2) Papua Police Secure Timika against Armed Criminals
TEMPO.CO, Timika - Papua Police Chief Insp. General Boy Rafli Amar said they are expanding security measures against the movement of armed criminal groups to Timika City.
The police made the decision following gun contacts between armed criminal groups and the police in the mountainous area of Tembagapura district, Mimika, Papua.
Boy said in Timika on Tuesday that the armed criminals are a threat to the public. The police, he added, will consistently seek ways to fight them to prevent more people from becoming victims.
He said the police will prioritize detection efforts and remain on standby in dealing with security situations in in both the mountain and urban areas.
According to Boy, police officers deployed to the zones are members of the task force assigned to secure national vital object (Satgas Amole), stationed near the area of Freeport Indonesia. Members who are in the city are also trained to anticipate situations and conditions that may occur.
The inspector hopes that the police will be given ample time to enforce law against the armed criminals who have disturbed public order and security in Papua.
ANTARA
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3) EDITORIAL: Blundering US diplomacy
Jakarta | Tue, October 24, 2017 | 07:58 am
By any standard, the abruptly canceled trip of Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo to the United States on Saturday is a diplomatic scandal, even though American officials may rush to convince us of unintentional mistakes.
The commander and his wife had US visas and an invitation from the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, to participate in the Chiefs of Defense Conference on Countering Violent Extremist Organizations from Monday to Tuesday. However, when Gatot was already at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, an official from Dubai-based carrier Emirates told him that the US Customs and Border Protection Agency had barred him and his delegation from boarding the US-bound flight.
The incident is an insult not only to Gatot and the TNI, but also to the commander-in-chief, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Therefore, a written apology from the US Embassy to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi “for any inconvenience to General Gatot” reflects outstanding ignorance of the gravity of the incident.
Unlike a few former officers accused of human rights abuses, Gatot had no problem traveling to the US earlier. Worse still, notification of the US denial of his entry came from an airline official, who naturally could not explain the reason for the TNI chief being barred from US territory.
Such carelessness of the US government may result in fallout in bilateral defense and military ties. Close relations between high-ranking officials may help control the damage ahead of a possible visit by US President Donald Trump to Indonesia in the near future — but still leave us agog at how the world’s biggest power could be so reckless.
Further, the absence of Gen. Gatot at the talks on countering violent extremism is unfortunate as Indonesia leads in this issue. Our citizens continue to face terrorist threats, leading to the necessary build-up of skills and international cooperation networks, apart from facing challenges in spreading awareness to counter the threat, and the constant resistance faced on the ground by antiterrorism forces under the National Police.
Jakarta-Washington military-to-military ties have been improving, though they have yet to return to the level of the Soeharto years. Indonesia has long ended its dependence on the US for defense purposes and has diversified its shopping sources for military equipment since bilateral military ties were severed following the November 1991 shootings in Dili, former East Timor.
We are no fawning fans of our military, which still has many problems constraining its professionalism, including accountability for human rights abuses. We are also aware of criticism from the US government and Congress regarding measures seen as undeserved concessions to the TNI amid continued reports of violence against civilians, such as in Papua.
Indonesia, nevertheless, hopes to increase cooperation with the US,including in counterterrorism and maritime security. At least we expect respect for our leaders, aside from a coherent policy, from the US government.
The commander and his wife had US visas and an invitation from the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, to participate in the Chiefs of Defense Conference on Countering Violent Extremist Organizations from Monday to Tuesday. However, when Gatot was already at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, an official from Dubai-based carrier Emirates told him that the US Customs and Border Protection Agency had barred him and his delegation from boarding the US-bound flight.
The incident is an insult not only to Gatot and the TNI, but also to the commander-in-chief, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Therefore, a written apology from the US Embassy to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi “for any inconvenience to General Gatot” reflects outstanding ignorance of the gravity of the incident.
Unlike a few former officers accused of human rights abuses, Gatot had no problem traveling to the US earlier. Worse still, notification of the US denial of his entry came from an airline official, who naturally could not explain the reason for the TNI chief being barred from US territory.
Such carelessness of the US government may result in fallout in bilateral defense and military ties. Close relations between high-ranking officials may help control the damage ahead of a possible visit by US President Donald Trump to Indonesia in the near future — but still leave us agog at how the world’s biggest power could be so reckless.
Further, the absence of Gen. Gatot at the talks on countering violent extremism is unfortunate as Indonesia leads in this issue. Our citizens continue to face terrorist threats, leading to the necessary build-up of skills and international cooperation networks, apart from facing challenges in spreading awareness to counter the threat, and the constant resistance faced on the ground by antiterrorism forces under the National Police.
Jakarta-Washington military-to-military ties have been improving, though they have yet to return to the level of the Soeharto years. Indonesia has long ended its dependence on the US for defense purposes and has diversified its shopping sources for military equipment since bilateral military ties were severed following the November 1991 shootings in Dili, former East Timor.
We are no fawning fans of our military, which still has many problems constraining its professionalism, including accountability for human rights abuses. We are also aware of criticism from the US government and Congress regarding measures seen as undeserved concessions to the TNI amid continued reports of violence against civilians, such as in Papua.
