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1) Karma release unclear despite signs from Jakarta

August 20, 2015, 12:11 am
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2) 20 Inmates Receive Sentence Cuts on Independence Day

3) Police to Stop Questioning GIDI Leaders?

4) Rumors of Flag Lowering Untrue

5) Intriguing days ahead of  independence

6) Flights in Papua Must Obey the Rules, Governor Says

7) Patani and Papua People Share Struggle for Independent Homeland
8) Australia, Indonesia to  tackle funding for extremist  groups -

9) All bodies of Trigana plane crash victims arrive in Jayapura

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1) Karma release unclear despite signs from Jakarta

Updated at 3:52 pm today
It remains unclear whether the West Papuan activist Filep Karma will soon walk free from Abepura Prison in Indonesia's eastern region.
Karma has served two thirds of a 15-year jail term for treason after he raised the banned Papuan Morning Star flag in 2004.
Last week, he rejected an offer of remission on Indonesia's Independence Day, saying he would only accept unconditional release.
The Political, Law and Security Minister, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has subsequently guaranteed Karma's security and freedom of speech once he leaves prison.
In addition the government has given the walking orders for Filep Karma to walk free any day now.
However, an anthropologist and associate of Karma, Eben Kirksey, says that there seems to be some miscommunication between Jakarta and Abepura.
"In short, the walking papers haven't been received by the head of the prison. And at this point, Filep Karma can't leave jail. He’s waiting for official notice 
from the prison authorities before he can leave. He's quite ready to leave but at this point he can't leave without some sort of official document from the Indonesian government."
While he appears to be on the verge of freedom, Karma is anxious not to follow in the steps of the man he went to jail with for raising the flag.
Eben Kirksey says that when Yusak Pakage was released from prison he had to sign documents that forced him to report regularly to intelligence officers.
“He told me that pretty much every day they would call and they would ask for information about his activities, his whereabouts, who he had been meeting with.
 So Filep wants to make very, very clear that he's not going to be subjected to any of those kind of conditionalities. Whatever Jakarta says, there’s all sorts
of agents on the ground who have their own agendas."
While it also remains unclear whether Filep Karma will receive a pardon, Minister Luhut told Indonesian media that the Papuan was wrongly convicted of treason, 
or makar, which implies inciting armed revolt.
Although he says he disapproves of people raising the Morning Star flag in the Papua region, the minister said that Karma did not commit treason as such.


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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=5833

2) 20 Inmates Receive Sentence Cuts on Independence Day

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 18, 2015

Wamena, Jubi – As many as 20 inmates at the Penitentiary Class II B Wamena recieved sentence cuts to mark independence day.
Remissions were requested for 26 inmates but on the ceremony of Independence day, only 20 people received the Decree of the Minister of Justice and Human Rights.
A dasawarsa remission is a special remission given once every 10 years of Independence day Commemoration.
Remissions were granted by Jayawijaya regent, Wempi Wetipo and witnessed by the local government authorities in Jayawijaya. In his speech he said there were some inmates released after received remissions and some were granted cut of the detention.
“He hoped the released inmates go back to the community and also the family so that they can do good things for the future,” he said on Monday (17/8/2015).
Regarding the three prisoners who refused to request clemency from the President, the regent said there is newer too late because all are for sake of kindness. Regent also explained that the approach taken by the President is a good approach, so he hoped the prisoners to understand the policies carried out.
Meanwhile, head of Wamena Prison, Daniel Rumsowek explained, granting remission to 20 inmates was based on the decision of the Minister of Justice and Human Rights on the establishment of a reduced sentence specifically on 70th anniversary proclamation of Indonesian independence.
“There are 20 out of 26 inmates that we have proposed and received remissions because they behave well and can meet the administrative requirements of a variety of crimes. We hope they will do good when they return to their communities and will stay away from crimes, “he added.
“While the remission for six others will follow, because the decree has not been received, including three political prisoners,” he explained. (Islami/Tina)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=5817

3) Police to Stop Questioning GIDI Leaders?

POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 16, 2015
JAYAPURA, JUBI – POLICE WILL STOP THE QUESTIONING OF THREE GIDI LEADERS AFTER A MEETING BETWEEN RELIGIOUS LEADERS; NADHATUL ULAMA (NU) AND CHURCH SYNOD LEADERS IN PAPUA AND CRIME AND INVESTIGATION UNIT CHIEF OF PAPUA POLICE LAST WEEK.
The statement was made after the meeting between the General Crime and Investigation Director of Papua Police Dwi Riyanto with the Chairman of Nadhatul Ulama Papua, DR. H. Toni Wanggai, MA, and the Kingmi Synod Chairman the Rev. Benny Giay, Baptist Synod Chairman the Rev. Socratez Sofyan Yoman, GIDI Synod Chairman the Rev. Dorman Wandikbo and GKI Synod Chairman presented by the Rev. Dora Balubun at the Papua Police Headquarter.
The rev. Benny Giay said considering the security for all, especially people in Tolikara, both Christian and Muslim, so through the meeting the Papua Police agreed to discontinue summon over three GIDI leaders for further questions. The agreement was accommodated by Interfaith Forum (FKUB) Papua on 29 July 2015.
“This summon discontinued because at first, this agreement is to represent the feeling and aspiration of both sides. Second, it is related to the security for both sides, because it’s not only the police who’s responsible to the security. The Police should respect this, for not taking any further action with doing investigation. If they insist to do so, what’s for about? Because both sides have agreed for peace,” Giay said.
And third, good intention of both sides that has resulted seven points of agreement for conflict resolution should be respected. Giay also said a question should be raised if the police continue enforcing the legal process by issue letter of summon only against GIDI. Nevertheless, the continuation of this misunderstanding would be further discussed with Papua Police Chief Paulus Waterpauw after he returns from Jakarta.
Meanwhile, Chairman of NU Papua Province, DR. H. Toni Wanggai, MA said his present with Papua church leaders at Papua Police Headquarter to give fully support so that the police could respect the decision taken by both sides. “NU Papua fully support the demand of the church synod leaders to discontinue the legal process of Tolikara incident and solved through mediation and companionship or by customary law according to peace agreement made between GIDI and Muslim leaders at Tolikara on 29 July,” Haji Wanggai told Jubi.
“Because the government is only care about the legal process but ignore the customary, social and cultural approach, therefore we are worried that this case would be prolonged and complex, it also would affect the stability of social politic in Papua and Indonesia,” Haji Wanggai said.
He also said GIDI leaders have respectfully apologized the security forces who did repressive action that caused many wounded people and one death from GIDI members. They also agreed to maintain the harmony between Muslim and Christian Community in Tolikara.
“We hope the President Jokowi could wisely discontinue this process of legal enforcement to prevent the greater social political impact for the sake of common respect in realizing Papua as peaceful land,” Haji Wanggai said.
Meanwhile, the Crime and Investigation Unit Director of Papua Police did not give any comments in regards to the meeting result that held about one hour in his office. His office has issued three summonses against the Rev. Nayus Wonda, the Rev. Marhen Jingga and the Rev. Yakob Jikwa. But the summons over three GIDI leaders on Friday (14/8) was protested by church and NU leaders in Papua. (Yuliana Lantipo/rom)
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4) Rumors of Flag Lowering Untrue

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 18, 2015


Merauke, Jubi – Merauke Regent Romanus Mbaraka said rumors that residents had lowed Indonesian flags in Rawa Biru village, Sota district were not true.
Mbaraka said on Monday (17/08/2015) eight households live in Rawa Biru village.
“At that time I wanted to draw them in at Rawa Biru village. Only it did not run well because there is the question of ownership of customary land rights, “he said.
Thus, he planned to make transmigration program for them where local government will set up an area of ​​two hectares and build housing.
“Today I am going to the village to attend the ceremony of the 70th Anniversary of Indonesia and conduct a direct dialogue with the community, in order to hear the difficulties faced, “he said.
“Again I denied about the rumors that residents lowered down the Red and White flag by communities around Rawa Biru. I have a brother who lives there and reported that there was no incidence of lowered flag. “he added.
Head of Sota district, Mike Walinaulik stated ocal government has given its attention to the people in the villages through various programs such as PNPM Mandiri / Respek program. (Frans L Kobun/ Tina)

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5) Intriguing days ahead of  independence
Greg Poulgrain, Brisbane | Opinion | Thu, August 20 2015, 6:39 AM -
The Proklamasi was “an event in our history of the utmost importance” but Sukarno’s plain words do not hint at the extreme danger involved had the Japanese army decided to crush those who organized the declaration of independence. Prominent nationalists and youth groups seized the moment on Aug. 17, 1945, two days after World War II ended.

There is also another reason, still unexplained, why the proclamation of independence occurred when it did, that is of great interest to both Indonesian and Australian historians. How many of us know that the help given by two Japanese naval officers, Nishijima and Yoshizumi and their school of independence (Dokoritsu Juku) occurred only because they had been released from wartime detention in Australia in 1942? Who arranged for their return to Java when war in the Pacific was at its high point? 

For Nishijima, the three days up to Aug. 17 were the most difficult time in his life, as he explained to me at his home in Tokyo 30 years ago. Had independence been declared spontaneously on Aug. 16, it might have led to a tragic clash with the Japanese Army even before the return of the Dutch colonial army. The Japanese army disapproved of Nishijima’s pro-Indonesia stance: they had not been briefed on the Navy’s post-war plan for linking Japan and Indonesia.

The former Netherlands East Indies became the new “Indonesia” after intense, all-night discussion in the house of Nishijima’s superior, Admiral Maeda Tadashi. His area of wartime command was Netherlands New Guinea. Sukarno was not informed by Nishijima that Maeda had found a rich oilfield in the remote Dutch territory. Later vice president Mohammad Hatta, who before the war was detained in New Guinea for one year, spoke strongly against including Papuan territory into “Indonesia”.

Because of his role in preparing the Proklamasi, Nishijima already knew I would ask who was responsible for his release from detention in Australia in August 1942. Many Japanese residing in the Indies returned to Japan before the strike on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, but 1,700 remained. 
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The Japanese army disapproved of Nishijima’s pro-Indonesia stance ...

They were arrested by the Dutch and sent to Australia — supposedly for the duration of the war — but someone in Washington or New York arranged for their release in a repatriation exchange. From Loveday internment camp in South Australia, 834 Japanese were released. This occurred despite a Dutch intelligence report describing many as “top Japanese naval spies”. 

Nishijima since 1937 had been working underground in department stores in Surabaya, Bandung and Batavia (Jakarta), “collecting information and making contacts”. The Dutch report, which had extensive details on Yoshizumi, mysteriously disappeared just before the repatriation exchange.

As I entered the front door of his house in Tokyo, Nishijima asked me whether I had already interviewed Dean Rusk. Well-known as president John Kennedy’s Secretary of State in the 1960s, Rusk in 1942 was a top man in War Department intelligence and very likely to know who was responsible. Rusk denied involvement and pointed to the State Department. 

The reaction of the US commander in the Pacific, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, was telling: He ordered that no members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency) be allowed to operate anywhere in MacArthur’s Pacific Area. 

Official reports have never been made available but MacArthur likely blamed the OSS head man in New York at the time of the repatriation, Allen Dulles. As one of the two head lawyers for Standard Oil, he also had post-war plans for the Indies, intent on accessing its natural resources. Dulles was the first person approached by the Japanese when surrender became inevitable.

In the 48 hours before the Proklamasi, there was a maze of activity. Youth groups had kidnapped Sukarno and Hatta, trying to force a declaration of independence. Nishiijima conducted delicate negotiations with Wikana, the figure with links with both the school and the youth groups. The Japanese army had half-approved Indonesian independence, but only on Japanese terms, so nationalists and youth groups would have faced the wrath of the Kempetai, the ruthless Japanese military police. 

Nishijima’s key contact in the preparatory committee of Indonesian independence was Subardjo whom he had known before the war started. Also among Dokuritsu Juku students were future leaders of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), DN Aidit and Lukman. 

“Had they not been part of the school,” Nishijima said, referring to the 1965 political upheaval, “maybe their lives would have been different.” When the youth groups kidnapped Sukarno and Hatta, Nishijima reminded them that, although Japan had surrendered, the army was still intact. The terms of surrender signed by the Japanese required the Japanese army to join forces with incoming British troops to restore order before the return of the Netherlands Indies colonial administration. 

In Maeda’s house, during the long night of Aug. 16, intense discussion continued on the wording of the Proklamasi to be delivered the next morning. Nishijima arranged for an army representative to participate to avoid any backlash from the army, and he chose his man carefully. This was the main reason the proclamation reads like an office memo. Niishijima told me that when Sukarno asked him for suitable wording to achieve this aim, he wrote on a piece of paper and handed it to Sukarno. With minor changes, this became the Proklamasi. 

He added that nobody noticed, until the last minute, that the date on the paper was written according to the Japanese calendar — not 1945 but 2605. Hatta and Sukarno signed the document, the historic announcement was made at 10 a.m. that morning and then Nisihijima arranged for Adam Malik to broadcast on Japanese radio the words of Sukarno, worldwide: “We the people of Indonesia […]” 
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The writer teaches Indonesian history at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane. He wrote The Incubus of Intervention: Conflicting Indonesia Strategies of John F. Kennedy and Allen Dulles. - 

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6) Flights in Papua Must Obey the Rules, Governor Says

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 18, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe urged airlines flying above mountainous areas of Papua to obey the rules including those on data of passengers.
“Up to now Papua province is awaiting the evacuation process done by combined team of TNI / Police and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basernas). We hope this team will do data verification both flight’s manifest and victims who were on the plane,” Lukas Enembe said in Jayapura, on Tuesday (18/8/ 2015).
According to him, all flight companies that serve in Papua should have valid data of their passengers.
“This incident would be a reminder for all flights in Papua to not repeat this message,” he said.
In addition, governor demanded all flights that serve in Mountains region of Papua to fly before 15.00 p.m because the weather in the afternoon is not good for flying.
“Trigana ATR aircraft flew in the afternoon that actually was not right,” Enembe added.
On the same occasion, the governor expressed his grief over the aircraft accident aircraft with flight number PK YRN IL-257- Jayapura -Oksibil route that fell in Kampung Tiga, Oktabe district, Pegunungan Bintang on Sunday (16/8/2015).
20 bodies were found around 11:05 pm and at 12.45, the rescue team were able to find another 34 bodies of victims.
This was confirmed by chief of Basarnas Marshal FHB Soelistyo in Sentani on Tuesday (18/8/2015).
“At 12:42 (local time), the rescue team has managed to find 54 bodies of victims. 54 victims are now in the operating location, while another sought to be evacuated to Oksibil. The body will be transported by helicopter towards Oksibil. If the weather supports all the bodies will be taken to Jayapura, “he said. (Alexander Loen/ Tina)
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7) Patani and Papua People Share Struggle for Independent Homeland

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 16, 2015
PATANI/THAILAND, JUBI – A UNIVERSITY LECTURER IN PATTANI, THAILAND, WHO INSISTED ON BEING IDENTIFIED BY HIS INITIALS HS, SAID THE PATANI MALAY COMMUNITY AND PAPUANS SHARE SIMILARITIES IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE.
He said though he never been in Papua, but he heard a lot about the condition of Papua. What was happening to Papuans is also being experienced by Patani people.
“I do not know much about Papua, but I have heard about it. I think the problems in Papua are more related to political issues,” HS told in conversation with Jubi on Friday night (14/8/2015).
According to him, the government exploits the natural resources of Papua without caring its people. If people think they were not treated fairly and fight for justice, the authority will use its power to suppress them. “I read the documents of Al Jazeera, I feel sorry for foreign journalist forbidden to entry into Papua. It’s really not right. I have a Papuan fellow; he said Papuans opposed the Indonesian Government, but they do not hate Indonesian people,” he said.
In Pattani, on Friday (14/8/2015), the Patani People in three provinces of Southern Thailand commemorated 61 years of disappearance of Patani religious, political and reform leader Haji Sulong Abdul Qadir Tohmeena held in the residence of late Haji Sulong. At least 300 people attended the event, including Patani religious leaders, local and international NGOs and 150 descendants of Haji Sulong.
A founder of Wartani, media and information technology base CSO, Mohamad Sabri Yusoff said such event would not possibly hold in the previous years, because the government of Thailand Kingdom strict the freedom for the people of Patani.
“The government even prohibited us to only mention ‘Patani’, but through our efforts and other NGOs’, they finally allow us. Previously, before the conflict of new era, it’s difficult to tell about the history of Patani. If so, we could be arrested or considered as rebel,” he said.
However, he admitted that this commemoration was held without the government’s official permit. The government still do not want the people of Patani to commemorate the disappearance of Patani leader Haji Sulong. “But through campaigns in social media, the government is currently not dare to be oppressive, but who knows a great conflict might be raise in the future,” he said.
In this conversation, he also explained about the Pattani and Patani. Pattani is only referred to a province, while Patani has a broader meaning. “Pattani is a province, but Patani is to refer three provinces of Southern Thailand. It’s kind of a state,” he said. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
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8) Australia, Indonesia to  tackle funding for extremist  groups - 

Agence France-Presse, Jakarta | National | Wed, August 19 2015, 8:10 PM
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Australia and Indonesia will co-host a meeting of regional law enforcement and national security agencies to discuss ways of blocking funding for extremists, it was announced Wednesday.
Australia's visiting Justice Minister Michael Keenan announced the meeting after talks with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, at which violent radicalism was high on the agenda.
The two countries will host the meeting in Sydney in November, the first gathering of its kind in the region.
Keenan said joint efforts to counter extremism began in the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings -- which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians -- and were needed more than ever today.
"The Indonesian government, like the Australian government, is concerned about the reach of this barbarous terrorist organization in the Middle East and the methods they use to radicalize people," he said, referring to the Islamic State (IS) group.
"It's good for us to be able to share that experience, but also to share strategies for combating it as well."
Hundreds of Indonesians are thought to have joined IS in the Middle East. There are fears that they could revive sophisticated militant networks on their return and launch attacks.
Just last week police in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, said they foiled a homegrown plot to blow up churches and police stations in central Java, with three IS-linked militants arrested.
Australia too is increasingly concerned about the number of its citizens fighting with jihadist groups, and last month arrested and charged a nurse for knowingly providing support to IS.
The summit will seek regional commitments to share financial and intelligence data to the fullest extent to help combat the capabilities of extremist groups. 
Keenan's visit was the first by an Australian minister since Canberra temporarily recalled its ambassador in April over the execution of two Australian drug traffickers.
Australian officials insist high-level cooperation on extremism and other issues of national security never wavered despite cooling relations.
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9) All bodies of Trigana plane crash victims arrive in Jayapura

Kamis, 20 Agustus 2015 13:49 WIB | 16 Views
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Bodies of the 54 victims of the Trigana plane crash arrived in Jayapura, Papua, on Thursday, after being transported aboard four aircraft from Oksibil since Wednesday.

Only four bodies were transported on Wednesday due to the bad weather, and the bodies of 50 others arrived the next day, spokesman of the Jayapura Air Force base Major Juni Kurniawati stated.

