Quantcast
Channel: AWPA Sydney
Viewing all 5296 articles
Browse latest View live

1) Editorial: In Freeport Permit Extension, Hard Questions Emerge

June 11, 2015, 1:51 pm
$
0
0

2) Indonesian President Joko Widodo looks to open up neglected Papua region

3) Sato Kilman appointed Vanuatu PM after Natuman ousted
4) Observers Urge Caution on Planned Freeport Permit Scheme
5) Gov't to Extend Freeport License Beyond 2021  
6) Mobile Brigade Headquarter Was Suspended Due to Obscurity of Land Handover
7) Abepura Prison Runs Rp 638 Million Debts for Prisoners’ Meal Cost
8) More Foreign Workers in Mimika
9) Papua-Sandaun Seek to Improve Social-Cultural Cooperation

10) Bank Papua to Launch Micro Loan Program for Women

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

http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-freeport-permit-extension-hard-questions-emerge/

1) Editorial: In Freeport Permit Extension, Hard Questions Emerge

With Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, agreeing to work under a Special Mining Business Permit, or IUPK, from its current Contract of Work, or KK, the government is set to grant the company a new 20-year permit to continue its operations in Papua.
Under the new arrangement, the miner can renew its permit twice more, for 10 years each time, allowing it to operate in the country’s easternmost province through 2055.
For Freeport, this is great news; it heralds a rare moment of legal certainty.
But Freeport’s KK was due to expire in 2021 and it was only due to request an extension in 2019. That poses big questions: Why the rush to extend four years ahead of time? And why change the nature of the contract itself?
The government is obliged to answer these questions, which have given rise to speculation about all kinds of suspicious dealings.
We have reason to believe that the change of arrangement is just a form of legal manipulation to secure an early extension, in which the current ruling elites pushed for the extension before President Joko Widodo’s term in office ends in 2019.
From that we can conclude with almost near certainty that these elites — be they members of the president’s inner circle or of the ruling coalition — are receiving financial benefits from the extension.
This benefit, if indeed it exists, comes at the expense of state revenue: Under the IUPK, Freeport’s tax rate goes down to 25 percent from the current 45 percent under the KK.
We warn the elites to think about future generations and the harmful consequences that this scheming will have on countless innocents. One day, you will be in their place.



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

2) Indonesian President Joko Widodo looks to open up neglected Papua region

Randy Fabi and Kanupriya Kapoo



Jakarta: Indonesian President Joko Widodo wants to open up the remote and impoverished region of Papua after decades of conflict and neglect, but will first need the backing of the military, parliament and separatists.
Palace officials said the president plans to free dozens of political prisoners, launch a slew of infrastructure projects, and confront the serious unemployment problem in the easternmost province of the Indonesian archipelago.
Papuan women wave the Indonesian flag during the visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Photo: AFP

"The new approach will be more humane, with the aim of developing Papua more fairly," Mualimin Abdi, director of human rights for the justice ministry, told Reuters.
A small separatist movement has kept Papua under the close supervision of the military, more than 50 years after Indonesia seized control of the resource-rich area following the end of Dutch colonial rule.
Despite an abundance of forests and minerals, ordinary Papuans have seen little benefit with their schools, hospitals and infrastructure in dire straits due to rampant corruption.
Freed Papuan political prisoner Kimanus Wenda is hugged by a supporter. Photo: AFP
Mr Widodo has made developing Papua one of his top priorities and has already visited the region twice as president, announcing plans for a region-wide road network, fibre optic cable system, sport facilities and a major deep sea port.
Mr Widodo's predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, only visited Papua three times during his 10-year tenure.
Heralding a new era for peace and development, Mr Widodo last month released five political prisoners and lifted travel restrictions for foreign journalists in Papua.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo (right) attends a ceremony to grant five political prisoners clemency at a prison in Jayapura, Papua province. Photo: Antara
But in a clear indication of the difficult road ahead for the president, military chief Moeldoko quickly revised the president's statement saying foreign journalists would still need special permits to travel there because of security concerns.
"Opening up to the media and what we are doing with the political prisoners are all aimed at eventually reducing the role of the military in Papua," Eko Sulistyo, a member of the presidential office, told Reuters.
"It has to be done gradually."
The president wants to free more political prisoners and plans to ask for approval from parliament, where Mr Widodo's party only controls a minority coalition.
Army spokesman Wuryanto said "there has to be considerations before freeing the prisoners," but did not elaborate.
The president is also considering halting transmigration policies and introducing affirmative action for hiring indigenous Papuans in local government, which is currently dominated by migrants from Java and Sulawesi islands.
"If the approach is wrong, it's a fine line between wanting to be part of Indonesia and becoming a freedom fighter," Mr Sulistyo said.
Reuters

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Sato Kilman appointed Vanuatu PM after Natuman ousted
Updated at 8:58 pm on 11 June 2015

Vanuatu has a new Prime Minister after Joe Natuman was ousted in a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
Sato Kilman, who was last week ousted as foreign minister, has been appointed as the new Prime Minister, beating opposition MP Ham Lini by three votes in Parliament.
The no confidence motion, which was filed by the opposition last week, was carried by 27 votes for and 25 against.
It was supported by three government MPs, including one minister, who crossed the floor giving the opposition the 27 votes needed to pass.
Our correspondent in Port Vila says the main reasons for ousting Mr Natuman was the suspension of 19 opposition MPs from Parliament last year and controversy surrounding the distribution of aid after Cyclone Pam, which destroyed much of the country in March.
Today's change is the 9th change of Prime Minister in Vanuatu in seven years, with no confidence motions being a regular feature in the country's politics.

--------------------------------------------------------------
4) Observers Urge Caution on Planned Freeport Permit Scheme
Jakarta. As the government continues its negotiations with Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, and there are reports that the company will likely have its operating permit in Papua extended for another 20 years, observers are urging caution.
An official with Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said on Wednesday, after a two-hour meeting between Freeport Indonesia executives and ministry officials in Jakarta, that the miner agreed to work under a Special Mining Business Permit (IUPK), to replace its current “contract of work,” which is due to expire in 2021.
The IUPK will give the Indonesian government leverage over Freeport, unlike in the case with the contract of work, which means the two sides are on an equal footing, ministry spokesman Dadan Kusdiana said.
The old contract has long sparked nationalist sentiment, and resistance against Freeport’s Papua operations, among Indonesians who say the country did not receive a large enough piece of the pie.
“The ‘contract of work’ is based on equality between the state and the investor, but the special mining permit puts [the state in a] stronger [position] because the state can revoke the permit any time,” Dadan told a press conference.
With Freeport agreeing to work under an IUPK, the government is willing to extend its operating permit, although a final word on this is pending approval from President Joko Widodo, he added.
People’s aspirations
University of Indonesia (UI) law professor Hikmahanto Juwana is among those who were quick to urge caution in the ongoing negotiations. He said that despite the government’s claims of IUPK advantages, there were several issues that needed to be watched closely.
“Is this change of [contract] not a form of legal manipulation by Freeport to secure an early extension [on its operating permit]?” Hikmahanto asked, in a written statement.
He said based on prevailing regulations, the miner should only be able to request an extension to its working permit in 2019, two years prior to the expiry date of its current contract.
“But President Jokowi’s term in office will end by [that time]. In that situation, the president cannot make strategic decisions,” Hikmahanto said, referring to Joko with his popular nickname.
He added Joko and other government officials involved in the process might be facing charges if they sign deals they are not legally authorized to make.
Pointing out the far-reaching consequences, Hikmahanto said that if Freeport secured the IUPK this year, it would be able to continue its operations in Papua through 2035, and then get another 20-year extension until 2055.
He said that would be against the aspirations of the majority of the Indonesian people, who wanted the government to take over mining operations from foreign companies once their contracts expired.
State as majority shareholder
Marwan Batubara, the executive director of the Indonesian Resources Studies (Iress) think-tank, similarly warned both Freeport and the government of the possibility of legal violations as part of the mining giant’s attempt to have its permit extended before the due date in 2019.
The head of the energy think-tank said he understood Freeport’s need to ensure the economic feasibility of its planned investments in Indonesia — which included $15 billion for underground mining activities and $2.3 billion for the construction of a smelter in Gresik, East Java.
“If it has a contract lasting only for another six years, it won’t be economically feasible for them,” Marwan said. “They do need certainty.”
He warned, though, that regulations remained regulations and that these must be obeyed, suggesting that the president revise them by issuing a government regulation in lieu of law to accommodate Freeport’s needs without breaching any law.
Marwan also argued that in exchange for “loosening” the regulations, any new contracts must guarantee reasonable advantages for the people of Indonesia. One way to do this, he said, was by requiring Freeport to divest its shares to the Indonesian government and making the latter the majority shareholder.
Currently, the Indonesian government holds only a 9.36-percent stake in the miner, with Freeport-McMoran controlling the rest.
Under a 2014 government regulation on mining, Freeport Indonesia is required to divest 30 percent of its shares to Indonesian entities, with the government being the priority, by 2019. Freeport earlier this year announced it would divest 10 percent of its shares before October.
Legal revisions are also needed if the government plans to grant Freeport an IUPK, with current regulations stating the special permit is only meant for companies exploiting a maximum of 25,000 hectares of mines, Marwan said.
“Freeport, though, currently controls at least 125,000 hectares of mines in Papua,” he said. “The divestment should therefore include a clause where the government takes over 100,000 hectares, or at least 75,000 hectares of the mining areas to boost profits [for Indonesia].”
‘Sufficient leverage’
Several lawmakers welcomed the planned new framework, saying they were confident it would give the government sufficient leverage over Freeport.
“We think the state’s sovereignty will be more apparent with the [IUPK], compared with contracts of work,” said Satya W. Yudha of the Golkar Party.
“We appreciate the developments in the negotiations between the government and Freeport, with Freeport recently willing to change its contract before the expiry date,” Satya said. “That means Freeport is still committed to investing in Indonesia”
Another lawmaker, Kurtubi of the National Democratic (Nasdem) Party, said he also considered the IUPK option progress, although he admitted there were still some flaws, citing production cost calculations as an example.
“How much a mining business spends under an IUPK or contract of work [is unclear], the state doesn’t have that information. It doesn’t know — there is no control [over actual spending],” said Kurtubi, who was an independent energy observer before he was elected to the House of Representatives last year.
“There may be unusual costs which can reduce state revenues,” he added.
Ministry spokesman Dadan on Wednesday said it was still unclear when the IUPK would be granted and when it would take effect. But he added that the ministry and Freeport were aiming to finish all contract amendments before the end of July, based on a previously agreed memorandum of understanding between the two parties.
“The ministry has been looking for a solution so that Freeport’s operations can continue without violating any regulations,” Dadan said.
---------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY, 11 JUNE, 2015 | 20:28 WIB
5) Gov't to Extend Freeport License Beyond 2021  
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is planning to extend Freeport Indonesia's licence to operate in Papua for another 20 years. The Head of Public Relations for the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dadan Kusdiana, said that the final say will depend on whether Freeport manages to change its' working contract (KK) into a special mining license (IUPK) before its' original contract expires in 2021.
"By turning the KK into an IUPK, Freeport could extend their operations by 20 years," said Dadan, who explained the details of the meeting between the Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, Sudirman Said, and Freeport Indonesia on June 10, 2015.
Dadan added that should Freeport's request for an IUPK is granted, then it would be allowed to operate in Papua until 2035.
It is known that the meeting was attended by Freeport McMoran's Chairman of the Board, James R Moffett, as well as Freeport Indonesia's Executive Director, Maroef Syamsuddin.
According to Dadan, the decision to allow Freeport to operate beyond 2021 was reached because the company requires some degree of certainty before it manages to invest in Indonesia.
It is also known that Freeport plans to invest US$17,3 billion - consisting of US$15 billion for the development of underground mines and infrastructure, and another US$2,3 billion for the construction of smelters. Freeport wants to operate beyond 2021 because its' could only expect a return of investment long after 2021.
Dadan explained that the acceleration of the permit conversion is a legal breakthrough that does not violate the terms set out in Law No. 4/2009 on Coal and Mineral Extraction, which said that the extension of permits could be submitted two years before the original contract expires.
According to Dadan, clause 169b of the law said that all KK will have to be converted into IUPK. By taking these clauses into consideration, Freeport could apply for an extension in 2019.
Maroef Syamsuddin said that it is important for companies to have assurances and certainty to their operations. "This really is a breakthrough. Now that we know for certain, we won't hesitate to invest," he said, before adding that Freeport will always adhere to the law in its' operations.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Mobile Brigade Headquarter Was Suspended Due to Obscurity of Land Handover
Wamena, Jubi – Papua Police Chief Inspector General Yotje Mende said the plan to build the Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Jayawijaya Regency should be temporarily suspended since the regional government has not gave a clue of location.
“Currently it has not been a deal yet about the location, I expect the regent could give clarification about this matter. About the construction, we will see. If the location was ready, we will propose to build it at least in the next year,” the chief told reporters in Wamena after the visit to Tiom, Lanny Jaya on Tuesday (9/6/2015).
He admitted the headquarters that previously planned to be built within this year could not be implemented due to location. “After visiting Wamena, I found the location is not clear yet. As recipient, I just wait confirmation from the regent and local parliament. So, I just wait because this grant is part of goods provided to us from the local officials,” he added.
Papua Police Chief admitted so far the police are still waiting the land handover from the local government and the construction could be started after the handover. “Thus, the construction of Mobile Brigade Headquarters has not been clear yet and we are still waiting about the location. We are ready to build after everything related to the land was clear,” he said. (Islami/rom)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) Abepura Prison Runs Rp 638 Million Debts for Prisoners’ Meal Cost
Jayapura, Jubi – Abepura Prison Authority of Jayapura Municipality said they still owe Rp 638 million in catering expenses to third parties since 2014.
“In fact, the increasing number of prisoners would impact to increasing of the meal cost. We still owe Rp 349 million to third party for meal cost in 2014,” the head of Abepura Prison Bagus Kurniawan said.
The previous debt in 2013 amounted Rp 348 million just paid in 2015. I have the information said the debt in 2014 could not yet settled in 2015 or 2016,” Bagus said on Tuesday (9/6/2015).
He urged the police to be more selective in handling criminal cases. If not, it could be a burden for prison authority in term of meal cost and prisoners.
“We expect the police could be more selective on light cases. Hold the process of named suspect because it would be a burden for prison authority in term of meal cost. For example, for the case of street fighting, it would better to resolve it though informal and kinship bonding. Do not take it to the court, because the prison has limitation in budget,” he said.
Meanwhile, the member of Commission I of Papua Legislative Council for Politic, Government, Legal and Human Right Affairs, H. Syamsunar Rasyid said the police must be smart in dealing with different cases. He said if the case was only the light violation, it could be informally resolved instead of taking to the court.
“The law obviously must be enforced, but for the light cases, I think it could be tolerated. Do not let it be a burden for prisons, such as Abepura Prison that until now still have debts for meal cost for the prisoners,” said Rasyid. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)


--------------------------------------------------------------
8) More Foreign Workers in Mimika
Jayapura, Jubi – Department of Labor and Population (Disnakerduk) Papua Province recorded as many as 519 foreign workers in Mimika, making them the majority of 857 foreigners who work in Papua.
The head of Training and Employment division, Rano said in Jayapura on Tuesday (9/6/2015) about 49 foreign workers from United States (USA) hold Temporary Residence Permits.
“Besides in Mimika, foreign workers are also working in Merauke, Biak Numfor, Jayapura, Nabire and Jayawijaya,” he said.
Rano explained the 857 foreign workers include those from USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, the Netherlands and China.
“Foreign workers who work in Biak Numfor are 22 people, 66 people in Merauke, 208 people in, 31 people in Nabire and 11 people in Jayawijaya,” Rano.added.
Previously, head of Department of Labor and Population Papua, Yan Piet Rawar said it would interlace cooperation with the Department of Revenue (Revenue) Papua to work on local regulations on taxes for foreign workers who work in Papua.
“We’re working on that rule, where a tax for foreigners will be adjusted to the field work,” Rawar said.
He explained, an expatriate will be taxed if he works in mining and certain educational fields. “While working in the social field will not be taxed,” he added. (Munir/ Tina)
-------------------------------------------------
9) Papua-Sandaun Seek to Improve Social-Cultural Cooperation
Jayapura, Jubi – To strengthen cooperation in socio– cultural fields with Sandaun Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Papua provincial government held a training program particularly in the field of carpentry and cosmetology.
Assistant Public Affairs Regional Secretariat Rosina Upessy said the training skills in carpentry and cosmetology were attended by 20 young men and women from both countries.
“The 20 participants consists of 10 from Papua and 10 from Sandaun Province, PNG,” she said in Jayapura on Monday (8/6/2015).
She further explained that the aim of training is also to strengthen cooperation between the Governments of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
“I hope this training can make an impact on social life, culture and economy in border communities, especially for young men and women,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Consul General of PNG to Jayapura Aria said the vocational training between the two countries is also to promote their respective areas.
“With this training, the people of PNG can also learn about the culture so that they can get to know more about the culture of Indonesia, especially Papua,” he added. (*/ Tina)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
10) Bank Papua to Launch Micro Loan Program for Women
Timika, Jubi – Papua Bank will launch a loan program to support Micro Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which will be devoted to women.
“The program is ready to launch in the near future,” chairman of Bank Papua Branch in Timika Papua, Bertha affar said on Monday (8/6/2015).
She explained that woman entrepreneurs will get loan from Rp. 500 thousand to Rp.50 million each without any collaterals.
“We’ll give credit to the women of SMEs and it does not require collaterals, as long as they have a business,” she said.
Bertha said the interest rate that will be charged by the Bank of Papua to SMEs will be notified at the launch later.
“Again I want to emphasize that this loan is given only to women’ entrepreneurs of SMEs. Of course, I would invite all media to attend the launch,” she added.
One of the women entrepreneurs in Timika, Yenny, said she is very pleased with this program and hoped to be realized well.
“There must be consequences in a program ,but the more important is how banks can help the people of Papua to help people, “he said. (Eveerth/ Tina)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
↧
Search
↧

1) Mass Media, Structural Racism and Legitimacy of Violence in Papua

June 12, 2015, 2:06 am
$
0
0

2) Jakarta hopeful Vanuatu change will end Papuan MSG bid

3) Indonesia Only Cares About Land, Not Indigenous Papuans, Filep Karma Says

4 ) KNPB Demand Berita Satu Explain Report Accusing KNPB of Organda Riot

5) Politics in Papua Remains Unchanged, Filep Karma Says

6) Education in Rural Areas is “Messy”

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

1) Mass Media, Structural Racism and Legitimacy of Violence in PapuaNo Racism
                                                                                              No Racism
Jayapura, Jubi – During World War I from 1915 to 1918, Turkey systematically massacred the Armenian population in that country. Armenians were becoming victims of series of deportation, expulsion, torture, massacre and starvation. Most of the Armenians were expelled to Syria and the desert, and they died of hunger and thirst.
The massacre of the Armenian race continued from 1920 to 1923 by the government’s opposition the Young Turks who had similar idea of racial purity. Half million Armenians were estimated being killed during the period of 1915 – 1923.
The Armenian massacre in Turkey within these two periods could no be separated from the role of Turkish media since 1915. During the First World War, the Turkish media were engaged in ideological propaganda for the establishment of New Turkish Empire, which was called Pan-Turanism comprising Anatolia to the Central Asia. The idea of Pan-Turanism was once constructed only for Turkish origins. The media propaganda was the primary justification on this genocide within these two periods.
Turkey and its dark periods were only one of the examples of how the media get involved in propaganda that consciously threats one community as lower than others. The practice of structural racism also occurred during the ancient Greek and Rome eras, as well as the era of African race slavery in XVI century. Imitating the Turkish arrogance, Nazi practiced the structural racism against the Jews. After the end of the Second World War, the structural racism persisted on a massive scale in the South Africa, over the American natives in America and Aborigines in Autralia, and the last two are still happening until now. Over all these practices of structural racism is very significant in building public opinion that allows it to be happened.
The mass media is like double edged-sword. At one side it could promote the establishment of an egalitarian and equal social condition among various social and political differences. At the other side, it is a powerful propaganda tool to maintain the structural racism that ultimately justifies State’s Violence in a sustainable manner by majority group towards minorities. In this term, the minorities are placed in the lower position in the culture and intellectual.
Violation of Ethics, Maintaining the Structural Racism
The structural racism by mass media was also happening in Papua. On Wednesday, 27 May 2015, for example, the National News Agency Antara broadcasted a report titled “Regional Military Commander Seeks to Free the Soldiers Taken Hostages” by Evarukdijati. Then, many online media cited this report. merdeka.com, for instance, published a very unethical headline “Rebels Said Two Indonesian Soldiers Taken Hostages Already Cooked,”
The news, however, was very misleading and spreading the racist opinion against indigenous Papuans. The news was leading public opinion on the practice of cannibalism that put the indigenous Papuans as the lower culture and less intellect community, such as indicated by several websites includingbersamadakwah.com, beritacenter.com, jakartagreater.com, wartapriangan.com, and pojoksatu.id.
Later the National News Agency Antara published a report “Indonesian Military Commander Declined Pair Soldiers Taken Hostages” on 28 May 2015, which automatically confirmed the former invalid and inaccurate report.
The Article 6 of Press Law No. 40/1999 of C section stated the national press performs its role to develop public opinion based on information that is accurate, valid and true.
Thus, the report “Regional Military Commander Seeks to Free Indonesian Soldiers Taken Hostages” failed to meet the criteria of accurate, valid and true therefore it harmed the indigenous Papuans. While, the Indonesian Military Commander in “Indonesian Military Commander Declined Pair Soldiers Taken Hostages” confirmed that the hostage was NEVER HAPPENED. So the report’s accountability and accuracy is to be questioned.
The report has violated several articles of Journalistic Code of Ethics by the Press Council as follows:
Article 3
Indonesian journalists must constantly examine the information, report a balance news, do not combine the fact and judging opinion, as well as to apply the presumption of innocence.
The report “Regional Military Commander Seeks to Free Soldiers Taken Hostages” was clearly imbalance because only referring to one source information that is Komepa Sub-district Military Command through the Regional Military Commander mixing with the fact and judging opinion though the sentence “both soldiers were already cooked”. The reporter who reports the news should be doubted to examine the information.
Article 4
Indonesian journalists not to report false news, defamation, sadistic and obscene report.
The report “Regional Military Commander Seeks to Free Soldiers Taken Hostages” is false and slander news because it was later denied by Indonesian Military Commander in “Indonesian Military Commander Declined Pair Soldiers Taken Hostages”. In addition, the first report could be considered sadistic because it contains the sentence “Both Indonesia soldiers were already cooked” to direct public opinion to cannibalism practice.
Article 8
Indonesian journalist not to write or broadcast news based on prejudice or discrimination against someone on the basis of differences in ethnicity, race, color of skin, religion, sex and language, not to degrade the weak, poor, sick and people with mental or physical disability.
The report “Regional Military Commander Seeks to Free Soldiers Taken Hostages” was broadcasting based on prejudice or discrimination against indigenous Papuans and degrading their dignity through the sentence “both soldiers were already cooked” that were cited by other media. This sentence was dragging public opinion that indigenous Papuans still practiced cannibalism.
Article 10
Indonesian journalists to immediately revoke, revise and correct invalid and inaccurate news and apologize to the readers, listeners and/or audience.
Although the Indonesian Military Commander has denied about the hostages based on the prior report, but the National News Office Agency didn’t immediate revoke, revise and correct the mistaken and inaccurate report or apologize to the readers, listeners and/or audience.
Seeking Legitimacy of Violence in Papua
In the early of 2000, a professor of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Noam Chomsky came up with his opinion about “public opinion control”. He came up with two types of democracy in history, that are a democracy in which people were actively participated and a democracy in which people were manipulated and consciousness control. According to Chomsky who also known as the father of modern linguistics, propaganda in democracy was applied as a tool of totalitarian state and mass media is the main vehicle to convey propaganda in the United States. His analysis towards Creel Commission (actually named the Public Information Committee) established by President Woodrow Wilson. During the First World War, Wilson placed his fellow George Creel, a journalist and editor of Rocky Mountain News to change the public mind in the United States that previously being passive to be hysterical so that the United States could gain a public legitimacy to involve in the First World War.
The same practice was adopted under George Bush’s administration to legimate the involvement of the United States in the Gulf War in Iraq. Chomsky found that mass media and public relation industry has been used as propaganda to achieve the public supports for the United State to involve in the war in Iraq. At the end, he concluded the public relation industry in the twentieth century has been greatly influenced by Walter Lippmann theory of “Democracy Audience” which regards people as “ confused group” that need to be directed instead of empowered. The public relation industry in the United Stated and many developed countries turned out to set their focus on “control public mind” instead on informing something that has to be a public right of information.
In Papua, control on media and public opinion is priceless for the country. It is so priceless therefore the sentence “both soldiers were already cooked” must be only a code in the Indonesian Military – a code that shouldn’t be conveyed to public – that should be published to the public through mass media. It was proven that sentence later was interpreted in different way by public and Papua Police that later sent a platoon of Mobile Brigade to Enarotali. Aware or not, the media and public relation industry has been involved in legitimatizing the practice of sustained violence in Papua and to legitimize the State’s will to involve as many as security forces in Papua through Structural Racism.
Journalism is too precious to be controlled by an institution and to degrade on community. (*)
Victor Mambor
Chairman of the alliance of independent journalists in West Papua

