring in the internal affairs of Indonesia, including the issue of West Papua.
International Parliamentarians for West Papua
An historic step on the road to freedom for West Papua was made in London today. At a meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua in the Houses of Parliament, (3 May) a new declaration was signed calling for an internationally supervised vote on the independence of West Papua. Delegates came from around the world to attend this historic meeting on West Papua’s future. The meeting was briefed by parliamentarians, lawyers and academics, all of whom discussed and affirmed the West Papuan people’s fundamental right to self-determination. The declaration reads as follows: We the undersigned Members of Parliament, being members of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua: I. Declare that continued human rights violations in West Papua are unacceptable. II. Warn that without international action the West Papuan people risk extinction. III. Reiterate the right of the people of West Papua to genuine self-determination. IV. Declare the 1969 ‘Act of Free Choice’ to be a gross violation of this principle. V. Call for an internationally supervised vote on self- determination in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 1514 and 1541 (XV). Palace of Westminster, London, the 3rd of May, 2016
Progress under Jokowi?
Joke Widodo (popularly known as Jokowi) became president in October 2014 and has been in power just 2 years. At first many people saw him as a man of the people. He was not one of the old guard and did not come from a military background. In an early interview with Fairfax Media he said in relation to West Papua (Article in SMH 19 Oct. 2014 titled ”Indonesia’s Joko Widodo focused on solving West Papua problems”, John Garnaut, Michael Bachelard).
“I want to give special attention to West Papua,” and “I think the most important thing is education, health care, and infrastructure,” “If we can deliver on these programs, I’m sure, the political tension will drop.”
So he was basically taking a development approach to solving Jakarta’s so called Papuan problem.
Some Papuans welcomed the election of Jokowi, He had visited there during his election campaign and they were hoping he would bring genuine change to west Papua. However, not everybody believed that the development approach would work. The Reverend Socratez Yoman, head of the Baptist church in Papua, said Mr Joko would fail unless he dealt directly with political concerns. “The core problem in West Papua is political,” he said. “ before you talk about economic development, the first part has to be to have genuine and peaceful dialogue.” (in SMH article, 19 Oct).)
Also, Father Neles Tebay, a Papuan activist priest said that in the two years since Widodo took office he has not brought any significant improvement in human rights.
“The president presented a new paradigm in dealing with Papua by using welfare and various infrastructure projects, such as the construction of rail, bridges and highways that cost trillions of rupiah,” he said. (UCA News 18 Oct. 2016)
The human rights group, The Setara Institute said in relation to West Papua (reported in the Jakarta Post 14 Oct. 2016)
Extract from article
the number of reported human rights abuses in Papua continues to increase. This has underscored Jokowi’s hesitancy to promote peace on the island, hurting Papuans who have put their faith in him, the human rights group Setara Institute said Thursday. Setara Institute data shows that 45 human rights abuse cases were reported in the first nine months of the year, ranging from murders and arrests of activists to torture carried out by Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) personnel. The number is a steep increase from the 16 rights abuse cases recorded last year. “Jokowi’s biggest failure is that he simply thinks improving Papua can be done through economic and infrastructure development. The problem in Papua is not only about prosperity but also the dignity of its people, which can be realized by treating them equally, not promoting violence,” Setara vice chairman Bonar Tigor Naipospos told a press briefing”.
Statements from a number of Jowiki’s government ministers also started to raise concern amongst West Papuans.
The new defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu was chief of staff at the time Theys Eluay was killed by Kopassus soldiers. Chief Theys Eluay was the chairperson of the Papuan Presidium Council and was killed by Kopassus soldiers in November 2001. At the time he praised the soldiers as heroes because the person they killed was a rebel leader. Theys Eluay was a bit like a Prime Minister to West Papuans and the low ranking soldiers who were tried for his murder received jail terms of just 2 and 3 years, showing yet again to the Papuan people that the military can act with impunity in West Papua and they will receive no justice under Indonesian rule.
Then the Minister for Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo said that West Papua could be divided into one or two more provinces and the Minister of Rural Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Marwan Jafar said he would consider encouraging more migration to West Papua. These statements show how little the situation in West Papua is understood by officials in Jakarta.
