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News on West Papua's human rights and conflict situation
  • The humanitarian crisis in West Papua: Internal conflict, the displacement of people, and the coronavirus pandemic
  • At least 33 victims of extra-judicial killings in West Papua throughout 2019
  • Udeido art group launches „Tonawi Mana” virtual exhibition on human rights situation in West Papua
  • Indigenous Papuans in Tambrauw allegedly subjected to intimidation and torture since establishment of military base
  • Student in Ternate under investigation for participating in peaceful rally for Papuan independence
  • Allegations of fatal military violence
  • Military members reportedly killed two indigenous Papuans during routine inspection in Nduga
  • Police in Wasior alleged of using excessive force and torturing a suspect
  • Political prisoner Surya Anta Ginting talks about inhuman conditions at detention centres in Jakarta
  • Corruption allegations against Korindo palm oil conglomerate
  • Labour Union files lawsuit against Freeport Indonesia and Department of Manpower and Transmigration
  • Police officers arbitrarily arrest and torture suspect in Keerom Regency
  • Students in Malang, Makassar and Bali demand the investigation of human rights violations in WP: two demonstrations dispersed
  • KNPB Chairman in Maybrat and minor arbitrarily arrested
The humanitarian crisis in West Papua: Internal conflict, the displacement of people, and the coronavirus pandemic
alt The ICP, together with the Foundation for Justice and Integrity of the Papuan People (YKKMP), the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Desk of the Papuan Tabernacle Church (JPIC Kingmi Papua) and the Papuan Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (ELSHAM Papua) has published a new special report on the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the central highlands of West Papua. The majority of IDPs in West Papua remain unreached by fundamental public healthcare and education services. Thousands of IDPs are forced to live in overcrowded conditions in temporary shelters or in households of relatives, facilitating the quick spreading of COVID-19 in the provinces of Papua and Papua Barat.
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At least 33 victims of extra-judicial killings in West Papua throughout 2019
altThe ICP has documented the extra-judicial killings of 33 civilian victims by security force members throughout the year 2019. All the victims, except one, were ethnic Papuans. This finding is an indication of the continuing pattern of state violence, violations of the right to life and the persistent racial discrimination which indigenous Papuans face in Indonesia. The list does not include victims of extra-judicial killings during the forceful dispersal of a protest against racism and the subsequent outbreak of ethnic violence in the town of Wamena on 23 September 2019. Investigations into the case are still ongoing. We demand Indonesian authorities to immediately conduct independent, impartial and effective investigations into these cases. All perpetrators should be brought to justice at civilian courts through fair and transparent trials, as stipulated in international human rights treaties.
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Udeido art group launches „Tonawi Mana” virtual exhibition on human rights situation in West Papua
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The art group Udeido has launched its virtual exhibition on the human rights situation in West Papua - it carries the name “Tonawi Mana”. It can be viewed on the group’s website until 17 August 2017. The exhibition is a further initiative by Udeido to push the development of superb and critical art in West Papua. Tonawi Mana refers to those elderly Mee who are “able to tap the hearts of their listeners and also stimulate all the voices that are not expressed by their owners to be expressed. For these Tonawi, peace can be realized by speaking out all the problems […] Tonawi Mana refers to the wise who always speak up when a dispute or injustice occurs.” The exhibition shows artwork from Papuan artists as well as artists from other regions in Indonesia who have expressed their critical views of the situation of indigenous Papuans in drawings, photography paintings, installations and poems.

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Indigenous Papuans in Tambrauw allegedly subjected to intimidation and torture since establishment of military base
Jakarta Prison 4 Human rights defenders have raised allegations on multiple cases of intimidation and violence against indigenous Papuans since two military bases are being built in the regency of Tambrauw, Papua Barat Province. In late July,  a group of at least eight military members came to the  Bikar district to search for villagers who had participated in a campaign against the construction of the military base. A bystander recorded a video in the village of Orwen in the Kwoor district, showing four military members of the Kwoor Sub-District Command (KORAMIL) intimidating and shouting at four indigenous Papuans. Human rights defenders claim that the military members kicked the villagers during the incident. In a separate incident, military members reportedly tortured two indigenous Papuans in the Mubrani District.


