Friday, December 21, 2018

1) TNI-Polri Find Three Bodies of Armed Group Members in Papua


2) Papuan people demand the President to withdraw troops from Nduga
3) Indonesia officially controls 51.23 percent of Freeport shares: Jokowi
4) Papua leaders demand end to Indonesian military operation

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1) TNI-Polri Find Three Bodies of Armed Group Members in Papua 

Translator: Andita Rahma  
 Editor: Amirullah 
21 December 2018 19:30 WIB

TEMPO.COJakarta - A joint-team consisting of members of the Indonesian Military and the Indonesian National Police continued to chase the armed group that attacked PT Istaka Karya workers in Nduga, Papua. During the operation, the team found three bodies of the armed group members in the mountains.
"During the search, the joint team found three bodies. After being evacuated and identified, it turned out that they were KKB members who participated in attacking the security officers," said the Indonesian National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo at the National Police Headquarters on Friday, December 21, 2018.
The three bodies identified were ML, that was found 300 meters above the attack location; NI, that was found 400 meters above the attack location; and NW, which body was found burned. They were allegedly killed after being engaged in a firefight with security officers.
Dedi said that the armed group applied a standard operating procedure of burning the bodies of their member if the member was killed in an attempt to remove any trace.
The three bodies were found on Monday, December 17, around 9:30 PM local time. They were identified by the Papuan Police Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) unit at Wamena Hospital.
ANDITA RAHMA

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2) Papuan people demand the President to withdraw troops from Nduga
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Jayapura, Jubi – Governor of Papua, Papua provincial parliament (DPRP), Papuan People’s Council (MRP), Papua Representative Office of the National Human Rights Commission, church and Papuan people urgently demand President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to immediately withdraw troops from Nduga. The presence of the military and police in Nduga has triggered trauma among the villagers in that regency that they have fled to the forest.
This demand was authorized during non Regional Government Budget plenary meeting held at the Papua provincial parliament on Thursday (20/12/2018).
“We have all attended the plenary meeting of Papua provincial parliament relating to the incident in Nduga. Thus, the stance of the provincial government, the Papua provincial parliament, the Papuan People’s Council, the Papua Representative Office of the National Human Rights Commission, the church and civil society organizations is clear. We demand President Jokowi to immediately withdraw troops from Nduga,” said Papua Governor Lukas Enembe after the plenary meeting.
The troops withdrawal, according to Governor Enembe, must be undertaken so villagers in the regency can celebrate Christmas in peace. During Christmas time like this, Governor Enembe continued, there cannot be military or police in Nduga, particularly in Yali, Yigi, Mbua and Dal districts where the armed conflict claimed over 20 lives.
“We grieve for both previous and current deaths. But that is enough. There cannot be any more civilian victims,” said Governor Enembe.
Regarding the conclusion of this plenary meeting, the head of Papua provincial parliament Yunus Wonda, stated that the entire seven factions of the parliament agree to withdraw military and police from Nduga and to establish an independent team. This independent team will work to collect data relating to the incident in Nduga. The team consists of the provincial government, Papua provincial parliament, Papuan People’s Council, church, Papua Representative Office of the National Human Rights Commission, and Papuan civil society.
“So this is the wish of Papuan people. This team is not just for the incident in Nduga. But also for all violence and conflict incidents on the land of Papua which have caused Papuan civilians to be harmed, traumatized or died,” said Yunus Wonda.
Relating to the security forces’ approach in responding to the Nduga shooting incident on 2-3 December, Enembe said that people in the regency should had been asked to leave the area or were evacuated prior to the military and police pursue the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) who claimed to be the shooters.
“Yet this is not it. The military and police set foot in before evacuating the people. Therefore, we demand the withdrawal,” continued Enembe.
As a person who used to be a regent in Puncak Jaya, the other regency where armed conflict often occurs, Governor Enembe admitted that he really knew TPNPB’s strategy. After carrying out attack at one location, TPNPB will go out from that location so that there are only civilians left.
Hence, Governor Enembe emphasized that the first step desired by the Papuan people is that the president must withdraw the troops. If the military and police were not yet withdrawn, no further step could be taken, not even sending food supplies.
“People who have fled to the forest cannot find food. We could neither send food nor collect data and facts if the troops had not been withdrawn. This troops withdrawal is the first step which determines the next steps. Accordingly, we will request to see the president to deliver this demand in this near future,” explained Governor Enembe. (*)


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3) Indonesia officially controls 51.23 percent of Freeport shares: Jokowi
Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman The Jakarta Post
Jakarta   /   Fri, December 21, 2018   /   06:01 pm