The relatives of the victims were expected to arrive in Jayapura onboard a Trigana twin otter aircraft, she added. 

According to Indonesias Ministry of Transportation, the ill-fated ATR aircraft, bearing Flight No. 257, had lost contact on Sunday (Aug 16) at 2:55 p.m. local time, during its flight from Jayapura to Oksibil.

The aircraft, with 49 passengers and five crew members, including Pilot Hasanudin and co-pilot Aryadi, was due to arrive in Oksibil at 3:15 p.m. WIT after a 55-minute flight but had failed to make its scheduled landing.  

The efforts to transport the bodies of the 54 victims onboard the Trigana Airways aircraft were hindered due to the extreme weather.(*)
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Report- WEST PAPUA: The Irrepressible Struggle for Freedom”

August 20, 2015, 12:20 am
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1) Papuans behind bars July 2015: Threats to human rights defenders in Papua on the rise

August 20, 2015, 2:18 pm
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1) Papuans behind bars July 2015: Threats to human rights defenders in Papua on the rise

2) Most Papua airports have  no navigation systems
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1) Papuans behind bars July 2015: Threats to human rights defenders in Papua on the rise

In brief

At the end of July 2015, there were at least 51 political prisoners in Papua.
Information received from the Central Papuan Highlands Coalition for Peace, Law and Human Rights (Koalisi untuk Kedamaian, Hukum dan HAM Pegunungan Tengah Papua) reported an increasing climate of intimidation and harassment against human rights defenders and lawyers in Wamena. Coalition members providing accompaniment to Roby Erik Pekey, a victim of arbitrary police violence in Wamena, have been subject to harassment due to their role in addressing impunity. An increased number of reports of intimidation faced by human rights defenders underscores the need for the state to take urgent measures to ensure their protection.
Reports from the Coalition describing how Jayawijaya police were able to freely mistreat Roby Pekey while he sought medical treatment in Wamena Hospital is yet another example of open police brutality in public spaces. In our April 2015 update, we recorded two other cases of victims who were arbitrarily detained, tortured and cruelly treated in hospitals.
In Tolikara on 17 July, a 16-year-old teenager was shot dead and at least 11 others injured when security forces shot into a crowd that were protesting the use of loudspeakers during an Eid al-Fitr prayer session. The shootings provoked the burning of several kiosks, which spread quickly to amusholla (a prayer room) where the prayers were taking place. While police were quick to secure the arrests of two men who were allegedly involved in the arson, perpetrators of the shootings from the security forces have so far not yet been identified or brought to account. Investigations into the incident are currently ongoing.
At least 40 members of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) were arrested for participating in a prayer session giving thanks to the outcome of the June summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). Since May this year, 264 people have been arrested for expressing their support or being involved with the ULMWP. The targeting of ULMWP members and its supporters for arbitrary arrest demonstrates Indonesia’s zero-tolerance policy towards peaceful aspirations of West Papuan independence.
Full update

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2) Most Papua airports have  no navigation systems
Nadya Natahadibrata, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Thu, August 20 2015, 3:54 PM -
More than half of the total of 54 airports in Papua and West Papua are not yet equipped with adequate navigation systems and pilots rely on visual cues when flying in the area, a senior official has said.

The Transportation Ministry’s navigation director Novie Riyanto said on Wednesday that pilots mostly relied on visual cues rather than navigation instruments when flying to remote airports in the east of the country.

The ministry is planning on installing and improving navigation instruments at all airports in Papua before the end of this year, he said.

“We will soon require all airports and aircraft operating in Papua to have adequate navigation systems and also to train and give licenses to all the pilots flying in the area to ensure safety,” he said.

The move was made following the crash of a Trigana Air Service plane that was flying from Papua’s provincial capital, Jayapura, to Oksibil on Sunday. 

The ATR42-300 twin turboprop plane was carrying 49 passengers and five crew members on a scheduled 42-minute journey. Five children, including two infants, were among the passengers.

Oksibil, which is 280 kilometers south of Jayapura, was experiencing heavy rain, strong winds and fog when the plane lost contact with the airport minutes before it was scheduled to land.

Novie said that the airport in Oksibil was already equipped with navigation systems, including VHF radio and a NDB-VOR navigation aid. However, he said that the airport was relying on a diesel generator to supply electricity, due to the island’s power deficit.

“Sometimes the power at the airport is on and sometimes it’s off, therefore pilots flying to the airport sometimes have to rely on visual cues only,” Novie said.

Novie said that in Papua only big airports were equipped with navigation systems, including Jayapura, Biak, Merauke, Sorong and Timika.

“In the future all pilots will have to depend on navigation instruments that will show the waypoint, wind direction and altitude, and not only rely on what they can see on the ground,” Novie said.

Much of Papua is covered with impenetrable jungle and mountains. Some planes that have crashed in the past have never been found.

Novie said, however, that experienced pilots were allowed to rely on visual cues.

“Papua has a special topography and extreme terrain. Therefore navigation instruments are very critical to direct aircraft flying in the area,” Novie said. “Moreover, with navigation instruments, aircraft don’t need to divert or return to base and continue to fly whenever the weather turns bad,” he continued. 

On Tuesday, the bodies of all 54 people aboard the Trigana plane, the aircraft’s black box and most of Rp 6.5 billion (US$470,000) in cash being carried on the plane were found in a forested area near Oksibil.
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1) Filep Karma Has Right to Refuse Pardon, says Papua Governor

August 21, 2015, 12:43 am
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2) Is Freeport Still Doing “Imperialism” Over Papua? : Patani Resident

3) Seven Passengers of Trigana Air Not Listed on Flight Manifest
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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=5850

1) Filep Karma Has Right to Refuse Pardon, says Papua Governor

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 18, 2015

JAYAPURA, JUBI – PAPUA POLITICAL PRISONER FILEP KARMA SAID HE WOULD NEVER TAKE AN OFFER OF PARDON AS A CONDITION FOR HIS RELEASE AND INSTEAD DEMANDED AMNESTY OR ABOLITION.
“I’ll turn it down. From my point of view the content of the letter of pardon indicates the State has no good intention in solving the problems in Papua thoroughly,” said Karma to reporters at Abepura Prison, Jayapura City, Papua on Monday (17/8/2015).
He stated if the Indonesian Government wants to resolve the Papua issues, it must release all political prisoners instead of only him, and rehabilitate their names and abolish the wanted list and sit together with Papuans.
“Let’s talk politics as an adult. Let’s conduct dialogue with Papuans who want freedom, not with the Local Government instead,” he said.
He said the government has no good intention of releasing him; moreover the pardon would only turn his status as a political prisoner to criminal. He said he’s not a criminal but a Free Papua political prisoner.
Therefore, if the government thinks it does the right thing by granting him a pardon, he would never step out of prison on that way.
If the government forces him to get out, he said it has authority to do that.
“I was imprisoned by force, so if they want to force me out, that’s their authority. I will not voluntarily get out from here,” he said.
Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said this rejection is the right of Filep Karma. He has a right to refuse or accept the pardon. “It’s his right as citizen. He has right to make that statement,” Enembe said after leading a ceremony of remission granting at Abepura Prison on Monday (17/8/2015). (Mawel Benny/rom)
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2) Is Freeport Still Doing “Imperialism” Over Papua? : Patani Resident

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 18, 2015

Patani/Thailand, Jubi – Alawi, a resident in southern Thailand, is familiar with the reputation of US-owned gold company PT. Freeport McMoRan in Papua as his final course work while he was a student in Indonesia was about the firm.
Alawi, from Bendang Sta, Yala province, said even though he had never been to Papua, he understands that PT. Freeport has exploited Papua natural resources for decades without caring for local communities.
“I know a little bit about Freeport, including how its behavior of not caring for Papuan indigenous people or in a sort way doing imperialism. So, is Freeport still operating in Papua?” Alawi said in conversation with Jubi at Bendang Sta, Patani, on Monday (17/8/2015).
Alawi who is graduated in 1996 from Universitas Pasundan, Bandung West Java, majoring International relations said he did his final research on PT. Freeport for his final study at university. That’s why he had a lot of information about this American gold company.
“At that time, I get a lot of data from Freeport Company Office in Jakarta. Not like most of my friends, I can get the data about PT. Freeport easily because I am not Indonesian Citizen, and I took the letter from the Thailand Embassy,” he said. From his research, he found out how Freeport exploits the natural resources in Papua, but it not give profit to Papuans. “At that time, Freeport said it just exploited the copper, but the reality is it has mined the gold too,” he said.
According to him, he came to the Freeport Headquarters in Jakarta for several times when doing a research. He never thought that the Freeport’s staffs are foreign citizens. “When I came to Freeport Office in Jakarta, I was surprised to find out many foreign citizens who work there. The office seems not located in Indonesia. No Papuans there though from the mining production Freeport could finance and pay the salary of State’s employees,” he said.
Lately, the Freeport issue becomes a public focus in regards to the plan of contract extension in Papua. Papua Government and Papua Parliament convicted PT. Freeport management for only involving the Central Government into discussion of the extension of contract of work.
“Freeport was doing operation in Papua, but never involving the Papua Provincial Government into discussion of the extension of contract of work. During its operation in Papua, Freeport did not give impact towards the welfare of Papua indigenous people,” Chairman of Papua Legislative Council Yunus Wonda said in one occasion. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
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3) Seven Passengers of Trigana Air Not Listed on Flight Manifest

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 18, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Seven of 54 passengers of Trigana Air Service flight number IL 267 were not listed on the flight manifest, said an official at Jasaraharja Mobile Service Abitnego Kudiai.
The plane crashed while flying around Obibak Sub-district. The 49 passengers consisted of 44 adults, 2 babies and 3 infants.
“Three passengers are not listed in the manifest but using someone else’s name, that are Teguh, office post employee who replaced Dewa, John Gasperz who replaced Petrus Tekege and Yana who replaced Yunus,” Abitnego told Jubi on Monday (17/8/2015) in Sentani.
Meanwhile four passengers were not registered were Tinius Dipnur, Obet Trukna, Elipas Urbanim and Lukas Uropmabin.
He also said families and relatives of 32 victims have reported to his office.
“Those who match with the manifest are 32, while there are 7 victims’ family have made the report,” he said.
When asked if the unlisted names could get insurance claim from Jasa Raharja, he said,” Jasa Rahaja will pay the claim but we need to go through the appropriate payment process according to the result of identification by Disaster Victim Identification (DVI). Jasa Raharja will give Rp 50 million as compensation to each victim,” said Kudiai. (Roy Ratumakin/rom)
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1) West Papuan independence leader says Indonesian military is targeting family to target him

August 21, 2015, 2:16 pm
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2) New song from George Telek, “Free West Papua (One People, One Soul)

3) Indonesian, Australian air force hold joint exercise

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1) West Papuan independence leader says Indonesian military is targeting family to target him

Updated Thu at 9:25am
The West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda claims his family is being targetted by the Indonesian military, after what he says was the murder of a family member.
He says his relative, Fredi Wenda, was tortured and then stabbed to death by members of the military, on Indonesian Independence Day three days ago, and is calling on the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Pacific Islands Forum to speak out about government abuses.
Richard Ewart
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-20/west-papuan-independence-leader-says-indonesian/6710640


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2) New song from George Telek, “Free West Papua (One People, One Soul)
Featuring vocals by Leah Rumwaropen.

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3) Indonesian, Australian air force hold joint exercise

Jumat, 21 Agustus 2015 21:38 WIB | 737 Views
Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian and Australian air forces will hold a joint exercise entitled, "Eagle Ausindo 2015" from August 21 to 29, El Tari Air Force Base Commander, Colonel Andi Wijaya, said on Friday.

Under the joint exercise, the Royal Australian Air Force has deployed a fighter aircraft F-18 Hornet, as well as the C-17 Globe Master.

"These advanced aircraft have landed at the El Tari air base in Kupang," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Air Force will deploy five F-16s from the Air Squadron 3, one Super Puma Helicopter from Air Squadron 6 and a C-130 Hercules A-1327 from Air Squadron 31.

The exercise is aimed at improving cooperation in the defense field between the two countries and enhancing the ability of each air force personnel.

According to Wijaya, more joint exercises will be conducted in Australia, but the time and location are yet to be determined.

Improving Air Force personnels abilities should continue through their maintaining fitness and strength in carrying out their duties as the guardians of Indonesian sovereignty.

"Indonesias territory should be maintained properly and therefore the ability of the personnel should be improved with continuous practice," he said.(*)
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1) Brimob Accused of Mistreating 15 Students in Intan Jaya

August 22, 2015, 2:11 pm
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2) West Papua rally hits Kirribilli House 

3) Officers Rally Against Sorong Selatan Police Chief

4) Four Contract Teachers Assigned Back to Yeraha Village

5) Police identify 12 victims of Trigana Air crash

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1) Brimob Accused of Mistreating 15 Students in Intan Jaya

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 19, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Melianus Duwitau, a student from Intan Jaya accused a number of Brimob personnel from Destatemen C Biak who served in Intan Jaya District of attacking 15 students while firing at Sugapa, Intan Jaya capital.
“There were bruises on the forehead, head injuries, a broken jaw as a result of beatings with rifle butts. Two people, Venus Sondegau and Victor Belau are now being  treated at Sugapa hospital,” he said via a short message to the Jubi from Sugapa on Monday (17/8/2015 ).
He explained the incident occurred about 12:00 after the ceremony of Independence Day in the Sogopaki field.
He said the incident began at 11:30 when students wanted to block the airport so that the local officials would not leave Intan Jaya after the ceremony.
“Students wanted to block the airport because the local officials often fly to Nabire and other cities out of town,” he added.
Dominikus Surabut, a Papuan activist, said such events actually should not have happened. If that happens, there is the impression that the state apparatus take people’s money out of the town for their benefits.
“The local authorities should look at the problem, then talk to them. Don’t shoot them. Violence will never solve the problem,” he said in Jayapura, Papua, on Tuesday (18/08/2015).(Mawel Benny/ Tina)

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https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/59843

2) West Papua rally hits Kirribilli House 

Saturday, August 22, 2015
The West Papuan people are determined to achieve self-determination. 

West Papua supporters held a peaceful rally at the Prime Minister’s Sydney residence, Kirribilli House, on August 15 to mark the signing of the New York Agreement, which betrayed the people of West Papua.
On August 15, 1962 an agreement was signed between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands concerning West New Guinea. 
A vote on a Dutch/Indonesian resolution on the agreement by the UN General Assembly on September 21, 1962 was adopted and included this statement:
“The Agreement contains certain guarantees for the population of the territory, including detailed provisions regarding the exercise of the right of self-determination under arrangements made by Indonesia with the advice, assistance and participation of the Secretary-General who will appoint a United Nations Representative for this purpose. The act of self-determination is to take place before the end of 1969.”
In 1969, Indonesia chose 1025 electors (one representative for about every 700 Papuans) to vote in the UN-sanctioned election. Under coercion, the electors voted to integrate with Indonesia. The West Papuan people call this “the act of no free choice”.
It is time to put West Papua back on the listing of UN trust territories.
Like the article? Subscribe to Green Left now! You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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3) Officers Rally Against Sorong Selatan Police Chief

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 19, 2015
Teminabuan, Jubi – Hundreds of Sorong Selatan Police officers held a rally demanding clarification from Sorong Selatan Police Chief Alexander Louw about the cut in the security budget for local police stations in Sorong Selatan and Maybrat regions ahead to Regional Head Elections this year.
    
About 270 police consisting of junior and senior officers from 10 local police stations held demonstration at Sorong Selatan Police Headquarters on Tuesday (18/8/2015) demanding their right, namely security allowance entitlement in the Legislature Election and Presidential Election in last year. They should be received Rp 750,000 per day but deducted until Rp 250,000.
Despite the security allowance, hundreds of police officers also admitted they never provided with meal allowance of Rp 1,000,000 per month during the leadership of Sorong Selatan Police Chief Alexander Louw, SH.
    
The Protest Coordinator John Faud Irja revealed the protest is aimed to ask clarification of budget transparency from Sorong Selatan Police Chief. “We ask about the allowance that should be accepted by officers,” he said.
    
The rally has forced the Papua Barat Police Chief Brigadier General Royke Lumoa and Director of Profesi and Pengamanan Division of Papua Barat Police and Sorong Mobile Brigade Detachment C Commissionaire Police Madun Narwawan directly departing from Manokwari to Teminabuan, the capital of Sorong Selatan Regency to listen the voice of police officers as well as to conduct a meeting with police officers at Aula Sembra of Sorong Selatan Police Headquarters.
    
After the meeting, Papua Barat Police Chief promised to do thorough investigation over this case.  “I promised to answer their aspirations,” Lumoa said. The chief will further order his staffs to collect any relevant data to answer the demand of hundreds of officers. “Once the evidences are collected we will do the follow up action,” he said. (Niko MB/rom)



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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=5861

4) Four Contract Teachers Assigned Back to Yeraha Village

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 22, 2015

Merauke, Jubi – Four contract teachers who have received a letter of assignment from the Department of Education in Merauke refused to work at a public elementary school Yeraha, Tabonji district and chose to teach at the Catholic elementary school SD YPPK Suam instead.
The head of Yeraha village, Eliandar Kabu on Tuesday (18/08/2015), said that since their assignment letters were issued, the teachers had not taught SDN Yeraha.
“I do not know what their reasons are that they choose to live and teach in Suam village,” he said.
As a result, teaching and learning activities in the school are not going well. Students go home and follow their parents into the forest in search of food.
“I asked head of Education and Teaching to conduct evaluation of contract teachers in remote areas as many do not carry out the duties as usual,” he added
He admitted due to the topography of the remote area and the expensiveness of renting a speedboat, makes them refuse to go.
“Yes, this should also be a consideration by Merauke regency that allocate the budget in greater numbers for teachers who want to carry out teaching duties in the interior,” he said.
One community leaders of Kimaam, Soter Kamiawi recognized that teaching and learning activities in rural areas are running in place. “Yes, this is the reality of teaching and learning activities in the villages that mostly inhabited by indigenous people of Papua. Teachers prefer to teach in town for various reasons, “Soter added. (Frans L Kobun/ Tina)

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5) Police identify 12 victims of Trigana Air crash

Sabtu, 22 Agustus 2015 18:52 WIB | 622 Views

Jayapura (ANTARA News) - The police have been able to identify 12 of the victims out of the remains of the 54 deceased passengers recovered from the Trigana aircraft crash site in Papua recently.

The head of the Health and Medical Center of the National Police Headquarters, Brigadier General Arthur Tampi, said on Saturday that 26 bags of remains had been examined.

"Today is the third day of the identification process that had started on August 19. We worked until 12 pm last night and until that time we had examined 26 bags of the remains," he said.

Arthur said that out of the 26 bags, the Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) team had successfully identified 12 victims and their remains had been handed over to their families.

"On August 19, we were able to identify four bodies from four bags of remains and on August 20 we identified three from 9 bags we examined and on August 21 five from 13 bags," he said.

