1) KNPB: 'Being arrested in nothing unusual - it strengthens our struggle'

1) KNPB: 'Being arrested in nothing unusual - it strengthens our struggle'

 2) OPM apologises for shooting PMI volunteers in Puncjak Jaya

3) Papua gov plans jaunt to  Hawaii, while students  crave funds

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1) KNPB: 'Being arrested in nothing unusual - it strengthens our struggle'

Bintang Papua, 16 September 2013

Jayapura:  Even though the KNPB demonstration on Monday was forcibly dispersed by the security forces on 16 September, the organisation has every intention of holding another peaceful demonstration.

The spokesman of the organisation, Wim Rocky Medlama, said: 'Actually, we were planning to organise another demonstration on 18 September but we decided not to go ahead for certain reasons. But be assured that we will organise another demonstration very soon, possibly in the coming week.'

He said that this statement should be taken as  notification to the police of their intention to hold another demonstration.

'We have no idea whether we will get permission to demonstrate but the aspirations of the West Papuan people will be expressed by the KNPB, come what may. We will demonstrate to express the demand of the Papuan people for the right to an act of self-determination.' And this will also be the occasion for us to  raise the issue of the force that was used by the police when we demonstrated to mark the International Day of Democracy.'

'We have discussed the possibility of being arrested, being tortured or being sent to prison, but all this is nothing unusual for us, even if they start shooting us. We are quite used to all this and incidents like this only re-enforce our determination to continue the struggle for self-determination.'

He went on to say that they would go ahead even though it was possible that the police would block their way or use force to disperse them.

The general secretary of the KNPB, Ones Pahaboi said that the presence of the chief of police Drs M Tito Karnavian in West Papua is illegal, as a representative the NKRI  [Unitary State of the  Republic of Indonesia].

'We will continue with our acts of resistance  for as long as it takes. All the brutality that he uses against us is simply the consequence of our struggle. The presence of the chief of police and of NKRI here in the land of Papua is illegal.'

[Translated by TAPOL]

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 2) OPM apologises for shooting PMI volunteers in Puncjak Jaya

Bintang Papua, 18 September 2013

Jayapura: The TPN/OPM  [National Resistance  Army/Papuan Freedom Movement] in Gurangi, Puncak Jaya  has written to the Indonesian Red Crescent [PMI] in the District of Puncak Jaya apologising for shooting three PMI volunteers on 31 July, 2013. During this incident, a man called Heri Yoman  was shot dead, while two other people were injured.

The letter which was sent on 15 August 2013 was also signed by the commander of general operations of the TPN/OPM, Ekki Wonda and the field commander Rambo Wonda  who admitted that he was the peron who had fired the shots.

The letter said that during the incident, shots were fired at an ambulance at a time when troops from the TNI [Indonesian Army] were carrying out operations in Puncak Jaya. It was during the course of this operation that two local inhabitants were shot dead by soldiers who were using a vehicle which looked very much like a PMI ambulance. This is why the person who did the shooting thought that the vehicle belonged to the TNI. 'We were the ones who did the shooting which killed two PMI volunteers for which we offer our sincere apologies.,' he said.

The chairman of the PMI in West Papua, Nelson Wonda, said that their investigation into the incident which they had undertaken after receiving a letter from those involved in the incident revealed what had happened during an operation which was being conducted by the TNI. The ambulance being used by the TNI had been modified in such a way as to look exactly like ambulances which are used by the PMI. However, the vehicle was being used by the army during operations in the area, during which two members of the OPM were shot. The OPM members who did not fully understand what was happening thought that the PMI had given one of their ambulances to the TNI, although this was not true. This is why they fired at the ambulance  in which there were two PMI volunteers.

'As a result of this misunderstanding, OPM members came to us to offer their apologies while at the same time, urging us to continue with our work in the area.' said Wonda.

Personnel from the PMI subsequently had a meeting with the Military Commander of Pangdam XVII - Cenderawasih Military Command -  and the Governor of Papua, suggesting that the modifications which had been made, in particular the colour of the vehicles, should not be used any more. However, the regional secretary  of the administration in Puncak Jaya said that he did not have the 'authority' to forward this request to the TNI.

[Translated by TAPOL]
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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/09/18/papua-gov-plans-jaunt-hawaii-while-students-crave-funds.html

3) Papua gov plans jaunt to  Hawaii, while students  crave funds

Rendi Witular and Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Archipelago | Wed, September 18 2013, 4:12 PM

More than 100 Papuan students, who have been awarded full scholarships to study at top universities on Java, have discovered their places are at risk as the Papua administration claims it has no money to fund their travel costs.

The limited funding claim is distinctly questionable as recently elected Papua Governor Lukas Enembe and dozens of regents and officials are slated to fly to Hawaii in the US this week, at the taxpayers’ expense. 

The students comprise a second batch of 208 students who received scholarships from the central government this year. The provincial administration had agreed to cover their travel expenses from Papua to their respective universities. 

"More than half of the students risk losing their scholarships because the administration claims it has no money to cover their airfares," Ichwanudin Mawardi, the planning deputy of the Unit for the Acceleration of Development in Papua and West Papua (UP4B), said on Wednesday.

"Ironically, the administration has more than enough funds to go to Hawaii," he said.

A flight ticket from the provincial capital Jayapura to Jakarta costs at least Rp 3.5 million (US$350), which is equal to one day’s pocket money that will be allocated to each official traveling to Hawaii.

Ichwanuddin said that if the students failed to arrive in Jakarta and enroll by Sept. 20, the universities would cancel their places, which would effectively terminate their scholarships.

Neither Lukas nor the Papua administration spokesman could be reached for comment. A staffer at the Papua administration said the governor was currently returning to Papua following a visit to Banjarmasin in South  Kalimantan, where he attended a gathering hosted by the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI).

According to sources at the administration, the trip to Hawaii was aimed at forging a deal between Cenderawasih Univesity in Jayapura with the University of Hawaii.

Resource-rich Papua is Indonesia's most eastern and least developed province, which has long been plagued by pervasive corruption and a separatist movement.