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Photos of march in Vanuatu

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An inspiring march in Port Vila today, Friday 29 April. The march went from the Fung Kuei car park along the Lini Highway up to the MSG Secretariat where greeted by staff and speeches were made.
Solidarity groups from the region also took part.




















































1) Pacific leaders head to UK for West Papua meeting

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2) MSG leaders summit postponed
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1) Pacific leaders head to UK for West Papua meeting
12:34 pm today

Several Pacific leaders are headed for London to participate in the International Parliamentarians for West Papua meeting at Westminster.
The IPWP is a cross-party global network of politicians who support self-determination for West Papuans, the indigenous people of Indonesia's Papua region.
The two-day meeting next week will also be attended by representatives of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and several heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Tonga, Akilisi Pohiva.
This comes as a public march in support of West Papuan self-determination was this morning held in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu.
Vanuatu is to be represented at the London meeting by its Minister for Lands, the Port Vila MP Ralph Regenvanu.

Mr Regenvanu said there was much to discuss as the political climate over West Papua has changed significantly over the last year.
In 2015, the Liberation Movement achieved observer membership in the Pacific sub-regional organisation, the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Mr Regenvanu said this reflected growing international support for the West Papuan people to realise their rightful aspirations for a genuine process of self-determination.
The London meeting will be discussing a strategy to bring about an internationally supervised vote in West Papua by the end of the decade.
In addition to this meeting, there will also be a Conference in Oxford held the day before, next Monday, titled 'The Day of Betrayal', which will revisit the Act of Free Choice from an academic, legal and human rights perspective.
The Act of Free Choice was the United Nations-sanctioned referendum by which Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, however the vote is widely considered as having been stage-managed.
West Papuans claim they were not consulted about the referendum process.

Public support for West Papua

Although some regional governments such as Papua New Guinea and Fiji express strong support for Indonesian territorial control of West Papua, public support for West Papuan independence is steadily growing.
Vanuatu's Free West Papua Association organised a public march towards the MSG secretariat this morning in the country's capital Port Vila.
The march was supposed to coincide with the beginning of a special MSG leaders summit in Port Vila where the group was to appoint a new director-general.
However the summit has now been postponed amid a fallout over Fiji's selection of one if its diplomats as the new MSG director-general.
Before the postponement, Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama announced he would skip the summit because he instead planned to travel to Britain to attend the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations.
Nonetheless hundreds of peaceful demonstrators this morning in Port Vila delivered a petition signed by thousands asking the MSG to grant full membership in the MSG to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.

They also want the MSG to cancel the associate membership of Indonesia, as proposed by the government of Vanuatu.
The Daily Post quotes Vanuatu Free West Papua Committee member Lai Sakita as saying Indonesia's involvement in the MSG is a mockery to Vanuatu's traditional stand for freedom for West Papua.
Earlier, Mr Sakita called on the many supporters of West Papuan self-determination to come out from behind their computers and personal devices.
"While we appreciate your brave words of support for West Papua on Facebook, we want all of you to prove what you say by coming out to join in this peaceful march to confirm you mean business for the people of West Papua," he said.
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2) MSG leaders summit postponed

3:44 pm today


The Melanesian Spearhead Group Special Leaders Summit scheduled to be held in Port Vila next week has been postponed.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reports that a date is yet to be confirmed, although provisional dates are from May 30 to June 3, depending on the availability and commitments of the Leaders.
The MSG summit had been expected to formalise the appointment of a new director-general for the sub-regional grouping's Port Vila-based secretariat.
However two MSG members, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, have objected to the anouncement by the MSG chair, Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, that the Fiji diplomat Amena Yauvoli had been selected for the role.
Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama subsequently announced he would miss the summit to instead attend the Queen's birthday celebrations in Britain.

The summit was also expected to focus on discussion about West Papua.
While the United Liberation Movement for West Papua was last year granted observer status in the MSG, Indonesia has been lobbying the full members of the group to be granted full membership status.
Jakarta recently claimed to have the backing of Fiji and PNG's governments for full membership.
However Vanuatu's government, led by Charlot Salwai, is pushing for Indonesia's current associate membership status in the group to be cancelled.
It is also backing a bid for the Liberation Movement to be elevated to full membership status.

This morning hundreds of ni-Vanuatu, and some West Papuan representatives, participated in a march to the MSG secretariat in Port Vila.
They delivered a petition signed by thousands asking the MSG to grant full membership to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.

1) Trust Needed in Human Rights Settlement in Papua

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2) After Meeting with Luhut, Papua Governor Expresses Disappointment
3) MSG Summit Postponed
4) West Papua to Have Its Own Bullet Train Network

5) Marap Indigenous Group claim back three oil palm plantation divisions in Arso.

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1) Trust Needed in Human Rights Settlement in Papua
27 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan on Monday (25/4/2016) led a coordination meeting on alleged human rights violations in Papua and Papua Barat provinces.
The meeting was held at the meeting room of the Political Ministry’s office and attended by Indonesian Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw and Papua Barat Police Chief Brigadier General Royke Lumawa and Papua human right defenders
In response to the efforts to resolve the human rights issues in Papua, the awardee of the international award for human rights from Canada, John Humphrey Freedom Award 2015, Yan Warinusi said a resolution to gross human rights violations and contradiction of history and construction of political identity between Papua and Jakarta should become urgent issues, and should be a concern and responsibility of President Joko Widodo and his administration to resolve it

Trust Building
“It is very important step that should be taken by President Widodo to restore public trust as well as the international community who continue to highlight human rights violations in Papua which cannot be solved for decades in accordance with Indonesian law,” said Warinusi.
He further said trust building is an absolute condition that should be created in this settlement process. Therefore, President Jokowi must issue a written instruction to the National Human Rights Commission and Indonesian General Attorney to immediately execute their task in accordance with the Law. For example, towards some cases that occurred before the Law No. 39 Year 199 about human rights and the Law No. 26 Year 2000 about human rights court, therefore the mechanism is clear that is should be taken to the Ad Hoc Human Rights Court, which needs the investigation of human rights violations from National Human Rights and Indonesian General Attorney for legal action. Meanwhile towards the human rights violations occurred after year 2000, such as Wasior 2001, Wamena 2003 and Enarotali-Paniai of 8 December 2014, it needs enforcement and assurance towards President Widodo to provide the widest access for the National Human Rights and Indonesian General Attorney to optimally work in revealing and taking the human rights violation suspects to the trial before an independent and impartial human rights court.
It is not only be terminated until the court, but in the future the Indonesian Government must be able to give a legal assurance towards a clear political policy to stop the (severe) human rights violations perpetrated by State through security personnel (both Police and Military).
“It could be applied by enforcing the elimination of security/military operations that enable the mobilization of security personnel (Police and Military) in the massive number, either it was part of open or closed security operations,” said Yan Warinusi.
This trust building issue becomes a concern of civil society group who involved in the process of documentation on human rights violations in Papua. The government must show good intention to solve the human right violations in Papua.
“Coalition for human right violations gives recommendation that three cases of Wasior, Wamena and Paniai should be settled by the government in 2016. It is to build a trust. If the government could solve these three cases, we can move to another cases,” said Frits Ramandey about the recommendation by Coalition for Human Rights Violations in Papua towards the government through the Coordination Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
Neutral Party in NeedSeparately, Papua human right defender Pastor John Jonga thought the settlement of the human rights issue in Papua needs a neutral party, because it is not wise to involve the parties such as security forces who have been accused of being perpetrators of human rights violations.
“I wonder and think it is funny because the perpetrators are mostly them (security personnel). But there might be an awareness from the Minister or Papua Police Chief considered to human right violations during the time,” Pastor Djonga told Jubi on Tuesday (26/4/2016).
He also criticizes the process as unserious process. Because to settle the human rights violations in Papua that was occurred since 1960s to 2016 could not merely done through one or two days discussion. The State must be more serious to explore the human rights violations issues from the highland to the coastal area, from the sea to the mountains and from any situations and conditions in Papua.
Djonga further said Papua is a big island, so it’s not easy to solve the violations occurred for decades, it could not easy and fast to explore the human rights violations from the sixties only with three days discussion, it is considered as carelessly work.
“I thought the discussion is positive, but the time is too short and it should be more serious. For me, the reason of State conducted this event was to show to the world that the Indonesian Government was fighting, protected and respected the human rights in Papua,” he said.
He also highlighted the human rights activists who involved in the meeting, that on his point of view, they should be capable to provide feedback instead of conducting a meeting or exploring the human rights violations in Papua. In addition, the Central Government also need to appoint a neutral person who can be trusted by any parties to resolve the human rights issues in Papua, because the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs have harmed the Papuan people.
Political Approach and Human Rights Trial
After the coordination meeting on the alleged human rights violations in Papua and Papua Barat provinces led by the Minister Pandjaitan on Monday, Coalition for human rights violations member Matius Murib who involved in the meeting said the coalition currently endorses the government to urge the Indonesian Human Rights Commission to settle the cases of Mapenduma 1996 and Biak 1998 through political approach at the Indonesian House of Representative.
“Wasior 2001 and Wamena 2003 as well as Paniai 2014 must be settled through Human Rights Trial in 2016. The government has showed good intention and being open, so the human rights defenders should be unite and mutually gather the facts and data for advocacy,” said Murib.
Papua Police Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw confirmed that three alleged human rights cases to be recommended are Wasior 2001, Wamena 2003 and Paniai 2014.
“Although these cases have been recommended but until now the team is still not completing the data because it might not possible to take this case to the trial,” said Chief Waterpauw.
He further admitted the team led by the Chief of National Human Rights Commission Papua Representative is still in Jakarta and completing the supporting documents. According to him, three cases were recommended because of sufficient data and further the National Human Rights Commission has formed the ad hoc team, so it becomes priority to be followed up.
However, the Indonesian Police Chief Badrodin Haiti told reporters that Wamena and Wasior cases would be solved through political approach, because both cases were occurred before the authorization of the Law on Human Rights Trial, namely the Law No. 26 Year 2001.
“It settlement would be executed by the government and Indonesian House of Representative. Currently, the Indonesian Human Rights Commission is handling the investigation on the two cases while the Indonesian General Attorney would conduct the charge. The two cases with 12 human rights violations would become priorities to be solved,” said the chief. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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2) After Meeting with Luhut, Papua Governor Expresses Disappointment
26 April 2016 

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe expressed his disappointment after a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan to discuss alleged human rights violations in Papua.
On Thursday evening (21/4/2016), Papua Governor along with Papua Police Chief, Chairman of Papua Legislative Council, Cenderawasih Military Commander, Chairman of Papua People’s Assembly, Human Rights Commission Representative Papua and Coalition for Human Rights Violation in Papua held a closed meeting with Luhut at his office on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta Pusat.
The meeting is aimed to follow up the recommendation resulted from the Focus Group Discussion on Documentation of Alleged Human Rights Violations in Papua that held from 15 to 19 April 2016 at a hotel in Jayapura City and attended by group of civil society who concern on human rights violations in Papua.

“The state should not be involved in solving the human rights issues in Papua, instead it should leave it to Papua to be solved by Customary Law. It remains to be debated,” Governor Enembe briefly said after the meeting with the minister.
Separately, human rights activist Theo Hesegem who also participated in the meeting, said the settlement of human rights violations in Papua was not easy.
“We cannot solve the problem just by gathering and talking, then suddenly it is done. In this case, the victims should become a priority,” said Hesegem on Monday (25/4/2016).
He also stressed that all cases suspected as human rights violations had political background, therefore it couldn’t be separated with the political issues.
Papuan people’s trust towards the Central Government also should be confirmed before talking about human rights resolution in Papua.
“Wasior and Wamena cases already took to the Attorney General from more than a decade, but the State seems have no intention to solve it. It was stopped without any particularly reason. We only knew that the Attorney General returned the files to the Human Rights Commission by reason of lack of evidence. On the other hand, the Human Rights Violations said the investigation has been done and the Attorney General was responsible with the lack of evidence,” said lawyer and human rights defender Anum Siregar during the FGD break in Jayapura.
She requested the government to show good intention by solving the first three cases as priority.
“Wasior and Wamena cases were already investigated, it should be first settled until the human rights court. Then the Paniai case occurred in last 2014 to be settled because the ad hoc team has been formed. If these cases were solved, then we are ready to talk about another cases,” said Anum Siregar.
Legal and Security Affairs, in a meeting at his office Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing direction is quite clear. The government, said Menkopolhukam seriously intend to reconcile once atasdugaan investigate human rights violations that have occurred.
The Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan, in the meeting held at his office at that Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing a clear direction related to this issue. The government, said the minister, seriously intend to reconcile as well as to investigate the alleged human rights violations occurred in Papua.
“If the government was proven to conduct violation in the past, so the current leaders in this country would not hesitate to apologize to the victims,” said the minister.
He also emphasized that this effort is not for blaming. According to him, President Widodo has given advice to punish those who found guilty but it must have evidences. He said there would be a team led by Governor of National Defense Institute Agus Widjojo to run the investigation and reconciliation.
“If there are new founding in the investigation, we would not close the next step,” he said. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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3) MSG Summit Postponed
Posted: Friday, April 29, 2016 8:00 am
By Jane Joshua and Len Garae | 0 comments
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Special Leaders Summit scheduled to be held in Port Vila next week has been postponed to a date yet to be confirmed.
Daily Post understands the MSG Special Leaders Summit will no longer be held from May 3-5 as initially planned and provisional dates (subject to change) may be May 30 to June 3, 2016 depending on the availability and commitments of the Leaders.
This will be a blow to Vanuatu’s Free West Papua Association organized public march today, which was planned to happen on the brink of the MSG Leaders’ Summit but will strengthen the support and determination nationwide.
On Tuesday, Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told the Fiji Sun that he won’t be attending the MSG meeting in Port Vila as he would be attending the Queen’s birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle in London with Fiji’s Military Forces Band.
PM Bainimarama who said the appointment of Fijian diplomat Amena Yauvoli as MSG Director General would be discussed in the upcoming MSG Leaders’ meet also noted that Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea have questioned the system used to appoint Mr. Yauvoli.
He further indicated that Fiji’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Inoke Kubuabola as likely to represent Fiji in the MSG meeting.
In 2015 then Prime Minister Sato Kilman did not attend the MSG Leaders’ Summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands due to political developments and sent an envoy in his absence.
Nevertheless, the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Charlot Salwai has frankly confirmed its intention to see Indonesia out of the MSG and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) gain full membership into MSG.
The process of the appointment of the new MSG DG has also come under scrutiny, an issue raised by PM Salwai and this week Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill wrote to the chair of the MSG, Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare saying the process of consensus through the MSG Leaders Summit by all members must be completed before such appointments can be announced.
Vanuatu Free West Papua Committee members Lai Sakita and Jacob Kintor are calling on “all real men, women and youths” to come out of their facebook comfort zones, to join the public march in Port Vila this morning, to demand the Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders to give full membership of MSG to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), and terminate Indonesia from the Sub Regional Organisation.
The march starts at Fung Kuei car park opposite Anchor Inn, along the Lini Highway to the MSG Secretariat at Independence Park this morning.
All marchers are asked to gather at the car park at 7.30am.
“The aim of the peaceful march is to show our civil society organisation support for the unification of the Melanesian countries of Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, including the non-self-governing territories of Kanaky and West Papua and to call for MSG to upgrade West Papua bid to full member,” the invitation from the West Papua Office explains.
The two members made the call on behalf of the Chairman, Pastor Allan Nafuki, for all responsible people of Port Vila from throughout Vanuatu and round Efate, to join the march from Fung Kuei car park to the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, to hand over a public petition to the MSG Leaders.
The petition which is signed by thousands of people, demands MSG to do what is right and make the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) a full member of MSG.
Indonesia has been granted Associate Membership of MSG, an act which the marchers see as a mockery to Vanuatu’s traditional stand for freedom for West Papua. The marchers want to see Indonesia’s Associate Membership cancelled.
Sakita says expressing one’s firm support for West Papuans’ Right and Freedom is one thing but real people are those who come out to stand up for what they believe in.
“While we appreciate your brave words of support for West Papua on fb, we want all of you to prove what you say by coming out to join in this peaceful march to confirm you mean business for the people of West Papua,” Sakita says.
The committee says they are considering means to make sure only local media personnel and those that they know, are allowed to take pictures.
They expect the event will be of significant interests to “strangers” as well, who they advise, should think twice before snapping pictures of the march.

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4) West Papua to Have Its Own Bullet Train Network
By : Jakarta Globe | on 10:24 AM April 29, 2016
Jakarta. West Papua will have its own bullet train network, a high-speed railway line capable of running express trains at a maximum speed of up to 250 kilometers per hour, Hermanto Dwi Atmoko, Director General of Railways, said on Thursday (28/04).
Trains used on the network will be capable of carrying larger loads, similar to those intended for use in Sulawesi and Kalimantan, and run faster than trains in Java and Sumatera.
Hermanto said, after a meeting with West Papua Deputy Governor Irene Manibuy, that the first and second phase of the development will take place between 2016 and 2019.
“First the regional government will have to clear the land, test the routes, assess the environmental impact and look for recommendations from all regional leaders in the area,” Hermanto said.
All in all, West Papua’s railway development will be done in three phases. The total length of the railway track from Manokwari to Sorong will be 390 kilometers. The project is expected to start this year.

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https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1390

5) Marap Indigenous Group claim back three oil palm plantation divisions in Arso.

Indigenous land owners from the Marap people in Arso have used customary law to take back oil palm land owned by PT PN II as part of its Arso plantation, specifically the Core III, Core IV and Core V divisions. The action took place at Yamara village PIR 3, Manem sub-district, Keerom Regency, on Wednesday 27th April.
Maickel Fatagur, the head of the Fatagur clan which holds customary land rights, alongside other clans such as the Wabiager and Gumis clans, said that they will no longer hold any kind of meetings with the company. That is because they have used customary law to take back the land PTPN was using.
“We’e used customary law to take the land back. That means now there will be no more meetings with the company. The land now belongs to us. We invite PTPN II Arso to take back its oil palm and we will take back our land. That’s all”, Fatagur made clear to the Manager of PTPN II’s Arso plantation on Wednesday at Tami in Manem District, in Keerom.
According to Maickel, PTPN II has operated the Arso plantation on the Fatagur clan’s land, and that of its sub-clans, for around 30 years, but the local community, who hold the customary land rights, have never felt economically secure
“All these years attention has never been paid to the wellbeing of the community who hold the customary land rights on the land used by PTPN II Arso at the three locations in question, Core III, Core IV and Core V, which amount to 1300 hectares”, said Fatagur.
Dominika Tafor, the secretary of the Boda Student Association (Himpunan Mahasiswa Boda) in Keerom who is also an indigenous member of the Marap ethnic group, said that she was supporting the action taken by local indigenous people.
“We strongly support the action which the Marap community of Workwama village are taking today. We support it, because for so many years the company has not paid attention to the fate of the community. They only come to destroy”, she said.
When the indigenous people arrived at the plantation office in Tami, PTPN II’s Arso plantation manager, Hilarius Manurung, recieved them and said that he would take their wishes on board and pass them on to the Keerom local government.
“Since we’re a state owned company, we can only listen to all aspirations and complaints and pass them on to the local government for further action. There’s not much we can do. What we can do is to follow up all these complaints from the community,” said Manurung.
Suarapapua.com observed that security forces from the Keerom police headquarters were present, 11 armed policemen in a Dalmas truck, ready to police the Marap people’s action.
The action started from Workwama village at 9-00 am and travelled by truck the 6km to the plantation areas Core III – Core V, bringing a banner which read “we don’t need oil palm, we only need forest #savehutanpapua #savehutankeerom for our grandchildren”
As a symbol, the indigenous people brought soil from the three oil palm locations and taro yams from their gardens, placing them in a noken string bag made from forest palm frond midribs, and using traditional rituals took them to PTPN II’s office located in the plantation administration centre in Tami.
 HARUN RUMBARAR

Media release-AWPA condemns the arrest of 41 KNPB activists in Jayapura

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Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)



Media release 30 April 2016
AWPA condemns the arrest of 41 KNPB activists in Jayapura 
The Australia West Papua Association condemns the arrest of 41 KNPB activists in Jayapura on Friday 29 April, reported by surapapua.com. The activists were arrested simply because they were handing out leaflets informing people of a rally to be held on the 2nd May. The purpose of the rally was to  commemorate and protest  the tragic betrayal of West Papua by the international community when  West Papua was handed over by United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) to  Indonesian administration on the 1st of May 1963, 53 years ago. The KNPB also called on people to show support for the meeting of the International  Parliamentarians for West Papua in London. 
Joe Collins of AWPA said “ hopefully those arrested will be released and the security forces will not interfere with any peaceful rallies that take place on the 2 May. It should be remembered on the 1 May last year up to  270 people were arrested. The arrests of activists on Friday the 29 April are obviously an attempt by the security forces to  intimidate local people into not taking part in any rallies called”.
“Joe Collins said , hopefully the international community is beginning to realise that  if West Papuans are continuing to protest after 53 years of Indonesian administration, willing to face arrest and torture, then their cries of help to the international community should be heeded. A good start would be for the PIF countries to continue to press Jakarta to allow a PIF fact finding mission to West Papua”.
ends

1) Lawyer Reveals Attractive Business on Indonesia – PNG Border

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2) Activists Urge Jakarta to Involve Victims in Addressing Human Rights Cases in Papua.
3) Provincial Government Encourage Local Farmer to Grow Coffee and Cacao
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1) Lawyer Reveals Attractive Business on Indonesia – PNG Border
28 April 2016
Merauke, Jubi – The trial in a sea cucumber smuggling case will present the accused NF with the agenda of plea reading by defence lawyers.
The trial led by Judge Syors Mambrasar, SH was held in the court of Merauke State Court on Wednesday (27/4/2016) and opened for public. Attended in the court is also the General Prosecutor.
Guntur Ohoiwutun and other members of  the defense team said the case against NF has connection with the business between Indonesia and PNG, which is during the time always connected with security issue and separatist group.

