2) Another Hearing Postponed in Trial of Four KNPB
Members
3) Theo Hesegem : I Will Testify If Two French Journalists
Testify in This Trial
4) Traditional Market in Potikelek Blocked Due To Land Dispute
5) Papua Smelter to Accommodate Freeport’s Underground Mining
6) Extract from
article "Bali delays not from death row diplomacy"
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http://fijisun.com.fj/2015/02/21/suva-rally-over-papua/
A good crowd gathered yesterday at Ratu Sukuna Park to show their support for a ‘Free West Papua’ campaign.
Human rights, religious and youth organisations were also present at the campaign.
The event is in collaboration with the World Social Justice Day, which is commemorated on February 20 annually.
Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA) director Sirino Rakabi said they wanted to share with the people of Fiji an important message to support the fight against what he called the sufferings faced by the people of West Papua.
“It is also a time to reflect on ourselves and that the churches, human rights groups, civil societies need to be the voice of the West Papuan people in their fight for freedom,” Mr Rakabi said.
He said this was a social justice mission for all of them.
“I believe social justice is the care for all people, for our environment so that everybody enjoys the luxury of society that God offers us,” Mr Rakabi said.
Human rights activist and co-ordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC), Shamima Ali, said as good human beings, men and women, we all must support the cause of justice.
“We must uphold democracy, the rule of law and equality, human rights and everything else that makes us human beings,” Ms Ali said.
She said freedom was fought and struggled for and we must continue the struggle whether we are here or anywhere else in the world.
The president of the Fiji Council of Churches, Manumalo Tuinanumea, said our West Papuan brothers and sisters have long been oppressed and were calling on us to stand in solidarity with them.
“For this reason that I stand here to be the voice of the member churches of FCC and other churches that support the cause and to publicly declare our solidarity with our West Papuan brothers and sisters,” Mr Tuinanumea said.
He said it was their hopes and prayers that the morning star would rise; that the freedom for West Papua be achieved peacefully.
Meanwhile, president of the Methodist Church in Fiji, Reverend Tevita Banivanua, said for too long, we have failed to speak out against what he called the brutal oppression of the West Papuan people.
“As we mark World Social Justice Day, each one of us is called to commit to practicing the golden rule – the source of morality; the act of empathy, of putting yourself in the place of another – to be in solidarity with those oppressed and less fortunate brothers and sisters of ours,”
“In particular we are called to speak for those whose voices are ignored or silenced,” Reverend Banivanua said.
“We are called to speak the truth in love”.
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2) Another Hearing Postponed in Trial of Four KNPB Members
Hearing in trial of four members of the West Papua National Committee Wamena – Jubi
Wamena, Jubi – A hearing in trial of four members of the West Papua National Committee Wamena accused of making explosives to sabotage the 2014 Presidential Election was postponed for the second time due to the absence of witnesses.
The trial will resume next week (Wednesday, 25/02/2015).
The four members are Ibrahim Marian, Yali Walilo, Joni Marian and Marthen Marian. The Jayawijaya arrested them on 11 July 2014 at Wara Village of Pisugi Sub-district, Jayawijaya Regency accusing for the possession of exploisive materials to mess up the Presidential Election 2014.
“The Prosecutor postponed the trial due to problem of presenting the witnesses. The presiding judge will ask the motive of the witnesses’ absence and the prosecutor should be able to prove the letter of summon. There were three or four witnesses have been summoned but they didn’t come to the trial,” Attorney Simon Patirajawane told Jubi at the Wamena District Court on Wednesday (18/2/2015).
“The Prosecutor postponed the trial due to problem of presenting the witnesses. The presiding judge will ask the motive of the witnesses’ absence and the prosecutor should be able to prove the letter of summon. There were three or four witnesses have been summoned but they didn’t come to the trial,” Attorney Simon Patirajawane told Jubi at the Wamena District Court on Wednesday (18/2/2015).
According to him, if the witnesses still refused to come, there would be an examination against the witnesses next week. “Because there is a key witness among them. If they are still not coming until next week, they would be questioned and be witnessed to each other,” Patirajawane said.
He expected before the trial against the suspects, the witnesses should be presented in the trial. “But the prosecutor has called them for three or four times but they refused to come. Base on legal perception, if the witnesses refused to come, the prosecutor could force them. But we saw the prosecutor has actually tried by showing the letter of summon,” he said.
Further Partirajawane said he didn’t know why the witness didn’t come although they have right to refuse coming to the trial.
“In my count, the trial has been postponed for five to six times, but I think it wasn’t do on purpose to playing with time because the prosecutor had the evidence,” he said.