President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced on Friday that Indonesia became the majority owner of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) after increasing its share ownership from 9.36 percent to 51.23 percent through a US$3.85 billion deal.
“This majority ownership will be entirely for the benefit of our people. [….] Our income in tax, non-tax [revenues] and royalties will be bigger and better,” Jokowi said at the State Palace as aired live by Kompas.tv.
The President further said he had also received reports about PTFI’s commitments in smelter development and solutions to environmental issues as well as the settlement of 10 percent ownership of PTFI shares for Papua’s people.
“It means we have settled all [issues] and work can start,” said Jokowi, who was accompanied by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, Freeport McMoRan (FCX) CEO Richard Adkerson and state mining holding company PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) president director Budi Gunadi Sadikin.
Inalum as the government’s representative holds 51.23 percent of PTFI, which operates the world’s second-biggest copper mine, Grasberg in Papua.
According to data from Inalum, the final structure of PTFI’s shares after the divestment deal sees FCX owning 48.76 percent, Inalum with 26.23 percent and PT Indonesia Papua Metal & Mineral (PT IPMM) with 25 percent.
In the structure, IPMM’s shares will be owned by Inalum and a Papua-owned enterprise (BUMD) with shares at 60 percent and 40 percent respectively. (bbn)
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4) Papua leaders demand end to Indonesian military operation

BBC 4 hours ago

The governor of Indonesia's eastern Papua province has called for an end to an intense military operation against independence rebels in the remote jungle-covered region.
Troops are hunting for members of the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), who killed at least 17 construction workers early this month.
It was the deadliest attack for years.
Local officials said at least four civilians had so far been killed in the military response.
Hundreds more are said to have fled into the jungle to escape the violence.
The OPM attack in the mountainous Nduga region represents a major escalation in the decades-old low-level insurgency.
Previous reports had put the number of victims at 24.
Papua declared independence from the Netherlands in 1961 but was incorporated into Indonesia eight years later, becoming its easternmost province.

What did Papua's governor say?

In a rare criticism of the central government, Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe said the military should now leave. 
"We pay our respects to the past and present victims, but this is enough," said Governor Lukas Enembe. 
"There must be no further civilian casualties, civilians have not been evacuated. So we want all troops out first." 
He added that the pro-independence fighters were unlikely to be still in the area.

The Speaker of the Papua parliament, Yunus Wonda, told BBC Indonesia that the military operation was terrifying communities. 
At least 300 villagers are reported to have fled to escape the military sweep. 
"They are traumatised and very scared. They have fled into the jungle," said Mr Yunus. 
"We want people in Papua in those districts to celebrate this holy month with their families, their wives and children. Christmas should be a time of peace but not a time of fear."

What do Papuans say the military is doing?

A local government fact-finding team found at least four civilians had been killed in the operation, which has been under way for nearly three weeks
Journalists have been unable to enter the area because of security concerns, and international media are restricted from entering Papua. 
In 2015, Indonesian President Joko Widodo promised to lift the ban but in practice unimpeded reporting in Papua remains very difficult.

However, BBC Indonesia has spoken with civilians from the conflict area in the highlands regional capital Wamena.
A 14-year-old boy who asked not to be named over fears of reprisals from the military said his father had been killed.
"I saw two helicopters come down, everyone fled including my dad. Then police and military got out. And then the military shot my father."
"I was in shock. I jumped and I was also shot at but they missed me. I ran with my older brother into jungle," he said. 
Local human rights activist Raga Kogeya said the community needed to be able to bury its dead in peace. 
"We are not enemies of the state. We are citizens of Indonesia. The government has to take full responsibility for those that have been killed," she said.

Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch said impunity for rights violators was "the norm" in Papua because of a lack of accountability within security forces and a poorly functioning justice system.

What does the military say?

It says it has come under attack while trying to retrieve the bodies of the construction workers, and insists it is not targeting unarmed civilians and only firing in self-defence. 
However Papua military spokesman Muhammad Aidi told BBC Indonesia that it was difficult to differentiate between rebels and civilians. 
"In the villagers, the rebels will hide weapons and mix closely with the civilians, and we cannot recognise them," he said. 
"It is very difficult because they use guerrilla warfare techniques. They could be anywhere and they know the region very well while we are outsiders."

"We don't know what they look like, we have never met them. So we only know them from some photos and assumptions about them." 
He said the joint military and police operation would continue. 
"There is no time limit on it. The perpetrators have to be caught alive or dead." 

Who was killed in the attack?

The construction workers who were killed were from other islands. 
They had been hired and brought to the Nduga area to build a vast network of roads and bridges cutting through pristine jungle.
A soldier was also shot dead when a team of police and security forces were sent to investigate the killings, authorities said.
The massive trans-Papua highway project is part of President Joko Widodo's drive to improve infrastructure in the impoverished province. 
OPM rebels say they believe the workers were working for the military. 
But grieving families like 27-year-old Alpianu's say he had taken the job to support his young family.

He had not been home since February this year. 
His wife Anita Limbu Datu recalled the last phone conversation she had with him from her home in the central region of Sulawesi island.
"I said: 'Please be careful in the highlands. When you have come back down please call me straightaway.'" 
They have a daughter together and he had promised he be home in time for Christmas. 
"I was so shocked when I heard what happened. I don't really know what do to anymore," Ms Datu said.
Reporting by BBC Indonesia
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