But, he continued, it was because the border area had potencies of economic profits which is being used by certain culprits on behalf of security and border issues.
“Traditional crosser were always becoming a problem, because among them there are some who have connection with PNG, but being used by some culprits who are not part of the customary law people. And the impact is the arrest. The evidence is that until today there are Indonesian citizens as traditional crosser have not known their existence,” he said.
Further he said it must be admitted that the natural resources in PNG is very rich, including fishes, deer and other sea commodities, due to lack of exploitation.
With its natural resources, PNG is attractive for people to do business in the border area for huge profit. Therefore many people do many ways and efforts to cross the border without legal travel document or export-import document. Smuggling was ignored; even it had caused loss for the country.
During the time, said Guntur, the defendant who conducted trade business by buying see cucumber and fish maw at PNG has certified health document for fishes from this country, but due to competition of business, he must become a suspect.
In this trial, Guntur also asked to the judges releasing the defendant because he is not guilty referring to the new fisheries law. In addition, he also asked the judges to resume the defendant and rehabilitate his name.
Judge Syors Mambrasar SH said after the hearing of defense note by the lawyer, the next agenda is the charge by the General Prosecutor.  “Herewith I closed the trial and to the Prosecutor to prepare the material in the next trial on next week. And the defendant is expected to attend the trial,” he said. (Ans K/rom)
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2) Activists Urge Jakarta to Involve Victims in Addressing Human Rights Cases in Papua.
29 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi/BenarNews – Papuans reacted coolly to the central government’s plans to resolve alleged human rights violations in Papua, saying that they doubted that  the victims would be involved.
“If the government has their own interpretation on human rights violations in Papua, it would be better for Papuans to solve their own problems according to their customs,” said Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, a few days ago.
He said he was disappointed because according to him, most central government officials were merely revealing the interpretation on the definition of human rights violations of their own during a meeting attended by the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesian Police Chief, Military Commander and government officials of Papua and Papua Barat provinces as well as the human rights activists in Jakarta on Thursday last week
Attempts to settle human rights cases in Papua were revived after Luhut visited Papua in February. At that time he mentioned the government has been recording the sixteen cases of human rights violations in Papua. Then followed by Papua Police to initiate a limited discussion with the Civil Society Organizations, representatives of church and university and human rights defenders to make documentation on human rights on 15, 18 and 19 April 2016. But most of CSO activists and human rights defenders refused to attend the meeting.
Involvement of Victims
Human rights lawyer  and John Humphrey Freedom Award 2005 winner Yan Christian Warinusi questioned the purpose of the meeting.
“It is not in line with the legal and human rights logics if Papua Police as well as Cenderawasih VII Regional Military Command, who have been accused of being perpetrators, are now busy collecting data on human rights violations in Papua,” he said to BeritaBenar on Wednesday, 27 April 2016.
Some human rights activists in Papua who interviewed in the same day also said the similar statement. Coordinator of Bersatu Untuk Kebenaran (BUK/Unite for Truth) Peneas Lokbere who organized the human rights victims in Papua since 2003 also questioned the government’s concern to solve the human rights cases.
“Is it to prove the seriousness of government in resolving the human rights cases or is it the State’s alibi to clean its hand over the conflict in Papua? Who would get benefit with this agenda? We don’t want being trapped,” he said.
Lokbere stressed the settlement of human rights cases in Papua could not ignore the victims. According to him, in every process of human rights settlement, the rights of victims should be considered as main priority.
Three Cases
Secretary of Human Rights Commission Papua Representative Office, Frits Ramandey said the three days meeting has recommended three cases to be solved by the government within this year, namely Wasior, Wamena and Paniai cases.
Based on data issued by the  coalition for Papua human rights violation, Wasir case was triggered by the deaths of five Mobile Brigade personnel and a resident in 2001, while perpetrators took away six guns. In chasing the perpetrators, four residents were killed, 39 were tortured and five was missing.
While Wamena bloody cases was started from the robbery of district military arsenal in 2003. Two military personnel were killed, and a number of local residents were killed in the sweeping and chasing of perpetrators.
And the last case of Pania was occurred in December 2014 which killed four teenagers and dozens of civilians were injured. “Wamena and Wasior cases have taken to the Attorney General, while the ad hoc team for Paniai case was already formed. During the three days meeting we endorsed the three cases to be solved by the government before we move to talk about another case,” said Ramandey.
Yap Thiam Hien 2009 winner Pastor John Jonga admitted the government has done a positive effort, but he didn’t agree with the method. “The time is too short. It could be more serious. The human rights issues in Papua could not be solved within one or two days by merely one or two groups,” he said.
“It should be questioned whether the State did it for showing to the world that Indonesia is currently fighting, protecting and respecting the human rights in Papua,” he added.
Indonesian Human Rights commissionaire Otto Nur Abdullah thought what was done by the government is a positive thing. According to him, it was a breakthrough done by the government because it involved many parties. “We just need to follow the government’s intention. It could be like buying a problem. At the end, the party who could determine whether it is the human rights violation or not is the Human Rights Commission,” he said. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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3) Provincial Government Encourage Local Farmer to Grow Coffee and Cacao
28 April 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Provincial Government continue to encourage the local farmers to cultivate coffee and cacao to anticipate market demand for the commodities.
Assistant for Economic and People Welfare Elia Loupatty told reporters in Jayapura on Wednesday (27/4/2016) that currently the price of cacao was at Rp 29,000 per kilogram and road access in Mamta region is already established.
“It is the opportunity for farmers to improve their production, moreover the prices of both cacao and coffee beans at the market are increasing and market demand has been increased,” he said.

To develop these two commodities, said Loupatty, Mamta region is very strategic for cacao plantation, while Papua highland area is very good for coffee. “Coffee beans from the highland area have a unique taste, and the farmer started to expand the plantation area,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of Papua Plantation Office John Nahumury said to increase the production of cacao beans in Papua, the provincial government has developed a center of cacao plantation in several regencies, namely Sarmi, Keerom, Nabire and Yapen.
“It is expected the development of the center of cacao plantation could improve the production in Papua,” he said.
In addition to endorse the expansion of plantation areas, said Nahumury, the Plantation Office also encouraged the development of cacao plantation maintenance, because he said the impact of Asean Economic Community would affect to Papua. “We cannot restrict the product to come to Papua, therefore we must be prepared from the beginning,” he said. (*/rom)

1) Islands in focus: Gastroenteritis infects 77 toddlers in Keesom

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2) AWPA condemns arrest of 41 West Papua activists in Jayapura
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1) Islands in focus: Gastroenteritis infects 77 toddlers in Keesom
Posted: Sat, April 30 2016 | 07:15 am

As many as 77 toddlers in Keerom regency in Papua are reported to have contracted gastroenteritis this month, one of whom died due to late medication.

Gastroenteritis cases among toddlers were discovered across six villages in Arso and East Arso subdistricts. “Those who arrived at the hospital had already suffered a period of prior vomiting and diarrhea at home,” Yunince Pabeno, a Kwaingga Hospital staffer, said on Friday.

Currently, 27 toddlers continue to receive treatment in four special wards of the hospital. One of them, six-month-old Ivansius Nabar, has been suffering with diarrhea for three days.

Yani Watae, Ivansius’ mother, believes her son may have come into contact with contaminated drinking water following the flash flood in March. 

“The color of the groundwater we use for drinking water has changed from clear to yellow. It was clean before the flash flood,” she said.

Yunince said officers from the Keerom Health Office had taken feces samples from patients. The samples are to be examined at the Papua Health Office lab to determine the cause of the diarrhea and vomiting.

“Nothing like this has affected a such a large number of children before. We must conduct laboratory tests to determine the cause,” she said.

Arso community leader Tarwinto said Keerom had gained its autonomous regency status 13 years earlier. The area is not yet equipped with clean water utility. “We’ve not been equipped with the services of a tap water company so we still consume groundwater,” he said.
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2) AWPA condemns arrest of 41 West Papua activists in Jayapura
Indonesian security forces stage a brutal attack on a Papuan taxi driver during this earlier rally in Jayapura on 13 April 2016 – see at 1min20sec. Video: A citizen journalist
The Australia West Papua Association today condemned the arrest of 41 KNPB (National Committee of West Papua) activists in Jayapura yesterday. “The activists were arrested simply because they were handing out leaflets informing people of a rally to be held on May 2,” said AWPA in a statement. The purpose of the rally was to commemorate and protest the “tragic betrayal” of West Papua by the international community when West Papua was handed over by United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) to Indonesian administration on May 1, 1963, 53 years ago.
The KNPB also called on people to show support for the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua in London. Suara Papua reported 41 had been arrested, while Tabloid Jubi cited 38 arrests.
The arrests followed an earlier incident on April 13 when 44 protesters were arrested.
Joe Collins of AWPA said: “Hopefully those arrested will be released and the security forces will not interfere with any peaceful rallies that take place on May 2. “It should be remembered on May 1 last year up to 270 people were arrested. The arrests of activists [yesterday] are obviously an attempt by the security forces to intimidate local people into not taking part in any rallies called,” Collins said.
“Hopefully the international community is beginning to realise that if West Papuans are continuing to protest after 53 years of Indonesian administration, willing to face arrest and torture, then their cries of help to the international community should be heeded.
“A good start would be for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries to continue to press Jakarta to allow a PIF fact finding [visit] to West Papua”.
In Port Vila, Vanuatu, yesterday, the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting scheduled for next week was postponed but a big rally in support of West Papua becoming full members of the MSG went ahead.
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Media release-AWPA calls on the Australian Foreign Minister to condemn the arrests in West Papua.

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Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Media release 2 May 2016
AWPA calls on the Australian Foreign Minister to condemn the arrests of peaceful demonstrators in West Papua. 

The Australia West Papua Association is calling on the Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to condemn the arrests of peaceful demonstrators in West Papua. 
As many as 178 activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), the Regional Parliament (PRD) and the students were taken to the City Police Resort (Police) Jayapura today the 2 May.
The rallies were called to show support for the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) in London on 3 May  and to  support the  action by the people and government of Vanuatu who  supports ULMWP to be a full  member of the MSG.  In Sorong  27  Peaceful Demonstration,  Members Of The KNPB Were Arrested. Journalists trying to cover the peaceful rallies were forbidden to do so.
The KNPB in particular have been a targeted of the security forces in the past month with its members being arrested at rallies on the 13 and 29 April. 
Joe Collins of AWPA said “its about time that governments stopped repeating the mantra of ‘human rights abuses are a thing of the past and Indonesian is now a democracy'. The continuous arrests of peaceful demonstrators, intimidation of human rights defenders and journalists prove otherwise”.

The international community has to realise that the issue of West Papua is not going away. The recent rally in Port Vila calling for full membership for West Papua at the MSG shows this. A civil society organisation (CSO) forum was also officially opened  in Vila yesterday

The AWPA calls on Julie Bishop to raise the crackdown by security forces on the latest peacefully rallies in West Papua with Jakarta. The crackdown on West Papuans right to freedom of speech and freedom to demonstrate. AWPA also urges the foreign minister to pressure Jakarta to allow a PIF fact finding mission to West Papua, to listen to the tragic stories the West Papuan people have to tell.

ends.
Reports from local media below.

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Below are google translates of reports in the local media (Jubi). Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic. 
Original bahasa links above articles.
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http://tabloidjubi.com/2016/05/02/aksi-2-mei-178-aktivis-knpb-di-kota-jayapura-diamankan-polisi/
Action May 2, 178 KNPB activists in Jayapura City Police secured
Before the police secured the mass action was in front of the gate Uncen Waena, Monday (02/05/2016) - Jubi / Abeth You
Jayapura, Jubi - As many as 178 more activists West Papua National Committee (KNPB), the Regional Parliament (PRD) and the students were taken to the City Police Resort (Police) Jayapura.
The arrest of the activists in front of the gate of the campus of the University of Cenderawasih (Uncen) Jayapura, Papua, on Monday (02/05/20160) because staged a referendum campaign support and support for the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) in London, May 3, 2016 and support for action by the people and government of Vanuatu that supports ULMWP entered as a member of the MSG.
"100s over aktvis KNPB arrested are now taken to the Police. Police officers of the Police and the City of Jayapura Papua Police re-arrested a number of activists KNPB at 09.00 WPB in front of the gate Uncen Housing III Waena, "said General Secretary KNPB Centre, Ones Suhuniap to the Jubi in Jayapura.
Ones said, a number of KNPB activists are confronted by authorities with full force and do not allow demonstrations.
"The arrest is the chairman of the KNPB puast secretary Agus Kossay and I KNPB Mecky Yeimo Center. KNPB spokesman bazookas Center logo was also arrested along with several other KNPB activists. Their names will follow, "he explained.
Moreover, he continued, the Chairman of the KNPB Sentani region and a 5 Agus Bahabol KNPB members arrested Police in Sentani and Jayapura regency directed to the police station in Doyo Sentani.
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http://tabloidjubi.com/2016/05/02/aksi-dukung-ulmwp-27-aktifis-knpb-sorong-ditangkap/

Support Action ULMWP 27 Sorong KNPB Activists Arrested






KNPB Members Detained In Sorong Sorong City Police KNPB When A Peaceful Demonstration In Sorong, Monday (05/02/2016) - Jubi / Niko MB

Sorong, Jubi- 27 People Ended Up In Police Custody Peaceful Demonstration West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Sorong In Sorong City Complex Malanu UKIP To Support The United Liberation Movement For West Papua.


A Total Of 27 People KNPB Activists Were Arrested When Sorong Kingdom Will Hold A Rally On The Lawn Of UKIP Malanu Sorong City Monday (02/05/2016), About Pkl.8.00 WP. They Forcibly Disbanded By The Combined Forces TNI / Polri. To 27 People Are Still In Mapolres Sorong City In Order To Undergo The Examination.

Spokesman KNPB Sorong Raya Augustine Aud Confirmed Mengukapkan Her Disappointment Over The Attitude Of The Security Forces Who Rated Silencing The Democratic Space In The Land Of Papua.

"I Personally Feel The Democratic Space In The Tight-Lipped On This Land," He Said.

Director Of The Manokwari LP3BH Yan Warinusi Rate The Police Has Hurt The Democratic Values ​​By Holding This KNPB Angora.

"I Strongly Deplore The Arrest Of 27 Activists Of The KNPB Sorong. It Hurt Democracy In This Country, "He Said.


City Police Chief Superintendent Sorong. Karimudin Confirmed Ritonga Said The Reason For The Dissolution Because They Want To Take Action Secession With NKRI, So In Value Contrary To The Principle Of Sovereignty NKRI. The 27 Activists KNPB Use Mobile Baracuda Escorted To The Police Station.

"They Wanted To Hold This Event, Impose Themselves And Do Not Want To Be Dissolved So That We Take Decisive Action," Said The Police Chief.

In Addition To Grasp Their 27 Activists, Including The Chairman And Spokesman Kamtius Heselo KNPB, Police Also Demolished KNPB Secretariat And Securing Dozens Of Attributes Papua Merdeka. (*)



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http://tabloidjubi.com/2016/05/02/media-dilarang-liput-penahanan-demonstran-pendukung-ulmwp-masuk-msg/
Media Prohibited Liput Arrest Protesters Support ULMWP Sign MSG





Demonstrators supporting the Liberation of West Papua were dried in the field Mako Brimob Papua Police, Monday (05/02/2016) - Jubi


Jayapura, Jubi - The crew of media banned from covering and detention of protesters supporting mangambil picture Liberation of West Papua (United Liberation Movement for West Papua / ULMWP) Field Command Headquarters (Mako) Brimob in Kotaraja, Papua, on Monday (02/05/2016) afternoon.

Watched Jubi, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the field Mako Brimob Kotaraja. They were told to remove tops and footwear and then dried in the sun, around 12:15 Papua time.

Some members of the media in Jayapura including Tabloidjubi.com current location came from outside the field, directly confronted the police officers stand guard along the fence Mako Brimob, approximately 100 meters. Members who guard outside the fence about 20 people by holding the timber and forbid everybody to stop.
Journalists who want to record images in the mass of the field is also prohibited.

One member of Brimob who were on duty at the checkpoint said it had banned all members of the media to cover the detention of protesters in the open field that sweltering afternoon on direct orders Head of Unit (Adj) Papua Police Mobile Brigade, Sr. (Pol) Mathius Fakhiri.

"Essentially, Invisible Brimob, Kombespol Fakhiri, ordered especially for journalists not allowed to cover," said a member of Brimob dressed, Romansyah, when questioned Jubi at a checkpoint, Monday (05/02/2016).

Demonstrators were detained in several locations such as Expo, Housing 3 Waena and Abepura circle, before being taken by truck to the field Mako Brimob police. (*)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/2016/05/02/polisi-interogasi-seorang-peneliti-dari-bern-university-dalam-demo-knpb/

Police Interrogation A researcher from Bern University In Demo KNPB



Mass demonstrations West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Jayapura, Monday (02/05/2016) - Jubi / Yuliana Lantipo

Jayapura, Jubi - Cypri Jehan Paju Dale researchers from Bern University in Switzerland held by police in Papua, while at the demonstration site of the Papuan people at the gates of the campus of the University of Cenderawasih, Housing 3, Jayapura, Monday (02/05/2016).

The arrest occurred about 10:15 Papua time.

The testimony of a witness mentioned that Cypri when leaving the site of action, eight policemen dressed completely blocks.


"About eight policemen stand him. One police carry batons and shields. They take it to the car Strada black, "one man told Jubi on condition of anonymity.

Strada's car plate number DS 8412 SR, which was parked between cars and other police truck.

Cypri contacted Jubi confirmed the he was interrogated by the police.

"He. I was quizzed by them (police), "said a brief Cypri.

After interrogation, Cypri then released by police who blocked and mengonterogasinya it.

Police Resort Kota Jayapura yet successfully contacted for confirmation regarding this Cypri detention. (Yuliana Lantipo)

1) Hundreds of Papuans arrested in mass Indonesian crackdown, say reports

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1) Hundreds of Papuans arrested in mass Indonesian crackdown, say reports
2) AWPA calls on Australian Foreign Minister to condemn Papua arrests

3) Police arrested thousands in Papua on April 28 - May 2, 2016

4) Hundreds Arrested in Pro-MSG Protests in Papua

5) Hundreds promoting independence detained in Indonesia’s Papua

6) Vanuatu chiefs again push for West Papua full MSG bid

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1) Hundreds of Papuans arrested in mass Indonesian crackdown, say reports
 
Indonesian security forces and police have arrested hundreds of Papuan demonstrators during rallies today in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and its effort to reach full member status of the regional Melanesian Spearhead Group. Local news media such as Tabloid Jubi reported massive arrests and the Jakarta Globe reported at least 500 arrests in the Papuan provincial capital of Jayapura alone. Similar rallies in Merauke and Sorong also led to more than 100 arrests, according to the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.
Solidarity rallies across the country also ended in arrests, with 48 Papuan students arrested in Semarang, Central Java, and 42 in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Agency France-Presse and news agencies reported. Radio New Zealand International earlier reported widespread mass arrests in the “Papua region” in advance of rallies.
#liveupdatesPapua twitter feed reported updates on the arrests, with some unconfirmed sources saying “close to 1600” people had been arrested in West Papua. In an earlier statement today, the Australian West Papua Association called on Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to condemn the mass arrests. On April 13 some 44 Papuans were arrested and then another 41 were reportedly arrested on Friday.
Reaffirmed support
Leaders of some Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) members have reaffirmed their support for full admission of West Papua to the regional organisation. Most recently, Vanuatu’s council of chiefs president Seni Mao Tirsupe called for the admission following a rally in Port Vila on Friday.
ULMWP, which represents a number of pro-independence groups in Indonesia’s two easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua, had sought full membership in a bid to push for self-determination and to air human rights grievances. Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said in a statement last year that the ULMWP had been given observer status as a “development partner representing the welfare of Melanesian people living outside” the region.
Indonesia — which was granted observer status in 2011 and now has associate member status — claims it is represented by leaders from its ethnic Melanesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. An MSG leaders meeting scheduled for Port Vila this week has been postponed.

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2) AWPA calls on Australian Foreign Minister to condemn Papua arrests
 
Reports of massive arrests #liveupdatesPapua

Indonesian security forces line up against peaceful Papuan demonstrators today in the West Papuan capital of Jayapura. Image: Tabloid Jubi
The Australia West Papua Association has called on Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to condemn the arrests of peaceful demonstrators in West Papua.
About 178 activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), the Regional Parliament (PRD) and students were taken to the City Police Resort (Police) in the Papuan capital Jayapura today, the AWPA said citing local Papuan media reports.
The rallies were called to show support for the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) in London tomorrow (May 3)  and to  support the  action by the people and government of Vanuatu who support ULMWP to become a full  member of the MSG.
In Sorong,  27  peaceful demonstrating KNPB members were arrested. Local journalists trying to cover the peaceful rallies were forbidden to do so. The KNPB has been targeted by the security forces in the past month with its members being arrested at rallies on April 13 and 29, the AWPA said in a statement. Joe Collins of AWPA said: “It’s about time that governments stopped repeating the mantra of ‘human rights abuses are a thing of the past and Indonesian is now a democracy’.
Continuous arrests
“The continuous arrests of peaceful demonstrators, intimidation of human rights defenders and journalists prove otherwise. “The international community has to realise that the issue of West Papua is not going away. “The recent rally in Port Vila calling for full membership for West Papua at the MSG shows this.” A civil society organisation forum on West Papua was also officially opened  in Port Vila yesterday The AWPA said in its statement it was calling on minister Bishop to raise the crackdown by security forces on the latest peaceful rallies in West Papua with the Indonesian government. “The crackdown is on West Papuans’ right to freedom of speech and freedom to demonstrate,” the statement said. AWPA also urged the foreign minister to pressure Jakarta to allow a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) fact-finding mission to West Papua, to listen to the tragic stories the West Papuan people have to tell.
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

3) Police arrested thousands in Papua on April 28 - May 2, 2016

Oleh : Arnold Belau | Senin, 02 Mei 2016 - 18.30 WIB | 


JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com --- West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Centre report, within six days, the Papua Police have arrested 1,700's of people in Papua. Arrested consisted of youth, community, students and activists KNPB throughout Papua.


Police rebuplik Indonesia over Papua and West Papua regional police catch KNPB activists, student activists and well wishers of the people of Papua. The arrest of activists occurred in some areas of work KNPB namely Jayapura, Sentani and sliding.
 
 
Housing III - Kota Jayapura
 
In KotaJayapura police conduct arrests in the 7-point spread mass gathering in Jayapura and Sentani, Jayapura district.
 
The first arrest occurred at 09.00 in front of the gate Uncen WPB Housing III Waena. In perumnas III, police arrested 178 people. Catching up on perumnas III teridiri of students Uncen, KNPB activists and sympathizers of the people of Papua.
 
In this penagkapan, chairman Agus Kossay I KNPB center, secretary I KNPB Mecky center Yeimo, spokesman for the National bazookas logo and Deputy National Parlement West Papua (PNWP) Region Ha Anim Eliaser Anggainggom arrested.
 
Initially at 07.00 WPB, I KNPB chairman Agus Kossay and the group headed III Waena round of the National Housing Authority. At 08.00 mass arrive at the front gate and the police blocked Uncen mass action with full force. During the half-hour later at 09.00 WPB police arresting student activists, activists and sympathizers existing KNPB in Housing III Waena.
 
In these arrests, a number of flags KNPB, 181 mobile phones and placards confiscated by the police.
 
 
Abepura circle - Kota Jayapura
 
200 people were arrested in Circle, Abepura. The third arrest occurred at 10:30 WPB. The arrests and the forced dissolution of the police. Some flag KNPB, Pamphlets, megaphone and other attributes as well as participate Hp confiscated by the police.
 
Kornologisnya, at 06.00 WPB future action Nimnin gathered in a dorm, then 08:40 WPB future action headed to the rallying point of time in Abepura circle. Circle led by coordinators, Dolia Ubruangge and wakorlap Sama has gone well. 09.00 WPB do political speeches at the rallying point of the operatives led Dolia and wakorlap has gone well.
 
During the half-hour doing political speeches. At 10. 30 KNPB police arrested hundreds of activists and citizens who were gathered in a circle Abepura. Then transported by four cars Dalmas on Jayapura Police and directed to the Mako Brimob.
 