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

2) Jakarta hopeful Vanuatu change will end Papuan MSG bid
Updated 34 minutes ago
Indonesia says it's quietly hopeful the change of government in Vanuatu will signal the defeat of West Papua's bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Sato Kilman is known to have a softer stance regarding Vanuatu's long-held support for West Papua, and as foreign minister recently indicated his country could open an embassy in Jakarta.
The change could potentially sway deliberations at the MSG leaders' summit in Honiara next week, where a decision will be made on whether to grant West Papua access to the subregional group.
The director of Indonesia's foreign ministry, Esti Andayani, says her country is carefully watching how things will play out and whether Vanuatu's policy regarding West Papua will change.
Until now, Vanuatu had voiced support for West Papua's bid alongside New Caledonia's FLNKS, while Papua New Guinea and Fiji appear to be leaning against it. Solomon Islands is yet to indicate a position.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Indonesia Only Cares About Land, Not Indigenous Papuans, Filep Karma Says

Jayapura, Jubi – Papuan political prisoner Filep Karma said the recent arrests of Papuan activists showed that the government’s treatment of Papuans has not changed.
“I assume this treatment is a scenario or system that is being played to eliminate ethnic Papuans from Papua. The Republic of Indonesia only cares about the land, not the people,” Filep Karma said on Wednesday (10/6/2015).
He said the arrest of demonstrators recently reminded him of his experience as an activist. He said at that time he had already sent a letter to Papua Police notifying them about a demonstration but the police never gave an approval.
“I never asked for permission. I just informed them about my activity, so they could provide security. I would not disturb people’s activities and so were they. But the police and military came taking away the flagpole and fighting against other protesters,” he said.
On one occasion, the Commission I member of Papua Legislative Council for Politic, Legal and Human Right Affairs, Laurenzus Kadepa said the police should not restrict the access on freedom of express in public whether it was done by individuals, groups or organizations.
“Conveying aspiration in public is guaranteed by Law as long as it was peaceful not anarchic. The international community is continuously monitoring the current situation of Papua, because now the humanitarian crisis was happening,” said Kadepa at that time. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
4) KNPB Demand Berita Satu Explain Report Accusing KNPB of Organda Riot

Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) urged the online new portal Berita Satu to explain its report accusing its activists of being behind the riot in Organda, Jayapura.
“Related to the news published on Berita Satu, we confirm that KNPB had no scheduled activities at that time. It is a criminal case and KNPB never gave any instruction to its members to commit or get involved in crime. Please clarify where the incident happened, who were KNPB members who were involved at that time. In fact, KNPB was the victim. Organda Sector Secretariat of KNPB was set on fire with other houses,” KNPB stated on Wednesday (10/6/2015) to respond the news published in Berita Satu website dated 9 June 2015.
According to National KNPB Spokesperson, Bazoka Logo said media outlets can not just accuse KNPB. “Therefore we urge Berita Satu to reveal the name of KNPB members who involved in mass conflict, the leader and who gave them the instruction to attack, verbally or written. If so, when and where?,” said Logo.
He said Berita Satu must prove it. Do not use the name of KNPB because the fact is KNPB asked anyone who protected the perpetrators to immediately be responsible on the burning houses and KNPB secretariat.
“Because we are not the perpetrators. We are not the one who stole the motorcycles. Who are taking benefit of this incident? Berita Satu must be responsible,” he firmly said.
Based on information received by SP, Berita Satu Online earlier reported on Tuesday (9/6/2015), two residents were killed, namely Hendrik Lasamahu (Organda Family Unit Chief) and his close relative Simon Lukete. It was said they were died at Abepura Public Hospital due to serious injuries at the back and stomach and the face. Meanwhile, four residents including Organda 03 Family Unit Chief were stubbed and one of them was reportedly in critical condition and treated in the ICU. Not only taking life and causing injuries, the attack carried out brutally by a group, which is the mass of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) also caused a damage of dozens of houses. (Arnold Belau/rom)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

5) Politics in Papua Remains Unchanged, Filep Karma Says

Jayapura, Jubi – Filep Karma, a political prisoner in Papua, said he rejected clemency from President Joko Widodo because there has been no political change in Papua.
“Clemency, amnesty, or anything that is offered to me, I refused. I go to jail so that there is a deterrent effect to the government that have done wrong by arresting people. But if there is no political change in Papua, why should I get out? Let me stay in prison until my sentence is served,” Karma said on Wednesday (06/10/2015).
Karma said he also rejected sentence reductions which are given annually to prisoners who show good behavior.
“The reason is remissions are given to those who show good behavior. The question is did I misbehave when I was in society?” he asked..
He added, it is not all about behaving well. He was arrested for fighting for what he believes is right.
“I’m a good guy and I know what I am fighting for is right. And for this I was sent to the prison,” he said.
One of the political prisoners who got clemency, Linus Hiel Hiluka on one occasion said he and four colleagues have never asked for, nor pleading for clemency to the government.
“We never asked for. Clemency was pure granted by president Jokowi. President said that the granting of pardon was an initiative of me (president). The President also apologized for what was done to our forces during the last 12 years, ” Hiluka stated on Sunday (10/05/2015). (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)
--------------------------------------------------------
6) Education in Rural Areas is “Messy”

Merauke, Jubi- Authorties in Merauke need to pay serious attention to education in rural areas as many teachers skip their duties to pursue their bachelor degrees, Regent Romanus Mbaraka said.
“Schooling in rural areas is still messy and does not run well. As most of the teachers leave their duties for reasons to continue their studies. As a result, teaching and learning activities are not going well, ” Mbaraka said during a meeting with public representatives in the State House (Gedung Negara) on Wednesday (10/6).
Most of teachers who work in the rural areas are those who graduated from SPG (teachers high school), KPG and PGSD (teachers’ college). So inevitably, they must pursue their bachelor degrees to enhance their career in accordance with Ministry of Education regulations.
Nevertheless, he said, the government will try to make sure that the teaching and learning activities will run as usual in the future. Since most of the people who live in villages are native Papuans. Hopefully after the teachers are done with their studies, they will return to the school
Former member of Merauke Legislative Council, Soter Kamiawi acknowledged that education in rural areas is stagnant or running in place because of no teachers.
“I always get reports from villagers in Waan district if teachers are not in place that the children prefer to follow their parents into the forest for a living, “he said. (Jubi / Frans L Kobun/ Tina)


------------------------------------------------------------
↧

1) Can Jokowi Bring Peace to West Papua?

June 13, 2015, 2:30 am
$
0
0

2) Islands in focus: Drunk  soldier shoots civilian

3) Vanuatu parliament to debate another no-confidence motion

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


http://thediplomat.com/2015/06/jokowis-challenges-in-negotiating-peace-in-papua/

1) Can Jokowi Bring Peace to West Papua?

The Indonesian president is rolling out new initiatives, hoping for a breakthrough in a troubled region.
By 
Separatist resistance persists in Indonesia’s West Papua region, as attempts to internationalize the dispute by the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka – OPM) make it necessary for Jakarta to devise new policy options to address the decades-old conflict.
OPM has been waging a low-level guerrilla war in West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, since 1969, the year of thecontroversial Act of Free Choice – a referendum process that ostensibly resulted in a unanimous decision by Papuan representatives to accept Indonesian sovereignty, but which has been dismissed by analysts as fraudulent.
Police reports indicate that between 2009 and 2014, there were 166 cases of violence involving the OPM. There were at least 14 attacks on the security apparatus in the region between 2014 and 2015. These actions indicate that despite the efforts of a newly democratic Indonesia (since 1998) to proactively address these challenges by reforming its counterinsurgency approach and providing more welfare for the population, grievances fed by protracted human rights abuses and economic exploitation linger.
The violence has been accompanied by OPM efforts to rally support from state and non state actors overseas, especially outreach to Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) members such as Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Fiji. With the help of these countries, the issues of independence and human rights abuses have been raised at the UN General Assembly, a development that could have serious repercussions for Indonesia’s international image.
The impoverished economic conditions of native Papuans is not the only factor driving the growing violence. Unsound transmigration practices have created a demographic imbalance where urban areas are inhabited mainly by non-Papuans while native Papuans populate the rural areas. Tensions are ever-present due to historical memories and the legacy of cruel military conduct, such as the infamous Biak Massacre of 1998, the perpetrators of which remain at large.
Aiming to address such grievances, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has pledged to visit Papua three times a year, with one such visit being made in early May. Jokowi travelled to several areas, initiating economic projects like the national tourism region (Kawasan Strategis Pariwisata Nasional – KSPN) in Sorong and a petrochemical industry in Manokwari. In Merauke he harvested rice with the military, symbolically signifying his intention to strengthen the territorial functions of the military through welfare-related strategies aimed at building links to local Papuans.
A Three-Pronged Approach
More importantly, Jokowi stopped by a pasar mama-mama, a traditional market comprising women from traditional highland tribes, doing his trademark blusukan, or dialogue, with the local inhabitants and expressing a desire to resume the long-stalled Jakarta-Papua dialogue. While a mostly symbolic gesture, Jokowi’s visit aims to highlight his determination to win the hearts of Papuans through a three-pronged strategy of welfare, security, and dialogue.
With 45 percent of national copper reserves, 41 million hectares of productive forest, and 8 million hectares of conservation forest located in the region, Indonesia is clearly prepared to take extreme measures to prevent a repetition of the 1999 East Timor separation. Indonesia also sees the West Papua region – which consists of two provinces, Papua and West Papua – as a strategic buffer against potential intrusions from the north and east, such as those involving illegal fishing boats. The loss of Papua would reverberate across the archipelago with repercussions for fragile areas like Aceh, Maluku, and Kalimantan.
Jokowi remains aware that the stubborn resistance not only reflects the economic straits of native Papuans, but also the still unresolved military abuses in the era prior to Indonesia’s 1998 democratic transition.
Consequently, Jokowi aims to beef up former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s welfare and security approaches in the two troubled provinces. More importantly, though, he seeks to reinvent one element that could be a determining factor: dialogue.
To address welfare issues, Jokowi will adopt a more nuanced economic strategy. In the past, development polices actually worsened conditions, while poorly conceived transmigration policies during the New Order exacerbated conflict between trans-migrants and native Papuans. Hence, Jokowi’s development strategy consists of several new features, encompassing not just infrastructure expansion to achieve a low-cost economy, but also a local economy based on fairness and proportionality. To achieve a low-cost economy, Jokowi’s Ocean Toll Road project will be pioneered in Sorong, Jayapura, and Merauke. Deep-sea port facilities, once installed, should reduce transaction costs for far flung regions like Papua. The Indonesian president seeks to promote connectivity by revitalizing Frans Kaisepo as the international airport in Biak, building a trans-Papuan train system, constructing a bridge in Holtekamp, Jayapura, and accelerating infrastructure development in isolated areas.
In terms of regional development, fairness and proportionality remain contentious issues. To meet the needs of remote provinces, Jokowi has spoken of his intention to accelerate the provision of basic infrastructure, rehabilitate traditional markets, renegotiate the sharing of resources between Papua and Jakarta, and implement a “special autonomy plus” concept that would lead to a revision of the 2001 special autonomy law.
To ensure the success of his initiatives, Jokowi understands that he must do more to regain trust. Previous governments have failed to acknowledge that simply addressing economic issues was not enough: A comprehensive solution was needed. Indifference toward the political, ideological, and historical nuances of the conflict sowed the seeds of deep distrust, making it difficult for Papuans to move forward and forgive.
So Jokowi has pledged a dialogue that aims at comprehensively addressing issues beyond underdevelopment, involving the leaders of OPM. He is also encouraging every element at all levels of government – military district commander, the police chief, and all civil elements – to intensify dialogue with local inhabitants. In April, the Indonesian government offered a public undertaking to set up a team to investigate past human rights violations. The team consists of officials from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, the Supreme Court, police, State Intelligence Agency, armed forces, and the Human Rights Commission. Its success will be the determining factor in the government’s effort to regain the trust essential for negotiating peace in West Papua.
Jokowi has also sought to win the trust of an international audience, especially MSG member states, which remain pessimistic of Indonesia’s ability to peacefully address its Papuan problems. West Papua’s application for membership to the MSG was submitted last year by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), and was followed this year by a similar application lodged by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL). The applications are currently under consideration. Jakarta worries that if West Papua’s bid is successful it would have deleterious consequences for Indonesia’s international image in forums like the UN.
As a counter move, Jokowi made overtures to Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neil during a May visit, expressing his willingness to build strong ties with the PNG, the MSG, and the broader Pacific region. To neutralize the impact of West Papua’s membership application, Indonesia has lodged its own application for membership of the MSG. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has visited Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji, hoping to persuade these Pacific Island states to reconsider West Papua’s membership bid. If Jakarta’s own membership application is accepted, it will not only allow the Melanesian provinces of Indonesia to participate in cultural, trade, and investment engagements under Indonesia’s representation; it will also dilute any diplomatic support MSG member states offer the West Papua independence movement. Jokowi has also sought to appeal to the wider international community by granting clemency to five political prisoners while also ending the decades-long restrictions on international media access to Papua.
Old Wine, New Bottle?
Despite these seemingly genuine efforts by Jokowi, widely seen as a people’s president who started out as a small-time furniture entrepreneur in Solo, his concurrent plans to increase the military’s presence in the region have encouraged skepticism. Certainly, Jokowi is calling for a softer security approach, called Bhakti Bina Keamanan dan Ketertiban Masyarakat – Bhabinkamtibmas, essentially a social empowerment program under the auspices of the regional police, together with an unfortunately worded serbuan teritorial or “territorial invasion” program of social empowerment led by the regional military. Still, the local military presence is estimated at 45,000 troops presently deployed in Papua plus an additional 650 soldiers stationed near the PNG border. And with a further expansion of the military’s territorial structure, including the addition of a military district command (Kodam) in Manokwari plus a new Eastern Central Fleet based in Sorong that will add an estimated 7000-10,000 personnel, along with a plan to form a third division of the Army Strategic Command and a new Air Force Command; West Papua will become one of the most heavily militarized regions in Indonesia.
Various community projects aimed at empowering the locals are set to be conducted under the leadership of the military regional command (Kodam) and the police regional command (Polda), in cooperation with local government, state agencies, and ethnic leaders. Although the social empowerment programs are meant to build links and improve the image of the security apparatus, the specter of past human rights violations – extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, and torture among them – gives rise to doubts whether the new military strategy will succeed in rebuilding local confidence in the security apparatus or whether it will in fact be perceived as a return to Suharto’s authoritarian methods.
One potential fault line that will require special attention is the lack of appreciation of the inherent complexities of Papuan cultures. More than 300 tribes exist in Papua from a total indigenous population base of fewer than 1.5 million people, with their own subtribes, clans, and subclans. With such a complex cultural milieu, there is always a risk of misperception and cultural incomprehension leading to military abuse. Prior to the 2005 peace accords, military abuse in Aceh was the product of an inability of the military to understand local customs and languages. Many Acehnese suffered violent treatment at the hands of the military because they could not communicate in Bahasa Indonesia (the Indonesian language).
Indonesian security forces, learning the lessons of Aceh, have anticipated such problems by recruiting more locals. For example, the police force has initiated a program called Brigadir Putra Daerah, or Local Youth Brigade, collaborating with local government since 2008 to recruit more than 1500 Papuans. Similarly, the military has attempted to recruit Babinsa or local village NCOs from among the Papuan population.
Yet while the intentions are good, the concept remains flawed. “Territorial invasion” is still driven by a perception of “local inability” rather than “local partnership” and a condescending attitude borne of years of ingrained prejudice that the locals are backward or “Papua Bodoh.” With such ensconced attitudes, a social empowerment program – even one based on a sound rationale – can descend into a situation where those running the program resort to intimidation to deal with short-term pressures. Real success requires that cultural training and language skills be prioritized to stop ethnocentrism and stereotyping from undermining the ability to address the deeper problems of Papuan underdevelopment.
Normalizing Tensions
Jokowi’s initiatives face some serious challenges, particularly the need to build an effective “dialogue” leg. A fragmented rebellion has complicated efforts to maintain a dialogue. According to a 2015 Threat Perception Report produced by the Papua Police Regional Command, seven groups recognized as armed separatists have declared themselves to be the legitimate OPM representative. Each group is supported by and cooperates with several smaller groups. For instance, Goliath Tabuni, a group with its operations based in the Tingginambut region of Puncak Jaya, controls the activities of groups like Leo Magay Yogi in Paniai, Ayub Waker in Tembagapura, and Theny Kwalik in Timika. Or there is Hans Uri Yuweni, a group based in Jayapura, which has a pervasive influence in parts of West Papua province such as Sorong and Manokwari reaching all the way down to Merauke in the Papua province. It is unlikely that a successful dialogue with one group will necessarily be supported by the others. Consequently, the risk of spoilers derailing the talks is high and will affect the sustainability of any peace process. From Jakarta, the risks presented by hardline groups from within the military or parliament are also high. Hence, the ability to manage different interest groups and the high expectations of Papuan groups will be vital in finding a durable solution to the conflict.
Jokowi is well regarded for his ability to negotiate, communicate with ordinary people, and blend. This was evident, for instance, when he peacefully relocated hawkers in Solo and Jakarta, while in the process working out an acceptable compensation package. Negotiating for peace in Papua will be fraught with uncertainly. Talks during the Aceh peace process required Yudhoyono to use skills learned during Suharto-era military politics to manage spoiler elements from the military and parliament, Jusuf Kalla and third-party mediators willing to engage the Free Aceh Movement, and the urgency revolving around the need for post-tsunami reconstruction.
Jokowi must adopt a “hands on approach” if he is to successfully find a resolution to the Papuan conflict. To reduce negative perceptions of the military, he needs to supervise its activities closely and ensure that their conduct towards the local population reflects greater cultural awareness. Jokowi also needs to live up to his promise to address local grievances with dialogue, while being creative in finding a solution that takes into consideration sensitive issues like the political aspirations of the Papuan people. Perhaps most importantly, rather than simply imposing its ideas, Jakarta really needs to begin to listen.
Leonard C. Sebastian is Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Indonesia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Emirza Adi Syailendra is a Research Analyst at the Indonesia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
-------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/06/13/islands-focus-drunk-soldier-shoots-civilian.html
2) Islands in focus: Drunk  soldier shoots civilian
The Jakarta Post, Jayapura | Archipelago | Sat, June 13 2015, 10:22 AM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/06/13/islands-focus-drunk-soldier-shoots-civilian.html#sthash.kmSvWCmO.dpuf
JAYAPURA: Jimmi Winata, 33, a civil servant in Central Mamberamo regency, Papua, has since Thursday been treated at a military hospital in Jayapura after allegedly being shot by Second Sergeant Benedictus Umarop on June 6 in the regency capital of Kobagna.

The soldier is a non-commissioned Babinsa officer assigned to Kelila village, located within the Jayawijaya Regency Military Command, and was believed to have been in a drunken state when he reportedly shot the civilian. 

The director of the Marthen Indey Indonesian Military (TNI) Army Hospital, Col. Didik Catur Prasetyo, said Jimmi was not shot directly but hit by a bullet that bounced off a wall and entered his back. 

“As a result, several wounds were found in his back because of the sharp fragments,” Didik said on Friday, adding that Jimmi’s condition had improved and he was on an intravenous drip while waiting to recover. 

Cenderawasih Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. Teguh Puji Raharjo said command’s chief had immediately ordered the victim be airlifted by helicopter to Jayapura to undergo medical treatment. 

