1) Haluk bars two Papuans from Port Vila meeting
2) Papuans believe MSG will support new application
3) West Papuans burn ballots for Indonesian election
4) MOST POLLING STATIONS EMPTY FOR 2 HOURS
5) GOVERNOR: THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN PAPUA IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY
| 3) West Papuans burn ballots for Indonesian election |
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1) Haluk bars two Papuans from Port Vila meeting
Chairman for the Working Group of the all West Papua pro-independence organisations Markus Haluk, 34, says pro-Indonesia West Papua Autonomy campaigners Franz Albert Joku and Nicholas Simion Messet are enemies of all Papuans who love their freedom to define and decide their own destiny, and cannot be allowed to attend the planned all Papua reconciliation conference in Port Vila next month.
As long as they remain pro-Indonesia, they won’t be welcome at the meeting as it is strictly for those who love their freedom and will do anything to defend it.
Franz Albert Joku and Nicholas Simion Messet are believed to have been indoctrinated by Indonesian authorities to appeal to all Papuans living in the jungle and abroad to return home saying their country is not what it used to be and is perfectly safe for all of them to go home to.
Haluk says, “These two guys are using the Indonesian flag while we are using the Morning Star flag so it is illogical to say that they are part of our business. They are not standing up for us pro-independentists to become a member of MSG so we cannot accept these people to be part of our meeting”.
Asked how soon they expect to complete their new application, Haluk says they are “super confident” to be able to form a new all Papua umbrella organisation to submit their application for full membership of MSG by the end of the year.
Indonesia he says, has observer status at MSG only to whisper in the corridors but West Papua, geographically speaking, is a natural, physical, integral part of Melanesia so all 99.9% of Papuans are applying for full membership of MSG to take part in its decision making processes to contribute towards the direction that MSG is taking.
On the dangers of living in West Papua, Haluk says on June 16 2012, his friend Marco Musa Tabuni, 28, was shot dead by Australian trained Indonesian soldiers outside his house in Jayapura at 10 o’clock in the morning. The authorities did not authorise any investigation or court proceeding against his killers saying he was a guerrilla, an enemy of the state.
Tabuni was the chairman of a grassroot organisation controlling the masses. “At any time, a Papuan can be killed by an Indonesian labelling him a rebel, a separatist, a drunkard and so on. That is why we Papuans say our life and death do not depend on God but on Indonesia. When you ask them why they kill us, they shrug saying we are separatists or drunkards”, Haluk answers.
Haluk was arrested by Indonesian authorities three times. The first time was for escaping from custody on April 7 in 2009, the second time for organising thousands of demonstrators to close down Freeport Gold Mine in his country and the third time was for organising a student demonstration during the MSG so called fact finding mission to Jayapura on January 13 this year.
He was released by the Governor after thousands of members of his Dani Tribe marched on Jayapura and ordered the Governor to release him or “we will burn down Jayapura”.
The population of his tribe is 500,000 and is the biggest tribe in West Papua.
Papuan Global Campaigner for Freedom Benny Wenda who passed through Port Vila last year, is a part of Haluk’s group. Wenda is Haluk’s brother in law as he (Wenda) married Haluk’s sister.
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2) Papuans believe MSG will support new application
L-r: WPLC representatives Andy Ayamiseba and Dr. John Ondawame, all West Papua Working Group Chair Haluk and Ben Bohane from Public Policy Institute
“We are not Indonesian or Asian but Melanesian. Whether the MSG accepts Indonesia into the MSG family is up to the MSG but we as West Papuan must apply for full membership of MSG because it is our birthright as a people of Melanesia, to claim our rightful place in the Melanesian family. We believe strongly that MSG will support our application because instead of removing us from the list, they asked us to form a new body and submit a new application under a new umbrella”.
The Chairman of the Working Group for all West Papua pro-independence organisations, Markus Haluk has made the statement in an exclusive interview yesterday.
His visit comes on the heels of the resolution of the latest meeting by the Melanesian Spearhead Group countries in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, requesting the West Papuans to unify to adopt one common stand to reapply for membership of MSG.
Asked if it is going to be easy to adopt a united stand in the face of internal differences between the different pro-independence groupings, the Chairman of the Working Group says as a result of the application for full membership of MSG by the Port Vila –based West Papua Liberation Coalition, the whole of MSG has come together to support the wish of 99.9% of the people of West Papua to become independent from Indonesia. “While the MSG has instructed us to iron out any internal differences that we might have, we view the fact that West Papua has not been erased from the list as a diplomatic victory for the people of West Papua”, he says.