If Jokowi had hoped that the development approach would ease tensions, these statements by his ministers would only increase the tensions already in the territory, particularly the statement on transmigration. In the 2010 the population was basically divided 50/50, 50% Papuans and 50% migrants. But now West Papuans are becoming a minority and in fact this demographic shift is one of the major issues of concern that West Papuans have and could certainly make it more difficult for them to achieve Independence. When Johnny Blades of RNZI visited West Papua in 2015, he was told by the secretary general of the Papua Customary Council, Leo Imbiri, that every week up to four ships arrived in Papua with migrants. "One big ship can bring about one to three thousand people. So if one week, there are four big ships coming to Papua, it means in one week we have up to twelve thousand people come to Papua," he said (RNZ Insight Programme 11 August 2015).
But to a certain degree Jowiki did appear to respond to the concerns of West Papuans.
1) The Papuans had been calling on Jakarta for years on to Release all Political prisoners.
2) Open West Papua to journalists, NGOs and researchers
and
(3) To hold dialogue with West Papuans representatives about the future of the territory. International Human Rights organisations have also being urging Jakarta to respond along similar lines.
It should be remembered that since the Indonesian takeover of West Papua in 1963, it has been a closed province for much of the time with Jakarta been suspicious of anybody and in particularly of the media, academic researchers, or NGOs that wanted to visit or work in the territory.
In May 2015 Jowiki visited West Papua and did release 5 political prisoners and said foreign journalists were now free to enter West Papua. Now this seemed an encouraging move and received lots of media coverage. However, first thoughts in relation to Jowiki’s statement were,
1) Is this just an image making exercise or stunt? Because it should be remembered that at this time The Indonesian President was receiving international criticism because of his policy on the death penalty for drug offences.
2) Would his decisions be actually implemented? Jakarta’s or Jokiwis policies aren’t necessarily carried out by officials and security forces in West Papua unless it suits them
3) and if journalists were allowed in would official minders or BIN (intelligence) agents follow or control their movements.
Journalists seeking official permission to visit West Papua required 12 separate government agencies to sign-off on their applications. It was called the clearinghouse at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The agencies included the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and military intelligence. ‘The clearing house’ is now know as ‘a monitoring’ unit and has been renamed ‘Foreign Affairs Monitoring Team of Indonesia’ although its tasks and responsibilities remain the same, to monitor foreign journalists,”
Shortly after he made these statements a number of officials contradicted Jokiwi
The Indonesian Parliament’s Deputy Chairman Taufik Kurniawan has already suggested that President Jokowi should reconsider his policy to open access for foreign press in Papua. “I think it’d be better to reconsider because the issues in Papua which are currently are very sensitive could be easily politicized either its poverty or social aspects if there is no filter”. Indonesia’s Military Chief General Moeldoko said his institution was considering implementing a policy of having security personnel accompany foreign journalists in Papua to ensure their safety.
It is hard to imagine West Papuans discussing the human rights situation with journalists while the Indonesian security forces are in attendance. Also,
The country’s chief security minister, indicated nothing had changed in Jakarta’s stance, in allowing the foreign press to report from the region. “We’ll allow it, on condition that they report on what they see, not go around looking for facts that aren’t true from armed groups,” said Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, effectively ruling out any attempt by foreign journalists to contact OPM members and other separatist sympathizers. He added that journalists would also need permission from the authorities to report from the country’s mountainous hinterland — the heart of the insurgency. (Jakarta Globe10/5/15).
Even the executive director of the Indonesian news agency Antara. Saiful Hadi said that Indonesia should penalize journalists, including those from abroad, who broadcast biased and imbalanced news about Papua. "We should subject journalists to a strict penalty if they broadcast news on Papua that is based on fiction information and data,” so Jokiwi was appearing to be a bit of a one-man band in relation to west Papua.
In relation to the Politics prisoners
The men were granted clemency or a pardon. The prisoners were disappointed because they did not receive an amnesty. Later it came to light that some of the prisoners had been urged to sign a letter of request for pardon, something they personally were reluctant to do. To receive clemency or pardon, prisoners have to admit guilt before it is granted. A lot of Political Prisoners refused clemency as they refuse to admit any guilt in return for a release. Filep Karma one of the most well known political prisoner in West Papua had also refused clemency although he was released because of a sentence reduction for good behaviour.