The Military Command had also arrested a suspect and seized an SS1 V2 assault rifle from him. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/276110/vanuatu-parliament-to-debate-another-no-confidence-motion

3) Vanuatu parliament to debate another no-confidence motion

Vanuatu's opposition filed a motion of no-confidence in the Prime Minister, Sato Kilman, on Friday, less than 24 hours after he came to power in a no-confidence vote on Thursday.
Updated at 11:20 am today
The notice, signed by 10 MPs, has been lodged with parliament's speaker and will be debated next Thursday.
The opposition says Mr Kilman's appointment should be terminated and a new prime minister appointed, citing the devastation caused by cyclone Pam.
It says the effect of losing cyclone reconstruction programmes, which were put together by the previous government of Joe Natuman, outweighs a change in government as the confidence of donor partners will be affected.
It also argues that with the majority of the new government implicated in a bribery case currently before the Supreme Court, the government will be forced to interfere in the judicial process.
The motion will need the support of 27 MPs for it to be successful.
Meanwhile, the bribery case against 19 MPs in Vanuatu was adjourned on Friday by the Magistrates' Court until the June 23rd.
The 19 MPs are charged with bribery over police claims regarding Moana Carcasses and his attempts to lobby support to topple the then prime minister.
The group were opposition MPs at the time the charges were laid, along with Mr Carcasses.
But a no confidence vote on Thursday lead to the Natuman-led government being ousted, with Sato Kilman voted in as prime minister and Moana Carcasses as his deputy.
↧

AI End mass arbitrary arrests of peaceful protesters in Papua

June 13, 2015, 3:59 am
$
0
0
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/ASA2118512015ENGLISH.pdf

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT

Index: ASA 21/1851/2015
11 June 2015
Indonesia: End mass arbitrary arrests of peaceful protesters in Papua
Amnesty International calls on the Indonesian authorities to end arbitrary arrests of Papuan political activists solely for exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression in the country’s Papua region. Anyone who remains detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights must be immediately and unconditionally released. Hundreds of Papuan activists, mostly members and supporters of the West Papua National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB), were arrested after the organization called for a series of peaceful demonstrations. These demonstrations were held in May 2015, in support of an application by a Papuan pro-independence umbrella group, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a sub-Pacific intergovernmental organization.

In West Papua province, the Manokwari district police arrested at least 70 KNPB activists on 20 May during a peaceful rally in which police also beat some protesters with rifle butts. Three men were subsequently charged with incitement to conduct acts against the law or incitement to violence under Article 160 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code. On the same day in Sorong, police arrested two KNPB activists while they tried to distribute flyers detailing the planned demonstration in the city.

In Papua province, also on 20 May, six KNPB activists were arrested in Sentani district while distributing flyers about a planned demonstration the following day. The same day, three more Papuan activists were arrested in Biak district when they tried to notify the district police of the planned demonstrations. The three men were charged with incitement to conduct acts against the law or incitement to violence. On 21 May, the police arrested 20 and 27 KNPB activists in Biak Numfor and Sentani, respectively, during peaceful demonstrations.

Between 26 May and 3 June, at least another 90 Papuan activists in Wamena, Jayapura, Nabire, Yahukimo, Jayawijaya and Sentani were arrested. Police have claimed that the arrests took place because the groups did not have permission to hold protests or rallies, and because they believed the KNPB was affiliated with the armed Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Amnesty International is concerned that there will be further arrests in the weeks preceding the next MSG Summit between 24 and 26 June 2015, which will address ULMWP’s application to join the MSG.

While most of those activists who were arrested have been released without charge, these arbitrary arrests highlight the ongoing repressive environment faced by political activists in the Papuan region. The arbitrary arrests and suppression on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression in Papua once again highlight the failure of the Indonesian government to make a distinction between armed groups and peaceful activists who may support Papuan independence, and between peaceful expression of opinion and acts of physical violence.

The arrests are a setback after hope that the human rights situation in the Papua region would improve following President Joko Widodo’s visit to the region in early May. During the visit, the president granted clemency to and released five political activists convicted and imprisoned following forced confessions and unfair trials based, and pledged to grant clemency or an amnesty to other political activists detained throughout the country. He also announced that the authorities were lifting restrictions on foreign journalists, allowing them to access Papua, travel freely and report on the region.

Amnesty International takes no position on the political status of any province of Indonesia, including calls for independence. However, Amnesty International considers that the right to freedom of expression protects the right to peacefully advocate independence or any other political solutions that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

Amnesty International recognizes that the Indonesian government has the duty to maintain public order on its territory. However, it must ensure that any restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are in accordance with Indonesia’s obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Indonesia is a State party. Further, both under Indonesian and international law, groups organizing public protests are only required to inform the police of peaceful demonstrations, not to seek approval or permission. However, these regulations are constantly ignored by the security forces in Papua who continue to unlawfully restrict various forms of peaceful protest against the state by students, political groups and human rights NGOs. In some cases, security forces have used excessive force against peaceful protesters but this has not been investigated and no suspected perpetrator has been brought to justice.

Background

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) is an umbrella organization established in December 2014 and formed of different factions of the Papuan independence movement.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is an intergovernmental organization, founded as a political gathering in 1983, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) of New Caledonia. Indonesia is an observing member.
__._,_.___
↧

1) ANALYSIS: MSG Solidarity To Be Tested

June 13, 2015, 3:10 pm
$
0
0


2) There Should Be No Discrimination in Papua, Councilor Says

3) No More Other Team to Investigate Paniai Case
4) Jayapura Regency Faces Shortage of Teachers

5) Seven Employees Reportedly Taken Hostage in Lanny Jaya

6) Kamoro People Resist Freeport Smelter Development on their Ancestral Land

7)  What the Kamoro are opposing: briefing on planned industrial developments for Timika



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

1) ANALYSIS: MSG Solidarity To Be Tested


 by Nemani Delaibatiki, SUVA
June 13
2015
09:08


The   Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in the Solomons next week is crucial in many respects.It will, for one thing, determine the future of the MSG solidarity.
Originally set up as a voice of the Melanesian bloc, the MSG unity has been found wanting on some issues.
There has been no clear position by the MSG on the issue of West Papua and the role of New Zealand and Australia in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Tagged to this is the MSG position on the future of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF).
The importance of this Honiara meeting is underscored by the fact that Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will lead the Fijian delegation.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola usually represents Fiji. He will also attend as part of the delegation.
 
West Papua
It is generally known that MSG members have different positions on West Papua. Vanutau supports the struggle by some Papuans for independence from Indonesia. The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), the newly-formed West Papuan co-ordinating body which comprised the three main resistance groups, namely Federal Republic of West Papua, West Papua National Parliament and West Papua National Coalition for Liberation submitted their application for MSG membership in Port Vila, in February.
From Fiji’s perspective, the growing relationship with Indonesia on the diplomatic, trade and economic fronts is a major consideration. Given Indonesia’s stringent position on West Papua and the ULMWP’s equally strong stand, it would not be an easy decision for Fiji. This is after Fiji was instrumental in getting Indonesia admitted as an observer at the MSG.
Papua New Guinea is changing its position from the past that West Papua was an integral part of Indonesia. It used to be reluctant to talk about alleged human rights abuses or on behalf of Melanesian separatists.
In a major policy shift in February this year, PNG’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill promised to do more to speak out on behalf of Melanesians in West Papua.
“Sometimes we forget our own families, our own brothers, especially those in West Papua,” Mr O’Neill said.
Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Milner Tozaka says the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) Government has decided to maintain the last government’s position to go along with a united stand on the West Papua’s bid for full membership of the MSG.
Minister Tozaka said the MSG would make a united stand on the question of West Papua’s bid for membership adding, as chair of the MSG meeting next week, it could not just make decisions on an ad-hoc basis.
He said the coalition government had decided to maintain the last government’s position to go along with a united MSG stand.
 
PIF and PIDF
Fiji may struggle to get other MSG members to endorse its views on NZ’s and Australia’s roles in the PIF because they still depend on them for aid.
Fiji wants NZ and Australia to relinquish their membership of PIF and become donor partners.
There should be no problem with PIDF because MSG members see it as a development agent and a voice for the small island nations.
Fiji is likely to get full support on its position on climate change.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) There Should Be No Discrimination in Papua, Councilor Says
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Legislative Council’s speaker reminded all elements of society not to create divisions in Papua.
“From now on, there is no longer the term of mountain, coastal, immigrants and others. All the people who live on the land of Papua are the creation of God that must be protected. We are all family and there is no difference on this land, ” Yunus Wonda stated on Thursday (11/6/2015).
“Everyone who lives on this land has the same right to enjoy the development in Papua. And now our task is to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere together in society, “he said.
“If among fellow Papuans could live in harmony and peace, then they can also live harmony with non- Papuans. How good and pleasant it would be if everyone lives in unity,” he said. (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) No More Other Team to Investigate Paniai Case
Jayapura, Jubi – The Special Committee of Papua Legislative Council (DPRP) on Human Rights continues to encourage the completion of an investigation into shootings that killed four high school students and wounded dozens of civilians in Enarotali, Paniai on December 8, 2014.
DPRP said it does not want a rival team formed by another institution.
The chairman of the Special Committee on human rights, Laurenzus Kadepa, said all parties should support the efforts of the completion of the case especially the various efforts made by the National Commission on Human Rights.
“I have communicated to the National Commission on Human Rights ( Komnas HAM), and they had recommended the establishment of an ad hoc team or Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM).
Komnas HAM stated Paniai case is of serious violations that should not have a rival team formed by an institution or any specific country, ” Kadepa said via phone on Thursday (11/6/2015).
He said, if such continues, when the case can be completed and how long the victims and their families have to wait for justice.
“Special Committee of DPRP on Human Rights requested all institutions support the work of the National Commission on Human Rights, which has formed an investigation team to Paniai, and then recommended the establishment of adhoc teams or KPP HAM.
” All state agencies and institutions, including the TNI / Polri should appreciate and support the efforts of the National Commission on Human Rights,” he said.
Six months after the bloody case, there was also no clarity who the perpetrators behind these actions. Various state agencies and institutions have formed a team to investigate into Panai, yet there was no result.
One of the tribe youth Mee, Luke Gobay to Jubi few days ago, said all parties including religious leaders, tribal leaders, community leaders and community need to support the efforts of Special Committee of DPRP on human rights and National Commission on Human Rights.
“All parties need to support the resolution of the case, and KPP HAM Commission, so that this issue can be brought to the court,” Lukas Gobay said at that time. (Arjuna Pademme)
---------------------------------------------------------------
4) Jayapura Regency Faces Shortage of Teachers
Sentani, Jubi – Jayapura regency is facing a shortage of teachers in the various schools with only 234 people available, said the head of the education and teaching department.
He said the lack of teachers is because many private schools have opened without having staff teachers.
“As a result civil servant teachers are also teaching at private schools,” department head Alpius Toam told the Jubi in Simporo village on Thursday (11/6/2015 ).
“Teachers who are civil servants are forced to do their duties at private schools as the foundations that own the schools do not have teachers. Therefore he hoped that the schools run by the foundation to provide teacher before school opens, ” he added.
Meanwhile, one of elementary teachers Bernadus.T, admitted that school in Simporo village still need teachers . The students often come to school, play and then go home due to no teacher in class.
“The school is not far from the city but is lacking of teachers. As a result, we are forced to teac in two classes in a day,” he explained. (Engel Wally/ Tina)
-------------------------------------------------------------
5) Seven Employees Reportedly Taken Hostage in Lanny Jaya
Jayapura, Jubi – Seven employees working for PT. AS Jaya have been taken hostage by a group of people in Lanny Jaya Regency on Wednesday (19/6/2015), police and a source told Jubi on Thursday (11/6/2015).
“The scene is around Balingga Sub-district, Lanny Jaya. The perpetrators were approximately 20 people who alleged GM’s group. The employers are Daniel Duma (36 years old), Soni Barama (22), Suryanto Saraba (30), Desri Pailin (22), Danunan alias Danias Puya, Giriton Tabuni (24), and Biasa Tabuni (23),” said the informant, who declined to be named, through a short message.
According to him, the incident occurred when the victims conducted on location survey for road construction project. They were confronted by a group of people and had no chance to escape. But there’s no information about who did it and what is their purpose. “The hostage has no connection with politic or ransom to Lanny Jaya Local Government. It is still under further investigation,” the informant said.
Papua Police Spokesperson Senior Commissionaire Patrige Renwarin confirmed the incident. However, he said the police were still investigating. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6) Kamoro People Resist Freeport Smelter Development on their Ancestral Land


By ADMIN | Published: JUNE 11, 2015

PT Freeport Indonesia is planning to build a smelter in Mimika, in Papua, but this plan has met with opposition from the Kamoro indigenous people because their ancestral land will become even more polluted by the company’s waste. Their environment has already been destroyed by mine tailings from Freeport’s ongoing operation.
And the plans are not only to build a smelter but also a fertilizer plant, cement factory, power station and industrial fishing operation It would be a major industrial zone.
“The indigenous people have lived with an extraordinary trauma for decades. Mine tailings have spread over thousands of hectares, leaving the land destroyed. The river area has been polluted to the point that five villages have been moved to other areas”, said John Nakiaya, a representative of the Kamoro Indigenous Consultative Organisation (LEMASKO) in Jakarta on Saturday (6/6/15)
He said that Freeport’s mine waste has devastated river estuaries which have become much more shallow. Many fish are dead, or their meat contains toxins. Thousands of hectares of mangroves haave been destroyeed “We are forced to consume fish and other marine life which is actually polluted by the mine tailings”.
He said that there no-one from the government or the company ever came and explained their plans to build a smelter. That means that there has not been any community involvement in putting together plans.
“Many of the Kamoro indigenous people are getting sick because of decades of exposure to mine waste. The rate of miscarriage amongst pregnant women has increased. The same goes for babies born with disabilities”, he said.
He urged the government to cancel their plan to build a smelter. “Why do they keep on building on Kamoro land, which has suffered for decades because of the tailings from Freeport?”
The Kamoro people’s ancestral land is a coastal area rich in mangroves, sago palms and fish. The main way they sustain themselves is through gathering products of these ecosystems. If the factory development goes ahead it will represent a serious threat to their livelihood.
Currently, he says the people have held a sasi ritual. This ritual is to show that the land, mangrove forest and coastal areas must not be disturbed.
Muhnur Satyahaprabu, a lawyer with the Public Interest Lawyers Network stated that the case of the Kamoro people proves that the government does not understand how to protect indigenous peoples.
“In all sorts of places from Aceh to Papua, the same problems keep on occurring. It proves that the government does not understand its obligation to protect the indigenous people”.
The government, he said, imposes their own preferred development model. However, the number of agrarian and environmental conflicts keep increasing, year after year. The government has never taken up this as a matter which needs evaluation, in order to audit development systems in different areas.
“In all kinds of development projects, they always tell communities their situation will improve because they will be given jobs. But wherever you look, communities near mines are never rich. They are poor. This must become an argument for stopping developments such as this.
Actually, Papua’s natural environment is in good condition. It should really be protected and defended.
Walhi’s national campaign manager Edo Rakhman said that coastal mangroves must be protected because of their ecological function. The presidential instructions establishing a moratorium on permits for primary forest and peatland also stipulate that this area cannot be used except for study, education and conservation.
“I think because of this background situation it makes a lot of sense for the indigenous people to reject this development. It is the source of their livelihood. The government can’t just decide to change ecosystems into industrial zones like that”.
He said that Walhi was pushing for the government to carry out an environmental audit on the whole process surrounding Freeport to date. “From the point of view of supporting downstream industry, it is true a smelter must be built. But it doesn’t have to violate and ignore indigenous people’s rights”.
The government, he said, must ensure that development in Papua is grounded in local and cultural characteristics. “Don’t just base it on what global industry needs or asks for. Don’t just build new infrastructure without thinking about people’s needs. I think that the Papuan people surely want progress but it has to be in line with their wishes”.
Iwan Nurdin, the General Secretary of the Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPU) expressed a similar sentiment. He said that at first, building a smelter sounds like a good idea. However, it will adversely affect the Kamoro people
“They have always lived from gathering food. They own the largest area of mangrove forest in Asia. Their lives depend on fish and sago palms. But mining waste has caused problems for them for years.”
With the tailing problem still unresolved, now their land is threatened by this smelter construction. “That’s something which in truth will bring them no benefit”.
Iwan suggested that the government should study their plans and look for more suitable place. “Don’t just look in places where it might be convenient but would cause problems for many people. That’s Jakarta’s version of development for Papua. In Timika they want to build a ‘mall’ of industry. There’s oil palm, fertilizer, a power station, the Freeport smelter, the port and so on”.
This entry was posted in Around West Papua and tagged , , ,, , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Comments are closed, but you can leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
--------------------------------------------------------

7)  What the Kamoro are opposing: briefing on planned industrial developments for Timika

By admin | Published: June 12, 2015
The Kamoro indigenous people living near Poumako port, Timika have had to live with the effects of toxic tailings from the Freeport mine for decades. Now that a plan has emerged to build a smelter to process the copper and gold the mine produces, they have stated that enough is enough, and have held a sasi ritual so that no company can take any more of their ancestral land. This week, members of the Kamoro Indigenous Consultative Organisation (Lemasko) have been in Jakarta to talk about their opposition to the plans.
What exactly are the plans for the smelter and accompanying industrial zone? Here’s a background of what’s been talked about over the last few months:
A smelter is being built because of regulations issued in 2012 implementing provisions in the 2009 mining law that prohibit the export of unprocessed ore or other mine products. That meant that Freeport couldn’t export copper concentrate as it had previously been doing, but would have to process it on Indonesian soil. Freeport’s preference was to build the smelter in Gresik in East Java, adjacent to the country’s only existing copper smelter, presumably because the better infrastructure in Java would reduce costs.
However, there was a swift response from others, notably the Papua provincial government, who believed that the new development should be in Papua instead, ostensibly to contribute to the Papuan local economy.  In March this year a delegation including the provincial governor went to China to meet potential investors who might build a smelter in Timika, on land near the village of Poumako, need PT Freeport Indonesia’s current export port.
However, in their enthusiasm, they forgot to ask the local Kamoro people, who hold indigenous land rights in the area. It turns out that they weren’t interested in any more industrial development that would further destroy the forest, mangroves, rivers and sea that their livelihood depends on. So on 21st March local people in the area held a sasi ritual, using their customary law to prevent anyone from using their land for industrial development.
Investors have shown interest; several names were mentioned in a government focus group discussion into accelerating the development of an industrial zone in Mimika in February 2015, as reported on the Coordinating ministry for the economy’s website:
Plans for smelter development in Papua would use SKS technology from Canada which has been developed by ENFI, a subsidiary of the Non Ferrous China Company. NFC has already built smelters in various countries and this technology is a “continuous process” system, so the heat generated can be used to generate electricity. The copper cathode produced will be sold for export, but if there is domestic demand that will be the priority.
…Aside from that, the Papua smelter company would be supported by the Investment Bank of America1 , and the process of building the smelter and refinery by NFC would be financed by the Bank of China.
Source: http://www.ekon.go.id/berita/view/focus-group-discussion.1198.html#.VXgROOpXbec
Other media reports in April and May claim that the Provincial Governor Lukas Enembe has signed a cooperation agreement with a different Chinese company, Felix Gold  (in some reports Golden Felix) which operates a smelter in Anhui province, China.2

These reports are not necessarily contradictory, as the two Chinese companies have different interests – Felix Gold would want to operate the smelter whilst NFC is principally engaged in the technical and engineering aspects of smelter design. It appears that no formal contracts have been signed with either company.

Not just a smelter.

It is not only a smelter which is planned for the Kamoro people’s land, but other industrial development as well. In the report of the focus group discussion held in late February into accelerating the development of an industrial zone in Mimika, the Co-ordinating ministry for the economy notes the following:
There is a plan to develop an industrial zone in Timika, Papua, to include a smelter for PT Freeport Indonesia (fertilizer industry, cement industry), industry based on plantation products, fish-processing industry and forest products industry.  In the meantime, the government needs to prepare facilities for the industrial zone development, to include:
(a) adequate infrastructure with all facilities integrated (internal roads, electricity, clean water, telecommunications, waste management, and logistics such as a dry port, seaport, airport, access road network);
(b) supporting the growth of priority industries (commercial areas, research and development, vocational training centres);
(c) supporting a quality working life (housing, education, healthcare, social, sport and recreation).
Source: http://www.ekon.go.id/berita/view/focus-group-discussion.1198.html#.VXgROOpXbec
Big plans indeed.
Much of this industry is connected with the mine in some way. For many years, there has been talk of using the tailings from Freeport’s mine to make cement. The rationale for a fertilizer plant is to make use of the sulphuric acid which is a waste product from the smelter. A power station would be needed to provide electricity for the smelter.
The other proposed industrial developments are concerned with processing products of other resource industries in the area: A large oil palm plantation, PT Pusaka Agro Lestari3  is operating nearby, and there are at least two more oil palm companies in Mimika Regency that are trying to obtain permits (PT Tunas Agung Sejahtera and PT Prima Sarana Graha). The Arafura Sea is also one of the richest fishing grounds in Indonesia, with several industrial fishing operations at other ports in the area.
Joko Widodo’s government is on a mission to develop Eastern Indonesia. They have issued a National Medium Term Development Plan which outlines their ambitions in the period to 2019. That plan defines a number of strategic development zones. The industrial plan for Timika is one of three new industrial areas, the others being at Bongrang on the shores of Lake Sentani near Jayapura, and Arar near Sorong in West Papua province, connected with the petrochemical and mineral processing industries. An integrated economic development zone (KAPET) in Biak (originally established in 1996) and an Economic Development Zone (KPE) in Wamena are also mentioned, as well, of course, as MIFEE, the huge industrial agriculture project in Merauke.