“There are no ideological differences among the different groups except that everyone is eager to be seen to be up front leading the country’s struggle for freedom”.
Asked if it is going to be easy to adopt a united stand in the face of internal differences between the different pro-independence groupings, the Chairman of the Working Group says as a result of the application for full membership of MSG by the Port Vila –based West Papua Liberation Coalition, the whole of MSG has come together to support the wish of 99.9% of the people of West Papua to become independent from Indonesia. “While the MSG has instructed us to iron out any internal differences that we might have, we view the fact that West Papua has not been erased from the list as a diplomatic victory for the people of West Papua”, he says.
“There are no ideological differences among the different groups except that everyone is eager to be seen to be up front leading the country’s struggle for freedom”.
In addition, he says it is important to know that the people of West Papua have been killed, raped robbed of their lands and resources, brutalised and had their human rights abused for 53 years and no country in the world had tried to come to their aid except Vanuatu.
Representatives of West Papua pro-independence organisations operating in urban West Papua and in the jungle and abroad, are expected to attend the Reconciliation Conference in Port Vila next month, to form a new all West Papua Umbrella Organisation, to submit a new West Papua application for membership of MSG.
Representatives of West Papua pro-independence organisations operating in urban West Papua and in the jungle and abroad, are expected to attend the Reconciliation Conference in Port Vila next month, to form a new all West Papua Umbrella Organisation, to submit a new West Papua application for membership of MSG.
“My main reason for coming to Port Vila is to thank the Government and people of Vanuatu for their constant support for the last 34 years for the struggle for freedom for the people of West Papua”, Haluk says.
“I have met with the Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition this week and it is clear the Government of Vanuatu wants to facilitate once again, our latest meeting to be attended by the leaders of all West Papua pro-independence organisations for unification under one umbrella.”
Prime Minister Joe Natuman’s Government has agreed to facilitate the Conference in the spirit of Melanesian Brotherhood in line with the original stand taken by the very first Government of the Independence of the Republic of Vanuatu on July 30 of 1980.
At the time the then Prime Minister, the late Father Walter Lini made his famous statement with words to the effect that Vanuatu would not be totally free until the whole of Melanesia was free of colonial bondage.
Prime Minister Joe Natuman’s Government has agreed to facilitate the Conference in the spirit of Melanesian Brotherhood in line with the original stand taken by the very first Government of the Independence of the Republic of Vanuatu on July 30 of 1980.
At the time the then Prime Minister, the late Father Walter Lini made his famous statement with words to the effect that Vanuatu would not be totally free until the whole of Melanesia was free of colonial bondage.
West Papua has three distinct groups – those in the Federal Republic of West Papua of which Haluk is Secretary, the West Papua National Coalition in Port Vila and the National Committee of West Papua. They all have a single objective – independence from Indonesia.
Asked if in his view Indonesia has succeeded in influencing the MSG to get them to ask for a new restructuring, he says the latest outcome of the MSG meeting in Port Moresby has shown that West Papua is still on the agenda of MSG and that is most important to them. “Thank you to Vanuatu for its intervention by the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Fiji through its Minister for Foreign Affairs”.
Haluk rejects the findings of the MSG Foreign Affairs delegation to Jayapura last January saying it was not the views of the people of West Papua when the MSG delegation only spent five hours in Jayapura.
Asked if in his view Indonesia has succeeded in influencing the MSG to get them to ask for a new restructuring, he says the latest outcome of the MSG meeting in Port Moresby has shown that West Papua is still on the agenda of MSG and that is most important to them. “Thank you to Vanuatu for its intervention by the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Fiji through its Minister for Foreign Affairs”.
Haluk rejects the findings of the MSG Foreign Affairs delegation to Jayapura last January saying it was not the views of the people of West Papua when the MSG delegation only spent five hours in Jayapura.
The Chairman says before PNG became independent in 1975, its population was 700,000 while West Papua’s population was 800,000. Now almost 40 years later, PNG’s population has increased to 7.5 million while West Papua’s population stands at only 2 million people. “The question now is where are the rest of the Papuans? Systematic genocide. If West Papua is a paradise for Indonesia then it is not a future for West Papua whose Melanesian people have a birth right to determine their own destiny”, he says.
As to who is going to lead the new West Papua umbrella organisation to apply for membership of MSG, he says the answer is going to emerge from the all West Papua Reconciliation Groupings’ Conference next month which will also include representatives of women and tribal councils.