In July this year ’Jokowi’ appointed a former New Order General, Wiranto who has been accused of human rights abuses in East Timor as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. In February 2003, the UN-backed Serious Crimes Unit (SCU) indicted Wiranto for his role in the security force violence surrounding Timor-Leste's 1999 UN-organized referendum on independence.
Transmigration
Jowiki also declared that the controversial transmigration program to Papua would be stopped, although the minister for transmigration, contradicted the President saying Papua Transmigration Will Continue. This has been pretty standard i.e. Jowiki would make a statement on what might seem to be a positive policy only to have it contradicted by officials later. Jowiki is still surrounded by hardliners and conservatives and while they remain in power it’s going to be difficult for jowiki to improve the lives of West Papuans
Dialogue
Papuan leaders want a dialogue with Jakarta. In an interview while he was in West Papua he was asked will you conduct a political dialogue with the people of Papua?
He replied: No more problems in Papua. What is dialogue for? I’ve often come here and talked with the customary leaders, religious leaders, regents, and the mayor as well. What is that mean? It’s a dialogue, isn’t it? So at this stage it would appear there is no real interest in Jakarta for dialogue with Papuans.
Fight for freedom: Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua spokesperson Surya Anta speaks to reporters at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) on Tuesday to declare the group’s support for Papuans to exercise the right to self-determination. (JP/Fachrul Sidiq) in Jakarta Post 29 Nov.
Security forces crackdown on peaceful rallies
If the image of resistance in West Papua in the past was of an OPM fighter in the jungle with a bow and arrow, now it’s of thousands of activists and students marching in the towns and cities, probably organised by the KNPB the West Papua National Committee although all aspects of civil society in West Papua have held, and are involved in the rallies.
The KNPB has been very successful in mobilising thousands of people in almost all regions of West Papua to come out and take part in rallies. The KNPB have been accused of been a militant group but they are totally committed to peaceful ways forward as are all aspects of society in West Papua including the OPM. The Papuan police chief said the KNPB should be banned but instead of blaming civil society organisations for alleged violent incidents he would be better of controlling his own security forces.
The success of the rallies organised by the KNPB has caused a bit of a backlash from anti-independence groups. In June a demonstration of mainly non-Papuans carrying Indonesian flags called for authorities to ban groups pushing for an independence referendum. Shades of East Timor?
A Papuan church leader warned of a new wave of militia units were being created by the security forces to counter the surge in Papuan civil resistance and in a Radio NZ report 6 June 2016, the President of the Fellowship of Baptist Churches in West Papua, the Reverend Socratez Yoman, said that the groups had been formed largely by non-Papuan settlers who claimed that West Papua no longer belongs to Papuans, but to Indonesia.
On the other hand in an encouraging development a new civil society group, The Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-West Papua), consisting of non-Papuan Indonesian activists and intellectuals, was established as a form of solidarity from non-Papuans regarding the constant oppression suffered by Papuan activists who have fought for independence. "There is no happiness for Papuans as long as they are part of Indonesia," the alliance’s spokesperson, Surya Anta, said in a press conference held at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) (Jakarta Post 29 November)
On the 5 April a number of activists were arrested including the chair of the KNPB Steven Itlay in Timika. It was reported they were beaten and kicked during the arrests. The Timika branch of the KNPB were simply holding a prayer meeting (“Prayers for the Papuan People’s recovery”) with local people from the area and also in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). The Jakarta Globe (6 April) reported that at least 12 activists from the KNPB, were detained. Mimika. Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yustanto said the protest was forcefully dispersed after the rally coordinator Steven Itlay gave a speech about Papua independence. A report from a local human rights activists said the Mimika police and soldiers from the District Military Command (including members of Densus 88) arrived in armoured vehicles and removed all KNPB material, flags, banners including the flags of the MSG countries.
Dissolution of worship Papuans committed by the joint military and police in Timika, on Tuesday (05/04/2016) - Doc. KNPB.
