1) Information about the arrest of Terianus Satto ad the attack on is home

1) Information about the arrest of Terianus Satto ad the attack on is home

2) On its 7th anniversary, the MRP keen to  intensify its collaboration with other bodies

3) Signing of Indonesia-German tank deal postponed

4) Rosoboronexport Smells Blood In Indonesia Tank Deal

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From Tapol

1) Information about the arrest of Terianus Satto ad the attack on is home

Message received from Seblon Sambom on 4 November:

This is a short message about  the arrest Mr Terianus Satto and an attack on his home. Mr Satto is a pro-independence human rights activist. He was arrested by Densus88, backed up by Brimob on 30 October in Kampung Marib, West Sentani district.

The chronology of the arrest will be provided by Yason Sambom and Augustinus Trapen some time later this week. Many Papuans have fled to the forest and are in hiding there.

Terianus Satto and his family who also fled left their home on 30 October after the home had been attacked by Densus 88, backed up by Brimob, who conducted  sweepings in the vicinity of the kampung in their attempts to find Mr Terianus Satto.

To get the full story, you can interview Terianus Satto by phone or mobile as it is better for him to explain what happened himself.

The human rights situation in West Papua  at present is very bad indeed because Densus 88 is conducting sweepings and raiding people's homes everywhere. Many people are being arrested everywhere.

I hope you will carefully read my report on the Background of the Free Papua Struggle Organisation. And I also urge you to convey this information to the United Nations in New York.

I have been in hiding for five months in the forest together with my wife and children because our lives are in danger and I myself am the target of the operations by the security forces now deployed here.

Please also convey this information to Norman Voss in Germany because he interviewed Terianus Satto at his home in Maribu on 3 May 2011.

Please note:

I will return to the forest  some time this week and in the middle of this month I will return with  Yason, Agus  and Mr Terianus Satto.

This report was written in the forest using a diesel  and small-scale  internet.

Sebby Sambom, Pro-Independence Human Rights Activist in West Papua.

[Translated by TAPOL]

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2) On its 7th anniversary, the MRP keen to  intensify its collaboration with other bodies

Bintang Papua, 5 November 2012

Jayapura: Timotius Murib, the chairman of the MRP - Majelis  Rakyat Papua, Papuan People's Council -  said that the council is keen to have close relations with  all governmental organisations in Papua including the provicial administration, the legislative assembly and other possible partners.

He was speaking on the occasion of the council's seventh anniversary, on 31 October.

'I would like to say that these communications are very important. Sitting together with indigenous groups  can achieve a great deal in everyone's interests, including the indigenous Papuan people, the Papuan community in general and Indonesia as a whole.'

He said that he recognises that collaboration with executive and legislative bodies  is a way for the executive to be made aware of the complaints of the indigenous group, the women's group and the religious group in the MRP. The MRP had undertaken efforts of this nature with women's group in 2012, when they advocated  the setting up of women's groups in the districts of Timika and Keerom.

The religious group in the MRP held meetings and consultations with the department of religion in Papua in order to encourage better relations between the various religions in Papua.and to register the number of religious adherents among the indigenous Papuan people.

Murib said that  this was very important  as part of efforts to provide protection and advancement of the indigenous rights of the indigenous Papuan people among the various religious groups in Papua. But he also acknowledged that there were factors that impeded these efforts because some people believe that the MRP has no authority to get involved in  governmental affairs or in local government agencies.

This approach was regarded by some people as mistaken because it had had a major impact on  the work of the MRP during the recent period.  The person who made this criticism said that such an approach  had had an impact on the work of the MRP in its work to produce special regulations known as Perdasus, as part of the requirements of the special autonomy law (OTSUS) for Papua, including regulations regarding ways to implement its duties, its powers, its rights and its responsibilities.

But another view was also expressed, namely that the MRP  does not have legislative powers but does have the authority to submit ideas to the governor, the DPRP and the chiefs in the districts and municipalities. on matters related the the rights of the indigenous Papuan groups. According to this view, what the MRP had done  was quite correct.

[Translated by TAPOL]

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http://en.europeonline-magazine.eu/signing-of-indonesia-german-tank-deal-postponed_247749.html

3) Signing of Indonesia-German tank deal postponed

By our dpa-correspondent and Europe Online    

Jakarta (dpa) - The planned signing of a deal for Indonesia‘s purchase of more than 150 German tanks was postponed Wednesday as the two sides were still negotiating, a Defence Ministry official said.

