In this newsletter you will find:
- KNPB Spokesperson Victor Yeimo arrested and charged with treason
- Indonesian Government labels Papuan armed separatist groups as terrorists
- Indonesian Govt labelling Papuan resistance groups as terrorists earns widespread criticism
- What about Jokowi’s promise to open access for foreign journalists to West Papua?
- SAFEnet suspects internet disruptions in West Papua are deliberate
- Westpapua-Netzwerk fears further violence in WP due to the "terrorist" categorisation
- First effects of Govt’s terrorist label for Papuan armed groups - Papuan student organisation in Bali stigmatised as terrorists
- What’s wrong with the education and healthcare system in West Papua? A case study in Yalimo provides insights
- Police press charges against Papuan student for social media post
- Papuan man arrested for alleged weapon trade – Lawyers rise allegation of torture against police
- Indigenous communities demand the stop of construction of military command and immediate withdrawal of military in Tambrauw
- Military operation in Puncak causes internal displacement - Jakarta continues deployment of additional troops
- TPN PB kills Papua Intelligence Chief in Puncak Regency – Human rights observers fear further military raids
- Verdict in trial against political activist – Judges sentence Soon Tabuni to 1 year and € 57,000 fine
- Journalist in West Papua subjected to intimidation – Activists urge the police to prosecute perpetrators
- New Report on Deforestation in West Papua - Highest levels of deforestation occurred under Jokowi Government
- Public order police prohibit peaceful assembly and intimidates protesters in Deiyai
- Law enforcement process against 2 Papuan students in Jakarta – Judge rules arrest was per criminal procedure code
- Minister says previous Government responsible for massive deforestation in West Papua – NGOs demand action against illegal palm oil businesses
- Police officers torture Papuan during custody in Nabire
On 9 May 2021, members of the Nemangkawi task force arrested Victor Yeimo (see photo, source: Jubi) in Jayapura. He is the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson, a civil resistance movement organisation promoting the right to self-determination. Yeimo also plays a significant role in forming a petition against the prolongation of Papua’s special autonomy status. According to various media sources, the police had already searched Victor Yeimo since the Uprising, a series of protests against the racial discrimination of ethnic Papuans and for self-determination in 23 towns across West Papua and 17 cities in Indonesia between 19 August and 30 September 2019. The police believe that he played a major role in organising and leading the protests.
Indonesian Government labels Papuan armed separatist groups as terrorists
On 29 April 2021, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Prof. Mahfud MD announced during a press conference (see photo) that the armed separatist groups in West Papua will from now on be categorised as terrorists. The decision comes only four days after President Joko Widodo gave the order to Indonesian Military (TNI) commander, Hadi Tjahjanto, and National Police chief, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to find and arrest all members of armed separatist groups in West Papua. Both statements were released in response to the killing of the Papuan intelligence chief, I Gusti Putu Danny, on 25 April 2021 by members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). In Jakarta, Bambang Soesatyo, Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), urged the government to deploy forces at full strength. He was quoted in the media saying, "Destroy them first. We will discuss human rights matters later". Human rights organisations criticised his statement.
Following the Indonesian Government’s (Govt) announcement on 29 April 2021 to label the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) and associated groups as terrorist organisations, multiple observers and stakeholders have voiced criticism. Churches, political organisations and NGOs expressed concern about the new move by the Indonesian Govt. On 30 April 2021, the Free West Papua Movement (OPM) diplomatic board declared in a counter statement that Indonesian security forces are committing crimes against humanity and acts of genocide in West Papua. The statement emphasises that the integration of West Papua into Indonesia in 1963 violated international law governed by the Charter of the United Nations. The OPM invited the Govt to ratify the Rome Statute, acknowledging the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction (ICC) and seeking a ruling as to whether Crimes Against Humanity or Genocide are occurring in West Papua. They also invited the Govt to seek a decision from the International Court of Justice regarding the legality of West Papua’s integration.
On 10 May 2015, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) declared during a visit to the Merauke Regency, Papua Province, that the government will open access for foreign journalists to the provinces Papua and Papua Barat. Jokowi explained during the interview that the Clearing House procedure would be abolished, and foreign journalists covering events in West Papua would no longer need special permission differing from the permission for other parts of Indonesia. Five years after Jokowi’s promise, it is not clear to what extent President Jokowi’s commitment in 2015 was implemented. Human rights organisations criticise that the statement was never enforced through government regulation. Such regulation should guarantee that foreign journalists can cover news events freely in West Papua without intimidation, limitations or being escorted by security force members during media coverage.