Photo from http://www.wenaskobogau.com/2016/04/9-aktivis-knpb-timika-di-tangkap-aparat.html
Surapapua.com reported the arrest of up to 40 KNPB activists in Jayapura on Friday 29 April. The activists were arrested simply because they were handing out leaflets informing people of a rally to be held on the 2nd May. The purpose of the rally on the 2 May was commemorate and protest the tragic betrayal of West Papua by the international community when West Papua was handed over by United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) to Indonesian administration on the 1st of May 1963, 53 years ago. The KNPB also called on people to show support for the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua in London.
On the 2 May up to 2000 people were arrested including KNPB members, student activists and pro independence supporters at rallies held throughout West Papua. Local media Jubi reported (3 May) that activists were detained in Jayapura, Sentani, Merauke, Manokwari, Timika and Sorong. The rallies were called to show support for the bid by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and to support the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) who were meeting at the Houses of Parliament in London to discuss the issue. Although the majority of activists were eventually released, during the arrests in Jayapura a large number of activists were taken to the Mobile brigade (BRIMOB) headquarters and made to remove their shirts and were put in a field in the extremely hot midday sun. Seven activists were also tortured. Jubi reported (article 6 May) that the torture against the seven activists took place in a special detention room named Karel Satsuitubun in the police headquarters.
Demonstrators supporting the Liberation of West Papua were dried in the field Mako Brimob Papua Police, Monday (02/05/2016) - Jubi.
KNPB peaceful demonstrations supporting IPWP meeting, Monday (02/05/2016) - Jubi
500 people were arrested in the days leading up to and on the 31 May. According to the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), more than 300 Papuans were arrested after the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) organized rallies on Tuesday the 31 May calling for the release of political prisoners and to show support for the ULMWP to be granted full membership at the MSG. The activists were also calling on the leaders of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP) who were meeting in PNG for the 8th Summit of the ACP to support the right of the people of West Papua to self-determination. The intimidation of KNPB activists started on Saturday when 50 were arrested in Sentani and Jayapura. Although they were released the mobile phones of a number of activists were confiscated. On Monday 30 May local media (Jubi) reported three members of KNPB in Yahukimo and 21 people in Wamena were arrested for distributing leaflets about the rallies to be held on the 31 May.
A photo posted by Victor Yeimo on Facebook
On the 10 June approximately 30 KNPB activists were arrested in Jayapura. Those arrested were simply handing out leaflets informing the public about an upcoming rally to be held on the 15 June. The Director of Manokwari LP3BH Yan Christian Warinussy protested the arrests, "The deeds of the Jayapura police chief clearly violates the principles of respect for human rights set out in the Criminal Procedure Code and Law No. 39 of 1999 on Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which has been ratified by the Government of Indonesia," he said. (Jubi 13 June).
On the 13 June another 65 KNPB and student activists were arrested in Sentani and 4 in Nabire, again simply for distributing leaflets about the rally to be held on 15 June. They were released in the afternoon after being held for several hours by the police.
On the 15 June a large number of rallies took place with over 1000 people being detained. It was also reported that over 700 security force personal were brought in to control the demonstrators. The rally was to oppose the Human Rights Investigation Team set up by the Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs. The protesters were also calling for an internationally monitored referendum for independence.
Photo in Jakarta Globe. 16 June http://www.jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/spanish-man-among-hundreds-detained-free-west-papua-rally/
The West Papua National Committee called for a national action to be held over two days on the 13th and 14th July in West Papua. The action was to celebrate the meeting in Honiara in the Solomon Islands of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders to consider the application of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for full membership at the MSG. The activities were to take the form of a peaceful demonstration, prayer and feasting to show support for the ULMWP’s application. Hundreds of activists were arrested leading up to and on the days of action to support the ULMWP’s application at the MSG.
