2) LP3BH strongly protests against new military command in West Papua
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1) Jokowi receives input on Paniai before flying to Papua
Ina Parlina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Fri, December 26 2014, 11:19 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/26/jokowi-receives-input-paniai-flying-papua.html#sthash.3PcdvvG4.dpuf
Only hours before leaving Jakarta for Papua to attend national Christmas celebrations, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo summoned the leaders of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the Bishops Council of Indonesia (KWI) to get input on what should be addressed in Papua.
Jokowi will fly to Papua on Saturday morning to attend festivities in the province, despite calls from a number of church leaders in Papua for Jokowi to cancel his plan, in an expression of disappointment over the government’s slow response to the recent shooting incident in Enarotali, Paniai, in which five civilians were killed.
Jokowi is also set to undertake blusukan (impromptu visits) to hear from local residents during his two-night trip to the province.
During the Friday night meeting at the State Palace, Jokowi also met with representatives from two Papuan churches, Benny Giay and Karel Phil Erari, who rejected Jokowi's plan to visit Papua.
The PGI's Bambang Wijaya said the organization hoped that Jokowi's visit "will not merely be a ceremonial gesture, but will result in bringing peace to Papua, instead".
The PGI also submitted its findings on Paniai — which concluded that Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers were responsible for the shootings — to the President.
KWI chairman Mgr. Ignatius Suharyo said he urged Jokowi to listen to the voice of Papuans, particularly those who understood about matters related to Papua, such as Pastor Neles Tebay and his rights group, the Peaceful Papua Network.
"I am sure the President will meet our friends there [...] not to give a solution, but more to hear them. Because a solution without first hearing [the problems] will be a mess," Ignatius said on Friday after the meeting at the State Palace.
He added that he perceived that Jokowi's visit would be "a part of a dialog which aims to stop violence and to [encourage] reconciliation."
"The President said he has received much information, but it is not yet complete. Therefore he is acting cautiously in order not to add more pain, and to seriously start to build trust, because the problem is trust," he added.
Jokowi wants the incident to be investigated thoroughly, and intends to find solutions to Papuan matters in general, Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said.
"We have received the PGI's preliminary reports on Paniai," Andi said after the meeting. "For sure, tomorrow’s visit will be used by the President to really hear the voice of the Papuan people to bring about a peaceful Papua."
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has previously demanded that the government immediately set up a joint fact-finding team involving the national rights body, the TNI, the National Police and local leaders to probe the recent shootings in Paniai, after a Komnas HAM investigation confirmed soldiers were the primary cause.
The incident also resulted in injuries to 11 other local people, three policemen and seven soldiers.
Komnas HAM’s investigation has yet to identify whether the gunshots were fired by members of the police or the TNI, who were at the location for security reasons.
However, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Fuad Basya has said that the TNI had yet to receive any requests from Komnas HAM regarding the matter. He added that the TNI had set up its own investigative team, which was still conducting an inquiry into the incident. (nvn)
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2) LP3BH strongly protests against new military command in West Papua
Statement by LP3BH - Manokwari 21 December 2014
The Institute for Research, Investigation and Development of Human Rights - Manokwari herewith wishes to convey its strongest protest to
The Institute for Research, Investigation and Development of Human Rights - Manokwari herewith wishes to convey its strongest protest to
the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir H.Joko Widodo against his plan to create a new Regional Military Command in the Land of
Papua, specifically in West Papua. The statement made by President Joko Widodo is a deep insult to the feelings of the entire Papuan people because it fails to take account of the innermost feelings of the Papuan people, of their experiences and sufferings of the people (Memoria Passionis) during the fifty-year military occupation of the Land of Papua, since 1963.
During the entire period of the New Order under the leadership of President Soeharto, the Indonesian military enjoyed unlimited powers
and authority, to the extent that they carried out intervention regarding the appointment of government ministers, attorneys-general,
the chairmen of the Supreme Court, the military commanders, right down to the heads of provinces and city mayors.
This plan by President Jokowi is clearly in violation of the principles of the Republic of Indonesia as one of the largest democracies in the world.
The dynamics and history of the Land of Papua for the past fifty years reveals lengthy proof about the victims of gross human rights violations which are widely believed to be perpetrated by officers and members of the TNI (Indonesian Army) who occupy the entire territory of the Cenderawasih Land. There was the execution of 53 indigenous Papuan civilians in Arfai-Manokwari on 28 July 1989 as well as the summary execution and destruction of homes that amounted to virtual genocide of the civilian population living in the Central Highlands of Papua in 1977 and 1978. In addition, there have been summary executions and forced disappearances and punishment for those who were involved in flying
the Morning Star flag following the Third Papuan Congress in Lapangan Zacheus-Padang Bulan, Jayapura on 19 October 2011
Papua, specifically in West Papua. The statement made by President Joko Widodo is a deep insult to the feelings of the entire Papuan people because it fails to take account of the innermost feelings of the Papuan people, of their experiences and sufferings of the people (Memoria Passionis) during the fifty-year military occupation of the Land of Papua, since 1963.