Powering Development

If the Timika industrial zone is actually built, the smelter, refinery, cement works and so on are all power-hungry industries. There is talk of a gas or coal fired power station being built in the industrial zone to meet those power needs. However, it is likely that this further industrialisation would be a key incentive for pushing through with the planned Urumuka dam, which is also mentioned in the medium term development plan as part of the infrastructure needed to support the industrial zones.
This dam, which would be on the Urumuka River as it flowed down from the highlands in Deiyai regency to the West of Timika, would generate 300MW of energy, but would likely displace the Mee indigenous communities in the area and is almost certain to cause problems between the military and the Papuan population, as the Papuan conflict is particularly accentuated in the highland areas. The dam has been planned for years, and one of the reasons it hasn’t gone ahead is because of corruption.  In May the head of the Energy and Mineral Resources Board for Papua, Bangun Manurung, suggested that another reason was down to a lack of demand for the energy, but the smelter plan would solve that.  Also, in February, Freeport reportedly promised $100,000 towards the costs of the dam.
Joko Widodo’s government appears to be pushing full steam ahead to bring industrial development to Papua. On 21st May this year, he signed Presidential Decision 16/2015 which created a team to study natural resource management policy to develop the Papuan economy consisting of nine ministers, the two provincial governors and heads of relevant bodies.
When he first took office, Jokowi seemed receptive to engaging with the Papuan people to try to address some of the underlying problems in Papua. In recent months he has appeared unwilling or unable to commit even to the process of dialogue which parts of the movement in Papua has been pushing for, and has instead repeatedly claimed that economic development will sort out all the problems.
However, the totally understandable opposition of the Kamoro people to a development that will further pollute their environment and make their means of livelihood even more difficult, in the same way as the Marind people opposing MIFEE plantations further down the coast, shows that this development approach, as it is currently framed, is actually just bringing new problems to Papua, rather than solving the old ones.
  1. Indonesian original:  Bank Investasi dari Amerika Serikat. It is unclear whether the author is referring to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which is the investment banking arm of the Bank of America, or some other unspecified US-based investment bank.  
  2. Neither ‘Felix Gold’ nor ‘Golden Felix’ come up in internet searches, indicating that there are unlikely to be current operations on the ground under those names. It may be that the namesare connected with the Tongling Non-Ferrous Metals Group. Reports indicate that the delegation from Papua which visited China went to Tongling Prefecture where the TNMG  is based, however it must be stressed that this is only speculation.  
  3. Although this plantation was closed down by the Bupati in December 2014 because of the flooding it was causing and other adverse impacts for the Kamoro people, the local government’s legal position was not strong enough and the company was able to restart operations  
This entry was posted in Around West Papua. Bookmark the permalink. Comments are closed, but you can leave a trackback: Trackback URL.       
↧
↧

1) Minister of Defence: Back up AD Standby for Papua

June 14, 2015, 1:51 pm
$
0
0
2) Vanuatu MP confident he has numbers to topple government

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

A google translate of article in majalahselangkah.com. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

1) Minister of Defence: Back up AD Standby for Papua
 Author: Admin MS | Sunday, June 14, 2015 07:15 Reads: 582 Comments: 10



Defense Minister Gen. (ret) Ryamizard Ryacudu (right) and Commander of Marine Corps Major General A. Faridz Washington (left) shake hands after the appointment of the Secretary of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu as honorary citizens of the 34th Corps of the Navy in Apple Fields Hartono Cilandak Marine Kesatrian , Jakarta, Tuesday, November 9, 2014. Photo: CNN Indonesia / Adhi Wicaksono


Jakarta, STEP MAGAZINE - Minister of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia, Gen. (ret) Ryamizard Ryacudu to members of Battalion 303 Faithful Until Death in Garut, West Java, on Friday (12/06/2015) reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the Indonesian state, including Land Papua.

Indonesia edition reported by CNN Friday, June 12, 2015, asking the raider Ryamizard reserves the Army Strategic Command (AD) standby if at any time should plunge into Papua, facing the West Papuan independence movement that is struggling and come back with a victory.

"Papua problem solved by dialogue, but if it is needed to be prepared. If there are rebels, you are there. Had to win. If you lose, the losers were the nation," he said.

Rymizard obsessed with Japanese soldiers in World War II who chose to die rather than surrender. To the raider, Ryamizard told him about the events Iwo Jima.

Raider battalion is a unit of special forces infantry in the Army. These forces have a variety of special skills such as counterterrorism and antigerilya with air raids. (SAL / 014 / CNN / MS)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Vanuatu MP confident he has numbers to topple government
Updated 40 minutes ago
Vanuatu's opposition leader says he is confident the opposition has the numbers to pass a motion of no confidence in the Sato Kilman government this week.
Mr Kilman took government on Thursday after the then-opposition ousted the previous government of Joe Natuman in its own motion of no confidence.
But less than 24 hours later, Edward Natapei submitted his own motion with the parliament's speaker, which will be voted on on Thursday.
Mr Natapei says he submitted it because a change in government to a Sato Kilman regime will affect the country's recovery from Cyclone Pam.
"It is our concern that this recent change in government could delay the implementation of Pam's recovery programmes, which will affect the donor partners' confidence in assisting Vanuatu. We feel that with a new government and people in place who are not familiar with it, it could just cause further delays."
Edward Natapei has also denied that Cyclone Pam has started to be used by MPs for political gain.
------------------------------------

3) Member countries confirmed for MSG

Five Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) member countries have confirmed their participation in the upcoming meeting to be host by the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
Besides these five members of the MSG countries, Indonesia will also participate as usual as an observer, whereas West Papuan presence is an effort of membership plea within the MSG.

Speaking to this paper, William Soaki from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that preparation is well underway, as they are polishing up their work to ensure facilities are ready for the MSG delegates that will arrive in the country early next week.

Soaki also said that attendance of Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers from these member countries are now confirmed and their arrival schedule would be made available early next week.

He further stated that all MSG meetings will be held at the Heritage Park Hotel.

The MSG summit will show Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and his delegation, Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman and his delegation, Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his delegation, Socialist National Liberation Front (FLINKS) of New Caledonia with the host country’s Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and his envoy.

“Meetings are expected to start on the 18th of June to 24th of June,”Mr Soaki stated.

By AATAI JOHN
↧

1) Asia Pacific Greens adopt West Papua resolution

June 15, 2015, 1:25 am
$
0
0
2) More signals from Jakarta about opening up Papua
3) Islands in focus: Military  exercise goes on amid ‘bribery’  claim 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Asia Pacific Greens adopt West Papua resolution
Updated at 1:06 pm today
The 3rd Congress of the Asia Pacific Greens Federation has adopted a resolution on the West Papuan self-determination struggle.
The congress was held at the weekend in Silverstream, near New Zealand's capital, and featured delegates from a range of countries including Iraq, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
The resolution, proposed by Greens delegates from PNG, Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Indonesia recognises and supports the human rights and self determination of the people of West Papua as Melanesians and supports their bid for membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group
The Federation requests that the Indonesian government has dialogue with West Papuan leaders.
It also supports West Papuans' Pacific identity as Melanesians who should have a voice in Pacific leadership groups.


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


2) More signals from Jakarta about opening up Papua
Updated at 2:34 pm today
There are further signs from Indonesia's government that it is willing to open up access to the Papua region.
The Minister for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, who is Indonesia's first Papuan minister, says by reporting on Papua, journalists can help address the region's main problems, such as violence.
Yohana Yembise says violence, including domestic and sexual violence, is Papua's number one problem, and that men still hold the economic power in the region.
According to Ms Yembise, President Joko Widodo has made developing Papua one of his top priorities, and that his claim last month about lifting media restrictions is a sign things are changing.
While subsequent comments by senior government figures contradicted the president's claim about relaxed restrictions, the Director General of Information in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs insists the process has changed.

Esti Andayani says the 'Clearing House' made up of representatives from the major government departments, including the military and police, with the power to reject visa applications, has been abolished. She says the hope is that if journalists can go to West Papua they will be able to tell more balanced stories about what happens there.Ms Andayani says that up until now, what is reported in the media are just small parts of the story.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Islands in focus: Military  exercise goes on amid ‘bribery’  claim 
The Jakarta Post, Kupang | Archipelago | Mon, June 15 2015, 8:53 AM -
Against the background of recent claims that Australian authorities paid an Indonesian ship’s crew to transport dozens of migrants back to Indonesia, the Indonesian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have continued their joint military exercise held in sea border areas between the two countries.

Australia has been in the media spotlight after the crew of an Indonesian ship admitted that they had received thousands of dollars from personnel aboard an RAN ship to transport 65 migrants from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar back to Indonesia following the crew’s failed attempt to take them to Australia. 

Kupang naval base commander Marine Brig. Gen. Denny Kurnia, however, said the allegation did not affect military cooperation between the two countries. “This joint military exercise has nothing to do with the recent expulsion of 65 migrants [by the RAN]. This is a regular exercise,” he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend. 

The exercise, named Exercise Cassowary 2015, held from June 8 to June 16, has involved two Indonesian warships, KRI Hiu-634 and KRI Tombak-692, and two Australian warships, HMAS Wollongong and HMAS Glenelg. 

A follow-up exercise will also be held between June 18 and June 28 in Darwin under the name of Corpat Ausindo 2015. - 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
↧

1) Redeemed USD 500 million, OPM Release 8 Worker

June 15, 2015, 2:19 pm
$
0
0
2) Natan Pahabol: No Further Delay for Papua’s Women Market
3) Papuan Legislator Accuses Investors of Defrauding Pronggo Residents
4) Local Farming Production Not Able To Meet Freeport’s Demand
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A google translate of article in bintangpapua. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
Monday, June 15, 2015 07:26
1) Redeemed USD 500 million, OPM Release 8 Worker

Papua Police spokesman, Patrige RenwarinJayapura - Eight employees of PT Waskita, who was working on the road project Habema-Mugi-Wamena in Jayawijaya, Papua, finally freed by the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
Papua Police spokesman, Patrige warin, Sunday, June 14, 2015, confirmed the release of eight hostages on Saturday, June 13th, after payment of a ransom of 500 million.
Chronology hostage-called Patrige still be explored. "Detailed information followed, because the victims are still being questioned by investigators Jawawijaya Police," he said.
According to information obtained dozens OPM group surrounded the camp where the workers lived. Eight people were rounded up and held hostage, to demand a ransom of $ 5 billion.
But after negotiations, agreed ransom 500 million. The names of the workers who were taken hostage, among others, Dominggus, Kasirin, Darno, Dudung, Boby, Marmo, Beautiful and Alfon. (JiR / don / l03)


--------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Natan Pahabol: No Further Delay for Papua’s Women Market
Jayapura, Jubi – Women Traditional Market Working Committee (Panja) of the Papua Legislative Council said the it would try to speed up the construction of the traditional market for indigenous Papuan women, known as Pasar Mama-Mama Papua, in the center of Jayapura City.
Panja Chairman, Natan Pahabol, said there is no reason to not build the market in the near future because the budget for first stage of construction would be discussed in the provincial budget adjustment meeting in July.
“It shouldn’t be further delayed. The market development planning has been delayed for a long time; it’s already ten years. It’s about a pride and dignity of Papuans. We will immediately set the MoU with the relevant government office related to this matter,” Pahabol said last weekend.
He further said the readiness of relocating the State’s Bus Company (Perum Damri) to the temporary location at Pasir Dua is 99 percent. He said Damri will move to the temporary place for about two years while waiting for their permanent office at Jalan Baru, Kotaraja was done.
“Budget allocation for the early stage of Papua Women Traditional Market development is covering the cleaning, stockpiling and first-stone laying by the Papua Governor,” he said.
However, before the development was started, he said Panja firstly would invite some relevant parties to make presentation on design of market construction.
“There are two designs that each proposed by the Central Government and Papua General Works Office. The Central Government proposed to build two floors construction, while Papua General Works Office proposed to build six floors. So we will invite them to make presentation on the impact, benefit or whether the design has been assessed or not,” he said.
Earlier, the Secretary of Panja, Deerd Tabuni said the development of Pasar Mama-Mama Papua could be a representation of Papuan indigenous identiy,” he said. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Papuan Legislator Accuses Investors of Defrauding Pronggo Residents

Jayapura, Jubi – A Papuan legislator of Electoral District III, Mathea Mamoyau, said some foreign investors who run the iron-sand mining at the Pronggo area of Mimika Barat Jauh Sub-district defrauded the local community.
“When they came to Prong go for the first time, these foreign investors made statements to the local people that their business is public mining. But in reality, the customary people have not benefited from it,” she said last week.
Mathea said the investors were allegedly running illegal business since the local community surrounding mining location namely Kamoro tribe were not involved in it. In addition, there is no supervision from any relevant offices such as the Department of Mining.
“I hope the Papua Provincial Government and Mimika Government can pay more attention to this situation. Do not let the indigenous people suffer and be harmed. Do not let it continue to happen in Papua, where people have always been victims of investors,” she said.
On one occasion, the Head of Mines and Energy Office of Mimika Regency, Philipus Kehek said the iron-sand mining activity in Pronggo area is legal. However, he said he doesn’t know whether the operating company has applied all relevant provisions such as environmental permit arrangement, pay retributions and taxes, and report the foreign workers to the local government and local immigration office. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Local Farming Production Not Able To Meet Freeport’s Demand
Jayapura, Jubi – Local farming production in Papua has not been able to fully provide food supplies for employees of PT. Freeport Indonesia, the acting head of Papua’s Trading and Industry Office said.
“Freeport has to import food supplies from Java Island, because we can not fulfill their demand,” Elsye Pakade in Jayapura on Sunday (14/6/2015).
She said local farmers planted vegetables, but carrots still have to be imported from outside of Papua. However, fish are supplied locally.
“Nevertheless, the commodities of local people supply Freeport’s demand,” she said.
The Women Working Group (Pokja) of Papua People Assembly earlier met with the PT. Freeport Indonesia in Jakarta. Women Pokja Chairwoman Debora Motte said as large company in Papua, PT. Freeport Indonesia should no longer import the food supplies for their employees, because it’s all already available in Papua. “In the meeting, Freeport welcomed our request,” said Debora Motte.
Therefore, she said the central areas such as Wamena, Jayapura Municipality and Regency, Biak Numfor and Mimika needs to become a shelter agent of local commodities before distributing to Freeport Indonesia.
“To realize this concept, Women Pokja of Papua People Assembly will coordinate with the Transportation Office and airlines to immediately open the regular flight routes to Timika, therefore the local farming production could quickly get to Timika,” she said. (Alexander Loen/rom)
↧
Search

1) West Papua: MSG’s Challenge, Indonesia’s Melanesian Foray

June 16, 2015, 1:25 am
$
0
0
2) Police Investigate Burning Down of Papua Church
3) No Hidden ‘Agenda’ Behind New Scheme for Freeport: Energy Minister

4) After Freeport, other miners  also asked to change their  contracts 

5) Legislator Urges Government to Formulate Policy on Papua’s Conflict Resolution

6) Soldiers Attacked Drunk Police Officer, who Later Dies

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


http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2015/June/06-16-an.htm

Pacific Islands Reports
Analysis
1) West Papua: MSG’s Challenge, Indonesia’s Melanesian Foray
By Dr. Tarcisius Kabutaulaka
West Papua will be the highest-profile issue at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders’ summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on 24–26 June 2015.
The leaders will decide on the United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s (ULMWP) application for membership of the MSG. This is an organization consisting of the four independent Melanesian countries – Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji – and New Caledonia’s pro-independence organization, the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS).
If the MSG admits the ULMWP, it could boost the pro-independence movement’s push for self-determination and provide an international venue to highlight the Indonesian Government’s human rights violations in West Papua. But, it could also have negative impacts on the Melanesian countries’ relations with Indonesia. This will be particularly worrying for PNG and Fiji, which have growing economic, political and military partnerships with Jakarta. It could also setback Indonesia’s bid to position itself as an emerging Asia-Pacific power.

On the other hand, if the MSG leaders deny the ULMWP membership, it could widen the rift between MSG countries, redefine Melanesia, blur the cultural and political divisions between Oceania and Southeast Asia, and see a Melanesian sub-region dominated by Indonesia.
The MSG leaders are therefore faced with the difficult task of balancing, on one hand, their moral obligation to support Melanesians in West Papua, and on the other hand, respecting Indonesia’s sovereignty and maintaining their growing political and economic relations with this emerging Southeast Asian power.

This will be the second time West Papua’s pro-independence movements have made a bid for MSG membership. The first was in October 2013 when an application by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) was unsuccessful. Part of the reason then was concerns that WPNCL did not represent all the pro-independence groups in West Papua. Since then, the West Papuans have formed the ULMWP, which they claim is more representative.
The WPNCL’s application failure was also because of intense lobbying by Indonesia, which has an observer status on the MSG. In January 2014, Jakarta invited the MSG Foreign Ministers to visit Indonesia and "witness first-hand conditions in West Papua." The mission was headed the Fiji’s Foreign Minister, but was boycotted by Vanuatu whose Foreign Minister Edward Natapei argued that the meeting, "was being hijacked by the government of Indonesia to work on another issue, which was to promote economic ties and development cooperation with the government of Indonesia" (Radio Australia, 16 January 2014http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/vanuatu-defends-boycott-of-msg-mission/1248756). Indeed, the MSG Foreign Ministers were given only fleeting and restricted visits to Jakarta, Bali and West Papua.

This time, it seems there will again be a split in the MSG. Vanuatu and the FLNKS are likely to support West Papua’s bid for membership. Vanuatu has always been a firm supporter of West Papuan independence and the FLNKS is sympathetic, given its own struggles for independence from France. But the change of government in Port Vila last week and the election of Sato Kilman as Prime Minister casts doubts on how Vanuatu will vote. Kilman had earlier been sacked as Foreign Minister because "he misrepresented Vanuatu's position over the West Papua issue" (Radio New Zealand International, 10 June 2015 http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/275896/vanuatu-pm-lays-out-concerns-with-kilman).
Solomon Islands has not made a firm commitment. Instead, Foreign Minister Milner Tozaka states that the Solomon Islands Government will "go along with a united [MSG] stand" (SIBC News, 3 June 2015http://www.sibconline.com.sb/solomons-decided-united-stand-on-west-papuas-m-s-g-bid/). It is unclear what this means. But it is indicative of the fact that Solomon Islands has never been decisive on the West Papua issue, choosing instead the shroud of vague diplomatic language. But, it also means that Solomon Islands could hold the balance in the MSG’s decision on West Papua’s application for membership.

Interestingly, Solomon Islands played a leading role in pushing for French Polynesia to be re-enlisted on the UN’s Decolonization List. During the UN General Assembly meeting in May 2013, the Solomon Islands' Ambassador to the UN, Collin Beck, introduced the resolution, supported by Nauru, Tuvalu, Samoa, Vanuatu and East Timor. Beck told the UN General Assembly there was "wide international support" for putting French Polynesia back on the list and that, "the map of decolonizing remains an unfinished business of the United Nations" (Solomon Times Online, 21 May 2013 http://www.solomontimes.com/news/with-solomon-islands-support-french-polynesia-back-on-the-decolonization-list/7678). Yet, Solomon Islands is reluctant to support West Papua’s application for membership of the MSG.
Fiji and PNG will likely vote against ULMWP membership or attempt to water down West Papua’s participation in efforts to save their relations with Indonesia. They prefer "non-interference" in Indonesia’s sovereign affairs, citing West Papua as a domestic issue.
PNG shares a border with Indonesia/West Papua. And although it is directly affected by the conflicts in West Papua, PNG has always been reluctant to speak out against Indonesian occupation. In October 1986, PNG signed the "Treaty of Mutual Respect, Friendship, and Cooperation" with Indonesia, which frames the relationship between the two countries. In 1988, PNG’s then Foreign Minister, Akoka Doi, said that Port Moresby recognizes West Papua as "an integral part of Indonesia." It was, in his words, a "mistake done by the colonial powers so let it stay as it is."

But more recently, it seems opinions in the haus tambaran in Waigani have changed. In February, in a carefully crafted statement, PNG’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, expressed concern about Indonesia’s human rights abuses in West Papua. He stated that, "the time has come for us to speak about [the] oppression [of] our people. Pictures of brutality of our people appear daily on social media and yet we take no notice. We have the moral obligation to speak for those who are not allowed to talk. We must be the eyes for those who are blindfolded. Again, Papua New Guinea, as a regional leader, we must lead these discussions with our friends in a mature and engaging manner" (The Interpreter, 9 February 2015http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2015/02/09/PNG-Prime-Minister-speaks-up-on-West-Papua.aspx?COLLCC=1551706283&). This was, to date, his strongest statement on the issue, referring to the Melanesian West Papuans as "our family,""our brothers and sisters," and "our people."
But in March, O’Neill told a gathering at the Lowy Institute in Sydney that he prefers that West Papua’s Provincial Governors rather than the ULMWP, represent West Papua at the MSG. In other words, he wants Indonesian government representatives to be the mouthpiece for West Papua at the MSG.

The Fiji Government has never been an advocate for West Papua. It joined the MSG in 1998 – a decade after the MSG (which was conceived in 1983) was formalized in March 1988 with the signing of the "Agreed Principles for Cooperation." Fiji joined mainly because it saw the potential benefits from the MSG Trade Agreement that PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu signed in 1993. Its first engagement with the MSG was at the Trade and Economic Officials’ Meeting in Honiara in April 1997. It could therefore be argued that Fiji’s membership of the MSG was driven largely by economic imperatives, rather than concerns for human rights and self-determination.
In contrast, Fiji has a longer history of flirting with Indonesia. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1974, but became actively engaged in the late 1980s. Following Fiji’s first coup, and as a result of being marginalized by traditional allies, the Sitiveni Rabuka-led government turned to Jakarta. In November 1987, a eight-member Indonesian trade mission arrived in Suva and held talks with the then Foreign Minister, Filipe Bole, offering Fiji up to 25,000 tons of rice on credit and special financial facilities as a "goodwill gesture." Along with that, the then Indonesian military boss, General Benny Murdani, expressed interests in forging military cooperation with Fiji.
The current Fiji Government continues the strong tie with Indonesia. In May 2011, Suva and Jakarta signed a Development Cooperation Agreement (DCA) that covers a wide range of sectors, including Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources, Forestry, Trade & Investments, Education, Legal & Judicial Sector, Defense, Police, Tourism etc. In March 2015, the Fijian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, met his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, in Nadi to discuss enhancing trade cooperation in fisheries, agriculture processing and in the marketing of their various products. While Indonesia is presently not Fiji’s largest trading partner, the value of trade between the two countries is significant.

It was Fiji Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, who pushed for Indonesia to become an observer on the MSG in 2011. Last month, he proposed that Indonesia be made an associate member of the MSG, adding that "Papua comes under the governance of Indonesia and if you want to do anything in Papua, the best thing to do is to bring in Indonesia, no matter what, if we bring in Papua separately, it doesn’t make sense" (Pacific Islands Report, 26 May 2015 http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2015/May/05-26-01.htm).
Bainimarama’s statement ignores the fraudulent processes that led to Indonesia’s annexation of West Papua, including the US-brokered New York Agreement of August 1962 that facilitated the Netherland’s handover of West Papua to Indonesia. It also ignores the questionable 1969 Act of Free Choice and the human rights abuses and atrocities that Indonesia committed in the past fifty years, including the killing of about 500,000 Melanesian West Papuans. Bainimarama chose to ignore all that in favor of trade.
Given its relationship with Indonesia, it is unlikely Fiji will support West Papua’s application for MSG membership. Instead, Bainimarama will use this MSG summit to seek endorsement for Fiji’s political agendas, including its attempts to expel Australia and New Zealand from the Pacific Islands Forum, making them participate only as donor partners.
As the MSG prepares to discuss West Papua’s application for membership, one might ask: Why should West Papua be given MSG membership? Will MSG membership help address West Papua’s issues? How can the MSG countries address the West Papua issue while maintaining cordial relationships with Indonesia? There is no space here to answer these questions. But, in seeking answers, three issues are pertinent.