 
203 People Arrested in Home Zipur, Waena
 
At 10.00 WPB out mass action expo secretariat headed Abepura sector to join the mass action in Uncen below. Before arriving in Uncen Abepura, the police had blocked the exit so that future through the streets behind Mega Waena and exit at the Den Zipur.
 
At 11:20 WPB police action in Zipur mass block for 5 minutes to negotiate but the police did not allow time toward Abe. At 11:30 mass under the action amounts to 203 to Mako Brimob Kotaraja.
 
 
50 People Arrested in Red Light Waena
 
The period of the second wave of action Dormitory Princess Puncak Jaya, hostel dorm Yahukimo and Paniai converge towards Abepura to join future action in Abepura. Then the police action to block future use of the Dalmas. Once your period of action blocked all arrested and Rev in Dalmas towards Mako Brimob Kotaraja. Then the number of students who gathered at the bottom Uncen join Mako Brimob transported to the city of King.
 
115 People Arrested in Stop Yapis Dock 5, Jayapura
 
Penagkapan period of action, led by chairman I KNPB Numbay, Jimmi Browai Numbay KNPB board with a number of other Members and sympathizers were arrested.
Activists arrested at the stop Yapis dikiring Police to use two cars to the police station Dalmas jayapura city.
Penagkapan today in a special city of Jayapura approximately 1,449 (one thousand four teratus, four pulu nine). (Read: Ahead of Arrival Jokowi, Police Arrest 41 Activists KNPB in Jayapura)
 
 
sliding
 
A total of 27 people KNPB activists were arrested when Sorong Kingdom will hold a rally on the lawn of UKIP Malanu Sorong City Monday (02/05/2016), about Pkl.8.00 WP. They forcibly disbanded by the combined forces TNI / Polri. To 27 people are still in Mapolres Sorong City.
 
 
Sentani, Jayapura district
 
Six activists KNPB Sentani region at 08.00 WPB. The arrests occurred in the eyes of the road Post 7. Mass action of 07.00 WPB were assembled in the eyes of the road Post 7 Sentani tanpan negotiations. After being arrested, six KNPB activists have taken to the Jayapura police station in Doyo.
 
 
Merauke
 
200 KNPB Activists Arrested in Merauke
At 06:46 WPB police from Merauke police again arrested KNPB activists who held a demonstration at the monument dami Act of Merauke. Future action led by the chairman and secretary KNPB Gento Doop I Charles Sraun blocked by the combined forces of TNI / Polri and disperse the crowd by force. After that police arrested hundreds of mass action and all were transported to the Merauke police using five cars Dalmas. While still being held at the police station merauke.
 
 
Wamena
 
KNPB activists Baliem area action secretariat support page KNPB Baliem Wamena. All detained activists have not been recorded. There are dozens of KNPB activists who were arrested in Wamena. (Read: Action Ahead of May 2, 2016, Jayawijaya Police Hold Three activists KNPB Wamena)
 
Total kesluruhan arrest on May 2, 2016 was 1,692 people from the City Jayapra, district of Jayapura, Sorong, Merauke and Wamena. While arrests of 28 April 2016 to 2 May 2016 with about 46 people, the average of all KNPB activists were arrested while distributing leaflets.
 
Thousands of activists were arrested in Jayapura KNPB was secured on the football field, Mako Brimob Papua Police, Kotaraja. At approximately 18:30 on hold mass actions freed again. (See also: Police Bans Journalists Covering and Taking Pictures in Jayapura)
 
 
 
ARNOLD Belau
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4) Hundreds Arrested in Pro-MSG Protests in Papua
By : Erin Cook | on 1:12 PM May 02, 2016
Jakarta. Police have arrested 500 demonstrators during a rally in support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, or ULM, and its effort to reach full member status of the regional Melanesian Spearhead Group in Jayapura on Monday (02/05).
Similar rallies in Merauke and Sorong also netted over 100 arrests, according to the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.
Solidarity rallies across the country also ended in arrests, with 48 Papuan students arrested in Semarang, Central Java, and 42 in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
Leaders of other MSG members have reaffirmed their support for the full admission of West Papua to the regional organisation. Most recently, Vanuatu’s council of chiefs president Seni Mao Tirsupe called for the admission following a rally in Port Vila on Friday.
ULM, which represents a number of pro-independence groups in Indonesia's two easternmost provinces, had sought full membership in a bid to push for self determination and to air human rights grievances.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement last year that the ULM was given observer status as a "development partner representing the welfare of Melanesian people living outside," Radio New Zealand International reported at the time.
Indonesia — which was granted observer status in 2011 — is represented by leaders from its ethnic Melanesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, according to AFP.
The ULM bid is the second time West Papua's pro-independence movement has attempted to gain membership to the MSG. A similar bid in October 2013 by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) was rejected.

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5) Hundreds promoting independence detained in Indonesia’s Papua

JAKARTA: Indonesian police on Monday detained hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators in the eastern province of Papua on the anniversary of Dutch New Guinea's 1963 integration into Indonesia.
Around 500 people were detained in the provincial capital, Jayapura, police said, and dozens in other cities of the resource province of around 3.5 million. There were no reports of violence.
"In spirit they support Papua's separation from Indonesia," said Papua police spokesman Patridge Renwarin. "We are trying to explain to them that this goes against the spirit of the unitary state of Indonesia."
Papuan activist Markus Haluk told Reuters demonstrators had voiced support for calls for an internationally monitored referendum for independence.
Papua has seen a long-running and often violent separatist conflict since being incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised U.N.-backed referendum in 1969. Dutch colonial rule ended in 1963.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has made several trips to Papua since taking office in 2014 and has promised to bring development to the impoverished region after decades of neglect. His government has also released several political prisoners and pledged to resolve cases of human rights violations.
But security forces still maintain a strong presence in the restive region and are often seen as taking a heavy-handed approach to peaceful demonstrations, activists say.
Papua province and West Papua make up the western half of an island north of Australia, with independent Papua New Guinea to the east.
(Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Kanupriya Kapoor; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie)


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6) Vanuatu chiefs again push for West Papua full MSG bid
1:29 pm today

The President of Vanuatu's council of chiefs says the Melanesian Spearhead Group needs to grant full membership to the United Liberation Movement of West Papua.
Chief Seni Mao Tirsupe made the statement at the MSG Secretariat in Port Vila following a peaceful march on Friday.
200 people joined the march and the group's chairman, Pastor Allan Nafuki, said he had a petition with over 5,000 signatures to support the bid.
Speaking for the people of West Papua, West Papuan leader Jacob Rumbiak said Vanuatu is the only country in the world that has stood with his people and supported their freedom, while many others have turned a blind eye.
He said many innocent Melanesian people had been killed by Indonesia and Papua's natural resources had been plundered.
Last year, the MSG granted Indonesia associate member status.
The membership issues were to be discussed at an MSG summit in Vanuatu this week, but the meeting has been deferred in part because Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama decided to go to London to help celebrate the Queen's birthday

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1) Ruben Magai Massa slams arrest KNPB

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2) Indonesia detains hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators in Papua  

3) Demonstration Action Plan KNPB Disbanded, Single Defined Suspect

4) Broken promises let Papuans down

5) Jokowi kicks off construction of Papua market

6) Papua tribal leader lauds President Jokowi

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


1) Ruben Magai Massa slams arrest KNPB


Demonstrators supporting the Liberation of West Papua were dried in the field Mako Brimob Papua Police, Monday (02/05/2016) - Jubi.


Jayapura, Jubi - Since the old Order, New Order to Reform the government in this case the security forces are still arresting society organizations (CSOs) who did criticism of the government of Indonesia. The arrests form of inhumane as it happens on the mass of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) who want to do a demonstration, Monday (05/02/2016) this.

"What do the security forces is a setback understanding of the country which is currently diganda doubles as a democracy," said Member of the Commission I DPRP, Ruben Magai told reporters on Monday (05.02.2016) in Jayapura.

It is said there are only two solutions to resolve the problems in Papua related to political issues that are currently developing in Papua as a whole. Magai said that if security forces still practice the arrest of aktofitas Organizations that want to give criticism to the government by way of arrest of the country seems to want to tap to Papua regardless of the Homeland.


 
"But if the pattern changed with the approach, I think Papua will continue to exist in the frame of the Homeland. Supposedly pattern security approaches do not violence to the arrest of people who want to criticize the government's performance in this case the State of Indonesia, "he said.

Mention of the KNPB organizations that have not registered with the National Unity and Politics (Kesbangpol), Magai said that the mass organizations in Papua this is never done criticism against the state? "I want to ask public organizations registered in Kesbangpol if they ever did criticism of countries that have committed violations against Papuans? If KNPB not currently registered in Kesbangpol and want to criticize the State is not allowed? This is a democratic country, "he said.

In addition to the mass arrests of KNPB, the security forces are also to ban the number of journalists who wish to cover the mass detention in Mako Brimob Polda Papua. Seeing this as a Yaung Marinus Cenderawasih University professor of international relations deeply regrets the action taken by the authorities.

"By suppressing the news and publications carried the picture of Papua to the outside world is to minimize the attention of the outside world as well as other Indonesian people in the archipelago of supporting the aspirations of the Liberation of West Papua (United Liberation Movement for West Papua / ULMWP). There is an attempt to close the media because the media campaign that echoes more strongly to national and international, "said Marinus Yaung. (*)

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2) Indonesia detains hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators in Papua  


Jakarta: Indonesian police have detained hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators in the eastern province of Papua on the anniversary of Dutch New Guinea's 1963 integration into Indonesia.
About 500 people were detained in the provincial capital, Jayapura, police said, and dozens in other cities of the province of around 3.5 million. There were no reports of violence.

"In spirit they support Papua's separation from Indonesia," said Papua police spokesman Patridge Renwarin.
"We are trying to explain to them that this goes against the spirit of the unitary state of Indonesia."
Papuan activist Markus Haluk told Reuters demonstrators had voiced support for calls for an internationally monitored referendum for independence.
Papua has seen a long-running and often violent separatist conflict since being incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969. Dutch colonial rule ended in 1963.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has made several trips to Papua since taking office in 2014 and has promised to bring development to the impoverished region after decades of neglect.
His government has also released several political prisoners and pledged to resolve cases of human rights violations.
But security forces still maintain a strong presence in the restive region and are often seen as taking a heavy-handed approach to peaceful demonstrations, activists say.
Papua province and West Papua make up the western half of the island, with independent Papua New Guinea to the east.
Reuters 
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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

3) Demonstration Action Plan KNPB Disbanded, Single Defined Suspect

KNPB members and sympathizers were secured, will conduct demonstrations after morning. Jubi / Frans L Kobun,

Merauke, Jubi - Merauke Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Superintendent) Sri Satyatama said the planned demonstration was going to do KNPB Southern District of Papua, was dissolved because the organization is not a formal organization and unregistered Kesbangpol. So any form of activity to be carried out, it is illegal and obligatory dissolved. The confirmation Merauke police chief told reporters at his office on Monday (05/02/2016).

He said, before they held a demonstration on foot, immediately secured and taken to the police station Merauke. Includes overnight has secured seven people. So that the existing number at the police station around 60 people including the frontman. From the results of the development is done, the person designated to be secured and the suspect, for carrying weapons. While others are still in the review process.

"There are some being examined. It has not become a suspect can be improved, "he said. He explained that, when secured, in addition to a number of sharp weapons, also Flag KNPB as well as other documents.


 
"We have secured and brought to Merauke police as evidence in the development process of the investigation," he said.

He added, before most investigators who participate in conducting demonstrations discharged, will be given guidance in advance.

"I ask not to follow the activities as such, because it did not provide benefits. No better time, used to work for a living, "he said.

Watched Jubi on the ground at around 11:00 CET, after the meeting with the Regent of Merauke and the officials, all mutual bersamalan and directly invited to dine together. Merauke Regent, Frederikus Gebze added that everyone must keep this area remained safe-conducive. There should be no physical impact to disrupt the activities being carried out and or implemented.

"Let us remain alive in the frame of the family as the slogan Izakod Bekai-Izakod Kai or One Heart-One Goal. Not to build conflict or hostility, "asked the regent Freddy. (*)



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4) Broken promises let Papuans down


Posted: Mon, May 2 2016 | 08:37 am
Conditional love: Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ( sporting headdress ) is welcomed with an indigenous dance as he arrives at the Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua, as part of his presidential campaign on June 5, 2014. Improvements that Jokowi promised have come painfully slowly, risking the rapport that he built with locals.( Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf )
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is having a hard time fulfilling his election promises in restive, impoverished Papua. The Jakarta Post’s Margareth S. Aritonang, Nethy Dharma Somba and Pandaya found that poor coordination among the President’s aides, continuing violence and the lack of trust in the central government among Papuan natives have left long-standing delicate issues unresolved.

In the midst of shrubs and tall grass, a flimsy hut stands unattended in one corner of a vacant patch of land in the Sentani area of Jayapura, Papua. The structure was built last year for workers on a project that was supposed to turn the 62-hectare property into a sports complex with a 40,000-capacity stadium, about half the size of Jakarta’s Bung Karno Stadium. 

It was going to be the realization of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s dream to make Jayapura the soccer capital of Indonesia as part of his much-lauded “look to Papua” vision. Local people celebrated when Jokowi laid the cornerstone last May of the gigantic project that would cost Rp 1.2 trillion ( US$91 million ).

Alas, a few days before the work was about to begin, there arrived Yan Puhiri, the Puhiri tribal chief, to block the entrance to the property, which he claimed was his communal property. He vowed never to surrender the land until the government met his demand for Rp 465 billion in compensation. 

Now, the abandoned hut is a testament to Jokowi’s broken dreams. And it is only one of his big campaign promises that have turned sour and eroded the budding mutual trust they had built up ever since he set foot for the first time in the land he calls “a little heaven on Earth”.

Elsewhere in Jayapura, the location earmarked for a women’s market has also been left standing high and dry due to land-acquisition red tape that requires the House of Representatives and State-Owned Enterprises Ministry’s legal intervention to resolve.

“Perhaps the cornerstone that Jokowi laid there during the groundbreaking ceremony is already gone as well,” quipped Robert Jitmau, a Papua Solidarity activist. 

Unfulfilled promises — from the sports stadium, a women’s market and a waterfront presidential palace to a resolution of the numerous cases of gross violations of human rights and new infrastructure – have increasingly deflated the once buoyant faith that Jokowi had carefully created in the hearts of Papuans.

Jokowi spellbound the Papuans when he waged his 2014 presidential campaign in the vast, resource-rich but underdeveloped easternmost territory. Welcomed like a messiah, he was the first presidential hopeful to have campaigned in the provinces ( Papua and West Papua ), which have been beset by conflict by armed secessionists since it became part of Indonesia in 1963.

He managed to win the locals’ hearts and minds with his promises of prosperity, a non-militaristic approach and uplifting the dignity of Papuans, who have suffered decades of repression, poverty and discrimination, which have left them feeling like second-class citizens. His new approach was hailed as a breakthrough in the efforts to restore Papuans’ long-lost trust. 

The immediate result was stunning: He and his running mate Jusuf Kalla swept 73 percent of votes in the two provinces, the pair’s largest margin nationwide.

Papuan leaders declared then that Jokowi was the only central government leader they would trust and hung on him their hopes for peace and prosperity. 

To show his sincerity, Jokowi promised to visit at least three times a year so that he could have direct control of all the programs he personally designed for Papua. He planned to build a railway and highways linking major Papuan cities to end isolation, traditional markets to invigorate local economies, allow foreign journalists better transparency and construct sports facilities, among other developments.

Last June, Jokowi granted amnesty to five political detainees linked to the Free Papua Movement ( OPM ) in a gesture of political will to resolve the armed conflict. 

“He wants to personally check on every development of all programs and make sure that everything is well-coordinated among the government institutions involved,” says Jaleswari Pramodawardhani, head of the Presidential Chief of Staff’s Office in charge of human rights, political and security issues in Papua. 

But the short patience of Papuans is well-known. They had wanted see the President “work, work, work” as he has always preached, to get things done as soon as possible but after 18 months at the helm with many promises having yet to materialize, many Papuans say they are losing faith in him.

What has been immediately apparent as a reason for the flop is the poor coordination between government authorities in both Jakarta and Papua — a classic problem that also occurred during the administration of Jokowi’s predecessors. 

As part of his hands-on tactics, Jokowi dissolved the Special Unit of Acceleration of Development in Papua and West Papua ( UP4B ) set up by the then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. 

Last year, Jokowi picked Lenis Kogoya, a native Papuan tribal chief, as an adviser. The President is also supported by the Presidential Chief of Staff’s Office, which has two deputies, Darmawan Prasodjo who is in charge of infrastructure development projects, and Jaleswari, who oversees peace building and human rights. 

Unfortunately, Jokowi’s aides in charge of Papua lack coordination. Darmawan, Jaleswari and Lenis answer to Jokowi individually instead of working as a solid team. Communication between them occurs only during closed-door meetings with the President, according to officials familiar with the President’s inner circle.

Albeit a native Papuan, Lenis is little known among the indigenous Papuans largely because of the diverse sub-ethnic communities scattered across the two provinces. 

Yudhoyono had teams to assist him oversee development programs in Papua and reach out to rebel groups that the military has often used to justify the use of violence. His main team was the UP4B headed by retired Army general Bambang Darmono, who was assigned to coordinate, synchronize, facilitate, evaluate and monitor all the government’s development programs in Papua.

Aside from the UP4B, Yudhoyono also appointed a team of special envoys chaired by medical doctor Farid Husain in 2010 to reach out to members of the OPM to pave the way for peace dialogue with Jakarta. But Yudhoyono’s efforts were discontinued when his term ended, and the comprehensive report Farid submitted to Yudhoyono has lain unread.

In an interview with The Jakarta Post, Farid revealed that one of his most egregious findings, after two years of interaction with OPM rebels, was that the Papuans’ determination to achieve independence had only strengthened in spite of all of Jakarta’s well-intentioned plans to develop the provinces. 

Since the central government granted special autonomy status to Papua in 2002 with the main aim of alleviating poverty and promoting peace, Jakarta has funneled Rp 67 trillion. But, 14 years on, most Papuans still live in abject poverty. Public services such as health and education remain poor while corruption is rampant. Former governor Barnabas Suebu and Boven Digoel regent Yusak Yaluwo are among local officials who have been imprisoned for graft.

Security remains a basic issue despite Jokowi’s pledge. The latest well-documented incidents happened on Dec. 27, just three days ahead of Jokowi’s year-end visit, when gunmen attacked a police post in Puncak regency, killing three officers. Earlier on Dec. 1, police shot dead four civilians for raising the separatist Bintang Kejora ( Morning Star ) flag.

Countless cases of gross human rights violations remain unresolved. Investigations are going nowhere because the police, the National Commission on Human Rights ( Komnas HAM ) and the military usually form their own investigative teams instead of working together as a joint force.

Despite all the pitfalls, Jokowi looks set to keep on trying to mend his rapport with Papua and the people he admires so much, as he has expressed in various occasions. 

Maybe he will have to prove his sincerity by building the Mamas’ Market to please the very demanding women and kicking off the giant sports stadium project to allow youths to let off steam playing soccer instead of toting guns. 

But perhaps Papuans, too, should give Jokowi more time to deliver on his promises.
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Lofty promises 

* Resolving human rights violations, including two cases declared as gross rights abuses in Wasior and Wamena

* Ending use of force by security forces

* Releasing political detainees

* Regular visits to Papua

* Building presidential palace in Papua

* Building traditional women’s markets ( Mama’s Market )

* Opening Papua to foreign journalists

* Developing infrastructure

Progress so far

* Cases of rights violations remain unsolved. Shooting incidents that claim the lives of civilians and security forces still occur. The legal process lacks transparency. There have been at least five shooting incidents since Jokowi paid his first visit to Papua as president in December 2014. 

* Locals still fear police and military due to continuing violence. An unresolved shooting that left five civilians dead and 21 injured in Paniai regency in December 2014 shows that the use of force by the military and police remains unchecked. 

* Jokowi granted clemency to five political prisoners in May 2015. He is expected to free all political detainees.

* Jokowi has regularly visited Papua and kept his promise to visit the easternmost provinces three times a year.

* The Presidential Chief of Staff’s Office says building a presidential palace in Papua is not a priority at present. 

* Two women’s markets have been built in Sorong in West Papua and Sentani in Papua. But, the construction of another one in Jayapura in Papua has yet to start due to land-acquisition problems.

* A feasibility study for the construction of a railway in Sorong has been ongoing since last year and is expected to be completed this year.

Source: From Various Sources



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5) Jokowi kicks off construction of Papua market
Nethy Dharma Somba | thejakartapost.com | Jayapura  Posted: Sun, May 1 2016 | 02:21 pm

The construction of a long-awaited traditional market in Papua began as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo laid the first stone of the market’s building foundation in Jayapura, on Saturday.
The Papua administration and people have campaigned for the building of the Mama-Mama market for 13 years. The market is designed to have three storys with an open-plan construction style. The first floor will be used as a wet market while the second and third floors will be used as a Papuan handicraft trading center and offices respectively.
“Can this building be finished within 10 months?” President Jokowi asked State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, who quickly replied “Yes, it can.”
“I hope the market’s development will last no more than 10 months. So, 10 months from today I will come to inaugurate this market,” he said after the groundbreaking ceremony.
Apart from Rini, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe and Jayapura Mayor Benhur Tommy Mano also attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the market, which is built on a location previously used as offices by the state-owned bus company Perum Damri office in Jayapura.
Four Papuan women representing the mainly female vegetable vendors who will run kiosks in the new market were also present.
Jokowi explained in his speech that it took so long for the government to start the construction of the market as it had to go through a string of procedures. The President added that it was only in the last three weeks that he gave an ultimatum to the state-owned enterprises minister to immediately realize the development of the market.
“I said: ‘I don’t care how you do it but the one thing I want to see is that the market must be built,” he said to loud applause.
Jokowi later told the vendors to always pay attention to the market’s cleanliness and provide a quality service to their customers.
“Mayor, if it is possible, please give these ladies uniforms or aprons they can wear when serving their customers. They should be as clean and neat as sales clerks in shopping malls or other modern markets,” said Jokowi.
The President also reminded the vendors to keep smiling to buyers so that customers would always return. “How can you expect more customers if you never smile?” he said.
Trade Minister Thomas Lembong said that apart from a trade center, the Mama-Mama market would also serve as an education center and provide other public services.
“Many [vendors] have to bring their children to the market so there will be an education center for children in this market,” he said.
Papua Solidarity ( Solpap ) coordinator Robert Djitmau hoped the market could be handled by a local administration-owned enterprise ( BUMD ) instead of by the local administration’s working unit ( SKPD ). “There should be a BUMD to handle this market, so it can be managed professionally,” said Robert.
Meanwhile, Mayor Benhur Tommy hoped that no vendor who got a kiosk in the market would sell them to other vendors and then return to selling commodities on the street.
“It is expected that after the market is completed, there will be no more selling along the street because they already have a proper [trading] place,” the mayor said. The Mama-Mama market is being built by state-owned construction firm PT Waskita. ( ebf )


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6) Papua tribal leader lauds President Jokowi

Senin, 2 Mei 2016 17:15 WIB | 568 Views
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Agustinus Donald Ohee, a tribal leader from Jayapura District, Papua Province, lauded President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for paying serious attention to the development of all sectors in the Indonesian easternmost province. 