SAFEnet suspects internet disruptions in West Papua are deliberate
The South-East Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) affirms that the internet disruptions seem to co-relate with security-related incidents in West Papua over the past year. The internet in the regencies Jayapura and Sarmi has been dysfunctional since 30 April as the violent conflict in the central highlands gained new tension after the West Papua National Liberation Army killed the Papuan Intelligence Chief. The connection was partly recovered on 5 May 2021. Vice President of Corporate Communications of telecommunications company PT Telkom, Pujo Pramono, declared that the disconnection of a submarine cable was responsible for the disruption.
Westpapua-Netzwerk fears further violence in WP due to the "terrorist" categorisation
The Westpapua-Netzwerk (WPN), a forum of organisations and individuals in Germany advocating for human rights in West Papua, has issued an open statement expressing its concern over the classification of the TPNPB-OPM as "terrorists" as a further step in the spiral of escalation in West Papua. On 29 April 2021, the Indonesian government announced that it is categorising the armed fighters for the independence and freedom of West Papua as a terrorist organisation. In its statement from 7 May 2021, the WPN calls for the protection of human rights defenders, the prosecution of racist violence, the visit of the UN OHCHR, ensuring the availability of internet access in West Papua, among other calls.
First effects of Govt’s terrorist label for Papuan armed groups - Papuan student organisation in Bali stigmatised as terrorists
On 29 April 2021, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Prof. Mahfud MD, announced during a press conference that from now on, the armed separatist groups in West Papua will be categorised as terrorists. A few days after the Government move, Papuan students in Bali said they found at least ten posters near student dormitories and universities in Bali’s main city Denpasar, stigmatising the Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) as a terrorist group. Papuan students understand the campaign as an act of intimidation against them.
NGOs and other observers keep criticising the Government for the low education and healthcare standards which continue to exist in West Papua. Mainly, the Papua Province falls far behind national standards in terms of availability, accessibility, quality and adequacy of healthcare and education services. Despite considerably large special autonomy funds allocated to the provincial and local governments in West Papua, the education and health situation has hardly improved over the past decade. A recent visit by the Papuan parliamentarian to the Yalimo area brings insights into the failures in the education and healthcare system in West Papua. The visit took place between 5 and 10 March 2021. The term Yalimo refers to the area claimed by the Yali (see photo, source: UEM), an ethnic group in the central Papuan highlands. Today, the area spreads over the Papuan regencies Yahukimo and Yalimo.
The Jayapura police have charged Papuan student Ferry Pakage for posting a video on social media. Police officers arrested Ferry Pakage and a friend named Gerius Wenda in the town of Sentani, Papua Province, on 23 February 2021. Ferry was charged with Article 28(2) on hate speech (SARA) of the Electronic Information and Transaction Act for posting a video showing a group of Papuan university students demanding to burn an Indonesian flag. The criminal investigators submitted the case to the public prosecutor’s office in Jayapura on 23 April 2021.
Papuan man arrested for alleged weapon trade – Lawyers rise allegation of torture against police
The Indonesian government will continue building the KODIM 1810 military district command in Kowoor, Tambrauw Regency, despite the many protests against it. This was announced by members of the local parliament on 17 April 2021. With this action, the government is ignoring the many voices against the expansion of military facilities. The first reactions against the military base took place over a year ago, and since then, there have been multiple cases of military violence against indigenous community members in Tambrauw. The most recent case was documented on 9 April 2021, as two members of the Pamrahwan Yonif RK 763 military post tortured a Papuan man in the village of Wayo. Indigenous land rights in Tambrauw have claimed that their land was handed over to the military without their free, prior, informed consent (FPIC).Military operation in Puncak causes internal displacement - Jakarta continues deployment of additional troops
Joint security faces have launched a massive military operation in the Puncak Regency, Papua Province, on 27 April 2021. The operation followed the killing of the Papuan intelligence chief and the subsequent speech by President Joko Widodo, in which he gave the order to the national police and the military to find and arrest all members of armed criminal groups in West Papua. The security force operation caused villagers from four districts in Puncak to flee their homes and seek shelter in nearby churches. Meanwhile, the Indonesian military is deploying additional troops to conflict hot spots in the Papuan central highlands. The armed conflict in the regencies Puncak and Intan Jaya is believed to intensify in the coming weeks. Human rights groups fear further human rights violations in the combat areas.ÂÂÂÂÂ
ÂÂÂÂÂ Members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) have shot dead the Papua Intelligence Chief, I Gusti Putu Danny Nugraha Karya. The shooting occurred on 25 April 2021, as the intelligence chief visited the village of Dambet in the Beoga District of Puncak Regency, Papua Province. The TPN PB officially claimed responsibility for the killing. During a public speech on 26 April 2021, President Joko Widodo ordered the military and police to arrest all perpetrators responsible for the killings in the Beoga District. Human rights observers are concerned that the military will soon conduct more raids in the Puncak Regency. Past security force operations in Puncak and other conflict areas have been frequently accompanied by extra-judicial killings, torture and internal displacement of the indigenous population.