The 12 victims identified are Teguh Warisman Saleh, Emilia Gobai, Milka Kakiarmabin, Oscar Mangontoh, Hasanuddin, Martinus Aragai, Terianus Salawala, Boni Wori-Wori, Wendepan Bamulki, Asirun, Dita Amelia Kurniawan and Agustinus Luwanmase.

The chief of the Papua Regional Police Command, Brigadier General Paulus Waterpauw, had asked the families of the victims to be patient and wait for the results of the identification process.

"The DVI team will continue making efforts to identify the bodies of the victims, but it is a difficult process," he added.

ATR IL 257 belonging to Trigana Air had crashed in the Okbape sub-district in the Pegunungan Bintang district on August 16 during its flight from Jayapura to Oksibil, killing all 54 passengers on board, including five crew members.

(Reporting by Dhias Suwandi/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/A014)










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Transforming the Regional Architecture: New Players and Challenges for the Pacific Islands

August 23, 2015, 1:53 am
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New Publication from East-West Center

Transforming the Regional Architecture: New Players and Challenges for the Pacific Islands



by Nic Maclellan

AsiaPacific Issues, No. 118 

Publisher: Honolulu: East-West Center
Publication Date: August 2015
Binding: paper
Pages: 8
Free Download: PDF

Summary 

Growing debates over the mandate and capacity of regional institutions in the Pacific highlight the complex and cluttered agenda facing island leaders. The Pacific Islands Forum, with a new secretary general and Framework on Pacific Regionalism, is working to forge collective positions among its 16 members. But fundamental policy differences over climate change, trade, and decolonization reinforce the sentiment among islanders that Australia and New Zealand should play a less dominant role within the Forum. The current question of Fiji's reintegration into the Forum overshadows deeper structural changes across the region: Island nations are increasingly looking to nontraditional development partners and using mechanisms outside the Forum. Meanwhile, looming decisions on climate and self-determination seem destined to alienate powerful friends. Pacific islanders want to set the agenda within their own institutions, and are finding it increasingly difficult to paper over contested visions for the future.
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1) President Lonsdale talks West Papua with Fiji

August 24, 2015, 1:26 pm
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2) Eight people buried in landslide in Papua

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http://www.dailypost.vu/news/article_b8abcbfc-46e9-5817-8899-1e2142867e68.html

1) President Lonsdale talks West Papua with Fiji

Posted: Monday, August 24, 2015 12:00 am
Compiled by Glenda Willie | 0 comments
Head of State,president Baldwin Lonsdale says it is the country’s hope that one day Vanuatu and Fiji will unite to address the issue of West Papua.
As he welcomed the newly appointed High Commissioner of Fiji to Vanuatu, Esala Teleni,last week President Lonsdale pointed out that having such a bigger partner in the Pacific Region has indeed contributed to the development of island nation states, especially with regards to the fulfillment of the MSG.
“Your continued confidence in making trades with Vanuatu in the items specified by the MSG will continue to flow in the many years to come and we welcome this continuity in a conductive environment,” he said.
“With regards, our cooperate effort for common causes, I wish to also express our respect to your Government for our mutual similarities in standing together in regional and international forums in promoting peace and security globally, and more recently, with our solidarity for other marginalized Melanesian of West Papua. It is a challenge for the Pacific, especially Melanesian brothers to stand united with them.
“Indeed our global united voice in these forums along with our other partners world-wide has assisted us to continue to experience this conductive environment in the Pacific Region.
“It is our sincere hope that our fellow brothers are exhibiting to our fellow neighbors in the Region. Vanuatu has been very vocal in these sensitive issues, and we are hoping that overtime, we will eventually join hands in addressing the in-humane treatment received by the Melanesians in West Papua”.
The Head of State re-affirmed the similarities of both countries once more in their attitude and approach in Regional Co-operations as reflected in the collective pursuit for Peace and further strengthening their Socioeconomic well-being.
“In this way, the harmonious spirit between out two countries will surely have a healthy working and trading relationship for many years to come,”he said.


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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/100132/eight-people-buried-in-landslide-in-papua

2) Eight people buried in landslide in Papua

Senin, 24 Agustus 2015 16:50 WIB | 958 Views
Jayapura (ANTARA News) - Rain triggered landslides buried alive eight people in Apalapsili, in the regency of Yalimo on Sunday night.

Papua police chief spokesman Sr. Comr Patrige said on Monday so far only three of the victims were known their identities -- Yosep Nusi, Versus Kepno and Yopi Kepno.

A rescue team had been sent to Apalapsili but they could not reach the location hampered by landslides materials and heavy rain.

The team, therefore, was forced to return to Elelim, the capital of the Yalimo regency.

The landslides also buried heavy equipment of PT Papua Abadi Bersatu.(*)
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Octo Mote interviewed on Koori Radio

August 24, 2015, 4:08 pm
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                                                Senator Lee Rhiannon and Octo Mote at rally against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)          
                             The rally was organised by GetUp! and the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network




Octo Mote interviewed on Koori Radio


Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon addresses the rally against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), in Martin Place. Photo: Quentin Jones (SMH)
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/protesters-rally-against-the-transpacific-partnership-in-martin-place-20150823-gj5q0v.html#ixzz3jlu4oPCK

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1) A new hopeful chapter in West Papua’s 50-year freedom struggle

August 25, 2015, 2:01 pm
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1) A new hopeful chapter in West Papua’s 50-year freedom struggle

2) Police foil weapon smuggling  attempt to Papua
3) Freeport says Indonesia copper exports dry up on payment impasse
4) A Pacific Beyond Fiji

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http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/new-hopeful-chapter-west-papuas-50-year-freedom-struggle-begins/

1) A new hopeful chapter in West Papua’s 50-year freedom struggle


Leaders from the Church of Melanesia, and Lilly Chekana and Grace Hilly from the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua, lead a march in Honiara in support of West Papua becoming a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group on June 19. (WNV/ Pasifika collection)
Markus Haluk’s eyes are moist. We are standing inside a portside warehouse in Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands. Haluk carefully unwraps the first of five large 60 pound packages encased in hessian. Inside each parcel are two large A4-sized books, parts of a massive paper petition. Each book is around 16 inches thick — they make a dictionary look like a comic book. Haluk was the lead organizer tasked with collating the hefty tomes and getting them safely out of West Papua. Yosepa Alomang, a 50-something-year-old stalwart of the West Papuan independence movement, worked alongside him and she is also now in the warehouse. Alomang reaches out and touches the books. Turning to me she says, “These are the blood and bones of our people.”
Alomang means what she says. During the signature-raising campaign which took place between March and May 2015, Indonesian security forces shot dead 32-year-old Obangma Giban, a village chief from Yahukimo. In the month of May, alone, 487 activists were arrested for participating in the campaign. Some of those were tortured. Officers from the Mobile Police Brigade in Manokwari, part of a national Indonesian paramilitary police force, stubbed out cigarettes on Alexander Nekenem’s body while the head of the Manokwari Regional Police, Tommy H. Pontororing, denied him and his compatriots access to lawyers. Police also demolished communication posts at places like Cendrawasih University, where people could go to sign the petitions. Countless scores were savagely beaten.
The petitions are the latest nonviolent tactic in a struggle that spans more than 50 years. It is a fight that pits black-skinned, curly-haired Melanesians against their brown-skinned straight-haired Asian neighbors. Different people, different cultures and different histories forced together in an inequitable and unstable political arrangement. West Papua is the Pacific’s Palestine; greener and bluer, but occupied by the Indonesian military since 1963. It is a secret struggle, hidden by the Indonesian government, ignored by the international community, sold out by the United States and its allies. West Papuans were locked out of discussions over the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch, West Papua’s former colonial ruler, to the Indonesian government by the Kennedy administration. The rights of the West Papuans were sidelined. It was Cold War politics with a silver lining for the United States. The deal delivered the world’s largest gold mine to Freeport-McMoRan, a private U.S. company, overseen by people like Henry Kissinger who sat on the board.
Seven years later, in 1969, the Indonesian government and United Nations colluded in a violent political fraud, the Act of Free Choice, involving 1,022 West Papuans intimidated into signing a document stating that they wished to join the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. Back then the world turned away. But now, in 2015, West Papuans are finding their voice, insisting their Melanesian neighbors in the Pacific recognize them as a nation-in-waiting, separate from Indonesia.
The paper petition is in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s campaign to become a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, or MSG — an important sub-regional forum, part of the Pacific Island Forum, and with status at the United Nations. MSG leaders were meeting in Honiara in June 2015. Gaining membership of the MSG is an important first step towards bringing the issue back to the United Nations, the organization that created the problem in the first place. Unsurprisingly, independence for West Papua, or even any discussion of the rights of West Papuans in an international forum, is vigorously resisted by the Indonesian government. There is a lot at stake: Indonesia’s reputation, West Papua’s massive resource wealth and the fate of a million and a half people.
While Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was trying to reassure Melanesian leaders that Indonesia was a new democratic country, Indonesian police were undermining him. As West Papua seethed in unarmed insurrection, the security forces were desperately trying to violently pacify the population. But because of the Indonesian government’s ban on foreign media virtually no news of the petition campaign reached an international audience until the packages were carefully unwrapped in Honiara. The Indonesian government had tried to stop the petition from leaving the country, seizing copies at the airport as Papuan leaders attempted to take them to the Solomon Islands in their luggage. But Haluk, Alomang and the team had made several duplicates, sending them by different routes to Honiara. This package arrived by international courier. There are five copies, one for each Melanesian leader. Haluk tells me it cost a small fortune.
At a time when digital petitions land in our inbox every day, 55,555 signatures may not sound like much. But don’t be fooled. This is no collection of easy Facebook “likes.” Organizers with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, or ULMWP, traveled the length and breadth of West Papua — by ship, plane, car and on foot — to collect the signatures from each of West Papua’s seven regions.
The petition not only includes the names, addresses and signatures of the petitioners, but people’s state-issued identification cards were also copied and included as further proof of authenticity. In addition to radical pro-independence Papuans, many Indonesian migrants also signed. Those who could not sign their name supplied a fingerprint. In addition, West Papuan leaders from all the mainline churches signed letters of support. So too did the National Council of Customary Chiefs in West Papua, or DAP, women and student groups, Papuan intellectuals, armed guerrilla groups and individual civil servants and politicians working for the Indonesian government.


Copies of the petition for each of the five Melanesian leaders. (WNV/ Pasifika collection)


The petitions, letters and the presence in Honiara of nearly 20 West Papuans from inside the country clearly demonstrate that ULMWP has deep and broad support inside the country. Papuan citizens may not have a country but they are the engine that is driving the ULMWP forward. And still there are tens of thousands of more petitions that did not make it to Honiara because they could not get them to the ULMWP work team in time to send the documents out of the country.
When ULMWP International Spokesperson Benny Wenda sees the petitions, he is emotional. “In 1969, the Indonesian government deceived the international community with 1,022 people who were forced to say they supported Indonesia,” he explained, referring to the fraudulent Act of Free Choice. “Today we have over 55,000 signatures.”
West Papua’s desire for freedom is the Indonesian government’s nightmare unraveling. That is why the police and military responded with such ferocity to the petition, a political act that has become routine and blasé in many countries. The rest of Indonesia may be a democracy, but in West Papua freedom of expression is prohibited. To the security forces, signing the petition is tantamount to sedition.
A herculean task
The ULMWP’s decision to focus on the MSG was important for external and internal reasons. Internally, the intermediate objective of securing membership in the MSG immediately became a vehicle for collective action — glue that bonded the newly formed organization together. Externally, West Papuan leaders knew there would be little international support for their cause unless their Melanesian kin and neighbors stood up for them. But gaining membership of the MSG was a herculean task. Not only did the ULMWP need to demonstrate massive support from inside the country, they also had to organize their efforts across five countries: Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Kanaky, or New Caledonia. Moreover, they only had six months to do so.
This was not a level playing field. On one side was the Indonesian state with deep pockets, hard power at their disposal and the backing of the Papua New Guinean and Fijian governments. On the other was the ULMWP with limited financial resources, but increasingly organized people, with the support of the Vanuatu government, the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front, or FLNKS, and the people of Melanesia. What was uncertain at the beginning of the campaign was how the government of the Solomon Islands would respond.
There was sympathy from people within the Solomon Islands government, but political representatives were starting with little knowledge about the reality of the occupation. Moreover, the previous Solomon Islands government had been courted by Indonesian officials eager to present a raft of economic development opportunities in return for political support. As the campaign progressed, the ULMWP was hindered by repression within West Papua, as well as externally by climatic disruption. Tropical Cyclone Pam devastated Vanuatu in March, leaving nearly half the country homeless. It completely destroyed the ULMWP’s administrative office and made it more difficult to draw on Vanuatu’s assistance to lobby other Melanesian leaders. Around this time Obangma Giban was shot dead as he organized a ULMWP fundraiser for humanitarian relief in Vanuatu.
Then there were the political challenges. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill from Papua New Guinea said a lot of nice words. He called West Papuans “brothers” and “kin,” but refused to meet with both Wenda and ULMWP General Secretary Octovianus Mote. In late March, O’Neill even went as far as deporting Wenda. In a somewhat embarrassing move for many Fijians, former military strongman, Prime Minister Voque “Frank” Bainimarama, pronounced on the front page of the Fiji Sun, his government’s mouthpiece, that the Indonesian government did not need to worry about their position on the ULMWP’s application: “Indonesia, we’re with you,” crooned Bainimarama.

Public records reveal that the Indonesian government invested $20 million to derail the ULMWP’s campaign. Fiji benefited handsomely. So too did Papua New Guinea. In the months before the MSG Leaders’ Summit, the Indonesian president and foreign minister criss-crossed Melanesia in their private jet. What deals were made behind closed doors is not known, but there was no way the Indonesian government wanted the ULMWP in the room. That is why they shot ULMWP activists dead in West Papua. It is why they jailed over 500 activists even as President Widodo announced he was freeing five, trying ­ and failing ­ to demonstrate that all was fine in West Papua. As far as the Indonesian government was concerned, West Papua was part of Indonesia. End of story.

Political machinationsIt was always going to be a tough campaign. Then in the week before the leaders’ meeting in Honiara things got tougher. The pro-West Papuan government of Joe Natuman in Vanuatu was deposed in a no-confidence motion, ushering in Sato Kilman, a pro-Indonesian politician, whose previous election campaign was allegedly funded by the Indonesian government. The mood on social media in Vanuatu was ugly. The ULMWP leadership team met with representatives of the Vanuatu government. With less than a week before the Leaders’ Summit they were still unsure who would be representing that government in Honiara. The balance of power was shifting in the Indonesian government’s favor. Mote immediately embarked on an emergency diplomatic mission to Port Vila. Although he was assured that the Vanuatu government’s Wantok Blong Yumi Bill 2010 tethered governments of all stripes to enduring support for the liberation of West Papua, Prime Minister Kilman was unavailable to meet.


ULMWP leaders march in Honiara, Solomon Islands on June 19. (WNV/ Pasifika collection)

Then there were internal challenges. At a meeting in Port Vila in December 2014, when the ULMWP was formed, three large West Papuan coalitions of resistance groups came together: the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, the National Federal Republic of West Papua, or NFRWP, and the National Parliament of West Papua. Immediately after the Port Vila meeting the President of the NFRWP, Forkorus Yaboisembut, withdrew his support for the ULMWP. As a parallel government pushing for international recognition of West Papua as an independent state, Yaboisembut argued that all groups should instead unite under the NFRWP. According to Yaboisembut, the NFRWP was both more representative and, as a government-in-waiting, had greater political authority than the ULMWP, which was formed as an umbrella organization.

I was part of a small delegation that met with Yaboisembut at his home in West Papua in February 2015. The three of us tried to explain what occurred in Port Vila, including the clear message that the MSG would not support an application for membership from a “government,” but there was no changing his mind. Yaboisembut announced that he would submit a new application for membership. The decision caused the NFRWP to split. The overwhelming majority of the NFRWP, including the West Papua National Authority and DAP, united under the leadership of Edison Waromi, who reiterated his support for ULMWP.

Political machinations continued. The Indonesian government, in an ambitious act of numerical contortion, announced that after years of criminalizing Melanesian identity, including killing West Papuan songwriters like Arnold Ap and Eddie Mofu for simply singing Papuan songs, that Indonesia was suddenly a Melanesian country. In fact, the Indonesian government boldly claimed they were the most Melanesian country in the world, with 11 million Melanesians ­ more than the entire population of the other five Melanesian countries combined. As a result, the Indonesian government argued, they needed to have their status as an observer of the MSG elevated to associate membership. To facilitate this they proposed that the five governors of Indonesia’s easternmost provinces would represent Indonesia at the MSG and duly submitted an application for associate membership. Franzalbert Joku masterminded the plan and O’Neill enthusiastically backed it.

The overwhelming majority of the population from the Indonesian government’s three recently discovered Melanesian provinces ­ North Malukus, South Malukus and Nusa Tenggara Timor provinces ­ are Muslim Malays, not Melanesian. I met the rather large Indonesian delegation in Honiara. There were only two Melanesians in the delegation, Franzalbert Joku and Nicholas Messett, and both are former pro-independence fighters now induced to travel the world as enthusiastic ambassadors for the Indonesian government. The rest of the delegation were Malay Indonesians.

Interestingly, the proposal that the five governors of eastern Indonesia represent the Indonesian government was not even supported by the governors of Papua Barat and Papua provinces, Indonesia’s only real Melanesian provinces. In a stunning act of non-cooperation, when President Widodo tried to meet with Lukas Enembe, the governor of Papua province, Enembe switched off his phone for three days. He told a trusted insider, who declined to be named, that “the MSG has nothing to do with me.” Both he and the Papua Barat Gov. Abraham Atururi refused to attend the MSG Leaders’ Summit. These two facts ­ the non-attendance of the West Papuan governors and the lie that Indonesia had a sprawling population of Melanesians ­ were quietly ignored by Papua New Guinea and Fiji. They embraced the governors’ application and argued against the ULMWP becoming full members, no doubt looking to benefit from the hundreds of millions of dollars of trade the Indonesian government promised.

A wave of solidarity buildsMeanwhile, Mote kept traveling while Wenda and the other three members of the ULMWP Secretariat kept meeting MSG officials and leaders. In June 2015, the governments of both Samoa and Tonga expressed support for freedom in West Papua and the ULMWP. West Papua was rapidly becoming a cause célèbre across the Pacific. While diplomacy with governments continued, it was grassroots support that created the incentive for political leaders to take a clearer position. And still a wave of solidarity was building.

ULMWP leaders thank the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, for his support. (WNV/ Pasifika collection)

In Fiji, where the Pacific Conference of Churches had its head office, the proliferation of support for the ULMWP required the formation of a solidarity council. The Pacific Conference of Churches also helped reignite solidarity in the Solomon Islands. In March they brought church and secular civil society leaders together in Honiara. The local solidarity group, Solomon Islands in Solidarity for West Papua, suddenly went from a group with half a dozen individual members to an organization of organizations. Churches, local non-government organizations who provided essential services, artists, journalists, chiefs and the Young Women in Parliament Group ­ one of the members included Christina Sogavare, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s daughter ­ all got involved.

