- Three Papuans tortured and killed by security forces (TNI) in Intan Jaya
- IDPs from Nduga need urgent medical care – Many children suffer scabies
- Relatives of Rev. Zanambani agree on autopsy under conditions
- Merauke Police accused of hampering access to medical treatment during detention
- More than 600 IDPs seek shelter in Catholic church facilities in Intan Jaya
- Land rights conflicts in Boven Digoel – Military members intimidate indigenous land rights holders
- Update on trials in relation to Maybrat Police Raid – All three defendants acquitted
- KNPB leader Adam Sorry sentenced to six years imprisonment
- More IDPs in Intan Jaya - Residents fled violence in Ndugusiga
- Update on IDP situation in Mimika – First IDPs return to their villages
- Infrastructure Idols - Portraits and Paradigms of Development under Special Autonomy in Papua
- Eighteen IDPs died in Jayawijaya due to lack of medical attention
- Arbitrary detention and torture of 14 activists in Merauke – Pre-trial against Merauke Police Chief
After a shooting in the Sugapa District on 15 February 2021 resulted in the death of a TNI member, the security forces conducted multiple raids around the village of Mamba chasing after members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) who were named as the perpetrators of the shooting. During the search a young man named Janius Bagau, 27, was shot in the left arm during a raid in the Village of Amaesiga. He was evacuated to the Bilogai Health Center in Yokatapa Village, Sugapa District. Two of Janius Bagau's friends named Yustinus Bagau, 24, and Soni Bagau,19, accompanied him to the medical facility. Later in the evening, TNI members came to the health centre and reportedly interrogated the three young men.IDPs from Nduga need urgent medical care – Many children suffer scabies
The Foundation for Justice and the Integrity of the Papuan People (YKKMP) has documented multiple health ailments among internally displaced children from the Nduga Regency. According to YKKMP Director Theo Hesegem, the Nduga IDPs in Wamena, particularly women and children, need immediate medical attention. YKKMP had facilitated the medical treatment for six internally displaced children and one woman. They suffer scabies and cannot access free health care in the Jayawijaya Regency. The treatment was paid using donations collected by the YKKMP. About 8,000 IDPs from Nduga have sought shelter in the Jayawijaya Regency. According to solidarity groups, 400 IDPs have died since January 2019 in Jayawijaya due to diseases and other strains they face. A humanitarian aid team from the Cenderawasih University that visited the Nduga IDPs in Wamena in late November 2020, already observed that skin diseases were among the most common health challenges for many IDPs.
Relatives of Rev. Zanambani agree on autopsy under conditions
The relatives of Rev. Yeremia Zanambani, the Papuan pastor killed by military members in Mamba village, Intan Jaya Regency, on 19 September 2020, have agreed to an autopsy of the victim’s body with the condition that the autopsy is done by an independent medical team. It should also be conducted transparently and fairly under supervision of independent observers. The team of observers shall consist of lawyers, members of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), the Indonesian Fellowship of Churches (PGI), multiple NGOs including Amnesty International Indonesia and local parliament members. Furthermore, the relatives urged the authorities to conduct the autopsy in the Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya.
The Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) has expressed concerns over the health condition of political activist Kristian Yandum. He was arrested along with 13 other members of the West Papua National Commission (KNPB) on 13 December 2020 at the KNPB Almasuh branch office in Kaiburse, Merauke Regency. The drop in his health condition may be related to the torture he and the other activists experienced during arrest and police detention. Kristian Yandum already became sick in early January 2021. On 13 January 2021, LBH Papua filed an official letter to the Merauke police, requesting medical treatment. According to Emanuel Gobay, LBH Papua Director, the Merauke district police only processed the request letter on 8 February, while Kristian Yandum’s health condition was continuously deteriorating.More than 600 IDPs seek shelter in Catholic church facilities in Intan Jaya
The Papuan media outlet 'Suara Papua' has again reported the displacement of several hundred indigenous Papuans including women and children in the Intan Jaya Regency (see images, source: Suara Papua). The internally displaced persons (IDPs) originate from the villages Bilogai, Kumbalagupa dan Puyagiya in the Intan Jaya Regency. They have fled their homes after the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) killed a trader in Bilogai on 8 February 2021. Six-hundred-fifty IDPs are currently seeking shelter at the Pastor’s house and the nunnery in Bilogai. The Catholic workers used their food stock to supply the IDPs with food. Later the congregation received further food aid from a private company and the local military.Land rights conflicts in Boven Digoel – Military members intimidate indigenous land rights holders
Human rights defenders documented another case of intimidation in the Boven Digoel Regency. On 4 February 2021, around 11.30 am, indigenous woman Kornelia Ninggan and several of her relatives collected firewood at the side of Baru Statistik Road, near Tanahmerah, the largest town in Boven Digoel. A car stopped, two military members in plainclothes approached Kornelia and reprimanded her for chopping timber in this area. Kornelia and her relatives belong to the clan owning the land rights in the site, so she began an argument with the military members. Relatives recorded parts of the discussion with their cell phone cameras.Update on trials in relation to Maybrat Police Raid – All three defendants acquitted
A panel of judges at the Sorong District Court acquitted the three defendants Marten Muuk, Simon Sasior, dan Yakobus Asem on 3 February 2021. The trial against the three indigenous villagers was already launched on 15 September 2020. Marten Muuk dan Simon Sasior were charged with Article 110 (2) of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on criminal conspiracy against the state. Yakobus Asem was tried separately. The public prosecutor charged him with Article 106 KUHP on treason. The judges ruled that the evidence presented at court could neither be linked to the defendants nor to the murder of police officer Mesak Viktor Pulung. The verdict elaborates that the defendants’ names, dignity and status shall be restituted from all accusations.
