(SEAPA/IFEX) - Jakarta, 23 October - In this joint statement, the Pantau Foundation and SEAPA call for an end to violence against Papuan journalists.
Police today attacked a journalist covering a rally organised by the
West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Manokwari in West Papua.
Oktovianus Pogau, a reporter with Suara Papua and a contributor to the Yayasan Pantau,
was beaten by five policemen while trying to take pictures of police
use of excessive violence against the KNPB demonstrators in front of the
State University of Papua, Manokwari. Pogau had displayed his press
card, but some police did not stop the beating. He sustained injuries to
his face.
The security forces had attempted to stop the rally but the KNPB activists went on with the demonstrations.
In Jayapura, police dispersed thousands of demonstrators using the
water cannon and tear gas. In Manokwari, five people were reportedly
shot but it is still not clear under what conditions.
SEAPA's executive director Gayathry Venkiteswaran said: "We deplore
the aggression used against the demonstrators and especially
journalists, who are on duty. Papua has been a particularly difficult
and dangerous place for the media and such kinds of abuse will further
deny the rights of the people to news and information."
She said SEAPA raised concerns about the violence against
journalists in Papua and the restrictions placed on foreign journalists
in its submission to the Human Rights Council on the occasion of
Indonesia's Universal Periodic Review.
"The threats of impunity, of not bringing perpetrators of violence
against media personnel to justice, is a problem that has pushed back
Indonesia's gains in media freedom in the last decade or so," she added.
In 2011, two journalists were killed in Papua, eight were kidnapped
and 18 attacked. Foreign journalists are required to apply for special
permits to enter and cover stories in Papua since Indonesia took over
the administration of West Papua in 1963. Only three news organizations,
including the BBC, obtained the permits last year.
Pantau Foundation and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance condemn the
attacks against the media, especially in Papua where activists, human
rights defenders and journalists are frequently targeted for their work.
Since October, two veteran human rights defenders, respectively from
Wamena and Jayapura, have moved out of Papua due to serious threats
against them.
We call on the police to:
1. Respect the rights of citizens to freedom of expression;
2. Ensure the safety of Oktovianus Pugao;
3. Stop all forms of violence against journalists;
4. Arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of violence.
We also call on the Indonesian government to:
1. Open up Papua to international journalists and human rights monitors; and
2. Guarantee the rights of all journalists working in West Papua to
ensure they can work free of violence, hindrance or intimidation from
any members of the security forces
Imam Shofwan, Chairman, Pantau Foundation
Gayathry Venkiteswaran, Executive Director, SEAPA