When the MSG meeting started on June 17, Honiara’s two newspapers, the Solomon Island Star and the Island Sun, enthusiastically followed the story. On each day between June 17 and June 27, the day after the decision, the front pages of both papers ­ and often the second, third and fourth pages ­ were devoted to some aspect of the ULMWP’s campaign for membership; there were over 140 separate newspaper articles in the space of 20 days. For many in the Solomon Islands it was not just an issue of solidarity with their Melanesian kin. They saw their government’s position on West Papua as a litmus test on an independent foreign policy. Local activists felt that the willingness of the police and local civic authorities to allow people to freely march and protest in support of West Papua was a sign of the health of local democracy, 10 years after ethnic tensions threatened to tear the Solomon Islands apart.

It was not just the population in the Solomon Islands that was growing restless. The leaders of the Melanesian countries began to express concern too. In an article in Vanuatu’s Daily Post, Vanuatu Prime Minister Kilman referred to comments from ordinary people circulating on Facebook and declared that Port Moresby, Honiara and Port Vila could easily riot if Melanesian leaders were seen to be backing away from supporting West Papua.

The door is pushed ajarOn June 26 the decision was made. West Papua represented by the ULMWP was granted observer status and the Indonesian government represented by the five governors of the country’s easternmost provinces, associate membership. The MSG leaders tried to offer something to both West Papua and Indonesia, disappointing both. They recognized Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, but they also rebuffed the Indonesian government’s diplomatic efforts to deny the ULMWP entry. In their 20th Communique, MSG leaders referred to the ULMWP as an organization “representing Melanesians living abroad,” presumably to reassure the Indonesian government that they respected the country’s territorial integrity. At the same time MSG leaders acknowledged West Papua as separate from Indonesia. The door has been pushed ajar to some kind of political negotiation and it won’t just be the central government in Jakarta that does all the talking. The ULMWP will have a seat at the table. The five governors of eastern Indonesia will also have a voice. And some of them, like Enembe, have shown independent thinking and a willingness to propose creative solutions.

Melanesian leaders sign the 20th Leaders Summit Communiqué in Honiara confirming ULMWP as observers and Indonesia as an associate member on June 26. (WNV/ Pasifika collection)

The Indonesian government was less than pleased. For years Jakarta vigorously resisted calls for dialogue by West Papuans or any suggestion that causes of conflict were political in nature. In the words of Englebert Surabut, the head of the Lapago Council of Customary Chiefs, “The Indonesian government is allergic to dialogue.” For years Jakarta has wanted to avoid any suggestion that Jayapura, the capital of West Papua, was either equal to Jakarta, or that a discussion of independence was on the table. But when Jakarta closed down the space for dialogue they left West Papuans demanding political freedom with no domestic avenues left for talking about why they wanted freedom. So they took their concerns to the Pacific, to Melanesians with a shared identity who would thus resonate with their cause.

Internationalizing the West Papua issue like this is exactly what Jakarta was trying to prevent. Suddenly a Jakarta–West Papua dialogue that Papuan Peace Network founder Rev. Neles Tebay and others had been pushing for the better part of 10 years might look moderate. On the other hand, the elevation of the ULMWP might cause hardliners within the Indonesian government to push harder. But there is no going back. For the time being, at least, the political dynamics have gotten much more complex and unpredictable ­ full of possibility. Sogavare was particularly explicit, telling the Island Sun that “a forum where the two political groups can engage in dialogue” has now been created. Whatever the case, the Indonesian government will have to respond.

Relentless unarmed resistance inside West Papua and unprecedented solidarity outside the country ­ in West Papua’s Melanesian neighbors ­ has turned West Papua’s long-running struggle for freedom into a cause célèbre in the Pacific. The MSG has become West Papua’s first international forum for dialogue. West Papua and Indonesia will sit across the table from each other. Vanuatu and the FLNKS have confirmed their support. The Solomon Islands government has emerged as a stronger ally. Papua New Guinea and Fiji will have to deal with sustained and organized domestic discontent and the other Pacific Island countries are beginning to stir. On June 26, the MSG finally brought West Papua back to the Melanesian family. As Benny Wenda said, “With the region firmly behind us we will now take our message to the world.”

Haluk and Alomang have since returned to West Papua resolute in their commitment to nonviolent resistance. They and the other members of the ULMWP are now preparing for the Pacific Island Forum, a meeting of 16 Pacific Island nations that will gather in Port Moresby in September. The ULMWP have already secured West Papua as one of five priority agenda items, along with climate change. “We have to finish this,” Haluk told me. “Freedom will come.”

This article is an edited excerpt from the author’s forthcoming book “Merdeka and the Morning Star: civil resistance in West Papua.”
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2) Police foil weapon smuggling  attempt to Papua
thejakartapost.com | Archipelago | Tue, August 25 2015, 5:51 PM - 
The police have foiled an attempt to smuggle 2,952 bullets and shells to Papua.
The ammunition was found on Monday with no proper documents and was ready to be dispatched to Papua, the police stated. It was suspected that the ammunition had been ordered by Papuan separatists.
“We are still investigating,” Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Muhammad Iqbal said, as quoted by tribunnews.com on Tuesday.
The ammunition consists of 575 38-caliber bullets, 1,000 7.65x51-caliber bullets, 500 9x19-caliber bullets and 877 5.56x45-caliber bullets. These bullets were scheduled to be sent off to Papua using a Garuda Indonesia plane on Monday night.
The police arrested Sumadi, who checked the baggage in at the airport.
During his interrogation, Sumadi said the package was ordered by a man named Komeng or Komarudin in Papua. The police found out later on that the order was requested by a man named Ibnu, who was a member of a separatist group in Papua.
The ammunition is now being kept at the airport and the police are still investigating the case. (ika)(++++)
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3) Freeport says Indonesia copper exports dry up on payment impasse
Industries | Tue Aug 25, 2015 5:38am EDT JAKARTA | BY MICHAEL TAYLOR AND WILDA ASMARINI




Aug 25 Freeport-McMoran said exports of copper from its giant Indonesian mine have slowed to a trickle over the past month as it faces new rules on how buyers pay for metal, with the government showing no sign of handing it a second waiver.

Freeport, which is one of Indonesia's biggest tax payers, won a six-month exemption from new rules introduced this year making it compulsory for exports of coal, palm oil, oil and gas and minerals to be transacted through letters of credit issued by domestic banks.

The U.S. miner said almost all exports of copper concentrate from its Grasberg mine had been halted since the exemption expired on July 25 and it was currently in talks with both its buyers and the Indonesian government.

"We are gradually working with our buyers to change their method of payment," Freeport Indonesia spokesman Riza Pratama told Reuters on Tuesday. "Hopefully we will get this matter resolved very soon. We are talking with the government so we can continue our exports."

International buyers and traders often pay Freeport directly or in advance, without going through the Indonesian banking system.

The dispute is the longest disruption to shipments since a seven-month stoppage last year when Indonesia imposed an escalating tax on metal concentrates.

Freeport exports about 60 percent of the estimated 2 million tonnes of concentrate produced each year at Grasberg, one of the world's biggest mines, while the rest is smelted locally into metal.

Mines Ministry Coal and Minerals Director General Bambang Gatot said any fresh exemption for Freeport would be decided by the trade ministry.

"Every company is supposed to comply with this regulation," he said, adding that Newmont Mining Corp, Indonesia's second largest copper miner, seemed to be complying with the new rules without problems.

Karyanto Suprih, acting director general for foreign trade at the trade ministry, told Reuters: "So far, there is no instruction to give an exemption on this LC obligation for mineral or coal exports."

Operations at Freeport's mine in remote Papua were running normally, Albar Sabang, a senior official at a Freeport union said late last week.

Under normal conditions, Grasberg produces about 220,000 tonnes of copper ore per day, which is converted to copper concentrate.

Freeport's Pratama said the miner would need more space for stockpiling "very soon" but could not give a timeframe.

Rio Tinto has a joint venture with Freeport for a 40 per cent share of Grasberg's production above specific levels until 2021, and 40 per cent of all production after 2021. (Reporting by Michael Taylor and Wilda Asmarini; Additional reporting by Bernadette Christina; Editing by Richard Pullin)
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4) A Pacific Beyond Fiji
India needs to widen its engagement with other island countries.
Written by Karan Nagpal | Published:August 26, 2015 12:04 am - 

Nine months after the first Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation in Fiji, India hosted leaders from 14 Pacific island countries last week. India’s relationship with them is usually cast in terms of their natural resources, strategic location and countering China’s growing influence in the region. But the Pacific is a lot more than mineral resources or strategic locations, and China merely one of several players competing for influence there. As it steps up its engagement, India would do well to remember the complexity and diversity of the Pacific, and learn from the experience of other major countries that have done business with it.

While Australia has for long been the largest donor to the region, other major powers have recently expanded their presence. In 2012, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders’ meeting and asked them to “not count the US out”. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi was meeting the leaders in Jaipur last week, the US held talks with Pacific officials to explore the contours of a trade agreement. Immediately after Modi’s visit last year, Fiji hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping with equal, if not greater, enthusiasm.
Though often grouped together, the Pacific countries belong to three ethnically distinct subregions: Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. Micronesia, spanning the north Pacific, consists of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Nauru. After World War II, Palau, the FSM and the Marshall Islands became US territories, and even today, the US exerts a lot of influence on their economy and foreign policy. Polynesia includes the independent countries of Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, and New Zealand associates Niue and the Cook Islands. Having been its colonies, these countries are closer to New Zealand and depend on liberal access to its labour market. Melanesia — covering Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu — has made more progress than others in subregional cooperation, through the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
With this diversity, it is not surprising that efforts to promote regional cooperation have rarely borne fruit. Even at the UN, these countries seldom vote together. The PIF, established in 1971 to promote regional cooperation, has a sprawling bureaucracy that manages everything from regional ICT to trade negotiations and donor coordination. Largely financed by Australia and New Zealand, it has sometimes been accused of promoting their agenda.

Headquartered in Fiji, its relationship with the host country has been complicated. Fiji has often used its status as the “hub of the Pacific” to shape the regional agenda. Some members, particularly Samoa, have resisted these efforts.
Following its last coup, Fiji was suspended from the PIF in 2009. Fiji’s leader, Frank Bainimarama, responded by questioning the PIF’s legitimacy, and in 2013 launched the alternative Pacific Island Development Forum. Even though Fiji’s suspension was revoked following elections last year, Bainimarama refuses to attend meetings until Australia and New Zealand leave the group. Others, notably Samoa and PNG, have emphasised more gradual regional reform. Membership is also divided over the status of West Papua, which has been part of Indonesia since its annexation in 1969. Members have to weigh their economic interests with Indonesia against solidarity with Pacific brothers.

Fiji’s suspension was perhaps the most extreme action taken in Pacific diplomacy, which normally functions through consensus. Avoiding conflict and respecting “kastom” are the hallmarks of Pacific cultures. This has not been sufficiently understood by developed country partners, which have often mistaken polite silence for consent, only to be disappointed later. Domestically, several countries have experienced frequent and abrupt political change; agreements signed by a PM are sometimes forgotten by successors.
In this environment, the importance of continued engagement with all stakeholders cannot be overstated. It is understable that India has a special friendship with Fiji, but it also needs to proactively develop close relations with other island countries and expand its engagement beyond the current political leadership. This will safeguard its interests in a region with fleeting political stability. Establishing diplomatic presence in each country would be a welcome first step. Following up on initiatives announced last week would be another. For example, Modi announced several scholarships for the countries last week; he should ensure that they are taken up. Ultimately, diplomacy and politics in the Pacific are personality driven. Anything less than close engagement is no engagement at all.
The writer is a former trade economist with the government of Vanuatu.
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1) Not All Papuan Kids Enjoy their Childhood

August 26, 2015, 1:52 am
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2) Pastor Neles Tebay: Papua Cannot Be Built Through Violence
3) Family Ask Police to Return General Yogi’s Body
4) We Agree to Achieve Peace Through Customary Law, Ustad Ali Muhktar Says
5) Don’t Just Give Comments, Emus Gwijangge Says
6) Papua to Host Women Conference
7) Thailand Local Media, Wartani Wants to be Like Jubi
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1) Not All Papuan Kids Enjoy their Childhood
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015



                                                                  Children in West Papua – Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said not all Papuan children in rural and coastal areas spend their childhood as they should.
“There are many children who work hard to help parents in order to sustain life and do not have a chance to play and develop themselves because of the limitations,” Enembe said in Jayapura on Monday (24/08/2015).
Therefore, according to Enembe this should be a concern to all parties to and spur efforts to increase welfare both in the city and in the villages of Papua.
Hence, the government of Papua province has programmed the construction of the philosophy of building from the village to the city.
“It is devoted to build the character of children in the village in order to develop Papuan children to be healthy, have intelligent faith and morals,” he said.
Earlier, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Yohana Yembise has submitted 31 indicators of child-friendly city to the Governor of Papua.
“31 indicators of child-friendly cities have been submitted to the governor,” said Yohana Yembise.
According to her, to be a child-friendly city, Papua must be free of violence, violence against children and the household.
“Violence to children and domestic violence are quite high in Papua. To that end, the government should pay attention “he said. (Alexander Loen/ Tina)

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2) Pastor Neles Tebay: Papua Cannot Be Built Through Violence
Jayapura, Jubi – A better future for Papua should be built through constructive communication to avoid conflicts, said the Chairman of Peace Papua Network (JPD) Pater Neles Tebay.
“Today’s discussion reminds us that Papuans could not be built upon the violence, but communication could involved many parties in the efforts to manage the future of Papua,” Tebay said at a public discussion held by the Indonesian Journalism Network (IJN) at Grand Abe Hotel in Monday (24/8/2015).
“I emphasize the need for discussions between Papuans to collectively build understanding to develop the better future of Papua,” he said.
Therefore, according to him, if the outsiders are coming and asking, Papuans could explain what is the meaning of Papua Land of Peace according to Papuans. “Today, we want build Papua as Land of Peace but we who are living in Papua have not similar understanding about what it is, therefore a discussion is needed to determine its indicator,” he said.
Tebay further added there are many factors that slow down the turning process of Papua to become the land of peace. He asked Papuans to identify the problem together, so that the problems could be accommodated and it becomes the common problems of Papuans.
“All of us in Papua have a problem. Therefore, through a discussion we could resolve the problem in order to achieve Papua the Land of Peace. We are not forcing the government or president to create Papua as the Land of Peace, but it’s us who should do it. For whatever our background, religion or ethnic is, those who live in Papua should be involved in the efforts to materialize better future of Papua as the Land of Peace.
In order to materialize Papua as the Land of Peace through constructive communication, he recommended two options. First, the Central Government through the Coordinating Ministry of Politic, Law and Human Rights need to formulate a team consisting of three people who are responsible to build communication with all related stakeholders and to manage the feasible mechanism.
“These three people are not indigenous Papuans but they are trusted by the People of Papua, support the constructive communication and officially assigned by the President,” he said.
Secondly, the Local Government at provincial, regional and municipal levels of Papua and West Papua provinces should be actively involved. The Coordinating Minister of Politic, Law and Human Rights need to invite all governors, regents and mayors of Papua to discuss about the role of Local Government to support Papua as the Land of Peace.
“With endorsement from the Central Government, the Local Government could facilitate meetings such as seminar and workshop at the entire regencies/municipalities, to discuss about the indicators of Papua the Land of Peace, to identify any problems that prohibit the process of peace in Papua, and to offer some concrete and measured solutions. These meetings should be involved both indigenous people and Non-Papua associations, therefore they could sit together in materializing Papua to become the Land of Peace,” said Neles Tebay.

He further said the methodology of constructive communication need to be considered and prepared carefully. “We knew without proper methodology, a communication –even it was admitted as constructive communication—would never produce a constructive result for relevant stakeholders. Sometimes we are tempted not to account the lack of appropriate methodology, either because it requires a long time or for pursuing the results. Therefore, it should be stressed once again that the constructive result would be obtained through a methodology of constructive communication,” said Tebay. (Roy Ratumakin/rom)
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3) Family Ask Police to Return General Yogi’s Body

POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 24, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Family of a Papuan rebel leader, Leonardus Magai Yogi, urged the police to show his tomb after he was killed in Nabire.
Yogi, commander of the National Liberation Army – Free Papua Movement (TPN-OPM) Division II of Paniai Region, was shot dead at Sanoba Vilalge, Nabire Regency, Papua on Thursday (30/4/2015).
“From the beginning, we have asked them (the police) if he was shot and dead please return his body to the family, but they didn’t do it,” Damianus Magai Yogi told Jubi by phone on Sunday (23/8/2015).
He said as a human, if he was killed, his body should be return to his family. “But they acted as if he was their family. It really made me upset. They supposed to think humanly,” he said,
He denied the police asked the family to take the Yogi’s body at Nabire Hospital. According to him the police never contacted the family whether by phone or mediator.
“If we came to the hospital, we might be shot by the police as we are the family of the general of TPN/OPM. So, I just recognized he (Leonardus) was shot dead at Sanoba and still alive when taken to the hospital. Well, when arrived in the hospital he was killed. And his body was taken away from the hospital at night without knowing the location where they buried or dumped or burned him. I don’t know,” he said.
According to him the police has turned down the fact. It does not make sense if they shot him and then buried him.
“What rule they refer to? Leo was shot dead and brought to mortuary with two people while the security forces guarded from the entrance to the road in front of the hospital. If he was just shot on foot, how could he possibly died?” he said.
Despite to his tomb, the family also questioned about two others, namely Yulian Nawipa and Marchel Muyapa (driver) who’ve also been shot in the shooting incident.
“We also had no information about the other two. We don’t know where they are until now,” Soleman Yogi said. He further said Marcel Muyapa is taxi driver of Nabire, Dogiyai, Deiyai and Paniai route. He said the police must convey their presence to their family or relevant NGOs. (Abeth You/rom)


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4) We Agree to Achieve Peace Through Customary Law, Ustad Ali Muhktar Says

POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Tolikara Muslim leader Ali Mukhtar urged the Papua Police to respect a joint agreement to resolve the Tolikara conflict through customary laws and to stop the questioning of GIDI leaders by police.
“We have agreed to solve our problem through customary laws. As an ustad (Muslim religious teacher) in Tolikara, I am consistent with seven points of peace agreement signed on 29 July 2015. I am asking the police to be wise in solving this issue, forcing is possibly raising another problem. Tolikara incident wasn’t an interfaith conflict,” Ustad Ali Muhktar told Jubi in Jayapura on Sunday (23/8/2015).
He further said if the police still insist and ignore the reality facing by Tolikara residents, therefore the anxiety among local residents would keep on going.
“Please release our brothers who are still detained. I hope the police do not hamper our journey of togetherness and freedom for decades in Tolikara. I have been ustad in Tolikara for eleven years; that local people called me ‘Islam priest’. It’s an evidence of their sincere, honest and closeness over me,” he said.
“If the police take a wrong direction and ignore the reality of Tolikara people, it could raise the anxiety among both Muslims and our community in Tolikara. Many media spread wrong information without referring on factual data. I have conveyed the truth about Tolikara when met with the Vice President Jusuf Kala on 15 August 2015 in Jakarta,” he said.
He further said in the meeting, he and the Chairman of Nadhatul Ulama (NU) Region Papua, Dr. Toni Wanggai, asked the government and all parties to respect and accept the peace agreement signed by both sides.
“I ask all parties to give a respect on the agreement. Our goal is to achieve a safety live, free to worship, free to interact with local people like it was, and to immediately create the harmony and peace among us. It could only be achieved through customary law,” he said.
Dr. Toni Wanggai similarly said the peace agreement of both parties that facilitated by Interfaith Forum in Jayapura by this time is representative. “This joint agreement facilitated by FKUB on 29 July 2015 has represented both Christian and Muslim communities. It is legitimate and unquestionable,” said Wanggai.
Meanwhile, three GIDI leaders of Tolikara region –the Rev. Nayus Wonra, Rev. Marthen Jingga and Rec. Yakop Jikwa—have been questioned as witnesses by Papua Police investigators on Saturday (22/8/2015).
Papua Police Chief Brigadier General Paulus Waterpauw in Papua Leaders Communication Forum with religious institution leaders held in Papua Governor Office on Friday (21/8/2015) said the police would continue working in accordance with a mechanism of promoting the process of positive law.
“Indonesian Police Chief always reminds me that for the case of Tolikara, we should be careful. In Tolikara, in Papua, we are family. Now we are safe. But out of Papua, there’s still a strong reaction over the victims of this incident,” Papua Police Chief said.
“We are only State’s instruments, who want providing answer to the law. But the one who could decide whether it’s right or wrong is the Judge.” he added. (Yuliana Lantipo/rom)
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5) Don’t Just Give Comments, Emus Gwijangge Says
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – A member of Commission I of Papua Legislative Council on Political, Legal, and Human Rights, Emus Gwijangge challenged Adriana Elizabeth, an expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), to provide evidence for her statement about leakages in development funds in Papua, which she said had undermined the welfare of Papuans’ lives.
“LIPI should not just comment. It must provide the evidence. They must know the geographical conditions in Papua. Do not report it without any evidence, “he said on Monday (24/08/2015).
Papua condition is different to other regions in Indonesia. If LIPI suspected that there is a misuse of funds, LIPI has to provide the year of the budget used. Do not just throw this opinion to the public, he said.
“If there is political interest in Papua to drop the Governor of Papua in 2018, now is not the time. Do not disturb the clean and respectable government for this, “he said.
He said the funds from the Central Government to Papua province are now being used according to the mechanism, and the existing rules. Jakarta parties do not just throw the issue regarding Papua.
While other members of the DPRP, Nathan Pahabol said the condition of Papua with other regions in Indonesia is different, both in terms of geography, and society.
“The funding of Rp 30 trillion is not enough. To build infrastructure in Papua, the price of building materials two or even three times in the office “said Nathan.
According to him, the success of development in Papua can not only be seen in one area alone
“Why do I say false, because shop, shopping malls and stores – stores in Jayapura City and its contents do not belong to the Papuan people, but people outside Papua. Papua build takes practice, not by commenting in the media, “he said. (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)
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6) Papua to Host Women Conference

POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 22, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Province will play host to the National Women conference which will take place from 19 to October 21, 2015.
The meeting will be attended by representatives of women from all provinces and regencies in Indonesia, and is expected to be opened by President Joko Widodo.
“Governor Lukas Enembe agreed and is ready to host a conference of the National women,” minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Yohana Yembise said after meeting with governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe, Friday (21/08/2015).
Yohana said she would send a letter to the Government of Papua Province to soon form a working committee.
“So, we, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection will cooperate with the Papua provincial administration for conference, so it can run smoothly and successfully,” she added.
According to her, the conference will also be attended by observers of women, NGOs, heads of agencies and related departments. It is estimated approximately one thousand women from all over Indonesia will be attending the conference.
“I will talk with President Joko Widodo to open this event ,” she said. (Alexander Loen/ Tina)
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7) Thailand Local Media, Wartani Wants to be Like Jubi
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 24, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Journalists at Wartani, a local media in Patani, Thailand, said they wanted to have a media outlet that represents the voice of the Patani people without fear of government oppression.
Jubi and Wartani reporters shared their experiences in managing media outlets during a week-long visit to southern Thailand.
Wartani was founded by a group of young Patani people in 2012 and established to compensate for the local media, especially in Bangkok, capital of Thailand that do not stand for the rights of Patani people and tend to accommodate the interests of the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand.
“We want to be like Jubi. When reading Jubi’s news, it spoke out for the public. Although the news is against the government. In the present era, the media becomes a business. There are many ways used by the media to exist, but Jubi is brave against the stream,” said one of the crew Wartani, Rusman when talking with Jubi in Patani, Thailand, three days ago.
“Wartani will do its best to work professional and earn trust of the Patani and the international community. We need to learn from the Jubi, “he said.
He said, Wartani is now trying to become a professional media, although it is not easy.
One of Wartani founders, Zahri bin Ishak said, Wartani is now designing a variety of program until 2020 such as training in publishing newspaper and media television. Another Wartani founder, Sabri Mohamad Yusoff said Wartani was formed at the end of 2012, together with the movement of Patani student resistance, and the growth of various civil societies organizations since Malay Patani people’s rights are deprived byThai government.
“Wartani is trying to be professional media, but rather to accommodate the voice of the community, and fight for rights and justice for Patani who are oppressed by government. Media in Bangkok more often take the news material from the government. Through a press release, the government spreads its opinion to the print and electronic media. Wartani presents as a counterweight, offsetting the news media, “said Sobri. (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)
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1) Ammo found in Jakarta airport belongs to Papua Police

August 26, 2015, 2:17 pm
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1) Ammo found in Jakarta airport  belongs to Papua Police - 

2) Papua Province to Prioritize Heart Disease Treatment
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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/26/ammo-found-jakarta-airport-belongs-papua-police.html

1) Ammo found in Jakarta airport  belongs to Papua Police - 
thejakartapost.com | National | Wed, August 26 2015, 5:37 PM - 

The Jakarta Police confirmed on Wednesday that a large supply of ammunition confiscated at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport belonged to the West Papua Police.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal said that their investigation revealed that the ammunition was ordered by West Papua Police for training activities.
“{The ammunition] is used for training. The documents have been checked and they are valid because there is an order for the issuance of the ammunition to the West Papua Police,” Iqbal said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Iqbal's statement brushed aside previous allegations that the ammunition was for Papuan separatists
Iqbal said the Jakarta Police decided to confiscate the ammunition in the first place because the officer who packed the bullets failed to provide the necessary documents.
Confiscated ammunition consists of 575 .38-caliber bullets, 1,000 7.51-caliber bullets, 500 .19-caliber bullets and 877 .45-caliber bullets. These bullets were scheduled to be sent off to Papua using a Garuda Indonesia plane on Monday night. (ika)(++++)
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2) Papua Province to Prioritize Heart Disease Treatment
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – The provincial government of Papua is seeking to make responding to cardiovascular emergencies a priority because the deadly disease is still rarely handled quickly.
“Heart disease is still the number one killer in Papua, where the majority of the infected are rarely treated quickly,” said Assistant Public Affairs Regional Secretary of Papua, Rosina Upessy in a one-day seminar on early detection of heart disease, pulmonary, vascular and stroke, in Sasana Karya Governor’s office Papua on Monday (24/8/2015).
She continued, up to now, the number of people who died of this disease is increasing. This condition is caused by a lack of knowledge about how to live a healthy life such as do not care about working hours, poor diet and do not do regular checks.
“Heart disease is not a disease that can be underestimated, therefore I invite all parties to move and act to reduce the death rate from heart disease in Papua,” she said.
According to her, heart disease does not only attacks the elderly, but also attack the young children and teenagers.
“For that, let us move and act to keep our heart healthy and reduce morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Papua,” said Rosina.
Meanwhile, Health Department of Papua, Aloysius Giay stated heart disease, pulmonary, vascular and stroke increased by 30 percent each year. It is caused by lifestyle and consumption disorder.
“We can see now, many friends, relatives and local officials die suddenly without known its cause. And this raises the suspicion. But after we traced the person’s health history we found that he/she died from heart disease,” Aloysius Giay added. (Alexander Loen/ Tina)

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1) Framing Internationalization of West Papua Issues As Another Kosovo’s Independency

August 27, 2015, 1:52 am
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2) Demo Tuntut Beasiswa, Bupati Intan Jaya Perintahkan Brimob Pukul Mahasiswa

3) New procedure for foreign  journalists and movie crew  members introduced 
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1) Framing Internationalization of West Papua Issues As Another Kosovo’s Independency

JURIST Guest Columnist Dimas Kuncoro Jati, of Gadjah Mada University, discusses the separatist movement in the West Papua and estimates its chances of exercising secession from Indonesia under the Kosovo scenario …
West Papua separatists are allegedly trying to seek international community attention by arranging a new strategy to compose a strong and well-grounded claim to secede from Indonesia. They are aware that the world does not turn its eyes and get sympathy for them if they are not supported by unbeatable reason to become an independent state. Just google “ est Papua Independence" related-topics and you will hit on expositions of human rights violations, suppression policies by the government, discrimination and 
indications that all arrangements and negotiations aiming to resolve and placate the conflicts must be abandoned. The main point is trying to convince the readers that Indonesian policymakers have failed to "indonesianize" Papua.
The recent incident of fire-raising Mosque in Tolikara—if confirmed to be fueled by the separatist splinter—can be regarded as a signal for the government to see how internationalization of the Papua issue really matters. Unsurprisingly, those examples in international law recently have been acknowledged as the criteria to secede based on the Remedial Secession Doctrine [PDF]. It argues that a certain category of people is able to separate from the sovereign state in the event of gross and systematic violations of human rights and instances of discrimination, subject to exhaustion of local and international remedies to resolve the conflicts. This motive has shown its patterns by attempting to tailor the West Papua case as another Kosovo or any other country that is deemed to have become independent because it was exercising its right to secede protected under the international law.
History has noted that separations of an entity from a sovereign state have never ended in a single result. The results are always unpredictable. There are several entities who fight to secede from their "parent" states but have presently ended unsuccessfully, such as Abkhazia, Chechnya, Bhiafra, Congo, Angola, Bogainville and others. On the other hand, there are also entities who struggle and successfully become an independent state, such as Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.
There are shades of grey in the legal certainty regarding the doctrine, which has made separatism in West Papua vulnerable. Indonesian policymakers are challenged to undertake preventive measures to anticipate this West Papua separatists' strategic surprise. The sole method to accomplish this goal is to bring the case in international law perspective. David Raic and John Dugard have discovered patterns or criteria to determine whether such people have the right to secede from their parent state.
First, the people must be a minority. Papua and West Papua provinces have been given special autonomy through the Special Autonomy Act 2001. Given this fact, whether a group in West Papua is a minority is not simply determinated by the calculated result of inferiority, but it is based on the government's alternative policies towards the population, which is changed from aggressive military approach to more fruitful and more humanizing focus with an autonomy framework. Hence, West Papua has met the inferiority element of being a minority and therefore has complied with the first requirement of the right to secede.
Second, it is systematical discrimination. Article 2 of Special Autonomy Act on Papua mentions: "the establishment of The People of Papua Assembly (MRP) which constitutes representation of Papua's indigenous people possessing certain authorities toward the protection of Papua‟s indigenous people ..."
MRP has been granted broad authority to represent Papua's rights of indigenous people. Such authority inter alia includes giving consideration on approval of candidates of Governor and Vice Governor, who have previously been proposed by the House of Papua‟s Legislative (DPRP), giving consideration and approval of the Special Autonomy Act's plan. In addition, the broad autonomy is enhanced by the statutory requirement that only an indigenous Papuan can be a Governor and a Vice Governor. These liberties do not simply prevent the people from being discriminated against, but also give priority as to who can be involved in public affairs.
Third, we must use Executive Investigation Report by Indonesia's Commission of Human Rights as guidance to establish the likelihood of human rights violations. Investigators implied that there is sufficient preliminary evidence of a gross violation of human rights in Wasior, Wamena and Abepura. These violations include embellishment, deprivation of liberty, tortures, rape and forced disappearance of civil population. Because the activities occurred widely and systematically, they can be categorized as crimes against humanity.
However, such tragedies are not able to lead to the birth of a right to secede. International law strictly obligates states under erga omnes to put perpetrators of international law to justice and to embody such attempt in order to return to peaceful conditions (Restitutio in Integrum). Normally, the duty is embodied in prosecuting the violators of such severe crimes in Human Rights Court and by establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and other task forces.
Last element is the exhaustion of peaceful arrangements and remedies. Domestically, this conflict can still be resolved peacefully through legal settlement by bringing an action against the perpetrators in Wamena, Wasior and Abepura in Human Rights Court. Although highly sensitive, this is a necessary step, because a court's judgment will demonstrate to both the perpetrators and the victims that in no circumstances should these atrocities happen ever again. The justice by the court will eventually give the sense of security, comfort, serenity and harmony to Papua.
Meanwhile in the context of non-legal arrangements, Indonesia has been arranging several initiatives. The first and foremost one is through Special Autonomy. The second one is establishing the Human Rights Court and Truth and Reconciliation Commission under the mandate from the Special Autonomy Act, which will be a branch office of the National Commission of Human Rights National aimed to bring peace, justice and truth in Papua. Third one is through fully institutionalizing the Acceleration of Papua and West Papua Development Unit (UP4B), which is used to support the coordination, synchronization, facilitation and control of the development in Papua and West Papua. The last initiative is through peaceful dialogue between central and regional government, including DPRP, MRP and the Papua Adat Council. With this consistent relation on bridging Jakarta-Papua, the concerned-stakeholders and parties will hold open dialogue to find a solution to the autonomy's obstacles. Alternatively, it can lead to the conclusion that West Papua is not meeting all the above requirements and therefore is not entitled to the right to secede.
Although Kosovo has completed all these requirements to exercise their right to secede, it does not mean that the birth of Kosovo is the template to exercise the right to secede. Secession matters of fact are not always governed by legal logic. Factors like geopolitics, national identity, national interests of other states, concern for maintaining regional peace and security often intertwine with each other. It has been predominantly concerted that there is no single explanation and cause of secession, including law. This legal perspective is the common ground which especially for the every separatist splinter in the earth delicate to be digested and accepted, yet it is highly important to understand how the world works.
Dimas Kuncoro Jati is a Research Assistant at Department of International Law, Gadjah Mada University. Mr. Jati is a Member of Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia. He obtained his bachelor law degree from Gadjah Mada University.
Suggested citation: Dimas Kuncoro Jati, Framing Internationalization of West Papua issues as another Kosovo's independence , JURIST - Hotline, Aug. 26, 2015, http://jurist.org/hotline/2015/08/Dimas-Jati-Framing-Internationlization-West Papua.php

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

2) Demo Tuntut Beasiswa, Bupati Intan Jaya Perintahkan Brimob Pukul Mahasiswa
Oleh : Redaksi | Kamis, 27 Agustus 2015 - 09.02 WIB | Dibaca : 393 kali

INTAN JAYA, SUARAPAPUA.com --- Bupati Intan Jaya, Natalis Tabuni, memerintahkan anggota Brimob Polda Papua memukul belasan mahasiswa yang tergabung dalam Gerakan Pelajar dan Mahasiswa Peduli Intan Jaya (GPMPI), saat melakukan aksi demonstrasi damai di Sugapa, Intan Jaya, Papua.

“Karena beasiswa belum diberikan, kami melakukan aksi demo damai pertama tanggal 17 Agustus 2015 sore di Bandara Soko Paki, tujuannya ingin meminta informasi, tetapi belum sempat demo, bupati sudah perintahkan Brimob untuk memukul kami,” kata Melianus Duwitau, salah satu mahasiswa Intan Jaya, kepada suarapapua.com, Kamis (20/8/2015).
 
Menurut Duwitau, aksi demo di Intan Jaya merupakan aksi lanjutan dari Jayapura, Papua, menuntut pemerintah daerah transparan dalam pemberian dana beasiswa bagi mahasiswa.
 
“Kami terus demo karena ada banyak sekali mahasiswa Intan Jaya di seluruh Indonesia yang belum terima beasiswa, tetapi Bupati hadapi mahasiswanya dengan memerintahkan Brimob untuk menembak dan memukul mahasiswa secara brutal,” katanya.
 
Sementara itu, Ketua GPMPI, Victor Belau mengatakan, demo digelar agar pembangunan di Intan Jaya dapat berjalan dengan baik, termasuk memberikan apa yang menjadi hak mahasiswa Intan Jaya.
 
“Kami juga demo karena dengar Bupati mau masukan perusahaan pertambangan di Intan Jaya, kami larang hal ini karena harus ijin dulu dengan masyarakat pemilik hak ulayat,” tegasnya.
 
Menurut Belau, tanggal 17 Agustus 2015 usai upacara bendera mahasiswa palang di bandar udara agar tak ada pejabat yang turun ke Nabire, termasuk Bupati Intan Jaya, agar dapat melakukan dialog dengan mahasiswa terkait persoalan-persoalan tersebut.
 
“Namun satu jam kemudian datanglah Brimob dan langsung mengeluarkan tembakan ke arah Mahasiswa sebanyak lima kali, namun mahasiswa tidak kena tembakan karena menghindar dari peluru Brimob,” kata Belau.
 
Karena Brimob emosi, lanjut Belau, pantat senjata digunakan untuk memukul mahasiswa yang melakukan aksi demonstrasi, dan banyak mahasiswa yang mengalami luka-luka ringan dan berat.

Keesokan harinya, Selasa 18 Agustus 2015, kata Belau, mahasiswa dari bandara Soko Paki mulai melakukan long march dengan sasaran aksi gedung Guest House Intan Jaya. Begitu tiba di depan jalan kediaman Bupati, salah satu pejabat meminta agar mahasiswa tidak melakukan aksi demonstrasi.

“Pak Piter Tabuni selaku Kepala Dinas Pertambangan dan Energi Kabupaten Intan Jaya meminta kami datang besok harinya karena Bupati akan adakan peletakan batu pertama pembangunan Rumah Sakit Umum di Wandoga, namun mahasiswa menolak,” katanya.

Namun saat negosiasi sedang dilangsungkan, ajudan Bupati keluar dari kediaman dan langsung kokang senjata, dan melakukan penembakan ke udara, dan bupati pun ikut keluar dan meminta mahasiswa untuk bubar.
 
“Bupati tiba-tiba menuju massa aksi dan memukul Nikanor Miagoni, Jhon Kobogau dan Rufinus Japugau. Brimob dan ajudan bupati juga terus mengeluarkan tembakan secara berulang kali untuk membubarkan massa aksi. Mahasiswa juga terus dipukul pakai pantat senjata sampai luka-luka,” kata Belau.
 
