West Papua Report
May 2012
This is the 97th 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. This report is co-published with the East Timor
and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN). Back issues are
posted online at
http://www.etan.org/issues/wpapua/default.htm Questions
regarding this report can be addressed to Edmund McWilliams
at edmcw@msn.com. If you
wish to receive the report via e-mail, send a note to
etan@etan.org.
Summary: One demonstrator was
reportedly killed, two were wounded, and 13 arrested in May
1 demonstrations throughout West Papua. The protests marked
the 49th anniversary of Indonesia's coerced annexation of
West Papua. Indonesian government plans to continue to send
settlers from outside into West Papua ("transmigration") has
prompted protests from Papuan organizations who fear the
further marginalization of Papuans and growing communal
tensions. Several international organizations have protested
continued, longstanding efforts by the Indonesian government
to cover up human rights violations by preventing
journalists and rights observers from traveling to or within
West Papua. Following large scale peaceful demonstrations in
Serui district, Indonesian security forces have launched a
crackdown involving sweep operations. The shooting of a
civilian aircraft as it landed at an airport in the Puncak
Jaya area caused civilian casualties and has prompted
unproven charges by authorities that the perpetrators were
the Papuan armed resistance organization, the OPM. Papuan
leaders have called on the government to conduct a
transparent investigation and to engage with local civil and
government organizations to put an end to ongoing tensions
and conflict in the Puncak Jaya region. They note that
security force resort to force in dealing with incidents
harms innocent local civilians who are often driven from
their homes. Despite its obligations under Indonesian and
International law, the Indonesian government is refusing to
fund urgently needed medical treatment for Papuan political
prisoner Filep Karma. Two new reports reveal extensive "land
grabbing" by corporations, backed by the Indonesian
government, at the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate
(MIFEE) project in southern West Papua. Indonesia faces a
quadrennial review of its human rights performance by the UN
Human Rights Commission. WPAT member Dr. Eben Kirksey has
authored a new book on West Papua.
Contents:
Arrests and Shootings of Demonstrators Mar Peaceful
Demonstrations Marking Indonesia's Annexation of West Papua
The human rights organization ELSHAM Papua
reported that large protests marked the May 1,1963
anniversary of Indonesia's annexation of West Papua.
Gunfire, targeting a peaceful demonstration killed one
demonstrator and wounded several. In addition, police
arrested 13 demonstrators in Sentani.
Demonstrations, organized by the West Papua National
Committee (KNPB), transpired in
various places in West Papua , the largest appears to
have been in the Abepura area where a crowd assembled to
hear a speech by Buchtar Tabuni, KNPB Chair. According to
ELSHAM, Tabuni said in part: "On this day, 49 years ago, we
commemorate the day when our people fell into the hands of
the Indonesian state. All the Papuan people reject
annexation by Indonesia." Tabuni also said that May 1 marked
the beginning of the perpetration of gross human rights
violations against the Papuan people.
Many of the demonstrators marched to the center of Jayapura,
joined by supporters along the route. Some demonstrators
attempted to fly Morning Star flags in a field alongside the
tomb of the martyred Papuan leader Theys Eluay in Sentani,
but they were prevented from doing so by the police, who
arrested thirteen people. Among those arrested was Darius
Koyoga, organizer of the action.
One demonstrator, Terjolih Weah, was shot near the TNI's
Koramil base in Abepura. In addition, as the demonstrators
were walking from the Elim Church to Koramil, an
unidentified person or persons fired on the peaceful crowd.
One victim of the shooting was taken by demonstrators to the
Dian Harapan Hospital. Another victim, a fourth year student
at the economic faculty at Port Nambay (Jayapura), was shot
through the stomach and died.
Indonesian security force were reportedly on alert for
anticipated demonstrations associated with the dead
student's funeral.
(WPAT comment: The shooting of
demonstrators peacefully asserting their rights requires an
immediate, transparent investigation by the Indonesian
authorities. Armed Indonesian security elements, operating
in plain clothes, invariably shadow demonstrations.
Suspicion regarding the perpetrators of attacks on peaceful
demonstrators inevitably will fall on them.)
Plans For New
Transmigration to West Papua
Prompts Protest and Fears of Communal Conflict
The head of the Office of Labor and Transmigration in the
province of West Nusa Tenggara
said the government would be sending more transmigrants
West Papua. News of the new government-sponsored migration
to West Papua prompted protest from local Papuan groups.
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The
contribution of transmigrants in Papua is not at
all apparent. On the contrary, their presence
has only led to social jealousy
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According to a report in the daily Jubi,
the Jayapura branch of the Association of Catholic Students
of the Republic of Indonesia (PMKRI), condemned the plan to
bring more transmigrants, contending that the move would
further marginalize the indigenous Papuan people. The
association also expressed concern that competition between
indigenous Papuans and the transmigrants could generate
"horizontal conflicts" (communal disputes).
