Thursday, December 21, 2017

1) Press Release: Stop the sweeping and attacks against civilians in Nduga, Papua


2) TNI Denies Shooting Civilian in Nduga, Papua
3) WEST PAPUA: Police 'evacuate' Papuan protesters after clash with vigilantes
4) President visits Nabire Hospital
5) Human Rights Activist: The arrival of Jokowi in Nabire is just nonsense
6) President Jokowi attends Mothers Day in Raja Ampat
7) All Papuan villages to receive electricity in 2018: Jokowi
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http://www.tapol.org/news/press-release-stop-sweeping-and-attacks-against-civilians-nduga-papua

1) Press Release: Stop the sweeping and attacks against civilians in Nduga, Papua  

           21 DEC 2017
Five civilians allegedly shot, four were persecuted, two houses were burned by the Indonesian military/police. Press contact details below. 
 
(Papua/Jakarta, 20th December 2017) The Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights in the Central Highlands of Papua, Civil Liberty Defenders and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) request that the Indonesian security forces, militrary and police do not act indiscriminately in the Mugi district of the Nduga regency, Papua.
 
The tense situation in Mugi District resulting from the intimidating the presence of Indonesian military/police officers currently stems from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) attack on TNI members on December 12, 2017.
 
The incident caused the excavator operator Yovicko Sondak to pass away and one member of Indonesian military, Prada Didimus Abindodifu was injured. This incident led to the sweeping action by the combined Indonesian military and police apparatus. According to the information we received, the sweep was conducted at Daragma Airport, Mugi District, Nduga regency. Using two commercial aircraft, the security forces fired randomly at people coming to the airport as well as toward people's houses and other buildings around Daragma Airport.
 
It is suspected that the "sweeping action" carried out by the security apparatus is done disproportionately and arbitrarily with the motivation to counterattack. The information we received mentioned five were people shot, four civilians were tortured, two houses were burned by the security apparatus and other homes in the vicinity were riddled with bullet holes because of being shot by the combined Indonesian security forces.
 
We also underline that there are three underage children who became victims and some were hit by gunfire while they were at home, this indicates the indiscriminate nature of the Indonesian security forces' shooting.
 
Victims of gunshot wounds: (as indicated by their initials).
 
1. RNN: A Grade 3 High School student, injured by shots in the right thigh.
2. RN: A Civil servant, shot in the thigh.
3. SG (47 years old), hit on the thigh and on the right foot while inside their house.
4. RN (21 years old), shot in the neck. 
5. BK: A Grade 3 High School student, shot in the left arm. Shot while standing in front of their house. The student was shot after the crowd was escaping from gunshots from the airport. The shooting was allegedly carried out by members of the Indonesian military from the Koramil post.
 
Victims of torture (as indicated by their initials):
 
1. RG (Grade 3 High School student, 15 years old)
2. EK (58 years old)
3. AK (54 years old)
4. IN (27 years old) beaten while trying to monitor the situation.
 
Meanwhile, the two houses that were burned were owned by West Papuan people with the initials MG and MK.
After this event took place, access from the Jayawijaya regency to the Nduga regency was blocked and now is only granted through special travel passes which must be obtained through 5 Indonesian military/police guard posts at 5 points: Napua post, Mbua post, Yigi post, Yal post and Mugi post. This greatly obstructs the mobility of people in the area, journalists and advocates to the area.
 
Because of the above events, we from the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights of the Central Highlands of Papua, Civil Liberty Defenders, and KontraS, convey the following:
 