First, it is important to note that sovereignty is not absolute. In the past two decades, we have seen an increase in international interventions in situations where human rights have been violated and atrocities committed. The reasons for and the nature of interventions vary, but there is definitely an international willingness to "infringe" on Westphalian notions of sovereignty in order to hold states accountable to universal principles. We have seen this from East Timor to Kosovo, from Sierra Leone to Sudan, and from Angola to Afghanistan. On the other hand, the case of Rwanda demonstrates the humanitarian costs when the international community stood by and did too little, too late.
As the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in September 1999, "State sovereignty, in its most basic sense, is being redefined – not least by the forces of globalization and international cooperation. States are now widely understood to be instruments at the service of their peoples, and not vice versa. At the same time individual sovereignty – by which I mean the fundamental freedom of each individual, enshrined in the charter of the UN and subsequent international treaties – has been enhanced by a renewed and spreading consciousness of individual rights. When we read the charter today, we are more than ever conscious that its aim is to protect individual human beings, not to protect those who abuse them" (The Economist, 16 September 1999 http://www.economist.com/node/324795).
West Papua is not the same as East Timor, Sierre Leone, Sudan, Angola, Afghanistan, Kosovo, etc. But, the international community must hold the Indonesian state accountable for more than fifty years of human rights abuses and the murder of about 500,000 West Papuans – the equivalent of nearly the entire population of Solomon Islands. "Intervention" does not have to be by military force. It can be a "diplomatic intervention" that holds Indonesia accountable, reminding Jakarta that its sovereignty is not absolute.

The MSG could, and should, take on that responsibility, not only because of ethnic affinity with indigenous West Papuans, but because of universal human rights principles. It will not be easy, given Indonesia’s growing economic, political and military power in Southeast Asia and its alliances with the US, Australia and other Western powers. But it is a noble and worthwhile engagement. It is time to take decisive action by admitting West Papua to the MSG.

Second, there is a need to redress the fraudulent processes that led to Indonesia’s annexation of West Papua. This discussion should be taken to the United Nations. There have been suggestions for a legal approach – one that challenges the transfers of sovereignty from the Dutch to the Indonesian government. This approach is favored by the International Lawyers for West Papua and Vanuatu. In June 2010, the Vanuatu parliament unanimously passed a motion calling on the International Court of Justice (IJC) to investigate the legality of West Papua’s transfer from the Dutch to Indonesia.
But, as Australian academics, Jason MacLeod and Brian Martin have pointed out, there are risks with the legal strategy. These include the fact that it would require considerable money and resources; legal strategies usually favor the powerful; it could dampen wide spread civil society activism both within and outside of West Papua; and there is the risk that the case might never be heard because of technical legal issues. And, as MacLeod and Martin state, "A failure to win the case, even on technical grounds, could undermine the cause for self-determination by giving a legal stamp of approval to the Act of Free Choice." They argue that, "The case of West Papua is essentially about power politics and vested economic interests. Therefore, winning the ‘court of public opinion’ (in other words, building a powerful social movement) and raising the political and economic costs of the Indonesian government’s continued occupation will be more decisive than a legal victory" (Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney, Papua Paper No. 3,http://www.bmartin.cc/pubs/12papuapaper.pdf). West Papua’s membership in the MSG would add to Indonesia’s political costs.

Third, West Papua had historical associations with Oceania prior to the Indonesian takeover. In his book, "Asia in the Pacific Islands: Replacing the West," the late Professor Ron Crocombe notes that, "Until Indonesia took over, West Papuans took part in the South Pacific Commission and its training courses and conferences, West Papua Churches participated in the Pacific church conferences, and West Papuans studied at the Central Medical School and the Pacific Theological College in Fiji, and at other PNG and regional institutions. When Indonesia took over West Papua in 1963, all West Papuan participation in regional activities was stopped." This calls for Oceanian responsibility.
The MSG should seriously consider West Papua’s application for membership. The worse thing that could happen would be to admit Indonesia as an associate member. That would be an insult to West Papuans and on the original intent, impetus and spirit for establishing the MSG. It could also result in Indonesia’s domination of Melanesia.

As the Melanesia’s Big Men gather in Nahona Ara (Honiara), the cries and blood of West Papuans will hang heavy in the town’s humid air. There is a lot at stake. West Papua is an issue that could make or break Melanesia.
Tarcisius Kabutaulaka is an associate professor at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He received his undergraduate and MA degrees from the University of the South Pacific, and a PhD in political science and international relations from the Australian National University. He is from Solomon Islands.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Police Investigate Burning Down of Papua Church
By Roberth Isidorus on 10:25 am Jun 16, 2015
Category Crime, Human Rights, News
[Updated at 11:59 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16, 2015, to add statement from church leader and details]
Jayapura. An evangelical church in Yambi, in Papua’s Puncak Jaya district, was burned down by group of unknown attackers on Monday.
The local military commander, Lt. Col. Bayu Sudarmanto, confirmed the incident. 
Residents heard gunshots and then saw smoke coming from the GIDI church building, after which they tried to extinguish the flames, Bayu said.
The building was destroyed in the flames, but nobody was hurt.
Police are investigating, the military commander said, adding that residents believed a local group to be behind the arson attack.
“This is the first time a church is burned down in the Central Mountains [of Papua],” said Dainus Game, GIDI chairman in Puncak Jaya. “It is a sad development for everybody, big and small, that this house of God could be burned down.” 
Asked who might be responsible for the arson attack, Dainus said he suspected local supporters of the Papua Freedom Organization (OPM). 
“Generally the perpetrators [of attacks like these] are from the TPN-OPM, but we don’t know yet who the main perpetrators are [in this case],” he said, referring to the armed wing of the OPM.  
Dainus said the attack took place at around 2:15 p.m.
“I feel they [the attackers] oppose development,” he added. “[They oppose] the government, the church — this community even fights against God.“


--------------------------------------------------------------
3) No Hidden ‘Agenda’ Behind New Scheme for Freeport: Energy Minister


Jakarta. The Indonesian government’s recent move to change Freeport Indonesia’s contract was purely for the sake of legal and investment certainty, a minister said, as critics continued to slam the “privilege” extended to the mining behemoth.
“Whatever our decision may be, it is to give legal and investment certainty,” Sudirman Said, the minister for energy and mineral resources, said in Jakarta on Monday. “The government does not have any other agenda.”
He added his office would submit a report on the new scheme to President Joko Widodo.
Ministry spokesman Dadan Kusdiana said last week that the government might grant Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, a 20-year extension on its operating permit after the company agreed to transfer from a Contract of Work (CoW) to a Special Mining Business Permit, or IUPK. The government claims the change is not in violation of prevailing regulations on mining.
Sudirman said Indonesia welcomed anyone who wished to invest in the country, with the government obliged to provide a good investment climate as well as legal certainty.
In the case of Freeport Indonesia, he added, the government can provide both through the IUPK.
Freeport Indonesia’s current contract ends in 2021 and it was only eligible to request an extension in 2019.
“If we wait until 2019 to make a decision, Freeport might see a decline in production. Their output is already slowing; that is not what we want,” Sudirman said, citing the large investments the miner was planning in the country.
Freeport Indonesia plans to invest $15 billion in underground mining facilities at its Grasberg concession in Papua, and $2.3 billion in a new smelter in Gresik, East Java.
“Any company that wants to invest $17 billion [in Indonesia], be it Freeport or anyone, must be given certainty,” Sudirman added.
The miner agreed to work under the IUPK during a meeting last week between Freeport-McMoRan chief executive James R. Moffet, Freeport Indonesia president director Maroef Sjamsoeddin and Sudirman.
Observers had urged caution over the change of status, citing a possible breach of regulations. They also urged the government to focus more on the advantages for Indonesia, such as a bigger stake in the miner from the current 9.36 percent.
Of the 26 mining companies currently operating under a CoW, only Freeport Indonesia has agreed to change the nature of its new contract.
Sudirman said his ministry would review the challenges involved in contract renegotiations and would no longer offer memorandums of understanding to extend existing contracts.
Only Freeport Indonesia was able to secure a six-month extension of its export permit through an MoU on contract renegotiations in January after the miner settled on Gresik as the location of its new smelter.
Investor Daily
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/06/16/after-freeport-other-miners-also-asked-change-their-contracts.html
4) After Freeport, other miners  also asked to change their  contracts 
Raras Cahyafitri, The Jakarta Post | Business | Tue, June 16 2015, 9:06 AM - 
After copper and gold mining giant Freeport Indonesia, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is persuading other mining companies to also change their contracts of work ( CoWs ) into business licenses.

Minister Sudirman Said explained on Monday that all mining companies were expected to change their CoWs into special mining licenses (IUPKs) before the expiry of existing contracts.

“Thus, we will no longer need to sign any memorandums of understanding [MoUs] in the renegotiation processes that have taken place for so long. We will check [the contracts] one by one and will decide what needs to be decided,” Sudirman said.

Last week, the ministry announced that it had reached a deal with Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of giant Freeport-McMoRan Inc., to change the company’s CoWs into an IUPK. Under an IUPK licensing system, the government will have greater powers compared to the previous system of contracts, in which companies could challenge the government in arbitration appeals in the event of a disagreement.

Changing from contracts to licenses is mandated by the 2009 Mining Law. However, experts have opposed the deal. They said that under the prevailing law, any contract signed in the past should be honored until its expiry, meaning that licenses can be applied only after the contract’s end date.

Freeport Indonesia’s CoW will expire in 2021 while other CoWs have different expiry dates. Under its plan, the ministry will change the company’s contract into an IUPK before its expiry date to give it certainty on its investment. Under an IUPK, a company will be able to secure 20-year operation licenses, which can be extended twice for subsequent terms of 10 years.

“For anyone wanting to make a large investment, we must give a good response. Also, we have to give legal certainty and be sure that any changes do not break the law,” Sudirman said. Thus, they said, if the government wants to apply earlier changes, the law must be revised.

The previous government tried to renegotiate the existing contracts to ensure that they were in line with the new law, which stipulates higher royalty payments. However, renegotiations — which cover adjustments in royalties, divestment, reduction in mine size, operation continuity, downstream obligations and the usage of local goods and services — were mostly in stalemate. The only finished renegotiation and amendment of a CoW was reached with nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia.

Meanwhile, most other CoWs, consisting of 73 CoWs for coal (PKP2B) and 33 mineral CoWs or KK, remain in the MoU stage. The MoUs are aimed at locking contract holders into a commitment on the six points of renegotiation while they and the government are drafting contract amendments.

Freeport Indonesia president director Maroef Sjamsoeddin said earlier that his company expected to seal an engineering, procurement and construction contract for a copper smelter in Gresik, East Java, worth US$700 million before the end of the year. “The contract will cover around a third of our investment in the smelter. This is our commitment to smelter development in the country,” Maroef said.

Apart from the smelter development, which will cost $2.3 million, the company is also planning to develop an underground mine in Papua with an estimated cost of over $15 billion. Due to that massive investment, the company needs to secure longer-term work permits.

However, critics have argued that Freeport Indonesia has held a contract for too long — since 1967 — given its contribution to the state and to local community is low. - 
-------------------------------------------------------------
http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/06/16/legislator-urges-government-to-formulate-policy-on-papuas-conflict-resolution/
5) Legislator Urges Government to Formulate Policy on Papua’s Conflict Resolution
Jakarta, Jubi – The chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives urged President Joko Widodo to formulate basic policies and a road map to conflict resolution in Papua.
“The formulation of basic policies and a road map to conflict resolution in Papua must be settled before taking a partial and sectoral policies,” Mahfudz Siddiq said in Jakarta on Monday (15/6/2015).
He said there were concerns that partial policies without a clear roadmap would fail.
Siddiq said that a policy to open “the door” for foreign journalists to come to Papua and the government’s proposal to grant amnesty or abolition for political prisoners in Papua could backfire if the root of the problem is not addressed.
“It’s worried that without a clear policy platform, those policies would become a blunder in the future,” he said.
He explained in the Meeting between the Commission I of the House of Representatives and State Intelligent Agency, BIN describes the current situation in Papua is relatively under control though the tension and actions taken by Free Papua Movement (OPM) are increasing.
He further said the Commission I of the House of Representatives agreed to ask the government to be extra careful in dealing with OPM. “There should be no statement or political decision made spontaneously by president without calculating its implications,” said Mahfudz Siddiq. (*/rom)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Soldiers Attacked Drunk Police Officer, who Later Dies
Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura Municipal Police officer, Chief Brigadier Amed Mahu, 37, was attacked by two soldiers in front of Horizon Dua Bar, Entrop, Jayapura City on Friday (12/6/2015) for alleged drinking. He later died of what hospital staff described as long illness.
Papua Police Spokesperson, Senior Police Commissionaire Patrige Renwarin said the alleged attackers were identified as Chief Private I, First Private S and Second Sergeant S (a soldier from Unit 133 Padang who assigned to 1701 Jayapura Military Sub-district Command).
“The witness in the incident is Billy Sanggenafa, the security guard of Horizon Dua Bar. At that time, the members of 1701 Jayapura Military Sub-district Command were on patrol. When they arrived at the scene, they met with the victim who at that time under the influence of alcohol,” Renwarin said on Monday (15/6/2015).
Renwarin said the perpetrators asked the victim who he was. Amed Mahu said he is the assistant of Jayapura Municipal Police Chief. But without being provoked, the soldiers attacked him causing bruises on his face and pain in the stomach.
Jubi obtained the information said the victim died in Bhayangkara Police Hospital, Jayapura City on Monday at around 16:05 Papua time. However, XVII Cenderawasih Military Regional Command claimed the cause of his death had no connection the beating incident.
“A medic who was on afternoon duty, dr. Evalina Malau said it wasn’t because of the beating. He died because of bowel or intestinal obstruction that he has suffered for a long time cause him difficulties to urinate and defecate,” said the Military Regional Command Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Teguh Puji Raharjo through email to Jubi.
According to him, another doctor who was on morning duty, dr. Kamelia said Amed Mahu had suffered from intestinal obstruction for a long time. There was no marks of beating or scars on his stomach.(Arjuna Pademme/rom)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
↧
↧

1) Petition Exceeds Voice Support for ULMWP Act of 1969

June 16, 2015, 2:19 pm
$
0
0

2) Free condoms at 180 sites  in Jayapura
3) Papua Police Arrest Mother for Alleged Child Abuse

--------------------------------------------------------
A google translate of article ink majalahselangkah.com. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

1) Petition Exceeds Voice Support for ULMWP Act of 1969
 Author: Theresia Francisca Tekege | Tuesday, June 16, 2015 20:25 
The leaders of the union struggle for independence of West Papua (ULMWP) in Honiara, Solomon Island. Photo: facebook.

Jayapura, STEP MAGAZINE - West Papua National Committee (KNPB) voiced, a petition to support the people of West Papua The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) exceeds the voice of the Popular Consultation (Act) in 1969.
It is delivered spokesman KNPB, bazookas Logo told reporters at a news conference in the courtyard Museum Papua Expo, Waena, Jayapura, on Tuesday (06/16/2015).
In the period are set, there are 157 427 signatures in a petition made by setting up posts Papua uproar ULMWP support in complex Cendrawasih University in Jayapura.
"Ahead of the meeting of MSG, attitude and enthusiastic support of the people of West Papua to ULMWP as container Nations National unity in the territory of West Papua is very clear. The awareness of the people of Papua to the container ULMWP also strong and positive," said Logo.
"In the framework of the campaign and socialization ULMWP in all regions of West Papua from early April until June 15, 2015, officials of the Republic of Indonesia has arrested 507 activists of the Papuan people, 10 activists are still in detention colonial Indonesia. The incidents are natural people two months The latter has shown the people of West Papua is very supportive of Papuan independence struggle consciously, "he explains.
Further Logo, Indonesia has been claimed, only a handful of Papuans want independence shout. "But with the results of the post support in just a few days, exceeded the number of voters in the 1969 Act used to be a corroboration of the argument, the majority of Papuans want independence," he said. (Theresia Francisca Tekege / MS)

----------------------------------------------------------------
2) Free condoms at 180 sites  in Jayapura
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura | Archipelago | Tue, June 16 2015, 4:00 PM
Around 100 volunteers and social workers have been deployed to distribute free condoms in 180 known areas for sex transactions such as hotels, dormitories, rental rooms and on the streets in their efforts to slow down the rapid spreading of HIV/AIDS in the provincial capital and surrounding areas.
The secretary of the Papua AIDS Prevention Commission, Constant Karma, said in Jayapura on Tuesday that the move was aimed at moving condoms closer to where they are needed.
He said the volunteers and social workers have never forced but only offered condoms and the decision remained with sex consumers on whether or not to use them.
“The condoms are offered only to those exposed to a high risk of HIV infection because this is the only way to suppress the rapid spreading of the fatal disease in the province,” he said.
Constant, also a former deputy governor of Papua, revealed that the total number of people infected with AIDS in the province has reached around 19,000 since the virus was first detected in Merauke in 1992.
Separately, the head of the AIDS, TB and Malaria technical unit at the Papua Health Agency, Ni Nyoman Sri Antara, said that his office would involve both informal and religious leaders in their campaign for HIV/AIDS prevention in the province.
“Informal and religious leaders will be asked to play an active role in the campaign because most people, mostly those living in rural areas, have yet to learn about the fatal disease,” he said.
He said that based on a survey conducted in 2013, only nine out of every 100 people had a comprehensive understanding of the disease, how it is transmitted and how to prevent it.(+++)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Papua Police Arrest Mother for Alleged Child Abuse

By Roberth Isidorus on 04:11 pm Jun 16, 2015
Category Crime, Front Page, News


Jayapura. Police in Jayapura, Papua, have arrested a local woman for allegedly assaulting her own child and inflicting serious physical injuries.
Police officers detained Debi Husein, 35, on Tuesday afternoon after they received a report from neighbors who saw her 6-year-old child standing outside the house appearing to be in pain and frightened, said First Insp. Irene Aronggear, chief of the women and children services unit at the Jayapura Police.
Irene added that police also took Debi’s husband into custody for questioning as he has allegedly abused the young boy as well.
Results of a medical exam revealed the child suffered a broken right leg, cigarette burns all over his body and blunt-force trauma to the head.
“The victim’s condition was very weak when [the neighbors] found him; his breathing was slow and his face was turning blue,” said Irene.
According to Elias, 31, one of the witnesses, the victim had stayed under the care of his aunt who resides in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and returned to Jayapura five months ago.
“I’ve heard the victim crying in pain many times, but I was not brave enough to reprimand the parents,” Elias said.
The case comes less than a week after Bali Police discovered the body of an 8-year-old girl, Angeline, who was reported missing on May 16. Though investigators have detained a former male domestic worker for her murder, they also arrested the child’s foster mother, Margarieth Christine Megawe for charges of neglect.
Angeline’s death has also prompted calls from activists for harsher punishments for child abusers in Indonesia.

↧

The stories we never hear from Papua

June 16, 2015, 5:37 pm
$
0
0

The Interpreter



The stories we never hear from Papua

Michael Bachelard


17 June 2015 9:12AM
Thanks to a brutal history, an Indonesian Government that restricts journalistic access, and a group of committed activists in Australia and New Zealand, most people only ever hear one story about Indonesia's Papua and West Papua provinces. Over coming days, Interpreter readers will see a seven-part series about that story and what I saw in Papua as Indonesia correspondent for Fairfax Media between 2012 and 2014.




Fenina Ilit from Lolat shelters from the rain under a traditional umbrella. (November 2014/Michael Bachelard.)
It's a story about a 'slow motion genocide'; about the greed of foreign miners and an Indonesian military occupation without scrutiny or accountability. It's about a proud people desperate for freedom from a repressive, extractive state.
When that story is told in Australia, it reminds people of the long struggle of the East Timorese. In Indonesia, the similarity between the two poisons the relationship with Australia. The Indonesian elite is encouraged in the false view that Australia has a secret plan to also take this province away from them. 
But it's a half-story.
The real story is much more complex. As Fairfax Media's correspondent, I wanted to see for myself. I made two trips into Papua, both into the highlands and the lowlands. To get there legally, the Indonesian Government put me through an application process that involved spelling out what stories I wanted to write, and precisely who I wanted to meet. My application was endorsed by civilian and military leaders.
Both times I was granted permission. Both times I strayed from the government-imposed reservation to fill out a more complete picture.
What I found in Papua was grief at dispossession and anger at Indonesia's repressive colonial occupation. I found an independence movement fueled by a strong belief in religious and cultural differences.  But I also found ordinary people sick, impoverished and frustrated by the public sector dysfunction and local corruption that is mostly driven by ethnic Papuan elites.  And I found fear – not only of Indonesia, but fear that an independent Papuan state, which all said they fervently hoped for, may descend into tribalism and chaos. 
Few would say that they were better off as part of Indonesia, but a number paraphrased St Augustine's infamous plea, saying: 'Please grant us independence from Indonesia, but not yet'.
↧

1) PM: Indonesia, We’re With You

June 17, 2015, 2:17 am
$
0
0



 2) Two Local Languages in Papua On the Brink of Extinction

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

Http://Fijisun.Com.Fj/2015/06/17/Pm-Indonesia-Were-With-You/

1) Pm: Indonesia, We’re With You

June 17 11:04 2015 By Maika Bolatiki, SUVA

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says Fiji will stand with Indonesia on the West Papua issue.


