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News on West Papua's human rights and conflict situation
  • Humanitarian Team for Intan Jaya shares its findings concerning the killing of Pastor Zanambani
  • Human rights lawyer intimidated in Jayapura
  • Indonesian Bishops call for dialogue in West Papua
  • Pacific Conference of Churches calls for "40 Days of Hunger for Justice and Peace" in West Papua
  • Another church worker killed in Intan Jaya – Security force members accuse victim of being TPN PB member
  • Verdict in treason trial against 23 Papuan political detainees in Fakfak
  • Allegations of enforced disappearance in Nduga Regency – Two indigenous leaders missing after military operation
  • Thirteen protesters arrested, one injured by bullet during demonstration against Otsus II
  • Update on killing of Rev Zanambani in Intan Jaya – Fact finding team submits report to Minister Mahfud MD
  • Military members show up in church during ordination of new priests
  • Indonesian Government plans to establish new plantations in Papua Province
  • Update on armed conflict in Intan Jaya – Government plans exploitation of gold reserves while residents face displacement and education crisis
  • Three Papuans shot down as police disperses rally in Keerom
  • Human Rights Update West Papua - 3rd Quarter 2020
  • PAHAM Papua: Stop transferring defendants outside of Papua with the argument Papua is not safe

Humanitarian Team for Intan Jaya shares its findings concerning the killing of Pastor Zanambani
The Independent Humanitarian Team for Intan Jaya is a team consisting of a number of religious leaders, academics, and humanitarian activists in Papua. This team was formed to respond to the murder of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, who was killed on September 19, 2020, in Hitadipa, Intan Jaya. After submitting its report to Minister Mahfud, the team has publicly shared details of their investigation. The following are the findings as described in the document "Findings of the Humanitarian Team for Intan Jaya Papua" released by the team on 29 October 2020. The document provides thorough information and suggests that Rev Zanambani was killed by one or more members of the army.

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Human rights lawyer intimidated in Jayapura
alt The ICP has credible information regarding the intimidation of Papuan lawyer and human rights defender, Gustaf Kawer (see photo, source: Jubi), in the city of Jayapura on 7 November 2020. Around 09.30 pm, Mr Kawer stopped his car in front of a store to buy something for their children, his family was with him in the car. In that moment a red pick-up truck with a police plate number (AD 1722 PJ) approached them from behind and overtook their car. The pick-up truck came so close to their car that the side doors and one side mirror of Mr Kawer’s car were damaged. Gustaf Kawer wanted to hold the driver accountable for the damage, so he followed the pick-up truck but was not able to keep pace with the fast pick-up. The pick-up truck escaped through the traffic with high speed.
Indonesian Bishops call for dialogue in West Papua
Representatives of the Catholic Church in Indonesia, in particular from the West Papua province, have held talks with the country's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs. The meeting was held on Sunday at Mr Mahfud MD's residence, and were aimed at discussing the various problems afflicting the restive province. Present were Bishop Aloysius Murwito of Agats and Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Amboina, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of Merauke, along with Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, President of Indonesia's Conference of Catholic Bishops. Source: Vatican News.
Pacific Conference of Churches calls for "40 Days of Hunger for Justice and Peace" in West Papua
alt The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), based in Fiji, has called for a time of fasting for 40 days and prayer for West Papua. It calls for members to skip at least 1 meal a day in the period from 28 October to 6 December 2020. Through this action, the PCC is supporting the demands of the West Papuan Council of Churches, which calls on Indonesia to enter dialogue towards a peaceful resolution of the situation and an end to militarisation. Rev James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the PCC has openly shared the following letter.
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Another church worker killed in Intan Jaya – Security force members accuse victim of being TPN PB member
alt 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.

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Verdict in treason trial against 23 Papuan political detainees in Fakfak
alt 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.
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Allegations of enforced disappearance in Nduga Regency – Two indigenous leaders missing after military operation

alt 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.
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Thirteen protesters arrested, one injured by bullet during demonstration against Otsus II
alt 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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Update on killing of Rev Zanambani in Intan Jaya – Fact finding team submits report to Minister Mahfud MDalt
The joint fact-finding team (Tim Gabungan Pencari Fakta or TGPF) which was endorsed by the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Human Rights, Mahfud MD, to investigate the killings of Rev Yeremia Zanambani, another civilian and two military members in the regency of Intan Jaya, has submitted its report on 21 October 2020. According to the report, there were indications that military members or another third party was involved in the killing of Rev Zanambani. The other three victims were killed by members of “armed criminal groups”, said Mahfud MD. The military spokesperson, Colonel Suriastawa, said in an interview on 22 October that the military will not cover-up this case. He announced that the perpetrators will be brought to justice through the existing internal military procedures.
Military members show up in church during ordination of new priests
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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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Indonesian Government plans to establish new plantations in Papua Province
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According to the news outlet Mongabay, the Indonesian government is planning to establish new large-scale agricultural plantations across the country. The plans are threatening Indonesia’s last untouched tropical rain forests. Observers fear that the project will also result in the disenfranchisement of indigenous peoples and small farmers. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) announced on 23 September 2020 that the government’s "food estate program" would be expanded to the provinces of North and South Sumatra in the west of the country as well as East Nusa Tenggara and Papua in the east. However, Jokowi underlined that the government would focus on the plantations in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra first, before expanding the program to the other regions.


Update on armed conflict in Intan Jaya – Government plans exploitation of gold reserves while residents face displacement and education crisis
alt 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.
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Three Papuans shot down as police disperses rally in Keerom

alt 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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Human Rights Update West Papua - 3rd Quarter 2020
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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.

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

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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