Tag: Human Rights Violations

Papuan students in Yogyakarta attacked by Indonesian police and militia
Reported by AMP Yogyakarta 18^th July 2016
20-year-old student Obi Kogoya attacked by Indonesian police and militia on 15th July outside the boarding house Yogyakarta
Indonesian police and civilian reactionary groups stormed a boarding house for Papuan students in Yogyakarta on Friday. The State-Owned Papuan Dormotory at Kusumanegara Road, Kamasan I was besieged in the early morning of 15^th July when mobile brigades (Brimob) of special forces officers forced their way through the back gate of the dormitory and caused extensive damage to student property. After entering the premises, they destroyed and sabotaged a number of motorcycles while other police surrounded the dormitory and blocked all access to the building. Students were forbidden from entering or moving about the premises, while Red Cross workers and local residents were restricted from providing relief for the students.
This action comes at a time when Papuan students in Yogyakarta had planned to stage a peaceful rally in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) bid to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). The students also demanded West Papuan self-determination to be implemented by the Indonesian government as the best solution for resolving ongoing conflicts in the troubled province, and to demonstrate to the rest of the world a genuine regard for democratic principles.
The rally was organised by Persatuan Rakyat Untuk Pembebasan Papua Barat (People United for Free West Papua PRPPB)
Hundreds of Indonesian police ready to attack Papuan students boarding house on Friday 15th July 2016
An international spokesperson of the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP), Yely Wenda, witnessed the incident from inside the besieged building. Mr Wenda insisted that hundreds of police and armed civilians had arrived at the boarding house by 7 am and “that we were targeted and treated as though we were terrorists. There was absolutely no logic whatsoever for the Indonesian security forces to act the way they did. It was very embarrassing to see them act stupidly like this”
According to Wenda, police officers were sweeping several access points to the road leading toward Papua dormitory, and blocking and detaining any person entering or leaving the property. As many as fifteen students were arrested simply on account of their desire to enter their own property. One 20-year-old student was detained by the police on the street outside of the dormitory before being brutally tortured. The student, Obi Kogoya, had his jaw forcefully opened by police and militia, and is now in a critical condition at a local hospital.
In addition to the violence being perpetrated by police and militia, civilian groups conducted a demonstration attacking the Papuans’ message of independence. These groups were well-armed and protected by a throng of Indonesian security forces, and displayed a banner that stated their willingness to die in defending their “unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia”.
The President of the Papuan Students’ Association, Aris Yeimo, told BBC Indonesia that 60 to 70 students remain locked inside the building all day and unable to leave the premises. When asked why the dormitory was besieged by the police, Mr Yeimo insisted he had no idea why security forces acted in such an intimidating manner and that these kinds of confrontations are not uncommon. Incidents towards Papuans – such as this one – may occur as often as several times a month, everywhere Papuans live.
Hundreds of Indonesian police ready to attack Papuan students boarding house on Friday 15th July 2016
Police representatives have a clearer understanding about the justification for these kinds of actions. The Yogyakarta City Police Chief, Kombes Tommy Wibisono, asserts that pacification action such as this need to be carried out when demands for Papuan independence undermines national stability and promotes “social unrest”. However, Aris Yeimo insists that the current action against students has little to do with calls for Papuan independence, but rather because of the perceived threat they pose to the national integrity of the archipelago.
Veronica Koman from the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) in Jakarta has condemned the brutality of the police and demanded that security forces and their civilian paramilitary counterparts must not take the law into their own hands. This assertion applies not only to the current situation in Yogyakarta, but to other parts of the country as well.
Yely Wenda has appealed to Pacific Islands nations for moral support and to put pressure on Indonesia as an associate member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to refrain from utilising these kinds of pressures on local Papuan students.

