1) Indonesia:
End attacks on freedom of expression in Papua
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1) DOCUMENT - INDONESIA: END ATTACKS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN PAPUA
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
Index: ASA 21/022/2014
29 August 2014
Indonesia: End attacks on freedom of expression in Papua
Indonesian authorities must end attacks on freedom of expression in the country’s Papuan region, Amnesty International said. Recent attacks highlight the repressive environment faced by political activists and journalists in the area and the ongoing impunity for human rights violations by security forces there.
On 26 August 2014, political activist Martinus Yohame was found dead, in a sack, floating near the Nana islands in Sorong, West Papua province, with injuries reportedly including a gunshot wound to his chest. Martinus, the leader of the Sorong branch of the West Papua National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB), a pro-independence movement in Papua, had gone missing on 20 August.
Martinus’ disappearance occurred at the same time as another political activist was arbitrarily detained ahead of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s planned visit to West Papua province for a sailing event on 23 August. The KNPB had reportedly planned to organize protests in Sorong around the President’s visit and raise the pro-independence “Morning Star” flag of Papua.
In another case in the same province, on 8 August police arrested and allegedly tortured or ill-treated two students in Manokwari district for painting pro-independence graffiti including calls for an independence referendum for Papua. The pair, Robert Yelemaken, a 16-year old high school student, and Oni Wea, a 21-year old university student, were also KNPB activists. They were hit on the head and face with a rifle butt and kicked by the police. Both were forced to roll in a drain filled with dirty water and to drink paint. They were then taken to the Manokwari District Police Station where the beatings allegedly continued.
Robert Yelemaken has since been released, but Oni Wea is facing charges of ‘incitement’ under Article 160 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code.
Two French journalists arrested by police on 6 August in Wamena, Papua province, remain in detention for immigration violations. Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat were reportedly making a documentary on the separatist movement in the Papuan region. Their arrests highlight the ongoing restrictions faced by international journalists, human rights organizations and other observers to access the provinces of Papua and West Papua.
Areki Wanimbo, the Head of the Lani Besar Tribal Council (Dewan Adat), who had met the two journalists, was also arrested by police on the same day and accused of supporting separatist activities. He has since been charged with “rebellion” under Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code (crimes against the security of the state). These provisions have been arbitrarily used to imprison dozens of individuals in Papua for their peaceful political activism, some for as long as 20 years.
Amnesty International has long called for free and unimpeded access to the Papuan region for international journalists and human rights organizations and welcomes pledges by President-elect Joko Widodo in June 2014 that he would open up the region if elected.
The rights to freedom expression, opinion and peaceful assembly are guaranteed under Indonesia’s Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Indonesia is a party.
Amnesty International is calling for the Indonesian authorities to repeal or else amend laws that restrict the right to freedom of expression, including Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code, to comply with international human rights law and standards.
The organization takes no position whatsoever on the political status of any province of Indonesia, including calls for independence. However, the organization believes that the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate referendums, independence or other political solutions.
The attacks on freedom of expression must end, and all prisoners of conscience – those, like university student Oni Wea, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression – must be immediately and unconditionally released.
Further, the authorities must carry out prompt, thorough, competent, and impartial investigations into the killing of Martinus Yohame and all allegations of torture and ill-treatment. Perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty, and victims and their families should be provided with reparation.
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2) Government should not turn blind eye to Indonesia's treatment of West Papuans, Senator Madigan says
Updated 29 August 2014, 18:11 AEST
Democratic Labour Party Senator John Madigan has urged the Australian Government to not turn a blind eye to Indonesia's treatment of the indigenous population of Papua province.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop this week signed a Code of Conduct agreement with Indonesia to promote intelligence cooperation and iron out tension over Australian spying activities against Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his inner circle.
The agreement is hoped to repair Australia's relationship with Indonesia.
Senator Madigan said the Government should not forget the situation in West Papua, which is facing a conflict similar to the one in East Timor.
"I think we need to learn from past mistakes – the Balibo Five, the annexation of East Timor – the situation that we have in West Papua [is] that we want to see clear, transparent, democratic government," Senator Madigan said.
Two French journalists were jailed this month by Indonesian authorities for not obtaining the correct visa.
Local police had raised concerns the journalists' activities could "destabilise" Papua.
Earlier this month, five separatist rebels were shot dead in clashes with Indonesia's military.
"We've got problems on our own doorstep and yet they don't seem to get a mention," Senator Madigan said.
"I realise, as do the majority of Australians, that we want to develop good relations with Indonesia, but any relationship is based on being able to speak in a robust and truthful manner, otherwise it's a flawed relationship."
The triumph of Indonesia's president-elect Joko Widodo in July's election has raised hopes of improving democracy in the archipelago state, but Senator Madigan said the West Papua situation shows Indonesia still has a way to go.
"Indonesia is on the road to becoming a more vibrant democracy and all Australians would support that, but to become a democracy, you've got to have transparency, and we have ongoing reports that keep coming up regularly of atrocities there," he said.
