1) Commentary: Calling Out Indonesia’s Papua Censorship Reflex

http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/commentary-calling-indonesias-papua-censorship-reflex/
1) Commentary: Calling Out Indonesia’s Papua Censorship Reflex

By Phelim Kine on 10:19 pm May 29, 2015
Category Commentary, Featured, Front Page, Opinion
Tags: Journalism, Papua, press freedom
It appears to be business as usual this week for Indonesian government officials intent on maintaining the decades-long restrictions on foreign media access to the far eastern provinces of Papua and West Papua.

Just two weeks after President Joko Widodo signaled a shift in the long-standing policy, chief security minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno told reporters on Tuesday that a team including military and police would continue to tightly monitor foreign journalists who report from Papua. Tedjo defended the snooping by asserting that, “We aren’t spying on them [the journalists]. We’re simply monitoring their activities.”

That same day, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said that if access to Papua was granted to journalists it came with an obligation to produce “good reports.” He didn’t precisely define “good reports,” but he explicitly equated foreign journalists’ negative Papua reporting with “sedition.”

Ryamizard’s solution for foreign media whose reporting displeases the government? “We can easily expel them,” he said.

Tedjo and Ryamizard’s comments are more than repugnant expressions of contempt for media freedom. They blatantly undermine Joko’s May 10 announcement of an immediate revocation of restrictions on foreign media access to Papua. That was a much-anticipated change Joko signaled in his election campaign last June when he stated during a stop in Papua that the government “has nothing to hide” there.

Joko’s initiative was aimed at removing the official obstacles that have long prevented foreign media who manage to get permission to enter Papua from freely reporting. The government rarely approves requests to visit or delays processing them, hampering efforts by journalists and NGOs to report on breaking events. Journalists are invariably shadowed by official minders who control their movements or make it difficult to interview people privately and without fear of consequences.

The government has long justified those controls as a necessary security precaution due to the ongoing conflict with the Free Papua Organization (OPM), a small and poorly organized independence movement. The government also consistently arrests and jails Papuan protesters for peacefully advocating independence or other political change.

Joko’s initiative to allow foreign media to freely report from Papua indicates that he sees media freedom as part of the solution to Papua’s toxic combination of political repression and impunity. The willful ignorance or outright hostility of key ministers such as Tedjo and Ryamizard will doom that plan unless Joko addresses their obstructionism head-on.

The president should start by issuing an explicit written directive spelling out Papua’s new media freedoms and the obligations of government officials and security forces to respect it. Until he does so, media freedom in Papua will continue to be held hostage by those who prefer Papua’s truths remain hidden rather than reported.

Phelim Kine is the deputy director in Human Rights Watch’s Asia division.

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/05/28/six-knpb-activists-grilled-by-police-in-jayawijaya/


2) Six KNPB Activists Grilled by Police in Jayawijaya
Jayapura, Jubi – Agus Kossay, the chairman I of the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) said that he and five colleagues have been detained and questioned for seven hours at Jayawijaya police station as witnesses by police.



They were seized when trying to deliver a letter of permit for a peaceful demonstration that would take place on last Thursday, May 28, 2015.Jayapura, Jubi – Agus Kossay, the chairman I of the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) said that he and five colleagues have been detained and questioned for seven hours at Jayawijaya police station as witnesses by police.

He added he and five other colleagues came to Jayawijaya police station to give a notification letter at 10.00 am. When they reached the entrance gate, they were picked up directly by Jayawijaya police chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police Semmy Ronny TH Abaa.
“Yesterday (26.05.2015), after we were received, the police chief took us to the meeting room. And in meeting the police chief told us that KNPB is not listed in Kesbangpol. So it can not do any activity. So for the time being I detained you and would check as a witness, “Kosay said in citing Jayawijaya chief this week.
After that, the police chief ordered his members to interrogate us as a witness. At 10:25 am we were checked in four different rooms.
“During the inspection there was no physical intimidation. However, during the examination, he informed that they were interrogated for 7 hours more, or from 10.25 am to 18:42 pm. “he explained.
He firther said that, in any condition, KNPB in Papua and West Papua will mediate Papuan Peoples for a peaceful demonstration across provincial and local Parliament.

KNPB spokesman, Bazoka Logo, as contacted by Jubi in Jayapura confirmed about the information of six KNPB activists detained and questioned .
“That’s correct information. You may directly contact the chairman I of KNPB Agus Kossay. Because he is currently in Wamena, “he told Jubi.
The six – activist detained are Kossay, Ogram Wanimbo, Commissariat Diplomacy of KNPB, Lanny Wanimbo activists of KNPB , Marti Hiluka activists KNPB, Kristian Pahabol KNPB and Frans Huby. (Arnold Belau/ Tina)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/05/28/police-chief-accuses-yambi-armed-group-of-attack-in-mulia/

3) Police Chief Accuses Yambi Armed Group of Attack in Mulia
Jayapura, Jubi / Antara – Papua Police chief Inspector General of Police Yotje Mende accused rebels from the Yambi group of being behind the shooting of six civilians in Mulia, Puncak Jaya, on Tuesday (26/5) at around 23:00.

“It was the Yambi armed group which is also known as Tenggang Mati,” Mende said in Jayapura this week.

He said the attack was beyond the limits of humanity so the police and the military will conduct a search to catch the perpetrators.
“For the time being, there is no need to send reinforcements because security forces will back Papua Police Mobile Brigade,” he added.
Yambi armed groups fired the civilians home in Usir village, Mulia. And it was allegedly carried out by five people who carried firearms of various types. As a result, six people were shot, one of them died instantly. The fifth victim of gunshot wounds, three of which are now being treated in public hospital in Dok 2, Jayapura.