"President Jokowis recent visit to Papua for several days was viewed as part of his commitment to improving the welfare of the indigenous people of Papua," Ohee remarked here on Monday.

To this end, he noted that the Papua tribal community would reciprocate the presidents gesture through enthusiasm and hard work.

"The indigenous people of Papua, especially the chiefs, will be in one accord and join hands to support the development in Papua," he affirmed.

Over the weekend, President Jokowi was in Papua to conduct the groundbreaking ceremony of the Mama-Mana cultural market in Jayapura, the capital of the province. 

To be built on a four thousand-square-meter plot of land in the Jayapura city center, the market is expected to support local economic development.

"I urge the relevant ministers to complete the construction of the market in a short period of time," President Jokowi remarked in his speech at the time.

He said the government was making efforts to build the Mama-Mama market quickly without flouting any rules.

During the visit, President Jokowi also inaugurated the Depapre Port in Jayapura District as one of the sea toll gateways in East Indonesia.

"This will be a great seaport and will be interconnected with the medium and small port hubs," President Jokowi stated here, Saturday.

The president emphasized that the inauguration of Depapre Port, as a sea toll gateway, was expected to help ship out Papuas products without the need to transition at other sea ports.

"Therefore, we expect that Papuas products can be sent directly to the destination country without having to ship the goods to the ports of Makassar or Surabaya first," the president explained.(*)
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1) Single goal for Vanuatu civil society summit – support West Papua

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2) Report We Will Lose Everything.

3) No improvement in Papua human rights – UN must help, says report

4) Almost 1700 arrests in West Papua demos

5) New Zealand parliament blocks West Papua motion

6) West Papua: UN must supervise vote on independence, says coalition

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1) Single goal for Vanuatu civil society summit – support West Papua
  
PIANGO executive director Emele Duituturaga (left) consulting with Vanuatu civil society representative Lai Sakita. Image: Len Garae/Vanuatu Daily Post
By Len Garae in Port Vila 
A West Papuan delegation has come to a regional civil society forum with a single goal in mind – full membership for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Emile Duituturaga, executive director of the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organisations (PIANGO), said this in an exclusive interview after launching the two-day forum yesterday, adding:”We hope that at the end of our forum, the meeting will endorse that and that will be our goal.” The West Papua delegation also suggested that Indonesia should not be a member of the MSG. And so the issue of “who and what is a Melanesian” is being discussed amid reports of hundreds of Papuans being arrested in a mass Indonesian crackdown.
The theme of the forum is decolonisation. “We see Indonesia as colonising West Papua in the same way that we are supporting the movement of Kanaky for independence [from France]. And so it is broadly self-determination and decolonisation,” she said. The West Papuans insist that ULMWP are the rightful leaders of West Papua because of critical suggestions from some quarters that ULMWP are “external” and not representative of West Papua.
“But there is evidence [to the contrary] and this delegation here today actually came from inside West Papua and they’ve come to call for external international intervention, they’ve come to talk about the genocide that is happening in West Papua.
“We’re going to discuss what we are going to do about it,” Duituturaga said.
Special envoy
“When Vanuatu’s Special Envoy on West Papua, MP Johnny Koanapo, said West Papua was in the blood of the ni-Vanuatu when he launched our Civil Society Organisation Parallel Forum at Owen Hall at Independence Park yesterday, there was a feeling of elation, a real assurance of the leadership role that Vanuatu has been the beacon of hope, the symbol of independence (for West Papua).” She said it was a joy for PIANGO to note that despite Vanuatu’s internal political challenges, the country’s focus on West Papua had not shifted as confirmed by MP Koanapo’s words.  The MP, who used to be director-general of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the involvement of the civil society forum on the call for West Papua to become a full member of MSG, saying the Vanuatu government also needed the support of civil society on West Papua. Before he became MP, Koanapo was instrumental in writing the staunch speech of former Prime Minister Moana Carcasses at the UN General Assembly, condemning reports of human rights abuse against Melanesians by the Indonesian military in West Papua. PIANGO as the umbrella organisation of 21 Pacific Island countries and territories, is at the forefront of West Papua becoming a full member of MSG, Duituturaga said.
‘Missionary report’
In addition she said there was a march and a launch of the “shadow missionary report” in Suva, Fiji yesterday, which had been conducted by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. The same report would be launched in Port Vila today. “It was launched in Brisbane last Sunday then Fiji and now Vanuatu,” she said. “This is in direct response to the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ decision to send a fact-finding mission to West Papua. “But now it is heading for the middle of the year and the mission has not taken place because Indonesia has not responded. “So civil society had committed that we would not wait for the government as this is the second report of human rights violations in West Papua and we want to bring it to the attention of our leaders.”
Len Garae is a senior journalist with the Vanuatu Daily Post.

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2) Report We Will Lose Everything.

CJPC Brisbane’s report on its shadow human rights fact finding mission to West Papua this year finds that there is no improvement in human rights in West Papua. It calls for action at the UN to investigate human rights abuses and for the Indonesian Government to negotiate with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to find a pathway towards self determination. Full report at  https://cjpcbrisbane.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/we-will-lose-everything-may-2016.pdf

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http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/05/03/no-improvement-in-papua-human-rights-un-must-help-says-report/

3) No improvement in Papua human rights – UN must help, says report

Part of the cover of Catholic Justice and Peace Commission report on the West Papua human rights situation. 
The report of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission on its “shadow” human rights fact-finding mission to West Papua this year has found no improvement in human rights.
It has called on the United Nations to investigate human rights abuses and for the Indonesian government to negotiate with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to find a pathway towards self-determination.
“‘We will lose everything!’ This was the grim prediction made by the four members of the executive of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) when they presented their three-year campaign strategy to a Brisbane meeting of representatives of solidarity groups from around the South Pacific in January 2016,” says the report.
When ULMWP secretary-general Octovianus Mote uttered these words on behalf of his colleagues, both the anguish of the people of West Papua and their grim determination to overcome their oppression was evident in his voice, reports the Catholic commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
“Faced with becoming a small minority in their own land within a few short years and living with unrelenting intimidation and brutality at the hands of the Indonesian government’s security apparatus together with rapidly growing economic and social marginalisation, he stressed the need for urgent action to stop the violence in their land and to secure an international commitment to give their people a genuine opportunity to freely determine their future.”
The message was clear, says the Catholic report.
“The situation in West Papua is fast approaching a tipping point. In less than five years, the position of Papuans in their own land will be worse than precarious. They are already experiencing a demographic tidal wave.

‘Ruthless domination’
“Ruthless Indonesian political, economic, social and cultural domination threatens to engulf the proud people who have inhabited the land they call Tanah Papua for thousands of years,” says the report.
One week after the meeting in Brisbane, a two-person delegation from the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane travelled to West Papua to speak directly to Papuans about their situation.
“The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Summit in Port Moresby in September 2015 had agreed to send a human rights fact-finding mission to West Papua, but the Indonesian government has not allowed this to happen,” says the Catholic report.
“One of the commission’s objectives in sending the delegation was to build relationships with the Church in West Papua for future collaboration on human rights and environmental issues.
“However, because of the Indonesian government’s unwillingness to accept a PIF mission, our delegation effectively became the first of a number of shadow human rights fact-finding missions to West Papua from the Pacific.,” says the report.
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4) Almost 1700 arrests in West Papua demos

7:06 pm today

Latest reports from Indonesia indicate police arrested almost 1700 West Papuans yesterday for taking part in a series of demonstrations across Papua region.
The demonstrations were held to express support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is vying for full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Monday's protests came as West Papuans marked the anniversary of transferral of administration in the former Dutch New Guinea to Indonesia in 1963.
The independent West Papuan newspaper, Tabloid Jubi, reports that overall 1692 people were arrested.
Jubi reports that a researcher from Bern University in Switzerland was interrogated by police too.
The Jakarta Globe reported that over 500 arrests were made in a huge demonstration in Jayapura.
Reports from local media indicate that hundreds of others were arrested for demonstrating in cities like Merauke and Sorong, but also cities in other parts of Indonesia like Makassar and Semarang.
Last month, the head of Indonesia's Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, KONTRAS, said that last year more than 1,200 Papuans suffered from harassment, killings, torture and ill-treatment.
Haris Azhar said these abuses were often made by security forces against Papuans for exercising their right to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and movement.


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5) New Zealand parliament blocks West Papua motion


5:55 pm today
The New Zealand government has blocked a motion moved without notice by an opposition Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty on West Papua.
The motion was to have asked New Zealand's parliament to support the call by the International Parliamentarians for West Papua for a referendum on self-determination in Indonesia's Papua region.
The IPWP is meeting in London where MPs and leaders from across the world are discussing strategies to push for a West Papua referendum by the end of the decade.
Ms Delahunty said the New Zealand government had a history of ignoring the call of West Papuan's for self-determination.
New Zealand has always recognised Indonesia's territorial integrity with regard to the Papuan region.
Ms Delahunty said with the mass arrests of Papuans in the last 48 hours, attempting to table a motion was the least she could do.
"In the Pacific we see the French and Papua New Guinea being willing to consider referenda for places such as Kanaky and Bougainville," said Ms Delahunty before submitting her motion.
"There is no reason why Indonesia should not have pressure put on it and it would be great if the New Zealand parliament would step up to this but I am not at all sure how it is going to go."
However in parliament, the government objected.



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6) West Papua: UN must supervise vote on independence, says coalition
Helen Davidson  Tuesday 3 May 2016 15.35 AEST

The United Nations must pass a resolution for an internationally supervised vote for independence in West Papua, global parliamentarians and independence advocates have said.
In a meeting in London on Tuesday, the West Papuan independence leader, Benny Wenda, will join parliamentarians, lawyers and humanitarians from the UK and the Pacific region to demand the United Nations pass a resolution for an independence referendum, in order to make up for its “mistake” in allowing Indonesia to take control almost 50 years ago.
West Papuans are the indigenous people of a region on the Western half of an island shared with Papua New Guinea. Formerly under Dutch colonisation, Indonesia took temporary control of West Papua under a UN–backed treaty in 1963. It later gained complete rule through a UN-sanctioned but discredited ballot in 1969, in which just a little over 1000 Indonesian-picked West Papuan leaders representatives cast votes under threat of violence.
Wenda said that vote, so called the “act of free choice”, was a betrayal of West Papuans and now was the time for the United Nations to set it right.
“We West Papuans call it the act of no choice,” Wenda told the Guardian. “The UN already made a mistake, they broke their own rule. That’s why the UN needs to correct it now.”
The Free West Papua movement hopes to see a UN resolution within two years to send international peacekeepers to protect West Papuans as they vote on independence.
“For 50 years Indonesia massacred my people, 500,000 people. We need international peacekeeping force in West Papua,” said Wenda.
“In maybe another 10 or 20 or 50 years time I think my people will become a minority. We need this as soon as possible.”

Joining Wenda at Tuesday’s announcement will be ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, the Tongan prime minister and first head of state to attend a Free West Papua meeting, Papua New Guinea governors Powes Parkop and Garry Juffa, and Vanuatu minister Ralph Regenvanu.
A message of support will be read on behalf of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Regenvanu told the Guardian his nation had always supported a free West Papua, and he called on others in the region, in particular Australia and New Zealand which currently back Indonesia’s sovereignty, to join them.
“They need to step up and recognise what’s happening on their doorstep,” he told the Guardian.
“I think the attitude of the governments of New Zealand and Australia is quite shameful when it comes to West Papua.”
Human Rights lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, noted both nations also supported Indonesian sovereignty over East Timor until “the very last moment”.
“It’s important we continue build strong civil society campaigns within Australia and New Zealand to put further pressure on the governments to do the right thing,” Robinson told the Guardian.
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1) Indonesian Police Arrest 1,500 in Papua

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2) Menlo Julie Bishop Didesak Kecam Pelanggaran HAM di Papua

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http://www.wsj.com/articles/indonesian-police-arrest-1-500-in-papua-1462262785

The Wall Street Journal

1) Indonesian Police Arrest 1,500 in Papua 


Activists: Monday roundup was largest ever in Indonesia’s democratic era


JAKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesian police said they arrested about 1,500 people in the country’s remote eastern region of Papua after demonstrators there pushed to join a multinational body that would underpin their goal of independence. 
Activists said the Monday roundup was the largest ever in Indonesia’s democratic era, which began in the late 1990s. 
The Indonesian half of New Guinea island—known as Papua—is ethnically distinct from the rest of Indonesia. It was annexed by Indonesia in the 1960s and since then, it has been home to an independence movement. Many Papuans say the takeover was an illegal land grab by the federal government in Jakarta. 
On Monday, protesters called on the Melanesian Spearhead Group, a group of states and political parties of the Western Pacific, to grant a coalition of Papuan pro-independence groups full membership in the body. The group was established in 1986 to build regional solidarity among Melanesian entities and today is made up of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and an independence movement in New Caledonia.
Last year, the group also made Indonesia an associate member and granted the Papuan pro-independence coalition, known as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, observer status.
Patrige Renwarin, a police spokesman in Papua, said Tuesday that authorities detained about 1,500 demonstrators in several Papuan areas Monday for lacking a permit to hold a rally. 
The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, a human rights organization, said more than 1,700 people were arrested in total, including nearly 1,500 in the provincial capital of Jayapura. The institute—which said tensions have been rising in Papua in recent weeks—said the majority of those detained were released Monday night.
President Joko Widodo has been trying to bring Papua closer to Jakarta since he took office in late 2014, visiting the region frequently and releasing political prisoners. On a trip to Papua last weekend, Mr. Widodo called on officials to speed up the construction of thousands of traditional markets throughout the region.
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https://m.tempo.co/read/news/2016/05/03/120767926/menlu-julie-bishop-didesak-kecam-pelanggaran-ham-di-papua

2) Menlo Julie Bishop Didesak Kecam Pelanggaran HAM di Papua

SELASA, 03 MEI 2016 | 08:16 WIB

TEMPO.COCanberra - Kelompok pendukung kemerdekaan Papua Barat yang menamakan dirinya Asosiasi Papua Barat Australia (AWPA) meminta Menteri Luar Negeri Julie Bishop mengecam penangkapan masa aksi damai di Jayapura, Papua.

AWPA dalam sebuah pernyataan pada Senin, 2 Mei 2016 menyerukan Menlu Bishop mengecam tindakan keras oleh aparat keamanan Indonesia yang dianggap sebagai pelanggaran hak asasi manusia dalam berbicara dan berekspresi.
"Pemerintah Indonesia telah melakukan kekerasan terhadap rakyat Papua Barat karena mengekspresikan kebebasan berbicara yang damai," kata pernyataan itu seperti yang dilansir Asia Pacific Report pada 2 Mei 2016.

Sekitar 178 aktivis dari Komite Nasional Papua Barat (KNPB) dan sejumlah mahasiswa dibawa ke Polresta Jayapura pada Senin 2 Mei 2016.
Demonstrasi tersebut bertujuan untuk memberikan dukungan terhadap pertemuan Parlemen Internasional untuk Papua Barat (IPWP) di London yang akan dilaksanakan pada hari Selasa, 3 Mei 216 dan menuntut agar Persatuan Gerakan Pembebasan Papua Barat (ULMWP) menjadi anggota penuh organisasi pemerintah negara-negara Pasifik Selatan (Melanesian Spearhead Group, MSG).
Joe Collins dari AWPA mengatakan bahwa pemerintah Indonesia sudah saatnya untuk menghentikan pelanggaran HAM seperti di masa lalu karena sekarang Indonesia telah menjadi negara demokrasi.

Penangkapan terus menerus terhadap masa aksi damai, intimidasi terhadap pembela hak asasi manusia, dan wartawan membuktikan bahwa Indonesia belum berdemokrasi secara utuh.

Selain itu, AWPA juga mendesak  Bishop menekan Jakarta agar memungkinkan Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), kelompok misi pencari fakta ke Papua Barat, untuk diizinkan masuk ke Papua dan mendengarkan cerita-cerita tragis rakyat Papua Barat.

APR|EVENING REPORT.NZ|YON DEMA
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1) Assault claims during mass arrests over West Papua independence push

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2) Papua is already free, rights protected
3) Nearly 2,000 People Arrested, LBH: Papuan People Are Not Alone

4) INDONESIA: Stop arresting indigenous Papuans


5) Islands in focus:Diarrhea outbreak still shrouds Keesom

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VIDEO SBS NEWS 3 MAY 2016 - 7:33PM
1) Assault claims during mass arrests over West Papua independence push
Activists have accused Indonesian police of being heavy handed as they arrested pro-independence protesters in the eastern province of Papua.
Around 1,000 protesters were detained in the provincial capital Jayapura, and hundreds more in other cities in the biggest clamp down by Indonesian police in more than a decade.
Those in Jayapura were held in an outdoor jail at police headquarters for eight hours before being released.
Chairman of the West Papua National Committee Victor Yeimo has told SBS many people were assaulted during the arrests.
"There's no room for democracy in West Papua, so they came suddenly to the place where we wanted to prepare for demonstration and they arrested the people, they beat the people,” Mr Yeimo said.
“This is peaceful action, we are the peaceful resistance. There are no [forms of] torture there is no violence, but Indonesians give us the torture."
The protests coincide with the anniversary of the end of Dutch colonial rule in 1963, as well as a weekend visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Papua, the western half of the island of New Guinea, has seen a long-running and often violent separatist conflict since being incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969.
Demands for a new referendum as an act of self-determination are viewed as treason, and this has been hugely detrimental according to Papuan journalist Victor Mambor.
"It's terrible for us. In my opinion it is not good for Indonesia [either],” Mr Mambor told SBS.
“The problem is not about the welfare or the economic development, but the problem is the history."
Access to police headquarters had been blocked off to media, family and advocacy groups, as up to 40 people remain detained.
Camellia Webb-Gannon from Sydney University think tank West Papua Project believes the arrests highlight Indonesia's heavy-handed approach.
She has called on the Australian government to pressure Indonesia President Joko Widodo over the matter.
"I'm surprised that such a large number of people would be detained for simply exercising their right to gather and to peacefully protest,” Ms Webb-Gannon said.
“They have the right to gather to assemble and to peacefully protest for their other right: their right to self-determination."
Activists said the arrests will not stifle them, and have pledged to continue to publicly state their demands.
West Papuan independence leaders are joining parliamentarians, lawyers and humanitarian groups from the United Kingdom and the Pacific region in London on Tuesday to demand the United Nations pass a resolution for an independence referendum.
Sade Bimamtara, spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, has told SBS he cannot verify the number of people arrested but believes that number is closer to 400.
"I cannot verify the 1,700 number, from what I heard there we don't think it was that many, we believe it was around 400 people," Mr Bimamtara said.
“In Indonesia demonstrations are quiet regular and often it is okay for people to have demonstrations. But if people are breaking the law then police will try to control the crowd.
"If (allegations of abuse are) true then we have a way of rectifying that problem.”
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The writer is spokesperson for the Indonesian Embassy in Australia, Canberra. The views expressed are his own.


2) Papua is already free, rights protected
Sade Bimantara Posted: Tue, May 3 2016 | 07:26 am

Reading the stories and claims put forward by a group calling itself the United Liberation Movement for West Papua ( ULMWP ) is like reading a piece of fiction. There are so many mistakes and outrageous claims by this group that it makes the magical land in The Wizard of Oz seem believable.

The group’s name itself is pretentious: “Liberation”. One may ask, “liberate” whom or what? They claim that the people of the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua are not free. Wrong. 

The people of Papua together with their brothers from other parts of Indonesia fought together in the war for independence from the Netherlands. In 1969 the people of Papua once and for all reaffirmed that Papua is an irrevocable part of Indonesia. A decision recognized by the UN and the international community. Since then, Papua has developed significantly and grown into two administrative provinces with 42 districts and cities with a combined population of 3.9 million. 

Anyone who visits Jayapura and other Papuan cities can see that development is comparable with, and in some cases exceeds, other cities in the South Pacific. 

Papuans routinely participate in elections that are internationally regarded as free and fair. For instance, the millions of Papuan registered voters, including those overseas outside Indonesia, participated in the 2014 presidential and legislative elections together with 184 million fellow voters across Indonesia, the third-largest democracy in the world. 

They have voted for their president and their lawmakers to represent them in Jakarta and in the provincial capitals of Papua and West Papua. The people of Papua and West Papua also directly and freely elect their governors and regents. They are free. Free to vote. Free to govern. Free to determine their future. With its special autonomy, no person other than ethnic Papuans are eligible to be governors and regents in Papua. No other Indonesian provinces enjoy this right.

The ULMWP’s claim that Indonesia is “committing genocide” and “killing dissidents on a daily basis” is absolutely baseless and unsubstantiated slander. The 1948 International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defined genocide as acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group as such”. 

After reviewing two reports on human rights in Papua ( by Yale Law School students and by Sydney University ), the International Crisis Group ( ICG ) in its 2006 report concluded that “Neither of the reports provides any evidence of intent on the part of the Indonesian government or military to destroy the ethnic Papuan population as such in whole or in part.” 

Unfortunately, violence is committed both against civilians, armed separatists, individuals and groups as well as against the security forces. Cases of violence in 2013-2014 shed light on the nature of the situation in Papua. In those two years, there were 42 reported cases of violence that left 21 civilians, 18 members of the police and the military and nine members of an armed separatist group dead. Just last March, a separatist group of 20 armed people ambushed and killed four workers who were building roads to connect the cities of Sinak and Mulia.

Any cases of violence are treated seriously by the police. The government is strongly committed to protecting the basic human rights of Indonesians including those living in Papua. The highly respected National Commission on Human Rights and many human rights NGOs provide the necessary checks and independent reviews to make sure the rights of the people are properly protected.

The ULMWP has been calling to oust Indonesia from the Melanesian Spearhead Group ( MSG ). Indonesia is a Pacific country. Eleven million Indonesians of Melanesian descent call five provinces of Indonesia home: East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, Papua and West Papua. This makes Indonesia home to the largest population of Melanesian ethnicity in the world, by comparison, the Melanesian population in other Pacific nations number about 8 million people.

Indonesia’s engagement and membership in the MSG is intended to add value to the organization by supporting the group’s work to develop a stronger cultural, political, social and economic identity and link. We have committed ourselves to being a responsible associate member of the group including through constructive participation in meetings as well as financial contributions.

Through membership in the MSG, Indonesia wants to further open ways and strengthen connectivity, promote greater contacts and exchanges and valuable activities in which we can share our experiences with our Melanesian brothers in the South Pacific. Indonesia’s 250 million population and its large middle class-60 million and projected to reach 85 million people by 2020-will also be a lucrative export destination for MSG products and services as well as a large investment source. 

The ULMWP presence in the MSG on the other hand, is disruptive because its political goal and routine robotic statements calling for “Papuan separation from Indonesia” is contrary to the Agreed Principles of Cooperation of the MSG: “the principles of respect for each other’s sovereignty”.