“In my count, the trial has been postponed for five to six times, but I think it wasn’t do on purpose to playing with time because the prosecutor had the evidence,” he said.
Meanwhile a suspect Ibrahim Marian expected this case would be accomplished as soon as possible and found not guilty.
“I and my friends expect they could accelerate this trial and we would be released,” he said at Wamena District Court.
“I and my friends expect they could accelerate this trial and we would be released,” he said at Wamena District Court.
On the same time when they got arrested, the Jayawijaya Police also arrested Yosep Siep with different charge. Siep was taken on the separate trial. (Ronny Hisage/rom).
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3) Theo Hesegem : I Will Testify If Two French Journalists Testify in This Trial
Wamena, Jubi – A witness in Areke Wanimbo’s case, Theo Hesegem refused to testify in the trial against Areki Wanimbo in the Wamena District Court on Wednesday (18/02/2015).
He said the prosecutors should present two foreign journalists because they are the reason behind the arrest of Areki Wanimbo. When both journalists were tried in Jayapura, Wanimbo appeared as a witness.
“The Prosecutors must present both of them in this trial because Wanimbo testified in their trial as a witness,” Theo Hesegem gave his statement in front of judges in the Wamena District Court on Wednesday (18/2/2015).
“The Prosecutors must present both of them in this trial because Wanimbo testified in their trial as a witness,” Theo Hesegem gave his statement in front of judges in the Wamena District Court on Wednesday (18/2/2015).
He also refused to testify because he believed there is an inconsistency consisted in the sentences between the prosecutor’s charge and the police’s charge.
“In his indictment, the prosecutor said the witness Theo introduced Domi Surabut to the suspect Areki Wanimbo, while the police said I didn’t know Domi. Based on this difference, I refuse to testify in this trial,” Hesegem said.
“In his indictment, the prosecutor said the witness Theo introduced Domi Surabut to the suspect Areki Wanimbo, while the police said I didn’t know Domi. Based on this difference, I refuse to testify in this trial,” Hesegem said.
Based on this rejection, the prosecutor assumed to recall him as witness next week. Meanwhile other witness Pither Wanimbo testified in the trial that the suspect had no connection with the letter of circulation on donations issued by the Papua Customary Council.
“I am the Lanny Jaya Customary Chief, not Areki Wanimbo. But because of the short of time to distribute the letter, I asked him to sign it because he is the tribal chief. But he didn’t know what was it about,” Piter Wanimbo testified in the Wamena District Court.
“I am the Lanny Jaya Customary Chief, not Areki Wanimbo. But because of the short of time to distribute the letter, I asked him to sign it because he is the tribal chief. But he didn’t know what was it about,” Piter Wanimbo testified in the Wamena District Court.
After Piter Wanimbo’s witness, the Presiding Judge Benyamin Nuboba suspended the trial and it will resume next week on Wednesday, 25 February 2015.
Meanwhile, Areki Wanimbo’s laywer Simon Patirajawane told reporter after the trial that Hesegem’s objection is part of his right as witness.
“At the time of examination, a witness (Theo Hesegem) objected to testify in the trial because he wanted two foreign journalists become a witness in this trial. Because they have caused him went behind the bar,” Patirajawane said.
“At the time of examination, a witness (Theo Hesegem) objected to testify in the trial because he wanted two foreign journalists become a witness in this trial. Because they have caused him went behind the bar,” Patirajawane said.
Related to witness Piter Wanimbo, he thought many things were not suitable with the Police’s charge.
“As a lawyer, I thought there are many things improper with the Police’s charge. For example there is a point in the charge that he pulled out. It was actually benefit for us because the suspect was accused related to the letter on donation, but the fact is the suspect didn’t know about it,” he said.
“As a lawyer, I thought there are many things improper with the Police’s charge. For example there is a point in the charge that he pulled out. It was actually benefit for us because the suspect was accused related to the letter on donation, but the fact is the suspect didn’t know about it,” he said.
Areki Wanimbo was a resource person of two French journalists Thomas Charles and Valentine Bourat who arrested by the Jayawijaya Police on 6 August 2014 in Wamena. (Ronny Hisage/rom)
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4) Traditional Market in Potikelek Blocked Due To Land Dispute
Wamena, Jubi – A number of citizens who claimed as land owners blocked the entrance of Potikelek traditional market on Tuesday morning (17/2/2015).
The action prompted the Jayawijaya government to postpone moving the Papuan traders to the market. One of the owners of customary rights said their parents never sold the land to any party.