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Jayapura, July 11, Almost all West Papuans eligible to vote in the Indonesian presidential elections held on Wednesday burned there ballots including about 200 promotional flyers that were distributed on behalf of presidential candidate, former Indonesian general Prabowo-Hatta.
Those who did vote at polling stations in Abepura, Waena, Entrop, Jayapura and Sentani sepih were reportedly described as 'migrants'.
West Papua National Committee (KNPB) chairman, Agus Kossay said that about 80 percent of West Papuans supported the call to boycot the Indonesian presidential elections.
He said that not many West Papuans voted.
"Migrants from outside West Papua were the ones who voted," he said.
The chairman said that West Papuan observers at polling stations said that 20 percent of those who voted on Wednesday included Indonesian military and police.
The Southeast Asian Times
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4) MOST POLLING STATIONS EMPTY FOR 2 HOURS
Merauke, 9/7 (Jubi) – Even though voting at all polling stations (TPS) ran safely and smoothly, the atmosphere was a little different compared to the legislative elections on April 9.
Almost all polling stations in the city of Merauke were empty from 7:00 – 09:00 am and only two people showed up.
Based on tabloidjubi.com’s observation on Wednesday (9/7), voters started to come to the polls at 10:00 am because they had to do housework and watch the World Cup.
Merauke regent, Drs. Romanus Mbaraka, MT said, actually, people in Merauke are excited to come to the polls.
“We’ve found out that TPS in town had been still for 2 hours and just a few people who came, “he said.
“We’ve found out that TPS in town had been still for 2 hours and just a few people who came, “he said.
However, many people began to come have flocked to the polls with a letter of voting invitation at 10.00 am. The implementation of voting did not take longer since there was only one ballot.
“Yes, it is different with legislative election, the voting time took a little bit longer because there were four ballots. Yes, I am convinced and believe that people in Merauke are smart and would come to vote for their leaders for the next five years, “he said.
“Yes, it is different with legislative election, the voting time took a little bit longer because there were four ballots. Yes, I am convinced and believe that people in Merauke are smart and would come to vote for their leaders for the next five years, “he said.
Separately, chairman of Merauke Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), Benekdiktus Tukedjo said, the Supervisory Committee and volunteers as well as District Monitoring officer (PPL) have been in every polling station. They would be there till the ballot counting process finished. (Jubi / Frans L Kobun/ Tina)
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5) GOVERNOR: THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN PAPUA IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY
Jayapura, 9/7 (Jubi) – The Presidential Election in Papua, especially in some critical regions, was generally normal and safe, the Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe said.
“I have called some of regional heads though some of them have not yet picked up the phone. But I have checked some critical regions such as Puncak Jaya, Puncak and Paniai and found the election was running smoothly there. We will see the further progress,” Enembe told to reporters after voting at the poling station 18 in Argapura, Jayapura on Wednesday (9/7).
Despites running well, further he said some sub-districts in Yahukimo Regency have not yet received the ballots due to the weather.
“Yahukimo Regent yesterday informed the election logistic could not be distributed to some sub districts due to the weather. It might be distributed within one or two days, but it also depends on the weather. However, the election in Papua was relatively safe, and I expected it would be secured,” he said.
“Yahukimo Regent yesterday informed the election logistic could not be distributed to some sub districts due to the weather. It might be distributed within one or two days, but it also depends on the weather. However, the election in Papua was relatively safe, and I expected it would be secured,” he said.
Enembe further said whoever been elected as the president for next five years, he could continue what have been done by the former President Yudhoyono. He added currently the Government of Papua is revising the Law No 21 which also including in the huge agenda of the elected president, because it would be submitted to the National Parliament in the next week. After the submission, it would be reviewed by the National Parliament to get the legal harmonization draft from the Law and Human Rights Ministry before the issuing of the President Mandate (Ampres).
“The elected president has the obligation to approve this revision because Papua is different. So whoever been elected as president, he should be consider Papua as special,” he said.
“The elected president has the obligation to approve this revision because Papua is different. So whoever been elected as president, he should be consider Papua as special,” he said.
On the same occasion, Enember further asked all Papua community to jointly monitor and secure the voting results.
“If people already done the voting, I hope we could maintain the results because it was assured by law. And if possible, we could confirm the result to Jakarta at 13:00 – 14:00 Papua time because we firstly finished,” he said. (Jubi/Alex/rom)
“If people already done the voting, I hope we could maintain the results because it was assured by law. And if possible, we could confirm the result to Jakarta at 13:00 – 14:00 Papua time because we firstly finished,” he said. (Jubi/Alex/rom)
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