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1) West Papua a regional issue, says Liberation Movement

April 7, 2016, 2:23 am
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2) Oil Palm Plantations Destroy Indigenous Way of Life
3) Papua 58 Percent of Provincial Road Not Paved
4) Landslide in Yahukimo, 153 Families Face Food Shortage 
5) Only 30 % Population in Papua Enjoy Clean Water
6) Yeresiam Tribal Chief Calls Indigenous Papuans to Against Oil Palm Company
7) MSG Chair Welcomes Jakarta’s Assistance Towards Fiji’s recovery Process
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1) West Papua a regional issue, says Liberation Movement
2:38 pm today
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua says Papua remains an issue for the wider Melanesian region despite Indonesia's efforts to internalise it.
Since the Liberation Movement was granted observer status in the Melanesian Spearhead Group last year, Indonesia has increased its diplomatic engagement with MSG member states.
Jakarta, which has MSG associate member status, is lobbying to fend off support for West Papuan self-determination and said it had the support of Fiji and Papua New Guinea to become a full member.
This follows last week's Indonesian ministerial visit to PNG and Fiji where Jakarta handed over five million US dollars in cyclone relief assistance.
One of the Liberation Movement's interior executives, Markus Haluk, said the lobbying was to be expected.
"Indonesia lobby money and economy for Fiji and Papua New Guinea. But no problem, we are optimists, because West Papua problem is same Melanesia problem."
Markus Haluk said that in Papua itself, grassroots support for the Liberation Movement was huge.
The opening of a ULMWP office in Wamena, Papua province, in February, was attended by an estimated five to six thousand Papuans.
However, following the opening, Indonesian police dismantled the Liberation Movement signage as well as detained Mr Haluk and a fellow ULMWP member for questioning over their involvement in establishing the office.
Leading Indonesian government officials have said that movements which harbour independence aspirations must be crushed.
Yet Papuan leaders have repeatedly identified brutal treatment of their people by the security forces as a main driver of dissatisfaction with Indonesian rule.
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2) Oil Palm Plantations Destroy Indigenous Way of Life
5 April 2016


                                                                Yerisiam Tribes marked their land – Jubi


Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Provincial Government believes palm oil can bring prosperity to indigenous Papuans by handing out permits  to palm oil plantations without considering the impact on the environment .
The Coalition for the Victims of Nabire Oil Palm Plantations conducted an open discussion by presenting the victims of oil palm plantations from Keerom and Mimika. Coalition chief John NR Gobai said the presence of oil palm plantations in Papua has brought a negative impact into the life of indigenous Papuans, namely the threats to the young generation and natural disasters in many regions.
“Because it caused flood disaster, dismissed the people’s livelihood and destroyed the sago forest. Herewith we made statement to reject the oil palm plantation in the land of Papua,” Gobai told Jubi at Intan Jaya Studen Dormitory in Jayapura City, Monday (04/04/2016).
Thus, the Coalition for the Victims of Nabire Oil Palm Plantation asked to the judges at Jayapura State Administrative Court and Sorong District Court to accept a lawsuit by customary people.
Keerom resident Emel Fatagor, who also the victim of oil palm plantation, said a meeting involved all relevant stakeholders in Papua is required in responding this issue.
“Though we have fought for decades for taking back the customary forests deprived by oil palm company; but we (Arso natives) found out recently that PTPN II didn’t have a land concession (HGU) as requirement to open the oil palm plantation. It only has the HGU after sixteen years of conversion of forests into oil palm plantations,” he said.
He explained this fact was revealed during the General Hearing on National Indigenous Customary Law Rights Inquiry in the forest area that was held in Jayapura on 26 – 28 November 2014, or thirthy years after PTPN II was being operated in Keerom. Although complaining about it for several times, but the Arso natives could not do much. Papua border area always becomes a special region, a state military operation area, which is full equipped with military checkpoints at certain distance. It also becomes a hiding place of OPM – Free Papua Movement members. So, it is completed. The existence of PTPN II, OPM and forests in the border of neighboring country are enough for the Indonesian military to put Keerom region as a target of security priority.
“The problem is, the term of security by State has not similar point of Keerom residents,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yerisiam Gua Tribal Chief Dabiel Yarawobi said ‘Save the people and forest of Papua’ endorsed by Papua People’s Assembly and Papua Provincial Government should not apply as an empty slogan, but should become a concrete measure.
“It shouldn’t become an meaningless moral calling or merely fundraising object. This must create a concrete measure for all of us: make regulations, build up the awareness and also take a firm action. Nature would select those who work with forest destroyer investors,” he said.
In this forum, he also talked about oil palm in Mimika, which standing along the road of Mimika to Paniai. (Abeth You/rom)


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3) Papua 58 Percent of Provincial Road Not Paved
6 April 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – Access to quality transportation to connect indigenous Papuans still leaves much to be desired, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said. The lack of road construction is due to a budget shortfall for infrastructure that is annually allocated through the Special Autonomy funds.
According to the government, the budget shortfall up to the end of fiscal year 2015 has affected the construction of provincial roads, which are of 2,065 kilometers, 41.65 percent is solid road while 58.34 percent is the dirt road. Meanwhile, 2,682.85 kilometers of road access in the provincial road planning is still the forest areas and/or not yet constructed to connect the services center of indigenous Papuans.
Additionally, the additional budget from the Special Autonomy funds for 2016 of more than Rp 1 trillion for the road and transportation, and the Special Allocated Budget for the road of Rp 350 billion only meet the requirement of regular maintenance cost of 860 km x Rp300 million = Rp 258 billion, of periodic maintenance and asphalt improvement of 300 km x Rp 4 billion = Rp 1,2 trilion.
“It means there is 800 km of the dirt road not be maintenance,” said Elia Loupatty, the first assistant of Papua Province this week.
He measured the additional infrastructure budget from the annual budget of the Special Autonomy funds is very limited, thus it is hard to reach the target of Special Autonomy 2031 to connect the quality transportation access to the services center of indigenous Papuans.
“Therefore, this technical meeting is expected to build a synergy in the development plan between the central, provincial and regional or municipal governments in determining the priority of handling and to collectively fight for the increment of budget allocation in line with Papua Special Autonomy,” said Loupatty.
Similarly, the sector of housing and clean water development which is not becoming the public requirement also becomes a development priority, because the policy on the acceleration of the infrastructure development as well as another strategic sectors that has been determined in the vision and mission of Papua Development 2013-2018 to become a joint commitment with the government/municipal governments.
“From 80 percent of allocation budget, the regional/municipal governments obliged to allocate budget for housing construction and clean water services each year,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of Papua Public Works Office Mikael Kambuaya said the coordination meeting on Public Works is very important to synergy program and activities that are more measurable.
“This forum is very strategic so that target and policy goals program could be achieved in each fiscal year,” said Kambuaya. (Alexander Loen/rom)
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4) Landslide in Yahukimo, 153 Families Face Food Shortage 
5 April 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – Landslides have hit Uldam Village and Illion Village, Kosabarek Sub-district of Yahukimo Regeny due to heavy rains since the last two months.
Illion Village Chief Paulus Saram said on Monday (4/4/2016) that landslides have forced hundreds of families to struggle to get food.
“Landslides hit our farms on the slopes of the mountain. All plants such as sweet potato, pandanus (red) fruit, cabbage, potato, and forest coconut were swiped by rainwater and stones and soil,” said Paulus Saram accompanied by Yafet Saram and young people from Kosarek.

He said in the incident that caused 88 families at Uldam Village and 65 families at Illion village to face food shortages.
“Local people could stand by digging ‘hipere’ (sweet potato) after the landslide. Fortunately my house wasn’t hit because it stands quite far from the location of landslide. I also tried to inform this matter to Kosarek Sub-District Head but he wasn’t at his office,” he said.
Meanwhile, reaching Dekai, the capital of Yahukimo Regency to inform the incident, he said, is difficult because no road access, but only could be reached by plane that has no certain flight schedule and list of long queue passengers.
“So, I decided to wait the flight schedule to Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency and direct to fly to Jayapura for able to confirm about the incident to the authority,” said Paulus Saram.
Meanwhile, Yafet Saram who accompanied him expected both local and provincial governments could pay attention to the natural catastrophe occurred in two villages.
“I hope the government could pay attention to the villagers of two villages, do not wait for fatalities. They must help the villagers who are being affected by this landslide,” he said. (*/rom)
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5) Only 30 % Population in Papua Enjoy Clean Water
6 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Public Works Office said only 30 percent of  the population in Papua have access to clean water, lower than the national average.
The head of Papua Public Works Mikael Kambuaya told reporters in Jayapura, Tuesday (5/4/2016) that the national target for 2018 and 2019 for clean water supplies to the community should reach 100 percent.
“The lack of water services to the community is still happened because the regional governments do not prepare the technical plans to submit to the Central Government for budgets allocated for clean water services,” he said.
However, Kambuaya said some regional governments understand the process to receive budget for clean water services by setting programs. “Because clean water supplies for the community is important,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of Human Settlement and Clean Water Department of Papua Public Works Office Yan Ukago said based on the monitoring, there area about 29 percent of population in Papua served with clean water.
“Since 2014, my department has not conducted the infrastructure-related works, because the Department of Human Settlement only conduct a monitoring by recording data as well as crosschecking the number of population that already served with clean water,” said Yan Ukago.
According to him, the Central Government already allocated a special budget to regional governments, so that now they can manage it by themselves. “For clean water, there is not only those who live in the highland area to not has not been got the services of clean water, but it is also happened in Jayapura City,” he said.
He added to resolve this problem, there must be a clear and directed disposition, and for example, his department would handle some works such as drilling deep well at the southern area. “While for highland area, it could relocate the rainwater and so on,” he said. (Alexander Loen/rom)
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6) Yeresiam Tribal Chief Calls Indigenous Papuans to Against Oil Palm Company
5 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – Yeresiam Gua Tribal Chief called for indigenous Papuans to be united to reject the oil palm plantation to operate in the land of Papua, especially in Yeresiam Land of Nabire, Papua.
“We appeal to all, let us be together to stop the oil palm plantation in our land,” Daniel Yarawobi said to the participants in the open discussion on “Oil Palm Impact Towards the Indigenous People,” that was held at Intan Jaya Student Dormitory in Waena, Jayapura City, Papua on Monday (4/4/2016).
All parties, in particular Papuans, who are currently at the government bureaucracy, NGOs, customary, youth, women organizations, journalists and students must be united to reject the oil palm plantation, because it only gives profits to the company and business owners, while a catastrophe for the people. People will lose the land tenure rights, the ownership of the land with its entire natural resources, including plants and animals that previously of their economic resources.

“We have lost. Floods happened to us. We have hurt. We have been victims for several times,” he said to point the flooding that recently happened in Yeresiam area on 25 March 2016.
‘Where we should go to speak our voice? We have done all efforts to be heard by the government, to meet with the Nabire Regional Legislative Council and Nabire Regent, but it never produced a result until now,” he said.
Since October 2015, Yeresiam people made a lawsuit against PT Nabire Baru at State Administrative Court in Jayapura to sue its business permit issued by the former Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu in 2008. The legal process is now still undergoing.
“We sued the company to go from the land of Yeresiam, because it violated the procedure to come in our land. We never signed any letters to state the land hand over. Our name was written down, but others to sign upon our name,” he said.
Tolak Sawit activist Emile Fakdagur from Workwana Village of Keerom Regency provided a similar testimony. He said the oil plantation in Keerom came with pleasant promises but never realize it.
“Sending the children to school and university had never realized. This oil palm plantation is really pointless. It’s a bunch of lies. The company only brought a catastrophe,” he said supporting Yeresiam people to reject the oil palm plantation. (Mawel Benny/rom)
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7) MSG Chair Welcomes Jakarta’s Assistance Towards Fiji’s recovery Process
6 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – The Chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare has welcomed Indonesia’s ‘generous’ assistance towards the recovery efforts of MSG member country, Fiji, from Cyclone Winston.
An Indonesian Government delegation led by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, General Luhut Pandjaitan presented a cheque worth FJ$10-Million to the Fiji Prime Minister in Suva, Fiji, last Friday.
General Pandjaitan and his delegation visited Suva last week as part of their tour of the Melanesian sub-region.

In greeting the assistance and tour, the MSG Chair and Solomon Islands Prime Minister said the generous contribution by Indonesia towards the recovery phase of Fiji from tropical cyclone Winston demonstrated the clear need for the MSG to continue to hold on to the core values of self-determination for West Papua, as agreed by the MSG Leaders in Noumea, New Caledonia in 2014.
“The visit of the Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan is a testament to the increasing solidarity of the MSG member countries. In the same vein, the plight of the people of West Papua is also a struggle that the MSG must contend with and as such the MSG Chair reiterates the offer of providing a space for a process of dialogue between an observer, United Liberation Movement for West Papua and Indonesia as an associate member of the MSG,” Sogavare said.
“Painfully, we accept the sovereignty of Indonesia over West Papua. This is a good starting point for dialogue on the future of the peoples of West Papua,” he added.
The MSG Chair also renewed the keen interest of the MSG member countries in the proposed Pacific Islands Forum mission to verify information on human rights violations in West Papua. This decision was made at the last Pacific Islands Forum in Papua New Guinea in September 2015.
He expressed his anticipation to welcome General Panjaitan and his delegation in Honiara to discuss matters of concern to the MSG and added that in the same token, he is also keen to pay a goodwill visit to Jakarta as an associate member of the MSG.
Meanwhile, the Special Secretary to MSG Chair, Rence Sore, confirmed that the MSG Special Leaders’ Summit will take place in early May 2016 at the MSG Secretariat in Port Vila. (Victor Mambor)
Source : Solomon’s PM Office
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1) Indonesia strengthens ties with South Pacific nations

April 7, 2016, 2:21 pm
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2) The rise of Pacific power: From small island states to large ocean states

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/104056/indonesia-strengthens-ties-with-south-pacific-nations

1) Indonesia strengthens ties with South Pacific nations

Kamis, 7 April 2016 18:10 WIB | 568 Views
Pewarta: Fardah


Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and his delegations recent trip to Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) demonstrates Indonesias commitment to forging strong bilateral relations with South Pacific countries.

The Indonesian delegation arrived in Suva, Fiji, on March 30 for a visit aimed at boosting bilateral relations between Indonesia and Fiji.

Minister Pandjaitan paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister J.V. Bainimarama, held a bilateral meeting with Fijis Minister for Agricultural, Rural, Maritime Affairs and National Disaster Management Ina Seriaritu, and a luncheon with Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

The minister extended financial assistance worth US$5 million to help the victims of the Winston typhoon that hit Fiji in February and delivered a letter from President Joko Widodo to Prime Minister Bainimarama. 

In addition to the financial aid, Indonesia also sent US$3 million worth of goods for the victims of the typhoon.

The minister remarked that Indonesia will deploy engineer troops to help reconstruct Queen Victoria School in Lawaki.

"In early May, the TNIs (Indonesian Defense Forces) engineer troops will arrive. We will also send 100 units of hand tractors to help develop agriculture here," Pandjaitan noted.

