- 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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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
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.
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
Three Papuans shot down as police disperses rally in Keerom
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.
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 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