“My stance on West Papua has never changed,” he said.
He said that West Papua was under the sovereignty of Indonesia.
“We feel for the sovereignty of the people of West Papua but we must also remember that it is under the sovereignty of Indonesia.”
West Papua will top the agenda when the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meets in Honiara on Wednesday next week. The MSG will hear an application for membership from the West Papua separatist movement. A similar bid was knocked back at last year’s MSG leader’s summit in New Caledonia.
Mr Bainimarama said: “For West Papua to become an MSG member, it would depend on our meeting in Honiara.”
Separatist Papuan groups are hoping that the recognition of their identity would come from MSG and they will be accepted as a member. For decades, some have been fighting for independence from Indonesia.
Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Esala Nayasi said from Honiara yesterday that West Papua was among the 19 regional issues that would be discussed. Other issues will include the future of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Pacific Islands Development Forum and climate change.
Mr Bainimarama will lead the Fijian delegation. He will be leaving Fiji next Tuesday.
Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, will leave for Honiara on Saturday.
 -----------------------------------------------------
2) Two Local Languages in Papua On the Brink of Extinction
Bengkulu, Jubi – Two Papuan indigenous languages, Saponi and Mapia, are among 14 Indonesian tongues that have gone extinct.
“There are 14 local languages that have already gone extinct because their speakers no longer exist,” said Aziz Qahar Mudzakkar, the Commission III member of Regional Representative Council of the House of Representative at Bengkulu Provincial Language Office in Kota Bengkulu on Tuesday (16/6/2015).
Others include 10 local languages of Maluku Province: Hoti, Hukumina, Hulung, Serua, Te’un, Palumata, Loun, Moksela, Naka’eka and Nila languages; and two local languages of North Maluku Province: Ternateno and Ibu languages.
According to UNESCO, there are more than 740 local languages in the Indonesian archipelago. However, 136 languages are in category of endangered. Aziz said there are 13 languages that are still being used by more than one million people: Acehnese, Batak, Malay, Minangkabau, Rejau, Lampung, Sunda, Java, Madura, Bali, Sasak, Makassar and Bugis.
The visit was to collect some data and documents concerning to the preparation of draft Law on Regional Language that would be endorsed by the Indonesian House of Representative as part of national legislation program in 2016. (*/rom)
-------------------------------
↧

1) Samoa looks into supporting West Papua

June 17, 2015, 2:04 pm
$
0
0
2) Editorial: Why We Will Support Indonesia
3) Papua Military Court Jails Two Soldiers for Selling Ammo to OPM

4) Paniai Indigenous Council to Raise Funds to Support Ad Hoc Team


5) Papua Exports Jump Nearly 96 Percent

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

1) Samoa looks into supporting West Papua

Updated at 10:08 pm on 17 June 2015
Samoa says it will be looking into supporting a West Papua request for membership in the Pacific Islands Forum
The Samoa Observer reports that Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi made the assurances to the general secretary of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovianus Mote last week.
Mr Mote who the Observer reports is in Fiji this week to lobby for support ahead of West Papua's upcoming bid for membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group also met with Tautua leaders and the Council of Churches in Samoa who also expressed their full support for West Papua.
According to Mr Mote, when West Papua gained independence in 1961, Samoa was one of the few countries represented at the celebrations.
Speaking to the Observer, Mr Mote said that the population of indigenous West Papuans, which was once 1.5 million, is down by 48 percent and his people are a minority in their our land. 
He said should the trend continue, in 2020, the population will be less than 23 percent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) EDITORIAL: Why We Will Support Indonesia

June 17
11:22 2015




When we needed support when traditional allies deserted us after the 2006 events, Indonesia was one of first countries to pledge their backing.

Over the years the relations have grown stronger. Full diplomatic relations were established. Bilateral trade, economic and defence ties continue to grow.
Rosy Akbar, the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, recently returned from Jakarta, where she signed a new Memorandum of Understanding for technical assistance with her Indonesian counterpart. A group of Pacific journalists including Fiji Sun photojournalist Paulini Ratulailai, is in Indonesia. The journalists were invited by the Indonesian Government to have first hand experience of what it tourism industry has to offer.
Last year, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), then Indonesian President, was guest speaker at the Pacific Islands Development Forum summit in Denarau, Nadi. His visit underscored the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries.
More than a decade after being severely hit by an economic crisis that also damaged domestic political stability, Indonesia is rapidly emerging as an economic and political power in South East Asia and global politics. It is the biggest country in that region and has considerable potential.
Just like Fiji, some people did not give Indonesia much chance after the fall of Suharto in 1998. There were predictions that the country, the fourth most populous in the world and the largest Muslim majority, would break into small states.
But Indonesia has defied its criticis as it continues to consolidate its democracy. It came at a cost. People died in street riots after Suharto’s downfall. But the following general elections (both parliamentary and presidential) after have brought peace and stability. In August 2009, general elections (both parliamentary and presidential), incumbent SBY was returned..
According to an Asia Foundation report, the elections showed declining support for Islamic parties which, many in the West had mistakenly feared, could take the nation down a spiral of extremism and violence. Some argued that elections in newly democratic countries with weak political and administrative institutions generated an intense nationalism leading to violence and war. But the Indonesian elections have shown otherwise.
Indonesia, instead of looking inwardly, opened up its foreign affairs policy and established relations with several countries.
Its commitment to human rights and peace in the region has been recognised by the international community.
The West Papua issue is a work in progress and is still a sensitive one as far as Jakarta is concerned. The situation now, though, is a lot better than what it was. President Joko Widodo, has carried on from where SBY left off.
Because of Indonesia’s profile now on the world stage, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will support it in the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in Honiara next week.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3) Papua Military Court Jails Two Soldiers for Selling Ammo to OPM

By Robert Isidorus on 06:13 pm Jun 17, 2015
Category Crime, Front Page, News
Jayapura. A military court in Papua on Wednesday discharged two soldiers ordered them imprisoned after they were found to have sold ammunition to a separatist militia.
Chief Sgt. Ikrom and Sgt. Maj. Supriadi were sentenced to 10 and 12 years in prison respectively after they were arrested by Papua Police on Jan. 28 for allegedly selling 500 rounds of ammunition worth Rp 450,000 ($33) to members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM).
“The officers were involved in violating the use of ammunition,” Col. Sus Priyo Mustiko, presiding in the court martial, ruled on Wednesday.
Ikrom and Supriadi were among five soldiers apprehended in the bust that led to the recovery of 1,000 rounds of ammunition from the suspected separatists in Jayapura.
The remaining three soldiers are scheduled to hear their verdicts in the court martial on Thursday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Paniai Indigenous Council to Raise Funds to Support Ad Hoc Team

Jayapura, Jubi – The chairman of the Regional Indigenous Council (DAD) of Paniai, John NR. Gobai insisted that the Independent Investigation Team from the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemenkopolhukam) is not needed to investigate the December 8 shootings.
“The arrival of the investigation team of Kemenkopolhukam RI to Enarotali, Paniai recently was to collect data that have been concluded by the National Commission on Human Rights,” Gobai told Jubi by phone on Tuesday (16/6).
He explained the investigation found human rights violations based on Law No. 39 of 1999, on Human Rights (HAM) and Law No. 26 Year 2000 on Human Rights Court in the incident.
“So we view that the arrival of a team from the Kemenkopolhukam is just to maintain the authority of the state and to produce comparable data or a challenge to the data obtained by the National Commission on Human Rights,” he said.
Thus, it can be said that the visit has been very contrary to the mandate of the laws and regulations in the sector of law enforcement and protection of human rights in Indonesia and internationally.
“In fact the Commission itself has formed an AdHoc team under the provisions of Article 18 of Law No. 26 of 2000 on Human Rights Court,” he said.
He guessed AdHoc team was unable come to Paniai because there was no travel funds, so he asked to do fund raising.
Earlier, the chairman of the Special Committee of Papua Legislative Council (DPRP) on Human Rights Laurenzus Kadepa said all parties in Indonesia should support the work of the Commission in completing Paniai cases.
“All state agencies and institutions, including the TNI / Polri should appreciate and support the efforts of the National Commission on Human Rights. We continue to encourage the completion of shootings that killed four high school students and wounded dozens of civilians. Papua parliament did not want any rival teams formed by a particular party,” Kadepa added. (Alberth You/ Tina)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Papua Exports Jump Nearly 96 Percent

Jayapura, Jubi- Exports from Papua nearly doubled in May, compared to the previous month, the head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Papua Province Didiek Koesbianto said.
“In May, Papua exports increased by 95.99 percent compared to the previous month’s total exports, from 106.44 million dollar to 208.61 dollar rupiah,” he said in Jayapura on Wednesday (17/6/2015).
Cumulatively, he added, the value of exports in 2015 (January to May) was 668.96 million US dollars, nearly tripled that from last year.
“The cumulative export value from January to May 2015 was 668.96 million or 259.67 percent more than the same cumulative total exports in 2014 only reached 185.99 million US dollars,” he said.
Papua entire export value in the period, he added, comes from Copper Ore and Concentrates (HS26), which is valued at 208.61 million dollars.
“This value is higher compared to 123.77 percent in value in April 2015. In May 2015, was not recorded for exports of wooden category (HS44), Fish and Other Water Animals categories (HS03) and other non-oil category,” he said.
He added cumulative export of HS26 from January to May 2015 increased 508.70 million US dollars, amounted to 456.49 percent due to higher volume of exports by 661.96 percent.
Other non-oil export group increased 0.22 million US dollars. Conversely export value HS44 and HS 03 group actually decreased, respectively by 8.40 million US dollars and 17.55 million US dollars. (*/ Tina)
---------------------------------------------
↧
↧

1) Solomons against full West Papua MSG membership

June 18, 2015, 2:42 am
$
0
0
2) Melanesia begins preparatory meetings to Leaders Summit
3) Dutch journo attests to huge West Papuan support for MSG bid
4) Papuan Muslims Hold Burning Stone Ritual to Welcome Ramadan

-----------------------------------------------------------
1) Solomons against full West Papua MSG membership
The Solomon Islands Government says it will not back the United Liberation Movement for West Papua as a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
But it says it will back observer status to one united group.
In a statement issued this evening, the Government, which hosts the MSG summit next week, says it would agree that any submission for full membership by a group representing Melanesians throughout Indonesia if it is united and done in consultation with Indonesia.
It says it also wants the MSG to continue looking at ways to make Indonesia an associate member of the MSG.
The Government says it has made its decisions to enhance Melanesian solidarity, values, continuity and maintain good neighbourliness.
The New Caledonia FLNKS and Vanuatu have traditionally backed West Papua's push to join the MSG, but Port Vila's position is unclear after the toppling of the Natuman Government.
Fiji has been strongly backing the Jakarta position and the leadership in Papua New Guinea has been ambivalent on the issue.

-------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/melanesian-spearhead-group/6665/melanesia-begins-preparatory-meetings-to-leaders-s/
2) Melanesia begins preparatory meetings to Leaders Summit
West Papua, Indonesia bids to dominate discussions
MSG senior officials meeting chairman, Ambassador Joseph Maa'hanva, acting foreign affairs permanent secretary in the Solomon Islands.-- Photo: Samisoni Pareti
Interests to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group by the pro-independence group in West Papua as well as Indonesia are expected to dominate next week’s biennial summit in the Solomon Islands of MSG Leaders.
The two larger MSG members, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are backing the associate membership application of Jakarta, and Director General of the MSG, Peter Forau confirmed to journalists covering the pre-MSG Leaders summit in Honiara today that his Secretariat has received Indonesia’s formal application.
He also confirmed that the West Papua application has been lodged.
The first of a series of meetings leading up to next week MSG Leaders Summit started in the Solomon Islands capital today (Thursday) where senior foreign affairs officials from Fiji, Vanuatu, the FLNKS group in New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and host Solomon Islands are going through the agenda items of the summit.
By end of tomorrow (Friday), these officials hope to finalise the agenda that will then be presented before the MSG Foreign Ministers Meeting, scheduled to begin in Honiara on Monday next week. Foreign Ministers need to approve the agenda in time for their Leaders Summit that will start with an elaborate ceremony of welcome on the grounds of the Solomon Islands Museum on Wednesday.
On Thursday next week, MSG Leaders will proceed to their customary island retreat, before they re-gather in Honiara on Friday for the plenary and release of their decisions in the form of the summit communiqué.
A dramatic plan to announce Solomon Islands’ position on West Papua by the country’s Prime Minister Mannaseh Sogavare through an address to the nation on state radio today fizzled out when the proposed announcement was cancelled abruptly with no reasons offered.
In a front-page story today, the Solomon Star newspaper predicted that the announcement would “bring smiles to local supporters of West Papua.” The newspaper added that with PNG and Fiji offering to support Indonesia’s bid, support for West Papua by the Sogavare Government would be “crucial.”
Assuming the chairmanship of the MSG Senior Officials meeting today, acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Solomon Islands, Joseph Maa’hanva spoke about everything but West Papua or Indonesia’s membership bid.
He highlighted climate change as among challenges MSG member countries need to overcome in order “for peace, progress and prosperity is sustainable for all.” Efforts needed to be galvanised he said to ensure that “no one in any of our membership is left behind.”
Addressing senior MSG officials, MSG’s deputy director general Molean Kilepak highlighted several issues officials needed to discuss for presentation to their ministers and through them, to their leaders.
This he said included the MSG’s strategic plan for the next 25 years, and the creation of the MSG’s business arm, named Melanesian Solutions. The MSG Free Trade Agreement that will lead to the creation of a free trade area between all Melanesian countries is also on the agenda, Kilepak added, as well the need to create a Melanesia Emergency and Stablisation Fund and a MSG Development Fund.
Other possible agenda items include an MSG private sector development strategy, report of the Melanesian shipping study and the creation of an MSG police peacekeeping force.
Ends/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


3) Dutch journo attests to huge West Papuan support for MSG bid

Updated at 3:12 pm today























































A Dutch journalist who has been travelling in Indonesia's Papua region says the depth of local support for a West Papuan application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group is huge.
MSG leaders are due in Honiara next week when they are expected to make a decision on a membership bid by the United Liberation Movement of West Papua, an organisation of leading West Papuan representative groups.
Reporting undercover from Papua, Rohan Radheya says recently there have been many demonstrations in support of the bid.
"All the people I talk to, they are very optimistic that their Melanesian brothers and sisters will vote in their favour. They are hopeful but they're also very afraid... sort of: what next, after that, if we are abandoned again? That would be such a hard blow for them because they have worked for this MSG membership for such a long time. And if they get rejected that would definitely be a knockout blow for them."
Mr Radheya says many Papuans who demonstrate support of the MSG bid have been taken in by Indonesia's security forces.
He says foreign media outlets interested in covering this region should engage more with local journalists.
He says the plight of West Papuan journalists tends to be ignored in the growing commentary about access to Papua for foreign media.
Mr Radheya says despite the Indonesian president's recent claim that the ban on foreign journalists in Papua was being lifted, he doesn't believe the heavy restrictions are being lifted at all.
"But the point is there are so many local journalists here who face threats and intimidation daily by Indonesian forces. They are good journalists, they have a good network and some of the guys I met, they have bullet holes, they have been stabbed by forces, and they continue to wake up in the morning and just go about and do their jobs."
Mr Radheya says local journalists would be more than willing to contibute to foreign media outlets.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY, 18 JUNE, 2015 | 08:12 WIB
4) Papuan Muslims Hold Burning Stone Ritual to Welcome Ramadan
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Muslim community in Mateor village, Jayapura, held the Burning Stone ritual to welcome the fasting month.
Community head Hadiman Asso, 37, said the ritual was meant to be a gathering, known assilaturahmi, ahead of the beginning of the fasting month.
"During the event, we can forgive and greet one another," he said during the ceremony on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
The Burning Stone ritual is a ceremony of cooking food using heated stones put on top of grass.
Atop of the stones, people place vegetables, cassava or meat, before covering them all again with grass to keep the heat. The cooking lasts for two to three hours.
Hadiman said Papuan Muslims have resided in the area since 1981. "Currently, there are 600 people or around 84 households in Jayapura,” he said. 
↧

JOKOWI’S SECOND PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO PAPUA - Reflection and Agenda for dialogue

June 18, 2015, 3:50 am
$
0
0
Opinion piece by Theo van den Broek 
Jayapura, 17 June 2015

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


JOKOWI’S SECOND PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO PAPUA


Reflection and Agenda for dialogue


Papuans have supported the election of Jokowi, who received about 70% of the vote in Papua. They expected that President Jokowi would be a better partner to listen to their aspirations and problems. In his campaign for the presidency, Jokowi promised to be there for the people, to open a dialogue with them and to give special attention to solving of the problems in Papua.


During his first presidential visit to Papua on 27 December 2014, this campaign message still sounded when he urged the relevant authorities to prioritise and finalise the investigation of one of the worst human rigths violations, which took place in Enarotali/Paniai on the 7-8th of December 2014, in which four kids were killed by the security forces. At the same time he repeated that indeed Papuans don’t just need economic development, but above all they need to be listened to.


Coming in for a second presidential visit (7-10 May 2015) expectations were still high, although over the first months of his presidency voices of initial disappointment started to be heard, not just in Papua but also in other parts of Indonesia. The second visit has proved to be a disturbing mixture of moments of joy and moments of very substantial disappointment.


First of all the visit was accompanied with by incredibly disproportional security arrangments. The security forces proudly announced that they would mobilize 6.000 personel (3.400 army and 2.600 police); that they would be using 5 helicopters; that two warships woul]d be on standby in the Jayapura harbour; and that 12 teams of snipers had been prepared to be positioned at strategic locations. At the same time fighter-planes flew over Jayapura. For anyone reading this kind of preparation there can only be one conclusion: Papuans are a real threat, they are very dangerous, and the President might be in danger! This implication is at odds with the reality on the ground where Papuans only showed minor interest in the visit and a number of provincial governmental dignitaires weren’t even on the spot to receive the President. For sure this show of force by the security forces only strengthened the stigmatisation of the Papuans as “enemies of the nation”.


Secondly the lack of enthusiasm and interest by the Papuan community for the visit might reflect the already decreasing trust in the steps taken by the President to solve the problems in Papua. The lack of any substantial follow-up to his message on 27 december 2014 when he urged a fast resolution of the Paniai tragedy may be one of the reasons. The lack of interest might also have been a result of the agenda of the visit, which was mainly ceremonial rather then open and a chance to dialogue and to listen to each other in a serious way.


Within this general context the visit started off on a very ceremonial and formal note, and only sparked some renewed interest when it became public that 5 political prisoners were granted clemency and thereby released from prison. Jokowi also made clear that this was just the beginning as “all the political prisoners will be released over a short period of time to come”. This surprising step was followed by the announcement that the ban on free access to Papua for journalists and other foreign visitors, including researchers, would be lifted. This means: free access for anybody interested. This additional step really revived the hope a lot of Papuans had when they elected Jokowi as President.


Although these two steps are very important and promising indeed, during the days following it came to light that some of the released prisoners had been pressured to sign a letter of request for grace, something they personally were reluctant to do, because it would mean that they admitted that had been involved in a criminal act. They know they were expressing an opinion that might be not in line with the national ideology, but they did so peacefully and within their rights. One of the key persons the President aimed to release was Filep Karma, but he refused to sign the needed letter for the reason mentioned above.


A headline in the local paper also caught the eye in which the National Commander of the army said that “the exploitation of a Papua-Jakarta dialogue should stop”. According to the commander the dialogue was already taking place via the visits the President was making; so, no need anymore to ask for a dialogue. Sadly, the President himself made similar statements saying that “there is no problem in Papua... dialogue for what?”; “no place for a political dialogue;  our policy is a dialogue for development”. Likewise his appeal to “forget about the past and just look ahead” received angry reactions by prominent Papuans, and for good reasons.


Statements like the ones above were very discouraging as the general hope was that with Jokowi there would be room for a substantial dialogue.  Anyway, the message became clear: the central government is not in for a dialogue, such as has been requested for by Papuans over the recent years;  the Papuans are asking for a dialogue to discuss the real roots of the problems in Papua and with a readiness to find a solution together in a dignified way and at the same time move away from the brutal violence that seems to be the trademark nowadays.


While visiting Merauke, the President confirmed officially his earlier made announcement that “starting today all foreign journalists and interested people have free access to Papua; no restrictions in place anymore”.  It was certainly a message that was very much welcomed by Papuans as well as the international community. However listening to de facto powerful people around the President some reservation became clear. No surprise that a couple of days later the Coordinating Minister for political, security and legal affairs announced that any journalist wishing to visit and report on Papua has still to obtain the needed permission first. In other words ‘business as usual’, although the name ‘the clearing house’ was changed into ‘a monitoring’ unit.


The visit to Merauke was mainly geared to affirm that the central government would go full speed ahead and accelerate the implementation of a huge mega-project, i.e. the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE),  that relates to industrial investment and developing of (in the original version) 4.6 million ha of land (including virgin forestry). The program has not taken off over the last five years as indigenous communities didn’t agree with the loss of their land and also because of the irrepairable damage that would be done to the environment. The President just disregarded all the problems and rightful objections, and declared the first step of developing 1,2 million of rice within a period of three years. Besides the fact that the feasibility of this very program has been questioned by well informed experts, Jokowi insists that the program must be implemented. To make sure it will succeed he also invited the army to take an active part in the implementation of the project.  It is amazing that in a region where local communities have been suffering for so long and have expressed so often their concrete suffering as a result of investors’ behavior, including the denial of their basic rights, the loss of their land including their food security, the destruction of the environment, the intimidation by security forces, and the local administrators who prioritised their own personal interest above that of the community they are supposed to serve, that the President didn’t show that he has ever listened well to these very sad human stories or acknowledged the increasing marginalisation of the indigenous community in Papua.


Once again the message is clear: the central government goes ahead with ‘its grand design’ and turns a deaf ear and blind eye to anything else. What is however clear as well is the evident ambiguity of the concrete steps/measures initiated by the President. He comes across as firm and honest in his steps/initiatives, but it takes only a short time for his surrounding political millieu to react and redress or just disregard any policy set by the President. A recent example of this practice is the reaction by the Minister for Transmigration after the President announced in early June that he will stop the transmigration program to Papua. The relevant minister reported that the transmigration program to Papua would go ahead and was very much needed for the “1,2 million ha rice project”, and what is more that “Merauke is a heaven for transmigrants” and that transmigration to the Merauke region has been very successfull in the past.


An interesting aspect of this whole visit was also that the provincial government in Papua hardly participated in it and its ‘policy steps’. It may be very significant and suggest a number of interpretations. But one thing is clear, the provincial government doesn’t make its own voice and analysis heard and that this is as damaging as the overwhelming dominance of the central government in Papua policies.


In conclusion we can only say that the presidential visit has left Papua/Papuans struggling with

·       very mixed feelings and increasing doubt in any concrete political desire of the central government and its related institutions to ‘reach out to the indigenous community in order to find the right solutions together’;
·       wondering who is effectively in charge in the country, and in Papua in particular; 

·       the powerlessness of the own provincial government that is supposed to be on the forefront to fight for solutions that show respect for the dignity of the indigenous Papuans as the cornerstone of any policy and action;

·       the feeling that this kind of presidential visit doesn’t meet the standards hoped for by the Papuan indigenous community;


Reflecting on the reality pictured above it is amazing that various crucial problems that really and urgently deserve attention haven’t been discussed, at least not in a setting that includes the participation of the Papuan community. The crucial problems we are are refering to and that we would like to suggest as a substantial Agenda for Dialogue are:

·       addressing the dramaticly changing demographic balance in order to guarantee that (e.g.) at least 30% (minimum!) of the population in Papua should be and remain indigenous;
·       a change in approach including decreasing the repressive/violent way solving problems (including the factual violation of human rights), and decreasing the evident reluctance by the central government to discuss the real roots of the problems;

·       the rethinking of the economic development model so that is becomes more people oriented and safeguards the very right to life for the indigenous community

·       the necessary increase in the regional government’s competence/capacity in order to be able to identify the appropriate policies and balance the evident power dominance of the security forces nowadays.


For anyone who claims to have “the Papuans at heart” these crucial problems should be at the forefront of an honest dialogue, which respects each other. This is an urgent need for and shared responsibility to become real stewards of human dignity.

