2) Two Soldiers Investigated over Killings of Civilians

3) Abepura Prison Head Denies Filep Karma is Free

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/01/chronology-of-kidnapping-and-torturing-of-three-young-men-by-unknown-people/

1) Chronology of Kidnapping and Torturing of Three Young Men by Unknown People

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Three young men that had been kidnapped and tortured went to police office with their family – Jubi

Yogyakarta, Jubi – A group of unknown people reportedly attacked three young men at around Base G Beach of Jayapura Utara Sub-district of Jayapura City on last Thursday.

Jubi’s trusted source wrote in email that on Thursday, 27 August 2015, at around 22:30 Papua time, a group of unknown people on an Avanza car kidnapped Elieser Awom, 25, Soleman Yom, 24 and Yafet Awom, 19.
“When these boys walked to a stall located about 100 meters from their home for buying cigarettes, they looked a grey silver Avanza car. As they walked towards the car, a light flashed right on their eyes that made them slightly blind. Then they were forced to get into the car and accused for thieving a motorcycle, so they must be brought the police station,” informant told Jubi.

However, they were actually not taking to the police station but being interrogated and tortured. Informant said they were interrogated in the car on the way from Jayapura Utara to Jayapura Kota, Abepura, Koya, Skouw and Sentani, certainly the road to Genyem, Jayapura Regency.

When arrived at Sentani, the road to Genyem at around 03:00, 28 August 2015, Soleman Yom and Elieser Awom were released and they both run. While running, people in the car shot them forth time, but they kept running.
“Both were running to the forest area near to sago village. They just came out on the morning to go to their relatives in Sentani for taking them home. They arrived at home at 11:00, and the family was shocked. Meanwhile, Yafet was still not come home. Therefore, his family came together searching him in everywhere between Jayapura City to Jayapura Regency. But two days later, he came home riding motorcycle taxi.

“Yafet said he was jailed at Jayapura Police Station on Friday, and released on Saturday. Despite escorting by the police, he went home alone by motorcycle taxi. His family was shocked to find his condition was similar with two other boys when he arrived,” he said.

He further explained, due to being tortured, Yafet Awom get four bruises at the back. Up to now he is still traumatized and dizzy, and not able to speak. He got swelling at the right chest due to the hit of bayonet made him in pain when swallowing food. Some wounds in the thigh and scars in his body indicates he was stabbed and scratched by knife during the interrogation and there are also some wounds of cigarette burned. His face and eyes were swollen of being hit by upper knife and hand.

Soleman Awom was hit and kicked, and also stabbed at the neck. He also got some bruises in his body but the wounds are in recovery. Meanwhile, Eleiaser Awom is still in hospital and cannot walk due to internal injured by hitting on the chest. He was also stabbed at the back and right shoulder near. His face and lips were swollen.

Based on the victims’ statement, the kidnappers are four people. Three of them didn’t wear uniform while one wore the police’s t-shirt, trousers and shoes.

Until now the family could not accept the actions taken by those irresponsible persons. The family could not understand the motive behind this incident, why did they torture these boys,” he said.(Arnold Belau/rom)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/01/two-soldiers-investigated-over-killings-of-civilians/

2) Two Soldiers Investigated over Killings of Civilians

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Two military personnel have been questioned over the shooting incident which killed two civilians and injured four others on Friday (29/8/2015) in Timika, the military said.

Regional Military Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Teguh Pudji said the unnamed military personnel are currently being questioned by Timika Detachment Military Police.
“After the incident, Cenderawasih Regional Military promptly sent investigators to the scene,” Teguh said via email received on Monday night (31/8/2015).

He said the investigation team included members of the Military Police, intelligence personnel and District Command personnel. He stated the Military Command would not whitewash the crime.
“If they are found guilty, they will receive sanctions and face the legal process. A soldier shall not hurt people’s heart; instead they shall nurture, protect and secure people at anywhere he was placed. We apologize for this incident,” he said.

Earlier, Major General Hinsa Siburian who recently assigned as Cenderawasih XVII Regional Military Commander promised will take legal process on two military personnel who opened fire against civilians that caused two people died and some injuered on Friday (28/8/2015). He said he would handle this problem according to the Military law.
“We will take action according to the law, as we have the military criminal law and so on. So there would be a legal process. I also have met the family of dead victims, and said three points, including legal process on military culprits who have harmed the people,” Commander Siburian said through email to Jubi on Sunday (30/8/2015). (Arjuna Pademme/rom)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/01/abepura-prison-head-denies-filep-karma-is-free/

3) Abepura Prison Head Denies Filep Karma is Free

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Political prisoner Filep Karma has refused sentence cuts granted to prisoners by the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights to mark independence day.

The head of Abepura Prison, Bagus Kurniawan told Jubi on Saturday (29/8/2015) that Filep Karma is still in jail.
“No, not yet. Who said he’s free? We have not received the decree from Jakarta. Media are often corrupted by rumors. We will inform media if he got remission or otherwise inform him if he received the Independence Day’s remission,” Bagus said.

When further asked about the decree, if it was received, does it mean karma should be free, he said it would be informed later to prisoner. We will told him and his family about the decree approving his release and he would be free by law,” he said.

But, according to Filep Karma, he will be still in jail for at least 3.5 years because he refused all remission offered.
“I was punished by the Indonesian Court to be sentenced for 15 years. But, now I was pushed to get my freedom on 17 August 2015. Based on my account, I will still spend my time in jail for three and half years because I refused all remission,” Karma told Jubi some times ago.

According to him, he refused to be granted based on his attitude during his prison. It would be acceptable if it was granted because of the political prisoner aware of his mistake or changes his ideology and proclaim Indonesia as his country.
“I don’t agree with that because this regulation was applied for criminals. It made as if the political prisoners are those who criminalized. It should be offered through political terms, such as he was granted for pardon in condition he signed a statement of loyal to Indonesian Government. I refused it. And now it’s offered without any condition, so I also refused it because I didn’t commit any crime,” he said.

According to the Prison Head, he is also still waiting for decree from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, since Filep Karma sent a letter of rejection concerning to his remission. “Mr. Karma has sent a letter to Jakarta stating his rejection upon the remission. So, we are just waiting,” he said.

When urged with a question what about the political prisoner insisted to be in jail although the decree of release is issued, he said it depends on next decision. “Just wait. The Decree has not issued yet,” he said briefly.
“I, Filep Karma, herewith refuse remission of my detention in the commemoration of Indonesian Independence Day on 17 August. My independence day is the independence day of West Papua on 1 December,” stated Karma who was sentenced for 15 years prison since 2004. (Roy Ratumakin/rom)

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2) SIBURIAN WARNS SOLDIERS AGAINST ABUSES

3) Timika Bishop: Security Forces Soil the Country’s Image

4) Indonesian bishop seeks justice for killings in restive Papua

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/knpb-hold-communal-worshop-to-support-pif-meeting-in-png/

1) KNPB Hold Communal Worshop to Support PIF Meeting in PNG

KNPB’s flag – Jubi

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Yogyakarta, Jubi – Central West Papua National Committee (KNPB) performed communal worship at KNPB Secretariat, Waena, Heram Sub-district, Jayapura Municipal on Tuesday (1/9/2015) at 11:00 – 14:20 Papua time to declare support on Pacific Island Forum that would be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 7 – 11 September 2015.

Through email to Jubi on Tuesday (1/9/2015), Central KNPB spokesperson Bazoka Logo said the event would be centered at Central KNPB Secretariat, Kampung Vietnam, Perumnas III Waena and supported by Central KNPB, KNPB Numbay and KNPB Sentani Region.

Through this event, KNPB declared several points, namely Free West Papua to Save Pacific Islanders from Colonialism and Capitalism, Free West Papua to Save Pacific Islanders from Global Warming, Pacific Islander, We Need Your Help from Global Warming, Pacific Islanders We Need Your Help from Genocide and Urge un and to Give Advisory Opinion on Political Statue of West Papua.

Meanwhile, Central KNPB First Chairman Agus Kossay said Papuan people should give support on PIF meeting because people in Pacific countries are keeping give their supports to the people of Papua.
“Support from people in Pacific was proven with the status of ULMWP as observer at MSG Conference at Honiara on 26 June 2015. Now, the issue of West Papua becomes an agenda in PIF,” he said. Further he said KNPB with Papuan people fully support the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting, and expected these leaders could appoint the investigation team and endorse West Papua issue to UN. (Arnold Belau/rom)

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HTTP://TABLOIDJUBI.COM/EN/2015/09/02/SIBURIAN-WARNS-SOLDIERS-AGAINST-ABUSES/

2) SIBURIAN WARNS SOLDIERS AGAINST ABUSES

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Cenderawasih XVII Regional Military Commander Major General Hinsa Sibuarian warned his soldiers against committing abuses in Papua, saying the region is constantly on the spotlight because of the conflict.

Siburian said the Indonesian Military’s job is to nurture, protect and guarantee the security of the people.
“Kodam XVII soldiers must be aware that Papua is currently being highlighted because it is considered a risk area. Therefore, soldiers should maintain the solidarity among the Military body, as well as towards the Police and the community,“ Siburian told Jubi through email on Tuesday (1/9/2015).

He further said the soldiers should be down-to-earth and maintain the unity and integrity of nation. They are afforded by the Supreme Commander with position, fundamental task and responsibility.
“Military has obligation to protect people. Regarding to the last incident happened in TImika, which is two people were allegedly shot by military personnel, it shouldn’t be happened in the future. I also declare to my soldiers to not drinking alcohol. It’s in line with Commander’s order,” he said.

He said should be done in the future is how to encourage the community economy and development in each region. Thus, Commander Siburian said he do not want seeing his soldiers hurt the people’s heart. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/timika-bishop-security-forces-soil-the-countrys-image/

3) Timika Bishop: Security Forces Soil the Country’s Image

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Timika Diocese Church Chairman, Mgr John Philip Saklil, Pr said Indonesian security forces have soiled the image of the country because of their action.

His statement was in response to several murder cases allegedly committed by Military and Police personnel in Papua, in particular the last incident happened in Timika.
“People are free to do whatever they want. People kill each other freely. They are free to destroy the environment and forest at any time. So I want to bluntly say that those behind this impurity are Indonesian Security Forces,” Bishop Sakill said in official press release received by Jubi on Tuesday (01/09/2015).

According to him, this is happened because the government officials have made blunder approaches and deliberately tolerate this impurity to grow, thus affecting the dispute and violence, murder, environmental impairment and deforestation and the transaction of alcohol is growing everywhere in Papua.

Then he invited all parties, namely government, Military, Police and community to learn from the recent cases to not be happened in the future. State regulation or customary law was created to liberate humans from the cause of death, either directly or indirectly. “But humans are always breaking their own rules. It is said that the Military and Police are those who protect and nurture the people, but where’s the evidence? So far they are not protecting and nurturing, but destroying people instead. It’s the fact,” he said.

According to him, bad things are commonly happened in this country that gave impression that the State adopt the impurity. All king of impurities always raise violence and murder, vengeance and conflict, corruption-collusion-nepotism, materialism-hedonism-secularism. The impurity culture is the culture of death. Moral crisis is happening in all areas of human life.

In separate place, Regional Secretary of Mimika Regency, Ausilius Yous said he has agreed and instructed the Police to thoroughly investigate the case.
“This is really inhumane. I curse the perpetrators. I also asked the District Military Commander and Mimika Police to thoroughly investigate this case. It should be settled according to the law. This is the State of Law. The law should be enforced,” Ausilius You confirmed to Jubi on Tuesday (01/9). (Abeth You/rom)

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http://www.ucanews.com/news/indonesian-bishop-seeks-justice-for-killings-in-restive-papua/74194

4) Indonesian bishop seeks justice for killings in restive Papua

Soldiers accused of opening fire on graduation party at church compound

Katharina R. Lestari, Jakarta Indonesia September 2, 2015

Indonesian Bishop John Philip Saklil of Timika in Indonesia's Papua province accused the military and police of carrying out violent attacks on civilians in the conflict-prone region, calling security personnel "protectors of immoral criminals".

"Based on our record, there are a number of violent incidents being brutally committed by members of the Indonesian military and police in our ecclesiastical area," the bishop said in a statement sent to ucanews.com on Sept. 2.

Bishop Saklil referred to five specific acts of violence that occurred between December and August. None of the incidents were properly investigated by the military or police, he said.

The latest violence happened Aug. 28 when two soldiers allegedly opened fire on a graduation party being held inside a church compound in Timika, killing two people and injuring five.

According to the bishop's statement, the soldiers had tried to enter the party earlier in the evening, but were blocked by parish security personnel. They later returned, allegedly enraged and drunk, according to the bishop's statement.

The soldiers entered the church compound and pointed their weapons at members of the congregation before opening fire. Killed in the attack were Imanuel Herman Mairimau, 23, and Yulianus Okoware, 23, both Catholics. The pair were buried Aug. 30 following a funeral Mass in St. Francis Mission Station in Timika.

Local media reported that several suspects were arrested, but Bishop Saklil raised doubts that the military can be trusted to investigate themselves.

Transparency

The bishop said military and police commanders lacked the "good will" to perform a transparent investigation. The police and military are "protectors of immoral criminals, instead of protectors of people," he said.

"Whatever the reason is, attacking civilians by using the state apparatus is surely a violation against human rights," Bishop Saklil said.

Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Wuryanto told local media that the Timika military police were investigating the most recent killings.

"We will ensure that the military court law will be strictly imposed on any soldier proven guilty," he said.

However, in a Sept. 1 statement, the Jakarta-based Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence said that the military court lacks the transparency and accountability to conduct a fair investigation that offers justice to the victims.

Father Amandus Rahaded of Timika, who celebrated the funeral Mass for Mairimau and Okoware, also demanded transparency into the murder investigation.

"The legal process must be transparent. Everyone must know about the ongoing legal process," he told ucanews.com.

Father Rahaded said the violent incidents were initially investigated, but eventually "faded away."

"So now people feel hopeless," he said.

Papua has been beset by a decades-long conflict over Indonesia's takeover of the region following the withdrawal of the Dutch colonial administration in 1962. The guerrilla Free Papua Movement has led a low-level insurgency against Indonesia, marked by sporadic clashes and crackdowns on the Papuan people.

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Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088

Media release- 3 September 2015

The PIF leaders can help the West Papuan people

As the 46th Pacific Islands Forum summit in Port Moresby approaches (7-11 September) civil society groups throughout the region are calling on the PIF leaders to help the West Papuan people.

Solidarity and church groups are calling on the PIF leaders to have the issue of West Papua as one of its priority issues on the agenda at the Forum. In the past the situation in West Papua has been discussed at the PIF and concerns at the human situation in the territory mentioned in the official communiqué. However, in recent years it has been dropped from the PIF agenda no doubt because of pressure from Australia and Indonesia.

Joe Collins of AWPA said, “ It is hoped that the PIF leaders have noted the growing support throughout the Pacific region for the right of the people of West Papua to self-determination. The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders noted this growing support for West Papua when the granted the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) observer status at the MSG summit in the Solomon Islands. Solidarity groups in the region have written to the PIF leaders urging that West Papua be not only put back on the agenda at the PIF but that the PIF leaders go on a fact finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory”.

The MSG leaders have brought West Papua back to the Pacific. Time for the PIF leaders to do the same.

Ends.

Our friends from Aotearoa and the ULMWP (United Liberation Movement for West Papua) made this short video calling for people in the Pacific (that includes Australia J) to encourage the Pacific Island Forum leaders to support a fact finding mission to West Papua. They ask us top please watch this video and send this link far and wide > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0OtGexu-M&feature=youtu.be.

If you are in Australia please send a message to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urging her to support the call for a fact finding mission to West Papua. She will be meeting with Pacific Island leaders in Port Moresby next week. If you are from another Pacific Island country please contact your foreign minister. Help bring West Papua back to the Pacific family.

Encouragingly, the Solomon Island Government has already announced they will create a Special Envoy for West Papua. Melanesian leaders have also made the ULMWP an observer of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. These are good starts and they happened because of people power. Let’s urge other Pacific Island Leaders to also stand up for West Papua next week in Port Moresby.

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2) Strengthening Jakarta–Jayapura trust key to development in Papua

3) Walk for Freedom marches to highlight West Papua, as the Pacific Islands Forum meets

4) South Sorong: Oil palm industry continues its rapid expansion.

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

Original bahasa link at

http://majalahselangkah.com/content/-polisi-hadang-aksi-damai-knpb-dan-prd-timika

1) Police Prevent Protest KNPB and PRD Timika
Author: Mateus Badii | Thursday, September 3, 2015 19:46 Viewed: 246 Comments: 0

Mass action when confronted by security forces. Photo: Doc. KNPB

Timika, STEP MAGAZINE - Police officers block the action of the people of Papua are mediated by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the Regional People's Parliament (PRD) region of Timika, on Thursday (3/09/2015). Action mounting grief candles and worship is done in order to say to the world that Papua is being used as an 'emergency zone' by the Indonesian military.

"The peace rally we've done in the form of worship, action wax and submit two (2) corpses were shot TNI on 28 August. All we are doing as a symbol that the current area of Papua zoned emergency by the Indonesian military," said Abihud Degei, chairman of the PRD Timika region.

According to him, the shooting which occurred on August 28, 2015 against two young men in Timika in Papua is a continuation of the bloody Paniai case, Tolikara case and other similar cases in Papua. Everything prove Papua region used as a military operation. "All the series of events is done on purpose. If we keep quiet we shall die, let the voice of what really happened," said in an interview Degei majalahselangkah.com.

Meanwhile, the chairman of KNPB Timika region, Steven Itlay said democracy for the people of Papua have not been felt. Whatever you want to do Papuans prohibited security forces for various reasons that are not logical. "People want to do worship Papua banned, blocked a peaceful demonstration, expression in public is always confronted with the military, this is the reality that occurs in the land of Papua today," said Itlay

He said, this time, the people of Papua have the right of expression in public, while the liability obligations of the police as the security forces only carry out the law, but a real democracy is not really felt the Papuans. All the activities carried Papuans considered separatist activities.

"Mutual respect is important, peaceful action undertaken guaranteed legal, the authorities have a legal obligation to execute the state adheres to democratic Indonesia, the authorities even against its own law, is strange and only in Papua," he said emphatically

Brief chronology, blocking the action of KNPB and PRD in Timika

At around 7:30 pm Papua masses gathered in the office KNPB Jl. Sewer culvert, Timika, time began to prepare down the road, at about 9:00 pm

Future action spread main banner reads "Indonesia immediately stop genocide Papuans" and the portrait inscribed "the TNI / police stop violence against the Papuan people" diperlihat future action began to move. Future actions also carry two coffins wrapped in black cloth, a symbol of grief over the shooting of two youths in Timika in a tight convoy of security forces.

Deterrence occurs when the mass action of entering the highway from the culvert. Assisted by armed military police officers with a car full of barracuda and sniper as well as dozens of security forces does not give leeway to continue the action.