Journalist in West Papua subjected to intimidation – Activists urge the police to prosecute perpetrators
Papuan journalist Victor Mambor was reportedly intimidated on 21 April 2021. According to information received, the perpetrator(s) damaged Victor Mambor’s car between 12.00 and 2.00 am. The vehicle was parked on a public road in front of his house in Jayapura. The perpetrator(s) smashed the windshield and two side windows and defaced the car with spray paint (see photos, source Jubi). Activists believe that the attack was meant to intimidate Victor Mambor after he wrote several critical articles on the human rights situation in West Papua for the Papuan news outlet Jubi. Victor Mambor officially reported the case to the local police.
The Indonesian NGO Auriga has published a new report titled “Planned Deforestation: Forest Policy in Papua”. It contains updated information about the reasons, developments and current state of forests in West Papua. Even though Indonesia has successfully decreased its carbon emissions on a national level since 2015, the highest levels of deforestation in West Papua have reportedly occurred under the current Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, who has held office since the first term of Joko Widodo’s presidency. The provinces of Papua and Papua Barat are home to the largest remaining forest area in Indonesia, with 33,847,928 hectares. Both provinces were granted an autonomy status in 2001. However, the special autonomy status has not helped reduce deforestation in West Papua due to a lack of clarity in harmonising conflicting national and local regulations. Growing deforestation in West Papua is related to the massive administrative partition that has taken place in West Papua. Each time new regencies were formed, the lack of definitive administrative boundaries, functional regional government organisational and proper development planning has contributed to deforestation.
In the Deiyai Regency, Papua province, the local police prohibited a peaceful assembly against the prolongation of the special autonomy and the planned administrative partition of the Papua Province into five provinces. A civil society group named Papuan People Solidarity (SRP) planned to organise an open panel discussion in the town of Waghete on 19 April 2021. Still, the local police decided to ban the event on short notice. Members of the public order police task force (Satpol PP), together with two indigenous leaders, reportedly drove through Waghete and intimidated the residents with megaphones, warning them not to participate in the public assembly. SRP finally cancelled the panel discussion.
Law enforcement process against 2 Papuan students in Jakarta – Judge rules arrest was per criminal procedure code
A judge at the South-Jakarta District Court (see photo, source: Jubi) ruled that the arrest and detention of the Papuan students Kevin Molama and Ruland Karafir were following criminal procedure regulations in Indonesia. Lawyers explained that the judge ignored multiple failures which police officers had committed during arrest and detention. The police officers reportedly entered the dormitory in civil clothing without showing an arrest and search warrant at the time of the arrest. According to the lawyers, the police issued the warrant letters one week after the arrest.
Minister says previous Government responsible for massive deforestation in West Papua – NGOs demand action against illegal palm oil businesses
The Indonesian Minister for Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, explained in recent media interviews that the former Government was responsible for the massive deforestation and expansion of palm oil plantations in West Papua. She stated that all concessions had received recommendation letters from local regents and the governors in West Papua. According to Nurbaya, her ministry had significantly reduced the rate of oil palm expansion proposed by the regents and the Papuan governors. Local activists urged the Government to take immediate action against illegal palm oil activities instead of hiding behind the mistakes of past governments.Police officers torture Papuan during custody in Nabire
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