"I have conveyed to Prime Minister Bainimarama and Foreign Minister Kubuabola that we will be consistently present in the region," the minister pointed out.

Minister Seriaritu hailed the aid and cooperation offered by Indonesia.

He said Indonesia was a key player in the Asian and Pacific region, and the countrys success in disaster management and mitigation had received international recognition.

However, he hoped that the two countries would intensify cooperation in other crucial fields such as education, agriculture, economy, and food security.

As part of the delegations agenda, Indonesian Chairman of the General Election Commission Husni Kamil Manik signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for the management of general elections with his Fijian counterpart.

In the meantime, during the meeting with Foreign Minister Kubuabola, Pandjaitan expressed Indonesias keenness to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

Kubuabola remarked that the government of Fiji had proposed upgrading the membership status of Indonesia in the MSG from an associate member to a full member to strengthen the nations position in the group of Melanesian countries.

Special staff of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry on strategic issues Djauhari Oratmangun, who was a member of the delegation, noted that Fiji was Indonesias good friend in the South Pacific region.

In the context of the MSG, Fiji is among the countries to have supported Indonesias bid for full membership of the group, Oratmangun stated.

A similar support was also expressed by the PNG government when Minister Pandjaitan and his delegation had visited Port Moresby on April 1 after concluding their trip to Fiji. 

Indonesias application to become a full MSG member was being processed, and thereafter, the way to obtain the full membership status would be opened, PNG Foreign and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato said following a bilateral meeting with the Indonesian delegation.

PNG will host the 21st Summit of the MSG in 2017. 

During its 20th Summit held in Honiara in the Solomon Islands on June 26, 2015, Indonesia had obtained the associative member status.

At the bilateral meeting, Pato stated that the constructive and open talks covered various cooperation opportunities including in the fields of economy, investment, trade, and energy, particularly LNG, and flights connecting the two neighboring countries. 

"The model of cooperation we have discussed covers many fields ranging from culture and trade to military cooperation. We also discussed a plan to cooperate in liquefied natural gas (LNG), palm oil, and intelligence. Basically, this cooperation is aimed at narrowing any differences between the two countries," Minister Pato said.

They also discussed cooperation between the two nations police and military, especially to guard the border areas.

PNG, which will host an APEC Summit in 2018, is eager to take a cue from Indonesia on ways to organize a major international meeting.

The two countries have signed 11 memoranda of understanding and three agreements to strengthen bilateral partnership based on mutual respect, he said.

"We will also learn from Indonesias rich experiences in democracy, and we (PNG and Indonesia) will move together and work in tandem," noted Pato, who was accompanied by PNG Trade Minister Richard Mare and National Development Planning Minister Charles Abe.

In the meantime, Minister Pandjaitan remarked that the two delegations also discussed cooperation in immigration affairs, trade, and the development of the palm oil industry.

"The Indonesian trade ministrys delegation and business mission will visit PNG in late April this year. Our relations are becoming closer," Pandjaitan affirmed.

At the invitation of PNG Prime Minister Peter ONeill, President Joko Widodo visited Port Moresby on May 11-12, 2015, to strengthen bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, investment, and infrastructure construction fields.

The two leaders also agreed to increase the value of bilateral trade beyond trading activities in the border areas that reaches US$4.5 million per year.

To boost Indonesian diplomacy in the South Pacific region, Minister Pandjaitan proposed an appointment of an Indonesian special envoy to the South Pacific region.

The special envoy is also expected to help enhance communication between Indonesia and the governments and people of the countries in the region. 

Indonesia will be consistently present in the South Pacific by sending ministers to 16 countries in the region, according to Pandjaitan.

"Diplomacy is important and we should be aggressively explaining to states in the South Pacific about the conditions and situation in Indonesia including what we have been doing in the area of human rights," he pointed out.

Citing as an example, he said a number of parties in the South Pacific region think that Indonesian people of the Melanesian race only inhabit the provinces of Papua and West Papua.

Indonesia has at least 11 million people of Melanesian race, spreading among other things in the provinces of Papua, West Papua, Maluku, North Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), he said.

In fact, the majority of Melanesians are living in Indonesia, approximately 80 percent of them, Kacung Marijan, director general of culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture, said while Indonesia organized Melanesian Cultural Festival in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on October 27-30, 2015. 

To promote cultural pluralism existing in countries having a Melanesian population, the festivals theme was "Celebrating the Cultural Diversity of Melanesian World".  

The Indonesian government hoped that the festival to help improve the public understanding of the Melanesian race, and strengthen cooperation among Melanesian countries.(*)
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2) The rise of Pacific power: From small island states to large ocean states
8:24 pm GMT+12, 31/03/2016, Fiji


By Matisse Walkden-Brown  
 
The Pacific region consists of 24 island states scattered across a quarter of the earth’s surface - a vast area of some 30 million square kilometres. By description alone, the vast area should command the respect and attention of the international community.  
 
The countries make up almost 10 percent of United Nations votes and are invaluable players in the geopolitical arena. The Pacific bolsters national security for many of the world’s biggest powers, allowing them to maintain a military presence in the region. It also hosts trade routes, provides access to deep-sea mining and floor mapping, and remains a major seafood source for the world.
 
In spite of this, global powers have long treated Pacific Island nations as inconsequential. Colonialism in the 1700s brought influenza and other diseases; in the mid-1800s islanders were stolen and forced to work in the plantations of larger neighbouring countries, like Australia. The Pacific was still subject to United States and French self-interests only 60 years ago, when islands were used as sites for their deadly nuclear weapons tests.
 
Nowadays, in a hangover from colonisation, industrialised countries continue to hold a great amount of leverage in the Pacific region while doubling as major aid donors. Australia, New Zealand, the US, China, Taiwan, Japan and Indonesia have vested interests throughout the Pacific in a range of sectors, including fisheries, infrastructure development and telecommunications. Global superpowers have evolved and adopted a gift-giving and resource-taking role throughout the region.  
 
However, the era of the Pacific countries being passive recipients is quickly drawing to a close. Pacific leaders have begun to subtly shift this deeply embedded political dynamic to restructure their foreign relationships. They are creating more political power for themselves, and regaining control over their precious natural resources.
 
In 2007, Pacific leaders signed a declaration for region-wide management of their fisheries resources. This increased financial returns from the industry, while also strengthening conservation measures. Decades prior to that change, a vast majority of the fisheries business, including processing, took place in Asia, US and Europe - locking the Pacific Islands out of the profits from their own resources.  
 
This declaration sent a message to foreign governments and companies that the Pacific would no longer politely stand by while their fisheries were exploited and wiped out. As a result, the Pacific tuna fisheries industry is now more regionally driven, and in the hands of Pacific governments. Furthermore, the collapse in January 2016 of a decades-old regional treaty with the US on tuna fishing rights has allowed Pacific governments more control over their tuna industry.
 
Pacific Island nations have also begun to push back against the control that Australia and New Zealand wield over the Pacific Island Forum, which for decades has been the main intergovernmental platform for the region. At the 2015 PIF Leaders Meeting in Port Moresby, Kiribati’s then President Anote Tong publicly criticised Australia and New Zealand, saying that development aid could no longer be used as a puppet string for the Pacific while survival from climate change threats were not being addressed.  
 
“What we are talking about is survival, it's not about economic development... it's not politics, its survival. I think they need to come to the party, if they really are our friends then they should be looking after our future as well.”- President Anote Tong of Kiribati, 2015.
 
In 2013, Pacific nations - except Australia and New Zealand - met for the first time as the Pacific Island Development Forum (PIDF) to talk about sustainable development without international influence.  
 
The PIDF last year produced the stand-out ‘Suva Declaration’, a document articulating the authentic concerns of Pacific Island states over climate change ahead of the United Nations Paris climate talks. It called for a more ambitious global emissions reduction target than a similar document from the Pacific Island Forum, reflecting the seriousness of the climate crisis for low-lying Pacific nations.  
 
Before Paris last year, Fiji’s Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, reminded Pacific delegates to the climate talks to press global superpowers on their climate responsibilities, and to do so with a refreshed and more powerful Pacific approach.
 
“The industrialised nations are putting the welfare of the entire planet at risk so that their economic growth is assured and their citizens can continue to enjoy lives of comparative ease. All at the expense of those of us in low lying areas of the Pacific ... I won’t be going to Paris wearing the usual friendly, compliant Pacific smile. In fact, I won’t be going to Paris in a Pacific frame of mind at all. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the other island leaders, I will sternly remind the industrialised nations of their obligations and press as hard as I can for the adoption of the recent Suva Declaration.”  - Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama of Fiji, 2015.
 
Furthermore, this month, we saw long-overdue muscle-flexing from the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), one of the tiniest countries in Micronesia. In a display of courage, RMI is currently taking on some of the world's biggest nuclear powers - Britain, India, and Pakistan - in an unprecedented legal case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Generations of Marshallese, past and present, have suffered the severe after-effects of dozens of nuclear tests conducted in 1940s and 1950. RMI are now trying to hold the world’s nuclear weapons states accountable for failing to act on nuclear disarmament.
 
As the rise of Pacific power strengthens region-wide, a class action suit by Pacific Islanders against fossil fuel corporations is set to be filed in Fiji towards the end of 2016. Led by civil society, the case intends to address human rights violations occurring across the Pacific due to the climate crisis. It will seek to prohibit the further extraction of fossil fuels by the ‘Carbon Majors’ - those corporations responsible for causing and perpetuating the ongoing destruction of earth.  
 
Pacific nations are at the forefront of many global challenges, the most urgent being climate change. The Pacific has united and ignited change in the past, altering international regulations around nuclear dumping, radioactive waste, laws of the sea and driftnet fishing. It can be done again.  
 Pacific Islanders do not have to relinquish their beaches to fossil fuel companies, their marine life to offshore political deals and their human rights to corrupt corporations. The Pacific has a say in the fate of its people and it is finally speaking up.
 
Matisse Walkden-Brown is the Head of Pacific Net, Greenpeace.  

SOURCE: GREENPEACE/PACNEWS
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1) Motives behind Indonesia’s MSG bid questioned

April 8, 2016, 1:07 am
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2)  West Papua Warriors aim to take their mission to the United States

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/301001/motives-behind-indonesia's-msg-bid-questioned
1) Motives behind Indonesia’s MSG bid questioned
2:20 pm today

There are more questions over the motive behind Indonesia's bid to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Indonesia was last year granted associate member status in the MSG but its Political and Security Affairs minister Luhut Pandjaitan visited Papua New Guinea and Fiji last week to lobby for greater participation by Jakarta.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua was granted MSG observer status last year and its spokesman Benny Wenda said Jakarta's drive to engage with the Pacific was questionable.
He said until West Papuan membership at the MSG came about, Jakarta was barely interested in Melanesia.
Meanwhile, Mr Wenda pointed out that this week West Papuans were arrested in Timika for showing support for Melanesian solidarity at a prayer event.
"There was 13 people arrested just for flying the Melanesian flags like Papua New Guinea, Solomon flag and Kanaky flag were raised with the banner for full membership campaign [for the Liberation Movement], just a prayer meeting. They were arrested, beating and torture. This is while [Minister] Luhut was campaigning for the joining full membership [for Indonesia] in Melanesia. And then back home, the killing continue."

Minister Luhut told media that his tour of Melanesia was partly about conveying accurate information about Jakarta's efforts in Papua region.
"Diplomacy is important," Luhut was reported by Antara news agency as explaining. "We should be aggressively explaining to states in the South Pacific about the conditions and situation in Indonesia including what we have been doing in the area of human rights."
However, signs continue that West Papuans are brutally denied their basic rights, including to freedom of expression.
Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission last month stated that in the past year more than 700 West Papuans had been persecuted through being arrested, beaten, and tortured by security forces.
For example, it said that last year on 1 December, eight West Papuans were shot and four more killed by the Indonesian military and police in Yapen for displaying independence aspirations.
Meanwhile, Minister Luhut's Pacific tour resulted in inter-government agreements for closer co-operation between Indonesia and both PNG and Fiji, including military co-operation.
Fiji also received a $US5 million assistance package from Jakarta for cyclone recovery efforts.
The governments of PNG and Fiji have signalled their support for Indonesian sovereign control of Papua.

Indonesian media reported that Fiji's Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola indicated his government's support for Indonesia to be "upgraded" to a full MSG member.
The other full members of the MSG - Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia's Kanak FLNKS movement - are more vocal about support for Papuan self-determination, and it remains to be seen whether they will support Indonesia becoming a full member.
MSG leaders are due to meet for a special meeting next month in Vanuatu's capital, where a new director-general is expected to be formally appointed.
Fiji media is reporting that Amena Yauvoli, Fiji's Ambassador for Climate Change and Oceans, has been confirmed as the new MSG director-general by Ratu Inoke.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-05/west-papua-warriors-aim-to-take-their-mission-to/7299418

2)  West Papua Warriors aim to take their mission to the United States

Updated Tue at 9:11am
The West Papua Warriors have started a fund raising campaign ahead of their next big adventure to take part in the USA rugby league 9s in Pennsylvania at the end of next month.
The American tournament is seen as the biggest opportunity so far for the Warriors to make a global statement as they continue on their mission to highlight human rights abuses and the fight for freedom in West Papua.
The side is looking to raise $50,000 to fund the trip, and while it's a big sum, Warriors' captain Tala Kami is confident they can get there.
"It's definitely a big ask, but we've had a lot of people that have stepped forward to offer their support," he said.
"We are appealing to anybody that wants to donate any kind of money to help us."
The crowd funding campaign is being run through the team's Facebook page, and Kami said they hope to raise awareness by playing in the United States.
"It's a massive tournament, it's gonna involve teams from the USA obviously but also international teams," he said.
"We can really promote the issue on a much larger scale than we've had the opportunity to before... Even here in PNG, the whole West Papua issue is kinda brushed under the rug."
"We just want people to know what's happening, and hopefully once people know, they won't be able to ignore the issue anymore."
While the side is based in Papua New Guinea, Kami said the side is trying to get over to Indonesia's Papua province in August.
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AI-URGENT ACTION TWO PAPUAN MEN CHARGED FOR THEIR ACTIVISM

April 8, 2016, 1:46 pm
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https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ASA21/3797/2016/en/

UA: 80/16 Index: ASA 21/3797/2016 Indonesia Date: 7 April 2016
URGENT ACTION


TWO PAPUAN MEN CHARGED FOR THEIR ACTIVISM
A Papuan political activist has been detained as a result of his peaceful political activities. The activist has been charged with the “rebellion (makar)” and could face up to life imprisonment. Another Papuan political activist has also been charged with committing maltreatment and could face up to 32 months’ imprisonment.

