West Papua Report
July 2010
This is the 74th in a
series of monthly reports that focus on developments affecting Papuans. This
series is produced by the non-profit West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) drawing
on media accounts, other NGO assessments, and analysis and reporting from
sources within West Papua. Beginning with this edition the West Papua Report
will include a Bahasa Indonesia translation of the summary and subject
titles. This report is co-published with the East Timor and Indonesia Action
Network (ETAN) Back issues are posted online athttp
://etan.org/issues/wpapua/default.htm
Questions regarding this report can be addressed to Edmund McWilliams at
edmcw@msn.com.
Summary:
The West Papua Advocacy Team presented
that the 2010 John Rumbiak Human Rights Defenders Award to Indonesian
journalist and human rights advocate Andreas Harsono. WPAT said that
Harsono's reporting related to human rights and justice issues, including
seminal pieces on justice issues in West Papua, has advanced the cause of
human rights in West Papua by helping to lift the government-imposed veil of
secrecy that obscures ongoing human rights abuse there. According to
reporting from the field and local and international media accounts,
Indonesian security forces, principally the militarized police (BRIMOB), in
early June stepped up "sweeping" operations in the central highlands of West
Papua. Apparently jumping the gun on a police-announced June 28 deadline for
the surrender of local armed pro-independence fighters, security forces have
already begun operations which have displaced thousands. The Papuan People's
Council (MRP) has voted to reject "Special Autonomy" and to demand a
referendum on West Papua's political future. The MRP, a council established
by the Indonesian government in 2005, called for demilitarization of West
Papua and for an internationally mediated Jakarta-Papuan dialogue, among
other demands. The resolution now goes to the Papuan Parliament, the DPRD,
which is expected to act on it in by mid-July. Human Rights Watch issued a
report which states that at least 100 political prisoners remain in
Indonesian prisons where they face torture and inadequate access to basic
medical services. The report notes that Indonesia continues to imprison
dissenters involved in peaceful protest, notably in West Papua and the
Moluccas. The UN's Special Rapporteur for Torture issued a report in 2007
which revealed similar conditions. Local activists continue to resist
implementation of the "food estate" project in the Merauke area noting the
plans disastrous consequences for the local Marind. The Pacific Island state
of Vanuatu is moving to raise West Papua's political status at the UN and in
regional groupings. A major earthquake has displaced thousands in Yapen
island. Local officials decry the slow pace of government-led relief
efforts. Racism among some Indonesians afflicts popular perceptions
regarding Papuans.
Contents:
Andreas Harsono Wins 2010 John Rumbiak Human Rights Defenders Award
The West Papua Advocacy Team's John Rumbiak Human Rights Defenders Award
for 2010 is presented to journalist and human rights advocate Andreas
Harsono. The first Indonesian to win the award, Harsono is an
internationally respected journalist who has earned recognition for his
reporting related to human rights and justice issues, including seminal
pieces on j West Papua. His reporting on human rights themes in West Papua
in particular has advanced the cause of human rights by helping to lift the
government-imposed veil of secrecy that obscures ongoing human rights abuse
there. His authoritative work related to West Papua has inspired journalists
and human rights advocates and informed policy makers in Indonesia and
around the world.
The West Papua Advocacy Team created the John Rumbiak Human Rights
Defenders Award in 2008. The award is given annually to the individual
or institution that has contributed most substantially to protection of
human rights in West Papua. The award honors John Rumbiak, a Papuan who,
until suffering a debilitating stroke in 2005, was a leading voice in the
defense of Papuan human rights. He founded the
West Papua Advocacy Team. His courageous devotion to the cause of
human rights defense, the nonviolent assertion of political rights and
demands for justice, including accountability for human rights violators,
has inspired not only Papuans but individuals and organizations widely in
the international community. The award includes a $500 stipend and a plaque
which honors the winner. Past winners of the award include
TAPOL's
Carmel Budiardjo in 2008 and
the East Timor and Indonesia Action
Network (ETAN) and its National Coordinator John M. Miller in 2009.
Security Force Operations in Puncak Jaya Escalate
Sources based in West Papua report escalating security force operations
in the Papuan central highlands region of Puncak Jaya. These same reports
describe growing pressure on the civilian population as a direct consequence
of these operations. Large numbers of civilians have fled their homes
seeking shelter either in neighboring villages and towns or in the forests.
As in past such operations-forced evacuations, the civilian population faces
health/life threatening shortages of food, shelter, clothing and inadequate
access to medical care. Specifically, thousands of people are now hiding in
forests; civilians in Districts Yambi, Agandugume, and Ilaga Peak among many
villagers have fled to Majesty Towogi District. Civilians from Tingginambut
district have fled to forests, while some also have sought refuge in
Kuyawagiastir, Tiom, Lani District Jaya. In previous sweep operations
security forces routinely blocked access to this besieged/displaced civilian
population by humanitarian relief personnel - even Papuan church workers.