During the entire period of the New Order under the leadership of President Soeharto, the Indonesian military enjoyed unlimited powers
and authority, to the extent that they carried out intervention regarding the appointment of government ministers, attorneys-general,
the chairmen of the Supreme Court, the military commanders, right down to the heads of provinces and city mayors.
This plan by President Jokowi is clearly in violation of the principles of the Republic of Indonesia as one of the largest democracies in the world.
The dynamics and history of the Land of Papua for the past fifty years reveals lengthy proof about the victims of gross human rights violations which are widely believed to be perpetrated by officers and members of the TNI (Indonesian Army) who occupy the entire territory of the Cenderawasih Land. There was the execution of 53 indigenous Papuan civilians in Arfai-Manokwari on 28 July 1989 as well as the summary execution and destruction of homes that amounted to virtual genocide of the civilian population living in the Central Highlands of Papua in 1977 and 1978. In addition, there have been summary executions and forced disappearances and punishment for those who were involved in flying
the Morning Star flag following the Third Papuan Congress in Lapangan Zacheus-Padang Bulan, Jayapura on 19 October 2011
In all these cases, members of the TNI and the Indonesian Police Force were acting under the command of the security forces and
resulted in many victims falling among the civilian population. Yet to this day, nothing has happened to resolve all these cases in
accordance with the laws in force in this country. Members of the TNI and the Police enjoy impunity despite their
involvement in these gross violations of human rights, in accordance with the provisions of articles 7, 8 and 9 of Law 26/2000 regarding
Human Rights Courts but none of these cases have been dealt with nor have the perpetrators been punished in accordance with the law.
resulted in many victims falling among the civilian population. Yet to this day, nothing has happened to resolve all these cases in
accordance with the laws in force in this country. Members of the TNI and the Police enjoy impunity despite their
involvement in these gross violations of human rights, in accordance with the provisions of articles 7, 8 and 9 of Law 26/2000 regarding
Human Rights Courts but none of these cases have been dealt with nor have the perpetrators been punished in accordance with the law.
In view of all this, the LP3BH firmly rejects the policy now being pursued by the ultra-nationalist leadership of President Jokowi and
previous governments who in all cases regard with scepticism all the problems occurring in the Land of Papua, seeing them as acts of
separatism and which are therefore dealt with by the security approach. It is the security approach which determines the decision to set up
a new military territorial command which will result in the addition of some 13,000 officers of the Indonesian Army, which can only lead to
yet more conflicts being dealt with by armed force, whereas the victims are always civilian people in the Land of Papua, especially in
such places in the Central Highlands as Bela, Jila, Alama, Mapnduma, Ilaga, Enarotali, Mulia, Tingginambut and their environs who inevitably in such cases become the victims of these conflicts. In our opinion, President Jokowo and his entire administration should deal with this by peaceful means as the way to handle conflicts in the Land of Papua. Furthermore, by seeking to understand the core of the problem and seeking a solution by means of peaceful dialogue. The creation of yet another military command in the Land of Papua will be regarded throughout the world as being an indication that Indonesian governments throughout the past fifty years have never sought to make Papua a Land of Peace but continued to treat it as an area of conflict which requires firm control and keeps the area under tight control, not permitting any information to be known about this situation, at home and abroad. The creation of a new military command in West Papua will make it even more difficult to allow freedom of expression and opinion as well as continuing to refuse access to foreign journalists.
previous governments who in all cases regard with scepticism all the problems occurring in the Land of Papua, seeing them as acts of
separatism and which are therefore dealt with by the security approach. It is the security approach which determines the decision to set up
a new military territorial command which will result in the addition of some 13,000 officers of the Indonesian Army, which can only lead to
yet more conflicts being dealt with by armed force, whereas the victims are always civilian people in the Land of Papua, especially in
such places in the Central Highlands as Bela, Jila, Alama, Mapnduma, Ilaga, Enarotali, Mulia, Tingginambut and their environs who inevitably in such cases become the victims of these conflicts. In our opinion, President Jokowo and his entire administration should deal with this by peaceful means as the way to handle conflicts in the Land of Papua. Furthermore, by seeking to understand the core of the problem and seeking a solution by means of peaceful dialogue. The creation of yet another military command in the Land of Papua will be regarded throughout the world as being an indication that Indonesian governments throughout the past fifty years have never sought to make Papua a Land of Peace but continued to treat it as an area of conflict which requires firm control and keeps the area under tight control, not permitting any information to be known about this situation, at home and abroad. The creation of a new military command in West Papua will make it even more difficult to allow freedom of expression and opinion as well as continuing to refuse access to foreign journalists.
The LP3BH herewith calls on all civil organisations and all indigenous Papuan people to take a firm stand in opposition to the
creation of a new military command in West Papua, because such a decision will mean that the Papuan people are regarded as separatists who face discrimination and always become the victims of acts of violence by the security forces, that is to say by the armed TNI and
Police Force.
Peace!
Signed by Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive-Director of the LP3BH
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