"The indigenous Papuan people have already become a minority
in their own homeland. We strongly reject plans to bring in
more transmigrants," said Benyamin Lokobal, Jayapura chair
PMKRI. If the government goes ahead with this plan, Lokobal
said, his group would organize demonstrations in
collaboration with other youth organizations in Papua.
The chairman of Catholic Youth in Jayapura, Kristian Bame
warned that more transmigration had the potential to lead to
land grabbing. He said that as of now, "the contribution of
transmigrants in Papua is not at all apparent. On the
contrary, their presence has only led to social jealousy."
WPAT Comment: WPAT is collecting information on the rise
in the formation and activity of ethnic/race based militias
which it will present in an upcoming report. This militia
formation, among transmigrants/migrants on the one hand and
among Papuans on the other, is indicative of rising communal
tensions which continued transmigration will only stoke.
Indonesian Government
Covers Up Human Rights Abuse and
Repression in West Papua
A joint report by the Faith-Based Network on West Papua,
Franciscans International, Papua Land of Peace and the Asian
Human Rights Commission concludes that the Indonesian
government is tightening restrictions on journalists and
non-governmental organizations which seek to cover
developments in West Papua. The organizations contend that
the Indonesian government has long restricted the number of
foreign journalists granted permission to enter West Papua
and write about the situation there. Those few reporters
allowed to enter West Papua work under tight restrictions
and were followed, according to the report.
The report points to recent departure of Peace Brigades
International (PBI) and the Indonesian government's
refusal to allow the International Committee of The Red
Cross (ICRC) to re-open its office there.
Kristina Neubauer
speaking at a launch of the report in Padang Bulan said
that the world at large knows nothing about Papua because
the Indonesian government refuses to grant access to foreign
journalists, to human rights activists and to other
observers from outside Indonesia."
Last October, Pacific Journalism Review
published a Pacific Media Watch report on the region's media
freedoms, which reported Indonesian repression facing news
media. WPAT's Report for March 2012 also contained
reporting on the Indonesian government's continuing campaign
to cover-up human rights abuse and repression in West Papua.
Security Forces Launch Crackdown,
Sweeps in Serui District
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Mass flying of banned Morning Star flags, Serui,
April 20, 2012.
westpapuamedia |
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West Papua Media
reported April 23, that Indonesian security forces have
launched a major sweep in Serui District on Yapen Island.
The sweep reportedly targeted Papuans
had engaged in a large, peaceful demonstration on April
20 which had been organized by the West Papua National
Authority (WPNA) to welcome the apparent launch of a branch of the
International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP).
West Papua Media reported that armed Indonesian police and
military conducted rolling raids on motorbikes across
villages including Mantembu and surrounding hamlets outside
of Serui town, seeking to arrest all those who were involved
in the mass flying of the banned Morning Star independence
flag.
An earlier
April 20 report in the daily Jubi, translated by
the UK-based Tapol, had noted that a large number of the
banned Morning Star flags were flown by Papuans in peaceful
demonstrations in Tanggal (Serui District) organized by the
West Papua National Authority (WPNA). Aston Situmorang, a
member of NGO Working Forum of Cenderawasih Bay, Serui, told
local media that thousands of people had gathered to take
part in the demonstration from all parts of Serui district.
According to Jubi, the local police chief had
allowed the flags to be flown.
Shooting of Civilian
Aircraft Raises Concern over New
Sweep Operations by Security Forces
On April 8, an unknown shooter or shooters fired on a commercial Trigana
twin otter aircraft landing at Mulia Airport in the troubled
Puncak Jaya region of West Papua. One person was killed and
four wounded. As a result of the incident, air transport to
the region by four local carriers was suspended, creating
serious hardship for local people who depend on the airlink.
The regional (Cenderawasih) Indonesian military commander
quickly
blamed the incident on the Papuan armed resistance, the
Organizasi Papua Merdeka, the Papua Freedom Organization, or
OPM.
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Various forms of violence
constitute an increasing number of records
piling up from year to year, without clarity on
the identity of perpetrators or the masterminds
behind these attacks, which have robbed many
people of their lives and injured scores of
others.
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The Head of Public Information Department at police headquarters Chief. Comm. Boy Rafli Amar similarly
told media on April 9 that the suspect is member of a
group which had committed similar acts some time ago. As is
frequently the case, the claim that the OPM was responsible
for the attack was offered with no proof and before any
serious investigation could be carried out. Police
accusations about a suspect were made before the police
had developed the most basic information such as
determining from what direction the shots had come.
An investigation by two commissioners of the
Indonesian Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) also was
unable to determine who was responsible, though they said
that the perpetrator(s) were highly trained and were thought
not to be regular police or military personnel. "Many
security personnel have not been reporting to their units
and that this should immediately be looked into," said one
commissioner.