The
June WPAT Report noted that these sweep operations were expected
to ramp up after a June 28 deadline set by the military for the surrender of
Goliat Tabuni. Security forces, principally the
militarized police or BRIMOB, whose forces were augmented in June,
appear to have advanced that time frame.
Specific accounts of security force attacks on and intimidation of the
civilian population include:
-
Heavy escalation of TNI and Brimob forces on the road
from Ilu to Mulia with arrests of civilians for failure to present
proper documentation; on June 11 Brimob personnel conducted a
residential sweep search on all houses on the road between these two
towns, detaining anyone without identification and putting on Army
trucks;
-
Local people have been required to do forced labor for
security forces; In Pos Nalime Tingginambut District residents have been
forced to clear their gardens and prepare landing positions for military
helicopters;
-
A church in Kayogwebur district Tingginambut has been
taken over as headquarters for the Mobile Brigade;
-
Twelve houses and two churches have been destroyed by
security forces in Gwenggu Pilia;
-
In the district of Kampong Tinggineri Tingginambut a
pregnant woman raped by Brimob this week.
The West Papua Advocacy Team has requested the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to
urge the Indonesian Government to immediately address humanitarian need of
the people in this region and to express concern about military acts against
civilians.
The West Papua Advocacy Team, noting growing Papuan calls to pursue
negotiations rather than the "security approach" as a means of resolving
tensions in the region, has also urged that the U.S. Government encourage
Indonesian officials to pursue negotiations as well as release Papuan
political prisoners as a means of diffusing growing tensions.
Papuan Peoples Council (MRP) Rejects Special Autonomy, Calls for
Referendum on Papuans' Future
The Papuan People's Council (Majelis Rakyat Papua or MRP, a body formed by
the Indonesian government in 2005) passed a broad resolution that rejects
"Special Autonomy" and demands a referendum on Papuans' political future.
The June 14 MRP resolution also calls for an internationally mediated
dialogue with Jakarta, respect for Papuan sovereignty, an end to
international support for "Special Autonomy," suspension of
Jakarta-organized elections, cessation of government-organized
"transmigration," demilitarization of Papua and closure of the
Freeport-McMoran mining operation.
The MRP has called upon the Papuan Parliaments (DPRP and DPRD) to follow its
example. Those bodies have pledged to respond the MRP action by mid July.
There was popular support for the MRP action as evidenced by a
march by several thousand Papuans to the Parliament demanding
Parliamentary support.
The MRP's Recommendations follow (translation by TAPOL):
-
RECOMMENDATIONS:
-
In accordance with the statement of the Papuan People's
Consultative Assembly and Indigenous Papuan Groups that Special Autonomy
Law No 21/2001 which has been in force for nine years, has FAILED. The
following recommendations were agreed
-
1. That the Special Autonomy Law should be handed back
to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia;
-
2. That the Papuan people demand that a DIALOGUE be
held, mediated by a neutral international mediator;
-
3. That the Papuan people demand the holding of a
REFERENDUM directed towards political independence;
-
4. That the Papuan people demand that the Government of
the Republic of Indonesia recognizes the restoration of the sovereignty
of the People of West Papua which was proclaimed on 1st December 1961;
-
5. That the Papuan people urge the international
community to impose an embargo on international aid being provided for
the implementation of Special Autonomy in the Land of Papua;
-
6. That there is no need to for revisions to be made to
Law 21/2001 on Special Autonomy for the provinces of Papua and West
Papua, with reference to Law 35/2008 on Revision of Law 21/2001, bearing
in mind that the said law is proven to have FAILED;
-
7. That all proceedings for the election of heads of
district throughout the Land of Papua should be halted, and call on the
Governor of Papua and the Governor of West Papua, the DPRP, the
DPRD-West Papua, and district heads and mayors throughout the Land of
Papua to immediately discontinue the provision of funds for the holding
of these elections;
-
8. That the Central Government, the Province of Papua
and the Province of West Papua as well as all districts and
municipalities in the Land of Papua end transmigration from outside
Papua and impose strict supervision on the flow of migration by people
from outside the Land of Papua;
-
9. That the Papuan people urge the Central Government,
the Government of the Province of Papua and the DPRP and the DPRD-West
Papua to release all Papuan political prisoners being held in prisons
everywhere in Indonesia;
-
10. That the Central Government immediately carry out
demilitarization throughout the whole of the Land of Papua;
-
11. That the Consultation held by the MRP and Papuan
indigenous groups calls for the Freeport Indonesia company to be closely
down immediately.