If members allow the ULMWP to dishonor such revered principles, crafted by the founders of the MSG, the unity and even the existence of the MSG may be at risk because there is the possibility that other organizations with ill-intention may follow suit and question the sovereignty of other members over their respective territories. While other members focus on developing the group with initiatives, programs and projects, the ULMWP has not been adding much value to the MSG’s works and instead is blinded by its fantasy of seeing Papua separate from Indonesia. 
_____

The writer is spokesperson for the Indonesian Embassy in Australia, Canberra. The views expressed are his own.
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A google translate.Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

3) Nearly 2,000 People Arrested, LBH: Papuan People Are Not Alone



KNPB peaceful demonstrations supporting IPWP meeting, Monday (02/05/2016) - Jubi

Jayapura, Jubi - Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Jakarta strongly condemned the arrest of 1,724 activists in a peaceful demonstration held simultaneously in Jayapura, Sorong, Merauke, Fakfak, Wamena, Semarang and Makassar. A few days earlier, 52 people have also been arrested ahead of today's action.

Today's action is done in order to support the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) enters into a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a diplomatic forum in the South Pacific. In addition, also to commemorate May 1, 1963 protest in which the joining of Papua into Indonesia. Action is also carried out to support the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) which will be held in London tomorrow, May 3, 2016, which will discuss the referendum for Papua.

"There were two people who were arrested in Merauke when to give written notification to the police action. This article What kind that can be used to catch people who were handed a notice of action? 41 people arrested in Jayapura just for spreading leaflets calls to action. This clearly arbitrary act unconstitutional, "blasted Veronica Koman, public defenders LBH Jakarta.
Here are the number of people who were arrested today in each region who managed to LBH Jakarta gathered from sources in Papua: 1449 people in Jayapura, 118 people in Merauke, 45 in Hyderabad, 42 in Singapore, 29 people in Fakfak, 27 people in Sorong, 14 people in Wamena. Total arrested today there are 1,724 people. Most have been released, but there are still dozens detained in Merauke, and Wamena Fakfak.

Whereas on 25 April 2016 there were also two people were arrested in Merauke, April 30, 41 people were arrested in Jayapura. May 1 there were four people in Wamena and 5 people were arrested in Merauke.

"A total of 1,839 Papuans were arrested since April 2016 until today. Jokowi often useless in Papua to Papua if it works just ceremonial. The development approach is not wanted by the people of Papua, Jokowi should be more keen to listen to their demands, "added Veronica.

The police actions violated the Indonesian Constitution and Article 28 of Law No. 9 of 1998 on Freedom of Expression in Public. "Although demand is for a referendum, as long Papuans Indonesian citizen, their constitutional right to argue should always be maintained. Gelarlah dialogue, not repress their aspirations, "said Alghiffari Aqsa, director of LBH Jakarta.

To that end, LBH Jakarta demanding to Jokowi to crack down on police chief, police chief of Papua and West Papua Police Chief that have tarnished the constitutional rights of the people of Papua, as well as the immediate release of those still detained. ,

"We urge that the tidal Papua Rabat Alone. Continue your aspirations! "Alghiffari lid. (*)



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4) INDONESIA: Stop arresting indigenous Papuans

May 3, 2016


The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned from national and local sources that on May 2, police officers arrested in total 1,724 indigenous Papuans who took part in a peaceful protest in Jayapura and other cities in Papua.
The protesters came from various Papua districts, to support the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) becoming a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a regional forum in the Pacific. Moreover, the protesters also gathered to commemorate integration of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia, on 1 May 1963, though the integration remains a questioned one for many indigenous Papuans.
Under President Joko Widodo, the human rights situation in Papua and West Papua provinces has yet to show any progress. Fundamental problems remain, such as lack of law enforcement, and the lack of accountability amongst security forces. In the last one year, the AHRC reported and documented several cases in Papua, for instance the excessive force being used on April 5. Then there is the case on torture against three indigenous Papuans, which occurred on 27 August 2015. Not only in Papua, local indigenous Papuans were also arrested when they were involved in and conducted peaceful protests in Jakarta, as reported by Just Asia AHRC TV episode 101.
Despite the protesters being released after their being interrogated by the Police, circumstances have proven that the government has yet to change its policy on Papua. The government’s commitment to solve problems in Papua peacefully, through dialogue, has never been formally admitted or followed. Dialogue initiative are usually organized by civil society organizations and churches.
Under President Widodo’s administration, the government has tended to prioritize the development of public infrastructure to boost either national or international investments in Papua. However, such a policy does not really bring benefit for local indigenous. It benefits non-indigenous Papuans who have been living in Papua for many years. Furthermore, the development of public infrastructure in Papua will potentially trigger other problems, such as land grabbing and the migration of more people from outside the Papua.
Considering the situation in Papua, the AHRC calls upon the government of Indonesia, to consider the following: first, the government must prove its commitment to solve human rights problems in Papua and ensure protection for local indigenous Papuans without any discrimination and extreme restriction; second, the government of Indonesia, as a member of the Human Rights Council, and having already ratified several key international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), must ensure its policy is in line with the covenant; third, the government must stop judicial harassment against local indigenous people, and show its commitment and seriousness to establishing peaceful dialogue without undue delay.


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5) Islands in focus:Diarrhea outbreak still shrouds Keesom
Posted: Tue, May 3 2016 | 06:41 am
A diarrhea outbreak remains a threat in Keerom, Papua, as nine toddlers continue to be in treatment at the Kwaingga Hospital in Keerom since their admission on April 1. So far, 86 toddlers have suffered from the outbreak, one of them fatal.

“Until now, nine toddlers are still hospitalized, while the others have returned home,” hospital staffer Yunince Pabeno told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He said that earlier 27 patients had returned home after receiving three to five days of treatment.

New patients are still arriving as of now. On Saturday, there were three patients and four on Sunday. 

“Today, their admission was reported,” he said.

Thanks to the swift actions of the Kwaingga regional hospital and the parents of those affected, cases of the illness have dropped. 

“Fortunately, everyone is working hard to prevent fatalities. Only one patient died because they were too late in receiving medication,” said Yunince.

Keerom Health Office Disease Control and Environmental Health section head Laomi said his office had taken measures to stop the outbreak.

“We have taken samples of feces and groundwater, which are currently being examined at the Regional Health Laboratory in Dok II, Jayapura. From submission, the results will be known in 10 days,” he said.

West Papua: Jeremy Corbyn calls for democratic reform in Indonesian province

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-04/jeremy-corbyn-calls-for-democratic-reform-in-west-papua/7381886


West Papua: Jeremy Corbyn calls for democratic reform in Indonesian province


West Papua: Jeremy Corbyn calls for democratic reform in Indonesian province

Posted 12 minutes ago
UK Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn has spoken out about the plight of the West Papuan people and supported a push for democratic reform in the Indonesian province.

Key points:

  • Corbyn calls for political strategy that brings "recognition to the plight" of West Papuans and "forces it onto a political agenda"
  • Meeting included speakers from the UK, Tonga, Vanuatu and PNG
  • West Papua has been under Indonesian rule since 1969

Speaking at a meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua at the House of Commons, Mr Corbyn said it was time the West Papuan people were able to make their own choice about their political future.
"It's about a political strategy that brings to worldwide recognition the plight of the people of West Papua, that forces it onto a political agenda, that forces it to the UN, and ultimately allows the people of West Papua to make a choice about the kind of government they want and the kind of society in which they want to live," he told the meeting.
The Labour leader described the meeting as historic.
Speakers included MPs, ministers and political leaders from the UK, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Mr Corbyn endorsed a report published by the University of Warwick that called for the reinstatement of NGOs in Papua, the release of political prisoners, and a parliamentary delegation being sent to the region.
West Papua has been under Indonesian rule since 1969, when the so-called Act of Free Choice took place, a vote that Indonesia claims rightfully handed over sovereignty of what was then known as West Irian.
West Papuan independence advocates claim the vote was a sham and the UN should now facilitate a free and fair vote for independence.
This week Indonesian police detained hundreds of pro-independence demonstrators in the provincial capital of Jayapura.
Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a former Bishop of Oxford who was at the House of Commons meeting, has described the ongoing situation in West Papua as "one of the great neglected scandals of our time".

1) Most West Papua detainees released

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2) Declaration in London for supervised vote on West Papua
3) Media Release: Mass Arrests in West Papua.
4) West Papua – ‘a nation in waiting’: Behind this week’s uprising 
5) WEST PAPUA: Westminster meeting makes new declaration for the future

6) Pray For West Papua – the first doc on Octo Mote’s struggle

7) “Invisible Project” Comes to Papuan Women Market Development
8) President Jokowi Wants Depapre Seaport to Be Hub for Export-Import Activities

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1) Most West Papua detainees released


2:27 pm today
Most of the hundreds of West Papuans arrested by Indonesian police for participating in widespread demonstrations two days ago have been released.

Indonesian security forces hold demonstrators Photo: Tabloid Jubi
Local media reports say as many as 1,700 people were arrested in demos across all of the main Papuan cities, as well as Semarang and Makassar.
They were demonstrating support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid to be a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, as well as the International Parliamentarians for West Papua summit held in London this week.
Journalist Victor Mambor from Papua's Tabloid Jubi newspaper says about eight people are still detained in Merauke, Fakfak and Wamena.
He says while there was a more restrained conduct of police forces in handling the demonstrations compared with similar events in the past, the number of arrests was massive.
Indonesian police at a demonstration in the Papuan region Photo: Supplied / Whens Tebay
Mr Mambor says this caused logistical problems in Jayapura where police arrested far more people than they could fit in the police stations, so they opted to hold them at the Mobile Brigade headquarters.
"I think because they have a big space there. But you know, they put them in the field, in the sun in the middle of the midday. It's very hot. They told them to take all of their tee-shirts (off)."
Monday's demonstrations across Papua followed similar demonstrations across Papua three weeks ago.
One of the main representative groups in the Liberation Movement, the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, has been central to the organisation of the demonstrations.
Police say that the KNPB requested permission to hold this week's demonstrations and failed to meet the requirements, but they proceeded anyway.
Monday's mass mobilisations are unlikely to be the last as deliberations on the West Papua membership bid at a Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders summit, expected to be held within two months, draw near.
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2) Declaration in London for supervised vote on West Papua
4:47 pm today

MPs from several Pacific countries and Britain have made a declaration in London calling for an internationally supervised vote on the independence of West Papua.
The group, the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, were meeting at the Houses of Parliament to discuss the future of the region which is administered by Indonesia.
According to the group Free West Papua, the British opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, reiterated his support for the struggle for freedom in the region and said he would like this to be written into Labour Party policy.
The declaration said continued human rights violations in West Papua were unacceptable, it warned that without international action the Papuan people risked extinction and it reiterated the right of people to genuine self-determination.
The declaration also said the 1969 'Act of Free Choice' was a gross violation of this principle.
It called for an internationally supervised vote on self-determination in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions.
The gathering included Vanuatu's Foreign Minister Bruno Leingkone, the Melanesian Spearhead Group's Special Envoy on West Papua, Rex Horoi, Vanuatu's Lands and Natural Resources Minsiter Ralph Regenvanu, the Governor of PNG's Oro District, Gary Juffa, Lord Harries of Pentregarth from the UK House of Lords and Benny Wenda of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.

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2) Media Release: Mass Arrests in West Papua.

 
West Papua Action Canterbury and And West Papua Action Auckland  call on the  Minister of Foreign Affairs to  take action over the latest mass arrests of peaceful demonstrators in West Papua

 

‘Mass arrests of activists are becoming an all too common fact of life for the people of West Papua.  But this latest wave is so large it sends an ominous signal. New Zealand should let Jakarta know in no uncertain terms that it upholds the rights of free speech and assembly.  Wellington should also press for a  fact-finding mission to the territory  in line with the Pacific Island Forum request for a mission which Jakarta has yet to respond to.’

 

‘The visit next week of West Papuan human rights defender and Church leader Rev Socratez Yoman is very timely and we are hoping  parliamentarians including Government parliamentarians will take advantage of the opportunity to meet with this important guest.’

 

For further information Maire Leadbeater  0274-436-957 and Brian Turner  021 1294305

 

Letter follows:

 

3 May 2016

 

Hon Murray McCully,

Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Parliament Buildings,

Wellington.

Fax 04  817 6510

 

Dear Mr McCully,

 

We are shocked and deeply troubled to learn of the mass arrests of peaceful demonstrators over the past few days. While security forces in West Papua have a notorious reputation for arbitrary arrests, these latest arrests are on mass scale and send an ominous signal of increased repression. 

 

We understand from numerous reports that the police have arrested  at least  500 and possibly over 1000 demonstrators during a rally in the capital Jayapura.  Reports also state that dozens were arrested in the Papuan regional centres of Merauke, Manokwari, Wamena and  Sorong and even at solidarity demonstrations in Central Java and South Sulawesi. Last month peaceful rallies held on the 13 and 29 April also ended with over 40 arrests on each occasion.

 

This severe crackdown was prompted by nothing more than peaceful demonstrations calling for popular support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, (ULMWP) and its and its effort to reach full member status of the regional Melanesian Spearhead Group. The demonstrators also showed their support for the meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) in London on 3 May.

 

This is an outrageous situation.  The people of West Papua are entitled under international law to the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and assembly. The Indonesian authorities need to be told by all democratic governments, especially those like New Zealand who are near neighbours of West Papua, that these breaches of fundamental rights must stop. 

 

As you know the last meeting of the Pacific Island Forum resolved to request Indonesia to permit a fact-finding mission to go to the territory.  New Zealand should now pressure Jakarta to allow this mission to take place as soon as possible so that the West Papuan people can tell the outside world their stories. 

 

We are understand that your commitments currently prevent you from meeting Papuan Church leader Socratez Yoman when he visits Wellington on the 10th and 11th May but should any other Government Minister or MP be free to meet with him on your behalf we would be pleased to arrange that.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Maire Leadbeater and Brian Turner

For West Papua Action Auckland and West Papua Action Canterbury.
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4) West Papua – ‘a nation in waiting’: Behind this week’s uprising 
 


Papuan activists being transported by an Indonesian police truck from Waena, a suburb in Jayapura, to the Mobile Police Brigade's headquarters in Kotaraja. Image: We Are Moving Stories


Nearly 2000 people were arrested on Monday, 2 May 2016, in mass unarmed civilian-based uprisings across West Papua, reports We Are Moving Stories. “The Indonesian police were completely overwhelmed by the size, scale and disciplined defiance of the activists who came from a range of groups organised by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua,” says author Jason MacLeod.
Interview with Dr Jason MacLeod – Exclusive video
Dr Jason MacLeod is an authority on West Papua and author of Merdeka and the Morning Star: Civil resistance in West Papua. A Brisbane academic, he works as an organiser, educator and researcher. He has been active in the West Papua solidarity movement since 1991.
How many people were arrested on Monday? Why were they arrested?Nearly 2000 people were arrested on 2 May 2016 in mass unarmed civilian based uprisings across the country – in Jayapura, Wamena, Merauke, Manokwari, Timika, Sorong and Fak Fak.
The Indonesian police were completely overwhelmed by the size, scale and disciplined defiance of the activists who came from a range of groups organised by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.
In Jayapura, for instance, activists were detained on the oval inside the mobile police brigade’s headquarters. Most people arrested were released by Monday night.
At the time of this interview 45 – including 19 children aged 8-18 – remain in detention in Fak Fak.
The Indonesian police routinely use torture against Papuan dissenters so we are concerned about their welfare. I expect the organisers will be charged with treason and rebellion later this week.
At the same time, we are noticing that Jakarta is becoming constrained, or at least uncertain of what to do, in the face of rising international support for a free West Papua, especially in the Pacific.
What does this video clip show?
The video shows activists being transported by an Indonesian police truck from Waena, a suburb in Jayapura, to the Mobile Police Brigade’s headquarters in Kotaraja, about 15-20 minutes away, where they were detained on a sports oval.
You can see fists being raised in defiance and hear them yelling “merdeka” (freedom). This is the fifth truck with activists that went past in minutes. The film was shot by a local organiser hidden behind a fence.
Why is it so difficult to see videos about what’s going on in West Papua?Foreign journalists are effectively banned from travelling to West Papua. In recent years, particularly since 2011, social media has been the quickest and most reliable way to get information out. It has only really been in the last six months that we have been able to send video out quickly.
BackgroundWest Papua is a nation in waiting, one half of the island of New Guinea, is currently occupied by Indonesia. Like East Timor, West Papuans want to be free, to determine their own political future. At least 100,000 people have been killed by the Indonesian military since they took control in 1963 but the West Papuans continue to struggle, determined to be independent.
This was first published by We Are Moving Pictures. It is republished here with permission.
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5) WEST PAPUA: Westminster meeting makes new declaration for the future
An historic day ... the Westminster Declaration on West Papua. 
Image: Free West Papua Campaign

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Item: 9647

LONDON (Free West Papua Campaign/Pacific Media Watch): An historic step on the road to freedom for West Papua was taken in London today. At a meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua in the Houses of Parliament, a new declaration was made calling for an internationally supervised vote on the independence of West Papua.

The meeting was attended and supported by Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva the Prime Minister of Tonga; Bruno Leingkone, Minister for Foreign Affairs in Vanuatu; Rex Horoi, MSG Special Envoy on West Papua, Solomon Islands; Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Vanuatu; Gary Juffa, Governor of Oro District, Papua New Guinea; Lord Harries of Pentregarth, UK House of Lords, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the UK Opposition; and Benny Wenda, international spokesperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and several other British MPs.

The Prime Minister of Tonga offered his country’s full support for the ongoing struggle of the people of West Papua. He explained how it was the responsibility of the United Nations to ensure human rights were upheld in West Papua and how he would continue to push for this.

Jeremy Corbyn spoke of his personal interest in West Papua and his role as a UN observer in East Timor. He talked of the need for justice and human rights to be delivered to the people of West Papua and stated that the world could either continue having this conflict or could choose to live in a world of peace and justice which would come from the recognition of human rights for everybody – a cornerstone of foreign policy.

He reiterated his support for the struggle for freedom of West Papua and how he would like this to be written in the policy of the British Labour Party.

A statement by the Prime Minister of Guyana, Moses Nagamootoo was read by Melinda Janki, an international human rights lawyer. He offered his country’s ongoing support of the right to self determination for the people of West Papua.

Ralph Regenvanu told of Vanuatu’s long term support for West Papua. He spoke of how the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Father Walter Lini, had stated that "Vanuatu would not be truly independent while any other Melanesian country is not".

MSG commitment
He spoke of the commitment by Melanesian countries to bring West Papua into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and that Vanuatu was working for West Papua to gain full membership of the MSG at its upcoming meeting.

Rex Horoi special envoy from the Solomon Islands highlighted the key areas of the Solomon Islands support for West Papua which involved: urgency of stopping Human rights abuse in West Papua, recognsising the political identity of the ULMWP and the strategic engagement of the Solomon Islands government with neighbours in the Pacific and around the world. He also redefined the importance of the Pacific by renaming the "small island states" as the "big ocean states".

Gary Juffa also mentioned his personal connection with the people of West Papua. He told of how his father had captained the first boat of refugees from West Papua and how he promised them that he would do everything he could to fight with them for their freedom.

He explained that regrettably PNG still recognised Indonesian sovereignty but a large movement in PNG was emerging in support of West Papuan freedom and that he would continue to be one of the main political voices of this movement.

Lord Harries remembered meeting Benny Wenda when he first came to the UK in 2003, how the issue was almost unknown at this time and what a long way it had come today with representatives from the "big ocean nations" championing the cause.

He continued to read out a statement of support by Reverend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu:

“Dear people and friends of West Papua. Please accept, from the southern tip of Africa, the love and blessings of a retired fellow-traveller for justice. Human rights and justice are universal values. It has been very heartening to witness the growth of the movement to secure justice for the people of West Papua. Your call for an internationally supervised vote to determine the will of the people of West Papua has my support. God bless you.”

Finally Benny Wenda, described his feelings around being here now after a long journey, declaring that the Indonesian occupation is illegal and must be ended now. He finished by reading out the declaration that was signed by all international parliamentarians present.

The secretary-general of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovianus Mote, rounded it off thanking everyone including the various generations of freedom fighters for Papua represented here.

The declaration reads as follows:

Westminster Declaration for an Internationally Supervised Vote in West Papua
 

We the undersigned Members of Parliament, being members of the International Parliamentarians For West Papua:
 

I. Declare that continued human rights violations in West Papua are unacceptable.

II. Warn that without international action the West Papuan people risk extinction.

III. Reiterate the right of the people of West Papua to genuine self-determination.

IV. Declare the 1969 ‘Act of Free Choice’ to be a gross violation of this principle.

V. Call for an internationally supervised vote on self- determination in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 1514 and 1541 (XV).
 

Palace of Westminster, the 3rd of May, 2016

 

Pacific Media Watch

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http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/04/28/pray-for-west-papua-the-first-doco-on-octo-motes-struggle/

6) Pray For West Papua – the first doc on Octo Mote’s struggle

 April 28, 2016
West Papuans in Port Moresby calling to Christians across the world to pray for peace for West Papua earlier this year. Video: EM TV
Pray for West Papua is the first documentary about West Papuan leader Octo Mote and his fight for independence from Indonesia and gaining observer status in the Melanesian Spearhead Group in the Solomon Islands last year.
The director is Mircha Mangiacotti and producer “confidential at this stage”. A trailer for the film can be seen at Vimeo.
Made in association with the Griffith Film School, Australia, and ULMWP (United Liberation Movement for West Papua), the film is being developed and the director is looking for buyers.
We Are Moving Stories has interviewed the director Mircha Mangiacotti:
1.  Pray For West Papua will be the first film on West Papuan independence leader Octo Mote.  Why do you think we’ve had to wait so long?Independence movements in West Papua have unified under the leadership of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in December 2014. Octo Mote was elected as secretary-general and began his work in 2015. This is a fresh new start for the movement.
Octo Mote in a short for the film Pray for West Papua. Image: Vimeo still
2.   Why is the film called Pray For West Papua?This is a working title whilst at pre-production stage. West Papuans are predominantly Christian Catholics whereas Indonesians are mainly Muslims. The issue of religion is another important aspect of the struggle for independence. In the face of frustrating diplomatic efforts through convoluted United Nations protocols, the ULMWP is increasingly turning to the Church for help, hoping the Vatican would eventually apply pressure on Indonesia.
3.  Why do you think the tide is beginning to turn when it comes to West Papua?
For decades, the world has been kept in the dark about West Papua. Through a total media ban on the island, the Indonesian government has managed to keep the ongoing genocide a secret, also with the complicity of mainstream Western media. This is now changing as news is beginning to trickle out via alternative media. This is why documentaries like these are important and necessary: the public needs to be informed so that meaningful action can be taken.