Indonesia now hopes to sign the contract and a separate technical agreement with German defence company Rheinmetall on Saturday, said Major General Ediwan Prabowo, the head of the defence facilities agency at the ministry.

"It‘s still being negotiated," Prabowo said. "The plan is to sign it on Saturday but it all depends on the negotiation and any agreement that can be reached."

He described the sticking points as minor and included issues such as the timing of delivery, after sale maintenance support and a technology transfer.

Deputy Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said last week that the deal had been completed and the subsequent agreement would only be related to future maintenance and a transfer of technology.

Prabowo said there were no pending political or legal issues, saying the German government fully supported the deal.

Indonesia wants to buy 100 main battle tanks Leopard A24, including its upgraded version MBT Revoulution, and lighter Marder tanks from Rheinmetall.

Prabowo said Indonesia wanted the first batch to be delivered this year, but Rheinmetall had not given assurances because it would take some time to build tanks suited to Indonesian specifications.

The tank purchase was opposed by human rights groups in Indonesia and the Green and left-wing parties in Germany who argued that the military was committing human rights violations in the Papua region, the scene of a low-level separatist conflict.

The Defence Ministry dismissed the criticism on Tuesday, saying the purchase was part of the government drive to modernize its under-equipped military.

"Indonesia is a sovereign and civilized nation," said Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Bambang Hartawan.

"We need to upgrade our defence capabilities like other countries have done, in terms of human resources and equipment," he said.

The military was accused of gross human rights violations under the rule of autocratic former president Suharto.

Activists said that despite a series of reforms following Suharto‘s downfall in 1998, there has been little accountability for past and recent abuses committed in Papua.

The government has allocated a defence budget of 156 trillion rupiah (16.4 billion dollars) for the 2011-14 period, allowing it buy hardware such as modern fighter aircraft, submarines and tanks.

Unlike neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, Indonesia does not have main battle tanks. Its military has long relied on ageing French-made AMX-13 and British-made Scorpion light tanks.

The country‘s main weapons company, PT Pindad, has developed and produced light armoured personnel carriers and the government hopes it would eventually be capable of making tanks similar to the Leopard, in cooperation with Germany. dpa apa tlo Author: Ahmad Pathoni

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http://www.defenseworld.net/go/defensenews.jsp?id=7846&h=Rosoboronexport%20Smells%20Blood%20In%20Indonesia%20Tank%20Deal

4) Rosoboronexport Smells Blood In Indonesia Tank Deal

Our Bureau

Wed, Nov 7, 2012 13:20 CET

      As Indonesia's deal with Germany for the procurement of Leopard tanks comes under attack by human right groups with a possibility of the deal being delayed or canceled, Russia's Rosoboronexport (RoE) has offered its T90s tank at the fifth edition of the Indo Defense 2012 show in Jakarta.

      “The T-90S main battle tank (MBT) shows good sales prospects in this region’s market. The T-90S MBT has demonstrated excellent performance during most exacting trials in one of the countries in the region", a RoE statement said.

      The Indonesian Defence Ministry had ordered 100 Leopard battle tanks, 50 lighter Marder tanks and several supporting vehicles from German defence company Rheinmetall AG. However, the deal is being opposed by human rights groups in Indonesia and the German Green party, who insist that the Indonesia military was still committing human rights violations in the Papua region.

      Following this opposition, the delivery has been delayed and there are apprehensions that Germany may renege on the deal.

      "Indonesia is one of Russia's major partners in the region, and it is only natural that we expect progress in many areas of our military technical cooperation with this country, following our talks in Jakarta. We offer our Indonesian partners various projects. It can be licence assembly, joint item development, or assistance in refining products developed by Indonesia. This also involves technologies transfers, which is now especially important for Indonesia striving to develop its own defence industry," said Viktor Komardin, deputy director general of Rosoboronexport and head of the delegation to the Indo-Defence 2012 exhibition.

      Rosoboronexport will also showcase air defence systems such as the Buk-M2E missile system, Pantsir-S1 gun/missile system, and Igla-S man-portable air defence missile system.

      Combat helicopters like the Ka-52 and Mi-28NE, Mi-26Т2 heavy-lift transport with the upgraded avionics suite and Ka-226T light multipurpose helicopters will take centre stage at the show.
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