Negotiations were conducted at a stalemate, the police do not give way to mass action continued on the Catholic church cathedral place of worship Timika menjakdi grief along the entire denomination on 2 youth who was shot dead by TNI. Finally hundreds of Papuans action pairs of candles and worship the symbol of sorrow of the people of Papua. Pastor Daniel Bagau cover the whole range of activities with prayer, mass later return to the office action KNPB. (Mateus Badii / MS)

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http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/09/03/strengthening-jakarta-jayapura-trust-key-to-development-in-papua/

2) Strengthening Jakarta–Jayapura trust key to development in Papua

3 September 2015
Author: Yulia I. Sari, ANU
In order to improve the effectiveness of development strategies in Indonesia’s Papua province, trust between the central government in Jakarta and the Papua provincial government in Jayapura needs to be strengthened. The PNPM-RESPEK initiative is a case in point. Following its establishment in 2008, PNPM-RESPEK (the Village Community Empowerment Program in Papua Province), reached almost every village in Papua — a province often recognised as one of Indonesia’s poorest regions. This program was at the heart of the central government’s effort to reduce poverty in Papua Province. For a period of time it was the only program reaching native Papuans in remote rural areas, mostly in the highlands, with very limited access to basic services. The project cost 1.28 billion rupiah (approximately US$128 million) in 2013.
Although the program ended in December 2014, it presents a useful lesson for the government of Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), which is set to implement a new village development program in Papua in the near future. The environment of mistrust between the central government in Jakarta and the provincial Papua government in Jayapura must be addressed in order to achieve real development in Papua’s poorest villages.
Unlike community-driven development programs run in other parts of the country, PNPM-RESPEK was funded by both the central and provincial governments. Specifically, funding was provided through the central government’s Program for Community Empowerment in Rural Areas and the Papua provincial government’s Strategic Village Development Plan. The Papua provincial government was responsible for channelling annual block grants of 100 million rupiah (US$10,000), while the central government provided technical assistance and facilitation.
The implementation of this flagship program has faced several challenges that may hinder the achievement of long-term goals and the sustainability of future programs. These include the timeframe, demanding administrative requirements, limited access to recipient villages and facilitation quality. The resolution of these issues was not helped by the prevailing environment of mistrust.
A lack of synchronization over the timing of central and provincial government funding provision limited the ability of the subdistrict facilitators to deliver the program. While central government funding was ready for disbursement early in the year, provincial government funds were generally not available until September, October or even November. This became an issue as the provincial government temporarily deactivated villagers’ bank accounts over the Christmas period to prevent misuse of funds. This gave only a short window of time, from September to mid-December, for the funds to be used.
The sub-district facilitators were also subjected to lengthy administrative requirements for every stage of the program. They had to facilitate at least nine implementation stages, prepare required documents for the disbursement of funding, and write project and individual progress reports for each of between four to 13 villages in each sub-district. As a result of these reporting requirements, the time that facilitators had available for actual program implementation was limited. Sub-district facilitators, as the forefront of this program, prioritised the fulfilment of their numerous administrative obligations over improving the quality of project implementation.
The program also suffered from issues of accessibility, with limited roads and transportation facilities resulting in high costs required to reach many areas in Papua. These costs were not met by transportation budgets. As a result, facilitator supervision, especially in poorly accessible areas, was minimal and sometimes even omitted altogether.
Stakeholder discussions proposed several recommendations for reform. The two most significant were to expand the program’s budgetary cycle to biannual cycles — one year for planning and one year for implementation, giving more time to facilitators to plan. And to formulate a special operational technical guide for Papua that considers geographical accessibility issues and reduces unnecessary paperwork.
But these recommendations faced critical challenges in their execution. The provincial government, especially the governor, opposed the first recommendation because while the amount of funds would remain unchanged, they would be channelled only once every two years. This would likely have political repercussions, as village elite’s unhappiness with this ‘long delay’ could potentially reduce the governor’s popularity.
The follow-up on the second recommendation has stalled as there has not been a clear agreement about who should formulate a specific Community Empowerment Operational Guide for Papua. The provincial government and facilitators feel that the current guidelines are too ‘Jakarta-centric’ and would like to formulate their own, but they feel that they have never been entrusted with that authority. On the other hand, the central government expects Jayapura to be more proactive and to take the initiative.
Unfortunately, the central government seems hesitant to pursue further dialogue or lobbying because they feel uneasy about dealing with Jayapura. At the same time, Jayapura believes that Jakarta has not been serious in following up Jayapura’s needs. These misperceptions, which are rooted in decades of unresolved conflict and deep distrust between Jakarta and Jayapura, have hampered the improvement of project implementation.
With President Jokowi’s forthcoming program to accelerate development in Papua, as well as the forthcoming implementation of Village Law No.6/2014, there will be a significant rise in the allocation of funds directly to villages, including in Papua. Most likely, this will be through the mechanism of the village community empowerment program.
But the effectiveness of these programs is highly dependent on how consistent Jokowi and central government bureaucrats are in keeping their promise of building dialogue and trust with Jayapura. To achieve this, the Jokowi government must focus on facilitating more communication and consultation with the Papua provincial government. Without a fundamental transformation of this relationship, it is likely that future development initiatives will continue to repeat the same unsuccessful pattern.
Yulia I. Sari is a PhD Candidate at the Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-03/walk-for-freedom-marches-to-highlight-west-papua/6745838

3) Walk for Freedom marches to highlight West Papua, as the Pacific Islands Forum meets

Updated yesterday at 8:46am
Supporters of the Free West Papua campaign have planned a series of marches to coincide with the Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby next week.
What they're calling Walk for Freedom marches will take place on Wednesday afternoon in Port Moresby, Madang, Popondetta and Mount Hagen.
Fred Mambrasar, coordinator of the Free West Papua Campaign, says they have support from at least one high-profile West Papua campaigner.

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https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1313

4) South Sorong: Oil palm industry continues its rapid expansion.

By ADMIN | Published: SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

In mid-2013, there was no oil palm planted in South Sorong Regency. The logging industry had made an impact on the forest in the area, but the area was still covered by forest, much of it classified by the Indonesian Government as primary forest.

By early 2014, two subsidiaries of the Austindo Nusantara Jaya Group had started clearing this forest, and by the end of the year PT Varia Mitra Andalan (a subsidiary of Eagle High Plantations Tbk.) was also logging for an oil palm plantation.

Aside from the environmental destruction, this new industry has brought conflict with the local community. On August 25th, two men were convicted after having been arrested on a demonstration protesting against Austindo Nusantara Jaya back in May. Odie Aitago was sentenced to 7 months in prison, and Obet Korie to five months.

But more companies are getting ready to join them. Last week local government officials met to discuss the Frames of Reference for the Environmental Impact Assessments (KA-ANDAL) of two more companies PT Persada Utama Agromulia (PAU) and PT Anugrah Sakti Internusa (ASI) which are planning to clear another 25,000 and 37,000 hectares respectively to plant with oil palm. Both companies are believed to be subsidiaries of the Indonusa Agromulia Group. The KA-ANDAL is the first stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment process. Here is a translation of the report of the event taken from the South Sorong Regency website:

Two Oil Palm Companies Ready to Invest.

TEMINABUAN- It seems that land in South Sorong is just right for oil palm plantations. This has been shown by two oil palm companies which are ready to invest in the regency, in addition to the plantations which are already underway.
The two companies are PT Persada Utama Agromulia (PAU) and PT Anugerah Sakti Internusa (ASI), which plan to operate in different areas. PT PUA’s concession is in Wayer and Kais Darat Districts, with PT ASI in Teminabuan and Konda districts. In relation to the two companies’ preparations to invest, their Frames of Reference for the Environmental Impact Assessment (KA-ANDAL) were discussed and evaluated as an initial step by the Environment Impact Assessment Evaluation Commission’s technical team. PT PUA’s KA-ANDAL was discussed on Wednesday 19th August and PT ASI’s on Thursday 20th August in the Women’s Building. The meeting of the technical team was chaired by the head of the local cleanliness and environment agency Dr Yusuf Sipayung who is also head of the Evaluation Commission, with Chris Untajana acting as moderator.
The technical team is comprised of local government bodies with competence evaluating KA ANDAL documents, such as the environment agency, forestry agency, agriculture agency, Production Forest Management Unit (KPH) and the Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA). Two members of the Regional Environmental Management Agency for West Papua province also joined the technical team, as did three expert members from an academic background, two from the University of Papua in Manokwari and one from Universitas Victory in Sorong. The company initiating the project and the consultant which prepared the KA ANDAL documents were given the chance to make presentations, and then the technical team and expert members questioned the company. The company gave a detailed explanation of its environmental impact assessment, including technical and socio-cultural aspects. The two oil palm companies will use a plasma system to engage local people. The companies will also build factories to process the palm oil.
The technical team passed on their suggestions for improving the KA ANDAL to the company and the consultants. In principle the technical team agreed that the two companies should proceed to the next stage, with the proviso that the company makes the changes which the technical team and expert members suggested, according to the time available.
Source: http://www.sorongselatankab.go.id/index.php/news/read/2015/08/23/125/dua-perusahaan-sawit-siap-investasi.html

Previously, two more subsidiaries of the Internusa Agromulia Group were also trying to process the permits they need for oil palm plantations in South Sorong: PT Internusa Jaya Sejahtera (40,000 hectares) and PT Dinamika Agro Lestari (35,000 hectares). No updates have been received on the status of those two companies.

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Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088

Summary of events in West Papua for August – (4 Sept.) 2015

Pacific Islands Forum

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders are meeting in Port Moresby during the week of the 7th-11th September. Solidarity groups in the region are calling on the PIF leaders to have the human rights situation in West Papua as one of its priority issues on the agenda at the Forum. In the past the situation in West Papua has been discussed at the PIF and concerns at the human rights situation in the territory mentioned in the official communiqué. However, in recent years it has been dropped from the PIF agenda no doubt because of pressure from Australia and Indonesia. It is hoped that the PIF leaders have noted the growing support throughout the Pacific region for the right of the people of West Papua to self-determination as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders did when they granted the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) observer status at the MSG summit in the Solomon Islands. Solidarity groups in the region have written to the PIF leaders urging that West Papua be put back on the agenda at the PIF and that the PIF leaders go on a fact finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory. AWPA’s open letter at http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/open-letter-to-pacific-islands-forum.html

In a RNZI report (13 August 2015) The head of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat presented five priority issues for leaders to address in regards to greater regionalism. The issues were identified by the recently created Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism and have been presented to the Forum Officials Committee meeting in Suva. The five issues are increased economic returns from fisheries and maritime surveillance; climate change and disaster risk management; information and communication technology; West Papua and cervical cancer. She reminded the officials of the important role they play and said this means focusing more sharply on high priority issues and on the delivery of results that make practical and positive differences http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/281311/forum-presented-with-five-priority-issues Groups from Aotearoa and the ULMWP made a short video calling for people in the Pacific to encourage the PIF leaders to support a fact finding mission to West Papua. They ask us to please watch this video and send the link far and wide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0OtGexu-M&feature=youtu.be.

Two killed in Timika

Two people died and three others were injured on the 28 August when a solider opened fire on a group of civilians. 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. The Bishop of Timika, John Philips Saklil condemned the shootings by military personnel. According to Santon Tekege, a pastoral staff member at Timika Diocese the shooting occurred when two drunken 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. Two members of the Military District Command (Kodim) 1710/Timika have been arrested. 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 Pacific churches have also condemned the killing of the two West Papuans. They have called on regional leaders to speak out against summary killings, torture and human rights abuse in the Indonesian region.

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 (RNZI 31 Aug./Jakarta Post 29&31 Aug.). – On the 3^rd September the Police blocked a gathering of members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the Regional People's Parliament (PRD) region of Timika. They had gathered peacefully to worship the death of the two men killed by the security forces. The chairman of KNPB Timika region, Steven Itlay said democracy for the people of Papua have not been felt. Whatever you want to do Papuans are prohibited by the security forces for various reasons that are not logical. "People want to do worship Papua banned, blocked a peaceful demonstration, expression in public is always confronted with the military, this is the reality that occurs in the land of Papua today," said Itlay (majalahselangkah.com). Photos on blog at http://suarawiyaimana.blogspot.co.id/2015/09/polisi-memblokade-aksi-damai-rakyat.html

News in brief

Papuans behind bars July 2015: Threats to human rights defenders in Papua on the rise

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……………… Full update http://www.papuansbehindbars.org/?p=3546

Jakarta Post Editorial: Jokowi and the foreign press

The Jakarta Post Editorial August 28 2015. 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. -

Freeport Slashes Mining Budget, Cuts Jobs as Copper Slumps

( By: Susan Taylor 27, 2015. Toronto). Freeport-McMoran Inc said on Thursday it will slash its mining capital budget by 25 percent next year and cut 10 percent of its US mine staff, as the diversified miner and energy producer attempts to weather an ongoing slump in copper prices. Shares of Freeport-McMoran, which will suspend operations and lower production at some US mines, surged 22 percent to $9.67 after the announcement. This marks the latest in a string of cuts from the Arizona-based company, which earlier this month reduced the 2016 and 2017 oil and gas capital budgets by 31 percent to $2 billion per year. Freeport now plans to spend $2 billion on mining in 2016, for a total capital budget of $4 billion. Last month it cut total spending to $4.7 billion from $5.6 billion forecast in July. "This is a step in the right direction to stop the bleeding; however, current copper and oil prices restrict the company's ability to materially de-lever," Cowen and Co analyst Anthony Rizzuto wrote in a note to clients. "We believe there is room for additional spending cuts and/or production curtailments, especially in North America and Indonesia.” To diversify from its copper, gold and molybdenum mining, Freeport acquired two oil and natural gas producers in 2013. Those deals bulked up its debt, which was $20.9 billion at June 30. If the cuts and plans to raise up to $1 billion through an equity issue and the IPO of a minority stake in its energy business are not enough, asset sales could be next, Jefferies analyst Christopher LaFemina said in a note. Freeport's stake in the Cerro Verde copper mine in Peru could fetch $4 billion, the El Abra deposit in Chile $1.1 billion, and the Morenci mining complex in Arizona $1.6 billion, he wrote. With seven copper mines in North America, Freeport will suspend operations at its Miami mine in Arizona, halve production at Tyrone in New Mexico and "adjust" rates at other U.S. sites, while reducing its workforce by 1,000. Henderson mine molybdenum production will be cut by 35 percent. Cash production costs to produce a pound of copper are now estimated at $1.15, down from $1.25 previously. Seen as a proxy for industrial activity, copper prices sank to six-year lows this week amid ongoing worries over China's economy. Freeport lowered its copper sales estimates for 2016 and 2017 by about 150 million pounds ($230 million). It previously forecast 2016 sales of 5.4 billion pounds. (Reuters)

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

The West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda said his family is being targeted by the Indonesian military after the murder of a family member. ABC reported that he said 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 (ABC 20 Aug). http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-20/west-papuan-independence-leader-says-indonesian/6710640

NZ MP calls for more engagement on Papua

RNZI 19 August) Carmel Sepuloni was one of around ten MPs who met with the visiting secretary-general of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octo Mote last night in Wellington. Mr Mote discussed what he describes as growing regional support for international recognition of West Papuans' concerns with Indonesian rule. Ms Sepuloni says New Zealand's relationship with Indonesia shouldn't preclude it pushing for West Papuans to have their rights honored and to be treated fairly by Indonesian authorities. "Yeah I think it's something that New Zealand has to take seriously, and we need to be involved in the conversations that are happening, as our West Papuan leaders have said. The Pacific Forum and the Pacific small island states are really important in terms of progressing this issue and New Zealand needs to be part of that dialogue, so I think we should all actually be engaged with this and not scared to talk about it. "

New York Agreement. West Papuan supporters held rallies in cities around the world to commemorate the New York Agreement, the day of broken promises on the 15 August. This shameful act, the signing of the New York Agreement lead to the betrayal of the West Papuan people. In Sydney supporters held a rally at the Prime Ministers Sydney residence. Photos at http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/photos-of-rally-outside-kirribilli.html

Church Demands Jayapura Police Chief Deputy be Fired over Sunday Raid

( JUBI POSTED BY: ADMIN AUGUST 12, 2015) Jayapura, Jubi – The church has demanded Papua Police toremove the Jayapura deputy police chief (Wakapolres) be fired over a raid carried out by dozens of officers around the Kingmi Church in Doyo Baru, Jayapura regency on Sunday (09/08/2015). One of the assemblies of Ninom church, Nikius Bugiangge said Jayapura police chief deputy is responsible for the action. He said Wakapolres should be removed because he ordered the search. “We’ve asked and he said he sent them and this is not right and unacceptable. If the other days might be understandable, but this happened on Sunday, when the people were worshiping. It was a day of worship of Christians and must be respected, ” Nikius said via telephone to the Jubi on Tuesday (11/8/2015). According to him, the church has written to the Papua Police and Christians of various churches in Papua will hold a peaceful demonstration at the local police. Papua Police must apologize, and explain to the public as well as remove local police chief deputy, he said. “When police officers ransacked residents’ housing, they came as if they want to fight or look for terrorists. Some entered through the window when I could not open the doors of homes. In fact there are sick people threatened with a weapon. What does it mean?, “member of Papua Legislative Council said. Previously, Rev. Yones Wenda who led worship when shakedown said police entered the church when worship took place. Police surrounded the houses behind the new church that has not been inaugurated. “At home, some family are sick. Police immediately held-arms of the front door, back door and windows. Family homeowners who are ill at gunpoint and told to stand up straight. They did not show a warrant and did not say their goal, “said Rev.Yones to Jubi, on Sunday (09/08/2015). He further said local police chief deputy ordered his members to conduct a search for weapons and HP’s home burgled. (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)

Comments/opinion pieces/reports etc.

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

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

Report by Peter Arndt “WEST PAPUA: The Irrepressible Struggle for Freedom” at

http://www.justinandout.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Arndt-WP-Struggle-for-Freedom-2015.pdf

New song from George Telek, “Free West Papua (One People, One Soul)

https://soundcloud.com/wantokmusik/telek-free-west-papua-one-people-one-soul

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

http://www.eastwestcenter.org/system/tdf/private/api118.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=35269

Photos from the ‘International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’

http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/photos-from-international-day-of-worlds.html

Relaunching destruction in Papua: monoculture agriculture project threatens indigenous lands and livelihoods

https://www.grain.org/bulletin_board/entries/5247-relaunching-destruction-in-papua-monoculture-agriculture-project-threatens-indigenous-lands-and-livelihoods

ANJ Agri case: prosecution demands prison sentences for indigenous protesters Obet Korie and Odi Aitago

https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1292

South Sorong: Oil palm industry continues its rapid expansion.

https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1313

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http://bennywenda.org/2015/press-statement-benny-wendas-papua-new-guinea-visa-application-rejected-again/

Press Statement: Benny Wenda’s Papua New Guinea VISA Application Rejected Again.

Sep 4, 2015 • 00:43

Once again, Benny Wenda’s Papua New Guinea visa application has been rejected and he has been left unable to travel to Papua New Guinea. This shock visa rejection comes despite assurances from Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in an interview with ABC News Australia earlier this year that, there was “no reason why he shouldn’t be granted one”. Following the rejection of Benny Wenda’s visa, he has written this Press Statement on the issue.