4.  Can you describe the filming you?ve done and what you hope to film in the coming year?Over the past year, I spent quite some time with Octo and other ULMWP leaders, I worked closely with various Australian support groups, and I’ve attended the MSG meeting in the Solomon Islands in June 2015. I have extensive footage of meetings, events, rallies, interviews, archival material etc., which culminated in two 10-minute shorts released last year.
I’m hoping to dig deeper into the story over the next two years, following Octo around the world in his diplomatic efforts, working with West Papuan filmmakers to document the atrocities and interviewing key political and religious figures here in Australia.
5.  Will you also include footage from inside West Papua and include other West Papuan leaders like Benny Wenda?Yes, both.
6.  What type of feedback have you received so far about the film?
Generally, viewers who have never heard about West Papua tell me they are moved by the films and angry about the situation. Most people would like to find out more about the main characters, and their personal stories.
7. Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?Not really.
8.  What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on this platform?I’m hoping to initiate a dialogue with people who might be interested in collaborating with me on this ambitious project.

West Papuan activists and their supporters at the Melanesian Spearhead Group summit in Honiara last year. Image: Mircha Mangiacotti
9.  Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?I have a producer. Working with a distributor would be the most important thing, but it would also be great to engage with potential buyers.
10. What type of impact would you like this film to have?I would like to make a film that is informative yet accessible, telling the story in a way that moves people. I also hope the film could serve as a call for action.
11. Lastly, what’s a key question that will help spark a debate about this issue and film?
Will West Papua ever be Free?
This article was first published on We Are Moving Stories and has been republished here with permission.
Two short docos on West Papua by the director:

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7) “Invisible Project” Comes to Papuan Women Market Development
2 May 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – A banner announcing a plan to build a hotel in the midst of a market development project for Papuan women traders have been questioned by the traders.
“We don’t know about the hotel. Please ask those who want to build this market,” said Mrs. Yuliana Pigay when being asked about the hotel. Mrs. Pigay who during the time was struggling to materialize the market for women traders said she only recognized the market-building plan, because it is only the thing they fought for under the assistance of Solpap.
The hotel development project, according to the Secretary of  the Solidarity for Indigenous Papuan Traders (Solpap) Robert Jitmau suddenly appeared when President Joko Widodo laid the first stone to mark the market development.
“The president also did not mention about the hotel in his speech. Throughout our struggle for the market, we never talk about a hotel. Better ask Presidential Staff Office or Indonesian State Owned Enterprise (BUMN) Ministry who are responsible for hotel development,” said Jitmau.
Deputy V of President Staff Office Jaleswari Pramowardhani when asked about the hotel on Saturday (30/4/2016) said she already asked BUMN Minister Rini Soewandi. According to Jaleswari, the minister explained about the regulation on the State’s asset that require the BUMN Ministry to build a hotel at the same location with the market for women traders. “Hotel would be set on location opposite to Jayapura Municipal Police Office,” said Jaleswari.
Disappointment Remains
Amid the excitement of Papuan women traders after Jokowi laid the first stone of market building on Saturday (30/4/2016) there remains disappointment among them.
“We are happy because DAMRI (State-run Bus Company) office was finally paved down. We came to DAMRI several times but they said they don’t know either. So, when it was paved down, we are very happy. Moreover the president himself came to pave the first stone. But we also disappointed because we couldn’t talk to him directly to thank him,” said Mrs. Dolfince, one of hundreds Papuan women traders who sell in the temporary market for Papuan women traders. Mrs. Dolfince said they only want to thank to the president directly.
“We have prepared our speech for it, but it didn’t realized. Well, fine, the important thing is Damri has been paved down,” said Mrs. Dolfince.
Apparently, to welcome the President Widodo, Papuan women traders have practiced dancing for four nights. They did it after working, from 10 to midnight since 26 April. But their hope couldn’t be realized. The dancing had never been shown.
“The dance was an expression of our gratitude to the president. We practiced every night after working. We disappointed because we cannot show the dance to the president. But fine, perhaps we can show it later at the market launching,” said Mrs. Pigay. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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8) President Jokowi Wants Depapre Seaport to Be Hub for Export-Import Activities
2 May 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – President Joko Widodo said he wanted Depapre Container Port and Sorong Seaport to be hubs for export and import activities in Papua.
“Therefore Papua and Papua Barat should not rely on other seaports outside of Papuato run their industrial export-import activities,” he said at Depapre Seaport, Jayapura on Saturday (30/4/2016).
However, he admitted it takes time to turn Depapre Seaport into such a hub. But now upgrading work has started.
According to Jayapura Regent Matius Awoitau it wasn’t only for goods loading and unloading but also to cover other activities at the seaport which supported by some investors who have invested in the industrial sector.
“Our target in 2013 this seaport will ready be the main seaport to replace the seaport in Jayapura. And some investors would run their activities in the industrial sector in the seaport,” he added.
The activities running by investors are including the timber industry, cement and other industries.
“During the time, loading activities were running at Jayapura Seaport, and after loading the industrial products from outside of Papua was done, the containers would return empty while the price of empty container is equal with the price of local goods here. Therefore, the industrial activities are needed in the seaport so the containers would not return empty,” he said.
He also expected this biggest seaport in Papua could improve the resources of income for the local community at the coastal area of Tanah Merah and Jayapura.
“Some fields of job would certainly open, because this seaport would not only serve Jayapura Regency, but also a number of regencies in Papua that could used it as a place of suppliers or good exchange. It is our opportunity to improve the economic sector,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the same place, President Joko Widodo told reporters that the construction of Depapre Seaport would be financed through Provincial and Regional Budget and National Budget as well.
“This seaport would be built by the Indonesian State Owned Enterprise as well as the existing Regional State Owned Enterprise, thus we expect in the future all sea networks could be connected through this seaport. We have seen the infrastructure of road. It is ongoing process by the local government, and it should not be longer to be used,” said Widodo. (Engel Wally/rom)

1) Australian report excoriates Indonesia, church over Papua

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2) Report of atrocities in West Papua launched

3) Catholic Church report describes situation in West Papua as a ‘slow motion genocide’

4) Support for West Papua

5) Police Ban Media Coverage on Protesters’ Detention

6) The Chronology of Mass Arrest in West Papua on May, 2nd

7) West Papuan demonstrations on the rise


8) People in Border Areas Must Go to Vanimo for Health Care
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1) Australian report excoriates Indonesia, church over Papua

Government continues abusing human rights while church does little to stop it

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta Indonesia May 4, 2016




Police detain Papuans on May 2 during a protest in Jayapura to mark the May 1, 1963, annexation of West Papua by Indonesia. (Photo by Benny Mawel)
Church officials in Indonesia welcomed a report by an Australian archdiocese that criticizes the country for persistent human rights abuses in West Papua, and the church for not doing enough to stop it.

The Archdiocese of Brisbane's Justice and Peace Commission officially launched the 24-page report, "We Will Lose Everything" on May 1. The report was based on the commission's fact-finding mission to West Papua in February that found no improvement to the human rights situation there.

The report said the genesis of the present violence and marginalization endured by the Papuan people was in the shabby dealings by international powers that enabled the Indonesian government to annex West Papua in 1963 without the consent of the people.

Resistance to the Indonesian occupation has continued, as did brutal repression by Indonesian security forces, the report said. Resistance leaders were assassinated while thousands of other Papuans were killed as a result of violence led by Indonesian security forces.

Divine Word Father Paulus Rahmat, coordinator of VIVAT International-Indonesia, a Catholic human rights advocacy organization, said the report was important because it demonstrated the concern of the church in the Asia-Pacific region for the suffering of the Papuan people.

"On one hand, the report helps us see obviously that problems in Papua have worsened. On the other hand, the report serves as an important input since it's such an autocriticism against the church in Indonesia," he said during a May 3 Jakarta meeting that addressed the report.

Speaking with ucanews.com separately, Father John Djonga from the Diocese of Jayapura in Papua, said the report "strongly criticizes the church in Indonesia" for not taking "strict actions to deal with problems in Papua."

"Such a stance taken by the church in Australia strengthens our steps in consistently fighting together with the Papuan people against any kinds of injustice," said Father Djonga.

Natalius Pigai, a Papuan and a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, said the report offered no surprises. "That's what happens in Papua," he said.

"So the question is, when will crimes in Papua stop?" he said.

Budi Hernawan, a researcher at the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy, said President Joko Widodo failed to meet his commitment to restoring human rights in the region.

He referred to May 2 protests in which more than 1,700 people were arrested for protesting the May 1, 1963, annexation of West Papua.

"What happened recently shows an irony: the Papuan people were arrested only because they expressed their political aspirations," he said.

"What is written in the report is basically a confirmation of the present situation in Papua,” he said.


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2) Report of atrocities in West Papua launched



Posted: Wednesday, May 4, 2016 8:00 am
By Len Garae | 0 comments
“This report is an act of solidarity, I make it clear that this struggle is the struggle of the people of Papua. It is not my struggle as an Australian, but I am proud to be in solidarity with them and to support them in whatever they want.”
The Executive Officer of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Brisbane, Peter Urns made the statement before handing over the Report to the Chairman of Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, Pastor Allan Nafuki in front of the Paton Memorial (Presbyterian) Church at Independence Park yesterday.
In February this year, the Executive Officer went to West Papua for the second time with a small delegation, after the Pacific Island Forum Summit agreed to seek Indonesian Government cooperation for a South Pacific human rights fact finding mission to be sent to West Papua which has not happened.
His group was the first “shadow fact finding mission” to West Papua this year.
The 24-page Report called “We will lose everything on a Human Rights Fact Finding Mission to West Papua”, is produced by the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission following its visit to West Papua last February.
The Report has documented the constant killings and human rights abuses of the West Papuans despite assurances from the Indonesian Government that such atrocities have stopped.
The Executive Officer explains, “When we did this report, Papuans showed us where we would go (in West Papua) and they guided us and told us what we could do and what we could not do.
“And when we finished the draft of the report, we handed it to our Papuan friends who told us what changes were needed and they gave us final approval before we released it as an act of solidarity.
“And it is a great pleasure to have this launched here in Port Vila today (yesterday), in Fiji yesterday (before yesterday), in Australia last Sunday, in Jakarta even today (yesterday) to say the people of Melanesia agree that this is the voice of the people of West Papua that we are trying to represent solely, as I said to one Papuan friend, that this is the voice of the people of West Papua, and not the voice of the Government of Indonesia.
“And so it is with great pleasure that I hand this Report over to the Chairman of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, Pastor Allan Nafuki.”
Pastor Nafuki launched the Report and blessed it with a prayer while the West Papuan Morning Star Flag was flying freely in the wind outside the church.
The Executive Officer Peter Urns is also leading the coordination team of the Australian West Papua solidarity movement with the United Liberation Movement of West Papua.
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Pacific Beat

3) Catholic Church report describes situation in West Papua as a ‘slow motion genocide’

Updated Tue at 8:35am
A report based on a secret fact-finding mission to West Papua by the Catholic church says the Indonesian province is enduring slow-motion genocide, amid fresh allegations of torture and murder being committed by the police and the military.
The report called We Will Lose Everything has just been launched in Brisbane, with further launches to follow in Port Vila and Suva in the coming days.
There are also plans for the Catholic Justice & Peace Commission to go public with their findings in West Papua itself.
Peter Arndt, Executive Officer of the Catholic Justice & Peace Commission in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, says while there are risks involved in that particular launch, his colleagues in West Papua are willing to take that gamble.
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4) Support for West Papua

Matilda Simmons And Tevita Vuibau Thursday, May 05, 2016

SODELPA says they continue to stand with the people of West Papua in their struggle for self determination, their show of support coming just days after a damning report on Indonesian human rights violations in West Papua was released.
SODELPA president Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu made the comments yesterday as Indonesian soldiers arrived in Fiji to help with the rebuilding of Queen Victoria School in Tailevu
The report titled "We Will Lose Everything," was compiled by a two-person delegation from the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
The pair, Commission Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, and Sister of St Joseph from Sydney, Sr Susan Connelly spent two weeks in West Papua early this year travelling through Merauke, Jayapura, Timika and Sorong.
It noted reports of human rights violations by members of the Indonesian security forces had not declined nor had the economic and social status of Papuans improved.
"While we welcome their valuable assistance in rebuilding Queen Victoria School, the school which has produced distinguished leaders of this nation, this should not be a reason for Government's acquiesce on Indonesia's continuing abuse of human rights on West Papua," Ratu Naiqama said
"Our Melanesian brothers and sisters can count on a future SODELPA Government to support indigenous rights and movements in Melanesia and in the South Pacific".
Launching the report at St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Suva on Tuesday, the Head of the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia, Archbishop Winston Halapua said the Pacific needed to stand with West Papua in their struggle for self-determination.
"The message is, stand strong and do not be afraid, with God nothing is impossible.
"As the Pacific, we have done this before, standing together recently prior to the Paris Climate Change Agreement talks to raise our voices," Archbishop Halapua said.
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5) Police Ban Media Coverage on Protesters’ Detention

3 May 2016 


Jayapura, Jubi – Journalists have been banned from  covering  the arrest of protesters who support the West Papua Liberation (United Liberation Movement for West Papua) in the square of the Mobile Brigade Command Headquarters in Kotaraja, Papua on Monday (2/5/2016).
Reporters saw hundreds of protesters being grouped at the square, asked to remove their clothes and footwear and stand in the sun at noon.
Police officers who guarded the headquarters gate, about 100 meters height, prevented media crews including a Tabloidjubi.com reporter to enter the square.
About 20 officers stood guard outside of gate holding wood batons and telling people to stop.
They also prohibited journalists from taking photos of the arrested protestors.
One of the officers said they were acting on  a direct order from Mobile Brigade Unit Chief of Papua Police, Senior Police Commissionaire Mathius Fakhiri.
“The point is the Chief Fakhiri ordered us to ban people particularly journalists from covering this,” said Mobile Brigade Officer Romansyah when asked by Jubi at the checkpoint on Monday (2/5/2016).
The protesters were detained in several locations, including Expo, Perumnas 3 Waena and Lingkaran Abe before taken by the police truck to the square of Mobile Brigade Command Headquarters. (Yuliana Lantipo/rom)

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6) The Chronology of Mass Arrest in West Papua on May, 2nd

3 May 2016

Jayapura, Jubi – Monday, (02/05/2016), Papua Police arrested protesters including West Papua National Committee (KNPB) members, student activists  and Papuan pro-independence supporters.
The activists were held in several places, including Jayapura, Sentani, Merauke, Manokwari, Timika and Sorong.
In Jayapura Municipality, the police detained activists who were protesting in seven locations.
The Secretary General of the Central West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Oneh Suhuniap said the arrest was initially occurred on Monday, 2 May 2016 at 09:00 Papua time in front of the Campus Gate of Cenderawasih University, Perumnas 3 Waena. Jayapura Municipal Police have detained 178 activists consisting of the students of University of Cenderawasih, KNPB activists and Papuan supporters.
In this detention, the First Chairman of Central KNPB Agus Kossay, First Secretary of Central KNPB Mecky Yeimo, KNBP Spokesperson Bazoka Logo and Deputy Chairman of West Papua National Parliament (PNWP) of Ha Anim Region Eliaser Anggainom were also arrested.
Initially at 07:00 Papua time, Agus Kossay and the protesters walked through the circle of the Perumnas III Waena. At 08:00 Papua time, the crowed arrived in front of the campus gate of the University of Cenderawasih but the Police have waited the crowd.
“In a half hour, at 09:00 Papua time, the Police conducted an arrest against some student and KNPB activists as well as the mass supporters. In this detaintion, the Police have seized a number of KNPB flags, 181 cellphones and banners,” said Ones Suhaniap to Jubi.
Additionally, about two hundreds were arrested at Lingkaran Abepura. And the third detention was occurred at 10:30 Papua time. The Police seized a number of KNPB flags, pamphlets, megaphone, cellphones and other attributes.
He explained, at 06:00 Papua time, the crowd has been gathered at Mimika Student Dormitory in Abepura sector. The preparation was done from 06:00 to 08:00 Papua time before they walked from the gathering point at 08:30 Papua time and prayed at the Secretariat of Abepura Sector. At 08:40 Papua time, the crowd walked through the gathering mass point at Lingkaran Abepura led by the Area Coordinator Dolia Ubruangge and Deputy Area Coordinator Lacar Sama. The mass has already been gathered at Lingkaran Abepura at 08:30.
“At 09:00 Papua time, the protesters led by Ubruangeg and Sama did the political orations. After a half and an hour, at 10:30 Papua time, the Police came to arrests the protesters. About two hundreds activists were taken by four police trucks towards the Mobile Brigader Headquarters in Kotaraja,” he said.
In the same day, 203 activists were detained at Den Zipur Waena. People have already gathered at the KNPB Expo Sector at 07:30 Papua time. For five hours, the crowd was gathered at Expo Square, Waena. They walked from the Expo Sector Secretariat at 10:00 towards Abepura to join the mass protesters in the campus gate of the University of Cenderawasih Abepura. But the Police have blockaded the road, so the crowd turned to walk behind the Mega Supermarket towards Den Zipur.
At 11:20 Papua time, the Police blockaded the crowd at Zipur Waena. The mass tried to conduct negation with the Police, but failed. The Police did not allow them to go to Abepura. 203 activists were arrested then at 11:30 Papua time. The Police got them in 3 police’s truck and brought them to Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Kotaraja. They remained not being released until now.
Suhuniap added 50 KNPB activists and students have been arrested at Waena traffic light. The second mass rally was occurred from Puncak Jaya Women Dormitory, Yahukimo Student Dormitory and Paniai Student Dormitory. They conducted a rally to Abepura to join the first crowd. The Police banned the protesters and arrested them, brought them into the Police truck to the Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Kotaraja. Some students who gathered at the campus of the University of Cenderawasih in Abepura were also been arrested by the Police and took to the Mobile Brigade Headquarters.
Then, 115 people were arrested at the bus halt, Yapis Dok V, Jayapura City. The crowd led by the First Chairman of KNPB Numbay Jimmi Browai was detained and took to the Jayapura Municipal Police in two Police’s trucks.
“So, in total about 1.449 people were arrested in Jayapura City within the day,” he said. In addition, a number of 27 KNPB Sorong Raya activists have been arrested when conducting a rally in UKIP Malanu, Sorong City on Monday (2/5/2016) at 08:00 Papua time. The Police and Military Joint Force disbanded the crowd.  Now they are detained at Sorong Municipal Police Headquarters.
The Chairman of KNPB Sentani Alen Halitopo said 6 activists were arrested in Sentani at 08:00 Papua time. The arrest was occurred when people were gathered at Pos 7 Street.
“Without negotiation, they were arrested and took to Jayapura Regional Police Headquarters at Doyo Baru Sentani. Besides the detention, a number of mass attributes were seized by the Police,” said Halitopo.
As many as 200 KNPB activists were arrested by Merauke Police in the peace rally at Tugu Pepera Merauke. The Military and Police Joint Force has blockaded the mass led by the Chairman of Merauke KNPB Gento Doop and First Secretary Charles Sraun and forcedly disbanded them. After dispersing the crowd, the Police took the activists into 5 Police trucks and brought them to the Police Headquarters.  led by the Chairman of Merauke KNPB Gento Doop and First Secretary Charles Sraun
Some KNPB in Baliem Region were also conducted a rally at the Secretariat of KNPB Baliem Wamena. The Police reportedly arrested them but the number is still not being confirmed. “The total of today arrest, Monday (02/05/2016) in Papua is 1.692 activists. It is the recent data reported from Merauke, Jayapura, Sorong and Sentani,” said Ones Suhuniap.
Peace rally organized by KNPB is express the support on the International Parliamentarian for West Papua (IPWP) conference and support to ULMWP to be accepted as the full member in the Melanesia Spearhead Groups. The rally, according to, Papua Police Spokesperson Senior Police Commissionaire Patrige Renwarin has not obtained license from the Police. “It’s already clear. Papua Police Chief has firmly said this organization is not listed. There is no permit for demonstration. If they insisted to do that, they would be disbanded. Moreover this demonstration was against the State sovereignty and it can not be justified,” he said. (Abeth You/rom




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7) West Papuan demonstrations on the rise

5:04 am today


Despite mass arrests by Indonesian police, West Papuans are likely to hold more public mobilisations in support of aspirations for self-determination.

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  • 8) People in Border Areas Must Go to Vanimo for Health Care
3  May 2016
    Vanimo Jayapura, Jubi – Icelina Mabel from Moso Village of Muara Tami Sub-district, Jayapura, complained that the local health center (Pustu Moso) operates only once a week.
“Health workers come to the Pustu Moso once a week to measure babies, give medical check-up for local people but do not give medication or referrals to patients with serious illness. Doctors also rarely come,” Icelina Mabel told Jubi at Moso Village on Monday (2/5/2016).
Patients often don’t know where to go, she said.

“Finally we are forced to go downhill (to Vanimo Hospital),” she said.
Moso Village is located on the PNG-Indonesia border.
Meanwhile, another villager, Wilem, urged health staffers to come every day, so they can hear the locals complaints.
“People also need socialization and counseling on health issues,” he said.
Earlier Jubi reported that the Health Ministry has disbursed Rp 1.4 trillion for financing the community health services in Papua at regional and municipal levels.
“Within this year, the budget for health from the Central Government, namely the Health Ministry, is Rp 1.4 trillion not Rp 1.3 trillion as previously published. The budget is allocated from the Special Allocation Budget (DAK) of the Health Ministry. It would be allocated for the public health community insurance in Papua Province,” Head of Papua Provincial Health Office Aloysius Giyai in Jayapura on Saturday (13/2/2016).  (Roy Ratumakin/rom)
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Media release- AWPA letter to Australian Foreign Minister re arrests in West Papua



Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

5 April 2016
Media release- AWPA letter to Australian Foreign Minister re arrests in West Papua


AWPA has written to the Foreign Minister re recent arrests in West Papua.

AWPA is calling on Julie Bishop  again to raise concerns about the arrests of peaceful demonstrators in West Papua with the Indonesian Government, the on going crackdown on peaceful civil society groups and the intimidation of journalists for simply doing their job.  As Australia is a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) country we are urging  the Foreign Minister to join with other Pacific Leaders and encourage the Indonesian Government to allow a PIF fact-finding mission to investigate the human rights situation in the territory. 
Joe Collins 
AWPA

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The Hon Julie Bishop MP
Foreign Minister

House of Representatives


Parliament House


Canberra ACT 2600

5 May 2016
Dear Foreign Minister,

I am writing to you concerning the mass arrests of peaceful demonstrators on the 2 May in West Papua. Up to 1700 peaceful activists were arrested in a number of rallies throughout the territory.  The rallies were called to show support for the bid by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and to support the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) who were meeting at the Houses of Parliament in London to discuss the issue. 

Although the majority of the demonstrators were released, during the arrests in Jayapura a large number were taken to the Mobile brigade (BRIMOB) headquarters and made to remove their shirts and put in a field in the extremely hot midday sun. Seven of the activists were tortured; receiving blows with rifle butts to the head, punched in the chest and head and stood on. The reports of the incidents have spread around the world.  Demonstrators were also arrested in peaceful rallies on the 13 and 27  April with the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) being a major target of the security forces as one of organisations involved in the calling the rallies. Local Journalists were also stopped from covering the arrest of protesters.