The commissioners put the incident in a larger context:
"Various forms of violence constitute an increasing number
of records piling up from year to year, without clarity on
the identity of perpetrators or the masterminds behind these
attacks, which have robbed many people of their lives and
injured scores of others."
Several prominent Papuans have urged that Indonesian
authorities not resort to the use of force as in the past.
They argued that sweep operations, purportedly targeting
the alleged perpetrators in various incidents do great harm to
the local population. Indonesian security force sweeps
regularly force innocent villagers to flee their homes,
often to nearby forests where they suffer from lack of food,
shelter and access to medical care.
According to an April 13
report in the daily Bintang Papua, the co-ordinator
of the Jaringan Damai Papua (JDP, Papuan Peace Network), Dr.
Neles Tebay believes it is necessary to involve the OPM, not
only in order to seek a way of preventing such events from
happening again. He urged that "A strategic solution can be
put in place for the long term, bearing in mind that
responses to events up to now have been re-active"
violence which only begets more violence.
Dr. Tebay also pointed out that there has been no
transparency on the side of the security forces regarding
the results of their investigations. "Were projectiles
involved and if so, what kind of projectiles?"
(WPAT notes that such information could point to the
identity of the shooters insofar as the OPM has a limited
range of firearms and it was possible that others, possibly
even members of the security forces themselves, might have
been involved as been the case in other incidents.)
Fadel Alhamid, a member of the Papuan Customary Council,
echoed Dr. Tebay's concerns that violence should not be
answered by violence. Alhamid added that nothing was yet
known about who was responsible for the initial violence.
The "security approach" was not the right way to improve the
situation in Puncak Jaya. "A more persuasive approach is
needed, and this requires the collaboration of all elements
in society," he said. "This means involving political
bodies, the churches, customary groups all of which should
be actively involved, bearing in mind that the security
approach has a direct impact on the civilian population. If
everyone gets together, it should be possible to work out
who was responsible for the shooting," he argued.
Political Prisoner
Filep Karma Denied Urgent Medical
Treatment
There is growing international concern over the health of
Papuan political prisoner Filep Karma who is in urgent need
of medical treatment for a colon disorder.
The Dutch NGO, Foundation Pro Papua, on April 22
wrote to the Indonesian health minister raising concern
over Karma's plight. The group noted in part that Karma, who
was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for his role in a
peaceful demonstration, was examined recently by Indonesian
physicians in Jayapura. They suspect that he has colon tumor
and that he needs a colonoscopy and follow-up treatment.
Because it is not possible to conduct a colonoscopy in West
Papua the physicians referred him to a
hospital in Jakarta. West Papua has long lacked even basic
medical facilities and personnel.
Karma has not been transferred despite this referral because
prison officials have refused to cover cost of his medical
treatment and travel.
In an
action alert, Amnesty International argues all medical
costs for treatment of a prisoner at a hospital must be
borne by the state, according to the UN Body of Principles
for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of
Detention or Imprisonment (Principle 24). Indonesian law
(Regulation No. 32/1999 on Terms and Procedures on the
Implementation of Prisoners' Rights in Prisons) also
requires all medical costs for treatment of a prisoner at a
hospital be borne by the State.
WPAT notes that internationally,
standard minimal standards regarding treatment of prisoners
also were established by the "United Nations Congress on The
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders" held in
Geneva in 1955 and approved by the Economic and Social
Council by its resolutions 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957 and
2076 (LXII) of 13 May 1977.
Regarding medical treatment of prisoners, that resolution in
article 22 states:
(2) Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be
transferred to specialized institutions or to civil
hospitals. Where hospital facilities are provided in an
institution, their equipment, furnishings and pharmaceutical
supplies shall be proper for the medical care and treatment
of sick prisoners, and there shall be a staff of suitable
trained officers.
In late February, in
response to a petition filed by
Freedom Now, the
United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
said that Indonesia is violating international law by
detaining Filep Karma and called for his immediate release.
see also
ETAN
writes on health care for Papuan political prisoner Filep
Karma
New Organization Emerges
to Support Local Papuans Facing Land Grabs Such as
MIFEE
There is growing controversy over plans by the Indonesian
government to convert a vast area of southern West Papua
into an industrial agricultural zone. The
Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE)
is similar to industrial agricultural zones in northern
Sumatra and West Kalimantan where local people have seen
forests which have sustained them for many generations
sacrificed to the interests of Indonesian and foreign
corporations. The MIFEE plan is intended to convert over a
million hectares of land belonging to local people of West
Papua into industrialized plantation agriculture.
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MIFEE was imposed on the Papuan people by the
Indonesian government and can only serve to
aggravate the problems faced by indigenous
Papuans, many of whom have struggled since the
1960s for self-determination and against
military violence and other investment projects
such as the Freeport mine and BP gas project.