Further information, please contact:

Yamin Kogoya
0477785680
kogoyay@gmail.com
Papuan student at the Australian National University Canberra-Australia

Yely Wenda
+6281344666626
aringgiklod@gmail.com
An International spokesperson of Papuan Student Alliance in Yogyakarta-Indonesia

20-year-old student Obi Kogoya attacked by Indonesian police and militia on 15^th July outside the boarding house Yogyakarta.

Hundreds of Indonesian police ready to attack Papuan students boarding house on Friday 15^th July 2016
July 18, 2016
NZ Govt urged to recognise West Papua ‘genocide’
The New Zealand Government is being urged to stop turning a blind eye to the atrocities playing out in West Papua.
Since May this year, at least 3000 young people have been arrested and tortured for peacefully protesting large-scale human rights abuses.
Indonesia took control of the province in 1963, and it has been under military occupation ever since.
The struggle for independence has seen around 500,000 Papuans killed, with watchdogs referring to it as a ‘mass genocide’.
Maire Leadbeater from West Papua Action Auckland says they’re launching a petition aimed at our Government, and its inability to acknowledge the horror.
“It’s a repeat of East Timor… it always seems more important to our Government to have a bilateral relationship with Indonesia, rather than speak up for the pacific people who live in West Papua,” said Ms Leadbeater.
Human rights groups have long been campaigning for countries to acknowledge the abuse, saying people are being subjected to killings, torture, beatings and neglect.
Ms Leadbeater says people remain blissfully unaware of the horror, because of strict restrictions Indonesia imposes on the media.
“The situation remains hidden as very few journalists are able to get there. It’s very out of sight.”
But she hopes that’s all about to change, as neighbouring countries begin to voice concerns about, what’s often referred to as the genocide of West Papuans.
“The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are standing out on the issue at the likes of the United Nations… they’re really doing a great job and we need to follow their lead.”
And New Zealanders are being told it’s time to do their part, with the launch of a petition this afternoon.
Ms Leadbeater says it simply asks for the Government to speak out about the atrocities at international forums.
Newshub
Read more: http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/nz-govt-urged-to-recognise-west-papua-genocide-2016070712#ixzz4FPbvancX
July 7, 2016
Jakarta slams Solomons and Vanuatu over human rights
radionz.co.nz – Indonesia has strongly rejected statements about West Papua by Vanuatu and Solomon Islands at the UN Human Rights Council session last week.
Delegates of the two Pacific Islands’ countries accused Indonesia of failing to prevent ongoing human rights abuses against West Papuans.
But Indonesia’s delegate at the session, Michael Tene, said Vanuatu and Solomon Islands’ statements showed a lack of understanding of Papua.
He said they were politically motivated in support of separatist groups which incite public disorder and terrorist attacks against civilians and security personnel.
Indonesia as a democratic country is committed to promoting and protecting human rights, including by taking necessary steps to address the allegations of human rights violations and abuses in Papua. No one is perfect. We are always open to have dialogue on human rights issues, but we reject politicisation of these issues. We deplore the way Solomon Islands and Vanuatu have abused this council and the universal principles of the promotion and protection of human rights by supporting the cause of separatism.
Michael Tene from Indonesia’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
He has described Vanuatu and Solomon Islands as being far from perfect on protection of human rights.
He said the two countries still face serious human rights problems, have rampant corruption in all segments of society and government, human trafficking, mistreatment of children and daily abuse of women.
“It would be for the betterment of their populations if the governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu give attention and priority to seriously address their respective own domestic human rights shortcomings.”
Furthermore, Mustika Hanum, the third secretary at Indonesia’s Permanent Mission, expanded on her country’s concerns about domestic violence in Solomon Islands.
June 27, 2016
Jakarta slams Solomons and Vanuatu over human rights
6:53 pm on 27 June 2016, http://www.radionz.co.nz
Indonesia has strongly rejected statements about West Papua by Vanuatu and Solomon Islands at the UN Human Rights Council session last week.
Delegates of the two Pacific Islands’ countries accused Indonesia of failing to prevent ongoing human rights abuses against West Papuans.