The incident took place at the back of the office building at Kampung Baru Kodim Pagaleme, Mulia, Puncak Jaya.

A victim, Pengga Enumbi died with a gunshot wound on the head behind the forehead translucent. While the injuries, Yulianus Tandidatu, got shot on upper part of the left arm and left hand down, and Suryanto Tandi injured on the left waist.

While Yogi Rera injured on the left shoulder, Alfer Tandi was on the upper right hand and Marten Tandi wounded on the back right. (*/ Tina)



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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/05/28/benny-giay-enden-wanimbos-war-declaration-needs-to-be-verified/



4) Benny Giay: Enden Wanimbo’s “War Declaration” Needs to be Verified

Jayapura, Jubi – An alleged statement by the Commander of West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), Enden Wanimbo declaring an open war against Indonesian security forces provides ammunition for those who want violence to occur in Papua, a church leader said.


Parties seeking to take advantage of that statement might use it to get funds and justify violence against civilians in Papua, Chairman of Papua Evangelical Church Synod, Benny Giay. Civilians could become victims of that vague statement, he said.Jayapura, Jubi – An alleged statement by the Commander of West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), Enden Wanimbo declaring an open war against Indonesian security forces provides ammunition for those who want violence to occur in Papua, a church leader said.

“Those who are currently playing game take advantage of the statement, for instance to get financial support by legitimizing the security operations and strengthening the public opinion on the presence of separatists in Papua,” Giay told Jubi at the Sentani Airport, Jayapura Regency this week.

He said all parties should verify the truth or whether it was really Enden Wanimbo who made the statement. “Is it true or it was just cited from other parties? We must check who spoke on behalf of him,” he said.

Last week, some Indonesian media outlets reported Wanimbo’s statement of war threats against the Indonesian Security Forces and non-Papua civilians. In responding the reports, Filip Karma asked Papuans to learn the reportages about Papua to verify between hoax and the fact. “We have to learn to identify who’s the journalist and who’s the agitator,” said Karma who recently refused a pardon from the Indonesian President Joko Widodo. (Mawel Benny/rom)



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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/2015/05/28/john-gobay-tribal-leader-denies-reports-two-soldiers-taken-hostage-in-enarotali/

5) John Gobay : Tribal Leader Denies Reports Two Soldiers Taken Hostage in Enarotali

Jayapura, Jubi – Paniai Regional Customary Council Chief John Gobay denied reports that two Indonesian soldiers have been taken hostage.

“It’s not true. No hostages in Paniai. Do not exaggerate it to divert attention from the Paniai case,” Gobay said this week, in Jayapura.

Local residents in Enarotali and Komopa said two soldiers from the Komopa Sub-district Military Command, identified as Second Sergeant Lery and Second Cadet Sholeh, had been held hostage.

But Gobay said the the two soldiers took a speedboat but between the Eka and Aga rivers, they were warned by residents that the OPM headquarters was at the end of the river. “So both of them were asked to save themselves instead of being taken hostage. They jumped from the boat and spent the night at the swamp,” Gobay explained to Jubi.

Then, the Military Special Forces and Special Forces team from Sub-district Miltiary Command have rescued them. “Both soldiers were rescued by joint special forces. Other team members took the speedboat. they’re all safe. That’s all the information I knew,” he said.

Gobay assumed it’s only a scenario by security forces to obscure the attempt of covering the shooting incident that killed four students in December last year.
“It just likes a soap opera. Better focus on the attempt to reveal the perpetrator of shooting against four students last year instead of creating such a story,” he said.
Meanwhile the Cenderawasih XVII Regional Military Commander Major General Fransen Siahaan earlier admitted two Indonesian soldiers assigned in Enarotali were being hostages since Tuesday night (26/5) by the armed group but now are save.
“They’re already save, they can escape,” said the Commander Fransen G Siahaan. He explained the two hostages made to escape by the rebel after reportedly detained by Demianus Magai Yogi. (Arnold Belau/rom)
Paniai Regional Customary Council Chief John Gobay – Jubi

Jayapura, Jubi – Paniai Regional Customary Council Chief John Gobay denied reports that two Indonesian soldiers have been taken hostage.

“It’s not true. No hostages in Paniai. Do not exaggerate it to divert attention from the Paniai case,” Gobay said this week, in Jayapura.

Local residents in Enarotali and Komopa said two soldiers from the Komopa Sub-district Military Command, identified as Second Sergeant Lery and Second Cadet Sholeh, had been held hostage.

But Gobay said the the two soldiers took a speedboat but between the Eka and Aga rivers, they were warned by residents that the OPM headquarters was at the end of the river. “So both of them were asked to save themselves instead of being taken hostage. They jumped from the boat and spent the night at the swamp,” Gobay explained to Jubi.

Then, the Military Special Forces and Special Forces team from Sub-district Miltiary Command have rescued them. “Both soldiers were rescued by joint special forces. Other team members took the speedboat. they’re all safe. That’s all the information I knew,” he said.

Gobay assumed it’s only a scenario by security forces to obscure the attempt of covering the shooting incident that killed four students in December last year.
“It just likes a soap opera. Better focus on the attempt to reveal the perpetrator of shooting against four students last year instead of creating such a story,” he said.
Meanwhile the Cenderawasih XVII Regional Military Commander Major General Fransen Siahaan earlier admitted two Indonesian soldiers assigned in Enarotali were being hostages since Tuesday night (26/5) by the armed group but now are save.
“They’re already save, they can escape,” said the Commander Fransen G Siahaan. He explained the two hostages made to escape by the rebel after reportedly detained by Demianus Magai Yogi. (Arnold Belau/rom)