Student in Ternate under investigation for participating in peaceful rally for Papuan independence
On 2 December 2019, the Director of Khairun University expelled four students for participating in a peaceful demonstration in commemoration of the ‘Papuan Independence Day’. The protest took place in front of the Muhammadiyah University Campus in Ternate, Maluku Utara Province. The Ternate police are now investigating one of the students named Arbi M. Nur. The authorities accuse the student of violating Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on treason and Article 160 KUHP on incitement. According to CNN Indonesia, the Ternate District Police informed the public prosecution in Ternate about the investigation on 13 July 2020.

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Allegations of fatal military violence
The Justice and Peace Department (SKP KAME) of the Archdiocese Merauke has received credible information regarding the alleged torture of sixteen-year-old Oktovianus Warip Betere in the Asiki District of Boven Digoel Regency, Papua Province. According to the head of the SKP KAME, Anselmus Amo, members of the 561 Caraka Yudha Kodam Brawijaya border control unit arrested Oktavianus Betere and subsequently tortured him inside a military post. The military members admitted him shortly after to a local community health centre (Puskesmas). A post-mortem examination at a local clinic confirmed that the victim’s body was bruised and wounded.
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Military members reportedly killed two indigenous Papuans during routine inspection in Nduga
Military members have reportedly shot dead two indigenous Papuans, Elias Karunggu, the 40-year-old father and Seru Karunggu, 20-year-old son, at the military post near Masonggorak village, approximately half a kilometre away from Nduga’s largest town of Kenyam. The victims reportedly belonged to a group of 58 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the districts of Kegayem, Paro and Yenggelo. The IDPs had left their villages and lived in the jungle since the Indonesian government launched a widespread military operation against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) in Nduga in December 2018. The group had decided to give up their shelter and move to the town of Kenyam due to food shortage and sicknesses in the refugee shelter.
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Police in Wasior alleged of using excessive force and torturing a suspect
alt Members of the Teluk Wondama District Police allegedly tortured a suspect named Sedrik Kaikatu as he was receiving medical treatment at the public hospital in the town of Wasior, Papua Barat Province. Sedrik Kaikatu had sustained multiple injuries while police officers tried to arrest him. The Chief of the Teluk Wondama District Police, Yohanes Agustiandaru, explained that Mr Kaikatu was admitted to the public hospital because he injured himself as he fell off a roof, where he was trying to hide from the police officers. The police chief’s statement contradicts the testimonies of other sources who claim that the officers released multiple shots when the suspect attempted to escape. The Manokwari police had put Sedrik Kaikatu on the list of wanted persons for alleged involvement in the theft at a mobile phone store in Manokwari on 23 April 2020.
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Political prisoner Surya Anta Ginting talks about inhuman conditions at detention centres in Jakarta
Jakarta Prison 4 On 24 April 2020, Paulus Surya Anta Ginting and five Papuan activists were found guilty of treason for organising a peaceful protest against racism in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on 28 August 2019. He and four of the activists were sentenced to nine months imprisonment. Another activist was imprisoned for eight months. Surya Anta Ginting has now talked about their incarceration and the inhuman conditions they experienced during police custody at the Mako Brimob Prison and inside the Salemba Detention Center, one of the largest correctional facilities in Indonesia’s overcrowded capital Jakarta. The Papuan news outlet Suara Papua published an article about Surya Ginting’s experience during detention.
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Corruption allegations against Korindo palm oil conglomerate
alt Activists have called on the Indonesian authorities to launch an investigation into the allegations of corruption by the Korindo Group, a privately-owned conglomerate. Investigative journalists uncovered a $ 22 million "advisory" payment from the company. The activists are also pushing for the protection of the rights of indigenous communities affected by the company's palm oil operations. Korindo has so far cleared 25,000 hectares of rainforest in West Papua.

