Bahasa Indonesia
Congress Demands Action on West Papua
Political Prisoners
as Human Rights Violations Persist
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tom Ricker, 301-922-8909
John M. Miller, National
Coordinator, +1/718-596-7668
August 7 - The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
(ETAN) today congratulated U.S. congressmembers for their letter to
Indonesian president, Dr. H. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urging him to
work for the “immediate and unconditional” release of West Papuan
political prisoners Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage.
“We are pleased that Congress is taking this important stand for
human rights in Indonesia. Karma and Pakage have been in prison for
three and half long years for merely exercising their right of
political expression. We hope the letter coupled with increasing
pressure from the human rights community will gain their release,”
said Tom Ricker, advocacy coordinator for ETAN
The letter was signed by 40 members of the U.S. House of
Representatives. The letter with a complete list of signers can be
found below.
Karma and Pakage are serving 10 and 15 years respectively for
raising the Morning Star flag during a peaceful protest in December
of 2004 in Jayapura, Papua.
According to Amnesty International and other reports, Indonesian police
who arrested . Karma at the site of the demonstration subsequently
beat him en route to the police station.
Karma and Pakage were
sentenced in May 2005 and have been in prison since. Amnesty
International has declared Karma and Pakage to be prisoners of
conscience.
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 |
Filep Karma (left) and Yusak Pakage. Photographs
by S. Eben Kirksey (CC). You may not use this
work for commercial purposes without permission
from the copyright holder.
Filep Karma (kanan) dan Yusak Pakage. Foto oleh
Eben Kirksey (CC). Foto ini tidak boleh
digunakan untuk tujuan komersil tanpa izin dari
pemegang hak cipta.
|
The letter also points to the deteriorating human right situation
in Papua: “The unjust imprisonment of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage
occurs in the context of a crackdown on Papuan human rights
defenders, which has included general public threats by senior
military officials and intimidation directed at individuals by
anonymous figures.”
“This letter from Congress comes at a crucial time. Peaceful
protesters continue to be arrested in West Papua. Just two weeks ago
nearly 40
people were arrested for demonstrating. Six of the organizers
now face the same prison terms as Karma and Pakage,” said Ricker.
“The U.S. government has once again become a major supplier of
military assistance to Indonesia despite the deteriorating
circumstances in West Papua. We hope this action by members of
Congress signals a renewed willingness to promote respect for human
rights as a condition of any future assistance,” he added.
The congressional letter was coordinated by Rep. Patrick Kennedy
(D-RI)
ETAN was formed in 1991. The U.S.-based organization advocates
for democracy, justice and human rights for Timor-Leste and
Indonesia. For more information, see ETAN's web site: http://www.etan.org.
----
translation of letter
into Bahasa Indonesia
Dr. H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Istana Merdeka
Jakarta 10110
Indonesia
Your Excellency,
We the undersigned members of the U.S. Congress respectfully call to
your attention the cases of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who, in May
2005, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the
legitimate and peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression in
Abepura, Papua on December 1, 2004. Amnesty International has declared
the two 'prisoners of conscience.'
We also call your attention to reports by reputable sources that Mr.
Karma was beaten by the police following his arrest. There are also
reliable reports that police at the scene of the demonstration beat a
human rights defender who sought to photograph the violent police action
against peaceful demonstrators.
The unjust imprisonment of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage occurs in the
context of a crackdown on Papuan human rights defenders, which has
included general public threats by senior military officials and
intimidation directed at individuals by anonymous figures. This
campaign of threats and intimidation has targeted Papuans who met with
and gave testimony about human rights abuse to a senior UN human rights
representative when she visited Papua at your government's
invitation in June 2007.
We urge you to take action to ensure the immediate and unconditional
release of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage. Any security officials who
mistreated Mr. Karma or who may have employed inappropriate force
against peaceful demonstrators should be prosecuted. Such steps would
be an important indicator that Indonesia, as a member of the UN Human
Rights Council, takes its international obligations to fully respect
universally recognized human rights.
In accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, we thank you
for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Patrick
J. Kennedy |
|
Raul Grijalva
Barbara Lee
Joseph Pitts
Tammy Baldwin
Barney Frank
Mark Kirk
Tim Walz
Mike Honda
Lois Capps
Jan Schakowsky
Jim McGovern
Jesse Jackson Jr.
Ellen Tauscher
Tom Allen
Jim Langevin
Ed Pastor
Sam Farr
Steve Rotham
Jim Oberstar
Thad McCotter |
Darlene Hooley
Maurice Hinchey
Joe Crowley
Lloyd Doggett
Carolyn Maloney
David Wu
Linda Sanchez
Peter DeFazio
Zoe Lofgren
Albio Sires
Ed Towns
Sheila Jackson-Lee
Danny Davis
Betty Sutton
Eliot Engel
Chakah Fattah
Rush Holt
Lucille
Roybal-Allard
Diane Watson |
see also
AI Special Focus Case:
Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage
Human Rights Watch:
Protest and Punishment Political Prisoners in Papua
The West Papua Report -
Back Issues
Kongres Menuntut
Tindakan atas Tahanan Politik Papua Barat karena Terjadi
Pelanggaran HAM
Untuk Disebarkan Segera
Kontak: Tom Ricker, 301-922-8909
John M. Miller, Koordinator Nasional, +1/718-596-7668
7 Agustus –The East Timor and Indonesia Action
Network (ETAN – Jaringan Aksi Timor Timur dan Indonesia)
hari ini memberi selamat kepada anggota kongres atas
surat mereka kepada presiden Indonesia, Dr. H. Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono yang mendesaknya agar bertindak untuk
membebaskan “segera dan tanpa syarat” tahanan politik
Papua Barat Filep Karma dan Yusak Pakage.
“Kami senang bahwa Kongres mengambil tindakan penting
demi penegakan HAM di Indonesia. Karma dan Pakage sudah
mendekam di tahanan selama tiga setengah tahun hanya
karena melakukan ekspresi hak politik mereka. Kami
berharap surat itu, ditambah dengan meningkatnya tekanan
masyarakat HAM, akan menghasilkan pembebasan mereka,”
kata Tom Ricker, koordinator advokasi ETAN.
Surat itu ditandatangani oleh 40 anggota Dewan
Perwakilan AS. Surat
itu berserta dengan daftar lengkap penandatangannya bisa
ditemukan di bawah ini.
Karma dan Pakage dijatuhi hukuman masing-masing
10 dan 15 tahun karena menaikkan bendera Bintang Kejora
selama protes damai pada bulan Desember 2004 di
Jayapura, Papua. Menurut Amnesty International dan
laporan lainnya, polisi Indonesia yang menangkap Karma
di lokasi demontrasi terus memukulinya selama perjalanan
menuju kantor polisi. Karma dan Pakage dijatuhi hukuman
pada bulan Mei 2005 dan mendekam di penjara sejak itu.
Amnesty International telah mendeklarasikan Karma dan
Pakage sebagai prisoners of conscience (tahanan
politik).
Surat itu juga mengungkapkan semakin
memburuknya situasi HAM di Papua: “Penahanan yang
melawan rasa keadilan atas Karma dan Pakage terjadi
dalam konteks penghancuran atas para pejuang penegakan
HAM Papua, yang mencakup ancaman umum terbuka oleh
pejabat militer senior dan intimidasi atas individu oleh
orang-orang tak dikenal.”
“Surat dari Kongres ini muncul pada saat yang
tepat. Para demonstran damai terus ditangkapi di Papua
Barat. Baru dua minggu lalu sekitar 40 orang ditangkap
karena melakukan demonstrasi. Enam dari
pengorganisir kini menghadapi masa tahanan yang sama
dengan Karma dan Pakage,” kata Ricker.