"We all know the Indonesian nation is a huge, very diverse group of islands and Indonesia, as all governments, has its challenges but we do need to encourage the Indonesian government to act responsibly fairly to all of their people.
"The place I believe we can have the greatest influence in world affairs is initially in our own backyard ... We're talking about people, we're talking about people's lives and I won't be complicit by my silence."
Madigan pushes issue with fellow crossbenchers
Senator Madigan has been raising awareness of the West Papuan conflict with fellow crossbench senators who hold the balance of power in the Senate.
"[Independent senator] Nick Xenophon and I often speak about it – we've had numerous conversations on this issue. I've mentioned it to another of my fellow crossbench senators," he said.
"I think that it's a process of education, it's a process of having calm discussion about this issue, and it needs to happen.
"I have raised the issue of West Papua on numerous occasions in the Parliament in the past three years and I will continue to do so for however long I'm here, until such time as we get some real results for these people."
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3) French tourists admit to coverage in Papua
Jumat, 29 Agustus 2014 20:45 WIB | 323 Views
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Two tourists from France, who have been detained in Jayapura immigration office, Papua, confessed to have taken coverage while staying in Papua, head of Immigration in Jayapura, Gardu Tampubolon said here on Friday.
The tourists, who have claimed to be French television journalists, Arte TV, have admitted that during their stay in Jayapura and Wamena, Jayawijaya District, they had been taking journalism coverage and met with a separatist group, Tampubolon stated.
He explained that the suspects--Thomas Charles Dadoin (40) and Louise Marie Valentine Bourrat (29) had been arrested by Wamena police on Wednesday (August 6) due to violation of residence permit, as they had entered Indonesia with tourist visa.
Therefore, both have violated Immigration Law No. 6 /2011 article 122 on the abuse of residence permit.
The immigration officers are still conducting an intensive investigation in order to complete their filing, which is only 40 percent complete, Tampubolon said.
He noted that the immigration office had not met a request from their lawyers to render the two suspects into town custody.
"We have not carried out the request from Todung Mulya Lubis lawyer team, because we are still coordinating with various parties, including Papua Police Office," Tambubolon said.
He added that, earlier, the suspects had been taken to Papua Police Office, but as the prisons were full, they were returned to the Jayapura immigration office.
Valentine Bourrat was found to possess two passports, one being a service passport that she had used during her duty in Israel.
(T.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
The tourists, who have claimed to be French television journalists, Arte TV, have admitted that during their stay in Jayapura and Wamena, Jayawijaya District, they had been taking journalism coverage and met with a separatist group, Tampubolon stated.
He explained that the suspects--Thomas Charles Dadoin (40) and Louise Marie Valentine Bourrat (29) had been arrested by Wamena police on Wednesday (August 6) due to violation of residence permit, as they had entered Indonesia with tourist visa.
Therefore, both have violated Immigration Law No. 6 /2011 article 122 on the abuse of residence permit.
The immigration officers are still conducting an intensive investigation in order to complete their filing, which is only 40 percent complete, Tampubolon said.
He noted that the immigration office had not met a request from their lawyers to render the two suspects into town custody.
"We have not carried out the request from Todung Mulya Lubis lawyer team, because we are still coordinating with various parties, including Papua Police Office," Tambubolon said.
He added that, earlier, the suspects had been taken to Papua Police Office, but as the prisons were full, they were returned to the Jayapura immigration office.
Valentine Bourrat was found to possess two passports, one being a service passport that she had used during her duty in Israel.
(T.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
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from Tapol
4) Joint Statement by Papuan activists about 20 arrests in Yalimo
Received from Sebby Sambom, 23 Augus 2014
Joint Statement by Papuan activists in Yalimo on the Arrest of 20 Papuans in Nembongan Papua
call on the district government of Yalimo and the Regional People's Representative Council [DPRD] of Eselon, as well as the Police Chief
in Jayawijaya and the Police Chief of Papua to immediately release eleven Yalimo inhabitants who were arrested by the police or joint
forces on 10 August 2014 in Serap, District of Nembongan, Jayapura-Papua. We regard these arrests as being in violation of universally-accepted i
nternational principles and also of Indonesian laws. This is because these arrests were made without the police
warrants as officially required and should also have included an arrest order. These arrests were carried out in violation of the principles of
international law and the basic human rights of those who were arrested. We Papuan activists as well as members of the KNPB [National
Committee of West Papua], the PRD and TPN-OPM prisoners in Yalimo call on the police forces in Papua and the Chief of Police in Jayapura to
release the eleven Papuans without delay.
fifty years which means that the Indonesian police should not do anything that is detrimental to us or arrest us.
If the police force fails to respond to our appeal, we Papuan activists, together with the people of Yalimo, will pull down the
Yalimo district flag and attack the district administration.
release the eleven Papuans who are members of the Yalimo clan.
12 August 2014.
Sebby Sambom, Co-ordinator
(NB: The title of the article mentions twenty arrests while the article mentions only eleven arrests.)
[Translated by Carmel Budiardjo]
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