KNPB leader Adam Sorry sentenced to six years imprisonment
The chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) branch office in the Maybrat Regency, Adam Sorry was sentenced to six years in prison. A panel of judges at the Sorong District Court found him guilty for the alleged involvement of a homicide case in the Sori Village, Maybrat Regency. Before the verdict, the public prosecutor had sought a sentence of eleven years imprisonment for Sorry. He was charged with Article 170 (2) & (3) of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on collective violence resulting in injuries & death as well as Article 338 KUHP on homicide. Adam Sorry's lawyer plans to appeal against the ruling. He represents the view that law enforcement institutions attempt to criminalise Adam Sorry because of his political views and membership to the KNPB.More IDPs in Intan Jaya - Residents fled violence in Ndugusiga
The number of IDPs from Intan Jaya displaced due to the conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) and Indonesian security forces was estimated at 13,000 people in November 2020. This number continues to increase as more security forces are deployed to the area. Benyamin Weya, Member of Parliament in Intan Jaya (DPRD Intan Jaya) said that the Ndugusiga village people had fled and vacated the village after a fight between the TPN PB and military forces took place on 22 January 2021. He explained that the village evacuation was carried out as a prevention at the warning given by joint security force representatives in Intan Jaya. The military leadership was giving constant warnings and threatened to shoot all people in Ndugusiga if the village is not cleared. The evacuation started on 23 January 2021.Update on IDP situation in Mimika – First IDPs return to their villages
In the past few days, 571 internally displaced persons from the villages Opitawak and Banti 1 have returned to the Tembagapura District. The return from Timika was facilitated by the Mimika local government and the mining company PT Freeport Indonesia in cooperation with the military. Papuan lawmaker, Laurenzus Kadepa, urged all parties not to restrict or disturb the villagers in and around their settlements after he received information that the IDPs were gathered in a shelter in Tembagapura and prevented to return to their homes. The vice-regent of Mimika Regency, Johannes Rettob, explained in an interview with the media outlet Jubi that all sick people, children, elderly people and pregnant women will for the time being not be allowed to return because they face higher health risks. All IDPs will reportedly receive a medical check-up before return.
Infrastructure Idols is a collection of essays exploring the challenges and human rights impacts of large-scale infrastructure development projects in the semi-autonomous Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. The book written by Yason Ngelia, Yuliana Lantipo, Pilipus Robaha, Yohanis Mambrasar, Waldine Praxedes Meak and Benny Mawel was originally published in Indonesian by ELSAM as Berhala-Berhala Infrastruktur. It can be downloaded in English and Indonesian from the ELSAM Website. The research was conducted in the period from August 2019 – January 2020, and explores the complex motivations and dynamics influencing and arising from projects such as the building of airports, roads, and telecommunications infrastructure, in regions otherwise not widely reported.
Eighteen IDPs died in Jayawijaya due to lack of medical attention
The last update on IDPs' situation in Nduga affirmed that according to solidarity groups, 400 IDPs have died between January 2019 and November 2020 in Jayawijaya alone due to diseases and other strains they face there. Jubi has reported that as many as 18 refugees from Nduga Regency, Papua in Jayawijaya Regency died in various refugee locations during the past month. "This has happened since 24 December, 2020 until now. Already 18 people died. Those are Nduga refugees in Jayawijaya, refugees in other areas we don't know. Today two refugees are in critical condition", said Raga Kogeya via a phone call to Jubi on Wednesday 20 January 2021. He said that sometimes two to three refugees die in a day. The age range of those who died was 18 to 50 years.Arbitrary detention and torture of 14 activists in Merauke – Pre-trial against Merauke Police Chief
Thirteen activists of the West Papua National Committee have filed a pre-trial challenging the legality of their arrest by members of the Merauke District Police on 13 December 2020. Their lawyers argue that the detention was illegal because it violated multiple provisions of the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP). They demand the unconditional release of all 14 detainees. Police officers allegedly tortured the activists and failed to arrange warrants before the police operation and promptly inform the relatives about the arrest. The pre-trial against the Merauke District police chief, Untung Sangaji, was launched on 18 January 2021. On 25 January 2020, the judge, Ganang Hariyudo Prakoso, ruled that the Merauke Police Chief and his men had acted in accordance with criminal procedures as stipulated in the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).visit our website at www.humanrightspapua.org