Jayapura, 17 June 2015


Theo van den Broek 

↧
Search

1) Solomon Islands to Support West Papua, With Conditions

June 18, 2015, 2:47 pm
$
0
0
2) 157,427 People Sign Petition Supporting West Papua for MSG
3) Sorong Municipal Police Arrest KNPB Activist During Inspection

4) Access for Foreign Press in Papua Will Never be Revoked, Legislator Says

5)  5 ‘traitors’ dismissed  from Army, sent to prison

6) Indonesian government to investigate report on human skull smuggling

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

http://www.solomontimes.com/news/solomon-islands-to-support-west-papua-with-conditions/8416
Solomon Times Online

Friday, 19 June 2015 7:32 AM

1) Solomon Islands to Support West Papua, With Conditions

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has assured the people of West Papua that his government will support its bid to join the MSG as an Observer.


The Prime Minister has, however, reiterated the need to grant such recognition to one united group, and the need to consult Indonesia should West Papua seek full membership.

Below is the full official statement.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER MANASSEH SOGAVARE
I hereby make this official announcement on behalf of the Sovereign State of Solomon Islands on the application by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for Membership of the Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG). The Cabinet, in exercising its decision-making mandate on behalf of the people of Solomon Islands, agreed that:

1. Solomon Islands Government will endorse West Papua to be an Observer of the MSG and this Observer Status is given only to one united group.

2. Solomon Islands Government will agree that any submission for full membership to the MSG by a group representing Melanesians in Indonesia must be united and done in consultation with Indonesia as agreed by MSG Leaders in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

3. Solomon Islands Government will encourage MSG to continue to explore avenues for Indonesia in its interest to be an Associated Member of MSG within the guidelines approved by Leaders in 2012.

4. Solomon Islands Government will engage with all MSG stakeholders in communicating the above positions.

The above mentioned positions had been made in light of the need to enhance Melanesian solidarity, values, continuity and maintain good neighbourliness.
Geopolitics and international commerce aside, these resolutions are founded on Christian principles which form the bedrock of our National Constitution. They also recognise the need to create international space for Melanesians seeking the inalienable rights and freedoms they sought to achieve through peaceful co-existence.
Hon Manasseh. D. Sogavare MP
Prime Minister
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) 157,427 People Sign Petition Supporting West Papua for MSG
Jayapura, Jubi – Ahead to Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG) in Solomon Islands, the support and enthusiasm of West Papuan people toward ULMWP as representation of nation unity are very clear. People’s awareness on ULMWP is very strong and positive. Many activities were held to support the ULMWP open campaign. These activities indicated the supports of Papuan people to the process of struggle on Free Papua.
Central West Papua National Committee, Bazoka Logo said the West Papuan people awareness to support ULMWP has come true through spontaneous support during the socialization of ULMWP since the early of April to June 2015.
“The enthusiasm of indigenous Papuans is clear and real. Within two months, they supported ULMWP through petition, peace demonstration, prayer and fasting as well as other moral supports that are real and pure,” Bazoka Loga told reporters in Waena, Jayapura on Tuesday (16/6).
He said the petition to support ULMWP has exceeded the votes on Pepera (People’s Vote) in 1969. Whereas Indonesia often said Papuans who asked for Independence, but KNPB said it’s not true. The reality is the Papua’s nation want to separate from the Republic of Indonesia and want self-determination through international mechanism.
“The petition of Papuan people is coming from many individuals, namely academics, religious leaders, customary leaders, youth leaders, women leaders, student organizations, opponent organizations, village chiefs, civil servants, construction workers, company workers, cargo workers, street traders and all West Papuan people. The number reaches 157,427 (one hundred fifty seven thousand and four hundred twenty seven) votes,” Logo said.
According to him, those who support ULMWP through petition are indigenous Papuans and partisans in Papua, from Sorong to Merauke. “So, the petition to support Free Papua has been come true and it exceeded the votes in 1969 that only had 1025 votes at that time,” he said.
The Secretary General of Central KNPB, Onesh Suhuniap said KNPB called on Papuan people to be optimistic to support ULMWP towards MSG Summit. “We will mediate Papuan people. KNOB will support the process of MSG Summit in Solomon Islands. We support them through collective prayer and fasting that will be held on 21, 22 and 23 June 2015 in the entire Regional People’s Parliament and KNPB secretariat and open spaces in West Papua,” said Suhuniap. (Abeth You/rom)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Sorong Municipal Police Arrest KNPB Activist During Inspection


The police arrested an activist as patrolled to stop a peaceful demonstration led by West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Sorong Raya – Jubi

Sorong, Jubi – The police arrested an activist as patrolled to stop a peaceful demonstration led by West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Sorong Raya that was supposed to be held in front of Sorong Municipal Legislative Office to support the West Papua membership in Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
The KNPB activist, Nando Kogoya, was later released after being questioned briefly by police, who also seized a motorcycle.
Jubi observed that on Wednesday (17/6) at around 10:00 Papua time, the local police officers and military personnel monitored the situation before the inspection against KNPB activists who planned to hold rally from Kilometer 10 Cemetery Complex towards Sorong Municipal Legislative Office where located at Jalan Jupiter, Kilometer 10, Sorong City.
After some times, the protesters had no indication to move. So, the police conducted raids on some vehicles, which passed the street, and people who suspected as KNPB activists who secretly want to participate in the protest. The raid was effective. The police found and seized a leaflet from a biker’s bag that alleged as KNPB activist. He was questioned but then released.
KNPB Sorong Raya Spokesperson, Agustinus Aud admitted KNPB Sorong Raya planned to conduct a long march to Sorong Municipal Legislative Office at around 9:00 Papua time, but their planning was stopped by the police and military.
“Police officer briefly detained KNPB activist Nando Kogoya and his bike but he was released at 16:00 Papua time,” Aud said.
According to him, the purpose of KNPB action is to provide fully support to ULMWP for MSG. “Remember, West Papuan people are standing beside Indonesia for 54 years. But indigenous Papuans are still living in poverty and suffered on their own rich land,” he said by phone. (Niko MB/rom)

------------------------------------------------------------------
http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/06/19/access-for-foreign-press-in-papua-will-never-be-revoked-legislator-says/
4) Access for Foreign Press in Papua Will Never be Revoked, Legislator Says
Jakarta, Jubi – The deputy chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives, Hanafi Rais said the new State Intelligent Agency chief was facing five challenges, including the agency’s strategic position in the interconnection intelligence in Military, Police, General Attorney and Ministry.
“First, as a major affiliation of intelligence policy, the State Intelligent Agency (BIN) must have a capacity of internal consolidation for being solid and objectively to provide data to the government,” he said at Gedung Nusantara III in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/6/2015).
He said under the new leadership, BIN must be independent and not tied to political interests and the interpretation of institution should be based on intelligence performance.
The second challenge is cyber intelligent technology war and cyber war. “Espionage today is not executing in conventional way but cyber intelligent instead. So, BIN skills in using modern intelligent technology must be in preference,” he said.
And the third, Jokowi and JK looks overwhelmed in dealing with foreign issues during their first semester. Hanafi took the example on some cases of foreign ship explosion, Australia-Indonesia strained relations concerning to deportation of immigrants and tapping on Indonesian officials. “We expect BIN has a strategy for the government in dealing with other countries that interfere the national interests,” he said.
BIN also must have a counter-intelligent roadmap and capability on neutralizing the opponent strength in the global region in both state and non-state sectors. It is to keep the foreign affairs for being protracted dan Indonesia tidak pandang lemah.
Fourth, BIN must keep the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ in particularly against terror and separatist movement in Papua. The policy on freedom of press for foreign press to cover the activity in Papua has been applied and would never been revoked. “BIN must have a strategy to not let the freedom (in Papua) to be a threat for the sovereignty of Indonesia,” he said.
Fifth, the world is changing quickly, especially in economics. BIN should have proficiency in mapping the economic and monetary impacts for Indonesia. (*/rom)

------------------------------------------------------------------
5)  5 ‘traitors’ dismissed  from Army, sent to prison
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura | Archipelago | Thu, June 18 2015, 9:31 PM - 
Five soldiers deployed in the Cendrawasih Military Command, overseeing Papua and West Papua, were dismissed from military service for selling ammunition to Papuan rebels.

The military tribunal presided by Col. Priyo Mustiko decided in a hearing in Jayapura on Thursday that on top of their dismissal, the five defendants, namely First Private Supratman, First Private Rahmat Agung, First Sergeant Nurul Huda Septari, Major Sergeant Supriadi and Chief Sergeant Ikrom, would also serve prison sentences ranging from three years to 12 years.
Col. Priyo Mustiko, who presided over the tribunal hearing, found that the five defendants were guilty of selling 5,000 bullets worth Rp 11.25 million (US$850.00), a crime which breaches Law No. 12/1951 on arsenals and ammunitions.
Supriadi, who masterminded the sale, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. He was arrested on Jan. 28, 2015, when handing over the bullets to a rebel in the Papua trade center of Jayapura.
Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Fransen G. Siahaan was deeply angered by the incident, labeling the offenders traitors.
He said the five had to be punished severely and dismissed from military service.(++++)
-

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

6) Indonesian government to investigate report on human skull smuggling

Kamis, 18 Juni 2015 18:58 WIB | 426 Views
Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA News) - The Government of Indonesia will investigate the report of human skulls being allegedly smuggled to Australia and New York in the United States.

Head of Subdirectorate of Protection of Cultural Heritage and Museum Preservation of the Ministry of Education and Culture Widiyati stated here on Thursday that the office has received a report that at least 10 human skulls were allegedly smuggled from Indonesia to the two countries.

The smuggled human skulls were believed to be from the Asmat tribe, an ethnic group from the easternmost Indonesian province of Papua.

The skulls were believed to be smuggled by a collector for sale as the global demand for human skulls belonging to ethnic groups has increased, and skulls from Indonesia, a country having various ethnic groups, are one of the most desired by the collectors, Widiyati remarked.

"Human skulls are part of the cultural heritage that should be registered and reported if they are to be taken overseas," Widiyati affirmed.

However, a person may collect human skulls for research and exhibition with a permit from the government but not for trade, she noted.

Previously, customs officials at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport had foiled attempts to smuggle six human skulls out of the country to Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Australia.

The first incident occurred on February 3, when the authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle four human skulls, which were hidden in a saucepan.

The remaining two skulls were delivered at the airport on March 30 in a package, which was declared to contain craft shell, clay, and statues.

The human skulls, which are more than 50 years old, were believed to originate from the Dayak tribe.

The skulls were allegedly sent by a collector to meet the demands of buyers from the two countries.

(Reporting by Achmad Irfan/Uu.A059/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

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

↧

1) Hundreds join Solomon Islands West Papua rally

June 19, 2015, 1:37 am
$
0
0
2) Question over promotion of Indonesia within MSG
3) ULMWP says it represents best interests of West Papuans

4) Solomon Islands will not support West Papua's MSG bid next week

5) How government is failing the people of Papua


6) Palm oil giants to investigate company found razing Papuan rainforest

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

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/276719/hundreds-join-solomon-islands-west-papua-rally

1) Hundreds join Solomon Islands West Papua rally
About 200 people gathered at a rally in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, this afternoon calling on the government to support full membership for West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.




A march through the streets of Honiara in support of West Papua's bid for MSG membership
The Solomon Islands will next week host the MSG leaders' summit, where a decision will be made on whether to accept West Papua into the subregional group.
Last night, the Solomon Islands government announced that it will not back the United Liberation Movement for West Papua as a full member, but will endorse West Papua to be an observer.
The executive director of the ULMWP, Jacob Rumbiak, who was at the protest, says while observer status is better than nothing, the protesters wanted to send a message that West Papua deserves full membership.
"It really was calling for the government of Solomon Islands to make the right decision based on the basic standing of why the MSG was born. That's about the struggle of people of Melanesia for independence because the MSG was born to support Kanak and West Papua independence."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Question over promotion of Indonesia within MSG

Updated at 2:06 pm today

A Solomon Islands MP has questioned the government's announcement about exploring greater representation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The Manasseh Sogavare-led government, which hosts the MSG Leaders summit next week, says it will not back the United Liberation Movement for West Papua as a full member of the MSG, but would endorse West Papua to be an observer, "only to one united group".
It says that any bid for full membership representing Melanesians throughout Indonesia must be united and done in consultation with Jakarta.
The West Makira MP, Derrick Manuari, says given the strong public support for the West Papuans, the announcement is a sign of weak decision-making.
"The decision by the government of Solomon Islands is not good enough. It misrepresents the public opinion of Solomon Islanders and the very people whom they represent in government. The government is actually using rhetoric to continue their vagueness on the position on the West Papua issue."
The Solomon islands government also urges the MSG to continue looking at ways to make Indonesia an associate member of the MSG.
Mr Manuari says these moves to promote the representation of Indonesia within the group go against the founding spirit of the MSG.
"The Melanesian Spearhead Group is a body that was established to promote the solidarity and the rights of Melanesian states and territories. And that is the very reason why the FLNKS (Kanak movement of New Caledonia) was admitted into the group and not France, for that matter. And in this case, they are promoting an elevation of Indonesia's membership."
Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua Freedom movement plans to rally in Honiara today to show support for the West Papuan MSG membership push.
Leading members of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua are already in the Solomon Islands capital, ahead of the Leaders Summit which is expected to focus on a decision on the membership bid.
-----------------------------------------------------------
3) ULMWP says it represents best interests of West Papuans
Updated at 3:01 pm today
The United Liberation Movement of West Papua says it has a mandate to represent the best interests of the Melanesians in West Papua.
The group is representing the West Papuan bid for full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, which holds its bi-annual leaders summit next week in Honiara.
The ULMWP says last year's MSG summit had urged West Papuans to forge a legitimate leadership and it says it has done that.
It says next week's summit is a test of the purpose and resolve of MSG members towards forging a just, solid and lasting solidarity between the Melanesian people.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Solomon Islands will not support West Papua's MSG bid next week
Updated 19 June 2015, 8:40 AEST
The government of Solomon Islands has announced it won't support the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid for full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group when it meets in Honiara next week.
Solomon Islands will not support West Papua's MSG bid next week (Credit: ABC) 
But Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says he is prepared to back observer status for one united group.
By coincidence the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua Freedom movement will be rallying in Honiara later today in support of the the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's MSG membership push.
And spokeswoman Grace Hilly says the government's statement will give that demonstration an added edge.
Reporter: Richard Ewart
Speaker: Grace Hilly, of the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua Freedom group
-------------------------------------

5) How government is failing the people of Papua

9 June 2015 10:30AM
This is part 2 of former Fairfax Media Indonesia correspondent Michael Bachelard's series on Papua. The introduction to the series is here, and here' part 1.
Gaad Piranid Tabuni grew up in a village in the Papuan highlands of Indonesia too remote for any government – colonial Dutch or Indonesian – to maintain a presence. But missionaries lived there, and Tabuni, now one of the most senior public servants in the region, say they made him the man he is.
'I went to missionary schools, grew up in their environment...Their struggle was very tough. They are tough people, so we learned from them. They taught us how to read from scratch...gave us clothes and taught us to wear them'.
A condition imposed by the Indonesian foreign ministry on my trip to the Papuan highlands in November 2014 was that I speak to a government official. Tabuni, an ethnic Papuan like most of the political leaders and public servants here, was the one who gave me the time. Unlike others, he was at work when I called. But if Jakarta expected him to feed me the central government line – that development in Papua is proceeding well – they would have been sorely disappointed.
'If the missionaries say it's A, then it's A; and if it's B, it's B. The Indonesian mentality is different,' Tabuni says. He believes, as do most of his countrypeople, that Jakarta is trying to 'Islamise' and 'Indonesianise' Papua. Papuans, he complained, were not 'strong in our culture' enough to resist.
Indonesia came to Papua in 1963, and had its takeover given a gloss of legitimacy in 1969 in a misnamed 'Act of Free Choice' under the auspices of the UN. In the 1980s, as well as a heavy handed military presence, the state began a series of ill-conceived agricultural construction projects. People were encouraged to grow carrot and sawee (Chinese cabbage) – one hectare each – 'but they didn't teach us how to do in a modern way, so we did it in our own way'.
'It was too much. We couldn't cope, because the education was not enough; the human resources,' Tabuni says.
Come harvest, there was no market for the produce in Wamena, and no way to transport fresh vegetables to the capital, Jayapura. There is still no road, and air freight is punishingly expensive. There have been further attempts to build economic infrastructure over the years, but it's marred by poor quality and the theft of funds.
'The quality of the Indonesian projects is bad. They only last one year,' Tabuni says.
It's not uncommon around Wamena to see road-working equipment rusting in the long grass beside a half-finished highway repair job. 'The planning is always good but in the implementation, it's 70% different from the plans because the money goes missing,' Tabuni says.
Papua's poverty is not for want of money. I repeatedly heard the complaint from Papuans that Jakarta steals the funds generated by the giant Freeport gold and copper mine near Timika. It's Indonesia's largest single taxpayer, returning about $US1.5 billion in revenue last year. 
But Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said in January that significantly more money is pumped back into Papua than the mine provides. Much of this is doled out in cash through two welfare packages 'Respek' and PNPM, which spring from Papua's 'special autonomy' from Indonesia, a status granted in 2001.
The rest goes to fund local government administrative areas called 'kabupaten'. To maximise these funds, members of the Papuan elite are continually pressing Jakarta to subdivide kabupaten into smaller and smaller administrative districts in a virtually viral process called 'pemekaran'.  They argue it will get government closer to the people, but the effect is to dilute even further the meagre political talent and administrative oversight, and to open regions to the Indonesian disease of corruption, compounded by a strong Melanesian obligation to share wealth within clan and tribal groups. 
'What I'm afraid of is that in five to ten years time, all the Bupatis (local area governors) in Papua will go to jail,' Tabuni observes.
The competition for government jobs is intense. But once a job is secured, many public servants – from teachers and health workers to government officials – take their salaries and do not turn up to work.
Tabuni's ultimate message may well please Jakarta: Papua is not ready for independence. 'Independence means we do things for ourselves and not waiting for people to come and give us money. We build things with our own hands'. In Tabuni's view, the Indonesian Government filched something along the way to incorporation into the unitary republic: 'We lost this high integrity, sense of responsibility that the missionaries taught us. It's almost gone. We don't have a high spirit of hard work.'
Instead, his people have become obsessed by politics, including the politics of independence. 'Now the people who join political parties, go into politics, they have high social status. But for me they are fake leaders...How can we have an independent state with these two problems? We would die. This is my view from the cultural aspect,' Tabuni says.
'The greatest problem is the mental problem...People think they can live by politics alone'.



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


http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0618-cargill-gar-eagle-high-vma-palm-oil-papua.html


6) Palm oil giants to investigate company found razing Papuan rainforest

Rhett A. Butler  June 18, 2015



Global Forest Watch image showing the region in West Papua where the clearing took place



Agribusiness giants Cargill and Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) are pledging to investigate a palm oil supplier after an Indonesian environmental group presented evidence of rainforest clearing in New Guinea. 

On Thursday, Greenomics-Indonesia released a report documenting destruction of forests in South Sorong, a regency in West Papua, Indonesian New Guinea. Greenomics found that PT Varia Mitra Andalan (VMA), a subsidiary of publicly-listed PT Eagle High Plantations Tbk, continued to clear high carbon stock forests through March 2015, potentially putting it in breach of sustainability commitments established last year by Cargill and GAR. Both companies buy significant volumes of product from Eagle High Plantations, according to public disclosures. 

The findings led Greenomics to call on the companies to respect their "deforestation-free" sourcing policies. Both companies are signatories of the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge (IPOP), a corporate commitment to eliminate deforestation from supply chains. 

"Cargill has maintained trading relations with a company that remains involved in deforestation – something that is obviously not in line with IPOP and Cargill’s commitment to forest protection in all its agricultural supply chains, including in the palm oil sector," states the report. "In the context of cleaning up their supply chains from deforestation, Golden AgriResources stated that this process would commence in early March 2014." 


Landsat images prepared by Greenomics-Indonesia showing forest clearing in PT VMA's concession in Wayer and Moswaren Districts, West Papua. 

In response, Cargill and GAR told Mongabay they would investigate the matter. 

"We take the allegations concerning PT Varia Mitra Andalan (VMA), a subsidiary of PT Eagle High Plantations, seriously as our suppliers must comply with our no deforestation commitments as stated in our Forest Conservation Policy (FCP)," a GAR spokesperson said. "We have immediately engaged with PT Eagle High Plantations to investigate and clarify this matter." 

"Cargill takes all grievances and allegations extremely seriously and we are currently investigating these accusations," a Cargill official told Mongabay. "Results of the investigation and the resultant corrective measure(s) will be made available to the public. Regardless of the conclusion, Cargill remains committed to our due diligence procedures to better identify HCV and HCS violations." 

Cargill added that the current contract between its subsidiary Poliplant Sejahtera, which it acquired last year, and Eagle High Plantations applies only to fresh fruit bunches sourced from West Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo, so it doesn't actually source palm oil from the plantation cited in the report. 

Nonetheless, the company affirmed that it remains "firmly committed" to responsible palm oil production and sourcing. 

"We will reevaluate our relationships with suppliers that do not meet our standards," said Cargill. "Sustainability of the global palm oil supply chain requires the perpetual participation of all parties involved and we encourage constructive dialogue from all stakeholders. Cargill continues working with NGOs and the rest of the industry to adjust and improve our policies towards our goals of protecting forests, peat lands, local communities, and human rights." 

Greenomics' research is based on legal documents acquired from the Indonesian government as well as satellite data from Landsat and Google Earth. It says forest clearance by VMA in the West Papua concession appeared to accelerate during the first quarter of 2015. According to the Ministry of Forestry, most of the area consists of secondary forest that had previously been selectively logged. 