Press Statement: My Papua New Guinea VISA Application Rejected Again.
To West Papua, ULMWP and all the Melanesian and Pacific family,
Papua New Guinea (PNG) has rejected my application for a visa to enter the country for the second time. I am disappointed that PNG as a democratic country which values democracy, freedom and justice has come to this decision. The first, I was informed that the issue was an administrative matter and the reason given was that I did not complete the necessary PNG immigration documents and procedures.
As per an invite by the Governor of the National Capital District (NCD), Hon. Powes Parkop to attend a human rights refugee conference, and also take part in other events including PNG’s 40th independence celebrations, and the Pacific Island Forum in my capacity as the spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP); I launched a full visa application which was checked by my lawyer and I preceded with flight bookings. A few hours before I was due to board my flight from London Heathrow to Port Moresby this week, I found out that the PNG immigration rejected my visa application, and as a result, I have cancelled this trip to PNG. There were no proper details or formal explanation from the PNG High Commission in London as to why my visa application was rejected.
I respect the decision by PNG Government and its immigration department, but I hereby appeal to the Government to not penalise the struggle of the people of West Papua. I strongly urge Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill and all Pacific leaders to stand firm as Pacific leaders and support the issue of West Papua at the leaders meeting next week.
West Papua is one of five top priority areas on the Pacific Island leaders Forum agenda, and I appeal to the people of PNG and the Pacific to rally your support on the recommendations set before the leaders.
We the ULMWP are calling on our Pacific leaders to form a high level PIF delegation to undertake a fact finding mission to investigate the human rights abuses in West Papua; and to strongly urge the United Nation to appoint a special envoy on human rights to West Papua.
There is growing support in the Pacific, and I want to personally thank my Pacific brothers and sisters who are always supportive of our freedom journey. Please continue to support the people of West Papua in our struggle for freedom. Thank you also to friends in Australia, New Zealand, and those globally who continue to support West Papua freedom movements.

Benny Wenda
West Papua Independence LeaderSpokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.
Contact:
Benny Wenda Phone: +44 7411 053 953
Jennifer Robinson (Lawyer) +44 7767 707 566
Papua Merdeka!

2) Pacific NGOs want West Papua mission

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/283301/west-papuan-leader-denied-png-visa-again

1) West Papuan leader denied PNG visa again

Updated at 1:53 pm today

The West Papua independence activist, Benny Wenda, has been denied entry into Papua New Guinea.

Mr Wenda was invited to Port Moresby by the city's governor, Powes Parkop, to attend a conference and other events, including next week's Pacific Islands Forum Summit.

But he says his visa application was denied with no explanation, and his lawyers say there was nothing wrong with the application.

The denial follows Mr Wenda's deportation from PNG last year when it emerged he did not have a required visa.

Mr Wenda says he received assurances he was clear to enter PNG again, but he suspects he may be on some immigration blacklist.

"The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea has already stated in a media interview that 'if Benny applied for a visa, he's free to come in'. So I tried to apply for a visa to enter the country, but again [I was] rejected for the second time. So I don't know whether it's a country decision to not allow me to enter."

A call has been made to Papua New Guinea's Immigration Department, but they are yet to respond.

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/283315/pacific-ngos-want-west-papua-mission

2) Pacific NGOs want West Papua mission

Updated at 3:30 pm today

Pacific civil society groups are adding their weight to a call for a Pacific Islands Forum mission to the Indonesian region of West Papua.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua recently asked that a fact-finding mission be sent to to investigate allegations of human rights abuses.

Civil societies and non-governmental organisations have met in Port Moresby before the Forum Leaders summit next week.

Emele Duituturaga from the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs, or PIANGO, says the two main issues the group wants Forum leaders to address are climate change and West Papua.

Ms Duituturaga says the group wants an international binding agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

She says the time has also come to look at West Papua.

"We have information directly from West Papua of the human rights violation atrocities. Yes, we know that this is being questioned. This is also why we are calling for a fact-finding mission into those human rights violations. This is quite urgent."

United Liberation Movement for West Papua was recently granted observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group sub-regional organisation.

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2) West Papua is Inseparable from the Pacific

3) Papuan Students Urge Jokowi to Withdraw the Military from Papua

4) Papuan students call on Jokowi to withdraw military

5) It is Necessary to Issue Restriction Number of Military Policy in Papua

6) Soldiers Told Not to Carry Weapons in City

7) PNG Foreign Minister intervenes in passport saga, Pacific journalists to have their passports returned

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http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2015/09/04/bp-security-and-human-rights-in-west-papua/

1) BP, security and human rights in West Papua

KYLIE MCKENNA, GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

– 4 SEPTEMBER 2015POSTED IN: INDONESIA, INDONESIAN POLITICS

Image by AK Rockefeller http://akrockefeller.com/

BP is trialing new approaches to security at a major gas site in the Indonesian province. It provides an important opportunity for human rights protection at a potential conflict site. But will it work and can multinational companies be trusted to protect locals?

Indonesia’s handling of human rights has led it to be considered ‘one of three countries (along with Colombia and Nigeria) in which human rights in the corporate sphere are most obviously endangered’ (see Chris Ballard’s, Human rights and the mining sector in Indonesia).

This is especially true in West Papua where there is ongoing allegations of torture, forced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and the application of treason and blasphemy laws to limit freedom of expression.

Human rights violations have been of particular concern in areas surrounding Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mining complex. With a financial interest in maintaining a presence at Grasberg, the Indonesian military has been accused of orchestrating numerous shooting incidents in the area, and then blaming the attacks on Papuan separatists.

Those who link the shootings to the military claim they are an attempt to demonstrate the military’s importance to Freeport in order to secure on-going security payments. These shootings, along with other violent incidents, have raised concerns as to whether it is possible for multinational corporations (MNCs) to invest in West Papua, while maintaining a commitment to human rights.

One such company is BP, which entered West Papua in 2005 as the operator of the Tangguh Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project. While geographically distant from the Grasberg mining complex, BP acknowledged that security would be the most difficult and sensitive issue it would face in its Tangguh operations.

As with Freeport, BP is required to subsidise public security expenses mandated by the government. Payments made by BP in direct support of Tangguh security in 2012 amounted to more than US $69,000.

But as an alternative to exclusively relying upon the Indonesian security forces, the company has implemented its own Integrated Community Based Security(ICBS) strategy.

ICBS came in response to recommendations by international human rights consultants that BP should limit the deployment of security personnel in the vicinity of the Tangguh project.
The strategy is based on a model of community policing that had never been used for security at a major extractive site.

BP has made three specific commitments as part of its ICBS strategy. First, the use of an unarmed ‘inner ring’ of Papuans, many from the local area, for everyday security of the project. Second, a commitment to only call the police, not the military, and only if a security problem escalates.

And third, the provision of human rights training (including the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, or VPs, and UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force) for ICBS, police and military personnel who would be called in if a security incident were to intensify.

BP has received both praise and suspicion for its security approach in West Papua.

Internationally, it is cited as an example of ‘innovation’ in conflict sensitive business practice. ICBS has also attracted recommendation within Indonesia, with claims by one report that ‘security officials are encouraging other companies to adopt similar security models’.

On the other hand, the same report suggests ‘there is little familiarity’ with the ICBS system at the national level, but ‘there is relief that it seems to be working effectively and that no security or human rights issues have developed at Tangguh’.

While the report goes on to note that ‘no political violence, separatist inspired or otherwise’ has occurred at Tangguh, BP has faced similar problems to Freeport. One of the biggest risks the company has faced in its implementation of ICBS is that Indonesian security forces might orchestrate attacks similar to the shooting incidents around Freeport.

Indonesian military agents were suspected of provoking violence even prior to the construction of Tangguh in ‘an unconventional bid for a lucrative “protection” contract’ (Kirksey, 2009: 150-1).

Kirksey and Grimston (2003) also claim that while BP has sought to cut the military out of a security deal, ‘the company is using officers from the country’s feared Mobile Police Brigade (Brimob) — which has also been accused of numerous human rights abuses’.

Further, even though ICBS has been well received by some Papuan NGO workers and religious leaders, not all Papuans are convinced about community security.

As one Papuan religious leader told me in an interview:

I am still so pessimistic about this because they are contractors for the government. There must be government responsibility inside to protect – there must be army or policemen inside even if not in uniform.

Overall, BP’s ICBS strategy in West Papua suggests that international business and human rights initiatives might open valuable opportunities for MNCs to contribute to security sector reform in their areas of operation.

Before promoting ICBS as a ‘model program’ however, it is crucial that more research be conducted into how successful this strategy actually is; how it works; how it relates to non-security related human rights concerns (eg discrimination); and how BP’s ability to implement ICBS might reflect on broader changes within the political economies of West Papua and Indonesia.

Of particular concern is that much of the available information on ICBS has been written by BP’s Tangguh Independent Advisory Panel (TIAP) whose independence and inclusivity has been questioned (Hickman and Barber, 2011, p 15).

If, in fact, BP is deemed to have successfully avoided human rights violations after 10 years of operations in West Papua, ICBS might offer important lessons on human rights protection at other extractive sites, both within Indonesia and internationally.

Dr Kylie McKenna is a research fellow at the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia program in the ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs. She recently authored a major study on corporate social responsibility and natural resource conflict.

References

Ballard, C. 2001. Human Rights and the Mining Sector in Indonesia: A Baseline Study.

Hickman , A. & Barber , P. 2011. Tangguh, BP & international standards: An analysis

of the commitments made by BP in relation to BP Tangguh in West Papua and their

social and environmental responsibilities.

Kirksey, E. 2009. “Don’t Use Your Data as a Pillow”. In A. Waterston & M.D Vesperi (eds). Anthropology Off the Shelf: Anthropologists on Writing. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 150-1.

Kirksey, E. & Grimston, J. 20/7/2003. ‘Indonesian Troops for BP Gas Project’.

TIAP 2014. First report on operations and proposed expansion of the Tangguh LNG project.

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/west-papua-is-inseparable-from-the-pacific/

2) West Papua is Inseparable from the Pacific

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Yogyakarta, Jubi – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) said that West Papua is an integral part of the Pacific community.

Before West Papua ( Netherlands New Guinea) was annexed by Indonesia in 1962, it had already been a member of the South Pacific Commission (SPC). Therefore, KNPB urged the PIF to talk about self-determination for West Papua.

“Since then the colonial power Indonesia has excluded West Papua from regional meetings, and made it as a killing field including exploiting natural resources (SDA). While, the political struggle for West Papuan self-determination continues,” General Secretary of KNPB, Ones Suhuniap wrote in the electronic mail received by Jubi on this week.

Chairman of the KNPB, Victor Yeimo said the West Papuans’ struggle for self-determination is part of the efforts to complete the decolonization process in the Pacific islands.
“We hope the leaders of the Pacific countries to urge the United Nations to provide” advisory opinion “(legal advice) about the legal and political status of West Papua and urge West Papua to be registered into the UN Special Committee on decolonization,” he said.

Indonesian colonialism and global capitalism have led to the destruction of Papua’s forests. This is a terrible threat to the future of the Pacific islands from the global warming.
“There is no other way, besides freeing West Papua from Indonesian colonialism and global capitalism in order to maintain forests as a source of our life,” he added.

Indonesian colonialism and foreign corporations are the root of the crimes against humanity that continue to occur in West Papua. Genocide is continuing against ethnic Papuan either openly or systematically. While Indonesia created its strategy to isolate West Papua from international monitoring.
“We urge the leaders of the Pacific countries to send a fact-finding team in order to directly investigate crimes against humanity in West Papua. We strongly support that the Pacific Islands Forum (Pacific Island Forum / PIF) can accept West Papua through the United Lilberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) as an observer so that we can take an active role in discussing and solving the problems in the region together,” he hoped. (Arnold Belau/ Tina)

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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2015/09/04/055697858/PAPUAN-STUDENTS-URGE-JOKOWI-TO-WITHDRAW-THE-MILITARY-FROM-PAPUA

FRIDAY, 04 SEPTEMBER, 2015 | 18:40 WIB

3) Papuan Students Urge Jokowi to Withdraw the Military from Papua

TEMPO.CO, Malang - Dozens of students from Papua united under the Papuan Students Alliance launched a protest at the Malang City Hall on Friday, September 4, 2015, demanding President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to investigate civilian shootings by military personnel.

"This is a nation of laws. The shooter must be probed and brought to trial," protest coordinator Nhoten Suhuniap said on Friday, September 4, 2015.

Last week on August 28, 2015, two civilians in Timika, Papua, were shot dead and two others were injured by the Indonesian Military. The students demanded that the incident must be prevented from recurring. In addition, they demanded the president to withdraw military personnel from Papua.

The students claimed that the number of Papuans killed since May 1, 1963 has reached 500,000 people. Data from the Central Statistics Agency revealed that Papua is currently occupied by 1.7 million Melanesians and 2.3 million non-Papuan people.

The students also urged the government to open the access for international journalists to cover issues occurring in Papua.

"The law provides a guarantee for us to express our opinions in public," Nhoten said.

The students also claimed that they were supported by about a thousand of West Papuan pro-independence students. Dozens of police personnel were deployed to secure the protest.

"The protest was peaceful and non-violent," said Malang City Precinct Police deputy chief Comr. Dewa Putu Darmawan.

EKO WIDIANTO

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/04/papuan-students-call-jokowi-withdraw-military.html

4) Papuan students call on Jokowi to withdraw military

hejakartapost.com | Archipelago | Fri, September 04 2015, 4:32 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/04/papuan-students-call-jokowi-withdraw-military.html#sthash.SICT7uar.dpuf

Dozens of Papuan students demonstrated on Friday in Malang, East Java, calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to bring an end to violence in the eastern-most Indonesian province of Papua by, among other things, withdrawing the military from the province.

Two Papuans were killed – Imanuel Mailmaur and Yulianus Okoware, both aged 23 – and two others injured – Marthinus Apokapo (24) and Marthinus Imapula (25) – when two soldiers opened fire on Aug. 28 in Timika, Papua.

The protesters also demanded that the President ensure that the Indonesian Military (TNI) carry out a proper investigation into the shootings so that the culprits could be prosecuted.

“We know that Indonesia is a country governed by the law, so, investigate and prosecute those who shot the Papuans,” said Nhoten Suhuniap, a spokesperson for the action held at Malang City Hall as quoted by tempo.co.

According to the protesters, the withdrawal of the military will end the violence in Papua.

During the demonstration, they also revealed the alleged kidnapping and torture of civilians on Aug. 27 this year. “It was a serious human rights abuse,” said Suhuniap, adding that more than 500,000 Papuan people had been killed since 1963.

They also demanded that President Jokowi fulfill his promise to give greater access to foreign journalists coming to Papua.

The demonstrators carried various posters and banners, their messages including: “Self-determination is the solution”, “Democracy for the Papuan people” and “Stop exploiting Papua’s wealth”.

Dozens of police officers guarded the demonstration, allowing the protesters to safely voice their views. “The most important thing is that the demonstration is held peacefully. Police officers are only keeping an eye out,” said Malang Deputy chief Comr. Dewa Putu Darmawan. (bbn)(++++)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/it-is-necessary-to-issue-restriction-number-of-military-policy-in-papua/

5) It is Necessary to Issue Restriction Number of Military Policy in Papua

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Chairman of the Board of Regional Leadership Student Association Central Mountains of Papua Indonesia (DPW-AMPTPI) East Indonesia, Nathan Naftali Tebai revealed that the military’s heavy presence is hampering development programs in Papua.

Tebai urged the Government of Papua Province to evaluate the performance of the military.
“I talked to the governor, DPRP and MRP to immediately evaluate the performance of the military in Papua because the presence of the military, police and other military in Papua would interfere the development process in all aspects, “said Natan Naftali Tebai in Jayapura on this week.

Nathan said, the Provincial Government of Papua to immediately issue provincial regulation on military restrictions in Papua. ” Based on our observation, current organic and non organic military in Papua are never recorded by the governor, DPRP and MRP,” Tebai said.

As a result it continued violence in Papua. “Stop violence, murders and shootings to children, students and youth in Papua. All the generations of the Papuan people are haunted in the woods like cuscus, “he said.

He also urged Regional Commander XVII / Cenderawasih to undertake legal proceedings to the perpetrators of the shooting in Timika.
“We (AMPTPI) urges all parties and NGOs to oversee Timika, Paniai, Dogiyai and Yakuhimo cases and the seriousness of the new military commander to standing for justice,” he said hopefully.

Chairman of the Working Group of Indigenous Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP), James Dumupa declared, human beings are created by God.
“If it is believed that God created man, the question is why is people who feel entitled to kill people ?,” said Dumupa in Abepura, Jayapura on Monday (08/31/2015). (Abeth You)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/soldiers-told-not-to-carry-weapons-in-city/

6) Soldiers Told Not to Carry Weapons in City

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Timika, Jubi- District Military Commander 1710 / Mimika Lt. Col. Andi Kusworo, said that the shooting incident in Timika had tarnished the military as an institution and ordered officers to control their subordinates.

“This incident should be a reminder for the military to increase monitoring to each member one by one,” Andi said during a gathering with members of the Kodim 1710 / Mimika in the area of St.Fransiskus church.

“If you know “A” behaves like this, do not be silent only. As one person can make a big problem. Please talk to the members and officers,” the commander said, in Timika, this week.

He further said Kamoro tribal people have issued a lot of statements that they are part of Indonesia and even the families of the military itself.

After this incident, the commander said there would be a regulation issued by Korem 174 / ATW, Brigadier General TNI Supartodi regarding restriction to not carry weapons when members are in town.

He also said there is no longer a member of Kodim 1710 / Mimika who do security in the culverts region, because in fact the area is under the authority Amole police members.

Regarding Liquor (Miras), he asked his officers to follow up, especially in Poumako. (Eveerth)

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http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=156664064655e933c6731e4068bd75

7) PNG Foreign Minister intervenes in passport saga, Pacific journalists to have their passports returned

By Online Editor
01:01 am GMT+12, 04/09/2015, Fiji

By Samisoni Pareti

Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato of Papua New Guinea has intervened in the passport saga involving Pacific Island journalists who are in the country to cover the annual Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit.

“I will make sure those passports are returned,” Honourable Pato told journalists attending a Forum media workshop in the capital Port Moresby today. Among the 30 or so journalists attending the workshop are the seven journalists from Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu whose passports were confiscated upon their arrival in PNG over the last 48 hours.

The group included the manager of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and a veteran of covering previous Pacific Island Forum meetings Makereta Komai and IB magazine’s editor in chief, Samisoni Pareti. They were detained for 3 hours on arrival at Jackson International Airport on Wednesday and were denied access to a telephone or be allowed to buy meals or drinks.

Immigration authorities say the journalists should have applied for the journalist visa and pay 1000 Kina (US$356) in fees before travelling to PNG. Foreign affairs officials and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat were not aware of the special visa and fees until right on the eve of the visiting journalists’ arrival this week.

Asked by local journalists when he opened the Forum Secretariat and the PINA organised two-day workshop at the Gateway Hotel not far from Jackson Airport today, Minister Pato said he has just returned from an overseas trip and has not been briefed about the passport and visa incident.

