This is the 133rd 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 by 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 directly via e-mail, write to etan@etan.org. Link to this issue: http://etan.org/issues/wpapua/2015/1506.htm.

The Report leads with PERSPECTIVE, an analysis piece; followed by UPDATE, a summary of some recent news and developments; and then CHRONICLE which includes analyses, statements, new resources, appeals and action alerts related to West Papua. Anyone interested in contributing a PERSPECTIVE or responding to one should write to edmcw@msn.com. We also welcome suggestions of resources and analysis to for listing in the CHRONICLE section. The opinions expressed in Perspectives are the author's and not necessarily those of WPAT or ETAN. For ongoing news on West Papua subscribe to the reg.westpapua listserv or visit its archive; the list is also available on Twitter. Follow @WestPapuaNews

CONTENTS

This edition's PERSPECTIVE examines Indonesia President Widodo's failure to follow through on his election promises concerning West Papua, as his policy changes are regularly contradicted by those charged with implementing them.

In UPDATE: Five political prisoners in Papua were released as the fate of the rest remains in question. Jokowi's opening of West Papua to foreign journalists will only be meaningful with explicit rules governing access. A Papuan charged with treason over his assistance to journalists in West Papua has been acquitted. New reports tell of torture of Papuan civilians and of security force assaults and mass arrests at peaceful Papuan demonstrations. Plans to establish a new military command in West Papua has met with opposition. A prominent human rights advocate has been threatened with prosecution over his reports of security force excesses. U.S. authorities have inexplicably revoked the visa of prominent Papuan leader Benny Wenda. Jokowi goes to PNG, as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) summit nears. Fiji groups attack their government's stance on West Papua.

In CHRONICLE: President Widodo is backing a major transformation of Papuan land through food plantations. which has prompted loud objections from local people for years. A palm oil supplier continues to destroy of Papuan forests. Morning star flags for sale. Global Day of Action's free expression demands remain unfulfilled.

PERSPECTIVE

What to Make of President Widodo
by Ed McWilliams
 
Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is expected soon to be making his first official visit to Washington. Discussions will likely include expanding bilateral military cooperation, pumping up commercial ties and reviewing joint efforts to counter "international terrorism." U.S. officials are not likely to seriously address the many human rights problems that plague Indonesia. The Obama administration, like its predecessor, has ignored serious human rights violations by an unreformed and unaccountable Indonesian military and instead continues to expand military-to-military ties.

Days later, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu told the media that if access to Papua were granted to journalists, it would be with an obligation to produce "good reports."

Any review of human rights concerns in Indonesia under the new Widodo administration would reveal the continuing violation of Papuan human rights, especially by Indonesian security forces.

In his 2014 campaign for president, and since his election, Widodo appeared to recognize that a truly democratic Indonesia could no longer pursue a "security approach" in West Papua. During the campaign and in the early days of his Presidential tenure, Widodo seemed intent genuine reform of Indonesian policy.

On May 9, President Widodo, during a trip to West Papua, announced an end to restrictions on access to West Papua for journalists (see below). For decades, Indonesia has imposed repressive restrictions on international observers visiting West Papua, especially journalists. Days later, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu told the media that if access to Papua were granted to journalists, it would be with an obligation to produce "good reports."

President Joko Widodo and Iriana Widodo with President Obama at APEC Summit 2014 in Beijing. Photo from liputan6.com.

He also explicitly equated foreign journalists' negative Papua reporting with "sedition."

Also contradicting the President, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno defended the government's intimidating following of journalists claiming that "We aren't spying on them [the journalists]. We're simply monitoring their activities."

President Widodo later announced that he was ending the widely criticized "transmigration program" under which hundreds of thousands of non-Papuans have been re-located to West Papua. The program, in place since Indonesia occupied West Papua in 1969, amounts to a policy of ethnic cleansing as migrants, with government assistance, marginalize Papuans, displacing them economically, politically and socially and destroying Papuans' great natural resources.

But Minister for Transmigration Marwan Jafar quickly announced that the controversial program would continue. He said that, if anything, it will be expanded. He told media on June 7 that the program would be ramped up in support of the government's plan to develop 1.2 million hectares of rice fields in the region, under the Merauke Integrated Rice Estate project (see below). To support the anticipated surge in newcomers, Marwan said his ministry planned to build more settlements. This can only lead to greater conflict as indigenous West Papuans are crowded off their own lands. Indigenous protest of the Merauke project in particular has been particularly strong for years.

President Widodo also has been frustrated on another issue of central importance to Papuans. During his campaign he pledged to free the dozens of Papuan political prisoners, most held for peaceful opposition to Jakarta's repression. However, in May he only released five Papuan prisoners (see below). The rest had refused to apply for clemency, which requires an admission of guilt. Amnesties required Parliamentary acquiescence which Widodo, apparently, was not yet prepared to spend the political capital to obtain.

It is becoming ever more clear that on critical concerns related to repression in West Papua, Indonesian president Widodo's pledges of reform are meaningless.

It is becoming ever more clear that on critical concerns related to repression in West Papua, Indonesian president Widodo's pledges of reform are meaningless.

In addition to the failure of all of Widodo's reform promises to the Papuan people, there is one additional harsh reality. Since the inauguration of the new administration, Indonesia's security forces have deliberately escalated tensions in West Papua. The killing of Papuan students in Paniai in early December by security forces has yet to be investigated. "Sweeping operations" which displace highland villagers continue. Numerous peaceful protests have been violently broken up.

In keeping up the pressure, the security forces are creating an environment in which their repressive "security approach" continues to dominate strategic and tactical responses to the myriad problems afflicting the Papuan people. Moreover, decades of ruinous exploitation of Papuan natural resources by the Indonesian government operating in league with Indonesian and foreign corporations (with security personnel acting as enforcers) continues apace.

While this deeply disappointing collapse of President Widodo's pre-election promises to open a new chapter in relations between Jakarta and West Papua is manifest, it remains unclear whether this collapse reflects the new President's duplicity or whether the new President is simply unable to hold his own against the security and corporate bureaucracy that has long dominated policy toward West Papua. Whether the failure of Widodo's new approach to West Papua is due to the sabotage or the president's own duplicity is important in assessing prospects for the president's other reform pledges. But for the Papuan people, the meaning and reality of this failure is clear: Suharto era policies and approaches will continue and the reform promises of another Indonesian president have proven once again to be empty.