Di saat yang bersamaan, Kepala Dinas Pertambangan dan Energi, Piter Tabuni, Sekwan DPRD Neno Tabuni, Kabag Kesra, Titus Agimbau, dan Kepala Dinas Kependudukan mengambil batu dan melempar mahasiswa untuk membubarkan aksi tersebut.
 
Adapun nama-nama mahasiswa yang kena pukul oleh Brimob dan pejabat pemerintah daerah Intan Jaya di bandara Soko Paki dan depan jalan kediaman Bupati, yakni:
 
Melianus Duwitau     : Memar di pipi dan tangan patah
Tianus Bagau           : Tangan bengkak, pipi memar dan mulut darah
Elias Mujijau             : Telinga darah dan kepala bengkak
Fiki Belau                 : Testa pecah, rahang kiri-kanan bengkak dan kening pecah
Raimun Ugipa           : Kepala bocor dan rahang kiri-kanan pecah.
Amos Dendegau       : Tangan bengkok
Benyamin kobogau   : Gigi patah
Merkias Tipagau       : Gigi dalam patah kedalam
Deselinus Sani         : Gigi patah
Nikanol Miagoni       : Otak belakan lecet dan kepalah bocor tangan kiri kanan patah.
Aten Japugau          : Telingga darah dan kepala darah.
Dominikus Dendegau : bibir pecah dan telingga robek.
Daniel hagimuni      : rahang bengkak.
Venus sondegau     : rahang kiri kanan patah, gigi patah pipi bengkak, tangan lecet.
 
“Kami akan terus meminta pemerintah daerah, dalam hal ini Bupati untuk bertanggungjawab terhadap aksi pemukulan dan penganiayaan terhadap mahasiswa ini. Ini tindakan yang biadab dan tidak berperikemanusiaan,” ujar Belau.
 
Bupati Kabupaten Intan Jaya, Natalis Tabuni, ketika dikonfirmasi melalui telepon seluler terkait aksi pemukulan terhadap mahasiswa, tidak memberikan tanggapan. Beberapa pesan singkat yang dikirim juga tak direspon. 
 
Editor: Oktovianus Pogau

MISAEL MAISINI


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3) New procedure for foreign  journalists and movie crew  members introduced 

thejakartapost.com, Jakarta | National | Tue, August 25 2015, 7:00 PM -
The director general for Political Affairs and General Administration at the Home Affairs Ministry, Soedarmo, said on Tuesday that the government issued official documents on procedures for foreign journalists and movie crew members who want to work in Indonesia.
First of all, he said, the journalists and movie crew members had to hold permits issued by the Coordinating
Team for Visiting Foreigners at the Foreign Affairs Ministry and also permits from the Directorate General for Political Affairs and General Administration at the Home Affairs Ministry.
The Coordinating Team for Visiting Foreigners is a task force coordinated by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Its members come from the State Intelligence Body (BIN), the National Police, immigration and other relevant institutions, he added.
“This procedure is applied to make the monitoring work easy,” Soedarmo was quoted by tempo.co as saying.
According to Soedarmo, if foreign journalists and movie crew members work in remote areas of the country, they also have to obtain permits from the National Unity and Politic Affairs Body, which is under local administration. In addition, while working they are required to show IDs officially issued by Indonesian representatives abroad.
The procedures are also applied to their local partners like activists of the foreign NGOs that have local representatives in Indonesia, he added.
Soedarmo said the reason for the introduction of the new procedure was that there were still many foreign journalists and foreign movie crew members who work in Indonesia only with general visas like a tourist visas.
“It is a form of protection for the state. We should be firm,” he added.
Previously, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo had issued a circular No. 482.3/4439/SJ on the Adjustment Procedure for Visiting Journalists to Indonesia. 
The circular has been distributed to all local governments across the country. (bbn)
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1) Two killed and two critical as soldiers open fire in Papua

August 28, 2015, 1:14 am
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2) Armed Forces Allegedly Shoot People, Two Deaths
3) Indonesia journalists association questions new restrictions on foreign journalists -
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1) Two killed and two critical  as soldiers open fire in  Papua  
thejakartapost.com, Mimika, Papua | National | Fri, August 28 2015, 1:02 PM - 
Two people were killed and two others seriously injured when two soldiers opened fire in Timika Baru district, Mimika regency, in Papua early on Friday kompas.com reported.
The incident started when two military personnel rode a motorcycle along Jl. Bhayangkara in Timika at 2:35 a.m. on Friday while a crowd of about 100 people were having a party on the road.
Lambertus, a resident of Timika, spoke on the phone to kompas.com, saying that the incident started when the people partying, who had been drinking alcohol, scolded the soldiers for driving fast, and told them to drive more slowly along that road.
But the solders, Lambertus said, challenged the crowd and a heated argument began. “The people cried ‘slow down’, then the motorcycle stopped. One of the soldiers said, ‘What do you want?’ and then the people started to circle around the soldiers,” he recounted.
Lambertus said that minutes later, three more soldiers on motorcycles arrived. When the situation escalated, they opened fire. “When the soldiers opened fire, everyone ran away to save themselves,” he added.
The names of the deceased are Yulianus Okoare (18) and Imanuel Marimau (23). Yulianus died at the scene, while Imanuel died later at Mimika hospital. The critically injured people are currently receiving treatment at Mimika hospital.
Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Patrige Renwarin confirmed that the incident took place, but said that he had not received an official report about it. “My information [so far] is from a resident of Timika. We are waiting for the official report,” Patriage added. (bnn)
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A google translate of article in Jubi. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasda link at

2) Armed Forces Allegedly Shoot People, Two Deaths
Posted by: Arjuna Pademme on August 28, 2015 at 14:55:53 WP [Editor: -]

Jayapura, Jubi - A military person in Mimika, Papua allegedly shot a number of residents, Friday (08/28/2015). Jubi information obtained from a source on condition of anonymity, the action took place in Jalan Koperapoka, Timika approximately at 02:35 CET.

 
According to him, the victim was Thomas Apoka (16 years, student) wounded in the right foot, Moses Umpi wound in the waist-through thigh right, Julian Okoarek (18 years, security) wound on the left abdomen transparent waist (died), Immanuel Marimau (23 years), a gunshot wound to the head behind the ear brought (died), Marinus Apokapo (24 years old) gunshot wounds in the back above the buttocks, and Moses Imipu (23 years old) gunshot wound in the right thigh translucent.
"When it is no celebration. Closing public roads Koperapoka. Unscrupulous members of the military through the motor and break through the barrier mengenderai in pairs by the public. People who maintain the crossbar admonish members. Armed Forces stopped his bike and admonish the people with loud tones. Spontaneous people who live in confined locations that TNI members, "the source said via text message, Friday (28/08/2015).

He said, much later, three fellow military person came to the scene riding a two-wheeler. They carry guns and immediately opened fire.
Head of Information Kodam XVII / Cenderawasih, Lt. Col. (Inf) Pudji Teguh Raharjo justify the incident. But according to him, the victim of gunshot wound victims were four people, two of them died.
"The victim is Immanuel Mairimau (23 years) died, Julian Okoare (23 years) died, Martinus Apokapo (24) wound on the left hip, and Martinus Imaputa (17) wound in the leg. Events at Jl. Bhayangkara, New Mimika District, Mimika. At that time, Sergeant (Sergeant) As, of Kodim 1701 Mimika attacked the masses, when he intends to pick up Sergeant kapala (sergeant) Makher who was attacked by mob in Koperapoka, "said Teguh Pudji Raharjo via text message to reporters on Friday (28 / 8/2015).
According to him, chronological events, approximately at 01:15 CEST, there are reported to Sergeant As, his sergeant Makher attacked in Koperaoka. As Sergeant who was located approximately 50 meters from the Post Gorong - culverts, returned to the post and then to the location, use two wheels.

"As to ask the Police Sergeant who was at the site regarding the presence of sergeant Makher. But police did not know. As Sertu toward Koperapoka, about 10 meters and asks the public about the existence of sergeant Makher, but the public did not know. At 1:27 CET Sertu As arrived at the junction, and look to see there is the Kawasaki KLX Police used Makher sergeant, "he said.
He said, Sertu As Makher contact sergeant, and his answer if he is behind the PLN because the masses attacked. As requested Sergeant Sergeant Makher to the road to be picked up.
"As Sertu back toward the bike to menjempu Makher sergeant. But when the motor has been besieged masses. When approaching the bike, yelling mass Sertu As. He explained that he did not know anything and just looking for friends. As Sergeant mass then hit from behind and fell covered with blood, "he said.

Because choking, further Kapendam, Sergeant As filling gun and fired towards the top twice. Most mass retreat, but no one tried to seize the weapon. Sergeant As defended himself by kicking the perpetrator, and fired into the crowd with the target foot.
"After shooting Sertu As stood up and fled toward the intersection PLN, then ran toward Subdenpom Office to ask for help, and secured in Mako Subdenpom XVII-1 / Cendrawasih," he explained.
It said Regional Military action XVII / Cenderawasih the commander ordered 174 / ATW to descend directly into the field. Danrem together with the police chief and the commander and chiefs, and religious leaders placate his family and solve the problem, apologize and provide compensation to victims. The other thing, is to treat people affected shots, checking and processing the members of the shooting. Post-incident conducive situation. (Arjuna Pademme)
arjuna


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3) Indonesia journalists association questions new restrictions on foreign journalists -
The Independent Journalists Association (AJI) has criticised the government for limiting the activities of foreign media in Indonesia, after the release of new procedures for foreign journalists and film crews working in the country. The Home Affairs Ministry has sent circulars outlining the changes to all regional leaders across Indonesia. 

"I question on what grounds the Home Affairs Ministry has decided to […] limit the activities of foreign journalists," said AJI's advocacy division head Imam D Nugroho as quoted by tribunnews.com on Thursday.
Imam stressed that the circular contravenes Article 28 of the Constitution and Law No 40/1999 on press, which guarantees the freedom of the press.
A director general from the Home Affairs Ministry, Soedarmo, announced the new procedures on Tuesday. He said journalists and film crew members now had to gain permits from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and from the Home Affairs Ministry.
The permits will be overseen by a task force coordinated by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Its members will come from the State Intelligence Body (BIN), the National Police, immigration and other relevant institutions, he added.
According to Soedarmo, if foreign journalists and film crews work in remote areas of the country, they also have to obtain permits from the relevant local administration.
AJI said the circular is an expansion of a regulation that is so far applied only in Papua. "The limitation of journalists' activities is not in line with the spirit expressed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on May 9, which purports to open wider access for foreign journalists," Iman added.
Meanwhile, AJI chairman Suwarjono said that the circular from the Home Affairs Ministry is a setback to the freedom of the press and will make for an unsettling atmosphere for foreign journalists working in the country.
"Indonesia will host celebrations for World Press Day in 2017," he said, adding that the recent move will tarnish the image of Indonesia around the world. "It is counterproductive to President Jokowi's efforts to boost investment."
Suwarjono called on the government to prepare new regulations for foreign journalists that are more democratic, modern and transparent. He also called on the Foreign Ministry to make it easier for foreign journalists to obtain visas.
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1) Two soldiers arrested over Papua shooting

August 28, 2015, 2:24 pm
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2) Soldier kills two civilians  in Papua: Military
3) TNI Apologizes for Papua Shooting, Says ‘Two or Three’ Shots Fired
4) Two Killed, Four Injured in Papua Shooting Involving Military
5) Editorial: Jokowi and the  foreign press
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1) Two soldiers arrested over  Papua shooting

Nethy Dharma Somba, thejakartapost.com, Jayapura, Papua | Archipelago | Fri, August 28 2015, 3:50 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/28/two-soldiers-arrested-over-papua-shooting.html#sthash.oTxOXYlj.dpuf

Two Army officers were arrested on Friday for allegedly killing two men and injuring two others in Timika Baru district in Papua.
First Sergeant Arshar and Sergeant Head Makher from the Timika Military Command were both taken to the Military Police office in Timika after killing Imanuel Mailmaur, 23, and Yulianus Okoare, 23, and injuring Marthinus Apokapo, 24, and Martinus Imapula, 25, who were shot in the hip and foot respectively.
“They were both guilty and they should be held responsible for their behavior,” the commander of Merauke Regional Military Command, Brig. Gen. Supartodi, told The Jakarta Post.
Supartodi said that the two officers were drunk when they opened fire into a crowd of people.
Two different versions of what happened during the incident have circulated among the public.
The Army version states that the two officers only defended themselves after the crowd tried to seize their weapons.
However, witnesses in the crowd said that those two officers were already drunk when they approached the crowd.
Papua Police chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw is currently in Timika to assist with the handling of the situation. (ika)

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2) Soldier kills two civilians  in Papua: Military
Agence France-Presse, Timika, Papua | National | Fri, August 28 2015, 8:16 PM - 


Papuans carry coffins of their shot-dead relatives during a funeral ceremony in Timika, in restive Papua province, on Friday. Two people died and three others were injured after an Indonesian soldier opened fire to a group of civilians in the restive Papua province, an official said. (AFP/Isrul Aditra) - 
Two people died and three others were injured Friday when a solider opened fire on a group of civilians in restive Papua province, a military official said Friday.
Papua military spokesman Teguh Pudji Rahardjo said the incident began when a soldier was attacked by a mob in Timika.
A second soldier who came to his aid was also set upon, he said, prompting one of the troops to fire several shots to dispel the crowd.
"Two people died and three other civilians were injured," Rahardjo told AFP. 
The two deceased men were 18 and 23 years, local media reported.
In a statement, the Indonesian military condemned the actions of its troops.
"This was a criminal act committed by Indonesian army soldiers, therefore it is now being handled by internal affairs," military spokesman E. Sodik said.
It is difficult to independently verify information from Papua, as Jakarta keeps a tight grip on the resource-rich region with a heavy police and military presence and there are restrictions on foreigners reporting from the area. 
Violent clashes are not uncommon in the eastern region, where poorly armed fighters have been waging a low-level insurgency against Jakarta for decades on behalf the mostly ethnic Melanesian population.
Last year at least four teenagers were shot dead in Papua in a clash with security forces, although rights campaigners accused police of opening fire on protesters.
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3) TNI Apologizes for Papua Shooting, Says ‘Two or Three’ Shots Fired
By : Robert Vanwi Subiyat | on 08:32 AM August 28, 2015
Jayapura. The Indonesian Military (TNI) said on Friday that a shooting that left dead two civilians and injured four in Papua early on Friday indeed involved one of its soldiers, but added that only "two to three" shots were fired, in self-defense.
Brig. Gen. Supartodi, a local military commander, claimed the shooting occurred as a beleaguered sergeant tried to defend himself against a mob of locals.
"The service member shot two to three times, and hit local people," Supartodi told journalists.
Two local men were killed, with a further four sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
The incident took place in Koperaoka village, some 50 meters from the Gorong Gorong checkpoint in Timika.
"[The sergeant] saw there was an argument near the [Gorong Gorong] post ... Local people ganged up on the other service members and this [sergeant] wanted to help but was also swarmed with locals even trying to grab his gun."
Supartodi said he would visit Timika to meet with local leaders in an effort to defuse the situation.
Meanwhile, Cenderawasih military command spokesman Lt. Col. Teguh Pudhi Rahardjo named First Sgt. Ashar as the one responsible for firing the shots.
Teguh explained Ashar had been looking for Chief Sgt. Makher, who had been surrounded by local people. Ashar was then also crowded by the mob, he said.
"Ashar was swarmed by local people. He fell and was covered in blood. As Ashar was pushed, he loaded his gun and shot upward twice. Then some of the people backed out and some came close to get his gun. Ashar told us that he shot toward at the people but aimed for their legs," he said.
Teguh said Ashar was being held by military police.
"The Cenderawasih military command has apologized to the families of the victims and we will help them. We will proceed with a legal process against the [sergeant] and also help the surviving victims," the military spokesman said.
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4) Two Killed, Four Injured in Papua Shooting Involving Military
By : Robert Vanwi Subiyat | on 07:30 AM August 28, 2015
Jayapura. Two civilians were killed and another four injured in a shooting involving members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) after an argument in Koperaoka village in Timika, Papua, in the early morning hours on Friday.
Imanuel Mairimau, 23, died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head and Yulianus Okoare, 23, died after he was shot in the stomach.
Four others — Martinus Apokapo, Martinus Impatura, Thomas Apoka and Moses Umapi — were hospitalized after sustaining injuries in the shooting. They were all taken to the emergency unit of Mimika Regional Hospital.
A witness, who declined to be named, said that before the incident took place members of the community were having a party and closed down a street in the area, Jalan Bhayangkara. Two soldiers then broke through the barrier as they wanted to pass the road.
The witness said bystanders rebuked the military personnel, leading to an argument and a gathering of people surrounding the soldiers.
"Not long afterwards three other TNI members arrived on black motorcycles, carrying guns and shooting at the local people," the witness told Suara Pembaruan.
Lt. Teguh Pudhi Raharjo, spokesman at the Cendrawasih Military Command, identified the person who fired the shots as First Sgt. Ashar, adding that the shooting appeared to have been necessary to protect the beleaguered military personnel.

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5) Editorial: Jokowi and the  foreign press
The Jakarta Post | Editorial | Fri, August 28 2015, 9:04 AM - 
Back in May both national and international media greeted President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to lift decades-long restrictions on foreign media access in Papua, calling the move a step in the right direction toward Indonesia’s full commitment to press freedom. 

But only a few weeks later what was thought to be a promising initiative had already led to disappointment as then chief security minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said the government would maintain its “clearance house” team that scrutinized the visits of foreign journalists to Papua. Without giving clarification, let alone denial, concerning his minister’s archaic approach, the President left room for speculation that he was not actually in command, or that he simply did not care if his directive had fallen on deaf ears.

Now his subordinates are moving to widen restrictions of foreign journalists. Not only in Papua, but in all parts of the country foreign media, both print and electronic, will have to secure permission from local governments before conducting reportage. 

Director General of Political and General Administration at the Ministry of Home Affairs Soedarmo said on Wednesday the new regulation followed an agreement among ministries and state institutions responsible for monitoring foreigners that it was important to keep an eye on all activities of foreign journalists in the country.

In an effort to clarify the issue, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said on Thursday the new regulation was needed to prevent foreign journalists from conducting intelligence activities. His explanation, however, will only raise more eyebrows, unless there is a precedent for the regulation. 

It seems suspicion is behind the policy and if that is the case the government could take aim at all foreigners. Another possible motive is the government’s discontent with foreign media reports, which naturally describe Indonesia from an outsider’s point of view. 

Whatever the reasons behind the new regulation, it has already cast doubt over this government’s respect for press freedom. The government’s plan to tighten its control of foreign media marks a setback for Indonesian democracy, where the press has been recognized as the fourth estate that completes the executive, legislative and judiciary powers to make democracy function well.

The press knows no borders. Local and foreign journalists are doing the same job of ensuring the public’s right to know is fulfilled and bound by the same code of conduct. They are only different in terms of nationality.