1. Request that the Indonesian military and police stop attacks and disproportionate, sporadic actions against civilians in carrying out sweeps or counter-attacks against TPN-PB in Mugi District, Nduga regency.
2. Urge the Indonesian Police Chief in Papua and the Indonesian Cenderawasih Commander in Papua to withdraw their apparatus from the Nduga regency. This must be done in order for there not to be any more arbitrary and indiscriminate sweeping operations so that people of the area are not traumatized again, the activities of civillians are no longer disrupted and so that the rights to saftey of the residents of Mugi district can be restored and recover.
3. Urge the Indonesian government to ensure that the victims and families of the victims are not intimidated and receive access to good health care and well being care. This includes ensuring recovery efforts for traumatized and fearful people.
4. Request that the Indonesian military and police and TPN-PB both make the situation more conducive so that people can celebrate Christmas in peace.
5. Request that the local government authorities and the Indonesian military/police apparatus help and allow local communities to partake in their activities and mobility. They must also open the widest possible access for humanitarian workers and journalists to provide support and monitoring of the events in the area.
6. Emphasize that the actions of the combined Indonesian authorities are contrary to President Jokowi's pledge to resolve a row of human rights cases in Papua. In fact, this string of cases is now getting even longer.
 
Our regards,
 
Theo Hesegem +6281344553374 & Pastor John Djonga +6285244330182
Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights of the Central Highlands of Papua
 
Veronica Koman +628170941833 Civil Liberty Defenders (Jakarta)
 
Yati Andriyani +6281586664599 KontraS (Jakarta)





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THURSDAY, 21 DECEMBER, 2017 | 14:00 WIB
2) TNI Denies Shooting Civilian in Nduga, Papua

TEMPO.COJakarta - Papua Military Command Area chief Col. Inf. Muhamad Aidi has denied the rumor that the National Armed Forces (TNI) has combed and shot civilians in Mugi District, Nduga Regency, Papua. “The reports are not true whatsoever,” he told Tempo today.
Aidi said that members of the Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights of Papua’s Pegunungan Tengah had not launched any investigation to confirm the news about the shooting.
Aidi added that the Coalition needs to conduct an investigation before issuing a report.
Earlier, the Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights of Papua’s Pegunungan Tengah reported cases of violence in Mugi District, Nduga Regency, Papua, by the military and police.
Aidi suspects that the report was received from the Free Papua Movement (OPM) to spark unrest. He said that Nduga residents were intimidated by OPM to leave the village, preventing the TNI from seeking information from them on OPM hideouts. “We came there using a commercial airplane and we were shot at,” Aidi said.
Aidi also denied the alleged joint operations with police to comb the region. Mugi District is a mountainous region that is difficult to reach. “There are no cops there, only the TNI,” he said.
A press statement issued by the Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights of Papua’s Pegunungan Tengah, Civil Liberty Defenders and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) says that the tension in Nduga, Papua, started after an attack launched by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) against TNI personnel on December 12.
The incident killed excavator operator Yovicko Sondak and left military personnel Second Private Didimus Abindodifu wounded. Following the incident, joint security forces combed Daragma Airport in Mugi District, Nduga Regency. But the TNI has denied the combing.
CHITRA PARAMAESTI

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3) WEST PAPUA: Police 'evacuate' Papuan protesters after clash with vigilantes

By Muhammad Aminudin
Thursday, December 21, 2017 Item: 10057
MALANG, Indonesia (Detik News/Pacific Media Watch): A demonstration by the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) in Indonesia's East Java city of Malang ended in a clash with Pancasila Youth (PP) members who were offended by the protest.
READ MORE: Asia Pacific Report, quoting Free West Papua Campaign sources, reported 66 arrests.

The clash began when scores of AMP students were holding a demonstration demanding the right to self-determination for West Papua in front of the Malang City Hall on Tuesday December 19.

The demonstrators enlivened the action with banners and speeches.

In the middle of the demonstration a New Order group arrived and the situation became chaotic with police attempting to secure the action by trying to keep the two groups apart.

In order to prevent more chaos, police evacuated scores of students away from the location in trucks.

It is suspected that the incident occurred because the second group was offended by the banners brought by demonstrators which had symbols of the Free Papua independence group and displayed the banned Morning Star flag.

The group that arrived also believed that the AMP was being provocative and acting against the spirit of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

'A misunderstanding'
"There was another group that didn't agree with an independent Papua. There was a misunderstanding. We tried to explain to the demonstrators (the students) that much of public opposes their action. We explained this," Malang City district police operational division chief (Kabagops) Police Commander Dodot Dwianto told journalists after securing the action.