Fifteen political activists from the West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) and the Mimika People’s Parliament (PRDM) were arrested on 5 April at a joint peaceful praying activity in the backyard of the GKII Jemaat Gologota Church in Utikini village, Kuala Kencana district, Papua province. After two days, the Mimika Resort Police released without any charges 13 of the 15 political activists. However, the head of KNPB Mimika branch, Steven Itlay, has been charged with “rebellion” under Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP), and could face up to life imprisonment. Another activist and member of KNPB, Jus Wenda, has been charged with maltreatment against the Head of Mimika Resort Police Force under Article 351(1) of the Criminal Code. Jus Wenda, who denies committing this violent act, could face up to 32 months’ imprisonment. Both of them are being detained at the Mimika Resort Police Headquarters in Mimika district, Papua province.

The joint praying activity was a gathering in support of a peaceful Papuan pro-independence umbrella group, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to be accepted as a member of Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a sub-Pacific intergovernmental organization. The police argued they allowed the praying activity, but that they had to disband the gathering by opening a warning fire because someone delivered political speech on the stage. The police forces also destroyed many banners and flags belonging to the KNPB group.

Please write immediately in English, Indonesian or your own language:
 Urging the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Steven Itlay and drop the charges against him as he has been arrested solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression; Calling them to ensure that pending the release of Steven Itlay and Jus Wenda, they are not tortured or otherwise ill-treated, and have regular access to their family, lawyer of their choice.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 19 MAY 2016 TO:
Papua Regional Head of Police
Irjen Paulus Waterpauw
Papua Regional Police Headquarters Jl. Sam Ratulangi No. 8,
Jayapura, Papua,
Indonesia
Fax: +62 967 533763 345 0918
Salutation: Dear Inspector General

Co-ordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan
Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs
Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 15, Jakarta Pusat 10110, Indonesia Fax: +62 21 345 0918
Twitter: @lapor1708
Salutation: Dear Minister

And copies to:
Chairperson National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM)
Mr. Imdadun Rahmat
Chairperson National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM)
Jl Latuharhary No.4 Menteng Jakarta Pusat 10310 Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 39 25 227Salutation: Dear Imdadun Rahmat
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
TWO PAPUAN MEN CHARGED FOR THEIR ACTIVISM

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Indonesia enshrines guarantees to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in its Constitution and national legislation. But legislation continues to be used to criminalize peaceful political activities and to imprison people solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and opinion, peaceful assembly conscience and religion.

Dozens of peaceful political activists are currently imprisoned in the Papuan region (provinces of Papua and West Papua), some sentenced to as long as 20 years’ imprisonment, for attending, organizing or participating in peaceful political activities or protests, or possessing, raising or waving the prohibited pro-independence ‘Morning Star’ flag of Papua. Many of those arrested are charged with “rebellion” (makar) under Articles 106 and 110 (crimes against the security of the state) of Indonesia’s Criminal Code.

Amnesty International has also documented the use of excessive force and firearms as well as torture and other ill-treatment against political activists and others accused of links to pro-independence groups. Accountability for such acts is rare, and at most security personnel receive disciplinary sanctions. See other Amnesty International’s document for these issues: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa21/3010/2015/en/ and https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa21/1932/2015/en/.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) is an umbrella organization established in December 2014 and formed of different factions of the Papuan independence movement.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is an intergovernmental organization, founded as a political gathering in 1983, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) of New Caledonia. Indonesia is an associate member, while ULMWP is an observing member.

Amnesty International takes no position whatsoever on the political status of any province of Indonesia, including calls for independence. However, the organization believes that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate referendums, independence or other political solutions.

One of the reasons why cases of torture and other ill-treatment continue to occur in Indonesia is the failure to revise Indonesia’s Criminal Code, to criminalize acts of torture. In 2008, the UN Committee against Torture called on the Indonesian government to revise the Criminal Code to incorporate the crime of torture consistent with the definition in Article 1.1 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and to ensure that all acts of torture are punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their grave nature. The Criminal Code has been under revision for about three decades. The Ministry of Law and Human Rights submitted a new draft of the Criminal Code to parliament in June 2015 for deliberation in August.
Name: Steven Itlay and Jus Wenda Gender m/f: both m
UA: 80/16 Index: ASA 21/3797/2016 Indonesia Issue Date: 7 April 2016 
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‘PUNKS FOR WEST PAPUA’ – THE DOCUMENTARY TOUR

April 8, 2016, 2:26 pm
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‘PUNKS FOR WEST PAPUA’ – THE DOCUMENTARY TOUR

Following the success of the recent airing in Sydney, the award winning “Punks For West Papua” documentary is heading on the road for screening events in cities around Australia with guest appearances by filmmaker Anthony ‘Ash’ Brennan and special performances from local punk legends in each town. The Sydney and Brisbane events will also feature the Leader of the Free West Papua Campaign and two time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Benny Wenda.

WEDNESDAY 4TH MAY – ROSEMOUNT HOTEL, PERTH
TUESDAY 25TH MAY – SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
WEDNESDAY 26TH MAY – CROWBAR BLACK, FORTITUDE VALLEY
(more dates & details to be announced soon…)



                                 

“Punks For West Papua” is an intriguing story of one man’s selfless gesture that inspired a nation, and is recommended viewing for not just fans of punk rock but for anybody who believes in justice. Sydney punk band Diggers With Attitude’s Jody Bartolo spearheaded the movement, and a midnight text message to friend Ash Brennan started the wheels in motion to video the events.
Created by Brennan and narrated by Basia Bonkowski, this 46 minute film tells of the Aussie punk scene’s fight for the West Papuans, turning a fundraising event into an Australia wide benefit involving over 50 bands in 7 cities around the country, making Punks For West Papua the biggest, and no doubt, loudest punk rock showcase in the nation’s history. 

The documentary has been picking up awards around the world, including the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards and IndieFest San Diego 2016.
The oppression of West Papua by Indonesia, with the support of the Australian government, is an issue that goes largely undiscussed by the mainstream. As UK media outlet TeenRock.com said in their article “10 Things We Learned From ‘Punks 4 West Papua’… “Since 1962, the indigenous West Papuan people have been fighting Indonesia’s occupation of their land. The Indonesian government have used torture and murder to control the West Papuans, but they’re fighting back, and Australia’s punk bands are shining a light on the issue. West Papua sits just north of Australia, and the proudly political punks of Oz are sick of the conflict happening unnoticed and unreported on their neighbouring island.”
Proceeds for all events go to The United Liberation Movement of West Papua.
www.Punks4WestPapua.com
www.facebook.com/P4WP16/


                                          


Media Links:

TeenRock.com, UK – “10 Things We Learned From ‘Punks 4 West Papua’”

Green Left Weekly, Aus – “Punks For West Papua: Indonesia’s West Papua Crimes Laid Bare In Award-Winning Doco”

The Brag, Aus – “Five Minutes With Ash Brennan, Producer/Director of Punks For West Papua”
ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPH: (L-R) 
Jody Bartolo, Benny Wenda, Ash Brennan
For further media info please contact:
DEBORAH GANN – PUBLICIST

RESERVOIR PR+MGMT AUSTRALIA
T: 0481 264 077

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1) Fijian diplomat Amena Yauvoli is the new Director General for MSG

April 8, 2016, 4:34 pm
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2) Vanuatu Free West Papua Association will support West Papua’s bid f
or full MSG membership

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1) Fijian diplomat Amena Yauvoli is the new Director General for MSG



5:29 pm GMT+12, 07/04/2016, Fiji




Fiji's Ambassador for Climate Change and Oceans Amena Yauvoli is the new Director General for the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).  

This was revealed by Fiji's foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola Thursday when he met with EU heads of mission in Suva.

The experienced Fijian diplomat was interim Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) before he was appointed as Ambassador for Climate Change and Oceans.

Ambassador Yauvoli previously served as Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Apart from other senior Fiji Government appointments Yauvoli had also served as Senior Policy Adviser for Sustainable Development with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) from January 2004 to December 2005 and Manager/Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community North Pacific Regional Office in Federated States of Micronesia from February 2008 to December 2012.

PACNEWS understands Ambassador Yauvoli was shortlisted in that position with a top Vanuatu diplomat.

Ambassador Yauvoli replaces former Director General Peter Forau, who resigned citing lack of budgetary support and declining commitment from MSG countries to the group's programme.

Ambassador Yauvoli’s appointment is expected to be formalised at the MSG Special Leaders Summit next month in Vanuatu.

The MSG Special Leaders’ Summit will take place in early May 2016 at the MSG Secretariat in Port Vila.


SOURCE: PACNEWS /PACNEWS

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2) Vanuatu Free West Papua Association will support West Papua’s bid for full MSG membership
5:27 pm GMT+12, 07/04/2016, Vanuatu


The chairman of Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, Pastor Allan Navuki says his association’s position to push for West Papua’s full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group has not waned.

Pastor Navuki says in fact his association’s position is not only to ensure West Papua’s full membership but also to see Indonesia don’t get full membership.

The Vanuatu Free West Papua Association is an NGO representing the civil society group and has organised marches through Port Vila in support of West Papua’s struggle for independence. Such marches have seen national leaders taking the lead.

Pastor Navuki was responding to quotes from the Coordinating, Political, Legal; and Security affairs Minister of Indonesia that was carried by international media that Jakarta has won the support of Fiji and Papua New Guinea for its full membership status at the MSG.

During an official visit to Fiji and Papua New Guinea last week, Indonesia’s Chief Security Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the two countries have agreed to endorse Indonesia as a permanent member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

“Fijian Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said he would support a motion to boost Indonesia’s status from an associate member to a full member of the MSG,” Luhut claims. “Being a full member will strengthen Indonesia’s position in the MSG.”

PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato also showed his support for Indonesia to become a full member of the MSG. His country will host the MSG summit this year.

Pandjaitan said the provinces of Papua and West Papua are an inseparable part of Indonesia, and no country should meddle with Indonesia’s sovereignty.

But Pastor Navuki who also holds the position of Clerk for the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu says the position of Fiji and Papua New Guinea will not deter the strong position of Vanuatu to fight for West Papua’s full membership at the MSG.

Last month a high-powered 13-member delegation of the Indonesian Government including two major generals paid a low-key visit to Vanuatu. They are Major General Sumihajo Pakpahan and the First Deputy from the Ministry of Politics, Security, Defense and Justice Major General Yoedhi Swastong. A Catholic priest turned researcher for the Indonesian government, Fr Gregorious Neonbasu and the Indonesia adviser to Papuan Desk, Nicholas Simeone Messet, who was a former captain for Air Vanuatu, were also part of the visiting team.

In two separate encounters with the media, the team maintained they were in Port Vila as an advance team preparing for the visit of four Indonesian ministers and five provincial governors, and that politics was out of discussion in their meetings with officials.

They paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas and the Minister for Sports, Nato Taiwia, and held meetings with director generals.

One political observer who has close connection with West Papua and who has asked for anonymity said the visit was more to “test the waters” before the official ministerial visit this month.

“Vanuatu is very important to Indonesia because its support for West Papua is consistent unlike the other Melanesian states”, the anonymous observer said.

According to Pastor Allan Navuki, Vanuatu will stand with Solomon Islands and the FLNKS to support West Papua’s bid for full membership.

SOURCE: VANUATU LOOP/PACNEWS

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1) INDONESIA: End excessive force and criminalisation against indigenous Papuans

April 9, 2016, 12:33 am
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2) Jokowi Scheduled to Visit EU Headquarters
3) Yaung: Military and Police Back up Liquor Distribution in Papua
4) Students Challenge Papua Governor to Prove Commitment to Liquor Ban
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1) INDONESIA: End excessive force and criminalisation against indigenous Papuans
April 8, 2016
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the forced dispersal of peaceful protesters and their illegal arrest in Kampung Bhintuka-SP13 field in Mimika, Timika district, Papua on Tuesday, 5 April 2016. We have been informed that 12 protesters were taken into police custody in Kuala Kencana for further investigation and questioning.
Prior to the protest, the indigenous Papuans had informed the police of their intention to call for an end to rampant human rights violations in Papua. Despite this, the police suddenly forcibly dispersed the demonstration, with the claim that one of the protesters called for a referendum in his speech for indigenous Papuans who suffer from rampant violations conducted by the Indonesian security forces.
The AHRC has also learnt that the police have warned and intimidated local religious leaders to avoid political activities and speaking about human rights violations and referendums in churches. Over the last year, countless cases of forced dissolution of protesters in Papua and West Papua province have been observed. In all of these cases, the police have not taken the responsibility to examine whether or not the use of excessive force was lawful. At the same time, civilians do not have effective complaint mechanisms to challenge the police’s use of excessive force and abuse of power.
As state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights with the promulgation of National Law No. 11 of 2005, the Indonesian government is obliged to ensure that the right to freedom of opinion and assembly is protected, as noted in Article 21 of the Covenant:

The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

The government should take the forced dissolution of protests and police excessive use of force seriously, particularly as a National Commission on Human Rights report states that the highest number of human rights violations in Indonesia, including Papua, are conducted by the police. Besides the failure of police reform, the government is also failing to evaluate its policy upon Papua and West Papua, despite the protection of indigenous Papuans being a priority of President Joko Widodo’s administration.
The AHRC notes in concern that the law enforcement agencies and criminal justice system in Papua and West Papua provinces have themselves become part of the problem. As a result of the judicial mechanism failing to fulfill the right to justice for indigenous Papuans, Papuan people do not see that their rights are fulfilled and respected in the manner of Indonesian citizens by the government. Rather, the presence of state security forces in the region has led to routine violence and the restriction of their freedom of opinion, assembly and thought.
The Government of Indonesia should therefore take immediate action to release all detained protesters who took part in peaceful demonstrations, and guarantee that any future peaceful protest is protected by the law and similar violations will not recur. The Government should further evaluate the presence of the Indonesian security forces in Papua and West Papua province, particularly as the proportion of the forces is not equal to that of the local indigenous Papuans, and far from protection, their presence has only resulted in rampant human rights violations against the Papuans. Lastly, the Government should be more consistent in implementing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and show its seriousness by enforcing the law based upon fair trial principles.
Document Type :
Statement
Document ID :
AHRC-STM-042-2016
Countries :
Issues :


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SATURDAY, 09 APRIL, 2016 | 11:10 WIB
2) Jokowi Scheduled to Visit EU Headquarters

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo is slated to visit the headquarters of the European Union (EU) di Brussels, Belgium around 19 April 2016, according to EU representative office in Jakarta.
The office also announced that President Jokowi would undertake a working visit to three EU countries: the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany.
"I have met with President Jokowi and invited him to visit the European Union headquarter," said High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in Jakarta on Friday.
Federica, who is also Vice-President of the European Commission in the Juncker Commission since 1 November 2014, is in Jakarta have a bilateral talk with Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi.
During the talk, both leaders agree to promote cooperation between Indonesia and the EU through the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which covers market access, capacity building and trade-investment.
The EU is currently Indonesia’s fourth biggest trading partner with trade volume reaching US$ 26.14 billion in 2015.
Indonesia mostly exports to the EU agricultural products and processed resources, mainly palm oil, fuels and mining products, textiles and furniture.
EU exports to Indonesia consist mainly of high-tech machinery and transport equipment, chemicals and various manufactured goods.
 
