1) Groups Call on U.S. to Condemn Indonesian Attacks on Peaceful Demonstrations in West Papua
2) open letter Dutch Min. of FA, Frans Timmermans
3) Construction to start on Timika steam power plant this month
4) Germany Approves Tank Sale to Indonesia: Industry Source
1) Groups Call on U.S. to Condemn Indonesian Attacks on Peaceful Demonstrations in West PapuaContact: Ed McWilliams, West Papua Advocacy Team, +1-575-648-2078, edmcw@msn.com
2) open letter Dutch Min. of FA, Frans Timmermans
3) Construction to start on Timika steam power plant this month
4) Germany Approves Tank Sale to Indonesia: Industry Source
1) Groups Call on U.S. to Condemn Indonesian Attacks on Peaceful Demonstrations in West PapuaContact: Ed McWilliams, West Papua Advocacy Team, +1-575-648-2078, edmcw@msn.com
John M. Miller, National Coordinator, ETAN, +1-917-690-4391, etan@etan.org
May 3, 2013 - The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) strongly urge the U.S. government to condemn the unwarranted assault by Indonesian government security forces on peaceful May 1 demonstrations in West Papua. They called for U.S. security assistance to be curtailed, absent an end to such egregious human rights violations and credible prosecution and sentencing of the perpetrators of these crimes among Indonesia's military, police, and "anti-terror" forces. Widespread nonviolent Papuan protests commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations 1963 handover of West Papua to Indonesian control were met with security force brutality. At least two West Papuans were killed; many more were wounded and/or detained.
On May 2, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay „expressed serious concerns over the crackdown on mass demonstrations across Papua." Her statement said "These latest incidents are unfortunate examples of the ongoing suppression of freedom of expression and excessive use of force in Papua. I urge the Government of Indonesia to allow peaceful protest and hold accountable those involved in abuses.
ETAN and WPAT, noting the close relations and expanding security relationship between Washington and Jakarta, call on President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry to press the Indonesian government to end its suppression of freedom of expression in West Papua and to hold those responsible for violence against civilian demonstrators accountable before civilian courts.
The U.S. should also urge Indonesia to allow visits by UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs, as the Indonesian Government agreed to do in late 2012, and more generally end restrictions on travel there by international observers. The planned visit by Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, remains stalled over Indonesian government restrictions that would prevent him from visiting political prisoners in West Papua and elsewhere.
ETAN and WPAT also urge the appropriate committees and subcommittees of the U.S. Congress to hold hearings examining the impact of expanding security ties between the U.S. and Indonesia and possible violations of the Leahy law. This is especially urgent given the continuing and even worsening violations of human rights by the Indonesian military and other security forces targeting Papuans seeking to exercise rights guaranteed them by international treaties and covenants. Legislation to curtail or fully suspend this assistance should be on the agenda for such hearings.
The latest attacks are the latest human rights violations that have continued unabated since Indonesia took control of the territory 50 years. These crimes are part of a larger pattern of repression and impunity perpetrated by troops and police armed and trained by the U.S.
This statement is also supported by the West Papua Action Network.
ETAN was formed in 1991. The U.S.-based organization advocates for democracy, justice and human rights for Timor-Leste, West Papua and Indonesia. ETAN on the web: http://www.etan.org. Twitter: etan009. The West Papua Advocacy Team is a U.S.-based NGO composed of academics, human rights defenders and a retired U.S. diplomat. Both organizations co-publish the monthly West Papua Report. http://etan.org/issues/wpapua/default.htm
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Donate today. Read ETAN's fund appeal: http://etan.org/etan/2013appeal.htmShop ETAN. Order books and more from ETAN http://etan.org/resource/books.htm
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2) open letter Dutch Min. of FA, Frans Timmermans
The minister of Foreign Affairs
Drs. F.C.G.M. Timmermans
Postbox 20061
2500 EB The Hague
Date: 3 May 2013
Concerns: open letter 'crackdown' May 1 demonstrations Papua
Our ref. : 2013/0503/02/kj
Your ref.: Indonesia-Papua
Dear minister Timmermans,
Foundation Pro Papua strongly asks you to note and condemn the Indonesian Government security forces assault on peaceful May 1 demonstrations by Papuans. Widespread non-violent Papuan demonstrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's coercive annexation of West Papua in 1963 were met with security force brutality resulting in the killing of two Papuans and the wounding and detention of many more.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Pillay's May 2 statement* regarding the violence expressed "serious concern" over the "crackdown." The statement cited UN Human Rights High Commissioner as stating: "These latest incidents are unfortunate examples of the on-going suppression of freedom of expression and excessive use of force in Papua. I urge the Government of Indonesia to allow peaceful protest and hold accountable those involved in abuses.”
Pro Papua, noting the close relations between The Hague and Jakarta call on the Dutch Government to press the Indonesian Government to end its suppression of freedom of speech in West Papua and to hold accountable before
civilian courts those responsible for violence against civilian demonstrators.
We think that you should also press the Indonesian Government to allow visits by UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs, as the Indonesian Government agreed to do in late 2012.
On behalf of Foundation Pro Papua,
with kind regards,
Koen J. de Jager
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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/05/03/construction-start-timika-steam-power-plant-month.html
3) Construction to start on Timika steam power plant this month
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http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/germany-approves-tank-sale-to-indonesia-industry-source/
4) Germany Approves Tank Sale to Indonesia: Industry Source
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/germany-approves-tank-sale-to-indonesia-industry-source/
Germany Approves Tank Sale to Indonesia: Industry Source
Berlin. The German government has approved the sale to Indonesia of about 100 used Leopard 2 tanks and 50 armored personnel carriers but has put off a decision on a tank sale to Saudi Arabia, a defense source said on Friday.
Germany’s national security council, which includes Chancellor Angela Merkel and some cabinet ministers, must approve large arms sales and the government never comments on its decisions.
Indonesia, southeast Asia’s largest economy, had previously indicated it would buy 130 Leopard tanks from Germany’s Rheinmetall AG as part of a $15 billion five-year campaign to modernize its military.
The German source did not say how much the deal was worth but Indonesia said last year the value of the initial agreement to buy 130 tanks was $280 million.
Indonesia, which has economic growth of above 6 percent, is wary of being left behind as China, Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian nations ramp up defense spending. This year it announced plans to buy more than a dozen Russian Sukhoi fighter jets as well as domestically made, missile-equipped patrol ships.
The industry source said Berlin would delay a decision on whether to sell tanks to Saudi Arabia until after the federal election in September. It is a sensitive issue in Germany where the opposition criticizes sales to some Middle Eastern countries because of their human rights record.
Reuters
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