“Pemerintah AS sekali lagi menjadi penyuplai utama
bantuan militer ke Indonesia dibalik suasana yang kian
memburuk di Papua Barat. Kami berharap tindakan anggota
Kongres merupakan pertanda kesediaan baru mendorong
penegakan HAM sebagai syarat bantuan lain di masa
mendatang,” ia menambahkan.
Surat kongres ini dikoordinir oleh anggota dewan Patrick
Kennedy (D-RI)
ETAN bendiri pada tahun 1991. Organisasi berbasis
di AS yang memperjuangkan demokrasi, keadilan, dan HAM
untuk Timor-Leste dan Indonesia. Untuk
informasi selanjutnya, lihat situs ETAN:
http://www.etan.org
.
----
Dr. H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Presiden Republik Indonesia
Istana Merdeka
Jakarta 10110
Indonesia
Yang Mulia,
Kami anggota Kongres AS yang bertandatangan di bawah ini
dengan hormat memohon perhatian atas kasus Filep Karma
dan Yusak Pakage yang, pada bulan Mei 2005, didakwa dan
dijatuhi hukuman atas keterlibatan mereka mengungkapan
hak berpendapat secara sah dan damai di Abepura, Papua
pada tanggal 1 Desember 2004. Amnesty International
telah mendeklarasikan mereka berdua sebagai 'tahanan
politik.' Kami juga memohon perhatian atas laporan dari
sumber terpercaya bahwa Karma dipukuli polisi setelah
ditangkap. Ada pula laporan terpercaya bahwa polisi di
lokasi demonstrasi memukul seorang penegak HAM yang
berusaha memotret tindakan kekerasan polisi terhadap
para pelaku demonstrasi damai.
Penahanan tak adil atas Karma dan Pakage terjadi dalam
konteks penghancuran atas para pejuang penegakan HAM
Papua, yang mencakup ancaman umum terbuka oleh pejabat
militer senior dan intimidasi atas individu oleh
orang-orang tak dikenal.” Kampanye ancaman dan
intimidasi ini menjadikan sasaran warga Papua yang
memberikan pengakuan atas pelanggaran HAM terhadap
perwakilan HAM PBB ketika mengunjungi Papua atas
undangan pemerintah Anda pada Juni 2007.
Kami mendorong Anda mengambil tindakan untuk memastikan
pembebasan Karma dan Pakage segera dan tanpa syarat. Petugas
keamanan yang telah bertindak melawan hukum atas Karma
atau telah menggunakan keasaan tak wajar atas para
demonstran damai harus diadili. Tindakan ini akan
menjadi indikator penting bahwa Indonesia, sebagai
anggota Dewan HAM PBB, menjalankan kewajiban
internasionalnya untuk menghormati secara penuh HAM yang
diakui universal.
Berdasarkan semua peraturan dan perundang-undangan yang
berlaku, kami mengucapkan terima kasih atas perhatian
Anda atas masalah ini.
Hormat kami,
Patrick
J. Kennedy |
|
Raul Grijalva
Barbara Lee
Joseph Pitts
Tammy Baldwin
Barney Frank
Mark Kirk
Tim Walz
Mike Honda
Lois Capps
Jan Schakowsky
Jim McGovern
Jesse Jackson Jr.
Ellen Tauscher
Tom Allen
Jim Langevin
Ed Pastor
Sam Farr
Steve Rotham
Jim Oberstar
Thad McCotter |
Darlene Hooley
Maurice Hinchey
Joe Crowley
Lloyd Doggett
Carolyn Maloney
David Wu
Linda Sanchez
Peter DeFazio
Zoe Lofgren
Albio Sires
Ed Towns
Sheila Jackson-Lee
Danny Davis
Betty Sutton
Eliot Engel
Chakah Fattah
Rush Holt
Lucille
Roybal-Allard
Diane Watson |
|