AZIZAH FITRIYANTI | ANTARA
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3) Yaung: Military and Police Back up Liquor Distribution in Papua
8 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – The biggest challenge to the Regional Regulation on Liquor Restriction is its implementation,  an observer at the Cenderawasih University, Marinus Yaung, said.
“It’s good on paper. The points are clear, but how to implement it is the challenge,” he told Jubi in Jayapura on Thursday (07/04).
Yaung said the biggest protectors of liquors distribution in Papua are from the Military and Police. As long as the Military and Police are not involved in the signing of the Pact of Integrity, he believed the implementation would never succeed.

“So, I ask the Papua Governor to call the Military and Police to participate in the signing of the Pact of Integrity to ensure the implementation of restriction could be running well and optimal, “ he said.
Further, he explained, if not it would become a business in Papua. Therefore it needs a commitment from the Police/Military officials in Papua to dismiss their personnel who involved as back up or distributors.
“Such threat would make the Military personnel or police officers in field to stop their act to back up the crime related to the distribution of liquors in Papua,” he said.
He gave an example: Waena traffic life, this place is very crowded from the morning till night, while it is located next to the Military housing which is supposed to be calm. “But why in the Military complex, people are always crowded from the morning till night? This place is a location of people selling the liquors. This is a real example that both military and police personnel are backing up the distribution of liquors,” said Yaung.
Five hundreds of people joined in the Coalition of Youths and Students and the Coalition of Papua Community held rally in front of the Papua Governor Office to challenge the Governor Lukas Enembe to prove his commitment eradicating liquors in Papua.
“We do not need promises or regulations but the real act. We need the real act” said protest coordinator Nelius Wenda in his oration in front of the Papua Governor Office.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Papua Legislative Council Yunus Wonda in his speech said the restriction against the production, circulation and distribution of liquors in Papua was officially started. “The previous regulation about the restriction was established in 2004. Then in 2009, we invited the Papua Police to made presentation based on the actual cases that almost every years many Papuans died because of the liquors which triggered the traffic accidents, abuses and domestic violence,” said Wonda. (Abeth You/rom)
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4) Students Challenge Papua Governor to Prove Commitment to Liquor Ban
8 April 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – Around five hundred people rallied at Governor Office at Dok II, Jayapura City to challenge Papua Governor Lukas Enembe to prove his commitment to eradicate alcohol abuse in Papua. 
“We don’t need promises or regulations but real acts. We need real acts,” the President of Jayapura University Science and Technology (USTJ) Students Nelius Wenda said in his speech when conducted oration in front of the Governor Office on Thursday (7/4/2016).
He said the government never made good on its promises and the signing of the Pact of Integrity on the Regional Regulation on Liquor Restrictions is only a publicity stunt to win support.

‘We can say it is just for popularity, and the Regional Regulation on Liquor Restriction is just for a ceremony,” he said by giving example that a number of stores keep selling the liquors after the signing of the Pact of Integrity.
He said it means the government’s commitment has not been materialized. The realization might be tough, very difficult to do since, he said, the government officials, security personnel are also be involved in taking profit from the business of liquors.
Benyamin Gurik, the representative of Indonesia National Youth Committee of Jayapura City, said the realization of the Regional Regulation on Liquor Restriction was not implemented. None of the liquor stores in Jayapura City are closed. “A day after the signing of the Pact of Integrity, we conducted survey in this town, none of those stores were closed,” said the former President of Cenderawasih University Students.
Papua Regional Secretary Hery Dosenain admitted the government commitment has not yet relied to the act of controlling the liquor stores. The government is trying to find a method, a legal regulation to control people taking the advantages.
“I have the same feeling with the students. We want to act immediately but we are finding a right way, we must unite, reliable to eliminate the liquors and drugs in Papua,” he said.
According to him, within one or two days, the government would establish a team consisting of the representatives of government, military/police, churches, youths and students to act together. (Mawel Benny/rom)
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1) Indonesian rights body notes rampant rights abuses in Papua

April 11, 2016, 1:38 am
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2) MSG discord over Director-General selection
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1) Indonesian rights body notes rampant rights abuses in Papua 
about 1 hour ago


Indonesia's leading human rights organisation says there has been no improvement in the area of rights in the Papua region since president Joko Widodo took office in 2014.
President Widodo has pledged more focus on a socio-economic approach to resolving issues for West Papuans.
However, Haris Azhar, the co-ordinatorof the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, or KONTRAS, says the abuses in Papua are as rampant as they were under previous governments.
"I checked the data in my office. It showed the number last year of more than 1,200 people suffer from harassment, killings, torture and ill-treatment," he said.
"We haven't put the other issues into this number - the economic and social rights issues."
Haris Azhar says these abuses are often made by security forces against Papuans for exercising their right to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and movement.
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2) MSG discord over Director-General selection
2:32 pm today

There are signs of discord within the Melanesian Spearhead Group over the selection of its new director-general.
Last week, Fiji's foreign minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said his country's Ambassador for Climate Change and Oceans, Amena Yauvoli, had been selected for the role.
It's over four months since the former MSG director-general Peter Forau resigned. The Solomon Islander cited a lack of budgetary support and declining commitment from member states to the group's programme.
MSG leaders are due to meet for a special meeting next month in Port Vila, where a new director-general was expected to be formally appointed. Ratu Inoke's announcement came as news to other MSG members.
As far as Vanuatu is concerned, the selection has not been finalised. Its National Council of Ministers met last week and decided to nominate Vanuatu's ambassador to the European Union, Roy Mickey-Joy as the new MSG head.
Earlier, Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato confirmed his government had put forward its own candidate, a senior PNG diplomat, but had since decided to withdraw the name.
The office of the MSG chairman, Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare said formalities for the director-general's appointment would be concluded today.
Fiji's government has been unavailable for comment on the matter.
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Search

1) Indonesia Objects to $1.7 Bln Freeport Asked for Stake: Energy Official

April 11, 2016, 1:53 pm
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2) Academician: Vanuatu’s journalists keen to visit Papua
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1) Indonesia Objects to $1.7 Bln Freeport Asked for Stake: Energy Official


An aerial view of a giant mine run by U.S. firm Freeport-McMoran Cooper & Gold at the Grassberg mining operation, in Indonesia's Papua province. (Reuters Photo/Stringer)

By : Wilda Asmarini | on 3:31 PM April 11, 2016


Jakarta. Indonesia has objected to the $1.7 billion Freeport McMoRan asked for a stake in its local unit, an energy ministry official said, because the price tag was too high and the government is considering alternative options.
“We told them that for now there was no agreement on the price,” Coal and Minerals Director General Bambang Gatot told reporters on Monday, referring to a letter sent to Freeport regarding its offer.
Gatot declined to give details on what price the government thought would be fair for the 10.64 percent stake in Freeport Indonesia that the U.S.-based parent company must divest.
Reuters

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http://www.republika.co.id/berita/en/international/16/04/11/o5h47n317-academician-vanuatus-journalists-keen-to-visit-papua

Monday, 11 April 2016, 22:34 WIB

2) Academician: Vanuatu’s journalists keen to visit Papua

Red: Julkifli Marbun

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG — Several journalists in Vanuatu have expressed interest to visit Papua and observe the current condition as they often received biased, unfair, and unbalanced news coverage of the Indonesian province, a noted academician stated.

 “The journalists in Vanuatu seem to yearn to get firsthand information of the current situation in Papua as they have begun harboring doubts on the rampant and unfair coverage of information on Papua," Pater Gregor Neonbasu, SVD, an anthropologist of the Widya Mandira Catholic University, noted here on Monday.
 Speaking to Antara in connection with his recent visits to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji, Neonbasu revealed that the journalists had expressed their intent during a conversation with an Indonesian delegate and staff of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra at a luncheon.

The Indonesian Embassy's representatives hinted that they would immediately respond to the journalists' wish to visit Vanutua, Neonbasu said, adding that he had visited the three South-Pacific countries in his capacity as a Melanesian figure.
 "My trip to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji is also a gift for the publication of my book titled 'The Image of Cultured People: A Monograph of Timor in Melanesian Perspective.' This book is published by Antara," he remarked.
 Neonbasu said although the news coverage of the country's media on human rights issues in Papua had a tendency to oppose Indonesia by favoring the Free Papua Movement (OPM), he, nonetheless, had got ample opportunities during his visit to interview several people from the print media as well as radio and television stations in Vanuatu.
 Neonbasu said he had an interesting discussion with people from Vanuatu's media outlets following the interviews. A different way of viewing the Papuan issue was found in Fiji. The people he had met there generally had an open outlook towards Indonesia.
 Fiji has adopted a wary approach in believing that the black campaigns launched by the OPM were to corner Indonesia on the human rights issues in Papua, he added.
Sumber : Antara
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1) Bishops’ West Papua visit hailed by Catholic women

April 12, 2016, 4:07 am
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2) Women in Papua ask government to close houses of prostitution

3) Pacific Archbishops make surprise ‘fact-finding’ visit to West Papua
4) MELANESIAN DISARRAY
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1) Bishops’ West Papua visit hailed by Catholic women
9:30 pm today

A Catholic Womens group in West Papua has called for regional support for their people’s plight, after a visit to the Indonesian territory by Catholic Bishops from other parts of Melanesia.
Jayapura: Indonesian culture has increasingly overwhelmed both Melanesian customs and the West Papuan population. Photo: RNZI/Johnny Blades
23 Bishops from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji visited West Papua last week.
Among them were the Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Ribat, and the Archbishop of Honiara, Adrian Smith.
As they travelled to Jayapura from PNG for what has been described by the Catholic Womens group as a type of fact-finding mission, the bishops were closely accompanied by Indonesian military.
Although restricted in who they could talk with, the bishops had a meeting with the Bishop of Jayapura and met with some students.
However, the impact of their visit on a group of Papuan Catholic women has been expressed with deep gratitude.

Important visit

Unable to meet the visiting bishops themselves, the Catholic women delivered a statement to them, describing their visit as important because it was rare for people to visit Papua.
Thanking the bishops for their visit, the women pressed upon them that the conditions of life for the indigenous Papuan Catholics were in a poor state.
"Our people experience violence and death because of the brutal actions of the Indonesian military and police," they said.
"Every day more and more migrants arrive. We are becoming a minority in our land and even in our own church while the Indonesian people master all aspects of life."


The bishops have been urged to continue helping raise awareness about the "many cases of violence and injustices" in Papua which have gone unresolved.
"The State does not address these. In fact, they are often the perpetrators or protect the perpetrators, so we feel we have nowhere to turn," read the statement.
"Sadly, the Catholic Church in West Papua is largely silent about this and does not give voice to our cry for justice."

Regional outreach

The Catholic Womens group said it wanted the international community to know that West Papuans want to be free to determine their own future.
The women told the bishops that the United Liberation Movement for West Papua represents them and has their full support.
Last year, the Liberation Movement was granted observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The women have asked the bishops to encourage Pacific Islands countries to speak up in support of justice and peace in West Papua, and push for a full fact-finding mission to the Indonesian territory.
A report by the Bishops delegation which visited Papua is expected to be presented by the end of the month.
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2) Women in Papua ask government to close houses of prostitution

Selasa, 12 April 2016 11:58 WIB | 457 Views
Sorong, West Papua (ANTARA News) - Women of the city of Sorong in Papua Barat ask the city administration to close houses of prostitution especially in the red light district called malanu location. 

"Almost all massage parlors in Sorong serves as prostitution houses and they are out of control," a local woman leader Moi Tin Kalami said here on Tuesday. 

Moi Tin said prostitution has been rampant in Sorong resulting in high rate of HIV/AIDS cases as well as violence on women in the city. 

"In order to save people of the younger generation the Malanu location and the massage parlors should be closed," she said.

She question the need for forming a special committee by the city council to study call for the closure of prostitution centers. 

"We appreciate the decision of the city administration to ban sales of alcoholic drinks. We hope the government also close prostitution houses," she said.

Sorong Mayor Lambert Jitmau said his administration also wanted to close prostitution centers but it could not be easily done as prostitutes also need income to live on like any other people.

"PSK (prostitutes) also want to live , therefore, plan to close prostitution centers has to be prepared so that no body is hurt," the mayor said.

He said the city administration has studied and discussed the prostitution issue with the city council to find a right solution, whether the places have to be closed or moved away from the city center. 

If the places is to be closed, the city administration has to find a way to be fair to the women living from commercial sex , he added. 

Papua is among the regions in the country having largest number of HIV/AIDS cases.(*)


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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-12/pacific-archbishops-make-surprise-'fact-finding'/7318710
3) Pacific Archbishops make surprise ‘fact-finding’ visit to West Papua
about 11 hours ago
A delegation from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands has made a trip to West Papua, visiting the Catholic faithful in Jayapura.
The Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Ribat, and the Archbishop of Honiara, Adrian Smith were among those who took time to talk to members of the local community in the Indonesian province, the site of conflict between indigenous Melanesians and the Indonesian military and police forces for decades.
Frederika Korain, a West Papua-based lawyer and activist, said the visit was unexpected.
"It was a very big surprise for us, because for decades there was no big delegations like that coming to this country. So for us it is really a big surprise.
"We just got information about their visit [on] the first day that they arrived, late in the afternoon when they were already in the city. We just got the news from the students that they met.
"Once we heard about it, we tried to get their agenda in Jayapura, because we would really have liked to have a chat with them as well," she said.
However Ms Korain said the Indonesian military presence was noticeable, and she felt the meeting was quite closed off to locals.
"They came [from the border with Papua New Guinea] by the military buses, two buses, accompanied by huge military officials as well, some of them in uniform and some of them without.
"I don't think [they got an accurate picture of life in Jayapura]... There was no time for them to freely chat with ordinary people, so we used the moment during the meeting, even after the mass, we tried to approach them then we explained to them what was going on in West Papua, especially around the issue of human rights violations."
While it wasn't said explicitly, Ms Korain said she thought the visit was an opportunity for Catholic leaders to see the situation in West Papua for themselves.
"We got that a clear statement, especially from the president of the Bishops Conference in the meeting they had with the Catholic Bishops of Jayapura, they said that they would like to come and listen and see what is going on here.
"It is a kind of fact-finding," she said.
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4) MELANESIAN DISARRAY
Posted: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 8:00 am 
By Royson Willie and Godwin Ligo |