Dwianto also claimed that the evacuation of the students was in order to prevent anyone being hurt.

"We considered it from a security perspective, if there are victims then the police could be blamed. So we secured both of them, the Papuan students and the Ormas [mass organisation]", explained Dwianto.

Dwianto said that the police acted quickly in order to prevent a clash between the two groups.

The AMP protesters were taken to the Malang City district police offices in police patrol trucks while the other group was taken to the grounds of the Malang City Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).

The Papuan students were demanding the right to self-determination because they believed this was a democratic step for West Papua. They also called for all Indonesian military (TNI) and police to be withdrawn from West Papua.

"Perhaps there was a notification [of the protests] but the data was incomplete, the demonstrators brought banners that were deemed provocative by the other group. So we secured [the protesters], for the officers who handle permits we will see how the procedures were, whether they were correct," he said.

Editorial note from Indoleft:
Pemuda Pancasila (Pancasila Youth) was established by the army in October 1959, ostensibly to uphold the state ideology of Pancasila. During the anti-communist purge in 1965-66 the group took an active part in the slaughter of Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members and sympathisers.

Under the New Order dictatorship of former President Suharto the organisation became an association of notorious thugs and petty criminals who carried out dirty work on behalf of the regime.

The organisation still has close ties with various factions of the military and police and has been linked to criminal activities such as racketeering and extortion. In recent years has been involved in a number of violent turf wars with other vigilante groups and attacks on leftist groups and events that it deems to be "pro-communist" or "anti-Pancasila".

Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the article was "Demo Mahasiswa Papua Nyaris Bentrok dengan Kelompok Berseragam PP".

Bahasa Indonesian source: https://news.detik.com/berita-jawa-timur/d-3776593/demo-mahasiswa-papua-nyaris-bentrok-dengan-kelompok-berseragam-pp

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4) President visits Nabire Hospital
Reporter:  
Nabire, Papua (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), in the company of First Lady Iriana, visited the Regional Public Hospital of Nabire (RSUD Nabire) in Papua on Thursday to obtain first-hand information on medical services at the hospital.

The president arrived at the hospital at 9:40 a.m. East Indonesia Standard Time and was greeted by Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek and Nabire District Head Isaias Douw.

On the occasion, the head of state also signed a certificate of improvement, from level C to B, which had been prepared by the management of the hospital.

Jokowi pointed out that RSUD Nabire was quite clean; thus, the Ministry of Health had prepared to upgrade its level from C to B, so it can serve the community of Nabire and the six surrounding districts.

"This hospital is built jointly by Nabire District, Papua Province, and the Ministry of Health," President Jokowi remarked.

The president also revealed that next year, the Ministry of Health will again prepare funds worth Rp48 billion to procure health equipment, so that the level of the hospital can go up again.

(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/O001) 
Editor: Heru Purwanto

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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can b e a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at
 Rabu, 20 Desember 2017 — 16:42

5) Human Rights Activist: The arrival of Jokowi in Nabire is just nonsense

Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi,

Nabire, Jubi - The arrival of President Jokowi in Nabire, Papua has been strongly criticized by human rights activists in Nabire and members of the Papuan parliament.

"Yes, the arrival of Jokowi to Nabire is actually not much different from previous arrivals in other areas in Papua, the arrival is just nonsense," said human rights activist in Nabire, Gunawan Inggeruhi, to Jubi, Wednesday (20/12/2017).

Gunawan who is also coordinator of State Finance Monitor (PKN) Nabire region is firmly said he saw this visit there is an interest for the 2019 presidential election later.

"This is the motive of the presidential election of 2019. If it is like this, when will the human rights enforcement will be done," he said in an annoyed tone.

Gunawan said it was unethical and utterly useless for the President's journey to Nabire and went home without touching on human rights issues in Papua.

"If the model is like that, there is no use for human rights enforcement in Papua, especially in Nabire," he said.

Gunawan said that if the President only officially launched some projects, do not blame the people if the next few years will continue to create conflicts.

