1) Papua badly needs health care facility

1) Papua badly needs health care facility

2) Police spin on Papua under fire

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/86331/papua-badly-needs-health-care-facility

1) Papua badly needs health care facility

Sat, December 22 2012 10:55 | 72 Views

Timika, Papua (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for the People`s Welfare Agung Laksono expressed concern with the condition of health care infrastructure in Papua and Papua Barat. 

Health care facilities are far from adequate and need immediate improvement, said Agung, who is on an eight-day visit to the region at the head of a delegation of high ranking officials from Jakarta. 

Agung said he had visited hospitals, and other health care facilities in Sorong, Nabire, Jayapura and Merauke. 

He said some of the facilities date back to the Dutch colonial time and need renovation. 

"The condition of health care facilities in Papua need serious addressing," he said here on Saturday. 

He noted all hospitals in Papua are below standard, saying some hospitals do not even have X Ray machine. 

He said some sets of health equipment sent from Jakarta were left idle either because qualified operators and building not available, or power supply not sufficient. 

He said Papua and Papua Barat need immediate improvement of health care facilities especially as the two regions are not yet free from common diseases.

Death rate is still high because of malaria, tuberculosis, and even HIV/AIDs, he added. 

Yesterday, the Papua health office warns against the rapid spread of HIV/AIDs in the region.

Head of the provincial health office drg Josef Rinta said HIV/ADIs cases are alarmingly high in Papua and Papua Barat with more than 13,000 people infected by the deadly disease.

Agung said health service facilities in Papua and Papua Barat need to be improved before the government implement its program of National Social Security System all over the country in 2014. 
(H-ASG/B003) 

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/12/22/police-spin-papua-under-fire.html

2) Police spin on Papua under fire

Margareth S. Aritonang, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Sat, December 22 2012, 10:22 AM

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Concerns over an escalation of human rights abuses are growing as the National Police decided to use the antiterrorism law to deal with armed groups in the resource-rich province of Papua.

On Wednesday, National Police Criminal Investigation Division (Bareskrim) chief Comr. Gen. Sutarman said the police would use Antiterrorism Law No.15/2003 to deal with individuals or groups terrorizing people in Papua, including those attacking police stations.

“Armed individuals and groups have brought anxiety and terror into society. We won’t hesitate to use the law on those who kill innocent civilians,” Sutarman said in response to journalists’ queries on rising violence in the province.

The decision to use the law has nothing to do with the burgeoning separatist movement, according to Sutarman.

The decision by the National Police promptly raised criticism from human rights defenders, saying the police only seek justification for their abuse of suspects.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Friday, Catholic priest John Jonga said use of the Antiterrorism Law in Papua would send misleading messages to both Papuans and others with interest in the province. Security personnel would take it as license to use violence against Papuans in the name of counterterrorism.

“We, Papuans, are not terrorists. I regret the decision to even think of using that law to respond to local violence. Even without that law, the police already treat Papuans as terrorists. Can you imagine what they would do with more justification?” John said.

Mako Tabuni, deputy chairman of the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB), was killed in an ambush by the police in June this year. There are numerous examples of police abuse of Papuans accused of creating “discomfort” in the region.

John, who received the human rights Yap Thiam Hien award in 2009, emphasized that Papuans were struggling even for their most basic rights.

Separately, Poengky Indarti of human rights watchdog Imparsial suggested that the plan for the Antiterrorism Law in Papua, could only heighten the already tense atmosphere in the province.

“The law doesn’t provide a clear definition of terrorism. The police could interpret it subjectively and use it for their own interests,” Poengky said.

“The police must crack down on arms smuggling into Papua instead of imposing this law. Locals suspect security officers of supplying arms for business or power interests,” she added.

Responding to the criticism, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian insisted that the law would strengthen police powers to deal with actions that spread insecurity among the people of Papua.

“There are cases of violence that meet the elements of terrorism as stipulated in the law. We need to use it carefully here, because of the highly politicized atmosphere. No matter what, I want to ensure that we have no cases of criminals hiding behind the [Papuan] freedom movement,” Tito told the Post.

He cited a criminal case that occurred two months ago. An armed group kidnapped and raped seven girls from Kebo District in Paniai Regency, and demanded a ransom of Rp 50 million (US$5200) from their parents.

“These criminals introduced themselves as freedom fighters in order to wheedle support from rights activists. Should we let such criminals go free after causing such a horrible situation in the region? This is a fact that many people have failed to recognized,” he said.

Tito is aware of the urgency of upholding human rights values while promoting security in Papua, particularly in dealing with groups struggling for independence.

“However, not all of these groups are purely promoting independence. These are the kind of groups that we need to anticipate,” he emphasized.