The Government of Vanuatu has expressed its disappointment about the appointment of a new Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), saying the proper process was not followed.
Yesterday the Office of the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, who is the current MSG Chairman, announced the appointment of Fijian diplomat, Amena Yauvoli, as the new DG after he signed his contract also yesterday in Honiara.
While Mr Yauvoli signed his employment contract yesterday, and he is expected to arrive in Vanuatu today, his appointment was announced by the Foreign Minister of Fiji last week around Friday in Fiji.
The stand of the government of Prime Minister Charlot Salwai is that MSG Constitution may have been breached.
In a letter reportedly sent yesterday by Mr Salwai to the MSG Chair, PM Sogavare, the Vanuatu Government said that Article 15 of the MSG Constitution was clear that the Director General shall be appointed by the Leaders’ Summit.
The same letter informed the MSG Chair of Vanuatu’s nomination being Ambassador to Brussels in Europe, Roy Mickey Joy, that was endorsed by the Vanuatu Council of Ministers on Thursday last week.
“While I am aware that article 15 of the MSG Constitution is clear that the Director General shall be appointed by the Leaders’ Summit, I wish to submit this as my Government’s nomination.
“All our Governments value and respect that this legitimate process has always been based on a fair, open and transparent competitive process which will ultimately lead to the leaders’ consensus on the most eligible Melanesian Citizen for this position.
“My Government hopes that the MSG Chair and the Secretariat shall enlist all names for consideration by the leaders at its next Summit meeting as required by our organization’s Constitution.
Any deviation from the Constitution and established processes will run the risk of bringing disrepute to our image.
“I thank you and hope that the true spirit of dialogue and Melanesian Spirit will prevail among us as we uphold the process for this highly important matter to our very own organization,” the letter by the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Charlot Salwai stated.
Earlier on March 24 the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands as MSG Chair wrote to Prime Minister, Charlot Salwai, announcing his intention to appoint a new Director General, citing discussions held during Mr Sogavare’s visit to Vanuatu in February this year.
The letter did not mention any candidates being nominated but was a formal consultation for the appointment of a Director General of the MSG, Daily Post has been told.
It is understood the MSG Secretariat had advised against the appointment being made but this advise was ignored.
Daily Post has been informed the process of the appointment of a new DG under the MSG is as follows:
(i) The position of the DG is advertised upon the expiration of the incumbent’s contract;
(ii) A panel comprisiing of the current Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) Chair, past SOM Chair and next SOM Chair be established to over-see the recruitment including shortlish and interview applicants;
(iii) The Panel to shortlist and interview applicants within three months after advertising the DG position;
(iv) The Panel recommends to SOM the best candidate for the DG position for subsequent consideration by Foreign Ministers Meeting and approval by Leaders;
(v) A Special Leaders’ Summit be convened for Leaders to formally appoint the DG allowing for smooth transition; and
(vi) The process for the recruitment of the new DG may take up to six months during which time the Deputy DG is Acting DG.
The former DG of the MSG, Mr Peter Forau, resigned about four months ago.
Meanwhile, MSG Leaders are expected to meet next month in Port Vila.
Earlier this month an Indonesian envoy visited Fiji and Papua New Guinea and later announced that it has won the backing of both countries for its bid to be a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Just last year during the MSG meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands, Indonesia’s status as an observer was elevated to Associate member of the MSG, while the West Papuan United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s bid to be member in the sub-regional body was placed at being just an observer.
While confusion reigns in the MSG, it remains to be seen how Melanesian solidarity, if such still exists, will stand against the challenges it faces.
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1) Rights abuses shade Indonesia’s Pacific move

April 12, 2016, 1:38 pm
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2) MSG CHAIR WELCOMED INDONESIA’s ASSISTANCE TOWARDS FIJI RECOVERY

3) Byron screening of film to highlight plight of West Papua

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1) Rights abuses shade Indonesia’s Pacific move
8:38 am on 12 April 2016
Indonesia’s government has been increasing efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with Pacific Island countries as it seeks to become a full member 
of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. However, as Johnny Blades reports concern is only growing about rampant rights abuses continuing in Indonesia's restricted Papua region.
Indonesia’s government has been increasing efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with Pacific Island countries as it seeks to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. 
However, as Johnny Blades reports concern is only growing about rampant rights abuses continuing in Indonesia's restricted Papua region.

Transcript

Indonesia's government has been increasing efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with Pacific Island countries.
Jakarta's move comes in the face of ongoing Pacific concern about human rights abuses in Indonesia's region of West Papua where a separatist conflict has simmered for decades.
Johnny Blades reports
Indonesia is seeking full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
This regional grouping of states - Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's Kanak movement - has a special interest in assisting self determination for all Melanesians.
Jakarta's efforts to join the fray have gone into overdrive since the United Liberation Movement for West Papua was granted MSG observer status last year.
Last week Indonesia's Political and Security minister Luhut Pandjaitan visited Papua New Guinea and Fiji where he said support was secured for full MSG membership.
PNG's foreign minister Rimbink Pato says his country's position has always been that West Papua is an integral part of Indonesia.

RIMBINK PATO: So we're not interested in entertaining the issue of self-determination, because that's never an issue for us... The issue of human rights in
 West Papua is a matter in respect of which the Pacific Island leaders Forum here in Port Moresby passed a resolution.
The Forum leaders' resolution to approach Jakarta about a human righs fact-finding mission to Papua has made little impression on Jakarta.
Minister Luhut has warned Pacific states not to meddle in Indonesia's affairs.
The Liberation movement's exiled spokesman Benny Wenda is suspicious of Indonesia's claims to be part of the Melanesian family.
He points out that in recent days West Papuans were arrested in Timika for showing support for Melanesian solidarity at a prayer event .
BENNY WENDA: There was 13 people arrested just for flying the Melanesian flags like Papua New Guinea, Solomon flag and Kanaky flag were raised with the banner 
for full membership campaign [for the Liberation Movement], just a prayer meeting. They were arrested, beating and torture. This is while [Minister] Luhut was campaigning 
for the joining full membership [for Indonesia] in Melanesia. And then back home, the killing continue.
Minister Luhut said Jakarta aimed to convey accurate information about its efforts in Papua region, includng what its doing in the field of human rights.
However the information about Papua coming from Haris Azhar, the co-ordinator of Indonesia's leading human rights body, KONTRAS, is grim.
HARIS AZHAR: I checked the data in my office. It showed the number last year of more than 1,200 people suffer from harassment, killings, torture and ill-treatment. 
We haven't put the other issues into this number - the economic and social rights issues.
A Liberation Movement member, Markus Haluk, says that in Papua itself, grassroots support for the Liberation Movement was huge.
MARKUS HALUK: The people are really supportive because our people, from the beginning, they’re fighting for justice and freedom and they're more safer with the 
Melanesian and pacific family than Indonesia. with Indonesia, over fifty years, five hundred thousand men, women have been killed until today.
MSG leaders are due to meet for their annual summit next month in Port Vila. 
It remains to be seen whether the full membership of the group will support Indonesia’s bid.

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2) MSG CHAIR WELCOMED INDONESIA’s ASSISTANCE TOWARDS FIJI RECOVERY
Chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare has welcomed Indonesia’s ‘generous’ assistance towards Fiji’s recovery effort from Cyclone Winston.
Office of the Prime Minister says an Indonesian Government delegation led by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, General Luhut Pandjaitan presented a 
cheque of FJD$10 million to the Fijian Prime Minister in Suva, last Friday.
The MSG Chair and Solomon Islands Prime Minister greeted Indonesia saying the generous contribution demonstrates a clear need for the MSG to hold on to the core values of self-determination for West Papua.
These core values were agreed upon by the MSG Leaders in Noumea, New Caledonia in 2014.
The PMO says the visit by Indonesia is a sign of increasing solidarity of the MSG member countries.

POSTED BY 

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3) Byron screening of film to highlight plight of West Papua


A group of surfers travelled to West Papua looking for waves and adventure but instead found the country’s people living under a brutal regime.
Their story is the subject of a film, called Isolated, that will screen at Pighouse Flicks in Byron Bay on Friday night, for one showing only.
The film follows the surfers – Travis Potter, Andrew Mooney, Josh Fuller, Jenny Useldinger, Jimmy Rotherham – as they travel into the ‘no media’ zone of West Papua in search of 
unexplored waves.
Josh Fuller will make a special appearance at Friday’s film session to speak of their experience and answer questions.
Organiser Emma Capp, who attended the West Papua Freedom Forum in Darwin last year, said all proceeds from the film would go to the Free West Papua Campaign and United 
Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).
‘West Papua one of the most forgotten conflicts on earth,’ Ms Capp said.
‘Ever since the Dutch left and Indonesia brutally occupied West Papua in 1963 its people have been traumatised by the military controlling their daily life.
‘In 1969 the UN officially and shamefully handed West Papua over to Indonesia, this and a series of events leading up to it were orchestrated by the US and their hunger for 
control of natural resources.
‘This was the beginning of oppression and slow-motion genocide of the West Papuan people that continues to this day.
‘The military presence dominates and often they shoot before asking questions.’
Ms Capp said anyone attending the film night with personal experience of West Papua would be welcome to speak at the event. They should contact her on 04166 34774.
The film will be screened on Friday at 6.30pm. Tickets are $18 and the film is not suitable for children.
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1) Mass demos in support of Papua Liberation Movement

April 13, 2016, 2:27 am
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2) Police Arrest 15 Activists KNPB and Tampering Secretariat KNPB Kaimana Kaimana

3) Leaflets Demo for Akbar, 5 Yakuhimo KNPB Members Arrested

4) United States-Indonesia relations getting better: Envoy

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/301427/mass-demos-in-support-of-papua-liberation-movement

1) Mass demos in support of Papua Liberation Movement

4 minutes ago



A demonstration in Jayapra, the capital of Indonesia's Papua province, in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. Photo: Tabloid Jubi

Demonstrations in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua have been taking place in cities across Indonesia's Papua region today.
Ground reports said large peaceful demonstrations have been held in the seven main cities of Papua and West papua provinces: Jayapura, Yakuhimo, Manokwari, Fak-Fak, Merauke, Timika and Sorong.
The demonstrations have been voicing support for the Liberation Movement to become full members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The Movement was last year granted observer status in the MSG, whose full members are
Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Kanaks of New Caledonia.
Indonesia was last year granted associate member status at the MSG and has been opposed to the Liberation Movement's participation in political representation of West Papuans.
Early reports from the Papua cities today indicated large numbers of security forces were being deployed to the demonstrations.
West Papua Media reported that by mid afternoon in the Jayapura rally, eleven demonstrators had been arrested and subsequently released
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

2) Police Arrest 15 Activists KNPB and Tampering Secretariat KNPB Kaimana Kaimana
By: Arnold Belau | Wednesday, April 13, 2016 - 11:38 pm |


Peaceful demonstration supporting ULMWP accepted as a full member in the MSG members in Jayapura. (Photo: Arnold Belau / SP)

JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com --- West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Center reported that police from Kaimana Police have arrested 15 activists KNPB region and damage the secretariat KNPB Kaimana Kaimana on April 12, 2016.
General secretary KNPB Centre, Ones suarapapua.com Suhuniap to explain, police Police Kaimana return catch 15 KNPB activists and PRD Member sekretaraiat page Kaimana Kaimana KNPB and PRD.
 
Chronology, police initially disperse preparatory action for the 13th of April (today-ed) and meetings held in the secretariat KNPB Kaimana Kaimana by police. Dissolution of meetings held it happened at 12:15 noon WP. When the 50s and KNPB bekumpul PRD members to support the action preparation ULMWP become a full Member of MSG.
 
Police arrived in full force to disperse the gathering. Then at 16:00 WPB police again went to the PRD and KNPB secretariat located in Bantemi, the front office of regent Kaimana.
 
Police officers came to use Dalmas six cars and two patrol car into the driveway of the PRD and sekretaraiat KNPB office last raid. When police entered the secretariat KPNB, facilities and damaging police arrested 15 activists KNPB Kaimana.
 
Those arrested are John Furay (24) Lilian Tapnesa, Ania Kurita, Simon Egana, Melianus Siwari, Aser Kubewa, Agus Surbay, Elon Aribau, Stephen Esuru, Yusuf Surubay, Sepi Surubay, Melianus Surubay, Alfian Tanggafora, Melianus Siwari, and Abd Fata Watora.
 
"After arresting 15 members of KNPB and PRD Kaimana, police also seized a number of items belonging to KNPB. The goods were seized, among others: 9 pieces of HP, 2 printers, 5 pieces KNPB flag, four motorbikes, 2 kitchen machete, 1 fruit machines and 2 pieces of tripe grass Tifa. Not only that, the police also damaged secretariat KNPB, damaging the work space and room dismantle and break down the door at the secretariat KNPB and PRD Kaimana, "said Suhun.
 
Meanwhile, Victor F Yeimo, chairman of the Centre to suarapapua.com KNPB when confirmed justify arrests carried out by joint military and police in Kaimana that disperse people gathering for the preparation of a peaceful demonstration supporting ULMWP as a full member of MSG and international demands supervised vote for referendum ,
 
"15 activists and people arrested and brought to the police station Kaimana. While the PRD offices vandalized military. Their small children cry and become traumatized. We hope the world is to monitor how Indonesia is facing a civil aspirations of our politics that would be submitted peacefully, "he said.
 
Data collected suarapapua.com, on April 5, police arrested 15 activists KNPB Timika. 13 people were released with status must report to the time limit is not specified. While Steven Itlay, chairman of KNPB Timika named as suspects in cases of treason and Yus Wenda also named suspects. On April 12, police again arrested five activists distribute leaflets at the moment KNPB Dekai city, Yahukimo, Papua. Also in Kaimana, police arrested 15 activists KNPB and PRD. On the 13th, in Merauke, reportedly forces have also arrested a number of activists and PRD region KNPB Anim Ha.
 
ARNOLD Belau



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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

3) Leaflets Demo for Akbar, 5 Yakuhimo KNPB Members Arrested
jayapura, Jubi - Five Members West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Region Yakuhimo, on behalf of Yupi Sobolim (23 years), Unyil Kobak (24), Erson Suhun, Natu Dapla and one person of unknown name, was arrested by police from the Police Yahukimo.

Police arrested them after dividing the related leaflets demo akbar 13 April 2016 in order to support ULMWP become a full member of MSG. The arrest occurred at the intersection of the mountain, Dekai, Yakuhimo noon on 12 April 2016.
"Absolutely, management and members of KNPB can be arrested," said Erius Pahabol, chairman of KNPB Yakuhimo region to Jubi via telephone from Yakuhimo, Tuesday (12/04/2016).
He said, in the arrest, two minors also arrested but was removed before being taken to the Police station.
"Joshua Sobolim (8 years) and Anderson Suhun (12 years) was released after given a ride in the car Dalmas because KNPB members told them that the brothers were not involved," he said.
He said, the five activists is now in Police Yakuhimo. The fifth colleagues were told to push up and dried in the hot days in the eyes of the police station yard Yakuhimo.
"We were difficult to get because the escort of Brimob. We're gathering to go to the police station to ask for information. There is no anarchy really arrested? "He said.
He said, in the arrest, police confiscated a number of items. One flag KNPB, 7 motorcycles and money of three million. "The time for the flyers, people love money voluntarily. Already we count. Three million contained in cartons Brimob bring, "he said.

Pahabol chronology tells the arrest. Morning, around eight, activists distributing leaflets KNPB do around the office Dekai. While distributing leaflets, there was a commotion of society at that location. They then moved to the intersection of the mountain to avoid conflict.