But Indonesia’s delegate at the session, Michael Tene, said Vanuatu and Solomon Islands’ statements showed a lack of understanding of Papua.
He said they were politically motivated in support of separatist groups which incite public disorder and terrorist attacks against civilians and security personnel.
Indonesia as a democratic country is committed to promoting and protecting human rights, including by taking necessary steps to address the allegations of human rights violations and abuses in Papua. No one is perfect. We are always open to have dialogue on human rights issues, but we reject politicisation of these issues. We deplore the way Solomon Islands and Vanuatu have abused this council and the universal principles of the promotion and protection of human rights by supporting the cause of separatism.
Michael Tene from Indonesia’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
He has described Vanuatu and Solomon Islands as being far from perfect on protection of human rights.
He said the two countries still face serious human rights problems, have rampant corruption in all segments of society and government, human trafficking, mistreatment of children and daily abuse of women.
“It would be for the betterment of their populations if the governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu give attention and priority to seriously address their respective own domestic human rights shortcomings.”
Furthermore, Mustika Hanum, the third secretary at Indonesia’s Permanent Mission, expanded on her country’s concerns about domestic violence in Solomon Islands.
June 27, 2016
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu call for West Papuan human rights to be supported at UN Human Rights Council
FWPC – On Wednesday 22nd June the governments of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu made historic statements at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on the deteriorating human rights situation in West Papua.
Solomons un
Solomon Islands government representative who spoke on behalf of his country, supporting the people of West Papua, at the United Nations Human Rights Council
Speaking first the Solomon Islands government representative said,
“The delegation of Solomon Islands would like to draw the attention of the Council on the human right situation in West Papua, Indonesia. We express our deep concerns on the eroding human rights situation of the indigenous Melanesian Papuans, who are the indigenous population of West Papua. As a Melanesian state, the incumbent chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, and designated chair of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) would extend its solidarity to our fellow Melanesians in West Papua. We would encourage the Government of Indonesia to find peaceful and sustainable solution of the on-going conflict in West Papua through constructive engagement with the representatives of the West Papuans and respect their right as a people.
“Whilst we welcome the increased attention given by President Joko Widodo to West Papua, the violation of human rights against West Papuan remains unresolved. The Solomon Islands government receives regular reports of cases of arbitrary arrests, summary execution, torture, ill-treatment, restriction of freedom of expression, assembly and association, committed mainly by the Indonesian police.
“On 2 May 2016 alone, 2,109 people were arrested mainly indigenous Melanesian Papuans, while participating in peaceful demonstrations in several cities in West Papua and some Indonesian cities. The demonstrations were held in support of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) to be recognized as a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), the commemoration of 1 May 1963 as Indonesia’s annexation of West Papua and to support the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) meeting. During the arrest, some of them experienced torture and ill treatment from the Indonesian security forces.
“The Solomon Islands notes the recent outcomes of the Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Melanesian Spearhead group that was held last week in Fiji (14-17TH June 2016) where both Representatives of Indonesia and the ULMWP sat as MSG members during the deliberation. This outcome envisages to establish a safe space for constructive engagement with all parties with a view to addressing the concerns of the MSG members about the recent developments in West Papua. In this regard, the Foreign Ministers further agreed to establish a Committee of High Level Representatives of the MSG members to accompany and facilitate this constructive engagement.
“We also welcome the initiative of the MSG to work closely with the Indonesian government to visit the Melanesian Provinces of Indonesia at a later date. This important visit would allow for a clear, objective and independent view by the members of the MSG leaders and ministers.
“We strongly endorsed the final declaration of this International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) Forum which took place in London on 3 May which calls for an internationally supervised vote on the independence of West Papua. The declaration has been endorsed by cross regional parliamentarians coming from 15 UN member States.
“Journalists working on human rights are still prevented to have free and full access to do their work in West Papua. Our delegation is convinced that access of international community to West Papua, particularly to the UN Special Procedure, will provide an opportunity to improve the human rights situation. We reassure the Government of Indonesia to cooperate with the Human Rights Council by allowing the agreed visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to Indonesia which should include to West Papua.