“I have to take a briefing on that but as understand the position of the past is that there has to be a special arrangement for all of our visitors visiting PNG in connection with the Pacific Islands Forum meeting and whatever needs to be done to remedy this matter, I will instruct the immigration division which is my responsibility to ensure those issues of concerns are addressed for the media because the media clearly has an important role to play and I have already emphasised the role of the media in my (opening) statement this morning.”

President of the PNG Media Council Alex Rini commended Minister Pato for his personal intervention in the matter. Rini is also Editor in Chief of the Post Courier newspaper.

Pacific leaders and their delegations are to start arriving into Port Moresby from tomorrow (Saturday) in time for the Small Island States Summit on Monday next week, to be followed by members of the Pacific ACP group of countries meeting on Tuesday.

The main Forum plenary is scheduled on Wednesday to be followed by the Leaders’ traditional retreat on Thursday with the Forum wrapping up with the Post Forum Dialogue with development partners on Friday next week.

SOURCE: ISLANDS BUSINESS/PACNEWS

2) Freedom fighter shown the way out

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Pacific Islands Forum Update

05 September 2015

Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor Addresses the Media at the PINA/PIFS Regional Media Workshop
in the lead up to the 46th Pacific Islands Forum

MEDIA WORKSHOP

4 September 2015

OPENING REMARKS

BY
SECRETARY GENERAL MEG TAYLOR DBE

Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Rimbink Pato
Esteemed members of the press from across the Pacific
Members of PINA
Colleagues and friends

1. Good morning. Welcome to Papua New Guinea and welcome to this two day media workshop. Your presence here
is appreciated and extremely important.

2. This will be an important Forum Leaders Meeting for many reasons, first and foremost because Leaders will be
considering a range of high priority and perhaps politically contentious issues for our region. However, these issues have come about through new and inclusive process of regional priority setting. The intention is that these issues could have game-changing and far reaching consequences for our region.

[Role of the media]

3. You play an important role in informing the public. For that reason, it is important that media is independent and is
able to convey issues and facts accurately. You must communicate in a way that provokes conversation and discourse on important issues for our region such that we have a well informed public that engages with the important regional issues.
[Regionalism]
4. Since becoming Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, I have prioritised the Framework for
Pacific Regionalism. This Framework is as much about a process for identifying regional priorities, as it is about regional principles and ideals. It is about choosing to work together to address our shared challenges, and to strive towards the region
that we want; in line with our culture, our values, and our principles.

5. But working together requires frank and potentially difficult discussions to be had by our Leaders. Regionalism
has implications for sovereignty. Regionalism has implications for resourcing. Regionalism requires respect for shared
standards and values. These are difficult conversations but they need to take place.

6. They need to take place not simply in the political arena. It is important these discussions also take place in the
public domain – particularly if we are to achieve the deeper regionalism that the Framework encourages us to consider.
Needless to say, the media has a big part to play in raising the level of these discussions in the public domain.

[Framework Process]
7. Five key issues have been identified – through a public process – for Forum Leaders to discuss next week. Let’s
stop to consider this for a moment. For the first time, issues to be discussed at the Leaders level – priority issues –
have been determined by members of the public. Two were based on submissions from regional or sub-regional
organisations. Three were based on submissions from civil society organisations. Again, I think we should recognise
the importance of this. Regional initiatives will be discussed at the highest levels and they were generated by the
public through the framework.

8. These five issues were selected by the Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism, an independent and
representative body, whose role was to consider all 68 regional initiatives that were submitted. The Sub-Committee
applied a range of tests that are set out in the Framework and my colleagues will be able to speak in more detail about
this process throughout the course of the workshop.

9. A fundamental dimension to the Framework for Pacific Regionalism is the shift in the development paradigm that it
calls for. When I returned to the Pacific having spent many years working around the world, I returned to a region
highly dependent on development assistance. With this assistance, and particularly the extent of this assistance,
I also see an inability of our own people and our own Leaders to articulate and prosecute their own development
and political agenda in the region. The Framework calls for us to turn this state of affairs around – to ensure that
our Leaders are setting the regional agenda, based on a public process for identifying key issues. I’m sure you
would agree with me in saying that this represents a major shift in how things are currently done in this region.

[Regional priorities]
10. Let me now turn to speak briefly on the five priority issues that Leaders will discuss.

11. The first issue is increased returns on fisheries. Maximising revenue from our fisheries is of course a potential
game-changer. The estimated value of the catch per year being around 3-4 billion US dollars, but much of this catch
is processed outside of our region. The essence of this initiative is that Leaders agree to restructuring the tuna
industry and phase out foreign fishing vessels over twenty years. The other aspect to this initiative is that Leaders
task Fisheries, Economic and Foreign Ministers to undertake a joint comprehensive evaluation of the regional monitoring,
surveillance and compliance regime.

12. The issue around climate change contains two elements. The first is that Leaders agree on a high level,
political statement on climate change to take to COP 21 in Paris later this year. The second component is that
Leaders endorse a draft strategy on Climate and Disaster Resilient Development in the Pacific.

13. A response to alleged human rights issues within West Papua will also be put to Leaders for consideration.
Three submissions, representing over 30 civil society organisations across the Pacific were put forward. In terms of
the correct nomenclature, it is important to point out that West Papua is the language used by those who made
the submissions on this issue. Needless to say, this is likely to be one of the more contentious issues on the agenda.

14. Leaders will also consider cervical cancer. This week the PNG Medical symposium has been taking place here
in Port Moresby. My friend Dr Glen Mola tells me that a priority conversation across the week has been the need for
an effective national screening and HPV vaccination program to treat cervical cancer in PNG. Research indicates that
this is not a unique situation. Women and their families across the region are experiencing pain and suffering at the
hands of an illness that could be prevented. There have already been positive outcomes in addressing cervical cancer
in Fiji, and there are lessons here that can be applied in other countries in the Pacific.

15. The last issue to be put to Leaders is Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Like the return on
fisheries, ICT has the potential to transform our region. We already see the profound effects that mobile phones
have had in the Pacific. There are educational, economic, health, disaster management, as well as communications
benefits that can be realised if the proper ICT infrastructure is put in place.

[Forum Leaders Program]
16. There are of course a number of other important meetings to take place next week. Let me quickly brief you on
the key meetings and what is to take place in each of these.

17. On Sunday and Monday, a Civil Society Organisation Regional Forum will be held, coordinated by the Forum
Secretariat. There will be about 50 participants in attendance, who will discuss the regional priorities that are
going Leaders. Tuesday they will present their considerations directly to the forum Troika.

18. On Monday, the Smaller Island States Leaders will convene to discuss issues the five priority issues with
particular reference to the implications that they have for Smaller Island States.

19. The Pacific ACP grouping will meet on Tuesday. The meeting will be dedicated to reviewing ways to strengthen
the PACP engagement for better development outcomes in the Pacific region.

20. On Wednesday the Pacific Islands Forum formal session will begin; this is an opportunity for Leaders with
forum associate members and observers to discuss major issues. The day will also include a high level climate
change brief for Leaders, to be coordinated by SPREP and SPC.

21. The Leaders Retreat on Thursday is essentially where they will discuss the five regional issues that have come t
hrough the Framework. In addition to a number of standing issues on the Forum agenda, such as RAMSI, the
Leaders gender equality declaration, a strengthening of the Post-Forum Dialogue, the Post 2015 development
agenda, as well as the Forum Compact.

22. On Friday, Leaders will sit down with Post-Forum dialogue partners to ensure that PFD partners support
the regional priority issues endorsed by Leaders at their retreat.

[Concluding Remarks]
23. So to return to my earlier sentiments, let me reiterate the significance of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism
both within the Secretariat, and also at the Forum Leaders meeting next week.

24. Let me also reiterate the importance that you will play in covering the events over the coming days; I do hope
that your work reaches our Pacific people, and the result is greater discourse and dialogue.

25. Let me again congratulate you on your travels, and welcome you to Papua New Guinea. I wish you all the best
for your workshop, and look forward to the fruits of your labour in the coming days.

Thank you.

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http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=320364

2) Freedom fighter shown the way out

Siteri Sauvakacolo And Solomone Rabulu

Friday, September 04, 2015

WEST Papua will apply to be a member of the Pacific Islands Development Forum, even though freedom fighter Octovanius Mote was denied entry into the PIDF meeting currently being held at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.

Mr Mote, the General-Secretary for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, was part of the Solomon Islands delegation.

Prior to the opening of the summit, he was told that he would not be part of the meeting and to leave the Grand Pacific Hotel premises.

PIDF interim secretary-general Amena Yauvoli said he was not aware of a West Papua delegation and he would also not comment on political matters.

"I am free in this Melanesian land, I am home, I don't care if I am not part of the meeting," Mr Mote said.

"Everybody is behind us in the West Papua fight and no nation can stop us and even though I might not be inside the meeting. It doesn't matter to me, it's too late, our solidarity groups are there."

Mr Mote said he was told he was not in the right place at the right time when he was disallowed from being part of the summit.

Mr Mote said opportunities such as the PIDF gave him the confidence to lobby leaders and gather more countries to rally behind their fight for freedom.

"We will apply to be a member of the PIDF next year, we also ask the leaders to form a fact finding mission and conduct human rights assessment in West Papua and we also ask leaders to call on the UN Secretary-General to call on a special envoy to conduct human rights assessment.

"The West Papua issue is not a local issue anymore, it is a Melanesian issue, it is a South Pacific Forum issue so I have to convey my gratitude to all my solidarity groups because we all work together. As I said, West Papua issue is a human right issue and it's an issue of all human beings who have a heart."

2) Drought Threatens 6,000 hectares of Rice Fields in Merauke

3) Papua Government to Meet Felix Gold

4) Pancasila Not Applicable in Papua, Legislator Says

5) 10 People in Kaptel District, Merauke, Has Leprosy

6) Indonesia: going nowhere fast

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-04/papuan-activist-benny-wenda-barred-from-entering/6751240

1) Papuan activist Benny Wenda barred from entering PNG for PIF summit

Updated Fri at 4:36pm
For the second time in six months immigration authorities in Papua New Guinea have barred the prominent West Papuan activist Benny Wenda from entering the country.
Mr Wenda was planning to travel to Port Moresby for the Pacific Islands Forum but his visa application was rejected .
Back in March he was denied entry into PNG because he did not have a visa.
At the time, Pacific Beat asked the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill about the situation and here's what he had to say.
"There is no reason why he [Benny Wenda] shouldn't be granted one," Prime Minister O' Neill said.
"I have been told of no reason to deny him that opportunity. We welcome everybody to Papua New Guinea."
This time Mr Wenda says he applied for a visa, and even got a lawyer to check that it was completed correctly.
But hours before he was due to board a flight in London he was told the application had been rejected.

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/drought-threatens-6000-hectares-of-rice-fields-in-merauke/

2) Drought Threatens 6,000 hectares of Rice Fields in Merauke

TOPICS:Harvest Paddy
POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
MERAUKE, JUBI – THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOODSTUFFS IN MERAUKE, BAMBANG DWIATMOKO, SAID APPROXIMATELY 6,000 HECTARES OF PADDY FIELDS BELONGING TO FARMERS ARE THREATENED WITH HARVEST FAILURE BECAUSE OF THE PROLONGED DROUGHT.
Bambang said in the second planting season, the target of the department for land clearing is an area of 17,000 hectares, yet only 14,000 hectares realized. The farmers hoped that the rainfall in the eastern part could help but it did not happen.
Due to a shortage of water , approximately 6,000 hectares faced drought.
“I can not mention in detail each village which suffered from drought. Yet generally, the amount of land area as such,” he said.
It is said, that condition can not be avoided by anyone due to natural factors.
“So what can we do. Indeed, there is restlessness and anxiety of the farmers, after most of the land is not managed properly, ” he added.
“I think the problem does not only happen in Merauke, but also in other areas in Indonesia. The cause is the same which is because of the lack of rainfall during the growing season, “he said. (Frans L Kobun/ Tina)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/papua-government-to-meet-felix-gold/

3) Papua Government to Meet Felix Gold

TOPICS:Governor Mining
POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Officials from the provincial government of Papua are scheduled to meet with representatives of Felix Gold from China to discuss the continuation of the construction of a mineral processing plant (smelter) in Timika, Mimika regency.
“Felix Gold plans to visit us in September to present the request for 1000 hectares of land for the construction of the smelter,” Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe said in Jayapura on this week.
He said his government initially objected to the request of 1000 hectares of land, because many wondered what Felix Gold would do besides building a smelter.
“Based on information received, the land area of 1000 hectares will be used to build industry for smelter,” he said.
Meanwhile, the head of Energy and Mineral Resources department in Papua, Bangun Manurung, said it continues to monitor the seriousness of Felix Gold to build a smelter.
“Basically Felix Gold wants to invest in Papua and will conduct a survey. We do not just wait, but we will see its progress, “Bangun Manurung said on last June. (Alexander Loen/ Tina)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/02/pancasila-not-applicable-in-papua-legislator-says/

4) Pancasila Not Applicable in Papua, Legislator Says

TOPICS:Legislator Pancasila

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

JAYAPURA, JUBI – A MEMBER OF THE PAPUA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SAID ALL TALK ABOUT PANCASILA WAS HOLLOW WHE INDIGENOUS PAPUANS CONTINUED TO BE KILLED.

“Pancasila does not apply in Papua as shootings and lives of the Papuan people become target in the name of homeland,” Laurenzus Kadepa, a member of Commission I of Papua Legislative Council on Political, Legal and Human Rights.

There is a command system in military and all shootings against civilians must have been ordered by superiors, including shooting cases in Yakuhimo, Dogiyai, Tolikara and Mimika.
“The state must be held responsible,” said Kadepa via text message to Jubi on this week.

According to him, all the shooting incidents have political interests. Without command and instruction, the members will not dare to shoot as they have wives and children that they have to think.
“The central government does not pay attention to Shooting incident in Timika. However, when Musholla in Tolikara was burned, all state officials came to Tolikara. For them, Musholla is more important than human lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, commission I of Papua Legislative Council, Tan Wie Long said, the Central Government is acting a discrimination and has hurt the people of Papua.
“Papua is also part of Indonesia but there is no justice for the people of Papua. Its approach should be changed. All incidents in Papua do not reflect in the fifth Pancasila which is the principle of Social Justice for the entire of Indonesian people,” said Tan.

“Indonesia country should not be only as a slogan in Papua where in reality people do not like it. Central Government should come to Timika, and resolve the problem. This is what we asked for. Do not just focus on Tolikara case,” he said. (Arjuna Pademme)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/03/10-people-in-kaptel-district-merauke-has-leprosy/

5) 10 People in Kaptel District, Merauke, Has Leprosy

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Merauke, Jubi – The head of Kaptel Health Center, Mariam Wangguway said 10 residents in two villages in Merauke suffered from leprosy and are being treated on a regular basis.

“It is true that about 10 people are suffering from leprosy. I’ve just served for a couple of months, so I do not know for sure when the disease began to spread, “she said to the Jubi on Wendesday (02/09/15)

According to her, besides adults, there are also children who are infected and most spreading through breathing. So that when the immune system is not strong, it will automatically attacked slowly. And leprosy infection starts to emerge in the next 5 years.
“I visited two of the village, and see directly their condition. We from health center routinely provide health care, especially medical aid that can be consumed on a regular basis, “she added.

Separately head of health department in Merauke, Stephen Osok added, health department always instruct the medical staff there to routinely give attention to some of the people who suffered from the disease.
“We also routinely distribute drugs every month to the clinic, as well as given to them,” he added. (Frans L Kobun/Tina)

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http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/indonesia-going-nowhere-fast/

6) Indonesia: going nowhere fast

3 Sep 2015|John McBeth

It took 24 hours—and apparently an angry call from a blindsided President Joko Widodo—for Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo to revoke a raft of new restrictions on visiting foreign journalists, which were similar to those in force during President Suharto’s 32-year rule.

Why they were introduced in the first place is difficult to understand in the current democratic climate, but it showed once again the mixed signals emanating from the Widodo government when it comes to Indonesia’s dealings with the rest of the world.

Cabinet reshuffles or not, the president will have to work harder at ensuring there’s a lot more policy coordination and a lot less economic nationalism if he is to achieve his goal of attracting foreign investment and bringing a better balance to the economy.

New manufacturing industries are vital for sopping up unemployment and steering the country away from its past dependence on natural resources and onto a growth path that will propel it above the current 5%.

Right now, Indonesia is going nowhere fast, offering a welcoming hand in one instance and an arresting hand the next. It’s left the overriding impression that because of the size of its domestic market—and the profits to be gained from it—everything has to be on its terms.

It wasn’t always like this. In the years following the 1997 financial crisis, Indonesians were in despair, wondering where they had gone wrong and why it was taking so long for the country to recover. The arrival of the 2004–2012 commodity boom changed all that.

Officials trot out figures which appear to show productive foreign investment pouring in. But ask any foreign business group or investment bank analyst and they leave no doubt that investors have Indonesia firmly on the back burner.

There are different reasons for this. Admittedly, many centre on the general economic slowdown, with commodity prices still in the doldrums, domestic consumption sinking and a sluggish China weighing down hopes of an imminent world-wide recovery.

But that’s not all. In private forums, businessmen complain about regulatory uncertainty and cloying red tape; they talk of ministries working at cross-purposes and the economic coordinating minister seemingly incapable of getting them on the same page.

In places like Malaysia and China, start-up ventures are lavished with new buildings, modern technology and attractive incentives. In Indonesia, there’s nothing but bureaucratic obstacles, poor infrastructure and a take-it-or-leave-it attitude among senior officials.

One large global company, for example, still can’t secure approval to import a common agriculture commodity for its processing plant—a necessary contingency plan in the event that Indonesia is unable to produce enough to keep it running at full capacity in the future.

Two Korean companies hoping to set up garment and shoe factories in Central Java to take advantage of cheaper labour costs found they had acquired land that was either in the middle of nowhere or not zoned for industrial use.

The list of gripes go on, topped by the Manpower Ministry’s policy of slashing work permits and its recent decision to force all non-resident directors and commissioners to obtain temporary permits, whether they attend meetings in Indonesia or not.

Like the media restrictions, you would think it would take only a phone call to resolve. Instead, Widodo demonstrated his ignorance of procedures by saying he wanted to scrap temporary stay visas. That would leave the related work permit issue untouched.

Foremost among the mixed signals is the Government’s fixation on adding to the so-called Negative List—sectors where foreigners aren’t permitted. Yet even in areas where foreign investors are encouraged, such as the creative economy, they’re only allowed minority ownership.

Another complaint is the Government’s requirement for foreign-owned projects to use local content. It’s not that it can’t be done, but the way officials beat investors over the head with it. Similarly with a new requirement for all companies engaged in public service to build data centres, even if there is no need for them.

In this climate, the targeted incentives on offer in neighbouring countries are almost unheard of. Instead, by far the most common complaint is the whimsical introduction of regulations, which are both unclear and lacking in the certainty necessary for business plans to work.

A classic template is the 2009 Mining Law, the broad provisions of which were initially greeted with cautious enthusiasm. Then three years later, the Government came up with implementing regulations that changed everything, giving miners an impossible year-long deadline to build smelters.