He said, the leaflet distribution lasts until 12:00. They stopped, buy food and drink and take it to the curb. They prayed and want to eat all of a sudden two cars Dalmas unbiased Brimob and police arrived at the location.
"Brimob off first, move your arms and shouted raise your hand, try not to run. They hold-up man with a gun. The others, who were sitting in the forest near the run and the roadside was arrested, "he said.
He said, the time of the arrest, officers trampling food and drink that they did not have time to eat.
"Mostly they bring, including 3 million of existing money in a box," he said.
Papua Police spokesman, Superintendent Patrige confirmed warin say not informed of the arrest, because he was the governor of Papua join the group attending the inauguration of the Regent Digoel.
"I'm in Digoel. I do not monitor. You try to find the information to the police, "he said of Digoel via cell phone. (*)

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4) United States-Indonesia relations getting better: Envoy

Rabu, 13 April 2016 13:38 WIB | 396 Views
Padang, West Sumatra (ANTARA News) - United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert O. Blake affirmed that relations between his country and Jakarta were getting better.
"Since the past few years, relations between the United States and Indonesia are at the best level," Blake remarked onboard the P-8 Poseidon aircraft on Tuesday.
He explained that the sound relations between the United States and Indonesia were apparent from the various war exercises conducted jointly, including the Komodo exercise in Padang, West Sumatra, from April 12 to 16, 2016.
The Indonesian Navy is hosting the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2016 to coincide with the IFR 2016 and the 15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Padang and Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra Province.
The participating countries are the United States, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, France, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam.
Blake noted that the United States had sent its warship USS Stockdale and P-8 Poseidon aircraft to support the MNEK 2016 in Padang.  
"The exercise is viewed not only from the aspect of how frequently it is held but also from its level of difficulty and complexity," the US envoy noted.
Blake expressed pride that Indonesia had involved the United States as a key partner in the MNEK 2016.
"In addition to strengthening cooperation among countries, this activity would hopefully offer other benefits including improving disaster management, curbing illegal fishing, and so forth," Blake added.(*)

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Article 3

April 13, 2016, 4:58 am
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1) Mass rallies for Papuan independence from Indonesia

2) Demo KNPB Sorong Support ULMWP Confronted with TNI-Polri
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1) Mass rallies for Papuan independence from Indonesia

Demonstrations were peaceful but security forces make arrests


An estimated 5,000 Papuans, including members of the pro-independence National Committee for West Papua, activists and university students 
as well as seminarians, staged a rally calling for independence in Jayapura, Papua province, on April 13. (Photo by Benny Mawel)


Peaceful demonstrations supporting Papuan independence were held in several parts on the
predominantly Christian Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua April 13.
There was a heavy Indonesian security presence at a rally attended by thousands in Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia's Papua province where a low-level insurgency has simmered for decades.
Demonstrators were demanding the United Liberation Movement for West Papua be accepted as a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
"We have the right to be a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. We are Melanesians, we are not Indonesians," Bazooka Logo, spokesman for the pro-independence National Committee for West Papua, told demonstrators out the front of the state-run University of Cendrawasih.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group is an intergovernmental organization comprising Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu, as well as the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front, a political party from New Caledonia.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua currently has observer status.
"We say 'no' to Indonesia. Indonesia is not Melanesia. Indonesia is Malay, which doesn't have the right to be a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, but Papua does," Logo said.





Daniel Gobay, a seminarian from the Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology in Abepura, said the Indonesian government should understand that the Papuan people have the right to determine their own fate.
"The Indonesian government must know that such a demand must be respected," Gobay said while attending the Jayapura rally. "The Indonesian government or others cannot set a limit on the Papuan people."
According to Logo, similar rallies also were organized simultaneously in several areas in both Papua and West Papua provinces. Rallies also were held in the cities of Yakuhimo, Manokwari, Fak-Fak, Merauke, Timika and Sorong.
While the rallies were peaceful, Logo told ucanews.com that 11 members of National Committee for West Papua were arrested by local police during the rally in Jayapura. In Merauke in Papua province, 13 members of the committee were arrested during a rally there.
"They are still detained in local police stations. We don’t know when they will be released," Logo 
said

The pro-independence rally demanded that the United Liberation Movement for West Papua be accepted  as a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. (Photo by Benny Mawel)




Jayapura police chief Jeremias Rontini said the arrests at the Jayapura rally were carried out because the protesters had not obtained a permit for the rally.
On April 5, 15 members of the committee were arrested in Papua's Mimika district during a prayer service for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to be accepted as a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Father Neles Tebay of the Jayapura Diocese has said that the Catholic Church, in collaboration with all religious leaders, has jointly called for a peaceful dialogue to settle the Papua conflict.
"We will continue to promote dialogue until the formal dialogue between the Indonesian government and the Papuans represented by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua takes place for the sake of a lasting peace," Father Tebay told a meeting of several bishops from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, April 9.

Some of the hundreds of police and military personnel who overshadowed the rally, which was held
 out the front of the state-run University of Cendrawasih, Jayapura, Papua province. (Photo by Benny Mawel)

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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at


2) Demo KNPB Sorong Support ULMWP Confronted with TNI-Polri


KNPB Massa shoves Kingdom after the military-police apparatus was blocked in front of the campus of the University of Christian Papua, Sorong, Wednesday (13/04/2016) - Jubi / Niko


Sorong, Jubi - Hundreds of military personnel and police thwart demo West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Sorong Raya region, on Wednesday (04/13/2016).
KNPB initially gathered in the courtyard Christian University of Papua (UKIP), Malanu Kota Sorong, West Papua to march.

But the combined forces facing mass march to support the full membership of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) on Melanesian Sparehead Groups (MSG) it. Negotiations with the City of Sorong Police, Adj Binmas did not produce results.

Chairman KNPB Sorong Raya region, Kamtius Heselo in his statement stated that he fully supports ULMWP membership at MSG.

It also called for the completion of the human rights violations in Papua, asked the police to release KNPB activists arrested in Timika, Manokwari, Merauke and Yahukimo.

Spokesman KNPB Sorong Raya, Agustinus Gusti Prabu alias Aud said his party actions to support the full membership in the fraternity ULMWP clumps or MSG Melanesia in the South Pacific.

"Papuans instead of the Malay race. Since 1961 the democratic space dibungkan in Papua. Indonesia only want our wealth, but Papuans were treated like animals, "said Augustine.

He even requested that foreign journalists are free to cover in the situation in Papua without complicated. (Niko MB)
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1) 11 Independence Activists Detained During Rally in Papua

April 13, 2016, 2:00 pm
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2) 60 KNPB Activists Arrested by Indonesian forces in 9 Days

3) Pacific Island bishops make surprise but welcome visit to Papua

4) Liquor businessmen in Papua protest ban, will file lawsuit
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1) 11 Independence Activists Detained During Rally in Papua
By : Edo Karensa | on 5:56 PM April 13, 2016
Jayapura. Eleven activists were arrested when a peaceful rally in support of full membership for the Papua independence movement in the Melanesian Spearhead Group was interrupted by police in Jayapura on Wednesday (13/04).
Hundreds of protesters marching under the banner of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) were prevented by police from staging a rally at Yos Sudarso Park in the heart of the Papua provincial capital.
The protesters, who demanded that the MSG grants permanent membership to the Papua independence movement, were forced to move the rally to the Cendrawasih University in Waena.
The 11 activists were detained for allegedly trying to occupy the Papua Provincial Council office on Jalan Sam Ratulangi.

During the rally, the protesters also objected against Indonesia's membership of the MSG, since the association was only intended for Melanesian countries, according to ULMWP leader Markus Haluk.
The ULMWP is scheduled to embark on a campaign in London next month in support of an internationally supervised vote on West Papuan independence.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has received support from two MSG members, Papua-New Guinea and Fiji, to upgrade its status from a non-permanent member to a permanent member of the organization.  The support came after Indonesian Chief Security Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's recent visit to the two countries.
Joining the MSG has been one of Indonesia's main foreign policy objectives over the last few years. The government emphasized the fact that Indonesia has a substantial ethnic Melanesian population, in order to win over members of the MSG, especially Vanuatu.
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

2) 60 KNPB Activists Arrested by Indonesian forces in 9 Days

Oleg: Arnold Belau | Wednesday, April 13, 2016 - 22:00 pm



11 members of KNPB Port Numbay when brought to the Jayapura Police. (Photo: Adhie / SP)

JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com --- West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Center has reported that, beginning on April 5 to 13, 2016 KNPB least 60 activists have been arrested by the state through its agents in Papua to support a ULMWP accepted as a member of MSG.

Dozens of KNPB activists are all arrested while performing worship to support the ULMWP accepted as an official member of the MSG and while distributing leaflets action. In addition, there were officers went straight to the secretariat KNPB also arrested while doing demosntrasi peaceful in several major cities in Papua.
 
Here is the data collected suarapapua.com. Ranging from arrest to attempt to silence the democratic space in Papua to restrict the freedom of expression in Papua.
 
 
 Arrests of Activists KNPB
 
In Timika, on 5 April, 15 KNPB activists were arrested while doing worship. Two of them were named suspects. Namely, Stven Itlay, chairman of KNPB Timika subject to Article treason and Yus Wenda subject to Article persecution. Itlay previously detained Mimika district police, was transferred to a state-owned Brimob tanahan Mil 32, place further away from the town of Timika. Whereas the other 13 were repatriated with mandatory status report with an unspecified time.
 
In Yahukimo, on 12 April 2016, police officers from the district police have arrested five activists Yakuhimo KNPB around 12 noon after distributing leaflets action. When contacted suarapapua.com, naked Intel Yakuhimo Police said all five of the KNPB activists had been sent home. However, the KNPB Yakuhimo yet five kativis KNPB confirmation about this. Semntara it, a reliable source in Yahukimo menyebutkanm detained were six people, not five.
 
Kaimana, on April 12, 2016 around 16:30, police officers from the police station came to the secretariat KNPB Kaimana and the PRD region and arrested 15 activists KNPB KNPB. Not only that, the troops also enter and damage the secretariat.
 
Port Numbay, on 12 April 2016, police officers from the Jayapura Police have arrested 11 activists KNPB Port Numbay area in the yard DPRP while making a speech and peaceful demonstration in support of ULMWP accepted as members of the MSG.
 
In Merauke, on April 12, officers arrived in full force and secretariat KNPB raided and arrested 13 activists and PRD region KNPB Merauke. And then secured to the Merauke police.
 
 
Peaceful Demo KNPB who Confronted Apparatus
 
In accordance with the plan, KNPB raise future and peaceful protest simultaneously in all the land of Papua. The action did not go smoothly. In some cities, the action KNPB later blocked by the authorities. In Sorong, officials dismiss the action KNPB Sorong Raya area in front of the campus UKIP. In Biak, also proclaim disbanded by the authorities. Similar to what occurs in the Kaimana and KNPB Sentani area.
 
While in Yahukimo, Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Ade Yakuhimo Jaja made the statement it together with their beliefs leaders, community leaders, traditional leaders and signed also by regent elected as an attempt to suppress the action Kaolres KNPB in Yahukimo. From the letter of the essence, since it was signed by the regent is KNPB Yakuhimo pressure on activists and stated net of KNPB activities. It teresebut the legitimacy to act more repressive apparatus in order to KNPB members.
 
In Jayapura, although it took place under tight escort officials and under pressure, KNPB managed to stage a peaceful demonstration attended by thousands of people of Papua. Although it was tense and mild friction occurs a few times but it was later diresponi by mass action of calmly. So it does not happen things that are not desirable.
 
Demonstrations were coordinated KNPB Board and Student center and easygoing churches in the area surrounding the Abepura Waena and blockaded by police.
 
 
The activists were arrested KNPB
 
Five Members of the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) Region Yakuhimo, Yupi Sobolim (23 years), Unyil Kobak (24), Erson Suhun, Natu Dapla and one person of unknown name, was arrested by police from the Police Yahukimo. So there are six in number.
 
Activist KNPB arrested in Kaimana, Those arrested are John Furay (24) Lilian Tapnesa, Ania Kurita, Simon Egana, Melianus Siwari, Aser Kubewa, Agus Surbay, Elon Aribau, Stephen Esuru, Yusuf Surubay, Sepi Surubay, Melianus Surubay, Alfian Tanggafora, Melianus Siwari, and Abd Fata Watora.
 
KNPB activists arrested in Merauke, Panggrasia Yeem MP, Peter Katem MP, Idelfonsius Katop MP, MP Yohakim Gebze, Gento Emerikus Dop, Charles Sraun, Emilianus Nemop, Rikardo Pisakai, Oktovianus Warip, Peter P. Koweng, Luke Arawok, Simon Taulemi and Paustinus K. Metemko.
 
Dozens of KNPB activists arrested in Jayapura, Jimmy Boroway, Regina Wenda, Rebekah Komba, Anis.M .W, M. Wendanak, Gidion Adii, Itoni Bahabol, Obaya Balingga, Sean.Balingga, Tins and Ephy Wenda.
 
Yanto Awerkyon, Sem Ukago, Seperianus Edoway, Justin Wenda, Yudiman Kogoya, Hubertus Dimi, Dimi Noak, Nawipa Yunus, Agus nirigi, Paul Dawan, Abertus Dimi, Yalime Tabuni, and Nikolaus Sada.
 
 
 
 
ARNOLD Belau

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3) Pacific Island bishops make surprise but welcome visit to Papua

April 13, 2016

Plea for help: Bishops from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands are welcomed to the cathedral in Jayapura.