It is indeed beyond our imagination if Jokowi, dubbed a media darling during the presidential race and after his rise to power, will have the heart to stifle the press, especially foreign journalists. But the drafting of the new regulation to monitor foreign media serves as more proof of the gap in attitudes between him and his subordinates in dealing with the press.

We don’t think Jokowi has forgotten his own words while visiting the country’s easternmost region Merauke in May that “foreign journalists, as of today, are allowed to enter Papua as freely as they enter other provinces”. We only demand that he realize his promise. - 
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Commentary: Defending Indonesia's Fragile Media Freedom

August 29, 2015, 1:40 am
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http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/commentary-defending-indonesias-fragile-media-freedom/
Commentary: Defending Indonesia's Fragile Media Freedom
By : Phelim Kine | on 05:28 AM August 29, 2015
Category : Opinion, Commentary, Front Page
Indonesia’s hard-won media freedoms have just dodged a bullet.
On Aug. 26, President Joko Widodo revoked a new regulation that would have imposed onerous restrictions on foreign media in Indonesia. Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo subsequently apologized to the president for the “confusion” created by the now-canceled regulation. The proposed regulation was all the more puzzling given Joko’s announcement on May 10 that lifted the restrictions on access to Papua for accredited foreign correspondents. The willingness of some senior officials to even consider such measures is an alarming indicator of the disregard for media freedom among some elements of Joko’s government.

The regulation would have required foreign journalists to get permission from local authorities as well as the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) before doing any reporting in the country. The Home Ministry’s director general of political and general administration, Soedarmo, justified the rule as a means “to monitor all activities of foreign journalists in Indonesia.” The officials behind the rule went so far as to envision a new Foreign Ministry-supervised “Coordination Team of Foreigners Visitation taskforce” staffed by BIN and National Police personnel to vet the reporting plans of foreign journalists.

The proposed regulation was more than just a sinister throwback to the authoritarian media restrictions of the Suharto dictatorship, which collapsed in 1998 after three decades in power. The Indonesian nongovernmental media freedom group Independent Alliance of Journalists (AJI) rightly recognized  the rule as an effort to extend nationwide a longstanding restriction on foreign media reporting that previously applied only to the provinces of Papua and West Papua.

For more than three decades, accredited foreign media seeking to travel to Papua have had to apply for that accessthrough a Ministry of Foreign Affairs-supervised interagency “Clearing House” that included representatives of the National Police and BIN. The agency served as a strict gatekeeper by either failing to approve applications for Papua access -- placing journalists in a bureaucratic limbo -- or routinely denying the applications outright. On June 17, the Foreign Ministry announced that it had abolished the “Clearing House” in line with Joko’s May 10 directive. But the proposed “Coordination Team of Foreigners Visitation taskforce” suggests that elements within the government want the “Clearing House” revived and expanded.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Joko’s move to lift access restrictions for foreign journalists has evoked deep hostility among some government and security forces officials who reflexively equate foreign journalists with spies. The day after Joko’s announcement, the then-coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, insistedthat foreign correspondents would continue to need special access permits to Papua and that the government would continue to “screen” foreign journalists seeking that access.  On May 12, the National Police spokesman, Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto, asserted that the government would continue to restrict foreign correspondents’ Papua access through an entry permit system. Agus said there was a need to maintain foreign media access restrictions to Papua to prevent foreign media from talking to “people who opposed the government” as well as to block the access of “terrorists” who might pretend to be journalists to travel to Papua.
On May 19, the then-commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Gen. Moeldoko, stated that foreign media would continue to require Papua access permits from the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s interagency Clearing House. Moeldoko warned that the Indonesian government would expel any foreign journalists whose Papua reporting was perceived by the government to “undermine our government and state” or whose reports “contain defamation that triggers unrest.” On May 26, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu warned that foreign media access to Papua was conditional on an obligation to produce “good reports.” Ryamizard didn’t precisely define “good reports,” but he explicitly equated foreign journalists’ negative Papua reporting with “sedition” and threatened expulsion for any foreign journalist whose reporting displeases the government.

These attitudes reflect the uphill battle the president faces in trying to restrain the censorship reflexes of elements of the government and security forces who want not only to maintain their foreign media chokehold on access to Papua, but to make it a template for all of Indonesia. Joko deserves credit for defying them by opposing policies that restrict freedom of expression. But it’s clear that he will need to remain vigilant in ensuring that all elements of his government and the security forces respect, not restrict, media freedom in Papua and beyond.
Phelim Kine is the deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
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1) Timika bishop condemns deadly shootings

August 29, 2015, 1:47 pm
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2) Soldiers held after fatal  shooting in Papua
3) Many Elementary School Leavers in Yahukimo Can’t Read or Write, Councilors
4) Residents Complain about Poor Quality of Rice for Civil Servants
5) Lake Sentani Getting Dirtier

6) Search Continues for Yalimo Landslide Victims

7) Escaped Prisoners in Wamena Still on the Run

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1) Timika bishop condemns  deadly shootings
thejakartapost.com, Jakarta | Archipelago | Sat, August 29 2015, 4:47 PM - 
Timika bishop John Philips Saklil has condemned the shootings by military personnel that killed two people and wounded several others in Mimika regency, Papua, early Friday.
“The Church condemns violence, even more so when it causes deaths. Any act of violence will never solve problems,” the Bishop was quoted by tempo.co as saying. 
Saklil, however, called on the people of Papua to calm down, telling them not to take revenge because fresh violence could cause harm to more innocent victims. He called on people to entrust the case to law enforcers. 
A pastoral officer at Timika Church said that the incident occurred when local people organized a Tifa (Papuan drum) beating festival to celebrate the success of a Catholic resident in earning a doctoral degree in the Philippines.
Two drunken men reportedly wanted to join the event, but residents rejected them because they were drunk. The two men, who were later found to be soldiers, left the scene before returning with a gun and bayonet.
Previously, a resident said that the incident occurred when two soldiers opened fire in Timika Baru district, Mimika. Kompas.com reported that people who were partying on the road scolded the soldiers for driving fast, resulting in the soldiers challenging the group. The soldiers reportedly opened fire when they felt they were cornered. (bbn)
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2) Soldiers held after fatal  shooting in Papua
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura | Headlines | Sat, August 29 2015, 6:14 PM - 
Two members of the Military District Command (Kodim) 1710/Timika have been arrested following a shooting in Koperapoka, Mimika regency, Papua, that left two civilians dead and two others wounded.

The two soldiers, First Sgt. Arshar and Chief Sgt. Makher, were detained by the military police sub-detachment XVII-I/Cenderawasih.

“[If] both are guilty they have to be held accountable for what they did. They will undergo the legal process,” the commander of 174/Waning Ap Merauke, Brig. Gen. Supartodi, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The incident occurred on Thursday at 1:33 a.m. local time. The dead victims were identified as Imanuel Mailmaur, 23, and Yulianus Okoare, 23. The injured were named as Marthinus Apokapo, 24, who suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and Martinus Imapula, 25, who was shot in the leg.

Supartodi alleged that the soldiers were drunk when the shooting took place. 

So far two versions of the shooting have emerged. The first version was in the form of a press release by spokesperson for the Military Regional Command (Kodam) XVII/Cenderawasih, Lt. Col. Teguh Pudji Raharjo.

According to the release, the soldiers shot in self defense as a mob attempted to seize their weapons after an attack on Makher. However, the press release gave no reason as to why the mob attacked Makher.

The release said that upon receiving a report from locals about the attack on Makher, Ashar went to the scene to look for his colleague but was attacked on the way, beaten to the ground and attempts were made to take his weapon, whereupon he opened fire and the four civilians were shot, two fatally.

Santon Tekege, a pastoral staff member at Timika Diocese, denied that any attempts were made to grab the soldiers’ guns.

According to Santon, the shooting occurred when two drunk individuals — who were later identified as soldiers — arrived at a tifa (traditional drum beating event) in the yard of Koperapoka Catholic church, the tifa was being held as a thanksgiving party for the first person of Kamoro origin, Leonardus Tumuka, to earn a doctoral degree.

“They [soldiers] were refused admission and they left. Shortly after they returned, carrying rifles with bayonets and frightening the people who were celebrating,” Santon said.

Both men forced their way into the venue and threatened people at the party. Later as they were leaving they opened fire, killing two and injuring two others, he said.

Papua Police Chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw is currently in Timika to maintain order in the area.

Coordinator of the Papua office of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Olga Helena Hamadi, said she had received frequent reports about civilians being shot by members of the security forces in Papua.

“It’s a classic [response] to say that the security forces personnel fired in self-defense,” said Olga, adding that the excuse was often made in such incidents.

Separately Pastor Amandus Rahaded said the bodies of the victims were being held in Koperapoka Catholic Church. No date has so far had been scheduled for their funerals. “Their families are still having talks and waiting for the arrival of the Kodam Cenderawasih commander,” Amandus said.

The two bodies had previously been paraded to the Kodam base and placed in the middle of the street. They were moved to the church only after negotiations were held with the Papua police chief mediated by Amandus. 

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3) Many Elementary School Leavers in Yahukimo Can’t Read or Write, Councilors
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – A member of the of Papua Legislative Council ( DPRP), Lazarus Sieb, said he believed many elementary school graduates are not able to read or write due to the lack of attention to education problems by the relevant agencies.
“There are many elementary students in Yahukimo but many are unable to read or write after graduating from school. For example, when students were asked to write letter P, they would write the letter B,” Sieb said on Tuesday (08/25/2015).
As a result, the students experienced difficulty when continuing Junior High School (SMP) in the city.
“Because of the lack of reading and writing, sometimes the students have to stay at the same grade at junior high school level. This is clearly very unfortunate as we need to build Papuan human resources,” he said.
The same thing was said to be members of the DPRP Nathan Pahabol. He said the improvement of education and health in Yahukimo is really poor.
“Yakuhimo regency needs to address and fix this condition “he added. (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)
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4) Residents Complain about Poor Quality of Rice for Civil Servants
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura city residents complained about the poor quality of rice intended for civil servants, military and police in Papua.
“It smells musty and also its weighs less. Although the lice are not so many, it really makes the quality of rice bad, ” said Takayetauw, resident of Tanah Hitam when met Jubi in Abepura district on Monday (24/08/2015).
He said rice which should have been received 15kg on the packaging was only 12 kg when weighed.
“I am very disappointed with this, the government should be able to supervise and give serious attention on this case” Takayetauw said.
Arif Mandu, head of Logistic Agency in Papua ( Bulog) claimed that the rice for civil servants and the military, the police in Papua is in good condition with the appropriate weight indicated on the weight of the sack.
According to him when the rice is out of the barn and ready to be distributed to the regencies/ city, it is then the responsibility of the government.
“I hope the district and city will also oversees, as well as representatives from each of the regional work units (SKPD) in each district and the city,” he said. (Munir/ Tina)
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5) Lake Sentani Getting Dirtier
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Sentani, Jubi – Sentani lake, one of tourist destinations in Jayapura, is getting dirty, a local councillor said, urging residents to keep it clean.
A member of Jayapura Legislative Council, Milly Mehue, took the initiative to hold a Trash Free Sentani Lake Action (ADSBS) in order to sensitize the residents around the lake.
“There are people who live around the lake and depend on it. Do not throw trash in the lake, ” Milly said when met Jubi in Sentani, Jayapura regency on Monday (24/8/2015).
ADSBS will be conducted this action simultaneously and will involve the citizens of the city and around the lake.
“We set this event in a schedule that must be implemented by every community who live in East to West Sentani. The action would be held once a week. This movement must be done by us as a society, “he explained.
“We will check the efforts of the people of the city, which does not have an official license, whether it is SITU, ownership of the EIA and the IMB, “he said.
Marshal Suebu, environmentalists and also a chairman of the CPA hirosi Papua said Jayapura regency status is still in the category of the dirtiest cities in Indonesia.
“If we want our environment clean and comfortable to live then we all have to start from ourselves, it is the basis on which the environment in the city. So that everyone who comes here still like to stay here, “Marshal said. (Engel Wally/ Tina)
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6) Search Continues for Yalimo Landslide Victims

TOPICS:
POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Wamena, Jubi – Rescuers continue the search for eight people believed buried after a landslide at Yalimo Regency on Monday morning (24/8/2015).  
The missing people were PT. PAB employees identified as Ardi Padidik, Yoseph Nussy, Versus Peon, Yopi Kepno and two residents Lasarus Wantik and Wilumus Wanti, truck drivers Ismail and Ferdy. Jayawijaya Police Chief Adjunct Senior Police Commisionaire Ronny Thaba confirmed to reporters on Tuesday (24/8/2015) that he and his officers are currently still on the scene.
“The eight victims are consisting of seven adults and a child. The incident was happened on Sunday night and damaged three trucks, 2 pick-ups and an excavator. All victims were been sleeping in a camp belonging to PT. BAP when the incident was occurred,” he said.
Currently the police and military personnel as well as local residents are still doing a search on location. He said currently the rescue team needs someone with special skills and full-equipment for the search. If it continues by hand, it’s worried raising another victims considering mud and strong river stream. (Islami/rom)
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7) Escaped Prisoners in Wamena Still on the Run

POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 25, 2015
Wamena, Jubi – Fourteen prisoners who escaped from Wamena Prison early Monday  (23/8/2015) are still on the run and being chased by the local police.
“Once we got the report, we promptly formed an investigation team,” Crime and Investigation Unit Chief First Inspector I Wayan Laba told reporters at his office on Tuesday (24/8/2015).
The police will also question guards who were in charge at the time of the escape, Laba said. He said this incident wasn’t the first time. Two prisoners escaped from the same prison last July while 55 prisoners ran away in 2014.
Looking at two last cases that happened within this year, he said the police found names of the same guards who were on duty at the time when prisoners escaped from the prison. The police would also examine whether it was part of conspiracy or negligence. If so, there would be a legal consequence.
As reported earlier, fourteen prisoners have escaped from Wamena Prison on Monday dawn by breaking the ceiling in C2 and C3 blocks, and jumped over the fence using iron sticks used to apply as futsal goal gate and blankets.
Meanwhile, related to the escape of fourteen prisoners from Wamena Prison, that seven are prisoners under Wamena Prosecutor Office’s custody and the rest are prisoners of Wamena District court, the Head of Wamena Prosecutor Office, Dian Frits Nalle, SH questioned and regretted how could prisoners from jail all at once. It would greatly affect the legal process by the Prosecutor Office and the Court.
“It’s the authority of Wamena Prison who should responsible on this incident, although those fugitives are legally our prisoners. But based on regulation, they must be sent to Wamena Prison because the Prosecutor Office has no separate rooms to keep the prisoners. We have received the letter of announcement and coordinated with the police to find the fugitives,” Nalle told by phone on Tuesday (25/8/2015).
Nalle further questioned about the security system of prison to let prisoners escape without being known by guards. “It is clear that prisoners run away. They were only transferred from the police’s custody to Wamena Prison, and their cases have not yet decided by Court. Now they were escaped and by law the prison authority should be responsible on this, that guards and security system should be questioned,” said Nalle.
He futher said this case wasn’t the first time but it happened several times, thus all parties in particular the Directorate of Prison of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights should pay attention on this case. “The legal process would still continue but it’s would be very slow since we along with the police must seek and chase the fugitives to bring them to the Court,” he said. (Islami/rom)
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1) Komnas HAM Investigates Timika shooting

August 30, 2015, 12:44 am
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1) Komnas HAM Investigates Timika shooting
2) How to annoy the neighbours
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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2015/08/30/055696249/KOMNAS-HAM-INVESTIGATES-TIMIKA-SHOOTING

SUNDAY, 30 AUGUST, 2015 | 13:26 WIB
1) Komnas HAM Investigates Timika shooting
TEMPO.CO, Timika- The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) will come to Timika, Papua, early September to investigate the shooting of a number of Kamoro residents, the police told Antara Newsagency on Sunday, August 30.
Unscrupulous members of the army killed two people on Friday, August 28. The shooting killed Julian Okoare (18) and Emanuel Mairimau (23), and wounding a number of residents in the Kamoro Koperapoka Catholic Church complex proving that the security forces serving in Papua are still prioritizing militaristic approach.
Commission Commissioner Natalius Pigai confirmed the Komnas HAM’s plan to go to Timika and regretted the shooting of civilians in Papua.
"We strongly condemn this incident. The militaristic approach against Papuans is totally unjustified, especially utilizing state apparatus (weapons) to kill people," said Natalius.
He questioned the commitment of President Joko Widodo to solve human rights violations that still continue to occur in the Cendrawasih land.
"It is true that President Jokowi had visited Papua several times, but the presence of the President in Papua was only to inaugurate a number of projects and others. We have not heard that President Jokowi has a strong commitment and followed by real policy to completely deal with the entire root of the problem in Papua. This is precisely what is long-awaited by the people of Papua to avoid further bloodshed of civilians in Papua," he said.
Natalius added that the shooting of Kamoro residents in Timika on Friday was test for two high-ranking military and police officers which has started their service in the region; namely Papua Police Chief Brigadier General Paul Waterpauw and Military Regional XVII Commander/Cenderawasih Major General Hinsa Siburian to be able to solve it fairly and honestly.
"Actually, we are expecting the two new leadership of the military and police are able to take better approach to Papuans, especially Paul Waterpauw who is a Papuan and Hinsa Siburian who served for a very long time in Papua. But this case came when they newly assume office," Natalius said.
Regional Military Commander Major General Hinsa Siburian after the handover ceremony from his predecessor Major General Fransen Siahaan on Saturday directly visited Timika to mourn for the shooting victims at the Catholic Church Koperapoka Timika.
Together with Papua Police Chief Brigadier General Paul Waterpauw, Major General Siburian also visited the two surviving victims that were still undergoing treatment at the Hospital Community Partners (RSMM) Timika.
The bodies of Julian Okoare and Emanuel Mairimau were planned to be buried on Sunday afternoon.
ANTARA
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2) How to annoy the neighbours
By Online Editor
01:46 am GMT+12, 28/08/2015, Australia
With the Pacific Islands Forum meeting soon in Port Moresby, many island leaders are expressing frustration at Australia’s climate policies, writes Nic Maclellan
 
Members of the Pacific Islands Forum have had their differences over the years, but island leaders are usually reluctant to wash the dirty linen in public. Forging agreement between Australia, New Zealand and fourteen small island developing states inevitably involves compromises, and Forum communiques have often used bland wording to placate the sensibilities of Australian and New Zealand prime ministers on trade, decolonisation and nuclear testing. The fact that Canberra and Wellington fund much of the Forum’s budget has played no small part in this diplomatic balancing act.
 
Today, however, it’s getting harder and harder to reconcile widely divergent policies over climate change. This year’s Forum meeting, in Port Moresby on 7–10 September, comes just a few months before negotiations in Paris to finalise a global agreement on climate change. Many fear the Australian delegation will block key elements of the climate agenda advanced by island nations, leading to a policy consensus with little substance.
 