“Finally, we encourage the Indonesian Government to facilitate the human rights fact-finding mission to West Papua that the members of the Pacific Island Forum have decided to conduct.’
vanuatu 4 un
Vanuatu government representative who spoke on behalf of his country, supporting the people of West Papua, at the United Nations Human Rights Council
“Thank you Mr President”
The Vanuatu government representative then briefed the United Nations council and said
“My delegation associates itself with the statement made by Solomon Islands.
“Vanuatu wishes to express to the Council our deepest concerns on the deteriorating human right situation in West Papua. We continue to receive increasing reports of gross human rights violations in West Papua.
“In the recent months more than a thousand of West Papuans were arrested by Indonesia police for participating in peaceful demonstrations. This contradicts the responsibility to protect and facilitate protests that advocate for political and cultural views that differ from, and even oppose, those espoused by the Government.
“Whilst we acknowledge and welcome the Report by the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom and of association, which gave example of West Papuans whose rights to freedom of assembly and of associations are restricted by the Indonesian Government, Vanuatu would like to call upon the Human Rights Council to do more.
“We call on the Council to work with Indonesia Government to allow the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to visit West Papua to get objective and independent views of the situation on the ground in that region.
“We also call on the Government of Indonesia to allow free and full access of international journalist to West Papua and allow the human rights fact-finding mission by the Pacific Islands Forum.
“Thank you Mr. President”.
Speaking after his statement, the Solomon Islands government representative spoke about how he was positive of the Solomon Islands raising support for West Papua at the United Nations.
“Well just a few minutes ago the Solomon Islands made statement at the Human Rights Council about highlighting the continuous human rights violations in West Papua. Its really good, I really feel happy that the Solomon Islands is able to make such statements at the Council level. I think that it will give the International Community awareness of what’s going on. Not much information goes out to the International Community about whats happening so we thank the Rights body of the UN to raise the voices of our fellow human beings there that do not have a voice at the Human Rights Council.
“I’m glad as well that my college from Vanuatu made a statement in support of west Papua in highlighting the human rights issue in west Papua so its really great.”
The Vanuatu government representative also spoke of the Melanesian solidarity and support for West Papua at the United Nations.
“Thank you, we Melanesian brothers, we made statement in association with the Solomon Islands here in the Human Rights Council. We made statements on requiring the human rights considerations along what has been happening in the place of human rights in West Papua and we hope the statement which has been stated today will be groundwork for the Commissioner, the Council to take note of the human rights issues in West Papua.
“And we as Vanuatu, we stand, we support our Melanesian brothers, as the founder of Vanuatu stated that Vanuatu will not be Independent until all our Melanesian brothers get Independent. Thank you.”
June 25, 2016
UN Human Rights Council Highlights West Papua
2:35 pm on 23 June 2016, radio anz
Indonesia’s Papua region, or West Papua, has been highlighted at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in recent days.
A meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Photo: AFP
During the 32nd session of the Council Plenary, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Maina Kiai, zeroed in on Papua.
Referring to West Papuans’ struggles with rapid demographic and socio-economic change in their homeland, Mr Kiai spoke of the domination of a particular culture, language and tradition which are clamied as being superior to others.
He said what is occurring in Papua was a phenomenon connected with cultural fundamentalism and nationalism seen in other parts of the world.
“In each case, the superiority has triggered the process of dehumanization or delegitimizing of particular groups,” said Mr Kiai in his report.
“Gradually, these groups would lose their humanity and rights. This process can lead to devastating consequences, because history has proved it many times.”
A large peaceful demonstration in Jayapura in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. Photo: Tabloid Jubi
A number of civil society groups attended the plenary to express concern about the restriction of freedom of expression in Papua.
They urged Indonesia’s government to open up access on Papua for the international community.
The Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Franciscans International Program, Budi Cahyono, told Tabloid Jubi that civil society asked the Council to press Jakarta to set a date for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Expression to visit Papua.
Indonesian police talk to members of the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, in Jayapura during their demonstration, 31 May 2016. Photo: Tabloid Jubi
Other civil society groups that were present include groups include the World Council of Churches, VIVAT International, International Coalition for West Papua, West Papua Nezwerk, Tapol, and Minority Rights Groups International and Geneva for Human Rights.
They urged the UN Human Rights Council to ask Indonesia’s government to conduct investigation on the arbitrary arrests in Papua and other places, and to guarantee the rights of freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly and association for Papuans.
June 23, 2016
UN and Jakarta focus on Papua rights abuses
4:57 pm on 23 June 2016, RNZ
Solomon Islands’ diplomat in Geneva has told the UN Human Rights Council’s 32nd session about an eroding human rights situation in Indonesia’s Papua region.
West Papuan demonstrators tightly monitored by Indonesian police. Photo: Whens Tebay
Barrett Salato told the session that whilst his country welcomes increased attention on West Papua from Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo, violations of Papuans’ rights remain unresolved.
Mr Salato said his government received regular reports from Papua of arbitrary arrests, summary execution, torture, restriction of freedom of expression, assembly and association, committed mainly by Indonesian police.
After the session, he said it was important to raise the issue globally.
“It will give the international commmunity some awareness about what’s going on (in Papua),” he said.
“Not much information goes out to the international commmunity about what’s happening so we take it here to the right body of the UN to raise the voices of our fellow human beings that does not have a voice in the human rights council.”
West Papua was singled out for attention at the session by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Maina Kiai.
He said what is occurring in Papua was a phenomenon connected with cultural fundamentalism and nationalism seen in other parts of the world.
“In each case, the superiority has triggered the process of dehumanization or delegitimizing of particular groups,” said Mr Kiai in his report.
Since April, a series of large demonstrations in West Papua in support of Papuan self-determination rights have resulted in an estimated four thousand Papuans being arrested. Photo: Tabloid Jubi
Barrett Salato pointed out to the Council session that on 2 May 2016 alone, over 2000 West Papuans were arrested for participating in peaceful demonstrations in several cities in Papua and eastern Indonesian cities.
“We would encourage the government of Indonesia to find peaceful and sustainable solution of the on-going conflict in West Papua through constructive engagement with the representatives of the West Papuans and respect their right as a people,” he said.
MSG focus on Papuan rights
Solomon Islands is currently occupying the chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. In this capacity it has been pushing for increased engagement with Indonesia’s government over the situation in West Papua.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua was granted observer status at the MSG last year and is seeking full membership in the group, with a decision to be made at an upcoming MSG leaders summit in Honiara next month.
Solomons PM Manaseh Sogavare and leaders of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Photo: Facebook
Indonesia, which has associate member status in the MSG, has been opposed to greater representation within the group by the ULMWP.
Indonesia’s delegate at last week’s MSG Foreign Ministers meeting in Fiji was reportedly unhappy about having to sit alonside the Liberation Movement representative for discussions.
The Solomons government, however, was upbeat about the impact of getting Indonesians and West Papuans together at the same table.
The MSG Foreign Ministers meeting concluded with agreement to establish a Committee of High Level Representatives of MSG members to facilitate constructive engagement between Jakarta and West Papuans as concernd parties on the issues of rights abuses against Papuans.
Jakarta establishes team to address Papuan rights abuses
Indonesia’s government has been making efforts to respond to the ongoing international concern about rights abuses in West Papua.
While the UN Human Rights Council was discussing Papua in Geneva, Jakarta has been pushing ahead with the establishment of a team tasked with addressing a number of cases of human rights abuses in Papua region.
Indonesia’s Co-ordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security, Luhut Pandjaitan. Photo: AFP
The team is being created under the watch of the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Luhut Pandjaitan, who has invited regional monitoring for the team’s inception.