Instead of facing up to reality, Indonesia plays its now-familiar game of smoke and mirrors. Beef prices are at record levels because the Government continues to restrict meat and live cattle imports in an effort to show it has attained self-sufficiency. It hasn’t and it probably never will.

Indonesians are assured that the looming El Nino weather phenomenon, which meteorologists are warning could be even worse than the devastating 1997–98 event, will have little impact on agriculture. But the impacts are already being felt, and no-one knows how much more is to come.

Then there was the recent spectacle of President Widodo attending the ground-breaking ceremony for a 2,000-megawatt Japanese-funded power station, hailing it as an example of the Government removing bottlenecks to infrastructure development.

Yet buried in the stories appearing in local newspapers was the revelation, well-known to most people who follow the power industry, that developers still have to win a years-long battle to acquire a crucial 10% of the land.

On that front, little has changed. Despite having the state-owned Pertamina oil company as a partner, land issues meant it took ExxonMobil more than a decade to finally get East Java’s Cepu oilfield on stream. The reason, according to one senior energy official: ‘too much democracy.’

For all the bluster aimed at a gullible domestic audience, Indonesia is losing the perception game where it counts: out in the world. But before new chief economic minister Darmin Nasution can come up with ways to turn that around, he must first convince ministers and bureaucrats alike that carrots work better than sticks.

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2) PNG considers resettlement of Manus refugees

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http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=320488

1) PIDF for ‘development’

Vuniwaqa Bola-Bari Saturday,

September 05, 2015

THE Pacific Islands Development Forum is not a political forum but one that deals with the development of Pacific Island nations.

This was the reason General Secretary of the United Liberation of Movement for West Papua Octovanius Mote was asked "politely" by Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola to leave the summit.

Ratu Inoke confirmed that he had asked Dr Mote to leave on Wednesday.

"I had a good meeting with him on Wednesday. I met him and we had coffee on the other side and I asked him very politely, I told him 'Dr Mote this is not a political forum, this is a development forum and I would ask that you do not attend this meeting and he accepted'. I was surprised that it came out in the papers today (yesterday)," Ratu Inoke said.

Mr Mote said opportunities such as the PIDF had given him the confidence to lobby leaders and gather more countries to rally behind their fight for freedom.

He said they would apply to become a member of the PIDF next year.

Outgoing interim secretary-general Amena Yauvoli said West Papua was not a country and that it belonged to Indonesia.

"As far as PIDF is concerned Indonesia is an important partner and a development partner of PIDF," Mr Yauvoli said.

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http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/09/05/png-considers-resettlement-manus-refugees

5 SEP 2015 - 7:45PM

2) PNG considers resettlement of Manus refugees

The Government of Papua New Guinea is considering a plan to re-settle refugees ‘in country’ that have been processed on Manus Island, something which was originally promised to the Rudd Government.

Chief Political Correspondent Catherine McGrath

5 SEP 2015 - 1:23 PM UPDATED YESTERDAY 7:45 PM

However PNG says they will only do so as part of a wider processing programme that also deals with other refugees already there, such as those from West Papua.

This issue and Papua New Guinea’s decision to force Australian contractors from the country by the end of the year will feature in talks next week between Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Peter O'Neill in Port Moresby on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum next week.

Papua New Guinea has told Australia it only wants to settle refugees who are skilled workers.

PNG High Commissioner to Canberra Charles Lepani has told SBS that cabinet is considering the proposal.

"On the Australian side of course they want us to quickly resettle because it sends the sign to people smugglers that they are not resettling in Australia but in PNG or somewhere else," he said.

"We have West Papuan refugees who are Melanesians like us, they have been there longer than any new refugees coming in, including those who enter PNG illegally across the borders and the ones that arrive by boat."

"We can't just deal with asylum seekers and get that policy addressed when there are other refugees that are confronting PNG.”

On Manus Island there are currently around 1000 asylum seekers, many have already been processed.

PNG figures indicate around 50% of them have been found to be refugees.

"Our position that we have conveyed to the Australian Government is that we would prefer skilled refugees who we can easily accommodate in our employment areas where we can't provide a skilled workforce" Mr Lepani said.

Jenny Hayward-Jones from the Lowy Institute of International Policy says the resettlement topic is complicated in Papua New Guinea.

“It is a very sensitive issue,” she said.

“PNG did make a promise to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd back when they made the deal that PNG would undertake the resettlement of any asylum seekers found to be genuine refugees and to date, even though a number of asylum seekers have been found to be genuine refugees, they haven't been able to leave Manus.”

In the talks next week the Australian Government also hopes to smooth over divisions with Prime Minister Peter O'Neill following his decision to order Australian contractors out of the country by the end of the year.

Ms Hayward-Jones believes there may be a compromise reached on this issue.

“I think PNG will probably be the loser if all of them were to depart on mass so I think what we'll see is an attempt at compromise perhaps negotiating an extension to that deadline but probably negotiating a change of status.”

Hundreds of Australians are employed as contractors in a range of Government roles.

Also under discussion will be the future of Australian Federal Police on assignment in PNG.

Australia's request for immunity for visiting police officers is another issue yet to be resolved.

2) Climate change to dominate Pacific Island Forum

3) Channeling the Voice of Papua

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201769367/pidf-looks-to-set-tone-for-forum-meeting-in-port-moresby

1) PIDF looks to set tone for Forum meeting in Port Moresby.

Updated at 3:36 pm on 4 September 2015

Originally aired on Dateline Pacific, Friday 4 September 2015

Leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum countries meet in Port Moresby next week to address regional concerns and issues but they may have been beaten to the punch.

Play
Download:Ogg | MP3
Audio duration:( 5:34 )

TRANSCRIPT

Leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum countries meet in Port Moresby next week to address regional concerns and issues but they may have been beaten to the punch.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who is not attending over objections regarding the part New Zealand and Australia play, hosted the burgeoning Pacific Islands Development Forum this week.

The Lowy Institute's Jenny Hayward-Jones says the meeting has made some strong political statements which may affect the Port Moresby meeting.

But Ms Hayward-Jones told Koro Vaka'uta the Pacific Islands Forum meeting will still look at improving the concept of regionalism.

JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: What has been lacking is political commitment in between Forum Leaders Meetings so I think there is a bit of frustration that although leaders agree to do this, all this regional cooperation, they don't act on it. The theme of this meeting is an effort to try and get them to try and focus on it a bit more and to agree on practical measures that they can all go away and do.

KORO VAKAUTA: One way that they have thought about doing that is they have created this subcommittee on regionalism and that body or committee has come up with five priority issues or areas. For the likes of ICT and cervical cancer, West Papua, climate change and disasters, fisheries as well as maritime surveillance that sort of thing. Are those areas that you expected to be on the list and are there any maybe that you are surprised that aren't?

JHJ: They reflect the issues that concern the people of the Pacific which is a good thing because sometimes these political leaders meetings can be sometimes distant from what the people themselves want their leaders to act on. So it is very positive that we are seeing those concerns probably reflect more closely what the people are thinking about. The issue of West Papua which is a very emotional one for many Melanesian countries in particular and for civil society in Melanesia which has been pushing hard for better recognition of the problems affecting West Papuans. And we have seen some action on that in the Melanesian Spearhead Group earlier this year and I think we will continue to see pressure from Melanesian populations in particular for more regional action on that or more regional advocacy globally for West Papuans, if not independence then at least human rights issues in West Papua. Fisheries and maritime surveillance is always something that has been on the agenda but again increasingly important in this day and age are facing more international challenges and more issues around transnational crime. And of course fisheries is a vital resource and they have to ensure that it is one that they can control. And so it is an issue that continues to concern all countries in the region. Climate change of course is a existential threat for some small Island countries and it will always be on the agenda for Pacific Island Forum leaders.

KV: The impact of Fiji, what impact will that have on this upcoming meeting next week?

JHJ: I think it is a very interesting time with Fiji's approach to the Forum of course we are seeing Prime Minister Bainimarama host the Pacific Islands Development Forum this week and seven Pacific Island leaders have attended that forum and he is trying very hard and possibly succeeding this time in painting that organisation as perhaps if not quite an alternative to the PIF its a forum in which Pacific Island countries can discuss their concerns without Australia and New Zealand using their guiding hand. So I think he is making an effort to set that up as an important meeting that influences Pacific Islands opinion and I think he has mentioned that he wants to see a declaration on Climate Change which would express a common approach from Pacific Island countries to take to the Paris negotiations so that might make it a bit difficult for the Pacific Islands Forum next week because I assume they will also be hoping to come up with a common position so if we have two common positions from the Pacific one from the development forum and one from the forum itself I think the rest of the world might be a little confused. But in terms of the meeting next week the Fiji Foreign minister is attending so Fiji at least will be represented and I am sure he is very capable of expressing Fiji's concerns its a shame that the Prime Minister is not going but at least Fiji is committed.

KV: You mentioned the Pacific Islands Development Forum, do you see these two bodies complementing each other? What do you think?

JHJ: It depends on how it evolves over the next few years, I think they probably can complement each other if the politicians can agree. At the moment we haven't really seen that agreement, some leaders are very committed to making sure that the Pacific Islands Forum is their own voice in that forum is not diluted by having another organisation and particularly another meeting so close to the meeting of the Forum. But I think it can serve as a useful adjunct to forum activities and the message that Fiji has used to engage the private sector and to engage civil society if that continues to develop well then I think that will be a useful contribution to Forum discussion. But I think we will see Fiji continue to push that as it puts a lot of value in having that.

KV: You touched on the Suva declaration on climate change. How much of it does it seem to be a wily political move from Fiji because you mentioned having this declaration versus the forum.

JHJ: The timing is particularly interesting I mean it is just a few days before the forum starts so obviously a declaration that comes out of the development forum that says this is a common position from the Pacific Island countries most seriously affected by climate change is obviously making a very strong political statement that it is that forum which has produced a declaration that reflects the concerns of small island countries and of course next week Australia and New Zealand will be in the mix so it will be considerably more difficult I think to reach an agreement that satisfies everyone. We have seen here how Prime Minister Bainimarama is trying to get out in front and try and develop a strong voice for the small island states that isn't confused by Australia and New Zealand's position.

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http://www.3news.co.nz/world/climate-change-to-dominate-pacific-island-forum-2015090614#axzz3kwU1SvTv

2) Climate change to dominate Pacific Island Forum

Sunday 6 Sep 2015 2:09 p.m.

By Lisa Martin

Australia and New Zealand are expected to cop a behind-the-scenes walloping from Pacific Island leaders disappointed they are not doing more to combat climate change.

The issue will likely dominate this week's Pacific Island Forum leaders summit in Port Moresby, ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Paris later in the year.

Pacific leaders want the world to work on restricting the global warming temperature rise to 1.5degC, fearing a two-degree target will risk the survival of many tiny islands.

Natural disaster recovery will be fresh on their minds.

The summit starts tomorrow, six months after Cyclone Pam, which flattened much of Vanuatu and caused heavy flooding on Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands.

Host nation Papua New Guinea is grappling with the opposite problem - what could be its worst drought in 20 years and a potential food crisis.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has said El Niño conditions have been exacerbated by the effects of climate change.

The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are also experiencing a dry spell.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who is boycotting the summit and will instead send along his foreign minister, had a crack at Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at last week's meeting of his rival club of Pacific leaders - the Pacific Islands Development Forum - that excludes Australia.

He urged Mr Abbott to abandon the "coalition of the selfish" and put the welfare of small Pacific island neighbours ahead of coal industry interests.

The Abbott government has announced a carbon emissions reduction target of 26-28 percent on 2005 levels by 2030, which has been criticised for lacking ambition.

New Zealand's target is a cut of 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

The summit is expected to sign off on a joint climate change and disaster management strategy for the Pacific.

Climate change won't be the only source of tension.

New Zealand has suspended aid to Nauru's justice system over the breakdown of the rule of law on the island nation.

The Pacific Island Forum runs from September 7-11.

NZN

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http://www.globalindonesianvoices.com/22367/channeling-the-voice-of-papua/

3) Channeling the Voice of Papua

Posted On 06 Sep 2015By : Felix Utama Kosasih0 CommentsTag: Film Screening, Indonesia, Papua, review

Various stories from Indonesia’s eastern most provinces of Papua are told through a movie screening project called the Papuan Voices

Singapore, GIVnews.com – On Thursday (3/9), EngageMedia conducted a film screening in the Asia Research Institute, a world-leading research hub on Asian affairs which is affiliated with the National University of Singapore (NUS). The screened project is called Papuan Voices which is described as, in their own words, “a video advocacy initiative working with Papuan activists to more effectively tell their stories to the world”.

Through the collaboration of EngageMedia, Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, Belantara Papua, and Yayasan Teratai Hari Papua, a series of video production and distribution workshop was held through 2011-2014 in Jayapura, Merauke, Wamena, and Sorong.

With funding from the Ford Federation, Papuan Voices aims to lift the everyday life stories of ordinary Papuans: the struggles in obtaining a good education, protecting the environment, pursuing an adequate healthcare system, and winning equality and dignity for their people. The themes are discussed by the Papuans along with mentors from Papuan Voices, and then the film is fully directed by Indonesians who are ethnically from Papua themselves. Thus, it is free from any bias which may have marred other media produced by either Western NGOs or the Indonesian central government.

In total, the Papuan Voices project has produced 16 short films, separated into two series of 8 films each. Five films from the second series were included in the screening event: Save the Karon, Sekolah Papua (School of Papua), Mutiara dalam Noken (Pearl in the Noken), Mama Mariode, and Tuan di Tanah Sendiri (Masters of Our Land). Although the films are short and made by amateurs, they succeed in revealing the life of Indonesians in Papua, and their brave effort to obtain better days for their fellow men and women and for the future generation. In the (often) absence of the central government, it is up to the Papuans themselves to carve out what they can from what they have. All 16 films can be accessed for free at www.papuanvoices.net.

Save the Karon tells the story of Hans Mambrasar, an old man who carry the burden of three roles on his shoulders: a doctor, a teacher, and a spiritual advisor for the people living in the district of Tambraw. When a mysterious disease spread through the villages of Jokbijoker and Kosefa in 2012-13, Mambrasar braved a very difficult terrain to bring the sickly villagers to his village for treatment. They receive almost no help from Jakarta, and Mambrasar truly hopes that this condition will change for the better in the future.

School of Papua is about David Womsiwor, the principal of SD Inpres 122 Wamena, an elementary school. He has an experimental method of teaching, preferring to emphasize thoroughness and critical thinking over rote learning and memorization. The film highlighted the Papuan students’ eagerness to study despite their lack of infrastructure and money. Pearl in the Noken, favorited by many people, narrates the tale of dr. Maria Rumateray, a doctor who dedicated her life to improve the health in Kaimana and Korowni districts, plus many other remote regions with the help of a helicopter. She carried on her parents’ mission, who were health workers decades ago. Doctor Rumateray chose to serve in Papua although it does not bring her any material wealth, saying “A doctor is a healer. That’s all.”

The fourth film is titled Mama Mariode, an old lady who, together with her husband, refused to hand over her land to a plantation company. She is the last one, since all her neighbors have agreed to the sale. She believes the sacred forest is essential to get food and wood for her children, and it should be kept pristine for generations to come.

Finally, Masters of Our Land chronicles the story of Matias Mayor and Paulus Sawiyai, two men from Raja Ampat who run their own homestays for the foreign tourists. They refuse to work for the fancy resorts owned by non-local investors, and chose to build their own business from zero instead. Now, there are 55 homestays owned by Papuans in Raja Ampat. Most of these are staffed by local villagers, which means they can make a living together.

EngageMedia is a non-profit media, technology and cultural organization, based in Australia and Indonesia. It uses the power of video and Internet technologies to create social and environmental change. EngageMedia works with independent filmmakers, video activists, technologists, and campaigners to generate wider audiences, demystify new video distribution technologies, and create an online archive of independent video productions using open content licenses. In this event, EngageMedia was represented by Kartika Pratiwi and Seelan Palay.

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2) Polye: Discuss West Papua in Pacific Islands Forum

3) Pacific leaders to confront Abbott on emissions targets

4) UN climate envoy warns against friction in region

5) PIF Update-Listening to the Voice of Civil Society

6) Tiny islands kick off PIF talks in PNG

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https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=462254343954537&id=290491571130816&substory_index=0

Islands Business Facebook

1) PNG warns West Papua activists

By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

PORT MORESBY, 07 SEPTEMBER 2015 (PACNEWS) --- The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor says the issue of West Papua will be one of the contentious issue to be dealt with by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders when they meet in Port Moresby this week.
And already, the host country Papua New Guinea has refused entry for West Papuan activist, Benny Wenda, an indication of the controversy that surrounds the issue ahead of the 46th annual summit of Pacific Leaders in Port Moresby.

In Fiji, the Secretary General of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovanius Mote was ‘quietly’ asked to leave the meeting of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF).
Addressing journalists at a media workshop in Port Moresby on Friday, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister, Rimbink Pato said Papua New Guinea’s position is clear, “We have strong relations with Indonesia and we will not do anything that will jeopardise or call into question the sovereignty, integrity and jurisdiction competence of Indonesia over the five Melanesian provinces in Indonesia.”
Minister Pato hinted that anyone that is not a member of an independent member state will not be permitted to enter the country.
“Of course there are rules and regulations of the Forum on what leaders can and can’t do but from our perspective, anyone who is not an independent member of the Forum should not be allowed to enter the country,” said Minister Pato.
PACNEWS understands that PNG Immigration are on the lookout for other West Papua activists entering the country for the Forum Leaders meeting.
A senior regional issues expert told PACNEWS in Port Moresby that it’s sad that West Papuan activists are being targeted when one of the five priority issues to go before the Leaders this week is on West Papua.

“I am afraid that Indonesia seems to be putting a lot of pressure on Papua New Guinea as host country,” said the expert.
Octa Mote, the secretary general of the United West Papua Movement was refused entry to the Pacific Islands Development Forum meeting in Suva last week. He is understood to be part of a regional government delegation to Port Moresby this week.
Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor is of the view that ‘difficult issues will need frank and potentially difficult discussions by our Leaders.’
“I don’t know how Leaders will handle the West Papua issue. Some Leaders are passionate about this issue while others are passionate but concerned with the implications for their countries and for the region,” Dame Meg told journalists attending the media workshop organised by the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) in Port Moresby last week.
However, one thing that was clear from submissions made to the Specialist Sub Committee on Regionalism is that human rights violations happening in West Papua is a regional issue that needs to be dealt with by Forum Leaders at the regional level.
“You all watched what happened at the recent Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting. It will be further compounded with 16 Leaders discussing the issue with their own lenses.
“The Secretariat has been asked in the past if it is comfortable with West Papuan issues being discussed. I’d like to urge you all to research the history of the Pacific Islands Forum. In the early days, there was a lot of economic issues but as the politics of our region changed, issues like nuclear testing, independence for our countries and self-determination became a critical tenet of the Pacific Islands Forum.