When Fiji’s prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced in May that he wouldn’t be attending the Port Moresby meeting, he highlighted the climate-policy gap. “As we see it, Australia and New Zealand have been put to the test on climate change and been found wanting,” he said. “It should be no surprise that we have formed the view that the very least, their position as full members of our island nation Forum needs to be questioned, re-examined and redefined. They simply do not represent our interests as we face this critical matter of survival.”
 
In every major speech this year, Bainimarama has beaten the climate drum. At the June summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, he told the assembled leaders: “We have less than six months to get this crisis on the global agenda. I urge you all to put it at the top of your own agendas and make your voices heard. Loudly.”
 
The Australian government’s engagement with the Forum in recent years has been patchy. Prime Minister Tony Abbott didn’t attend last year’s leaders’ meeting in Palau, leaving his deputy Warren Truss to wave the Australian flag. Not surprisingly, Abbott’s frequent pronouncements on climate change have managed to annoy many of his island counterparts.
 
Australia and Canada’s decision in 2013 not to contribute to the Green Climate Fund angered Pacific countries that rely on international finance to fund adaptation and technology transfer. The fact the announcement was made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting – a gathering that includes many of the least-developed countries, small island states and sub-Saharan African nations on the climate frontline – only made matters worse.
 
At a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in June 2014, Abbott proposed an international alliance to resist emissions trading schemes. Marshall Islands president Christopher Loeak said such as alliance would isolate Australia from its Pacific neighbours. “I’m very concerned that the prime minister is setting the wrong tone in what needs to be a very determined effort to tackle climate change,” he said, and went on to describe Abbott’s efforts as “a further indication that Australia is isolating itself on this issue.”
 
The same concern was raised a year ago when Samoa hosted the third global conference on small-island development states. Integrating environment and development has been a central part of the island agenda since this summit was first held in Barbados in 1994. In the lead-up to the September 2014 summit, host prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was forthright about Australia’s lack of initiative on climate policy.
 
“We do hope Australia’s current leadership could look at the Pacific Islands as a special case in terms of climate change,” he said. “In saying that, I am aware of the extreme preoccupation of the present leadership with budget savings. Australia and New Zealand are members of the Pacific Islands Forum and the membership there was especially important, because being the biggest member countries in the only consolidated grouping of islands in the Pacific, they should do more.”
 
The communique of the conference, known as the SAMOA Pathway, recognised that “sea-level rise and other adverse impacts of climate change continue to pose a significant risk to small island developing states and their efforts to achieve sustainable development and, for many, represent the gravest of threats to their survival and viability, including, for some, through the loss of territory.”
 
The following month, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon hosted the UN Climate Summit to advance the international climate negotiations. More than 120 world leaders attended, but the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand were not among them (even though Tony Abbott had been in New York the day before).
 
Once again, island leaders expressed their concern over Australia’s priorities. “Probably one of the most frustrating events of the past year for Pacific islanders is Australia’s strange behaviour when it comes to climate change,” Marshall Islands foreign minister Tony de Brum said at the time. “It just does not make sense, it goes against the grain of the world.” He added: “Not only is Australia our big brother down south, Australia is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum and Australia is a Pacific island, a big island, but a Pacific island. It must recognise that it has a responsibility. The problems that have befallen the smaller countries are also Australia’s problems.”
 
With climate financing a central pillar of the global negotiations, the November 2014 G20 meeting in Brisbane highlighted Canada and Australia’s isolation. With the United States contributing US$3 billion to the Green Climate Fund, and Britain, Germany and France each adding another billion, Julie Bishop finally buckled at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, talks in Lima. The foreign minister announced a contribution to the fund of US$165 million over four years. Overall, Canberra is offering a sum well below the $2 billion of public and private climate funding required each year to meet Australia’s fair share of global pledges.
 
For years, Marshall Islander Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner has used poetry to translate the jargon of climate policy into a call to action.
 
From her poem “Tell Them” to “Dear Matafele Peneim” – her presentation to the opening of the 2014 UN Climate summit – her lyrics highlight islander concerns over government inaction. Her latest poem is “2 degrees”:
 
At a climate change conference a colleague tells me 2 degrees is just a benchmark for climate negotiations
I tell him for my islands 2 degrees is a gamble at 2 degrees my islands, the Marshall Islands will already be under water this is why our leaders push for 1.5
 
Two degrees is the compromise forged between the OECD and rapidly industrialising countries at the 2010 UNFCCC summit in Cancun. Governments agreed on the long-term goal of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2°C above preindustrial levels.
 
But this consensus on 2°C is a political, not a scientific, measure of safe climate boundaries. As climate analyst David Spratt has noted: “In reality, 2°C is the boundary between dangerous and very dangerous climate change and 1°C warmer than human civilisation has ever experienced.”
 
During the UNFCCC negotiations, which have been underway since 1992, Pacific governments have worked through the Alliance of Small Islands States, a grouping of 44 island and coastal states that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Reflecting the findings of a range of scientific studies, they have called for tougher targets than 2°C, requiring more urgent and extensive emissions reductions. At climate talks in Bonn in June, the alliance called for a long-term temperature goal of “below 1.5°C,” to be included in any agreement signed in Paris this year.
 
When they meet without Australia and New Zealand in the room, Pacific leaders constantly reiterate their support for the alliance’s policies on emissions reductions, climate financing and technology transfer. They also endorse the Warsaw Mechanism on Loss and Damage, a scheme to address the existing damage to water supply, agriculture and infrastructure caused by past greenhouse gas emissions and the failure to fund the necessary adaptation.
 
In July this year, the Polynesian Leaders Group issued the Taputaputea Declaration on Climate Change Island leaders from Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Niue and French Polynesia repeated positions long advanced by other small island developing states, to “deal with the adverse effects of climate change by limiting global warming below 1.5°C and having access to tools and means to adapt to the adverse impacts caused by climate change.” The declaration highlights “that loss and damage is a critical element for building resilience against climate change” and that this should be “reflected in the legally binding agreement.”
 
Canberra doesn’t agree. Throughout this year, Australian officials have worked with other industrialised nations to systematically challenge positions on loss and damage advanced by the small-states alliance during climate negotiations.
 
Tony Abbott has argued that Australia’s “budget repair” will provide the revenue for ongoing engagement with the region to address climate change. But regional concern over climate policy goes beyond the current conservative backlash, which saw the abolition of Australia’s emissions trading scheme. Australia’s role as a major exporter of fossil fuel energy has led to the “carbon capture” of successive governments, affecting its relationship with other members of the Pacific Islands Forum.
 
Over the last two months, Australia, New Zealand and other countries have announced targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after 2020. These targets, known as the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs, are the basis for negotiation of an agreement at the next UNFCCC summit in Paris.
 
The Key government in New Zealand announced plans to reduce emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. Australia’s INDC submission to the UN includes an even less ambitious target of greenhouse gas emissions: 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.
 
Island leaders joined an international chorus of disapproval. Marshall Islands Foreign Minister de Brum said: “Australia’s weak target is another serious blow to its international reputation. As with Prime Minister Abbott’s attempt to ignore climate change when hosting the G20 last year, this will send a serious shudder through the Pacific and raise concern amongst its closest allies, including the United States and Europe.”
 
De Brum went on: “This seems to be another example of Australian exceptionalism when it comes to tackling the biggest economic, environmental and security challenge of the twenty-first century. If the rest of the world followed Australia’s lead, the Great Barrier Reef would disappear. So would my country and the other vulnerable atoll nations on Australia’s doorstep.”
 
Based on current INDC pledges, global emissions are on a path to 3 or 4 degrees of warming, a catastrophic failure of ambition that will devastate small island developing states – and the rest of us.
 
In March, foreign minister Julie Bishop proudly highlighted Australia’s aid response to Cyclone Pam, which devastated Vanuatu and Tuvalu. But beyond the post-disaster hype, successive Australian governments have damaged the institutions that contribute to our engagement with the islands region on climate and disasters. Cutbacks to funding and staffing have reduced the capacity of the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology – which have partnered with Pacific meteorologists on cyclone research – as well as Radio Australia, a vital service that provides cyclone warnings to outlying islands.
 
The abandonment of a bipartisan target for Official Development Assistance has led to proposed cuts of $11.7 billion from Australia’s aid budget over four years, restricting the ability to pledge substantial climate funding. While aid cuts in this year’s budget focused on Africa and Asia, the Pacific islands will not be spared in next year’s budget, with another billion dollars to be slashed.
 
Under its current secretary-general, Dame Meg Taylor of Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands Forum is trying to address the global challenge of sustainable development, promoting a new Framework on Pacific Regionalism and improvements to the operations of the Forum Secretariat in Suva. But differences over climate policy threaten that momentum, and will reinforce the growing debate over whether the region might be better served by an “islands-only” Forum.
 
Nic Maclellan is a correspondent for Islands Business magazine (Fiji) and an adjunct researcher with the Swinburne Institute for Social Research.
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1) Timika shooting victims buried on Sunday

August 30, 2015, 1:38 pm
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2) Komnas HAM to investigate  Timika shooting incident - 
3) Alumni expected to play  greater roles in RI, Australia  relations - 
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1) Timika shooting victims  buried on Sunday
Nethy Dharma Somba, thejakartapost.com, Jayapura | Archipelago | Sun, August 30 2015, 9:00 PM -
Two civilians from the Kamoro tribe, Herman Mairimau and Yulianus Okoware, who were allegedly shot by soldiers, have been buried in public cemetery TPU SP-4 Timika after a Requiem Mass led by Catholic priest Amandus Rahaded Pr at St. Fransiskus Koprapoka Church in Timika, Mimika, Papua, on Sunday.
Police and military officials, including Military Resort Command (Danrem) 174/AWT commander Brig. Gen. Supartodi, Papua Police Monitoring Inspectorate chief Sr. Comr. Petrus Waine, Regional Military Command (Kodam) XVII/Cendrawasih deputy commander Lt. Col. Ayub Akbar, Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yustanto Mujiharso, Military District Command (Dandim) 1710/Mimika commander Lt. Col. Andi Koswara and the Mimika administration’s regional secretary, Ausilius You, attended the burial.
“The Mass ran smoothly and safely. The burial procession also ran peacefully. The victims’ families urged security authorities to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice in line with prevailing laws,” Santon Tekege of the Timika Diocese told thejakartapost. com on Sunday.
Danrem 174 commander Supartodi said the Army had covered all burial costs. It is also covering the medical costs of those injured in the incident, he added.
Timika Bishop John Saklil condemned the shooting of the civilians.
“The Catholic church condemns all violent acts, especially those resulting in fatalities. There is no justification for such violent acts because any incident that leads to a loss of life, especially those involving representatives of state institutions, must be brought to justice,” John said in a press statement.
The two civilians were reportedly shot dead by two soldiers, Chief Pvt. Makher and First Pvt. Ashar, who were intoxicated when they arrived at a party held by the Kamoro tribe early on Friday. The party was being held to honor Leonardus Tumuka, a Kamoro tribesman, who obtained a doctorate degree from a Philippine university.
Kodam XVII/Cendrawasih commander Maj. Gen. Hinsa Siburian apologized to the families of the victims, the Kamoro and all Timika residents for the incident. 
“[. . . ] there will be legal procedures against the perpetrators. Military tribunals will be organized to hear the charges against the perpetrators,” said Hinsa. (ebf)
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2) Komnas HAM to investigate  Timika shooting incident - 
thejakartapost.com, Jakarta | National | Sun, August 30 2015, 6:28 PM - 
A National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) team is scheduled to visit Timika, Papua, in the beginning of September to investigate into a shooting incident allegedly perpetrated by military personnel on Friday that killed two Kamoro ethnic group members.
Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said the commission deplored the case, one of a great number in which innocent civilians were killed in attacks by security personnel in the province.
“We are scheduled to arrive in Timika in the beginning of September to investigate the case,” he said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Sunday.
Natalius said the shooting incident, which killed Emanuel Mairimau, 23, and Yulianus Okoare, 18, and injured a number of Kamoro ethnic group people in the Koperapoka Catholic Church complex, showed that security officers in Papua continued to use military approaches.
“We condemn the incident. Military approaches to solve the problems facing Papuans and the use of state institutions to kill people could not be justified,” said Natalius.
The commissioner further questioned President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s commitments to immediately resolve human rights violations that continued to occur in Papua. He said President Jokowi’s recent visits to Papua were mostly aimed at inaugurating projects in the area.
“We never heard that President Jokowi expressed his strong commitments, which were followed by concrete policies, to resolve root problems in Papua. In fact, Papuan people have long waited for such commitments so that security attacks that have killed civilians in Papua will not occur again in the future,” said Natalius.
He went on to say that the Timika shooting incident on Friday was a tough challenge for the two newly appointed Indonesian Military and National Police leaders in Papua, namely Papua Police chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw and the commander of Regional Military Command (Kodam) XVII/Cendrawasih, Maj. Gen. Hinsa Siburian, to resolve the case fairly and honestly. 
“Initially, we really hoped that the two new TNI and Polri leaders could apply better approaches to the Papuan people. Moreover, Paulus is a Papuan while Hinsa has long been assigned in Papua. Unfortunately, such a horrible case had occurred in the beginning of their new duties,” said Natalius. (ebf)


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3) Alumni expected to play  greater roles in RI, Australia  relations - 
Bambang Muryanto, thejakartapost.com, Yogyakarta | World | Sun, August 30 2015, 8:54 PM 

Alumni of the Australian Consortium for “In-Country” Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) should be able to play greater roles in easing political tension between Indonesia and Australia when bilateral relations of the two countries heat up, an expert has said.
“They can participate in calming down the political tensions by using simple measures, such as writing letters to the editor in news media companies,” ACICIS director David T. Hill told journalists in Yogyakarta on Friday.
The ACICIS is an Australian education consortium that aims to help students from Australia and other countries gain entry to universities in Indonesia. The organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary by holding a string of activities in Yogyakarta from Aug. 28 to 30 and in Canberra on Oct.13.
“Established 20 years ago, the number of ACICIS alumni has reached around 2,000 people,” said Hill, an Australian academic and noted expert on Indonesia.
He said ACICIS alumni cultures worked in key positions in various important institutions, such as in departments of the Australian government and in the Australian Embassy in Indonesia. Many of them had worked as academics at various universities and had become experts in business institutions. Those who understood Indonesian culture could give important input to increase mutual understanding between Indonesia and Australia.
“Many officials in Indonesia, such as former vice president Budiono, former foreign minister Marty Natalegawa and Ibu Mari Elka Pangestu [former trade minister], are alumni of universities in Australia who can help strengthen relationships between the two countries,” said Hill.
Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia have at times heated up due to certain political reasons. The last major flare up was when Indonesia executed two Australians, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, in April for drug trafficking.
ACICIS resident director Elena Williams said the organization was developing new programs in the field of agriculture, health and art for Australian students who wished to pursue their studies in Indonesia.
The ACICIS has 22 university members in Australia and two international members from the Netherlands and the UK. This year ACICIS is growing stronger thanks to support from the New Colombo Plan, an Australian government initiative that aims to increase Australians’ knowledge of Indo-Pacific issues by funding Australian students wanting to study in the region. (ebf)
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1) National TNI, Komnas HAM run separate probes into Mimika shooting

August 31, 2015, 1:41 pm
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2) Pacific church leader condemns West Papua killings
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1) National TNI, Komnas HAM run separate  probes into Mimika shooting 

Margareth S. Aritonang, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Mon, August 31 2015, 3:45 PM
Mourning: Family members and friends take the bodies of Yulianus Okoare and Herman Mairimau, victims of a recent shooting in Mimika regency, Papua, to their final resting place at a public cemetery in Kamoro Jaya village, Mimika Baru district, on Sunday.(Antara/Husyen Abdillah) -


Conducting its own investigation into a recent shooting in Koperapoka, Mimika regency, Papua, that claimed the lives of two civilians, the Indonesian Military (TNI) has promised to serve justice to any soldiers proven to have been involved in the incident.

While still questioning three soldiers who were arrested in connection with the incident, Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Wuryanto said on Sunday that the Timika Military Police were also gathering statements by witnesses, including from locals, who might know how the shooting occurred.

“We cannot make any conclusions yet because it is an ongoing process. Our team is digging for information that will lead us to the complete story of how the incident happened,” Wuryanto told The Jakarta Post.

“But we will ensure that Military Court law will be strictly imposed on any soldier proven guilty,” he added.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Aug. 27 and claimed the lives of 23-year-old Imanuel Mailmaur and 23-year-old Yulianus Okoare. Two other locals were injured in the incident — 24-year old Marthinus Apokapo, who suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and 25-year old Martinus Imapula, who was shot in the leg.

The District Military Command (Kodim) 1710/Timika arrested two soldiers following the shooting — First Sgt. Arshar and Chief Sgt. Makher, who were reportedly drunk when they allegedly shot the men.

Besides the two soldiers, Wuryanto said that one more soldier, identified only as Chief Pvt. G, was at the location when the shooting took place and had been detained.

“We are still examining his involvement in the matter,” Wuryanto said. “However, regardless of the ongoing process, the Cendrawasih Military Command chief [Maj. Gen. Fransen G. Siahaan] has personally apologized to the families of the victims for the incident and ensured that the TNI will be responsible for the investigation.”

Two different versions how the shooting occurred have emerged so far.

According to the Military Command (Kodam) XVII/Cendrawasih, the soldiers shot in self-defense when a mob attempted to seize their weapons after an attack on Makher.

The other story circulating among residents claims that two men, later identified as Makher and Arshar, forced their way into a venue where a party was being held and threatened people at the party.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) will also send an investigative team to clarify the stories.

Komnas HAM chief Nur Kholis said the investigative team aimed to gather evidence to get reliable information from the field as the rights body frequently came up with different findings than the government, which it publicly announces.

“Several shootings have taken place in Papua and none of them have been publicly clarified by the government,” he said. “Relevant government institutions conducting investigations into similar shootings in the past kept silent about the results without clear and transparent follow ups”.

He cited the shooting in Papua’s Paniai in December last year that claimed the lives of five locals as an example.

“The lack of transparency in investigations into several shootings in Papua has in a way encouraged more incidents to emerge. This must stop,” Nur Kholis emphasized.

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2) Pacific church leader condemns West Papua killings
Updated at 4:04 pm on 31 August 2015


Pacific churches have condemned the killing of two West Papuans in a shooting involving Indonesian soldiers last week.
They have called on regional leaders to speak out against summary killings, torture and human rights abuse in the Indonesian region.
The church says reports from Timika in Mimika Regency say a group of Special Forces troops shot dead two members of the Catholic Youth Group at the Cathedral Parish of the Three Kings in Timika.
At the time the Kamoro people were performing traditional rituals.
The Council says the soldiers, who were refused entry to the area, went to their barracks, returned with weapons and fired on the group.
The General Secretary of the Pacific Council of Churches, Rev Francois Pihaatae, says the killings were uncalled for and an indication of Indonesia's contempt.
He says Pacific leaders have a duty to speak out, especially those who have invited Indonesia into the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
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