There is increasing support for West Papua internationally and we note that at the meeting of the IPWP at the House of Commons, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was time the West Papuan people were able to make their own choice about their political future. “It's about a political strategy that brings to worldwide recognition the plight of the people of West Papua, that forces it onto a political agenda, that forces it to the UN, and ultimately allows the people of West Papua to make a choice about the kind of government they want and the kind of society in which they want to live," he told the meeting.  Other speakers at the meeting included MPs, ministers and political leaders from the UK, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.


We urge you again to raise concerns about the arrests of peaceful demonstrators in West Papua with the Indonesian Government, the on going crackdown on peaceful civil society groups and the intimidation of journalists for simply doing their job.  As Australia is a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) country we urge you to join with other Pacific Leaders and encourage the Indonesian Government to allow a PIF fact-finding mission to investigate the human rights situation in the territory. 

Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
AWPA (Sydney)








1) West Papua report dismisses Canberra’s claims

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2) NZ govt concerned about human rights abuses in Papua
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1) West Papua report dismisses Canberra’s claims
7:13 pm today
Claims by Canberra that the plight of West Papuans in the Indonesian region is improving are false, according to an Australian Catholic Church fact finding mission's report.
The mission in February by the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Brisbane has produced a report called 'We will Lose Everything'
Peter Arndt, who led the fact finding team, says the indigenous people they met made it clear the human rights situation was not improving and it remains a difficult environment.
"With security forces routinely using violence and intimidation to keep the people, and especially those wanting to express their political views about self determination, at bay," he said.
Following his last trip to West Papua, Mr Arndt said he went to Jakarta where he said he made an attempt to speak to an official from the Australian embassy, to report on what his team had found in Papua.
"But for some reason my appointment was cancelled 45 minutes before it was due to be held."
Peter Arndt said it's hoped that the report, which is being progressively launched around the Pacific, would lead to a greater understanding of what is happening in West Papua.
Some Papuans say life in their region has improved significantly, compared to the years under the rule of Indonesia's President Suharto who fell in 1998.
But the proportion of West papuans to the overall population of their region is declining quickly as non-Papuan migrants stream in on a regular basis, via the state-facilitated transmigration system.
Mr Arndt explained that Papuans he had spoken to were very worried that they would continue to be deeply marginalised economically and socially.
"So they want people to hear their story and their desperation," he said, "and to take effective action to change that situation in West Papua before it's too late for them."
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2) NZ govt concerned about human rights abuses in Papua
7:13 pm today
The New Zealand government has reiterated its concerns about human rights abuses in Indonesia’s Papua region.
On Monday as many as 1,700 people were arrested in demonstrations across all of the main Papuan cities.
The demonstrations were in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid to be a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, as well as the International Parliamentarians for West Papua summit held in London this week.
Responding to questions in parliament today from opposition Green MP Catherine Delahunty about ongoing human rights abuses the Foreign Minister Murray McCully said New Zealand had always been concerned about the situation in West Papua.
" I have been following the reports of arrests with some interest. The government is concerned about these matters and the government wants to see an improvement in the situation in that part of the world. The government does not believe that megaphone diplomacy will serve that objective."
Earlier this week the government blocked a motion by Ms Delahunty which was to have asked New Zealand's parliament to support the call by the International Parliamentarians for West Papua for a referendum on self-determination in Papua.
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1) Arrest of Papuans showcases paradox in democracy, human rights: Activist

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2) Komnas HAM to investigate shutdown of World Press Day event in Yogyakarta
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1) Arrest of Papuans showcases paradox in democracy, human rights: Activist
Nether Dharma Somba Posted: Thu, May 5 2016 | 07:15 pm


In formation – Dozens of Papuan activists sit in lines under police watch in the yard of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Kotaraja, Jayapura, on Monday. They were arrested for staging a rally in support of Papuan independence.(thejakartapost.com/Nethy Dharma Somba)


Rights activists in Papua have slammed the arrest of 1,888 students and activists who were carrying out a peaceful rally on Monday to support the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's campaign to gain full membership of the Melanesia Spearhead Group.
They said the arrests revealed Indonesia's paradoxical democracy and attitude toward human rights.
“During his visit to Papua to release five political prisoners in 2015, President Jokowi said he would open democracy up as widely as possible in Papua. However, the stifling of that aspiration has been continuous. Indonesia is widely acclaimed as Asia's biggest democratic country, but in Papua, voicing your aspirations is prohibited,” Ferdinand Marisan, the director of rights group Elsham Papua, said in Jayapura on Wednesday.
According to Elsham Papua, the difference between what the government has stated and what it has done reveals the paradox in Indonesia’s democracy and its upholding of human rights. “Efforts by the government to uphold human rights, and its statements on freedom of expression, are aimed at merely creating a good image because the silencing of [opinions] has continued to happen,” Ferdinand said.
Gustaf Kawer, a law practitioner in Papua who often gives legal assistance in cases involving separatism, said the stifling of voices in the province, where many want to separate from the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia ( NKRI ), was getting stronger and continued to affect more and more Papua residents and youths.
“Last year, only hundreds of Papuan people were arrested for [protesting] for freedom, or separation from Indonesia. Now more and more people are being arrested and recently, around 1,000 people were arrested and taken to the Mobile Brigade [Brimob] Kotaraja headquarters,” said Gustaf.
“People’s aspirations cannot be silenced. The harder they try to silence us, the stronger we will voice our aspirations,” he said.
The arrest of 1,888 Papuan residents, he continued, was in violation of human rights and various laws that ensured freedom of expression.
As reported earlier, during the commemoration ceremony for National Education Day on Monday, West Papua National Committee members staged a rally, rejecting the integration of Papua into Indonesia, a move which was was formalized on May 1, 1963. Security  arrested the protesters and took them all to the local Brimob headquarters in Kotaraja, Jayapura, where they were held in a field at the headquarters from 9 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. local time.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said the activists were arrested because the police had not issued a permit for the rally, adding that they were prohibited from staging any rally in support of separation from Indonesia.
Several demonstrators were reportedly beaten and journalists were not allowed to cover the arrest.
Papua Legislative Council Speaker Yunus Wonda regretted the repressive measures used by security officers.
“The police should have taken a persuasive approach in guarding the [rally]. If the arrests happened because they were voicing their aspirations, democracy in Papua is being silenced,” said Yunus.
Elsham Papua considers the government not serious about resolving human rights violations in Papua. Though many rights violations have occurred in Papua, only one case has been brought before the human rights tribunal, and the perpetrator in that case released.
“Human rights violations in Papua have continued to occur and none of them have been resolved. There is no government willingness to properly resolve the cases, which leads the people to lose their trust in the government because there is no justice for victims,” said Ferdinand.
Elsham Papua has made three recommendations following the incident. First, it has called on the Pacific Islands Forum to dispatch a fact-finding team to Papua to meet with victims of human rights violations, which have been occurring since May 1, 1963, and continue today.
Second, it calls on UN member countries, international human rights organizations and all networks in support of upholding human rights to also establish a fact-finding team. Elsham Papua expects this team to visit Papua before the UN Human Rights Council conducts its Universal Periodic Review in 2017.
Third, Elsham Papua calls on the government to be ready and willing to cooperate with neutral third parties in carrying out an investigation on human rights violations in Papua. The investigation, the rights groups states, should not involve the Indonesian Military or the National Police, two institutions that it claims have often committed human rights violations in Papua. ( afr/ebf )
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2) Komnas HAM to investigate shutdown of World Press Day event in Yogyakarta
Bambang Muryanto -  Posted: Thu, May 5 2016 | 11:05 pm
The National Commission on Human Rights ( Komnas HAM ) will investigate alleged human rights violations in the recent shutting down of World Press Day celebrations by the police and various conservative social organizations in Yogyakarta.
“Our monitoring sub-commission members will go to Yogyakarta to gather information and facts. We will meet all parties, including police personnel,” Komnas HAM chairman M. Imdadun Rahmat said in Yogyakarta early on Thursday.
He made the statement after receiving a report of the incident from the Yogyakarta chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists ( AJI ).
It was earlier reported that police personnel and members of the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children ( FKPPI ), an association of families of retired military and police personnel, dispersed an event that was celebrating World Press Day, held by AJI Yogyakarta on Tuesday.
The police and FKPPI members said a movie titled “Pulau Buru Tanah Air Beta” ( Buru Island: My Homeland ), by Rahung Nasution, was screening at the event and had the potential to ignite conflict as it contained communist teachings.
The police insisted the event had no permit although AJI Yogyakarta claimed it had sent an invitation to Yogyakarta Police chief Brig. Gen. Prasta Wahyu Hidayat and Yogyakarta City Police chief Sr. Comr. Pri Hartono Eling Lelakon.
“The Yogyakarta Police chief has ordered that this activity be stopped,” Yogyakarta City Police head of operations Comr. Sigit Haryadi said on Tuesday.
Imdadun said two serious human rights violations had taken place. First, the shutting down of the event, and second, the expulsion of AJI Yogyakarta members and activists who insisted on staying at the AJI office after the event had been shut down on Tuesday evening.
“We will also see what rights have been violated in terms of violence. The result of our investigation will form the basis for recommendations we will submit to several government institutions,” he said.
If there was an ethics violation, the commissioner said, Komnas HAM would push the National Police to hold an ethics hearing. Or, it will bring the case to the general court if the violation could be categorized as a crime.
“The state must protect its citizens who want to meet or work anywhere they like. There should be no expulsion. It seems this country has no rules,” said Imdadun.
In an official statement, AJI Yogyakarta secretary Bhekti Suryani asked the government to be serious in handling the case and the violations perpetrated by the police officers. The police, Bhekti said, tended to take sides with intolerant groups.
“We urge the National Police chief [Gen. Badrodin Haiti] and the National Police Commission to evaluate the work performance of the Yogyakarta Police and all of their divisions, which have allied themselves with intolerant groups,” said Bhekti.
Yogyakarta-based Indonesian Islamic University Center for Human Rights Studies ( Pusham UII ) director Eko Riyadi symbolically expressed his condolences for the death of press freedom in Indonesia. He said the repression perpetrated by security authorities had exceeded the limits of what could be tolerated in a democratic country.
"The shutdown has marked a new era where the police are very actively limiting human rights," Eko said.
He called on Komnas HAM to investigate the case seriously because cases of intolerance were continuing to happen in Yogyakarta. In the city, known as a “city of tolerance”, Eko said he had witnessed state apparatus instead form an evil axis with intolerant groups.
“The result [of the investigation] is not only aimed at dismissing either the Yogyakarta Police chief or the Yogyakarta City Police chief but also at improving the situation in Yogyakarta,” said Eko.
Meanwhile, a researcher from the Institution of Social and Islamic Study ( LKIS ), Hairus Salim, said the shutdown of the commemoration of World Press Day was really frightening and tense.
“There were many fully armed police personnel. They actually would've been quite strong enough to fight against the intolerant groups,” said Hairus.
He said he regretted that the police officers had refused to function as they should and protect the citizens being threatened with violence by the FKPPI. ( afr/ebf )
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1) Bring in West Papua, keep Indonesia out: VFWPA

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2) International MPs support West Papua
3) Report says West Papuans fear they will lose everything
4) Jeremy Corbyn on West Papua: UK Labour leader calls for independence vote
5) Finding a dignified resolution for West Papua
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1) Bring in West Papua, keep Indonesia out: VFWPA
Posted: Friday, May 6, 2016 8:00 am
By Godwin Ligo | 

Vice Chair of VFWPM Chief Seni Mao presenting Communique in a basket with Peace leaf Namele to the Deputy Director of the MSG Secretariat Molean Kilepak

Leaders and members of the Vanuatu-Free West Papua Association (VFWPA) presented a Communiqué to the Deputy Director of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat (MSG) Mr. Molean Kalpak, requesting him to pass the Communiqué on to the MSG Chair and Leaders to allow West Papua full membership in the MSG and keep Indonesia out of the MSG.
The Vanuatu-West Papua Association Chairman, Pastor Alan Nafuki, and Vice-Chairman who is also President of the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs, Chief Tirsupe Seni-Mao, led the Vanuatu- Free West Papua Association delegation to the MSG Headquarters in Port Vila.
Some members of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) were also present.
The Vice-Chairman of the Vanuatu-Free West Papua Association Chief Tirsupe Seni Mao, presented the Communiqué to the Deputy Director of the MSG Secretariat Mr. Molean Kilepak, in a Vanuatu traditionally woven basket with the namele leaves which is a symbol of peace throughout Vanuatu.
“This Vanuatu Melanesian Traditional Basket symbolizes MSG.
“Placing the Communiqué in it is a call for the MSG (Basket) Leaders to bring into the MSG the West Papua full membership and remove Indonesia out of the Basket (MSG) peacefully.
“We humbly call on you (Mr. Kilepak) to convey this message together with the Communiqué to the Chairman of the MSG and all the MSG leaders before the next MSG Meeting,” said the Vanuatu-Free West Papua Association Vice-Chairman, Chief Tirsupe Seni Mao.
In receiving the Basket, the Namele leaves and the Communiqué, the Deputy Director of the MSG Secretariat Molean Kilepak, said the MSG Secretariat is here to facilitate the work for the MSG, its leaders and members but the decision is not made by the MSG Secretariat but by the MSG Chair and Leaders of the member countries. He told the leaders and members of the VFWPA that the Secretariat will pass the Petition on to the Chair and the leaders.
The Communiqué contains 5 key resolutions passed by the Association in a Communiqué called Owen Hall Communiqué which calls for the MSG to grant full MSG Membership to West Papua and remove Indonesia Membership from the MSG.
Part of the Communiqué reads: “The Meeting was convened at the right time when Melanesian Spearhead Group is considering the full membership ULMWP.
“The meeting called for the removal of Indonesia’s membership of the MSG.
“In the Spirit of solidarity and Partnership, Civil Society Leaders:
“1. RE-AFFIRM our resolve to play a complementary role with the MSG leaders to progress development and improve the lives and wellbeing of Melanesian People.
“2. EXPRESS SOLIDARITY with the MSG of its commitments under the preamble of the MSG Constitution, the 2013 Noumea Communiqué to support the inalienable rights of the people of West Papua towards self-determination and the inclusion of West Papua as an Observer in the MSG at the 2015 MSG Summit.
“3. CALL UPON THE MSG to accept and endorse the full membership of the ULMWP at the 2016 MSG Summit.
“4. FURTHER CALL on the MSG and the Melanesian countries to denounce the ongoing genocide of West Papua Melanesians and colonial rule by Indonesia.
“5. APPEAL TO Pacific Island governments and the International Community for;
“External international intervention into the West Papua emergency situation;recognition and confirmation of ULMWP as rightful leaders of the struggles of West Papua; challenging the Netherlands and the United Nations on legality of Indonesian powers over West Papua; sponsoring of a resolution for the re-unification of West Papua into the United Nations Decolonization list; sponsoring the case of West Papua in the International Court of Justice seeking a judgment on the legality of the 1969 “Act of Free Choice” and supporting the Self-determination and independence of West Papua.”
The Communiqué was dated May 3, 2016 on behalf of participants of the Owen Hall Meeting and signed by; Pastor Alan Nafuki, Chairman Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, Moli Seni Mao Tirsupe, President Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs, Vanuatu, Ms Emele Duituturaga, Executive Director Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organizations and Mr. Peter Amdt, Coordinating Team Leader, Australia West Papua Solidarity Movement.
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2) International MPs support West Papua
Pacnews Friday, May 06, 2016
A HISTORIC step on the road to freedom for West Papua has been taken in London.
At a meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua in the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, a new declaration was made calling for an internationally supervised vote on West Papua's independence.
It was attended and supported by Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva, the Prime Minister of Tonga; Bruno Leingkone, Minister for Foreign Affairs in Vanuatu; Rex Horoi, MSG special envoy on West Papua, Solomon Islands; Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Vanuatu; Gary Juffa, Governor of Oro District, Papua New Guinea; Lord Harries of Pentregarth, UK House of Lords; Jeremy Corbyn, MP, Leader of the UK Opposition; and Benny Wenda, international spokesperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and several other British MPs.
Tonga's PM offered his country's full support for West Papua's struggle. He explained how it was the UN's responsibility to ensure human rights were upheld in West Papua and he would continue to push for this.
Mr Corbyn spoke of his personal interest in West Papua and his role as a UN observer in East Timor. He talked of the need for justice and human rights to be delivered to the people of West Papua and stated the world could either continue having this conflict or could choose to live in a world of peace and justice from the recognition of human rights for all — a cornerstone of foreign policy.
He reiterated his support for West Papua's struggle for freedom and how he would like this to be written in the policy of the British Labour Party.
A statement by Guyana's PM, Moses Nagamootoo, offering his country's continuing support of the right to self-determination for the people of West Papua was also read out
Mr Regenvanu spoke of Vanuatu's long-term support recalling how their first PM, Father Walter Lini, had stated "Vanuatu would not be truly independent while any other Melanesian country was not".
He spoke of the commitment by Melanesian countries to bring West Papua into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and Vanuatu was working for West Papua to gain full membership of the MSG at its upcoming meeting.
Mr Horoi, the special envoy from the Solomon Islands, highlighted the key areas of their support which involved urgency of stopping human rights abuses, recognsising the political identity of the ULMWP and the strategic engagement of the Solomon Islands Government with neighbours in the Pacific and around the world.
He also redefined the importance of the Pacific by renaming the "small island states" as the "big ocean states".
Mr Juffa also mentioned his personal connection with the people of West Papua; how his father captained the first boat of refugees from West Papua and how he promised them that he would do everything he could to fight with them for their freedom.
He explained PNG regrettably still recognised Indonesian sovereignty but a large movement in PNG was emerging in support of West Papuan freedom and he would continue to be one of the movement's main political voices.
Lord Harries said he first met
Mr Wenda in the UK in 2003, how the issue was almost unknown and what a long way it had come today with representatives from the "big ocean nations" championing the cause.
He read out a statement of support by Reverend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu: "Dear people and friends of West Papua. Please accept, from the southern tip of Africa, the love and blessings of a retired fellow-traveller for justice.
"Human rights and justice are universal values. It has been very heartening to witness the growth of the movement to secure justice for the people of West Papua. Your call for an internationally supervised vote to determine the will of the people of West Papua has my support.
"God bless you."
Finally Mr Wenda declared his feelings saying the Indonesian occupation was illegal and must end now.
He finished by reading out the declaration that was signed by all International Parliamentarians present.
The secretary-general of the ULMWP, Octovianus Mote, rounded it off thanking everyone, including the various generations of freedom fighters for Papua.
The declaration reads as follows —
Westminster Declaration for an internationally supervised vote in West Papua, we the undersigned members of Parliament, being members of the International Parliamentarians For West Papua:
I. Declare that continued human rights violations in West Papua are unacceptable;
II. Warn that without international action the West Papuan people risk extinction;
III. Reiterate the right of the people of West Papua to genuine self-determination;
IV. Declare the 1969 'Act of Free Choice' to be a gross violation of this principle; and
V. Call for an internationally supervised vote on self-determination in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 1514 and 1541 (XV).

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3) Report says West Papuans fear they will lose everything
9:00 am today
An Australia Catholic group which sent a fact finding team to West Papua says there are no signs that the economic and social status of Papuans is improving.
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Transcript