“I guess I am one of those people who sticks to the tenets or the house posts that the institution was built on,” Dame Meg highlighted, without mincing her words.
PACNEWS understands Leaders will be asked to note the concerns of human rights violation in Papuan provinces in Indonesia, recognising Indonesia’s sovereignty.
They will be asked to continue to engage Indonesia through economic partnerships, social, cultural, sports programmes and people to people exchanges.
Forum Officials Committee documents of 19 August 2015 obtained by PACNEWS says, ‘any proposed mission to Indonesia would need to be on the basis of discussions with and invitation by Indonesia.’
In addition, calls for sanctions and referral to the United Nations Decolonisation Committee were considered as inappropriate actions.
Condemning and addressing human rights abuses in West Papua is one of the five priority issues on the agenda of Forum Leaders this week.
15 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and Fiji’s Foreign Affairs Minister will attend the weeklong annual summit of Pacific Leaders…. (PACNEWS)

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http://www.emtv.com.pg/article.aspx?slug=Polye-Discuss-West-Papua-in-Pacific-Islands-Forum-

2) Polye: Discuss West Papua in Pacific Islands Forum

By Theckla Gunga – EM TV, Port Moresby

Opposition Leader, Don Polye has called on all Pacific leaders to discuss the fight for West Papua’s Freedom in the 46th Pacific Island Forum scheduled to start tomorrow.

Polye said West Papuans have been striving for self-determination for a long time and the independence struggle has seen abuse of human rights at an international level.

“Governments of all countries must respect the rights and the views of the people of West Papua. I challenge the leader of the PIF to acknowledge the struggle for West Papua’s independence and discuss the issue during the Forum”, Polye said.

He said the issue should be one of the top priorities to be discussed in the Forum.

“West Papua’s issue must be discussed as priority and the leader of PIF must push this agenda to the United Nation Organisation, Polye said.

“West Papuans cannot be blamed. It was not their fault the island of New Guinea was cut in half by Netherlands. But they are Melanesians and they need our support,” Polye said.

Since Papua New Guinea gained political independence in 1975, over 30,000 West Papuans have migrated to PNG as refugees. There are over 7,000 West Papuans living in Port Moresby today.

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http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pacific-leaders-to-confront-abbott-on-emissions-targets-20150906-gjg97h.html

3) Pacific leaders to confront Abbott on emissions targets

September 7, 2015 - 12:15AM Michael Gordon

Tony Abbott faces a cool reception when he flies to Port Moresby this week from Pacific Island leaders who say global inaction on climate change threatens their existence.

The Prime Minister stands accused of largely ignoring the calls for more ambitious emissions reduction targets and stronger support for islands facing extreme weather events and rising sea levels.

The leaders agreed to a common position on Friday, declaring they are gravely distressed at the threat climate change poses to their countries and are profoundly concerned that not enough is being done.

The case for stronger action by Australia and New Zealand is pressed in report called A Question of Survival prepared for the meeting of Pacific Island Forum Leaders by Oxfam Australia.

The report claims the Australian and New Zealand governments are "threatening the very survival of some Pacific nations" by putting forward emission reduction targets inconsistent with keeping a global temperature rise below 2 degrees.

The report accuses the two governments of failing to respond to the "wake-up call" of Cyclone Pam's devastation of Vanuatu six months ago and catastrophic flooding in Kiribati and Tuvalu earlier this year.

It expresses doubt about whether either country will "do the right thing" by the Pacific and back a strong commitment on climate change in Port Moresby.

Mr Abbott, who did not attend last year's forum, is expected to fly to Port Moresby on Wednesday and return late on Thursday.

Pacific Island countries have pushed for a commitment to a goal of limiting the average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, insisting that the current goal of 2 degrees is woefully inadequate.

"Australia and New Zealand must substantially increase their current emissions reduction targets," says Oxfam Australia's chief executive, Dr Helen Szoke, who will attend a three-day meeting of non-government organisations in Port Moresby before the leaders' summit.

"But they also need to provide clarity on how they will meet their international climate finance commitments and help ensure vulnerable communities in the Pacific can access the support they need."

Several Pacific leaders, including the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sosene Sopoaga, the President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, and Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, have been highly critical of Australia and New Zealand on climate change.

Marshall Islands foreign minister Tony de Brum has branded Australia's "weak target" - of reducing domestic emissions by 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 - as a serious blow to the reputation of "our big brother down south".

The meeting is expected to consider endorsing a Moresby Declaration for an effective global climate agreement in Paris that has been proposed by the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network.

It will also consider establishing a regional fact finding team to investigate reports of "ongoing gross human rights violations" in West Papua in response to a submission from more than 40 civil society organisations in 13 Pacific countries and territories.

The submission cites recent videos leaked and distributed on YouTube that "capture gruesome footage of separate incidents where West Papuan are being tortured by Indonesian soldiers".

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/283445/un-climate-envoy-warns-against-friction-in-region

4) UN climate envoy warns against friction in region

Updated at 6:47 am today

The UN Special Envoy for Climate Change Mary Robinson says regional groups need to make sure they're working alongside each other if the Pacific is to be heard over climate change.

She has been attending the Pacific Islands Development Forum in Fiji which met ahead of the more established regional body, the Pacific Islands Forum this week.

Mrs Robinson says she's been impressed by the determination and sense of urgency of country, civil society and business leaders over climate change and says the talks must continue at the Forum this week in Port Moresby.

"I believe it would be helpful if the two fora are seen as complementary opportunities and that the two are complementary to each other rather than giving rise to some friction or rift or divisiveness because that would not be helpful."

Mary Robinson says political leadership from the region is needed now at the highest level in the run up to crucial climate change talks in Paris.

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http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/newsroom/press-statements/2015-media-releases/listening-to-voice-of-civil-society.html

5) PIF Update

07 September 2015

Listening to the Voice of Civil Society

Hearing the voice of Civil Society is important in developing well informed regional policy for the Pacific. It is for this

reason that the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the European Union have organised “The Civil Society

Organisation Regional Forum” which beings today in Port Moresby.

“I am a major supporter of civil society, and I believe that a strong and vibrant civil society is important to our region,

” said Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor at the opening.

“This event is important as it provides space for civil society to have input on some of the key issues that will be put to

the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders. Many of you have been advocating for this kind of impact for some time, and

I am pleased that we are able to facilitate this forum”.

European Union Ambassador for the Pacific, Andrew Jacobs, opened the forum, reiterating, “The European Union

is proud to support this initiative. Promoting a strong voice for civil society and effective dialogue with leaders will

result in more inclusive and effective development and benefit the people of the Pacific.”

The CSO Regional Forum is the first initiative implemented by the Forum Secretariat with the EU’s € 4 million

programme “Strengthening Non-State Actors engagement in regional policy development and implementation”.

Over the next four years the programme aims to work at engaging civil society across the Pacific and enable

regional leaders to reflect on civil society’s concerns and perspectives.

More than 40 organisations are being represented at the CSO Regional Forum, with many travelling to Papua

New Guinea from across the Pacific especially for the event.

Discussions are focussed around priority initiatives identified by the Specialist Sub Committee for Regionalism,

which leaders will consider this coming week at the 46th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. Issues addressed

by the initiatives include climate change, West Papua, cervical cancer, information and communications technology,

maximising returns from fisheries.

The forum aims to provide an opportunity for Civil Society Organisations from across the Pacific to convene,

discuss specific policy issues, and provide governments and policy makers with evidence-based, collective positions

on regional level policy.

At the forum’s conclusion, 25 participants, with at least one representative from every Forum Island Country, will

attend a breakfast with the Forum’s Troika Leaders to present their deliberations.

This represents the first time Civil Society has had the opportunity to feed directly into the week long discussions

of Forum Island Leaders.

ENDS

To download Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor's speech to the Regional CSO Forum: click here

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http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/tiny-islands-kick-off-pif-talks-in-png/story-e6frfkui-1227515589708

6) Tiny islands kick off PIF talks in PNG

2 HOURS AGO SEPTEMBER 07, 2015 4:04AM

SEVEN small island nations are set for a pre-game huddle ahead of taking a do or die message to their big Pacific neighbours on

climate change at official talks in Papua New Guinea this week.

THE issue is set to dominate the agenda at the Pacific Island Forum in Port Moresby.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill welcomed some of the early arriving leaders on Sunday evening.

He said it was an important summit for the region because of global economic uncertainty.

The global economy is under pressure and we are seeing an increase in climate induced disasters, so this is a time when countries

of like-mind must work together, Mr O'Neill said in a statement.

"We in the Pacific did not cause climate change, but we suffer because of it."

He said the region must build collective capacity to be ready further natural disasters and rough weather.

The forum kicks off on Monday with leaders from smaller island states - Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue,

Palau and Tuvalu - catching up before the main events on Wednesday and Thursday which include Australia and New Zealand.

The small island nations are among some of the most vulnerable in the world to climate change.

Some are less than a metre above sea level and face being wiped out by rising seas.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna said he was looking forward to some fruitful discussions and a good night's sleep after

his long journey to Port Moresby.

"We're a family. We will talk over issues like family," he told AAP.

Pacific leaders will be pleading with Australia and New Zealand to do more to combat global warming and ensure their survival,

ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Paris this December.

The sea is already creeping up on graves on the Marshall Islands and the Kiribati government has bought land in Fiji in case its

entire population needs to move.

Leaders are hoping the forum can negotiate a united political statement on climate change.

They want the world to restrict the global warming temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, fearing that a two degrees target will risk the

existence of many islands.

Australia and NZ are likely to receive a dressing down behind the scenes over what some consider unambitious carbon emissions

reductions targets.

The Abbott government has announced a carbon emissions reduction target of 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 while

New Zealand's target is a cut of 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

The small island leaders are also due to discuss fisheries, cervical cancer, alleged human rights issues within Indonesia's West Papua

and computer technology and communications.

The Pacific Island Forum runs from September 7-11.

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2) Fisheries,West Papua on agenda

3) Freedom campaigner says West Papua is a regional issue

4) PIDF makes stance clear on West Papua

5) Komnas HAM to Probe Papua Church Shooting Incident

6) Manokwari Rice Production Reaches 25,000 Tons Per Year

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http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/94295

1) Pato explains PNG’s position

Source:
The National, Monday September 7th, 2015
West Papua’s non-attendance at this week’s Pacific leaders’ summit in Port Moresby is because of different agreements between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, says Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato.
He said that on Friday when answering a question at the Pacific Islands News Association/Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Forum regional media workshop on Port Moresby on PNG’s stand on West Papua’s attendance.
“PNG’s position is governed by different agreements and treaties Papua New Guinea has entered into with the Republic of Indonesia,” Pato said. “We have a very strong relationship with that country.
“As I’ve said in the past, Papua New Guinea would not do anything as would jeopardise or call into question the sovereignty, and the integrity, and the jurisdictional competence of the Republic of Indonesia over the five Melanesian provinces of the Republic of Indonesia.
“If there is any issue as to attendance at the PIF in Port Moresby, I think the decision will have to be made by the leaders, and of course there are rules and regulations in the PIF framework which govern what leaders can and cannot do.
“We will follow the letter of the rules and regulations that apply to it.
“It is independent member states of the Pacific Islands Forum that are entitled to participate. Anyone who’s not a member of the Pacific Islands Forum I don’t think should be permitted to enter.”

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http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/94296

2) Fisheries,West Papua on agenda

Source:
The National, Monday September 7th, 2015
Increased returns on fisheries for Pacific countries are among five issues to be discussed at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting in Port Moresby this week.
Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, told the Pacific Islands News Association/Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Forum regional media workshop that in Port Moresby on Friday.
Other issues are climate change, alleged human rights issues in West Papua, cervical cancer and information and communications technology.
Dame Meg said Pacific countries were reaping a mere five per cent of the value of their fisheries catch. Maximising revenue from our fisheries is of course a potential game-changer,” she said.
“The estimated value of the catch per year is around 3-4 billion US dollars, but much of this catch is processed outside our region.
“The essence of this initiative is that leaders agree to restructure the tuna industry and phase out foreign fishing vessels over 20 years.
“The other aspect to this initiative is that leaders task fisheries, economic and foreign ministers to undertake a joint comprehensive evaluation of the regional monitoring, surveillance and compliance regime.”
Dame Meg said the issue around climate change contained two aspects.
“The first is that leaders agree on a high-level, political statement on climate change to take to COP 21 in Paris later this year,” she said.
“The second component is that leaders endorse a draft strategy on climate and disaster-resilient development in the Pacific.”
Dame Meg said a response to alleged human rights issues within West Papua would be put out for leaders to consider.
“Three submissions, representation over 30 civil society organisations across the Pacific, were put forward,” she said.
Dame Meg said the leaders would also consider cervical cancer.

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/283508/freedom-campaigner-says-west-papua-is-a-regional-issue

3) Freedom campaigner says West Papua is a regional issue

Updated at 3:03 pm today

Pacific leaders gather this week in Papua New Guinea for their annual summit West Papuan leader and freedom campaigner Octo Mote says the support for West Papua has never been stronger.

This is despite his being thrown out of the Pacific Island Development Forum in Fiji just last week.

Mr Mote says thanks to social media West Papua's cry for freedom is now being heard across the region and Pacific leaders are finding it harder and harder to ignore.

Octo Mote left New Zealand today for the Pacific Forum summit in Port Moresby where he says they will be pushing three main issues.

"One is our membership at the PIF. Secondly we are asking UN Secretary General to appoint special envoy and conduct a human rights assessment besides the human rights assessment by the forum leaders themselves. And then the relisting of West Papua back to the decolonisation committee."

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http://www.fbc.com.fj/fiji/32792/pidf-makes-stance-clear-on-west-papua

4) PIDF makes stance clear on West Papua

07:08 Today

West Papua not a member of PIDF

Taken from/By: FBC News
Report by: Ritika Pratap

West Papua’s application to be part of the Pacific Islands Development Forum is unlikely to succeed.

West Papua which is trying to get independence from Indonesia, has been lobbying for support from regional and international bodies including the PIDF.

PIDF outgoing interim general secretary Amena Yauvoli says it is highly unlikely that West Papua will be given a separate membership in the organisation.

“West Papua is not a country, West Papua belongs to Indonesia. As far as PIDF is concerned, Indonesia is an important partner – it is a development partner of PIDF.”

Yauvoli says the development partners right now are those who have been part of the Forum from the beginning which include Indonesia, China and Thailand among other countries.

He says to become a member of the PIDF one has to go through the normal accreditation process as outlined in the Charter.

The next PIDF summit will be held in two years time.

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http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/09/07/055698400/Komnas-HAM-to-Probe-Papua-Church-Shooting-Incident

MONDAY, 07 SEPTEMBER, 2015 | 15:06 WIB

5) Komnas HAM to Probe Papua Church Shooting Incident

Zoom Out Zoom In Normal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Monitoring team of the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is set to leave to Timika, Papua, tonight. The team is tasked to collect facts and data on the shooting incident that took place at St. Fransiskus Koperapoka church complex on August 28.

"The team will meet with the victims and authority," said team leader Natalius Pigai on Monday September 7. Natalius said that the team will urge authority, in this case being the police and army, to enforce law and uphold order in Papua.

He also urged them to put the suspects beyond bars, hence proceeding with the military court.

Previously, the suspects have been identified as members of the Military District Command 1710, Chief Sergeant Makher and First Sergeant Ashar. The two shot dead two civilians, namely Imanuel Mailmaur and Yulianus Okoware, while injuring several others.

MARIA RITA

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http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/09/06/055698215/Manokwari-Rice-Production-Reaches-25000-Tons-Per-Year

SUNDAY, 06 SEPTEMBER, 2015 | 16:20 WIB

6) Manokwari Rice Production Reaches 25,000 Tons Per Year

Zoom Out Zoom In Normal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of Manokwari Agriculture, Plantation and Husbandry Office Saptoyudo said that rice production of farmers in Manokwari regency, West Papua province, reached 25,000 tons per year.

"The size of rice fields and rice production of farmers has increased every year. As of August 2015, the size of rice fields in the region reaches 2,500 hectares," Saptoyudo said in Manokwari on Sunday, September 6.

He went on to say that farmers in the regency plant rice twice a year and the average production is 4.3 ton per hectare, with the total reaching 25,000 ton per year.

"This year, farmers in Manokwari regency has received funds to improve their irrigation system from the central government in order to increase agricultural production in the region,” he added.

In addition to receiving funds to improve irrigation system, Saptoyudo added, farmers in Manokwari regency also received free fertilizers from Agriculture Ministry in order to reduce the farmers’ production costs.

Therefore, the agency hoped that farmers in Manokwari regency, most of whom are from Java island, would work hard to increase rice production by the end of this year.

BISNIS.COM

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2) Smaller islands of the Pacific noted the West Papua issue, but took no position in their Port Moresby summit today.

3) Forum decisions to set region’s agenda for world stage

4) Climate change threatens Forum solidarity

5) Papua Regional Secretary Said MSG is Jakarta’s Authority

6) MAF Prioritizes Service in Papua Remote Areas

7) Pigai: Soldiers Involved in Shooting Should be Fired

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/06/west-papua-becomes-most-controversial-issue-in-pif-agenda/

1) West Papua Becomes Most Controversial Issue in PIF Agenda

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) kicked off on 4 September 2015 with a workshop on Regional Media launched by the Secretary of Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor.

She told reporters that fisheries, climate change, human rights violations in West Papua, cervical cancer, and Information, Communication and Technology were on the agenda.

However, she did not give further detail on three recommendations that previously driven by PIF Secretariat to be discussed among the leaders of Pacific countries. Earlier, Taylor, who’s the first female Secretary General of PIF, said the Pacific leaders were possibly recommend three points of action, including sending an investigation team of the ministers of Pacific countries to West Papua, enforcing West Papua to be listed in the list of decolonization and providing sanctions against Indonesian private companies and State companies that convicted to human rights violations. She also said the allegation on human right violations has been submitted to the Pacific leaders as consideration.
“Three submissions that representing more than 30 civil society organizations throughout the Pacific have been proposed in the agenda. In term of nomenclature, these submissions have indicated the West Papua as a term used to describe the allegation on human right violations. Needless to say that West Papua is becoming the most controversial issue in the agenda,” said Taylor.

She further added in the discussion with Pacific leaders to prepare PIF, two issues that might be rejected in the forum are West Papua and cervical cancer.
“I will not answer it. I want the civil society in the Pacific to think and tell me what to do and the best way that I could inform the leaders, as I will meet with sixteen Pacific leaders on next week and I’ve been received a lot of opinions. They would consider these five issues. They might not discuss the entire issues, but West Papua issue would be a challenge for several Pacific countries. And about cervical cancer, many people do not understand about how important is this issue to be discussed for the sake of women and girls. The disease is killing many women in the Pacific,” said Taylor.

She also admitted the civil society groups in the Pacific pushed West Papua to be returned in UN decolonization list, like Tahiti. She confirmed that ahead to PIF, the civil society and non-governmental organizations throughout the Pacific (PIANGO) held a meeting from 1 to 3 September 2015 in Port Moresby, in which she was also participated. Two main issues that pushed by the civil society groups are Climate Change and West Papua.

The Executive Director of PIANGGO, Emele Duituturaga told Jubi on Saturday (5/9/2015) that despite the international agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, civil society groups in the Pacific also requested the Pacific leaders to pay attention on West Papua issue. “We have a direct resource from West Papua concerning to the violence of human right violations. Yes, we recognized that it is under question. That is the reason why we urged the investigation team to investigate the human right violations. It’s urgent,” said Duituturaga. She added PIANGO and other civil society groups in the Pacific also asked the Pacific leaders to enforce Papua to be listed in UN decolonization list.