Indonesia, nevertheless, hopes to increase cooperation with the US,including in counterterrorism and maritime security. At least we expect respect for our leaders, aside from a coherent policy, from the US government.
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4) Grasberg mine divestment could fuel Papua violence
An academic says recent violence near Papua's Grasberg gold mine could be connected to plans to divest half of the American-owned operation to Indonesian entities.
One police officer was killed and two others were injured while hunting for gunmen who shot at mine workers on Saturday.
The Grasberg mine has been the scene of violence for decades and the police have blamed the weekend's shootings on a group called the KKB.
Anthropology professor Eben Kirksey said previous agitators had been military-backed separatist militia trying to destabilise police protection of the mine.
He said with the mine's divestment in prospect, the KKB could be hoping to rebalance financial inequity in the Papua province.
"This province ranks the lowest on the UN Human Development Index out of all the Indonesian provinces, yet it has this Freeport gold mine as well as a BP natural gas deposit which places it at the top of revenue generating provinces.
"So I think that inequity is in part what fuels this conflict and I think until that inequity, in terms of distributing the proceeds from this mine, is resolved I think this is going to be an ongoing conflict."
In August, Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US mining giant Feeport-McMoRan, agreed to divest a 51 per cent stake in the mine in exchange for the extension of its mining contract.
Professor Kirksey called for human rights monitors to probe the violence.
"The ownership of the mine is at stake. You have the Indonesian government and Freeport the company fighting over what sort of stakes the different groups will have. I think what we need is very serious independent human rights monitors on the ground.
"Given how high stakes this gold mine is, it's the largest gold mine in the world, you would think there would be openness and transparency to having international investigators there as well."
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5) ONE BRIMOB KILLED IN A FIREFIGHT AT FREEPORT AREA
Oct 24, 2017
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Provincial Police has confirmed the death of a Brimob member following a shoot-out with armed groups in Tembagapura, Mimika District. The armed group is presumably led by Sabinus Waker.
Through the press release issued by the Public Relations Division of Papua Police, Sunday (October 22) which said the shoot occurred at around 16.00 WP near Utikini Bridge.
“On Sunday 22 October 2017 at around 16.00, members of Brimob Den B Timika pursued an armed group of Sabinus Waker. But at the time of the pursuit, members of Brimob Den B Timika back in armed contact with Sabinus waker group in Utikini Bridge area Tembagapura,” said in the release received by Jubi, Sunday (October 22).
One member of Brimob Den B Timika, Brigadier Berry Pramana Putra had suffered gunshot wounds and died at the scene of the shoot-out. Berry’s body was evacuated from the crime scene to PT. Freeport Tembagapura.
A day earlier, there was a shoot-out between Brimob Polda Papua personnel led by Ipda Taufik with the same armed group in Mount Sangker Kalibua Kampung Utikini in Tembagapura.
In the shooting contact, two personnels of Brimob Den B Timika suffered gunshot wounds, namely Brigpol Mufadol of Brimob Unit Den B Timika and Barada Alwin of Brimob Team Den B Timika. Both victims have been evacuated and have received medical treatment at PT. Freeport Tembagapura.
Quoted by tempo.co, Head of Sub Directorate of Public Information for Public Police of Papua, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Suryadi Diaz, said that there is a group of Papuans who are not happy with the Freeport project.
“They are indeed anti Freeport,” Suryadi said.
Suryadi also said the shooting that occurred at Mile Point 67.5 Tembagapura was a bluff or terror.
“The Brigadier Mobil Corps (Brimob) suspect that way,” Suryadi said.
He also said the two events were allegedly linked, as there were indications of the similarities of the perpetrators with the shootings that struck two Brimobs. (tabloidjubi.com/Zely)
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6) 12 VILLAGES INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ACTUALLY LIVE IN WASUR NATIONAL PARK
Oct 24, 2017
Merauke, Jubi – The community of 12 villages who are mostly indigenous Papuans (OAP) live and settle in the Wasur National Park (TN), Merauke Regency. They have been doing various activities every day to support their families.
This was conveyed by the Head of Wasur Merauke National Park, Donald Hutasoit, to Jubi in his office on Thursday (October 19).
The villages inhabited by OAP in Wasur TN include Yanggandur, Rawa Biru, Kuler, Onggaya and Kondo. It is said, the community is still given attention on a regular basis. Not only to visiting them for dialogue, also given assistance in the form of nets and livestock.
“What we give is according to their request,” said Donald Hutasoit.
In every meeting, he said, the public is given an appeal to not keep on doing poaching, because their activity will reduce the population of animals being hunted in Wasur TN area.
“With the help of livestock that we give, people dependence on forests will be reduced from year to year,” he said.
Especially regarding land clearing, according to Hutasoit, there is actually a zone of traditional utilization. However, before it is opened, it should be checked first.
“There is a special zone given to the community in Wasur TN area to open the land,” he said.
Merauke District People’s Legislative Council (DPRD) member Moses Kaibu asked to give special attention to the local community.
“If there is a request for assistance as needed, it should be served well. It is with the aim that they also take care of and protect the forests that enter the Wasur TN area,” he pleaded.(tabloidjubi.com/Zely)
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