New Human Rights Watch Report on Political Prisoners
Indicates No Progress Since 2007 UN Report
A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) states that Indonesian jails hold
at least 100 political prisoners from the Papua and Moluccas regions. The
HRW report, Prosecuting Political
Aspiration: Indonesia's Political Prisoners, says that some of these
political prisoners have been victims of torture. The HRW report, released
June 22, like previous ones and those by other reputable non-governmental
organizations, journalists and UN observers, details specific instances of
torture of detainees.
The report sheds light on other systematic human rights abuse meted out to
political prisoners including denial of adequate medical services, the use
of long-distance prison transfers to isolate prisoners from their family and
community, and poor prison conditions. This report in many respects echoes
the 2007 findings of UN human rights Special Rapporteur for Torture Dr.
Manfred Novak. This HRW update indicates that Indonesia has ignored those
earlier findings.
HRW calls on the Indonesian government to release prisoners detained for
their political views and repeal laws allowing authorities to jail peaceful
protesters for treason or rebellion. It urges the government to revoke laws
banning the display of logos and flags. For many years display of the Papuan
"morning star flag," even as a decoration on a purse or t-shirt, has been
grounds for arrest.
The report was issued on the eve of a June 29 opening of a European
Union-Indonesian dialogue on human rights in Jakarta. On June 28,
HRW encouraged the EU
representatives to press Jakarta on a broad agenda of human rights
concerns.
Papuans Continue to Resist Merauke Food Estate Plan
The daily Jayapura tabloid "Jubi"
on June 25 reported continued Papuan resistance to central government
plans to establish a vast "food estate" in the Merauke area. (See the WPAT
Report for
April
and June 2010 for details related to this project.) The Jubi account cited
the leader of "SORPATOM" ("Solidarity for Papuans") Victoria Diana Gebze who
met with press on June 25 as rejecting the project and calling on the
government to stop it.
According to Ms. Gebze, the program would be particularly detrimental to the
local Marind (tribal) landowners. "People in this area are just not ready
for the arrival of those huge companies," she stated. Ms. Gebze stressed
that Marind tribe members face the loss of natural resources upon which they
are dependent. She explained: "The Marind people are dependent on nature.
They respect nature as their mother." She added: "The people in this region
are still simple and their understanding is limited and so they are easily
misled."
According to reporting from Merauke available to WPAT, the local district
chief, Johannes Glubza Gebze, strongly supports the project and has set up a
"hunter" team which has intimidated local opponents of the project.
Kopassus in West Papua
Like the Suharto regime the current Indonesian central government employs
what they call a "security approach" to suppress dissent in West Papua.
Peaceful dissenters are routinely detained and beaten (see
report above on June 23 Human Rights Watch Report). When not detained,
Papuan dissenters are subject to intimidation though intrusive and menacing
monitoring, anonymous death threats, or other such warnings.
A key component enforcing the Indonesian central government's "security
approach" in West Papua is the Indonesian "special forces" or "
Kopassus." According to a recent Kopassus publication, "Kopassus Untuck
Indonesia" (Kopassus for Indonesia) there are approximately 1,000 Kopassus
personnel stationed in West Papua, including elements in nearly every
Caudate (district). Their mission is to monitor, conduct covert operations
against and intimidate the local population. In major towns and cities they
often infiltrate media, NGOs, local government and where possible, places of
worship. In Merauke, Kopassus personnel joined the Ohan ("hunter) team set
up by the District Chief John Gluba Gebze. The principal focus of this team
is to intimidate Papuans who oppose the new food estate plan for the region,
strongly backed by the District Chief. U.S.-trained Kopassus Major Agus
Bhakti is part of that team. Bhakti was the commander of the unit which
figured in the
Human Rights Watch June 2009 report which described extensive abuse
meted out to Papuans in the Merauke area.
Along the 760 km border between West Papua and Papua New
Guinea The Indonesian military has established 220 posts, utilizing schools,
clinics and local offices for billeting. The border posts are mostly manned
by Kostrad soldiers.
Kopassus only maintains several of them, including two
posts in the Merauke area. Kopassus operates through these posts and
functions largely as the intelligence arms for these posts.
Vanuatu Steps Forward to Support Papuan Political Rights
The Government of the Pacific Islands state of Vanuatu has taken
unprecedented steps to support the self-determination of Papuans in West
Papua. Vanuatu's parliament on June 19 unanimously passed a motion calling
for the International Court of Justice to investigate the legality of
Indonesia's annexation of West Papua. The motion was sponsored by Prime
Minister Edward Natapei and opposition leader Maxime Carlot Korman.