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An extensive
April 15 report in Tempo magazine describes extensive,
ongoing conflicts between local people and over a dozen
companies attempting to seize land long claimed by the
indigenous groups. Tempo reports these conflicts have placed
the whole MIFEE venture in doubt.
Promises to local peoples by the companies, including
construction of facilities to aid them, protection of forest areas used by locals for hunting, and the
involvement of organizations like Conservation International
from Australia to ensure environmental protections have gone
unfulfilled. A key problem in protecting the rights of the
local inhabitants is the absence of any protection of
customary rights in the Indonesian legal system. (The full
Tempo report is available at
http://tapol.gn.apc.org/reports/120415_Tempo_report.pdf)
A new report,
An Agribusiness Attack in West Papua: Unravelling the
Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate, is now
out from awasMIFEE! (The report is currently available in
English; a Bahasa Indonesia version is being prepared.)
The report says that MIFEE was "imposed on the Papuan people
by the Indonesian government [and] can only serve to
aggravate the problems faced by indigenous Papuans, many of
whom have struggled since the 1960s for self-determination
and against military violence and other investment projects
such as the Freeport mine and BP gas project."
Many of the large agribusiness conglomerates that are
implementing MIFEE belong to "business leaders on
Indonesia's rich list, who are typically well connected to
the military and political parties. Foreign corporations
also have a stake in MIFEE, from Korea, Japan, China and
Singapore."
awasMIFEE! says it was formed as "an act of solidarity
with the social and ecological struggles of the people of
Merauke and elsewhere in West Papua." In a statement that accompanied the report the organization
explained:
We believe that it is important that people outside of
West Papua also know what is happening in Merauke. However,
information available about MIFEE can be confusing - much of
it comes from different companies and government bodies, and
each have their own way of describing the project that fits
with their own interests and objectives.
By compiling information from different sources, such as
reports from the villages affected, from NGOs and other
groups, from Papuan, Indonesian and financial media, from
local and national government, and from company websites, we
have tried to unravel what MIFEE is likely to mean for the
people of Merauke. We hope that a more coherent
understanding of how this land grab is taking shape will be
of interest to people who are interested in West Papua, in
the defence of forests and forest peoples, in the struggles
against agro-fuels and against the growth of industrialised
agriculture.
Most of all we hope that this information can be the
catalyst for action! Our initiative is independent,
unconnected to the programs of any NGO, and we hope it can
also be a source of inspiration.
The report An Agribusiness Attack in West Papua: Unravelling the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate
is an attempt to give an overview of the situation in April
2012.
Indonesia to Face Quadrennial
UN Human Rights Review in May
The UN's Human Rights Commission will review human rights
progress in Indonesia in May, All member states of the
United Nations must regularly submit to the
Universal Periodic Review. The Commission process
accepts submissions regarding the status of human rights
observance by those facing reviews from States and also from
non-governmental organizations. While the deadline for NGO
submissions to the process has passed, individual
organizations may still make submission to their
governments.
Documents from the upcoming 2012 review can be found
here and from the 2008 of Indonesia are
here.
WPAT Member Dr. Eben Kirksey
Authors Book on West Papua
Freedom in Entangled Worlds: West Papua and the
Architecture of Global Power by Dr. Eben Kirksey is now
out from Duke University Press.
Eben
Kirksey first went to West Papua, the Indonesian-controlled
half of New Guinea, in 1998 as an exchange student. His
later study of West Papua's resistance to the Indonesian
occupiers and the forces of globalization morphed as he
discovered that collaboration, rather than resistance, was
the primary strategy of this dynamic social movement.
Accompanying indigenous activists to Washington, London, and
the offices of the oil giant BP, Kirksey saw the
revolutionaries' knack for getting inside institutions of
power and building coalitions with unlikely allies,
including many Indonesians. He discovered that the West
Papuans' pragmatic activism was based on visions of dramatic
transformations on coming horizons, of a future in which
they would give away their natural resources in grand
humanitarian gestures, rather than passively watch their
homeland be drained of timber, gold, copper, and natural
gas. During a lengthy, brutal occupation, West Papuans have
harbored a messianic spirit and channeled it in surprising
directions. Kirksey studied West Papua's movement for
freedom as a broad-based popular uprising gained traction
from 1998 until 2008. Blending extensive ethnographic
research with indigenous parables, historical accounts, and
compelling narratives of his own experiences, he argues that
seeking freedom in entangled worlds requires negotiating
complex interdependencies.
Available in paperback ($25) and hardback ($75) from ETAN
(http://www.etan.org/resource/books.htm#B98
Kirksey) The Kindle edition ($9.95) can be bought from Amazon.com
Dr. Kirksey will be visiting Australia from May 16 through
June 1st and is available to speak about Freedom in
Entangled Worlds.