The palm oil industry's expansion in Indonesian New Guinea is a major concern for human rights groups and environmentalists. The region — which is seen as Indonesia's "last frontier", with the largest extent of forest cover and the highest proportion of people living in traditional communities — is being targeted by industrial interests, including oil and gas developers, mining companies, loggers, and agribusiness. New projects are also a priority for the Indonesian government, which is seeking to strengthen hegemony in the sometimes restive region. For example, last week officials confirmed that the controversial transmigration program, which moves people from Indonesia's crowded central islands to less populated ones, will be continued in order to support plantation and industrial agriculture development near Merauke. 
↧
↧

1) Bappeda Seeking More Funds For Development

June 19, 2015, 2:17 pm
$
0
0
2) AMA Obliged to Transport Patients from Remote Areas
3) Papua Assembly Bans Non-Papuans From Running in Regional Leader Elections
4) No School For Decades at Wagammbi Village

5) Protest against PT Papua Power Indonesia, developer of Urumuka hydropower station


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

1) Bappeda Seeking More Funds For Development
Jayapura, Jubi – The Development Planning Board (Bappeda) of Papua said it hoped to get more funds from the state budget (APBN) for development in eastern Indonesia, especially Papua.
“Development in eastern Indonesia such as Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua must be prioritized,” Bappeda Papua head Muh Musa’ad said in Jayapura on Thursday (06/18/2015).
For this, he said, in the VI National Workshop Association in Papua some time ago, it had to talk about it, including introducing its own model of development in Papua.
“We also have discussed coordination among eastern provinces region as a modality for national development. We want to have comprehensive planning for each region where the eastern part of Indonesia should be developed,” he added.
He said financing for development in eastern Indonesia still relies on funds from the central government.
“Through National Workshop Association, we are together to strengthen the institutional revitalization so that it can become a strategic target to increase the quality of regional development. We hope BAPPEDA as a motor of development in the area should be able to perform the task well,” said Musa’ad.
Earlier, Minister for National Development Planning (PPN) Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Andrinof Chaniago said National Workshop Association will not only see their own interests in each province, but the interest in other provinces and will contribute to national policy.(Alexander Loen/ Tina)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)AMA Obliged to Transport Patients from Remote Areas
Jayapura, Jubi – The Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) based in Sentani, Jayapura regency, Papua Province, is obliged to transport patients from rural areas of Papua so that they can receive proper treatment.
“It is a consequence of the signing of cooperation undertaken by the Department of Health and AMA management. It is a legally binding because the money that will be given should be used to transport sick people from the interiors, ” director of AMA Djarot Soetanto said in Sentani on Thursday (18/6).
The Papua Provincial Health department and AMA signed a cooperation agreement in Jayapura on May 26, 2015.
AMA will involve the airline of Associated Mission Aviation, the airline of Mission Aviation Fellowship, Kajazi arline, and helicopter mission.
The consequences of that cooperation, Papua Province Health Department allocated a budget to fund health care transport for residents from the interior of Papua.
Djarot said the funds would be deposited and would report to the Department of Health Papua when there are patients who are transported to get medical care as well as an increase in freight rates due to technical considerations.
He admitted, the cooperation has been done for years, but there is no legally binding contract.
Djarot who has served as head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said through alliances, there is a fund assurance, especially for patients. (*/ Tina)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Papua Assembly Bans Non-Papuans From Running in Regional Leader Elections

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua People’s Assembly has issued a decree stipulating that only indigenous Papuans are eligible to run as candidates for Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent and Mayor/Deputy Mayor in Papua Province.
The decree states that indigenous Papuans are those whose parents are both members of Papua’s native tribes.
Further, Papua’s People Assembly (MRP) Timotius Murib said non-indigenous Papuans are not eligble to run as candidates for local leader elections under the Decree on the Protection of Constitutional Rights of Indigenous Papuans in the Election of Regional Heads in Papua Province.
He said the decision was made in connection with the task and responsibility of MRP as representative institution of indigenous Papuan to protect the basic rights of indigenous Papuan as stated in Papua Special Autonomy Law.
In this context, Murib said the most important and strategic task and responsibility of MRP is to give a consideration and approval on proposed candidates of Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent, and Mayor/Deputy Mayor in Papua Province. This is in accordance with the article 20 paragraph 10 letter a that said,” MRP has task and responsibility to give consideration and approval towards proposed candidates of governor/vice governor” and article 20 paragrahp 1 letter f that said,” MRP give consideration and approval towards Governor, Papua Legislative Council, Regent/Mayor and Regional Legislative Council in line with the right protection of indigenous Papuan which is included in the article that its responsibility is including to give consideration and approval towards candidates Regent and Mayor.
It is said in term of their task and responsibility against the protection of constitutional right of indigenous Papuan, MRP has determined a Decree MRP No:11/MRP/2015 that provides recommendation to immediately revise the regulation related to Political Party and Election of Regional Head in order to provide guarantee towards indigenous Papuans under the principle of priority as Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Vice Regent, Mayor/Vice Mayor in Papua Province.
Furthermore, it is said in the release that the candidates oblige to immediately coordinate with the Political Party in implementing the article 28 paragraph 4 of the Special Autonomy Law 2001 and adjusted in the Law No.25 2008 in order to give priority to indigenous Papuan in the recruitment of candidates of Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent and Mayor/Deputy Mayor in Papua Province.
It is further said the government obliges to determine a special policy which put indigenous Papuan as priority in political recruitment of candidates of regional leaders in Papua Province. Meanwhile it recommends the General Election Commission to immediately amend the KPU Regulation No/9/2015 by inserting new clauses including the method and mechanism in providing consideration and approval towards candidate regional leaders in Papua Province. And also propose a stage for MRP to give consideration and approval on candidates.
Meanwhile, eleven regencies of Papua Province will hold the election of regional heads simultaneously in this year, which the stages has been started by May to December 2015. The eleven regencies are Nabire, Keerom, Asmat, Waropen, Merauke, Yahukimo, Bovendigoel, Pegunungan Bintang, Supiori, Mamberamo Raya and Yalimo.
Earlier there are only four regencies will hold the election, but due to the adjustment of Regional Election Regulation which said the regent who will terminate in 2016 should participate in the Election 2015.
Papua’s Election Commissioner, Betty Wanane recently told reporters that KPU Papua has consulted with Central KPU due to nine regents will terminate their assignment in 2016. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party Board of Papua Province is currently verifying 85 applications of regent and deputy regent candidates for the election in eleven regencies.
The Regional Election Desk Chairman of Democratic Party of Papua Province, Arnold Walilo with his deputy Patrik Renyaan told Antara News Agency in Jayapura on Thursday (18/6/2015) that only 37 of 82 applications are completed received while the rest must need to be completed.
“The 45 applications that has not yet received are 13 files from Supiori, 18 files from Nabire, 10 files from Asmat and 4 files from Boven Digoel,” he said. Those applications should be completed until mid-night. “If until the dateline we have not received, it would be eliminated. Because we will verify it after the candidates have registered at Regional Representative Council of Democratic Party of related regencies which run the election,” Walilo said.
He added after verification, the regional election desk would summit the application to the Provincial Representative Council and Regional Advisory Council of Papua Democratic Party. “Those who decided which candidates would represent the party in the simultaneously elections on 9 December are the Chairman of Provincial Regional Council and Regional Advisory Council,” Walilo said. (Dominggus Mampioper/rom)
-----------------------------------------------------------
4) No School For Decades at Wagammbi Village
Merauke, Jubi – For decades Wanggambi Village’s children at Tabonji Sub-district of Merauke Regency have never experienced education as they is no school there, village chief Anakletus Samkakai told Jubi on Thursday (18/6).
He said illiteracy among the village’s children are widespread.
“I have talked with an official at the Merauke Education and Learning Office asking the government to immediately build a Pre-school here. So the children once could be be taught to write and read,” he said.
He said villagers wanted their children to get education like kids in other places.
Meanwhile, Tabonji Sub-district Chief Wilhelmus Harbelubun said lack of transportation remained an obstacle to village development.
“It is difficult to reach Wanggambi Village. Therefore, the area is still underdeveloped,” he said. (Frans L Kobun)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1262

5) Protest against PT Papua Power Indonesia, developer of Urumuka hydropower station

By ADMIN | Published: JUNE 19, 2015
The article below from Majalah Selangkah describes a a protest in Deiyai Regency against a company called PT Papua Power Indonesia1, but doesn’t mention what the company is actually doing in the region. In fact it is the contractor which is looking to build the Yawei-Urumuka hydro-power plant which will generate at least 300MW of power, which would primarily be used to power the Freeport mine.It appears that the power plant would not be a dam, but a run-of-river scheme, which means that water would be extracted without a storage reservoir.

LMA-O opposes companies working illegally in the southern part of Deiyai and Dogiyai Regencies


Indigenous people from Deiyei and Dogiyai regencies who are involved in the Ogeiye Indigenous People’s Organisation (LMA-O) held a peaceful protest at the Deiyei Regency Bupati’s office recently, to convey their aspirations and their opposition to several illegal companies which have moved into the southern parts of Deiyai and Dogiyai regencies.
The action’s coordinator, Andreas Pakage, told majalahselangkah.com that the protest took place because a company named Papua Power Indonesia (PPI) and several other companies had no permits and would also bring negative impacts to the indigenous people living in the southern parts of the two regencies.
“In the name of the indigenous people we emphatically reject the presence of these companies in our area, as we the indigenous people are of the view that the companies do not have our permission nor any official agreement with us made through the Ogeiye Indigenous People’s Association”, Pakage said on his mobile phone from Deiyai.

He also confirmed that the LMA-O is an indigenous association which is recognized by the local and central governments. He even mentioned that the LMA-O had existed since 1994, over a dozen years before the central government created the Dogiyai and Deiyai as new administrative districts.
That means, Pakage added, that there needed to be a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the indigenous people and the company, because they have the rights over the land, not the company.
This opinion was strengthened by the action’s spokesperson, Agusten Anouw, who said that “the company would only add to our misery and destroy indigenous communities without protecting and valuing customary land rights or the values of our ancestors. We believe this company is only here to destroy, not to protect indigenous people. What’s more, this company is here to repress us only because of capitalist economic interests”.
The Bupati of Deiyai, Dance Takimai, said that he would create a team to move forward on issues related to the community’s hopes: “We will form a team, and that team will follow up the issue to look for a solution”, was the Bupati’s response.
Hundreds of people from all sections of society in Deiyai and Dogiyai Regencies took part in the action, including representatives of the customary council, tribal leaders, indigenous leaders and other prominent community figures.
Their demands were as follows:
  • Firstly: The whole indigenous community strongly opposes the Papua Power Indonesia company (PPI) and other companies which are working in the legal area and ancestral land of the LMA-O in Deiyai and Dogiyai Regencies.
  • Secondly: We, the indigenous people of Ogeiye want to tell the bupati of Deiyai to take the people’s wishes seriously and remove Papua Power Indonesia and other companies from the LMA-O’s area.
  • Thirdly: as the Indigenous People’s Association, we respectfully request that the Bupati of Deiyai form a special committee to resolve future issues.
  1. actually in the article it is referred to as Power Papua Indonesia, which has been corrected here ↩
This entry was posted in Around West Papua and tagged , ,, , , . Bookmark the permalink. Comments are closed, but you can leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
↧

1) Melanesian leaders meet to discuss trade, security and development

June 20, 2015, 1:04 am
$
0
0
2) Solomon Islands endorses West Papua observer status in MSG 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/melanesian-spearhead-group/6666/west-papua-high-on-msg-agenda/
West Papua high on MSG agenda
1) Melanesian leaders meet to discuss trade, security and development
 By Nic Maclellan in Honiara
Sat 20 Jun 2015



Morning Star, flag of West Papua's pro independence groups, greet delegates arriving at the Honiara International Airport for the summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.-- Photo: Samisoni Pareti
Nearly 1,000 people marched through the streets of Honiara on Friday to show their support for West Papuan self-determination, as Melanesian leaders gather for an important summit in the Solomon Islands capital.
The application by the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) for membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is high on the agenda at this week’s meeting. 
The MSG membership includes Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS), the Kanak independence coalition of New Caledonia.
The debate over West Papua is affected by strengthening relations between Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, which has held MSG observer status since 2011. With a strong contingent of West Papuan leaders in Honiara to lobby for support, the membership application is being widely debated in the Solomon Islands media. But the Melanesian officials, foreign ministers and prime ministers who meet this week have a full agenda, with policy discussions on trade, sport, policing and the region’s overarching plan for the next 25 years, known as the “MSG 2038 Prosperity for All Plan.”
Popular support
The growing awareness of Indonesian human rights violations in West Papua, spread through Facebook and other social media, has transformed public awareness of the issue in Solomon Islands and other MSG countries. 
Around Honiara, young people are wearing Morning Star T-shirts, while leading Solomon Islands academic Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka has called for action in a widely re-published opinion piece. The noted PNG musician George Telek performed at a public concert near Honiara’s Chinatown this weekend, in solidarity with the West Papuan movement.
But popular support for the ULMWP membership bid – including hundreds of people rallying in Jayapura and other towns in West Papua – has not yet ensured MSG governments agreement. After an earlier application was deferred in 2013, Papua New Guinea and Fiji have both endorsed Jakarta’s opposition to full membership for the ULMWP. In contrast, the FLNKS and - until earlier this month - Vanuatu have been staunch supporters.
On Thursday, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Mannasseh Sogavare announced that his government “will endorse West Papua to be an observer of the MSG and this observer status is given only to one united group. Solomon Islands government will agree that any submission for full membership of the MSG by a group representing Melanesians Indonesia must be united and done in consultation with Indonesia as agreed by MSG leaders in 2013 2014.”
Sogavare also announced that the Solomon Islands government would “encourage MSG to continue to explore avenues for Indonesia in its interest to be an associate member of MSG, within the guidelines approved by leaders in 2013 and 2014.”
Honiara’s compromise proposal has been met with criticism from a range of Solomon Islands church, community and political leaders, who have rallied public support for the ULMWP (a broad coalition of West Papuan nationalist groups which includes the National Parliament for West Papua, the Federal Republic of West Papua, and the National Coalition for Liberation).
Vanuatu has long led the regional support for West Papuan self-determination. But Vanuatu’s participation in this week’s summit has been a source of uncertainty, following the recent no-confidence motion that brought down the government of Prime Minister Joe Natuman, in favour of his former Foreign Minister Sato Kilman Livtuvanu. 
Natuman is a long-time supporter of independence for West Papua and New Caledonia. In contrast, while serving previously as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Kilman has sought to expand Vanuatu’s ties to Indonesia. While the ongoing dispute in Port Vila is driven by domestic concerns and a court case over alleged corruption, the fallout will affect the ULMWP’s application. 
With a court challenge scheduled for Monday afternoon and the possibility of another urgent no-confidence motion in the wind, the fluid situation in Port Vila has left MSG officials awaiting news of Vanuatu’s final delegation to the leaders’ summit on Thursday and Friday.
MSG’s broad agenda
Since its founding in 1988, the MSG has developed a diverse portfolio of activities. The “MSG 2038 Prosperity for all Plan,” to be discussed this week, grew out of the work of an Eminent Persons Group led by former Fiji Foreign Minister Kaliopate Tavola, and provides a roadmap for sub-regional activities over the next 25 years.
The MSG Secretariat in Port Vila now coordinates a complex range of ministerial meetings and technical working groups, including the MSG Green Growth Framework; the MSG Trade Agreement; an Inshore Fisheries Roadmap; and discussions between CEOs of Melanesian National Provident and Pension Funds and Governors of Central Banks.
In Honiara this week, leaders will discuss the third phase of the MSG Trade Agreement (MSGTA3), an inter-island treaty first signed in 1993. The MSG’s original focus on trade in goods has now been superseded by a much broader agenda, focused on trade in services, intellectual property regimes and labour mobility. Before the summit, MSG Director for Trade, Investment and Economic Development Peni Sikivou said: “The MSGTA is being reviewed and under its current draft version, abbreviated as MSGTA3, new chapters on Services, Investment, Labour Mobility and Government Procurement are being incorporated into the Agreement.”
In 2014, MSG trade ministers adopted the Port Moresby Declaration, calling for free trade amongst the Melanesian nations by 2017. At this week’s summit in Honiara, officials and foreign ministers will review the reports of technical working groups on services and investment, and discuss the MSG Private Sector Development (PSD) Strategy that is supported under the EU-funded Pacific Integration Technical Assistance Project (PITAP).
The announcement this week that Australia will expand its Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) raises important opportunities for the Melanesian countries, which are seeking to increase remittance flows to their economies. But the context for Australia’s offer - that Pacific leaders must sign on to the proposed PACER-Plus free trade agreement - will raise questions for countries about how much to open their services and finance sectors to corporations from Australia and New Zealand.
Meetings, meetings, meetings
On Thursday and Friday, officials considered a draft Implementation Framework for the “MSG 2038 Prosperity for all Plan,” to be presented to minister and leaders this week. Agenda items also covered the Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture (MFAC), and the MSG Observer Mission to Fiji’s 2014 Elections. 
A major focus of the MSG Secretariat’s work is security, with the MSG considering the establishment of a MSG Security/Defence Ministers Meeting, to parallel the regional South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting first held in 2013. Since 2011, the MSG has also been developing an agreement to establish a Regional Police Academy
On Monday and Tuesday, the MSG Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) will include the outgoing chair Caroline Machoro-Reignier of New Caledonia’s Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), together with foreign ministers Rimbink Pato of Papua New Guinea, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola of Fiji, and Milner Tozaka of Solomon Islands. Vanuatu’s representation is in flux with a court case in Port Vila scheduled for Monday afternoon.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will travel to Solomon Islands following a week-long visit to Europe, where he led a delegation of government and industry figures seeking greater investment from the United Kingdom and other EU nations in PNG’s booming oil and gas sector. Later this week, O’Neill will formally inaugurate a new PNG high commission in Honiara, a reflection of PNG’s expanding investment in hotels, tourism and other sectors in fellow MSG countries.
The PNG leader will also be consulting with MSG partners over core agenda items for the next meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum, which will be held in Papua New Guinea in September. 
The new Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor, made her first visit to the MSG Secretariat in Port Vila last February. Taylor, a former PNG ambassador to the United Nations and long-serving official of the World Bank Group, is coordinating a new Framework for Pacific regionalism, with a regional subcommittee developing proposals to put before leaders at the PNG Forum.
With Papua New Guinea also scheduled to host the next APEC Summit in 2018, decisions taken this week in Honiara around trade, security and West Papua will also affect Port Moresby’s vision of providing a bridge between the Pacific islands and the emerging Asian economies.
-----------------------------------------------------

http://www.fbc.com.fj/fiji/30483/solomon-islands-endorses-west-papua-observer-status-in-msg


2) Solomon Islands endorses West Papua observer status in MSG –

08:00 Today

United Liberation Movement for West Papua has acknowledged has welcomed Solomon Islands Government’s decision to endorse West Papua’s observer status of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). The decision comes as MSG leaders are preparing to meet in Honiara next week. Secretary General of the Movement Octovianus Mote, Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, and his Cabinet, in exercising its decision making mandate on behalf of the people of Solomon Islands. He says Solomon Islands has paved the path to bring West Papua back to the Melanesian family and this is a courageous decision. The General Secretary also thanked the Governments of Vanuatu and FLNKS (Kanaky) for their long term support for West Papua as well as the solidarity movements in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and continues to appeal to both governments. -
↧

KNPB to PNG and Fiji .Stop Support Application Melindo!

June 20, 2015, 2:04 pm
$
0
0
A google translate of article in majalahselangkah.com. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

KNPB: PNG and Fiji Stop Support Application Melindo!
 Author: Hendrikus Yeimo | Saturday, June 20, 2015 23:57 Reads: 425 Comments: 2
Share:


The representatives wakyat West Papua in ULMWP in front of the MSG. Photo: Ist.

Jayapura, STEP MAGAZINE - West Papua National Committee (KNPB) assess the application submission Melanesia Indonesia (Melindo) to become an official member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is just an attempt to block application of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).

"For Fiji and PNG, consider well the application of Melindo," said secretary of KNPB Center, Suhuniap Ones, to majalahselangkah.com through mobile phones, Saturday (06/20/2015) from Jayapura, Papua.

He stated, "Indonesia using the name Melanesia Indonesia to become a full member of the MSG is not appropriate, because Indonesia is not the Melanesian race. So, stop supporting dorang!"

Indonesia claims filed applications representing five provinces, according Ones, is not true because Maluku and North Maluku Melanesia not race.

"The two provinces of Papua and West Papua officially give legitimacy to ULMWP. Therefore, the Prime Minister of PNG and Fiji should consider support for applications Melanesia Indonesia," said Ones.

Further Ones, "If PNG Indonesia remain supportive application will destroy Melanesia."

Further stated, the strength of Southeast Asia in Melanesia Melanesia crush of economic trade, natural resources. Four Melanesian countries is only a small island, while the larger islands are West Papua and PNG, if climate change or global warming, the small islands sink, must save the people of Melanesia in the Pacific.

"Indonesia with all its strength continues to threaten the West Papua to the mission master. If West Papua under Indonesian control, it will be easy to destroy Melanesia. So the PNG and Fiji today should understand that, because it was to save the application ULMWP Melanesia," said Ones.

He explicitly asked to PNG and Fiji did not have to bother with the application of Melindo. "To save the integrity of Melanesia means must accept West Papua became a full member of MSG. Application Melindo only to inhibit West Papua into the MSG, and it is proof of the attitude of colonialism in West Papua," he said.


Ones asserted, "If the PNG and Fiji rejects West Papua dishonorable means rejecting siblings who currently want to return home or biological family. It means destroying Melanesia and provide opportunities for South-East Asia dominate Melanesia." (Hendrikus Yeimo / MS)
↧
Viewing all 5296 articles
Browse latest View live
More Pages to Explore .....
Search

Latest Images

New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo...

New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo...

April 22, 2024, 6:00 am
Ukraine bans military from online gambling amid addiction concerns

Ukraine bans military from online gambling amid addiction concerns

April 22, 2024, 5:17 am
ಮಂಡ್ಯದಿಂದ ಸುಮಲತಾ ದೂರ; ಹೆಚ್‌ಡಿಕೆ ಪರ ಪ್ರಚಾರಕ್ಕಿಳಿಯದ ಸಂಸದೆ –ಬರ್ತಾರೆ ನೋಡೋಣ ಎಂದ...

ಮಂಡ್ಯದಿಂದ ಸುಮಲತಾ ದೂರ; ಹೆಚ್‌ಡಿಕೆ ಪರ ಪ್ರಚಾರಕ್ಕಿಳಿಯದ ಸಂಸದೆ –ಬರ್ತಾರೆ ನೋಡೋಣ ಎಂದ...

April 20, 2024, 8:08 pm
OCBC Bank Singapore Offers Up to 2.8% p.a. Fixed Deposit Promotion from 21...

OCBC Bank Singapore Offers Up to 2.8% p.a. Fixed Deposit Promotion from 21...

April 20, 2024, 12:38 pm
National Poetry Month 2024: Maxine Starr

National Poetry Month 2024: Maxine Starr

April 19, 2024, 9:56 am
Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

April 19, 2024, 9:18 am
Firefox UX: On Purpose: Collectively Defining Our Team’s Mission Statement

Firefox UX: On Purpose: Collectively Defining Our Team’s Mission Statement

April 19, 2024, 7:03 am
New $4.5 million East Bay trail path will connect bicyclists, pedestrians to...

New $4.5 million East Bay trail path will connect bicyclists, pedestrians to...

April 18, 2024, 11:05 am
Photographer Gifts for Clients / Print Packaging / 4x6 Photo Box by...

Photographer Gifts for Clients / Print Packaging / 4x6 Photo Box by...

April 17, 2024, 6:48 pm
Deepfake Video of Aamir Khan circulates Online

Deepfake Video of Aamir Khan circulates Online

April 17, 2024, 3:07 am