Mr Luhut told media the team would consist of the chairmen of both National and Provincial Human Rights Commissions and several human rights commissionaires.
But Papua’s Governor Lucas Enembe and various Papuan civil society figures have voiced concern that the team would not be independent and would be restricted in its scope.
Papua’s Governor Lucas Enembe (left) says human rights abuses in Papua should be resolved according to Papuan custom. Photo: RNZI/Koroi Hawkins
Jakarta is under increasing pressure to be transparent about its efforts in Papua.
According to Barrett Salato, the Solomons would continue to urge Jakarta to accept MSG and Pacific Islands Forum fact-finding missions to Papua, and open up Papua to international access.
“Journalists working on human rights are still prevented to have free and full access to do their work in West Papua,” he said.
“Our delegation is convinced that access of international community to West Papua, particularly to UN Special Procedure, will provide an opportunity to improve the human rights situation.”
June 23, 2016
PNG Restates Wet Papua Concerns
11:39 am on 26 May 2016
Papua New Guinea’s prime minister says his government is concerned about what is happening in West Papua and has expressed this directly to Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo.
Peter O’Neill made the comment on FM100’s radio talk back show while responding to questions from the public about West Papua.
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill. Photo: PNG PM’s office

The prime minister has previously spoken of the need for PNG to speak out about ongoing human rights abuses in his country’s neighbouring territory.
On talkback yesterday, Mr O’Neill indicated West Papuans were welcome in PNG.
“We are equally concerned about what is happening in West Papua,” he said.
“We have expressed that directly to the highest authority including the President this year particularly the human rights issue and for autonomy.”
The prime minister said that as chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, PNG had written to President Widodo, requesting to send a fact-finding team of Pacific Island leaders to West Papua to talk directly with the people themselves.
“The response we received from Indonesia is they welcome such a dialogue and appreciative of our desire for West Papua have some more autonomy, whether that will be self-determination or not is something that can be worked on towards,” he said.
The prime minister’s comments follow criticism by the chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Manasseh Sogavare, that Indonesia has failed to respond to requests for engagement over Papua by both the Pacific Forum and the MSG.
After their special summit scheduled for Port Vila earlier this month was postponed, MSG leaders were now expected to meet in Port Moresby in coming days.
Port Moresby meeting
The MSG leaders meeting is expected to coincide with a summit of the African Carribean and Pacific Group that PNG is hosting.
“So I am aware we will have an MSG side meeting at the weekend,” Mr O’Neill is reported in the Post Courier as saying, “and some of the issues will be brought up during the ACP summit which is coming up next week.”
Vanuatu’s Daily Post newspaper reports that the country’s Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and his Foreign Minister Bruno Leingkone will be attending.
Mr Salwai has clearly stated his government’s support for the United Liberation Movement of West Papua’s bid for full membership in the MSG.
Indonesia is also seeking full membership, although Mr Salwai is also proposing that Indonesia’s current associate membership in the group be cancelled.
May 25, 2016
Arrest of Papuans showcases paradox in democracy, human rights: Activist
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | 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)
May 6, 2016
Papua Rights Among Concerns Around Jokowi’s UK Stay
Yogyakarta, (KM) —Radionz.co.nz. Rad – The British prime minister David Cameron has been urged to challenge Indonesian President Joko Widodo over his country’s human rights record, including West Papua.
The call from Amnesty International comes as President Widodo visits the United Kingdom this week as part of his European tour.
Referring to concerns around Indonesia’s performance on such matters as executions and Shari’a law, Amnesty says Indonesia’s record in human rights is an obstacle to any trade deal that Jakarta seeks to forge with the UK.
An Indonesia Researcher at Amnesty International, Papang Hidayat said the NGO’s was concerned about the country’s prisoners of conscience, including 27 in Papua.
He mentioned a Papuan political activist, Steven Itlay who was this month charged with having committed “rebellion” and faces life imprisonment. (radio new zealand)
Post by Admin/03.KM
April 20, 2016

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