"And this is because the President is not serious about addressing the Papua issue," he said.

Gunawan added there was a veiled interest from the arrival of the President this time. In addition to inaugurating several projects, there is allegedly an agenda for pemekaran of Central Papua province.

"This will be a problem for the people of Papua, especially in Nabire. Here is still full of corruption. Based on data collected by the PKN team, Nabire is one of the nests and fields of corruption. This is what the President needs to know, "said Gunawan stressed.

Supposedly, continued Gunawan, the President must know the act of corruption and human rights violations in the area of ​​Meepago especially in Nabire becomes important.

"These two things are very sacrificing to the community." Poor people suffered above suffering, "he said.

Representative of Meepago Papua Representative Council (DPRP), John NR Gobai, confirmed what Gunawan Inggeruhi said regarding the case of human rights violations and President Jokowi who only continued to perform the imagery in Papua.

"Yes, the assertiveness of the President's stance on the number of cases of human rights violations which Komnas HAM has declared as gross human rights violations, especially in the case of Paniai Berdarah in 2012, to be resolved but not resolved yet," said John.

John reminded President Jokowi to remember that this is a promise that shows the dignity of the country.

"Yes, inevitably, like it or not, we will continue to demand the President's promise to settle the case," he said. (CR-1 *)

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6) President Jokowi attends Mothers Day in Raja Ampat
Reporter:  
Sorong, W Papua (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) visited Waisai of Raja Ampat District, West Papua Province, to attend the commemoration of Mothers Day and enjoy fishing.

Antara reported here on Thursday that Jokowi arrived in Raja Ampat District at 15.30 Eastern Indonesia Time and was welcomed by the Governor of West Papua, Dominggus Mandacan, and the Head District of Raja Ampat, Abdul Faris Umlati.

The president and the First Lady, Iriana Joko Widodo, visited some fishing spots in Saonek Island along with Mandacan and Umlati.

The presidential entourage boarded the CB Kumawa Jade boat, which was driven by Recky Tito Mugama.

According to Mugama, the president enjoyed the fishing trip and the scenic attractions of Raja Ampat.

"The boat`s crews were so proud to escort the president to Saonek Island," he noted.

He expressed hope that the president?s visit to Raja Ampat would contribute to the development of the tourism sites located in West Papua.

Besides, he hoped that the visit can also promote Raja Ampat to the world.

Raja Ampat is a maritime tourism spot located in the northwest of Sorong City in West Papua Province.

The tourism site has beautiful sceneries of coral clusters and several diving spots. 

Reported by Ernes B Kakisina
(Uu.B019/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(UU.B019/B/KR-BSR/A014) 
Editor: Heru Purwanto 

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7) All Papuan villages to receive electricity in 2018: Jokowi
Jakarta | Thu, December 21, 2017 | 06:10 pm

Anton Hermansyah The Jakarta Post
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said his government will electrify villages across Papua and West Papua provinces in 2018.
“I have instructed the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister [Ignasius Jonan], helped by PLN (state-owned electricity firm), to make all land in Papau bright in 2018,” Jokowi said in Nabire Regency, Papua on Wednesday when officiating the operation of the 50-megawatt (MW) feed gas-fired plant (PLTMG) and 20-MW PLTMG in Jayapura.
The President said that currently, about 3,000 villages across the country had not received electricity, 2,000 of which were villages in Papua.
Jokowi explained constructing electricity plants in Papua was more expensive than constructing the plants in other areas due to the geography of the two provinces, which were mostly mountainous.
However, the government will construct such infrastructure for the sake of social justice for people living in the provinces.
“I have been informed that electrifying one village in Papua requires Rp 2 billion (US$140,000), while in other areas, it only requires Rp 1 billion. But the cost is not an issue for the realization of social justice for all Indonesian people,” said the President in a statement issued on Thursday.
Jokowi also promised that his government would also push down the prices of fuels and basic commodities in the province and develop infrastructure such as roads, as well as improve the quality of healthcare facilities and education. (bbn)
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