Separately, Octovianus Mote, the Secretary General of United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) convicted about the struggle of the people of West Papua for an independence and sovereignty will succeed. It’s demonstrated through the supports of civil society that continually increased. Papua has become an issue not only in Melanesia but also in the South Pacific.
“Papua has become a concern of the entire South Pacific countries because the problem of Papua is the problem of the people in South Pacific. It’s not only covering Melanesia, but also Polynesia and Micronesia,” said Mote. He further added though there are government of certain countries that are trying to blockage the ULMWP leaders to safe their good relations with Indonesia, but they would not able to block the “people’s power” that are rolling in the South Pacific.

Concerning the issue of decolonization of West Papua, the former Kompas journalist said the Government of Solomon Islands is at the front.
“The decolonization of West Papua is part of the struggle of liberation of West Papua under the leadership of Papua Islands that is currently the Chairman of MSG,” Mote said. (Victor Mambor)

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

Islands Business ‏‪@IBIupdate 13h
13 hours ago
Papua New Guinea
2) Smaller islands of the Pacific noted the West Papua issue, but took no position in their Port Moresby summit today.

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http://www.looppng.com/content/forum-decisions-set-regions-agenda-world-stage

3) Forum decisions to set region’s agenda for world stage

Resolutions reached by Pacific leaders at the 46th Pacific Island Forum (PIF) will set the regional agenda for the world stage.
“2015 marks a critical point for our region in influencing the course of international affairs,” said Dame Meg Taylor, secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
She opened the Small Island States (SIS) leaders meeting this morning and challenged them to work with other PIF member countries in line with the Pacific Regionalism goals.
The SIS grouping comprises the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
“The SIS has a role to play in elevating your collective concerns and perspectives on the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals and the momentum towards the COP21 (United Nations Climate Change) meeting in Paris, throughout the course of your deliberation with fellow leaders and key partners this week.”
“Your collective resolve is critical in further shaping a strategic and political Pacific response to these international endeavours.”
The five topics on the card for round table discussion by the leaders of the 16 member PIF are; to increase returns from fisheries and maritime surveillance, climate risk and disaster risk management, information and communication technology, West Papua and cervical cancer.
Dame Meg said that the real underlying issues affecting many smaller Pacific Island countries had yet to be addressed.
“For too long we have expressed much intention and hope in addressing the unique vulnerabilities of the SIS, but unfortunately at times with little or varied results.
“We cannot afford not to place special attention on the SIS, if we are to reflect and better understand the real rewards of regionalism.
“The region stands to gain and learn from the special attention given to the smallest of our collective.”
“Where this can be most evident, is of course in our endeavours to tackle the devastating and indiscriminate impacts of climate change on the SIS.”
Meanwhile, the formal PIF leaders meeting will take place on Wednesday.
Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu are the countries represented.
Caption: Dame Meg Taylor speaking and listening attentively is the President of Palau, Thomas Esang Remengesau, Jr who is also the outgoing chair of the PIF leaders.
Author:
Charles Yapumi

---------------------------------------------
http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=177529850055ed1038abcdb7ad2210
4) Climate change threatens Forum solidarity

By Online Editor
11:19 pm GMT+12, 06/09/2015, Papua New Guinea
By Samisoni Pareti, Islands Business Editor in PNG

Leaders of small island states in the Pacific met in Port Moresby today amidst concerns about a watered down regional position on climate change because of the strong lobbying from their bigger and wealthier members of Australia and New Zealand.

A senior official attending the small island states leaders’ summit told Islands Business that his country is unhappy about the draft Pacific Island Forum statement on climate change that is already in circulation among Forum delegates.

Yet to be released publicly, the document reportedly supports a 2 degrees temperate rise target, instead of the 1.5 degrees being advocated by small island states who are members of AOSIS, the Alliance of Small Island States 2 degrees is the preferred target of industrialised countries, of which Australia and New Zealand are members of.

“We much prefer the string wordings on climate change as contained in the Suva Declaration of the Pacific Islands Development Forum summit that concluded in Suva, Fiji last week,” said this official who spoke on conditions of anonymity. “The Pacific Islands Forum on the other hand is advocating a 2 degrees target, which in our view is unacceptable and too watered down to satisfy the bigger members of the Forum.

“At this stage, we may have to push for a separate small island state position on climate change to take to COP 21 in Paris in December, quite apart and separate from the main Pacific Islands Forum position.”
Climate Change is one of only five issues on the agenda of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders that will meet here on Wednesday and Thursday this week. The other issues are fisheries and maritime surveillance, West Papua, Information Communications Technology and cervical cancer.

At the opening of the Forum’s Small Island State Leaders meeting at Languna Hotel in Waigani earlier today, outgoing chair of the SIS Leaders Summit, and President of Palau Tommy E Remengesau Junior called for solidarity among small island leaders in fighting climate change.

“Let us make our message in Paris a message that we can be proud to bring back to our people, one that will protect our environment and our cultural heritage. Our countries may be seen as small but we are in fact pioneers and trailblazers in restoring balance to our earth. We have set examples by choosing to act before it is too late, to stop the threats of illegal fishing and global overharvesting of the ocean’s resources through the creation of a large scale marine protected areas.”

President Remengensau handed over the chair to Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga.

Attending her first Forum and Small Island States Leaders’ Summit, Papua New Guinea national and Secretary General of the Forum, Dame Meg Taylor said small island states – all seven of them namely Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu – are key members of the Pacific Islands Forum.

“We cannot afford not to place special attention on the SIS (Small Island States), if we are to reflect and better understand the real rewards of regionalism. The region stands to gain and learn from the special attention given to the smallest of our collective. Where this can be most evident is of course in our endeavour to tackle the devastating and indiscriminate impacts of climate change on the SIS.”

Niue’s Premier Toke Talangi was the only SIS Leader that was absent from their summit in PNG today. Kiribati’s President Anote Tong left soon after the opening statements with his officials explaining that he has to attend a bilateral with Forum host and soon to be the new Pacific Islands Forum chair, Peter O’Neill.

Tomorrow, the seven SIS of the Forum will be joined by their remaining seven Pacific island countries as members of the Pacific states of the ACP bloc of countries. The breakdown in negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union is expected to the main item on the agenda.

SOURCE: ISLANDS BUSINESS/PACNEWS
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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/05/papua-regional-secretary-said-msg-is-jakartas-authority/
5) Papua Regional Secretary Said MSG is Jakarta’s Authority
POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – In June, the Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG) accepted Indonesia an associate member, on the ground that it represents five provinces that are home to 11 million Melanesians. Those provinces are Papua, West Papua, Maluku, North Maluke and East Nusa Tenggara.
Two of five provinces, Papua and West Papua, have become a hot issue ahead of the meeting of the leaders of MSG countries. In fact, before the summit has been taken in Honiara in the end of last June, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill, expressed he wanted both governors of Papua and West Papua, Lukas Enembe and Abraham Atururi to come representing the people of West Papua in the MSG forums. O’Neill expressed this expectation at Lowly Institute, Sydney in the middle of May 2015. He emphasized those who legitimate to represent the people of West Papua are the current elected leaders that are the governors of Papua and West Papua provinces.
“We want to state one voice in the MSG concerning to West Papua. But, there are many groups representing many of interests. The only person who legitimate in representing the people of West Papua are the current elected leader, and it’s the governor of province,” O’Neill said in Lowy Institute forum.
But his expectation did not materialize. Two governors of Papua were not participating in the MSG Summit. There are no representatives of these both eastern provinces of Indonesia, as well as the representatives of other claimed Melanesian provinces of Maluku, North Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara.
Last week, in an interview with Jubi and TV Maori at the Papua Governor Office, Jayapura, the Papua Regional Secretary, Herry Dosinaen asserted that the issue of Papua could only be answered with the revised Law on Special Autonomy. “We shouldn’t have exaggerated thought in this country. Just do the simple thing. The Papua Provincial Government considers in addressing the Papua issue is how to revise the regulation (Special Autonomy Law) in total. We could accommodate it,” Dosinaen said.
“However, if it’s concerning to the foreign affairs, I think we just continue to perform the task of governance and development. We are still being in that corridor. So, about the issue of bearing supports (to MSG), the provincial government and the governor keep doing our duty, as we should. The foreign affairs (MSG) is the authority of Jakarta (Central Government),” he said. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/05/maf-prioritizes-service-in-papua-remote-areas/
6) MAF Prioritizes Service in Papua Remote Areas
POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – The Sentani-based Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) airline is giving priority in providing services to Papua remote community such as transporting the building materials and teachers to the remote areas.
“We have three services, but the most important is to serve the community needs. There is much kind of people’s needs. Sometimes we loaded our planes with cargo of several of things, including the both living and dead animals or building materials such as roof, cement, glass, tiles and nails except woods,” the Director of MAF in Indonesia, David Holsten, said in Sentani on Friday (4/9/2015).
“So, if the government wants to build schools at Papua remote areas, sometimes MAF brought the building materials out there,” he said. Besides the building materials, MAF also loaded and transported rice, cooking oil, instant noodles and clothes to Papua remote areas. According to him, the airline is mostly serving the rural areas of Papua that almost have no connecting road to facilitate access to the people in the Papua remote areas. “Well, there are some road accesses in the remote areas but the rain often cause the landslide and make the road couldn’t be used anymore,” he said.
He also added that MAF is also often transporting the teachers who assigned in the remote areas.
“We load the building materials and foods for almost everyday,” he added. (*/rom)
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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/03/pigai-soldiers-involved-in-shooting-should-be-fired/
7) Pigai: Soldiers Involved in Shooting Should be Fired
POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – The shooting incident involving military personnel, which killed two civilians and injured others in Mimika last week, has raised a concern among many parties, including members of Papua Legislative Council.
Papua Councilor from Mimika Electoral District, Wilhelmus Pigai stated those personnel must be dismissed dishonorably. “When military personnel do violation on ethic of conduct, they must be discharged without honor. They must be taken to further process according to the law. So, I urged them to be fired. No need investigation, because everyone knew. People witnessed when the perpetrators shot the victims,” Pigai said on Wednesday (2/9/2015).
According to the Law No.34/2004, Military is State’s apparatus, whose duty is to protect the sovereignty of State either from internal or external threat and to assist the Regional Government in providing security for the people. He thought this incident is the severe human right violation. “I regret for what was occurred. There shouldn’t be a statement saying it was a self-defense. It’s wrong. The legal process should be done in transparency, so people could monitor the process and it must be executed in Mimika,” he said.
However, Pigai appreciated the Regional Military Commander General Hinsa Siburian who promptly gave respond to the incident. “Military Commander is very communicative. Moreover, he is the former Mimika District Military Commander, thus he know how to act. I hope this process could be solved immediately. It’s tidak manusia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Cenderawasih Regional Military Command Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Teguh Pudji earlier said the two military personnel currently are under investigation by Timika Military Police. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/03/human-right-violations-in-papua-continue-despite-jokowis-presidency-says-papua-councilor/
8) Human Right Violations in Papua Continue Despite Jokowi’s Presidency
Says Papua Councilor
POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Councilor Wilhemus Pigai questioned the commitment of President Joko Widodo to develop Papua and settle cases of human rights violations as promised during the election campaign last year.
“When he was elected as president, series of human right violation cases were occurred in Papua, including Paniai Case on 8 December 2014, Yahukimo case, Dogiyai case, Tolikara incident and the recent shooting incident in Timika,” he said on Wednesday (2/9/2015).
According to him, in the last President Election, the majority people of Papua gave their vote to Jokowi with expectation he would more pay attention and provide justice for the people of Papua.
“At that time, Papuans were likely gave a message to Jokowi that they are also the Indonesian citizens who had less attention for long time, so they asked for it. Now, where is his promise to build Indonesia from Papua? What about his concern on human right violations in Papua,” he said.
Regarding to Mimika shooting incident, he also asked the National Human Right Violation could immediately do investigation in Timika. Meanwhile, Papua Councilor Laurenzus Kadepa said a series of shooting incident toward indigenous Papuans seems depicting the five principles of Pancasila. “Pancasila is exempted in Papua. A series of shooting and murder towards indigenous Papuans in the name of the unity of Indonesia is a mistake. Military has a system command that soldiers follow the order from the chief. Those shooting must be done under the order. Paniai, Yahukimo, Dogiyai, Tolikara and Mimika. It’s a modus, part of a grand design. State must responsible on this,” he said at that time. (Jubi/Arjuna/rom)
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2) Pacific cannot discuss West Papua alone – O’Neill

3) Papuan independence leader Filep Karma refuses to be released from jail

4) Tolikara: Ballistics Test Shows Bullets Not From Cops` Firearms

5) Papua Needs 2,691 Local Facilitators

6) Political Elite Urged to be More Mature in Election Process

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/283621/forum-to-give-west-papua-serious-thought

1) Forum to give West Papua serious thought

Updated about 1 hour ago

The former, current and incoming chairs of the Pacific Islands Forum say they will take the concerns of Pacific NGOs on the situation in West Papua seriously.

Issues of West Papua and climate change are expected to be high on the agenda at this week's Forum leaders summit in Papua New Guinea's capital.

This week in Port Moresby, regional civil society organisations were given a rare face to face meeting with the past, present and future chairpersons of the Forum.

The leaders said they would take the concerns of Pacific NGOs on the situation in West Papua seriously.

The Pacific Network on Globalisation's Joey Tau said the reaffirmation added to the growing voices of Pacific peoples seeking a moral stand on human rights abuses in West Papua.

"There is tremendous support throughout the Pacific. We have the solidarity movements in Fiji, in Solomon Islands, in Vanuatu and back here in Papua New Guinea who are basically calling on leaders to deliberate and act morally on the issues that are before them in regards to West Papua."

The regional NGOs have also called on Pacific Island leaders and Australia and New Zealand to come up with a united stance on climate change for the Paris COP 21 negotiations.

The spokesperson for the Pacific NGOs Ann Singeo from the EBIIL society told the leaders to secure a safe future for people in the region.

“We are hoping that they at least have a united voice in the Paris COP 21 in December, so that they can at least unite on certain grounds to speak for at least the threat of climate change on the lives of our Pacific Islanders but also the mere existence of our countries and our people."

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http://www.looppng.com/content/pacific-cannot-discuss-west-papua-alone-–-o’neill
2) Pacific cannot discuss West Papua alone – O’Neill

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says the government will speak for West Papua as they are positively engaging with the Indonesian government to take on the West Papua Issue.
He said this during the meeting between the Pacific Island Forum Troika meeting with the Pacific Civil Society Organisation (PCSO) at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby.
He says the Pacific needs to have Indonesia at the table for it to discuss West Papua issues.
A statement emphasizing the five key priority issues was presented to the leaders
In this they called on Australia and New Zealand to join a united voice from Pacific seeking urgent just and ambitious climate action.
The PCSO also called on the leaders to effectively manage fisheries activities for an increased economic return.
“Without action your sovereign jurisdiction is under threat,” the statement says.
PIF leaders have also been asked to mobilise resources behind practical solutions for cervical cancer and to be more focused on ending preventable deaths from maternal mortality.
The civil societies groups also recognise that information technology is a “game changer’’ for the Pacific and call for leaders to look beyond an advisory committee to a visionary committee which incorporates a coordinated master planning approach to establish interconnected regional ICT infrastructure and the strategic development of ICT industry in the region.
“Our communities cannot afford to be merely consumers of other nation’s digital products and services; we must grow our own skills base and our own software and technology innovation industries in order to position our region for digital age economic and social sustainability,” says the PCSO.
Author:
Joy Kisselpar

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http://www.smh.com.au/world/papuan-independence-leader-filep-karma-refuses-to-be-released-from-jail-20150908-gjhwfs.html

3) Papuan independence leader Filep Karma refuses to be released from jail

September 8, 2015 - 5:56PM

Jewel Topsfield Indonesia correspondent for Fairfax

Jakarta: Papuan independence leader Filep Karma has flummoxed Indonesian authorities by refusing to be released from prison until he is cleared of treason.

He is the first prisoner who has refused to leave jail in Indonesian Republic's 70-year history, according to the director of prisoner and custody services, Imam Suyudi, who says there is no government regulation to deal with the unusual situation.

Mr Karma was jailed for 15 years for treason in 2004 after raising the Morning Star flag, used by supporters of Papuan independence.

He was due to be released from Abepura prison in Jayapura on August 17, after receiving remissions to his sentence due to good behaviour.

However Mr Karma wrote to Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly and said he would not accept the remissions because he was not a criminal.

"I am in jail because I expressed my aspirations peacefully, I flew the Papuan flag and I demanded Papuan independence in a peaceful way. I even asked for a permit to police before staging my peaceful protest," he told Fairfax Media through a source.

Mr Karma said prison governor Bagus Kurniawan had tried to persuade him to leave the prison but he refused to do so until his name was cleared and the treason charge abolished.

"I heard he's going to Jakarta today to meet with the minister himself and report to the minister about my case."

The director of prisoner and custody services, Mr Imam, said there was nothing the prison could do.

"We cannot force him to leave. He still gets all the services and treatment provided to inmates even though he should not be a prisoner anymore. The only thing we can do is talk to him, hopefully one day he will agree to go out of jail."

A Papuan student activist told Fairfax Media independence supporters had persuaded Mr Karma he would look more powerful if he stayed behind bars.

"But I think it's wrong," he told Fairfax Media on the condition of anonymity. "It is better for him to see the latest situation in Papua today. It is more effective to fight from the outside."

The independence movement in Papua has proven impossible to eradicate for the last 50 years, according to a recent report by the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict

Instead of trying to crush the movement, the report said, the Indonesian government should try to avoid further radicalisation.

It said there were four main factors that exacerbated anti-Jakarta sentiment and contributed to radicalisation: ineffective policing, impunity for security forces, the division of Papua into smaller and smaller local government areas and undermining customary law.

"Every time a Papuan is shot by police – in a demonstration, an operation or in the course of an arrest - the political temperature rises," the report said.

"Security forces everywhere in Indonesia need to move away from opening fire as the stock response to crowd control, but nowhere is the need greater than in Papua."

On August 28, two civilians were allegedly killed by military personnel and others injured in a shooting at the Koperapoka Catholic Church complex in Timika, Papua.

TNI spokesman Major General Endang Sodik told CNN the sergeant was acting in self defence after he was attacked by locals.

The report, which was launched four days before the shooting, said the deaths of members of the independence movement were often explained as resulting from the victim pulling a knife or gun, resisting arrest or trying to flee.

"The default responses … no longer have any credibility, even if in a few cases they may be true," the report said.

"Papuan casualties at the hands of security forces are only occasionally investigated and punished, and the more senior the officer involved, the less chance there seems to be of serious prosecution."

At least two investigations had been opened into the killing of four people in Paniai in December but no results had been made public despite repeated pledges by President Joko Widodo.

The report also suggested ending the use of makar (political crime) as a charge for non-violent crime and proceeding with amnesties for non-violent political prisoners.