“This land has never never sold, the land is still part of customary land. However, it is shocking us to know that the certificate is held by Max Puradam as a second party,” Lember said.
“This land has never never sold, the land is still part of customary land. However, it is shocking us to know that the certificate is held by Max Puradam as a second party,” Lember said.
He then stated that they have come to see Max Puradam several times but never responded, and now there is a market building.
“We heard the traders will move here, that is why we block it,” he said. He hoped that Jayawijaya regency to immediate meeting to straighten the matter.
“We heard the traders will move here, that is why we block it,” he said. He hoped that Jayawijaya regency to immediate meeting to straighten the matter.
Assistant II Secretariat of Jayawijaya, Gaad P. Tabuni who came to see the action, revealed from the beginning there was an objection about the land due to lack of good conversation between local governments and the land owners.
Therefore, Tabuni said before the launch of the market, it will facilitate to solve the problem.
“Actually, they doubted the release of land. We’ll look for clarification by inviting the Muslims and then will communicate with the landlord here, “he said.
“Actually, they doubted the release of land. We’ll look for clarification by inviting the Muslims and then will communicate with the landlord here, “he said.
According to him, the government is on the part of the third and it bought the land because the area is strategic for the market. (Islami/ Tina)
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5) Papua Smelter to Accommodate Freeport’s Underground Mining
Jakarta, Jubi/Antara – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said said a smelter in Papua is projected to accommodate the underground mining of PT. Freeport Indonesia.
“A smelter in Gresik is to expand the existing one and it would be temporary, while a smelter in Papua is to anticipate underground mining production which will be built by Freeport soon,” he said in Jakarta on Wednesday (18/2/2015).
He in the future Indonesia needs a smelter with a capacity of 4 million tonnes of concentrates to redefine gold, silver and copper.
Earlier, Freeport Indonesia has agreed to build a smelter on 650 hectares of land located in Poumako industrial area in Papua. Under the plan, Chinese investors will build the smelter in Papua while Freeport will provide the concentrates.
Freeport will be involved in building these two smelters through its investment for the Gresik smelter and contribution of concentrates for the Papua smelter.
Meanwhile, besides the smelter, the Papua Provincial Government planned to build a fertilizer and petrochemical factories as well as gas filling plant and cement factories within the Poumako industrial area. Meanwhile seaport, highway and generator near to Freeport’s concentrate pipelines only need to be improved.
The Papua Provincial Government also committed to allocate two trillion of initial investment to expand two thousand hectares more within this industrial area. (*/rom)
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6) Extract from article "Bali delays not from death row diplomacy" in The Saturday Paper by Hamish McDonald
Full article at
Papua little changed
Papuan activists and human rights groups are also querying Widodo’s sincerity in his campaign proposal last year to lift the tight restrictions on access to Papua by foreign journalists and non-government organisations.
Permits for reporting trips are doled out sparingly by a committee of security and foreign policy officials in Jakarta. Two French journalists who entered Papua without this permission last year were locked up for two-and-a-half months before being deported. A Papuan man who helped them, Areki Wanimbo, is still in custody. Police initially tried to charge him with seeking ammunition from the French reporters but couldn’t produce any evidence. Now they are charging him with sedition, for co-signing a letter asking for donations to help Papuan delegates attend a pro-independence conference in Vanuatu. Such charges can bring sentences up to life imprisonment for Papuans, with 60 currently in jail for sedition.
Behind the official screen, security forces still have impunity for violence against Papuans, it seems. On a Christmas visit to Papua, Widodo promised a thorough and impartial inquiry into a shooting in the Paniai region last year, in which security forces opened fire on local people protesting at dangerous driving by military vehicles. They killed five and injured 17, including some children. Nothing has since been heard about an investigation.
Widodo is no more likely than any other Jakarta politician to entertain the idea of Papuan independence. But his wife is the daughter of a teacher sent by Sukarno into the region after the Dutch were forced out in 1963, and her name, Iriana, derives from West Irian, the name Sukarno concocted for the new province. Belatedly giving substance to the idealism of his father-in-law would be a fine legacy for Widodo.
The world and the region are getting impatient with Indonesian excuses about Papua. Earlier this month the Papua New Guinea prime minister, Peter O’Neill, abandoned his country’s usual circumspection. “Sometimes we forgot our family, our brothers and sisters, especially those in West Papua,” he told a conference in Port Moresby. “I think as a country the time has come for us to speak about oppression of our people. Pictures of brutality of our people appear daily on social media and yet we take no notice. We have the moral obligation to speak for those who are not allowed to talk. We must be the eyes for those who are blindfolded.”
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