The motion calls for Vanuatu to petition the UN General Assembly to direct
the World Court to provide a legal opinion regarding the manner in which the
mainly Melanesian and Christian western half of New Guinea island was
incorporated into the Asian and Islamic country of Indonesia over four
decades ago. International scholars and other observers have long described
the 1969 "Act of Free Choice," which Jakarta used to justify its annexation,
as fraudulent.
A
June 23 Radio New Zealand International report by Johnny Blades provides
insight on the complicated process:
Vanuatu will seek support of the UN General Assembly to formally request the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) to provide an advisory opinion on the
process in which the former Netherlands New Guinea was ceded to Indonesia.
The ICJ opinion will then go back to the General Assembly, which at that
point would decide whether there should be a referendum in West Papua.
Blades' report cites Papua analyst Jim Elmslie from Sydney University as
noting the significance of the Vanuatu action which does not require the
consent of Indonesia. "The lack of consent of an interested party is not an
obstacle to the ICJ rendering an opinion. Any UN member state can seek an
advisory opinion on the question of the status of West Papua, provided that
General Assembly support can be attained."
Blades notes that lobbying for support at the General Assembly can be
expected to be intense, but Elmslie says that Indonesia would have little to
gain from trying to block efforts to seek an ICJ opinion. "If it were to be
blocked, it certainly would not make Indonesia look good and if it comes out
as being an opinion that the Act of Free Choice was fraudulent and not
within UN guidelines, then that would again be a very serious setback for
Indonesia."
The Vanuatu motion also seeks an opinion on Indonesia's licensing of a
mining concession in Papua to U.S.-based Freeport McMoran under President
Suharto.
In the discussion of the motion Prime Minister Natapei told parliamentarians
that his government would also seek to re-list Papua with the UN
Decolinization Committee.
The June 19 Valuatu Parliament resolution also called for Vanuatu to press
for observer status for West Papua at the 2010 Melanesian Spearhead Group's
Leaders Summit and at the Pacific Islands Forum.
Earthquake Causes Serious Damage in Yapen Island
On June 16 a 7.1 (Richter scale) earthquake created extensive damage on
Yapen island in West Papua. Presidential spokesperson Andi Arif told media
that the quake killed 17 people and displaced thousands. He reported that
2556 houses had been destroyed and many others damaged. The quake leveled
dozens of schools, 33 places of worship, damaged port facilities at three
harbors and also damaged a 27 km water pipeline.
A senior
local political leader was highly critical of the central government for
what she claimed was a slow and inadequate Jakarta response to the
devastation. The local district council urged the central government to act
quickly to address the needs of the displaced.
Racism Infects Perspective of Some Indonesians Regarding Papuans
At a 1998 stadium rally for a major Indonesian presidential candidate
delegations from all of Indonesia's provinces, one by one, take the field to
cheers from the thousands in attendance. By far the loudest and most raucous
reception is reserved for the delegation from West Papua ("Irian Jaya" at
the time). Unlike the stately processions from the other provinces, the
delegation from West Papua races wildly onto to the field bounding about
half naked in feathers and jungle leaves. The cavorting and whooping
delights the audience which cheers the antics. What the audience does not
know is that underneath the feather and leave headdresses, the "Papuans"
have close cropped hair. They are in fact Indonesian military in blackface
makeup and costumes.
Fast forward to 2010. The
Jakarta Globe reports, without a hint of skepticism that Indonesia's
national census takers have reported their discovery of an unusual tribe of
Papuans:
-
"They live in trees and their bodies are not covered,"
... (and) cannot speak Indonesian. When the (census) officials conducted
the census, the report explains, missionaries served as translators by
way of crude sign language. The tribe purportedly survives by hunting in
the forest where, the official said, they consume leaves and the meat of
wild animals from the forest. They also eat stones," he said.
In a separate
June 25 report carried in Le Monde relays the following quote by a
Papuan currently studying for a position in the Jakarta-created local Papuan
bureaucracy. Commenting on the dilemma facing many Papuans considering
working within the Indonesian bureaucracy the article reports the following:
-
"Instead of independence we have 'special autonomy,'"
said Agus. "That status was declared by the central government in
January 2002. It is so special nobody trusts it. All I know is I will at
last get a job in a new district in the south of Papua. To separatist
Papuans, I am a traitor. To most of our Javanese teachers, I am a monkey
they are trying to lure down from the trees. I just want to feed my
family."
Some years ago, a Papuan intellectual with international
publications in three languages, was asked if Papuans considered themselves
to be Indonesian. "That is the wrong question," he replied: "Indonesia does
not consider us to be Indonesians."