Politicians in Australia have frequently claimed that the economic and social plight of the indigenous people of Indonesia's West Papua region is improving.
But a new report, based on a fact finding mission earlier this years shows this is not the case.
The report, from the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Brisbane, is called 'We will Lose Everything'
Don Wiseman asked Peter Arndt, who led the two person team to Papua in February, if he saw any evidence to back up the Australian claims.  
PETER ARNDT: No, frankly no. We certainly have got the message from the Australian government in letters that we've received on several occasions. But the situation that we found in Papua is that the human rights situation is not improving. The people certainly told us that it is continuing to be a difficult situation to live in, with security forces routinely using violence and intimidation to keep the people, especially those wanting to express their political views about self-determination, at bay. And certainly that's been confirmed too by a prominent Indonesian human rights organisation, KONTRAS, which is the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, who said that their records showed that there was something like over 1200 cases of human rights violations in the last year (in Papua) and that meant there was no improvement since President Widodo was elected towards the end of 2014.
DON WISEMAN: Did your group actually see any examples, did you see anything first hand in terms of violent incidents?
PA: No we didn't see any violent incidents. But certainly on the visit we paid in February this year, and the visit I was on in January, February last year, on both occasions there was an attempt by police and in some cases other security forces to intervene, to interrogate us and so on. On this occasion, our host was able to make sure that the police didn't call us up for interrogation. On the last occasion, police and intelligence and immigration all descended on us, and wanted to take us away and interrogate us immediately. But our local hosts intervened and gave us a few hours to prepare ourselves, and then we presented ourselves for interrogation, and thankfully were let go. So we've had first hand experience of the security forces, keeping a close eye on people and trying to stop people from investigating the human rights situation. And we were shown photos and so on of people who had been bashed by the military and so on in our last visit, a very recent incident - one of the bishops showed us a photo of a person whom he knew had been bashed by soldiers for complaining about not getting paid for two months.
DW: Did you have any discussions with representatives of the Indonesian government?
PA: No, no we didn't. I did go over by myself after the end of the Papuan leg to Jakarta, and talked to some community organisations. I did make an attempt to speak to an official from the Australian embassy, to report on what we had found when we were in West Papua. But for some reason my appointment was cancelled 45 minutes before it was due to be held. So that's the closest I've got to an official. But certainly no Indonesian officials.
DW: This report, I know it's been taken around the Pacific and being presented right now. What does your group hope to achieve?
PA: Well we made it clear from the start that this report is something that we're trying to ensure is an accurate reflection of the voices of the Papuan people inside West Papua. So they worked closely with us to organise the visit and to prepare the report. Anf they gave it authorisation to be released. We want it to be something that is widely disseminated throughout the Pacific and globally as an authentic representation of the experiences of the people of West Papua, so the world hears clearly what they are experiencing on a day-to-day basis, what their concerns about their immediate future are, and what they hope can happen to change their situation, because they feel very desperate and anxious about their situation at present. The title of the report says "We Will Lose Everything", that's what one of the leaders of the Papuans said to us in Brisbane in January. They are very worried that within a few years, the (Papuan) population will dwindle to a tiny percentage of the population in West Papua, it'll be dominated by Indonesian migrants, and that they will continue to be deeply marginalised economically and socially. So they want people to hear their story and their desperation, and to take effective action to change that situation in West Papua before it's too late for them.
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4) Jeremy Corbyn on West Papua: UK Labour leader calls for independence vote
Helen Davidson Friday 6 May 2016 12.36 AEST
Jeremy Corbyn has drawn attention to the plight of West Papuans, saying the recognition of human rights and justice should be the “cornerstone” of the UK Labour party’s foreign policy.
The Labour leader made the comments in an address to a meeting of international parliamentarians, supporters and activists in London on Tuesday.
The group, which included Pacific region ministers and leaders, among them the West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda, called for a UN-supervised independence vote in the Indonesian territory.
West Papuans are the indigenous people of a region on the western half of the island shared with Papua New Guinea, formerly under Dutch rule. Indonesia took temporary control of West Papua under a UN–backed treaty in 1963. It consolidated its rule through a UN-sanctioned but discredited ballot in 1969, in which barely 1,000 West Papuan representatives selected by Indonesia cast votes under threat of violence.
Wenda, who sought asylum in the UK in 2003 after escaping prison in West Papua, has led an international campaign for independence, drawing attention to continuing acts of violence and alleged human rights abuses by Indonesian authorities. Indonesian police have arrested thousands of West Papuans in recent weeks. 
“Essentially what we’re looking at is a group of people who did not enjoy their rights during a period of decolonisation, did not enjoy the rights bestowed to them by the UN charter and by the statutes on decolonisation,” Corbyn said.
“As a member of parliament I support them, as a member of this group and as a former vice-chair of the all-party human rights group.”
Recognising human rights and justice “has to be the cornerstone of foreign policy, the cornerstone of our relationship with every other country”, Corbyn said, pledging he would discuss a list of recommendations made by the group with the Labour party.
“I want these issues to become central to our party’s policies in the future and above all I want to see an end to environmental degradation and destruction and the right of people to be able to make their own choice on their own future.”
Corbyn, who is a cofounder of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, described Monday’s gathering as “historic” and said the recommendations put forward were a good framework for moving towards recognition of the human rights issues, rights of representation and the right of people to choose their future in West Papua.
He noted the recommendation called for a visit by the UN special rapporteur, the reinstatement of NGOs in the region and questioning of international companies working in West Papua.
“It’s about a political strategy that brings to worldwide recognition the plight of the people of West Papua, forces it onto a political agenda, forces it to the UN, forces an exposure of it and ultimately that allows the people of West Papua to make the choice of the kind of government they want and the kind of society in which they want to live,” he said. “That is a fundamental right.”
He said the international community could continue “pretending the issue will go away” or it could “do something bold”.
“Recognise injustice when you see it,” he said. “Recognise the abuse of human rights when you see it and recognise that both sides in any conflict benefit from a peace process and benefit from recognition of human rights, law and justice.”
The Free West Papua campaign hopes to see a UN resolution within two years to send international peacekeepers to protect West Papuans as they vote on independence.
It urged international governments – particularly those of Australia and New Zealand – to support the vote.
“For 50 years Indonesia massacred my people, 500,000 people. We need international peacekeeping force in West Papua,” Wenda said. “In maybe another 10 or 20 or 50 years time I think my people will become a minority. We need this as soon as possible.”
On Friday the Indonesian embassy in Australia released a statement dismissing the meeting as a publicity stunt organised by a “small group of Papua separatists and sympathisers”.
“Papua and Papua Barat (West Papua) are parts of Indonesia. The UN and the international community recognise this,” it said in a series of tweets.
It accused the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which Wenda leads, of making “false claims” and said West Papuans already had self-determination through special autonomy, free and fair elections, and education.
“President Jokowi is mobilising resources of the nation to deliver much needed infrastructure and public services in Papua,” it said.
“However, cases of violence are still a challenge. For example cases killed civilians, members of security authorities and separatists. Many cases are brought to court. And more to be brought to justice. President Jokowi is personally looking after human rights protections.”
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5) Finding a dignified resolution for West Papua
May 6, 2016 10.24am AEST
On Monday, Indonesian police arrested nearly 1,500 protestors in Jayapura, Papua. They were rallying in support of a coalition of groups representing West Papuans’ aspirations for independence.
The police stopped the protesters, who were heading to the local parliament, forced them to board military trucks, and took them to the Mobile Brigade compound.
The protesters were demonstrating their support for the United Liberation Movement of West Papua’s (ULMWP) bid to gain full membership in the grouping of Melanesian countries, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
The ULMWP holds observer status in the group, which consists of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Last year, Indonesia was granted associate membership.
To prevent further violent mistreatment of protesters, together with several Papuan councillors and church leaders, that day I went to the Mobile Brigade’s compound to negotiate with the security forces to release the detainees peacefully.
Monday’s arrests were the largest in the West Papua independence movement’s history.
Why did thousands of people in Papua take to the streets to support ULMWP?
Public discontent in West Papua is a result of a complicated past. It is a product of historical manipulation and repression of the right to self-determination of West Papuans.
Over the past five decades, the Papuan people have not moved from their position in relation to Indonesia. They have struggled to make progress in their predicament as the oppressed people. They are marginalised, suffering from various forms of violence, and being pushed from their own land.
Solving the problem of West Papua in a dignified manner should involve not only Indonesian authorities but also Papuans and the international community. In that sense, ULMWP and the popular support for ULMWP within West Papua is part of the solution and should not be repressed.

The silenced truth

Ever since West Papua was transferred into the hands of Indonesia in the early 1960s from being a remote outpost of the Dutch, it has become the land of “mourning and grief”.
Gross human rights violations have been taking place in West Papua since Indonesia, backed by the United Nations, annexed the western half of the island of New Guinea in 1963. In 1969, Indonesia gained complete rule of West Papua via a sham referendum.
West Papuans have looked to their Melanesian brothers and sisters to assist them in seeking resolution of past abuses by the Indonesian government and to build a new Papua. But they are still confronted with many challenges.
In September, countries in the Pacific Island Forum, a grouping of 14 countries that includes Australia and New Zealand, agreed to send a fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in West Papua. The Indonesian government refused to accept such a team.
Indonesia’s co-ordinating minister for politics, law and human rights, Luhut Pandjaitan, instead held two focus group discussions at a luxury hotel in Jayapura for the so-called “settlement of human rights issues”.
But West Papua is a nation that grew up with and is shaped by experiences of living under Indonesia’s military operations. These cannot be solved simply with focus group discussions.
Sadar Operation (1962, 1965-67), Wisnumurti Operation (1963), Wibawa Operation (1969), Pamungkas Operation (1970-1971), military operations in Jayawijaya (1977-80), Sapu Bersih Operation (1979-82), and Tumpas Operation (1983-84) are only a few of a series of violent acts of oppression that have confronted ordinary Papuans.
Today, Indonesia’s militaristic approach in West Papua remains intact.
This approach has resulted in a series of acts of intimidation and terror committed by security forces. They are involved in land expropriation and natural resources extraction under the banner of development and investment, in the name of Papuan welfare.

Diplomatic pressure from Indonesia

Following the increasing concern and solidarity from the Pacific region and support from the MSG for a resolution of West Papua’s problem, the Indonesian government is aggressively lobbying countries and political leaders in the Pacific.
Upon his return from a visit to PNG and Fiji last month, Pandjaitan boasted that Indonesia had the support of the two countries and could handle the MSG. At the same time, he argued that foreigners should not interfere in matters of human rights in West Papua.
Meanwhile, environmental destruction and rampant militarism walk hand in hand in West Papua. Papuans are continuously stigmatised as backward, ignorant and poor. This has become a pretext for what Indonesian authorities call “the acceleration and expansion of development”.
Pressed against waves of Indonesian migration, Papuans are not given any chance at all to develop themselves. They are a minority in their own land, not only in terms of number but also in terms of power. Every protest and negotiation effort by indigenous people is met with brutal responses and security operations.

Dignified resolution

In talking about West Papua, the Indonesian government often uses language that obscures past abuses. Papua’s relationship with the outside world is heavily controlled. The Indonesian government makes it difficultfor international journalists to cover Papua and bans international researchers from studying the region.
Indonesia’s solutions for West Papua are based on shallow reflections and fear of the West Papuan people.
A genuine resolution for the West Papuan problem will only come from Indonesia’s willingness to listen to and stop oppression of West Papuans.
Indonesia should welcome the support from international communities, such as the MSG and the United Nations, as mediators in finding a resolution on West Papua.
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1) UK Opposition Leader, Supporters Call for UN-Backed Independence Vote for Papua

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2) West Papuan report reveals country in ‘slow-motion genocide’
3) International West Papua meeting dismissed as publicity stunt
4) Indonesia can independently resolve human rights cases in Papua: Horta
5) Lawmakers Condemn Foreign Interference in Papua

6) Finding a Dignified Resolution for West Papua

7) Pacific News Minute: Melanesian Spearhead Summit Postponed as Deep Split Emerges Over West Papua
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1) UK Opposition Leader, Supporters Call for UN-Backed Independence Vote for Papua
By : Jakarta Globe | on 3:39 PM May 06, 2016
Jakarta. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK’s opposition Labour Party, on Tuesday (03/05) called for a United Nations-supervised independence vote in West Papua.
Corbyn made the comments during an address to the UK-based International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP).
“What we’re looking at is a group of people who did not enjoy their rights during a period of decolonization, did not enjoy the rights bestowed to them by the UN charter and by the statutes on decolonization,” Corbyn said, as reported by the Guardian.
He will advocate for free vote support to be added to the party’s platform as it reflects ambitions to base foreign policy decisions around human rights, he said.
“I want these issues to become central to our party’s policies in the future and above all I want to see an end to environmental degradation and destruction and the right of people to be able to make their own choice on their own future.”
West Papuan separatist leader Benny Wenda, who has been living in political exile in London since 2003, led the group in signing a declaration dubbed the Westminster Declaration in support of a referendum and criticizing the 1969 “act of free choice” as void, according to the IPWP statement.
Meanwhile, support for the cause voiced by Australian senator Richard di Natale, leader and West Papuan spokesman for minor party the Greens, prompted the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra on to the offensive.

In a string of tweets published on Friday, the embassy disputed claims made by the campaign and reaffirmed the government’s plans to revitalize infrastructure in the region.

The embassy also rejected the London meeting, calling it a “publicity stunt” on behalf of Benny and United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULWMP) members.

The meeting came a day after hundreds of Papuan activists were arrested following protests across the country.

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2) West Papuan report reveals country in ‘slow-motion genocide’


Report shock: Indigenous community leader Sam Watson, The United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s Australia and Pacific countries ambassador Amatus Douw, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission executive officer Peter Ardnt and Senator Claire Moore.
THE Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of Brisbane has called on the United Nations to investigate human rights abuses in West Papua.
The commission has issued a report documenting recent military and police intimidation, beatings and torture, kidnapping and murder in West Papua.
The report concluded there has been no improvement in human rights in West Papua after a Commission Shadow Human Rights Fact Finding Mission visited the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua in February.
On March 9, The Catholic Leader reported recent alleged cases of human rights abuse cited by the fact-finding mission members – Commission executive officer Peter Arndt, and respected human rights advocate Josephite Sister Susan Connelly.
Sr Connelly, likened her visit to West Papua 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.
“The same fear. The same seemingly groundless hope.”
CJPC executive officer Peter Arndt has released a 24-page report on the fact-finding mission “We Will Lose Everything”, based on interviews with more than 250 community leaders in Jayapura, Merauke, Timika and Sorong.
“We heard many stories of bashings, torture, murder, economic hardship, social marginalisation and cultural deprivation,” Mr Arndt said.
“There is clear evidence of ongoing violence, intimidation and harassment by the Indonesian security forces.”
Mr Arndt identified the instigators of alleged human rights violations as members of the Indonesian army including Kopassus, police including a special counter insurgency unit, Detachment 88, and Indonesia’s intelligence agency, BIN.
The fact-finding team also heard and saw evidence of the rapid demographic shift in West Papua resulting from the influx of Indonesian migrants into West Papua.
It heard evidence of growing marginalisation of Papuans economically, socially and culturally.
Many Papuans met by the delegation expressed immense desperation at the combined effect of their violent repression and marginalisation.
“An environment of great fear and desperation was clearly evident among the people,” My Arndt said.
“Many spoke of a slow motion genocide.”
The fact finding mission also met with eyewitnesses of the 1969 “act of free choice” – a United Nations sanctioned vote given to 1022 Papuans to decide whether the former Dutch colony should be granted independence or become integrated into the Indonesian Republic.
The evidence of one woman who took part in the vote supported the claim that the Indonesian security forces used violence and intimidation to obtain a unanimous vote of consent to become part of Indonesia.
“She was threatened with dire consequences if she did not support the Indonesian takeover,” the report said.
“She still showed great distress and guilt over her part in the vote all these years later.
“She sees her support for the Indonesian occupation as a betrayal of her people’s wishes.
“Worse still she cannot publicly share what happened for fear of what that might mean for her own life and the life of her family.
“Her distress and guilt is all the worse because of the many brutal acts of repression at the hands of Indonesian security forces she has witnessed in her town since that fateful day.”
The CJPC report called for action at the United Nations to investigate human rights abuses, and for the Indonesian Government to negotiate with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to find a pathway towards self determination.
Last week Mr Arndt travelled to Port Vila, Vanuatu to submit his findings to members of the Melanesia Spearhead Group, an intergovernmental organisation composed of four Melanesian states – Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Indonesia is a member of the group and the ULM has observer status.
There has also been an upsurge in arrests and detention in West Papua, following demonstrations marking the anniversary of transferal of administration in the former Dutch New Guinea to Indonesia in 1963.
By Mark Bowling
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3) International West Papua meeting dismissed as publicity stunt
7:56 pm on 6 May 2016
Indonesia has dismissed a meeting of international parliamentarians in London to discuss West Papua as a mere publicity stunt.
The group, International Parliamentarians for West Papua, this week called for an internationally supervised vote on West Papua's independence.
But in a series of posts on Twitter, the Indonesian embassy in Australia says the meeting was a publicity stunt organised by a "small group of Papuan separatists and sympathisers."
It says the United Nations and international community already recognise Papua as part of Indonesia, saying the region already has self-determination through special autonomy, elections, and education.
It accused the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and the prominent activist Benny Wenda of being very cunning in making false claims about the region.
The embassy says the government of President Joko Widodo is mobilising the nation's resources to deliver much-needed infrastructure and public services.
However, it did concede that violence was still an issue, but says many cases have been brought to justice.
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4) Indonesia can independently resolve human rights cases in Papua: Horta
Jumat, 6 Mei 2016 18:06 WIB | 692 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is able to resolve human rights cases in Papua itself, without any assistance from outside institutions, according to Nobel Peace 1996 laurates Jose Ramos Horta.

"Indonesia has several agencies that deal with human rights, such as the KOMNAS HAM (The National Commission on Human Rights) and other similar NGOs, and the government to conduct an investigation over the violence issue there," Horta stated here.

The Indonesian government should also involve NGOs in Papua to review the current conditions there, Horta remarked. 

In order to internally resolve its problem in Papua, Indonesia needs to allow the local institutions to handle the matter.

Former president and prime minister of Timor Leste also noted that most of Papuas people still had faith in the Indonesian government and did not favor a separation.

"Under the administration of President Joko Widodo, who is committed to improving the situation in Papua, there are several people in the province who are hoping for an improvement after years of disappointment. I see a lot of hope in the new government," Horta affirmed.

Horta hoped that a significant step will be taken to grant more rights to the people of Papua.

"The government needs to give priority to the local people of Papua, so they feel safe and protected," Horta emphasized. 

Moreover, the government must create greater economic opportunities in Papua, ensure womens empowerment, and improve the quality of education.

Earlier, on May 2, Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, on behalf of the Indonesian government, invited Horta to Papua to hold a dialog with the local residents.

The government is committed to building Papua and resolving human rights cases.

(Reporting By Aubrey Kandelila Fanani/Uu.INE/KR-BSR/F001)


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5) Lawmakers Condemn Foreign Interference in Papua
By : Jakarta Globe | on 9:29 PM May 06, 2016

Jakarta. Indonesia's House of Representatives has condemned a meeting by the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, or IPWP, that took place at the British Houses of Parliament in London earlier this week, calling it a "reflection of colonial acts."
"It is final; Papua is part of the NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia]. This position has been affirmed by the UN [United Nations], so the IPWP [meeting] is an act outside of the law. This meeting should be condemned by the world and by the British government," the House said in an official statement on Friday (06/05).
The House further stated that President Joko Widodo has shown a strong commitment to resolving domestic issues, including the protection of human rights in Papua.
"Within the first one-and-a-half years of Jokowi's administration, eastern Indonesia's economic growth has surpassed that of the western part of the country," the statement said, referring to the president by his popular nickname.
The House also rejected the IPWP's proposal of establishing a fact-finding mission to investigate the issue of Papuan independence, saying that Indonesia wishes to resolve its domestic conflicts without compromising its sovereignty.
"In addition, the House also fully supports the Indonesian government's new diplomatic strategy to extend and strengthen partnerships with Pacific nations," said the statement, signed by House Commission I deputy chairman Tubagus Hasanuddin and lawmakers I Mahfudz Siddik, Tantowi Yahya, Irene Roba, Charles Honoris, Tuti Roosdiono and Eva Sundari.
The leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, called for a UN-supervised independence vote in West Papua during Tuesday's IPWP meeting in London.
The cause has gained support from West Papuan separatist leader Benny Wenda, who has been living in exile in London since 2003, and Australian Senator Richard di Natale, who is the leader of the Greens minority party.
In a string of tweets on Friday, the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra disputed claims by the campaign and reaffirmed the government's plan to revitalize infrastructure in Papua.
The embassy also rejected the London meeting, calling it a "publicity stunt" on behalf of Benny and the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULWMP), which came a day after hundreds of Papuan activists were arrested during protests in Indonesia.
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6) Finding a Dignified Resolution for West Papua

6 May 2016 

By Benny Giay


The recent arrests of nearly 1,500 protesters in Jayapura are part of a broader systematic oppression of Papuans by the Indonesian government – Jubi

Jayapura, Jubi – On Monday, Indonesian police arrested nearly 1,500 protestors in Jayapura, Papua. They were rallying in support of a coalition of groups representing West Papuans’ aspirations for independence.
The police stopped the protesters, who were heading to the local parliament, forced them to board military trucks, and took them to the Mobile Brigade compound
The protesters were demonstrating their support for the United Liberation Movement of West Papua’s (ULMWP) bid to gain full membership in the grouping of Melanesian countries, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
The ULMWP holds observer status in the group, which consists of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Last year, Indonesia was granted associate membership.
To prevent further violent mistreatment of protesters, together with several Papuan councillors and church leaders, that day I went to the Mobile Brigade’s compound to negotiate with the security forces to release the detainees peacefully.
Monday’s arrests were the largest in the West Papua independence movement’s history.
Why did thousands of people in Papua take to the streets to support ULMWP?
Public discontent in West Papua is a result of a complicated past. It is a product of historical manipulation and repression of the right to self-determination of West Papuans.
Over the past five decades, the Papuan people have not moved from their position in relation to Indonesia. They have struggled to make progress in their predicament as the oppressed people. They are marginalised, suffering from various forms of violence, and being pushed from their own land.
Solving the problem of West Papua in a dignified manner should involve not only Indonesian authorities but also Papuans and the international community. In that sense, ULMWP and the popular support for ULMWP within West Papua is part of the solution and should not be repressed.

The silenced truth

Ever since West Papua was transferred into the hands of Indonesia in the early 1960s from being a remote outpost of the Dutch, it has become the land of “mourning and grief”.
Gross human rights violations have been taking place in West Papua since Indonesia, backed by the United Nations, annexed the western half of the island of New Guinea in 1963. In 1969, Indonesia gained complete rule of West Papua via a sham referendum.
West Papuans have looked to their Melanesian brothers and sisters to assist them in seeking resolution of past abuses by the Indonesian government and to build a new Papua. But they are still confronted with many challenges.
In September, countries in the Pacific Island Forum, a grouping of 14 countries that includes Australia and New Zealand, agreed to send a fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in West Papua. The Indonesian government refused to accept such a team.
Indonesia’s co-ordinating minister for politics, law and human rights, Luhut Pandjaitan, instead held two focus group discussions at a luxury hotel in Jayapura for the so-called “settlement of human rights issues”.
But West Papua is a nation that grew up with and is shaped by experiences of living under Indonesia’s military operations. These cannot be solved simply with focus group discussions.
Sadar Operation (1962, 1965-67), Wisnumurti Operation (1963), Wibawa Operation (1969), Pamungkas Operation (1970-1971), military operations in Jayawijaya (1977-80), Sapu Bersih Operation (1979-82), and Tumpas Operation (1983-84) are only a few of a series of violent acts of oppression that have confronted ordinary Papuans.
Today, Indonesia’s militaristic approach in West Papua remains intact.
This approach has resulted in a series of acts of intimidation and terror committed by security forces. They are involved in land expropriation and natural resources extraction under the banner of development and investment, in the name of Papuan welfare.

Diplomatic pressure from Indonesia

Following the increasing concern and solidarity from the Pacific region and support from the MSG for a resolution of West Papua’s problem, the Indonesian government is aggressively lobbying countries and political leaders in the Pacific.
Upon his return from a visit to PNG and Fiji last month, Pandjaitan boasted that Indonesia had the support of the two countries and could handle the MSG. At the same time, he argued that foreigners should not interfere in matters of human rights in West Papua.
Meanwhile, environmental destruction and rampant militarism walk hand in hand in West Papua. Papuans are continuously stigmatised as backward, ignorant and poor. This has become a pretext for what Indonesian authorities call “the acceleration and expansion of development”.
Pressed against waves of Indonesian migration, Papuans are not given any chance at all to develop themselves. They are a minority in their own land, not only in terms of number but also in terms of power. Every protest and negotiation effort by indigenous people is met with brutal responses and security operations.

Dignified resolution

In talking about West Papua, the Indonesian government often uses language that obscures past abuses. Papua’s relationship with the outside world is heavily controlled. The Indonesian government makes it difficult for international journalists to cover Papua and bans international researchers from studying the region.
Indonesia’s solutions for West Papua are based on shallow reflections and fear of the West Papuan people.
A genuine resolution for the West Papuan problem will only come from Indonesia’s willingness to listen to and stop oppression of West Papuans.
Indonesia should welcome the support from international communities, such as the MSG and the United Nations, as mediators in finding a resolution on West Papua. (*)
Benny Giay is the head of Synod of Kingmi Church in West Papua.

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Hawaii Public Radio
7) Pacific News Minute: Melanesian Spearhead Summit Postponed as Deep Split Emerges Over West Papua
  22 HOURS AGO
Reports from West Papua say that nearly all of the 1,700 protesters arrested earlier this week have been released.  There were rallies in all the major cities in support of the United Liberation Movement, which has been pushing for a referendum on independence from Indonesia...we have more from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.
The five countries in the Melanesian Spearhead Group were scheduled to meet in Port Vila this week, with West Papua at the top of the agenda.  Now, the summit's been postponed for at least a month as Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Kanak Liberation Front try to bridge a deep split.
Two years ago, several West Papuan groups formed the United Liberation Movement as an umbrella organization to take their case to the world, beginning with their Melanesian brethren. Indonesia, which has ruled the western half of New Guinea since 1963, rejects any discussion of the issue as interference in its internal affairs, and, in the context of South West Pacific islands, Indonesia is an economic and military powerhouse.
Last year, the Melanesian Spearhead Group papered over its divisions by elevating Indonesia to associate membership, while granting West Papua observer status at the same time.  This year, Indonesia's been lobbying hard for full membership ...and so have the West Papuans, who also want Indonesia voted out.
Vanuatu and the Kanaks of New Caledonia back the West Papuans...Fiji and Papua New Guinea support Indonesia... The Solomon Islands tends to support Indonesia, but popular support for Melanesian solidarity is strong, and grows with every report of abuse by Indonesian authorities.  Last month, an Indonesian human Rights organization called Kontras reported that 1,200 West Papuan activists had been harassed, killed or tortured last year.
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