VISITING Pacific island bishops have heard of on-going violence and repression faced by Papuan people during a rare visit to Indonesian’s most easterly province.
A delegation of 20 bishops from the Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands were also told of Papuan desires for independence from
 Indonesia, during a visit to the Papuan provincial capital, Jayapura.
Local rights activists were given only short notice about the visit as the bishops arrived in a vehicle convoy across the PNG and Indonesian border under military escort.
In a letter presented to the bishops, Catholic Women of West Papua wrote of the significance of the visit:
“Few foreigners and even fewer esteemed guests like yourselves are able to get permission to come, or are willing to risk visiting our country,” the statement said.
“We want you to know that we are not free. 
“We are confined in a situation that is full of violence. 
“Because of the Indonesian police and military we do not feel safe in our own land.
“We desire to determine our own future, freely and fairly. 
“We want you to know that the United Liberation Movement for West Papua represents us. They have our full support.”
The ULMWP, formed in late 2014, brought together factions of the West Papua independence movement. 
It has observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group, an influential regional forum, which includes representatives from PNG, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and
 New Caledonia’s indigenous Kanak movement.
The letter to the bishops, which included the president of the Bishops conference, Archbishop John Ribat of Port Moresby, implored support to resolve numerous
 cases of human rights abuse. 
It blamed Indonesian authorities for alleged abuses, and accused the Church, at a local level, of silence on the issue.
“Our people experience violence and death because of the brutal actions of the Indonesian military and police,” the letter said.
“Every day more and more migrants arrive. We are becoming a minority in our land and even in our own church while the Indonesian people master all aspects of life.
“In fact, they (the State) are often the perpetrators or protect the perpetrators, so we feel we have nowhere to turn. 
“Sadly the Catholic Church in West Papua is largely silent about this and does not give voice to our cry for justice.”
The letter calls on the Conference of Bishops to encourage the Pacific Island Forum to immediately send a human rights fact-finding mission to West Papua.
The letter also said Catholic Papuan women were ready to greet Pope Francis; expressing a hope that the pontiff would visit West Papua as part of a planned visit to
 Indonesia scheduled for July 2017. The bishops’ visit to Jayapura, follows the release of a Church report released last month containing allegations of recent military
 and police intimidation, beatings and torture, kidnapping and murder in West Papua.
The report author, Josephine Sister Susan Connelly, a respected human rights advocate, visited West Papua, accompanied by Brisbane archdiocese’s
 Catholic Justice and Peace Commission executive officer Peter Arndt.
They interviewed more than 250 Papuan community leaders.
Sr Connelly compared the situation there to “stepping back twenty years when I first went to East Timor”.
“The same oppressive security presence everywhere, the same suspicion, bewilderment, frustration and sadness,” she said.
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4) Liquor businessmen in Papua protest ban, will file lawsuit
Nether Dharma Somba
Posted: Wed, April 13 2016 | 03:31 pm
A number of liquor businesspeople in Jayapura, Papua, are protesting Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe’s policy to ban the distribution of alcoholic beverages in the province.
They are set to file a lawsuit against the policy with the Jayapura State Administrative Court (PTUN) as they consider it contradicts existing rules.
“We will file a lawsuit at the PTUN against the governor over his alcoholic beverage confiscation procedures, which just look like an expropriation because it can be conducted without any confiscation order letter, while we have a legal permit for distributing alcoholic beverages,” said Jason Muabuay, head of the Association of Alcoholic Beverage Vendors and Night Entertainment Owners in Jayapura.
Jason expressed his concerns during a meeting at the Jayapura Legislative Council (DPRD), which was attended by a number of alcoholic beverage businesspeople and distributors and hotel owners and administrators. In the meeting, they conveyed their disappointment over the confiscations and searches conducted by a task force formed by Enembe.
Jason said his association plans to meet Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo and Trade Minister Thomas Lembong to question the Papuan governor’s measure, which the latter claimed was based on an integrity pact he issued. According to the governor, the integrity pact was in turn based on a 2013 bylaw on alcohol prohibition.
“The issuance of a bylaw must be followed by a governor's decree as its implementing regulation. Thus, all businessmen can have enough time for preparations so they will be ready once the bylaw on the alcohol ban takes effect,” said Josua.
He said vendors and distributors needed time to finish their stocks so they would not suffer great losses once the policy was valid.
Jason said the integrity pact was only a commitment, which was not legally binding. “This cannot be used as a basis to carry out the confiscations,” he said, adding that any government policy would be supported as long as it did not inflict losses upon the people.
Jayapura Legislative Council member Kristian Kondobua said it was the right of the association to file a lawsuit against the Papuan governor. “It’s your right to take a legal measure against his policy,” said Kristian.
Businesspeople in Jayapura say alcohol sales have dropped sharply since the task force intensified liquor searches in entertainment places and alcohol warehouses on Friday.
Some Jayapura residents applauded Enembe’s policy, saying that since alcohol searches were conducted intensively, very few drunken people could be found on streets across Jayapura.
“I take passengers to the airport every morning. I used to see drunken people, some of whom lay on the street, but in the last several days, I didn’t see them,” said Yonas, a driver.
“Now, I dare to take a morning walk on the street because there is no more drunken people. I used to have a morning walk only in areas near my house,” said Ludia, a local resident.
Separately, Enembe said he did not fear the association’s plan to file a lawsuit against him. “I’m not afraid. We made this policy because we have a special bylaw, which clearly regulates alcohol distribution. If they want to sue me, just go ahead,” said the governor. (ebf)
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US Department of State-2015 Human Rights Reports: Indonesia

April 13, 2016, 2:13 pm
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US Department of State-2015 Human Rights Reports: Indonesia
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015

Secretary's Preface

http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper

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2015 Human Rights Reports: Indonesia


BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR
Report
April 13, 2016

This is the basic text view.  SWITCH NOW to the new, more interactive format.

INDONESIA 2015 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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1) West Papuans voice support for MSG integration

April 14, 2016, 2:27 am
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2) Rights group describes Indonesian state hypocrisy in Papua

3) HRW calls on US government to reveal truth about 1965 massacre
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1) West Papuans voice support for MSG integration
4:58 pm today


West Papuans demonstrating support for the Liberation Movement had the Papuan Morning Star flag emblazoned on body and garb. Photo: Tabloid Jubi
Yesterday's demonstrations in West Papua have been described as a sign of widespread support for integration with the wider Melanesian community.
The peaceful demonstrations in the main cities of Indonesia's Papua region were attended by thousands of West Papuans under the banner of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.
The demonstrations, voiced support for the Liberation Movement and its bid to gain full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group, resulted in dozens of arrests.
One of the key Papuan political groups in the Movement, the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, was centrally involved in organising the demonstrations.
The KNPB chairman Victor Yeimo addressed the demonstration in the Papuan provincial capital, Jayapura.


The Liberation Movement which was last year granted observer status in the MSG, whose full members are Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Kanaks of New Caledonia.
Indonesia was also last year granted associate member status at the MSG and has been opposed to the Liberation Movement's participation in political representation of West Papuans.
However a West Papuan lawyer and Catholic lay women activist, Frederika Korain, said the Liberation Movement was increasingly seen as her people's representative body.
Moves to engage more with the wider Melanesian region, she said, were strongly supported.
"Papuans feel that it is very genuinely important to be part of the big Melanesian family through that organisation, so that's why the struggle to gain full membership of that regional organisation become one of the desire of all Papuans," Ms Korain said.
"That's why you can see yesterday that people went to the streets and supported the rally."

Ms Korain said last week's visit to Papua by a delegation of Catholic Bishops from PNG and Solomon Islands was the kind of regional engagement that needed to be encouraged.
Unable to meet the visiting bishops themselves, the Catholic Women group that Ms Korain belongs to delivered a statement to the bishops, describing their visit as important.
Thanking the bishops for their visit, the women pressed upon them that the conditions of life for the indigenous Papuan Catholics were in a poor state.
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2) Rights group describes Indonesian state hypocrisy in Papua
3:38 pm today
The head of Indonesia’s leading human rights organisation, KONTRAS, has described how the nation is in a type of denial about festering rights issues in Papua region.
  • Listen duration6:29


Transcript

The head of Indonesia's leading human rights organisation has described how the nation is in a type of denial about festering rights issues in Papua region.
Haris Azhar, the co-ordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, or KONTRAS, says there has been no improvement in the area of rights in Papua since president Joko Widodo took office in  2014.
Mr Azhar told Johnny Blades that Indonesia's security forces remain stuck in the past in their attitude towards West Papuans and their conduct in the region.
HARIS AZHAR: A lot of forces from Indonesian government send their own team or troops, keep sending them to Papua. You know intelligence have their own operations. The military consists of so many units, also go to Papua or sitting there. And they have a good reason to be there: Papua has the longest land border to the other countries. Police also keep planning, doing the operations in Papua. So securitisation with no good co-ordination and consolidations are there. And the way they think about Papua, the way they assess Papua, has no new ground to be applied in Papua. So there's no shift in paradigm on how to see Papua. Therefore this Papua still suffer as all times before. And also you can imagine that the victims now.. I just checked the data in my office. It showed the number last year of more than 1,200 people suffer from harassment, killings, torture and ill-treatment. We haven't put the other issues into this number - the economic and social rights issues.
JOHNNY BLADES: Are any of those cases brought to court? Do the perpetrators of these abuses or beatings or tortures, do they ever get held accountable?
HA: No, no, no. Some of them being arrested and tortured, and the police apply most of the cases as a crime. So those people who were arrested, they will be brought into the court - some of them, not all of them.
JB: What typically have they been arrested for, what is it that they have done?
HA: Demonstrations, these kind of things. This is common in Papua.
JB: Freedom of expression stuff?
HA: Yeah, so this is against their freedom of expression, freedom of opinions, freedom of assembly, you know, that kind of thing. If you are Papuan and you do these kind of things in Papua, then that is associated with a crime or you are subject to being punished. But if you do these kind of things outside of Papua or you are not a Papuan, the game might be changed, the game might be changed. So this is like a discrimination in the security and law enforcement approach to the Papuans.
JB: Many reports about this stuff over the years. Why is it that the Indonesian parliament, successive governments, they don't seem to change the way the security forces conduct themselves in Papua? Is it because they can't?
HA: No. If we talk about the Papuan government, the local government in Papua at the provincial level or the sub-provinces, they are bound to a dirty politics, a dirty system of politics. So they are at some point paralysed to see how to deal with the security forces which are very powerful - they have guns, they have money, they are supported by some corporations. So to deal with it, for the local government, they prefer to deal and bargain, and co-opt with certain situations. That's why they keep receiving a lot of money, because Papua is allocated a huge number of the state budget from Jakarta. So there's no development for real, infrastructure or social structure have been gone with no evidence in a good way that can be delivered to the public. So they just maintain it. A lot of corruption cases, allegation of corruption cases being spread around among the people. So a lot of people enjoy that kind of thing. And how is Jakarta? Jakarta is too busy with themselves. You know, political bargain, surrounded by the media, so many issues. You know, the issue of Papua is not a priority. They may say it's a priority but this is all the things that they always said: Papua is a priority but we will leave it to them, among the Papuans, to solve the situation. But in terms of the killings, the law enforcement, that is a national problem. That is not a local problem.
JB: I was going to ask you: if Papua is a part of Indonesia, how do Indonesians in the rest of the country feel about their fellow Indonesians being brutalised every year?
HA: This is the hypocrisy of the government, the state and also this country. That looking at Papua, they would not leave Papua to be independent, but they let Papua be ignored. They say leave it behind. They have that kind of way. So, if there is an issue in the media, saying that this small group from Papua, they would like to be independent, and a lot of Indonesians, they're just quiet. And also the government, they just said oh we are the united Indonesia, we will not let anyone to go out from Indonesia. But they do nothing, they say nothing, to make Papuans to be better. I have to say this is crazy.

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3) HRW calls on US government to reveal truth about 1965 massacre

Posted: Thu, April 14 2016 | 12:24 pm
Liza Yosephine Reporter
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said an apology over the atrocities of 1965 would be futile unless the whole truth was revealed.
The International NGO said the government should be held accountable for its actions related to the killings of people who were considered associated with communism, including for what is hidden in secret files held by the US government.
The organization is pushing the President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo administration to ask the US government to release the documents related to the anti-communist purge to comply with a request made by Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) in March.
HRW executive director Kenneth Roth, who is currently in Indonesia, is to speak with government officials, human rights organizations and other relevant stakeholders about the mass killings.
Researchers have estimated about half a million people suspected of being affiliated with the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) were wiped out in 1965 and 1966.
"You can't apologize over a blank slate," Roth said during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday. 
The American human rights advocacy group, together with a local group called the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), are urging the government to conduct an effective accountability process.
The call came as one step to build momentum for the lead-up to a symposium about the 1965 massacre to be held on Apr. 18 and 19.
The symposium, spearheaded by Komnas HAM and the Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres), will discuss rehabilitation and compensation for the victims of the tragedy, which took place more than 50 years ago and remains a deeply sensitive topic in Indonesia.
The event will occur ahead of a May 2 deadline for settling serious past human rights violations, as declared by Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan last month.
Roth stressed the importance of beginning the process of reconciliation with a public hearing so as to reveal the extent of the impacts of the massacre, thereby providing the basis of a factual record that the government can then officially acknowledge.
The US advocate said he recently met with Wantimpres member Sidarto Danusubroto and presidential chief of staff Teten Masduki to discuss options for addressing the actions of the troops led by Soeharto, then an unknown major general who filled the power vacuum left by the first president Sukarno, to counter an alleged attempted coup on Sept. 30, 1965.
"There is recognition on the one hand that truth is an essential prerequisite for any meaningful reconciliation process. At the same time, there's recognition that there is serious resistance within certain elements of both the government and society," Roth said of the meeting.
Furthermore, he also urged the incumbent government to take a clear stance in its efforts to resolve the human rights violations, especially in regards to the impacts still felt by the victims and relatives of victims of the tragedy relating to the stigma and persecution for being affiliated, or being accused of being affiliated, with the now defunct PKI.
Roth commended the request made by Komnas HAM, which met with US State Department officials to formally ask for the release of files from the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency and other agencies.
The US would have such records, Roth continued, and should Jokowi put his weight behind the request, US President Barack Obama would likely be willing to open up its archives, he added.
"We want to know the working level involvement between the US government and the killers in 1965," he said.
Operational detail including cables, diplomatic messages and CIA messages would be useful as part of the effort to tell the history of the violation, Roth further said.
When possible, he added, it was also important for the architects of the crimes, the directors and the people who oversaw the killings in the anti-communist purge, to be brought to justice.
The genocide occurred during the time when the Vietnam War was intensifying and fears were rising in Washington about other communist takeovers throughout Southeast Asia.
Roth said previously declassified State Department documents indicated the US Embassy in Jakarta in conveyed the names of Communist Party leaders to the Indonesian Army.
US filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer, who made two critically acclaimed documentaries on the 1965 genocide, The Look of Silence and The Act of Killing, also recently urged the US Senate to make available all documents relating to the US' role in the national tragedy.
KontraS coordinator Haris Azhar said the events of 1965 were "the mother of all violence in Indonesia" that caused a spiral of other serious human rights abuses, including the 1989 Talangsari incident in Central Lampung, the 2001 and 2003 Wamena and Wasior incidents in Papua and various kidnappings and unresolved shootings under the dictatorship of Suharto, who came into power in 1966 and led the New Order era under a military-dominated government until his forced resignation in 1998.
Haris asserted that the best way to move forward and avoid any repeat of crimes of a similar nature would be to tell the whole truth to the public and then follow that up with an acknowledge from the government. (dan)
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1) These three Papuan People’s attitude to the Demo Akbar in Papua

April 14, 2016, 2:00 pm
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2) Satellite images reveal dramatic tropical glacier retreat

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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at


1) These three Papuan People’s attitude to the Demo Akbar in Papua


                               Papua Peoples Housing Taxi occupy Round III, Waena (Photo: Arnold Belau / SP)



JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPU.com --- Located in Housing III, Waena, thousands of Papuans who mediated the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), on Wednesday (04/13/2016) yesterday, has expressed its political stance. A three-point statement read. They demanded the right of self-determination.

Territory of West Papua is part of a clump of Melanesia who are striving for self-determination for the people of West Papua pledge by the official representative of the people of West Papua, namely United Liberation for West Papua (ULMWP) to become a full member of the organization of subregional namely Melanesia Sperhead Group (MSG ). Thus we declare:
 
First, the organization formed by Jakarta, Indonesia Melanesia (Melindo) as organizations that do not represent us Papuans. So we strongly rejected the offer of becoming a full member in MSG.
 