Labour Union files lawsuit against Freeport Indonesia and Department of Manpower and Transmigration
The Federation of Chemical, Energy and Mining Workers of the Indonesian Labour Union (PC FSP KEP SPSI) in Mimika regency has filed a lawsuit against Freeport Indonesia (PT FI) and the Indonesian Department of Manpower and Transmigration (Disnakertrans) in the administrative court in Jayapura. The union will be represented in court by the Papuan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua). The lawsuit is one of many initiatives of former Freeport workers who were dismissed after the company introduced a “furlough program” in 2017. According to a report by the Indonesian NGO Lokataru, approximately 12,000 permanent workers and 20,000 contract workers were laid off. A few months later.

Police officers arbitrarily arrest and torture suspect in Keerom Regency
alt On 4 July 2020, members of the Keerom District Police reportedly arrested and tortured Yudi Kwimi in the Arso district. His relatives claim that the arrest rather resembled a kidnapping than a lawful arrest. Three civil vehicles allegedly approached Yudi Kwimi in the Kwimi Village around 4.00 pm, and four plainclothes police officers jumped out of the cars and immediately handcuffed Yudi without showing a warrant. One officer covered Yudi Kwimi’s mouth to prevent him from shouting. The officers then lifted Yudi into the back of a pick-up truck.
Students in Malang, Makassar and Bali demand the investigation of human rights violations in WP: two demonstrations dispersed
alt Members of the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian Peoples’ Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) organised peaceful protests in the Indonesian cities Denpasar (Bali), Makassar (South Sulawesi) and Malang (East Java). The demonstrations in Bali and Makassar were dispersed by local police forces. The protests were launched in commemoration of West Papua’s independence proclamation by the Free West Papua Organisation (OPM) on 1 July 1971 and the Biak massacre on 6 July 1998. The latter is one of many past gross human rights violations in West Papua, whose processing by a human rights court is still pending.

KNPB Chairman in Maybrat and minor arbitrarily arrested
alt The Papuan news outlet Suara Papua reported that members of the Sorong Selatan District Police arbitrarily arrested the Chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) branch office in Maybrat regency, Adam Sorry. Other KNPB members who witnessed the arrest claimed that the police officers tortured many KNPB members and released warning shots during the arrest. The police officers did not show a warrant or provided information regarding the reason for the arrest. The KNPB suspects that the police are attempting to criminalise the KNPB Chairman for the murder of a mobile brigade police officer in the regency of Bintuni. Previously, police officers targeted other KNPB branch offices during widespread raids in the Maybrat regency.

About the ICP

Human Rights and Peace for Papua is an international coalition of faith-based and civil society organisations (the Coalition) addressing the serious human rights condition in West Papua and supporting a peaceful solution to the conflict there. West Papua (Papua) refers to the western half of the New Guinea island in the Pacific and comprises the eastern most provinces of Indonesia. Indigenous Papuans are suffering from a long and ongoing history of human rights violations and security forces subject them to violence including killings, torture and arbitrary arrests. Impunity prevails. A lack of adequate access to health care and education as well as demographical and economical marginalisation and discrimination mark the living condition for Papuans. A heavy presence of Indonesian security forces, lack of access for international observers such as journalists, corruption and transmigration from other parts of Indonesia aggravate the situation. Political prisoners and the persecution of political activists shows the extent of repression with which freedom of expression and indigenous peoples’ rights are being violated. Papua’s wealth in natural resources attracts businesses and security forces resulting in exploitation through mining, logging, harmful agricultural projects, and environmental degradation. This dynamic challenges traditional indigenous culture while Papuans demand their right to self-determination.
visit our website at www.humanrightspapua.org