"Swearing loyalty oaths should not be a condition of release, especially since those committed to returning to the movement will do so whether or not they swear an oath."

- with Karuni Rompies

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http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/09/08/055698676/Tolikara-Ballistics-Test-Shows-Bullets-Not-From-Cops-Firearms

TUESDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER, 2015 | 11:16 WIB

4) Tolikara: Ballistics Test Shows Bullets Not From Cops` Firearms

Zoom Out Zoom In Normal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - M. Duwila from Papua Regional Police said that the ballistics test on the bullets of Tolikara Riot incident on July 17 has finished. He said that the bullets that killed a man and injured many others did not come from police’s firearm.

Duwila, however, refused to entail more details on the ballistic test. He added that the Papua Police have conducted disciplinary court towards police officers in charge of securing the area during the riot.

Head of Tolikara Police Soeroso was the one allegedly responsible of scrambling the personnel to the armory and ringing the bell when the riot broke down. Soeroso and 12 police personnel have been imposed sanctions from August 24.

MARIA RITA | ARKHELAUS

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/07/papua-needs-2691-local-facilitators/

5) Papua Needs 2,691 Local Facilitators

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – The provincial government of Papuaneeds as many as 2,691 local village facilitators to be placed in 29 regencies and in Jayapura.

“Local facilitators must be at least graduates from junior and senior high schools and live in the village, where they will be placed,” said the head of Village Community Empowerment Agency (BPMK) of Papua, Donatus Mote, in Jayapura on Sunday (06/09/2015).

He said the agency has asked each regencies to recruit and send all the applicants to BPMK in order to be verified for further selection process.
“This recruitment process is done in order to ensure that the candidates are able to speak and read Indonesian well,” he added.

Early, Regional Secretary of Papua, Hery Dosinaen said some villagers still need the help of assistants, specifically to develop and oversee its implementation in the field.
“Papua still are still looking for more facilitators, especially in preparing the report on the use of funds. To that end, the recruitment will be done through the relevant agencies, “said Hery Dosinaen. (Alexander Loen/Tina)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/09/07/political-elite-urged-to-be-more-mature-in-election-process/

6) Political Elite Urged to be More Mature in Election Process

POSTED BY: ADMIN SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Jayapura, Jubi – Ahead of the simultaneous elections in 11 regencies in Papua, Papua Police (Polda) urged members of the political elite to be mature in politics and participate in creating stability and security within community.

“We hope the political elite will follow the regulations in the election process, so conflicts can be avoided,” Paulus Waterpauw, chief of Papua Police stated last weekend.

He said he will work together with the high-ranking officers in Papua Police in order to create security so that development goals can be achieved, as well as establishing cooperation with the government in seeking the next generation of leaders in the future.
“I am determined to provide the best service to the community and create a security to support government in development. I am ready to support all government programs, ” he said.

Former police chief of West Papua was also grateful given a chance to serve as Papua Police and became the first Papuan who titled rank of Inspector General of Police.
“This is a great gift that must be answered together on the tasks ahead. Off course, we can face the challenges by building communication to all elements including the public, ” he said. (Arjuna Pademme)

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2) The Time is Now to Act on West Papua

3) Pacific Islands Forum: Australia may be asked to leave group unless action taken on climate change

4) Climate showdown at Pacific leaders’ forum

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http://grants.forumsec.org/index.php/2-uncategorised/16-cso-outcome-statements

1) CSO Outcome Statements on Regional Priorities including West Papua

Troika Leaders, i.e. the past (RMI), current (Palau) and future chair (PNG) of the Pacific Islands Forum met with representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) today in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to have a dialogue on regional priorities. In this historical occasion, CSO representatives presented their consolidated views on the five regional priorities that were identified through the Framework For Pacific Regionalism process and to be discussed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders during the 46th Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting.
For more information on the CSO position statements on Regional Priorities, click on the links below:
Regional CSO Forum Overarching Statement
Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction
Increased economic returns from fisheries activity and maritime surveillance
Regional ICT Advisory Council
Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention
West Papua

WEST Papua
REGIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS FORUM Position Papers on Priority Areas
RECOGNITION OF REGIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ON A LONGSTANDING AND UNFINISHED REGIONAL
Pacific civil society,
Recognizing that finding a just resolution to the situation is a moral regional responsibility and constitutes an ongoing obligation for the region to find a just resolution to the West Papuan people,
Recognizing the shared cultural and historical affinity that makes West Papua unquestionable part of the Pacific family,
Recalling that Leaders have, in several previous Communiqués, recognized and expressed deep concern about ongoing violence and loss of life in West Papua, and recalling also that Leaders have called previously on all parties to protect and uphold the human rights of the people of West Papua and to support peaceful consultations and third party negotiations,1
Taking into account other significant initiatives by Pacific Island nations, at the national level and through international mechanisms, reinforcing regional solidarity for West Papua and other non-self-governing territories in the region,2
Taking note of the affirmation by Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders in 2013 of the inalienable right of the West Papuan people to self-determination3 and the current MSG
processes to consider the matter of West Papuan membership in the organisation,
Recognizing the actual and continuing gross violation of the human rights of West Papuan people, including numerous recent killings and mass arrests of peaceful protestors and activists,
Recognizing the existing isolation of West Papuan groups through direct and structural violence,
Taking note that such human rights violations have continued in West Papua despite previous and widespread expressions of concern by the international community, as well as assurances that impunity by Indonesian security agencies has been curbed,
1 Leaders’ Communiques 2000 (Tarawa), 2001 (Nauru), and 2006 (Fiji)2 Notably a) Vanuatu, Nauru and Tuvalu supporting West Papua’s right to self-determination at the United Nations
Millennium Summit in 2000 and b) Leaders’ Communique 2002 (Fiji) expressing support for New Caledonia’s
self-determination process.
3 Communique (page 9) of 19th Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders’ Summit 20th June 2013 (http://www.msgsec.info/index.php/communique)
REGIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS FORUM Position Papers on Priority Areas
Taking into account articles 3 and 4 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples4 regarding the right of self-determination and the recommendation of
the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at its eleventh session on the implementation of basic fundamental human rights articulated in the Declaration, particularly the right to self-determination,5
Recalling the Charter of the United Nations, its resolution 1514 (XV) of
14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and its resolution 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960,
Affirming the inalienable right of the people of French Polynesia to self-determination and independence in accordance with Chapter XI of the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV),
Recalling Article 3 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples UNGA Resolution 61/295 of 13 September 2007 stipulating that “...Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.”
Civil Society requests Leaders to:
Reaffirm that West Papua is part of the Pacific region, and that finding a just resolution to the struggle therein is a longstanding regional moral obligation,
Condemn strongly the on-going violation of human rights in West Papua, including the recent fatal shootings of West Papuan youth and mass arrests of community members,
Express solidarity with, and actively explore avenues of accompaniment to, the people of West Papua in their struggle against injustice and the legacy of colonial oppression for some 54 years,
to commission a high level PIF delegation to undertake a fact finding mission to investigate human rights abuses in West Papua,
to urge the UN Secretary-General to appoint a special representative to investigate human rights abuses in West Papua,
to grant West Papua observer status at the PIF,
to pursue the re-instatement of West Papua on the United Nations Committee for
Decolonisation.
4 UNGA Resolution 61/295 5 E/2012/43, para. 39.

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http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=21607584555ee08205fcfe9243d4c8

2) The Time is Now to Act on West Papua
By Online Editor
4:56 pm GMT+12, 07/09/2015, Papua New Guinea
By Joey Tau

Solidarity groups throughout the Pacific including Australia and New Zealand are calling on Pacific leaders to act on the West Papua issue at this Forum Leaders meeting.

To not act on the issue of West Papua would be considered a moral failure of our collective leadership in the Pacific.

The call on leaders has gained momentum in light of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), with leaders expected to convene in Port Moresby this week, with West Papua being one of the top contentious priority areas on the leaders agenda.

Solidarity movements in the Pacific have peacefully demonstrated with a firm message to PIF to endorse a fact finding mission to West Papua to investigate human rights violations, support call for a UN Special Envoy on West Papua and assist in placing West Papua on the decolonisation list at the UN.

Historically, Pacific Islands Forum leaders have demonstrated their moral and political leadership recognising the right to self determination struggles in our region, notably in relation to New Caledonia and in seeking just resolution for many other politically difficult issues in our region such as the radioactive contaminants in the Marshall Islands.

Our leaders have facilitated these difficult political issues with integrity in Pacific solidarity with the struggles of our people.

PNG Union for West Papua (PNGUWP) Chairman, Ken Mondiai said the issue of self determination including that of West Papua had been brought up at numerous Pacific leaders forum over the years, but very little had been done to address the growing human rights violations what continue to flood the media.

"The time is now and our current Pacific leaders must act on the issue drawing their strength from historical leadership to resolve this on going conflict in a just and peaceful manner.

"PNG has an important role to play at this forum and as host and incoming chair of PIF, we call on the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and his Pacific counterparts to act morally and consciously when deliberating on West
Papua," stressed Mondiai,PNG parliamentarian on West Papua and Oro Governor, Gary Juffa shared similar sentiments saying world leaders including our Pacific leaders have failed West Papua and continue to do so.

Governor Juffa labelled the United Nations as a failed organisation saying, “the UN has done nothing to address its apathy in 1969 when it supervised and watched with disinterest the Act of No Choice in West Papua when 1024 elders were forced at gunpoint to vote under duress to be part of INDONESIA on behalf of the entire people of West Papua, yet the UN preaches about the rights, violence, and torture in other parts of the world.”

“We are not free in the Pacific until West Papua is free...the challenge is on our leaders to act on West Papua this week and we expect some firm outcomes.”

The Solomon Islands Solidarity Movement for West Papua has also joined in the regional call, stressing on other Pacific leaders to support the stand behind the leadership of Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare and special envoy on West Papua, Mathew Wale.

Coordinator of the Solomon Islands movement, Lilly Chekana said the people of the Solomon Islands have high expectation of their Prime Minister to champion the issue of West Papua, but are calling on other leaders in support the leadership of Sogavare.

“Sogavare was vocal during the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders meeting this year in Honiara and we expect him to do the same at this year's PIF. The people of the Solomon Islands will continue to stand with our Pacific brothers and sisters in West Papua.”

Meanwhile, regional youth movement for West Papua, Youngsolarans have taken a strong social media drive with demonstrations outside.

“We stand in solidarity with other regional movements are call on our leaders to endorse an independent fact finding mission to West Papua...we also want the leaders call on the UN to appoint a human rights special envoy to West Papua," said Youngsolwarans Fiji spokesperson, Vuetasau Buatoka.

Buatoka said there are talks of intense pressure from Indonesia on Fiji and PNG, "and we hope that our Pacific leaders are not influenced in their own space to negate their moral responsibility to West Papuans."
As leaders travel into to PNG today, solidarity movements for West Papua will be hosting rallies throughout the Pacific.

Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG)
Website: www.pang.org.fj
105 Amy Street Toorak
Suva, Fiji Islands
Phone: (+679) 3316 722

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-08/australia-may-be-asked-to-leave-the-pacific-islands-forum/6759914

3) Pacific Islands Forum: Australia may be asked to leave group unless action taken on climate change

By Papua New Guinea correspondent Liam Cochrane

Posted about 8 hours ago

Australia has been warned it could be asked to leave the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) if it does not start supporting stronger action on climate change.

Kiribati president Anote Tong warned people in the region would have to flee in waves similar to the current migrant crisis in Europe unless stronger action was taken to reduce emissions.

"I think it would be incumbent on them because how relevant [would] their presence be," he said.

"We expect them as a our big brothers, not bad brothers, our big brothers to support us on this one."

Australia and New Zealand are the two most economically powerful members of the PIF, which is meeting this week in Port Moresby.

Pacific nations have called to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius, saying the current goal of 2 degrees above the pre-industrial level would push many beyond their ability to adapt.

Mr Tong's comments follow similar remarks he made on Monday that Australia and New Zealand should show they were "real friends" by supporting more action on climate change.

Kiribati, with its population of 110,000 spread across 33 low-lying islands, is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will travel to Port Moresby on Wednesday and will take part in the main PIF leaders retreat on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Mr Tong invited Mr Abbott to visit Kiribati to see the impacts of climate change for himself.

"I'd love for him to have him come and stay for the rest of his life," he said.

Pacific nations are expected to called for a ban on new coal mines and more ambitious targets for limiting global temperature rise when leaders meet at the regional summit on Thursday.

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http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/09/09/03/37/climate-showdown-at-pacific-leaders-forum

4) Climate showdown at Pacific leaders’ forum

3:30am September 9, 2015

Pacific Islanders won't be abandoned to suffer in silence as seawater inundates their homes and crops, Papua New Guinea's prime minister has declared ahead of a showdown with Australia and New Zealand on climate change.

Peter O'Neill welcomed 14 Pacific Island Forum leaders and two stand-ins to Port Moresby with a gala opening ceremony and feast on Tuesday night, ahead of Wednesday's summit.

Tribal dancers and drummers wearing elaborate grass costumes, ochre face paint, bores' teeth, mud masks and Birds of Paradise feathered head-dresses, accompanied each leader in a grand procession.

It was a show of national pride ahead of PNG's 40th anniversary of independence from Australia.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is due to arrive on Wednesday night and Fiji's prime minister has boycotted the event, sending his foreign minister instead.

Mr O'Neill said the forum was only as strong as its most vulnerable members and had a "collective obligation" to help smaller states like Kiribati, Tuvalu and Marshall Islands on the frontline of global warming.

He said communities were living in fear of each high tide and storm front, while changes in ocean temperature and acidity hit fish stocks, and the frequency and intensity of cyclones has increased.

"Our people should not have to change their way of life or abandon thousands of years of traditions because of the actions of larger countries and their carbon emissions," Mr O'Neill told the dinner.

He said millions of his own people were suffering from what could be PNG's worst drought in 20 years and a looming food crisis, because of an El Nino weather system which was exacerbated by climate change.

Human rights abuses in Indonesia's Papuan provinces will be another hot button issue.

The leaders may find more common ground on fisheries, a regional strategy to reverse high Melanesian cervical cancer prevalence and improving internet connectivity.

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

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088

Media release- 9 September 2015

Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papua

RNZI reported that New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully said (in relation to a call by civil society organisations for a fact finding mission to West Papua) that

“I haven't seen a role for a fact-finding mission but I think a healthy discussion about this matter amongst leaders will be useful and I think that Papua New Guinea and the chair will bring a good sense of balance and judgement to that discussion."

Joe Collins of AWPA said, “The West Papuan people feel isolated and ignored by the world. They are asking for foreign affairs representatives to visit West Papua to see for themselves the deteriorating human rights situation in the territory, instead of simply hearing the same old mantra that Indonesian is now a democracy and human rights abuses are a thing of the past”.

As it is some PIF countries wonder why Australia and New Zealand are members at the PIF albeit more to do with their lack of progress on climate change.

It is encouraging that West Papua is on the agenda at the PIF and its hoped that the PIF leaders will listen to the people of the Pacific who are calling on their leaders to send a fact finding mission to West Papua.

Instead of trying to downplay the issue of West Papua Australia and New Zealand should show strong leadership on the issue and they would gain the respect of the other PIF leaders in doing so.

ends.

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

2) McCully refusal to act on West Papua shameful & embarrassing

3) Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papuan

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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00101/wpaa-condemns-foreign-minister-for-lack-of-support.htm

WPAA condemns Foreign Minister for lack of support

Wednesday, 9 September 2015, 1:47 pm
Press Release: West Papua Action Auckland

WPAA condemns Foreign Minister for lack of support for Fact-Finding mission

West Papua Action Auckland (WPAA) is shocked at Murray McCully’s refusal to back a fact-finding mission for West Papua at the Pacific Island Forum.

‘ It is well past time that New Zealand woke up to the most serious human rights crisis in the Pacific. The blind eye approach is disgraceful in the face of ongoing security force killings and torture not to mention the repression of basic freedoms such as the right to raise a flag or get signatures on a petition,’ said Maire Leadbeater for West Papua Action Auckland.

‘The fact that West Papua is on the Forum agenda for the first time since 2007 is proof that the people of the Pacific want to see change for their Melanesian sisters and brothers. The issue is one of the five key issues for consideration by the 16 Pacific delegations – but apparently New Zealand already has a closed mind.’

‘This year’s Forum has a clear challenge – West Papuan people are pleading for their Pacific neighbours to hear their cries and a fact finding mission is a modest step in the right direction. The consequences of doing nothing would cast doubt on the future of the Forum as anything more than a talk-fest.’

‘The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) opted to grant observer status to the new umbrella group the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. The MSG leaders accepted a 55,000 signature petition calling for West Papuan inclusion in the MSG – the signatures were gathered from people from all across the territory despite severe security force intimidation. This amazing democratic effort must not be in vain.

ENDS

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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1509/S00155/mccully-refusal-to-act-on-west-papua-shameful-embarrassing.htm

McCully refusal to act on West Papua shameful & embarrassing

Wednesday, 9 September 2015, 11:03 am
Press Release: Green Party

9 September 2015

McCully’s refusal to act on West Papua shameful & embarrassing

Murray McCully’s position that a fact-finding mission into human rights atrocities in West Papua isn’t needed shows a complete lack of leadership and credibility, the Green Party said today.

“Murray McCully’s inaction on human rights abuses by Indonesia in West Papua is shameful – where’s his integrity?” said Green Party human rights spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.

“The Pacific Islands Forum is the ideal venue to support an investigation into the worst human rights abuses in the region.

“Murray McCully’s refusal to show any leadership on the issue and John Key having another little chat with the Indonesians will achieve nothing.

“We’ve known for some time that there are ongoing, horrific human rights abuses in West Papua.

“Supporting a fact-finding mission into exactly what is happening in West Papua is the very least we should be doing, and yet Murray McCully is only willing to pay lip service to the issue.

“More talk isn’t going to stop West Papuans dying, or finally give them the freedom and independence they desperately want.

“The Pacific Islands Forum is the perfect opportunity for Murray McCully and John Key to stand on the side of justice and with the people of West Papua; instead they’re yet again bowing down to bullying from Indonesia and doing nothing.

“There is support around the Pacific for independence for West Papua; an international fact-finding mission is seen as the first step in that process.

“We can only assume that Murray McCully knows that any probe into human rights abuses in West Papua would make for unpleasant reading, and would require Pacific leaders to act in the face of pressure from Indonesia.

“Instead he’s happy to take the easy option and do nothing.

“That makes Murray McCully and New Zealand complicit in the ongoing repression of the West Papuan people, and that’s not something we should be proud of,” said Ms Delahunty.

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

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1509/S00030/austnz-should-support-a-fact-finding-mission-to-west-papua.htm

Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papua

Wednesday, 9 September 2015, 12:47 pm
Press Release: Australian West Papua Association

Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papua

RNZI reported that New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully said (in relation to a call by civil society organisations for a fact finding mission to West Papua) that

As it is some PIF countries wonder why Australia and New Zealand are members at the PIF albeit more to do with their lack of progress on climate change.

Instead of trying to downplay the issue of West Papua Australia and New Zealand should show strong leadership on the issue and they would gain the respect of the other PIF leaders in doing so.

ENDS