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Indonesian Bishops call for dialogue in West Papua

Human rights organisations have documented the extra-judicial killing of a church worker in the regency of Intan Jaya. Mr Rufinus Tigau, 28, was shot dead by members of the Nemangkawi Joint Security Force Unit in the village of Jalae, Sugapa District on 26 October 2020. During the operation, twelve-year-old Meinus Bagubau sustained a bullet wound to the hip. Security force representatives claim that Rufinus Tigau was associated with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). A representative of the Catholic Diocese in Timika confirmed that Rufinus Tigau was officially appointed as a catechist in the Catholic Jalae congregation.

On 1 December 2019, members of the Police Mobile Brigade Special Unit (Brimob) and 1803 Fakfak District Military Command arrested 54 indigenous Papuans (see photo, source: independent human rights defenders) in multiple villages located in the districts Kayauni and Kramonmongga, Fakfak Regency. The Fakfak police pressed charges against 23 of them. The trials against the 23 defendants began on 18 June 2020. On 22 and 23 October 2020, judges of the Fakfak District court found the 23 defendants guilty in the sense of the indictment. The sentences varied between eleven and 24 months, to be reduced by the period of detention.

The Foundation for Justice and Integrity of the Papuan People (YKKMP) has documented a further case of enforced disappearance in the village of Kiyabikma, Mbulmu Yalma District of Nduga Regency. Tepania Wasiangge, 44, and Anle Gwijangge, 28, both village leaders in Kiyabikma, were arrested on 28 September 2020 in Gurukwarak Hamlet, as military members ambushed a house that they suspected was a hide-out for members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). Multiple witnesses saw that the military members arrested and gagged both men, handcuffed them and repeatedly hit them with a wooden stick. Subsequently, the soldiers brought them to the forest, where the military members had established a temporary camp at the Bigam Mountain near the Gunmo River.

The controversial discussion about the continuation of special autonomy funding in West Papua remains unabated. On 27 October 2020, hundreds of protesters again gathered in Jayapura to peacefully voice their opposition to the government’s plan to prolong the special autonomy funding for the Indonesian provinces of Papua and Papua Barat. The protesters gathered at Expo Waena and near the Cenderawasih University campus in Perumnas III Waena residential area. Joint security forces dispersed the peaceful assembly with teargas and firearms. One protester named Matias Soo sustained a bullet injury in the upper right arm and was hospitalised at Dian Harapan Catholic Hospital in Waena, Jayapura. Yakobus Guam was severely beaten with a stick by police officers and sustained bleeding wounds and bruises on his forehead, both eyes, the mouth and the cheeks.

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On 18 October 2020 a dozen military members suddenly entered the St Michael Church, causing fear among those present. This took place in the village of Waris, Keerom Regency. Catholics in the surrounding area had come to the church to witness the ordination of four new catholic priests. The congregational priest was able to calm down the congregation as fully armed military members with assault rifles (see photo) entered the church premises without warning. The motive for the military action remains unclear. After examining the interior and the front yard of the church, the military members left again without providing a clear reason for the operation. Local observers understood the visit as an attempt to intimidate the residents in Waris.

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The armed conflict in Intan Jaya has significantly aggravated since December 2020. Shootings in January and February 2020 resulted in multiple civilian fatalities while at least 15 villages were reportedly affected by internal displacement. The recent killing of a Papuan Pastor, the armed assault on a Catholic catechist and the attack on an investigation team seconded by the central government show how serious the armed conflict in Intan Jaya is. In the midstof the humanitarian crisis, the Indonesian Minister of State-owned Enterprises, Mr Erick Thorir, announced in late September 2020 that he is planning to endorse the Indonesian mining company PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTAM) to exploit large gold resources under the Wabu Mountain in the Intan Jaya Regency.

On 2 October 2020 local police in the Papuan town of Arso in Keerom Regency forcefully dispersed a protest. Shortly before the riot, the results of a civil servant recruitment test was announced and triggered anger among a crowd of residents leading to a spontaneous protest. About 250 protesters complained that the percentage of indigenous Papuans in the recruitment process was below 80% as promoted by the Papuan Governor, Lukas Enembe.

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In the third quarter of 2020, several human rights indicators show a considerable deterioration of the situation, notably the significant increase in the number of extra-judicial killings (EJK) and the number of victims of torture and ill-treatment. The number of political arrests has risen sharply, mainly due to the increase in public demonstrations. Six of the reported EJKs took place during security force operations in the regencies Mimika, Intan Jaya and Nduga, which have become the hotspots of armed conflict. Military and police representatives have repeatedly justified such killings by publicly claiming that the victims were members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) without providing any evidence. Those killings are then neither further investigated, nor are the cases transferred to the police or military internal investigation units.

PAHAM Papua: Stop transferring defendants outside of Papua with the argument Papua is not safe

PAHAM Papua released the following statement on 12 October 2020 (originally in Bahasa Indonesia): The transfer of defendants for trial outside of Papua with the argument that the security situation in Papua is not conducive is a judicial policy that contradicts the current security policy in Papua. The security in Papua is currently maintained by more than 13,000 military personnel with complete combat facilities (Imparsial research 2011). This number excludes thousands of members of the national police, which also fulfil their security duties in Timika. We estimate that more than 15,000 security force members are currently deployed in Papua.

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