Secondly, we (the people of West Papua) to convey to the whole world that today we are in desperate need of international powers separately accompanied the voice of the people of Papua to self-determination through a referendum that is fair, just, peaceful, dignified, and final. For it is clear and evident that the Act of 1969 is an engineering where people of West Papua by the political right to determine their political rights. We ask for international support to support the call for the referendum campaign that will start in Internastional meeting of Parliament for West Papua (IPWP) in London on 3 May 2016.
 
Thirdly, we reject attempts to sabotage human rights fact-finding mission to Papua by the Indonesian government fact-finding team of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) to West Papua. We urge the president of the republic of Indonesia in order to open access for the fact-finding mission of human rights violations in Papua
 
Thus the people of West Papua statement made by sesadar-conscious in order to save the nation of Papua.
 
This statement was signed by Chairman of the KNPB, Victor F. Yeimo, and a copy addressed to; President of the Republic of Indonesia, MSG Secretariat in Vanuatu; PIF Secretariat in Suva, Fiji; ULMWP Secretariat in Vanuatu, IPWP, ILWP, Board Committee and PNWP ULMWP.
 
 
 
ARNOLD Belau

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2) Satellite images reveal dramatic tropical glacier retreat

Date:
April 13, 2016
Source:
University of Plymouth
Summary:
Scientists use high resolution satellite imagery to provide a decadal study of ablation of equatorial glaciers in West Papua. The images taken from 
the Pleaides satellites reveal that the formerly extensive Carsten Glacier of West Papua New Guinea has almost completely disappeared, while the once
 continuous East North Wall Firn has split into a number of much smaller fragments.



Scientists have obtained high resolution satellite images that paint a stark picture of how tropical glaciers in the Pacific have retreated over the past decade.
The images taken from the Pleaides satellites reveal that the formerly extensive Carstenz Glacier of West Papua New Guinea has almost completely disappeared, while the once continuous East North Wall Firn has split into a number of much smaller fragments.
The findings have been released by scientists at Plymouth University and the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth (BRNC) and come on the heels of record-breaking temperatures around the globe.
Dr Chris Lavers, Lecturer in Radar and Telecommunications, based at BRNC, said: "The years 2011-2015 have been the warmest five-year period on record, with many extreme weather events influenced by climate change. So it is not surprising then that the present observed speed of glacier retreat world-wide has been historically unprecedented.
"This is visual confirmation of the ablation of equatorial glaciers, with the Carstenz Glacier revealed to have almost completed melted away in the last 15 years."
During the project, Dr Lavers and colleague Dr Victor Abbott, of the School of Marine Science and Engineering, arranged for the Pleaides satellites to take the images in June 2015 as it passed New Guinea. These were then compared to similar pictures taken between 2000--2002 and obtained from the Digital Globe Foundation.
The pictures reveal the almost complete disappearance of the Carstenz Glacier -- first discovered by explorer Jan Carstenz in 1623. And the extensive East North Wall Firn has retreated from the 1,333,000 m2 continuous area into a number of smaller fragments, the largest of which is 313,334 m2.
At the same time, the nearby Grasberg mine, the world's largest gold and copper mine, has continued to grow. Dr Lavers said: "A combination of large-scale open cast industrial mining, high rainfall and enhanced glacial melt is having a profound impact on mineral and sediment transport in the local river systems upon which both the local Amungme tribe and wildlife depend.
"Tropical glaciers can be considered as 'canary in the cage' sensitive markers, responding in near real-time to rapid temperature change trends, and as such, they provide a window to look at consequent environmental impact. Societal change is likely to reflect, on a much magnified scale, some of the local changes, such as water scarcity and deforestation, which will affect the Papuan Amungme tribe."
This form of remote sensing is useful for areas considered too dangerous or difficult to visit -- as has been the case in West Papua.
The report will be published in the Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society quarterly publication Sensed.
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1) Papuan Activists Ask LPSK for Protection Amid Rampant Violence

April 15, 2016, 1:19 am
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2) A meaningful visit, or another ceremonial trip to Papua?
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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2016/04/15/055762872/PAPUAN-ACTIVISTS-ASK-LPSK-FOR-PROTECTION-AMID-RAMPANT-VIOLENCE

FRIDAY, 15 APRIL, 2016 | 10:04 WIB
1) Papuan Activists Ask LPSK for Protection Amid Rampant Violence
                                                 ANTARA/Ismar Patrizki
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) has been asked to protect Papuan activists in relation to continuing violence.
A number of Papuan activists yesterday came to the LPSK office to discuss protection of the province’s activists. Pilipus, one of the activists, said he has asked the agency to be more proactive in providing protection to human rights defenders in Papua.
“The state seems to have problems, including on budget availability in addressing issues in Papua. It shows lack of seriousness of the state in developing Papua,” Pilipus said in the LPSK’s press release as quoted by Bisnis.com, Thursday, April 14, 2016.
They have also asked if the LPSK could protect people whose indigenous land have been taken over by companies. Moreover, he went on, the LPSK has no representative office in Papua.
Having received the request, the LPSK Chairman Abdul Haris Semendawai said that his agency will provide protection to activists. In addition, he went on, it’s a criminal case.
“The LPSK is having difficulties when activists are criminalized,” he said.
 




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2) A meaningful visit, or another ceremonial trip to Papua?

Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge  Researcher at the Martinus Academy, Jakarta
Posted: Fri, April 15 2016 | 09:29 am
A recent three-day visit by Coordinating Security, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan to Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost region, was noticeable for two reasons.
First, Papua is a priority for the administration and the visit of Luhut, one of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s trusted advisors, followed Jokowi’s own visits. We can thus imagine how important this visit is, not only for the central government but also for Papuans as a whole.
Second, Luhut’s visit showed a strong commitment to overseeing that all policies are undertaken appropriately, particularly since the special autonomy law has been widely criticized as ineffective for improving Papuans’ welfare. 
However Luhut’s visit was no more than symbolic, rather than being truly meaningful for the powerless indigenous people. The key issue is the extent to which Luhut’s visit can thoroughly address the fundamental concern of Papuans, namely genuine trust. 
Since becoming part of Indonesia through the deeply flawed process called the Act of Free Choice, facilitated by the UN in 1969, Papua has been treated relatively inappropriately by the government and many Indonesians — through inefficient policies, an intensive security approach and racial prejudice. 
This treatment has led to distrust and limited sympathy among Papuans toward the Indonesian government and fellow citizens in the western parts of the country. 
Thus, a visit by such an important figure stimulated more skepticism than optimism among the indigenous people. 
Luhut’s visit failed to highlight one fundamental problem of Papua: Its political status since it became part of Indonesia. He preferred to discuss more about the progress of developmental programs with Papuan stakeholders, including the building of Post Limit Cross Country Skouw on the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). 
However, the more he avoided talking about political problems in Papua, chiefly the aspirations for independence, the more the government showed to the international community its incapability for handling the ethnic-based conflict. 
The concept of dialogue, which many have repeatedly asserted to be an important step toward resolving long overdue problems in Papua, did not receive the minister’s attention.
Luhut also visited PNG and Fiji, two supporters of Indonesia regarding the Papuan issue in the Pacific. 
Through ad hoc economic aid and bilateral agreements with PNG and Fiji, the main objective of that trip was most likely to defuse the Papuan issue in the Pacific, particularly the role of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) in the Melanesian Spearhead Group, an economic group that granted observer status to the ULMWP in 2015. 
By providing such support, Indonesia hopes these two countries can either contain the Papuan issue or keep it from becoming one of the central political themes in the Pacific. 
In the security sphere, there was no endeavor for a breakthrough during Luhut’s trip to Papua. As a former army general and given his current position related to security matters, he was expected to tackle one of the most contentious issues in Papua, particularly regarding initiatives to build a new army territorial command in Manokwari and a police brigade headquarters in Wamena — not to mention the so-called joint expedition, dominated by 670 military personnel, including the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus), and civilians, aimed at conducting research and collecting data on Papua’s natural resources and its people. 
This research activity is at odds with its primary duties as stated in the 2004 Indonesian Military Law. Instead, Luhut merely promised to resolve past human rights cases in Papua, without details. 
This is largely lip service since two prominent cases during the past two years, namely those of Paniai in 2014 and Timika in 2015, remain unresolved. 
Neither did Luhut’s visit address the contentious massive investments across the area. Investment-driven policies have been widely criticized for failing to improve Papuans’ quality of life since the area became an Indonesian province. Many giant private investors — mostly in oil palm plantations and agricultural projects — have been exploiting many local forests based on their concessions. 
Migration was another issue overlooked by the minister’s official trip to Papua. According to the 2014 report of the Justice and Peace Secretariat of the Jayapura Bishopric Mission, huge numbers of people transmigrating on a daily basis have negatively affected the indigenous population in the cultural, political and economic spheres.
This has led to ceaseless conflicts between the settlers and the indigenous people.
Moreover, without discussing all of these crucial issues, Luhut’s visit casts doubt on how the government handles the area and most importantly how it builds trust among Papuans toward Jakarta. 
Accordingly, his visit will be seen by Papuans as another ceremonial activity by officials rather than a genuine and meaningful gesture of reaching out. All in all, Luhut’s trip to Papua remains merely symbolic for many indigenous people. 
 
***
The writer is a researcher at the Marthinus Academy, Jakarta
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1) BP to supply LNG to Indonesia’s PLN to 2033 under new contract

April 15, 2016, 1:44 pm
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2) Jokowi Requested Crack Papua police chief and police chief
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Business | Fri Apr 15, 2016 1:51pm BST
1) BP to supply LNG to Indonesia’s PLN to 2033 under new contract
BP (BP.L) will supply Indonesian power utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) [PLNEG.UL] with liquefied natural gas (LNG) up to 2033, under a contract it signed on Friday.
Under the contract, BP will supply PLN with 20 LNG cargoes per year from its Tangguh project in West Papua province from 2017 to 2019, and 44 cargoes per year from 2020 to 2033.
"Today is a major milestone, a positive step in progress of Tangguh Train 3 expansion," BP Asia Pacific president Christina Verchere told reporters.
The contract with PLN means all of the cargoes from BP's Tangguh Train 3 project are now committed to buyers, Zikrullah, an official from Indonesia's upstream oil and gas regulator (SKKMigas) said at the contract signing event, adding that a final investment decision on the project is expected in June.

(Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe; Writing by Fergus Jensen, editing by David Evans)
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
2) Jokowi Requested Crack Papua police chief and police chief

                    Police allegedly torturing photo Members KNPB in Dekai (Photo: Doc KNPB Yakuhimo)

JAKARTA, SOUND PAPUA.com --- About the arrest and torture of KNPB activists in Papua, the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Jakarta Joko Widodo asked the President to take action against Papua police chief and police chief. Because the suspected police officers have been responding to the aspirations of the people of Papua with violence.
"LBH Jakarta demanding to Jokowi to crack down on police chief and police chief of Papua that have tarnished the constitutional rights of the Papuan people, and ordered them to immediately release Yus Wenda and Steven Itlay are still being held in Timika." LBH Jakarta wrote in a press release received suarapapua.com, this morning (04.15.2016) from Jakarta.
About the alleged torture case against six activists KNPB in Dekai, Yahukimo, LBH Jakarta said it was investigating. LBH Jakarta ask the perpetrators in this case members of the police in Yakuhimo should be punished.
"This incident violates the constitution Article 28I of the Convention against Torture, and the Criminal Code Article 351. To that end, in particular the Criminal Investigation Police Headquarters and Propam must investigate this matter. Perpetrators of torture, even though law enforcement officials, should be punished," said Veronika Koman, Public Defender LBH Jakarta ,
Appropriate monitoring of these media, the day before the massive action in Papua, 13 April, LBH Jakarta with 47 other organ held a press conference in Jakarta that the police do not face a peaceful demonstration in Papua with violence. LBH Jakarta has reported that 63 people were arrested ahead of the people of Papua mediated demo West Papua National Committee (KNPB) demand full membership of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). (See also: LBH Jakarta: 63 People Arrested During 9 days in Papua).
Meanwhile, chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Victor Yeimo contacted this afternoon in Jayapura said he regretted the police action.
"We were upset, police should look at a peace rally KNPB as learning democracy for the country. It actually proves the police as actors of violence during this time, not as long as this KNPB criminalized," said Yeimo.
A video violence law enforcement officers against demonstrators period on 13 April showed members of the police were smashing the car carrying demonstrators. As uploaded to the facebook page Free West Papua Campaign, 1:20 minute videos that have contributed to national and international public attention to the actions of forces against the people of Papua.
LEA Tabuni
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Secretary General Pleased with the Public Response to Call for Pacific Region Policy Initiatives

April 16, 2016, 12:21 am
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http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/newsroom/press-statements/2016-media-releases/secretary-general-pleased-with-public-response-to-call-for-pacific-region-policy-initiatives.html
Secretary General Pleased with the Public Response to Call for Pacific Region Policy Initiatives
A total of 47 regional policy initiatives were received by the closing date for the 2016 public call for submissions under the Framework for Pacific Regionalism.

“I would like to thank everyone who made a submission this year, as your efforts show that there is a strong appreciation and appetite for Pacific Regionalism. They also show an understanding of the benefits that can come when Forum countries cooperate and collaborate to address the big issues and interests that we face and can share together,” said Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat and Chair of the Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism, Dame Meg Taylor.

The submissions cover a diverse range of policy areas including energy, education, labour mobility, ocean, tourism, and health, with the highest volume of submissions centred on issues relating to climate change and West Papua.

“It is pleasing to see new initiatives and issues emerge from across the region. It is also encouraging to see that some of the submissions this year build on regional policy priorities that emerged through this same public policy process last year. Not only is there ongoing interest and discussion around regional responses to climate change and West Papua, but there are proposals that acknowledge and seek to strengthen the work currently being done in the areas of ICT and fisheries,” said Dame Meg.

Submissions were received from individuals, civil society, the private sector, multi-country consortiums, multi-lateral agencies, and academia from countries across the region - including Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

In speaking about the next steps of the process, the Secretary General said that, “Pacific Leaders have committed to listening to the Pacific people, and this consultative public process has identified a strong selection of policy ideas for us to consider. The Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat will be assessing and analysing each of the submissions over the next six weeks. They will be looked at against the criteria for regionalism outlined in the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, and would also be consulting with technical expertise appropriate to each submission. This will ensure that any policy initiatives that are recommended to Pacific Leaders warrant their oversight and commitment.”

The Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism will meet to discuss the submissions in June before making their recommendations to Pacific Leaders who meet in Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia, between the 7th and 11th September 2016.

The Specialist Sub-Committee will endeavour to ensure that the recommendations to Leaders consist of a handful of strategic, high level regional priorities. In doing this, the sub-committee will take stock of the current priorities and make recommendations on whether they should remain on the Leaders agenda in 2016.

Submissions can be viewed on the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s website.
http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/strategic-partnerships-coordination/framework-for-pacific-regionalism/2016-submissions-received.html
 
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