Photos from
The Jakarta Post also reported (July 15 2016) that Police officers surrounded Papuan students in their dormitory in Yogyakarta to prevent them from attending an event organized by the People’s Union for West Papua Freedom (PRPPB). Police officers secured the dormitory on Jl. Kusumanegara on Friday from morning to evening and arrested seven of the students. The PRPPB event was in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s (ULMWP) bid to become a full member of the Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG)
Over 50 KNPB activists were arrested leading up to the commemoration of the New York Agreement on the 15 August. The activists were arrested simply because they were handing out leaflets informing people of the peaceful rallies to be held on the 15th to commemorate this tragic event.
In Jayapura hundreds attended a rally organized by the KNPB. A report in the Jakarta post said about 100 KNPB supporters were rounded up in a police truck but later released although subjected to some violence while in the truck. During the rally a number of food stalls and tyres were burned and although the security forces blamed the KNPB the KNPB denied their involvement.
The Yakuhimo Police arrested 21 members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) as they distributed leaflets about a peaceful rally to be held on Monday the 19 September. 8 activists were arrested first, followed by another 13 when over 200 people protested outside the local police station at the arrests. One protestor was taken to hospital after been hit by a police officer. Jubi reported that the protestor said he was beaten after an unknown person threw stones at the police station. Chairman of the KNPB Victor Yeimo said the rally on Monday was to show support for the Pacific countries who are members of the Pacific Islands Coalition on West Papua (PICWP) who will be raising West Papua at the UN General Assembly.
On the 19 September thousands of activists took part in rallies in West Papua. The rallies were in order to support the raising of the West Papua issue by the Pacific Islands Coalitions for West Papua (PICWP) at the UN General Assembly. The KNPB reported that 75 activists were arrested leading up to and during the rallies.
One of the peace rallies in support of the Pacific Coalition on West Papua representation at the UN General Assembly. Monday 19 September 2016 Photo: Supplied/ Whens Tebay (In RNZI report, 21 September 2016)
Pacific leaders raise West Papua at UN
Seven Pacific leaders raised the issue of West Papua at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2016 . The Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu all raised concerns about the human rights situation in West Papua.
Indonesian police turn water canons on protestors who were mostly university students from Free Papua Organization and the Papua Student Alliance in Jakarta on December 1, 2016. Photo: Supplied (RNZI 2 Dec.)
In Sorong on the 19 November a total of 106 activists of the West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) were arrested by the police as they celebrated the eight anniversary of their founding of the KNPB. The KNPB said the police took those arrested to Sorong Police office for questioning. Later, they released 99 people and detained the other seven. The Sorong Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Edfrie Maith said the seven were detained for 24 hours for questioning and then released but they had to report daily to the police.
On the 26 November, 14 activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) were arrested in Manokwari for handing out leaflets about an upcoming rally to be held on the 1st December.
RNZI reported (2nd December) that Police arrested over two hundred people in Jakarta yesterday for participating in a rally to mark the West Papuan nationalist day, 1st December.A public interest lawyer who was present, Veronica Koman, said police subsequently released those arrested, without charge, a few hours later. But she said the arrests follow the pattern seen in the large demonstrations across Papua region in May and June, where authorities violate citizens' right to freedom of expression.
There were a number of gatherings in In West Papua itself. In Wamena up to 3000 people gathered for a large prayer event at the Traditional Council headquarters (RNZI 2 Dec.) At an event in Jayapura hundreds of people signed a petition in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua with its growing representative role in the Pacific region.
Jubi reported that 17 members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) were arrested for acts of graffiti painting slogans campaigning for Papuan independence.
In Jubi 9 December
Thousands of people held rallies in West Papua for Human Rights day on the 10 December. RNZI reported (12 Dec.) that at least 6000 West Papuans demonstrated in the Papuan Highlands town of Wamena.
On Friday the 16 December four members were arrested at the Police station when they went to inform the police of a planned peaceful demonstration to be held on the 19 December. Two other members were arrested when the security forces raided the home of resident Zadrak Kudiai. The planned rally on the 19 is to show support for West Papua becoming a full member of the MSG but also to remember that on the 19 December 1961, the then President Sukarno issued the “People’s Triple Command” (Trikora) calling for what he termed the liberation of Dutch New Guinea but in fact was the call to invade Dutch New Guinea. Jubi reported that on the 19 December a combined force of police and military arrested at least 405 people in Jayapura, Nabire, Merauke and Wamena.