2) 6,000 Personnel on Standby to Safeguard President’s Visit to Papua
3) Jokowi Urged to Push for Paniai Case Resolution During Papua Visit
4) AJI Kota Jayapura: Positive Coverage is Only Needed, Press Law to Amend
5) President jokowi commences working visit to Maluku, PNG
6) Freedom of Expression continuously being violated in Indonesia
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1) Papua Region Under Jokowi: New President, New Strategies – Analysis
RSIS May 7, 2015 1, Analysis, Indonesia
President Joko Widodo has proclaimed his commitment to bolster Indonesia’s regional policy in Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya). The policy will combine the welfare approach with an intensified security apparatus in the ‘black pearl’.
By Emirza Adi Syailendra*
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has affirmed that special attention would be given to the Papua region comprising the two provinces of Papua and West Papua. The region has endured a low-level guerrilla insurgency from a militant Papuan independence movement since 1969. Under the nationalist doctrine of Trisakti, the new policy will focus on bolstering capacities to bring about greater security to the conflict-prone and outermost areas such as Papua.
The two provinces had significantly contributed to Jokowi’s victory in the 2014 presidential election.Owing to the trust that Papuans have for him, Jokowi has scheduled three visits a year to that region. His visits are seen as symbolic to win the hearts of the Papuans. The scheduled visit on 1 May 2015 coincided with the day of Papua’s integration with Indonesia; which some Papuans view derisively as annexation day. The trip was postponed reportedly due to strong resistance from one of the armed criminal groups which had threatened to spread chaos if the president proceeded with the visit to Papua.
Strategic value of Papua
Jokowi is aware that Papua is of strategic importance to Indonesia and it cannot afford to lose Papua like it did Timor-Leste in 1999. Papua is one of the richest regions in natural resources. Its forests are the largest in Indonesia accounting for more than 32 million hectares, while as much as 45 percent of national copper reserves are located in Papua. It has also huge strategic value for Indonesia’s defence, being perceived as a buffer against foreign intrusion by countries such as Australia and the United States that have raised their presence in the Southwest Pacific, and potential intrusion from the north such as illegal fishing boats coming from the Philippines.
Security-wise, threats posed by armed criminals referred to by the authorities as Armed Criminal Groups (KKB) are growing. According to data from the regional police of Papua, from 2009 to 2014, there have been 166 cases of violence involving the criminal groups. One of the common threats toward the economy are the fundraising activities by the KKB to extort special autonomy funds that are distributed to the local government, especially in the mountain areas such as Puncak Jaya, Paniai, and Ilaga.
The threat from separatists referred to as Political Criminal Groups (KKP) is equally, if not more, worrying. The authorities have forbidden the use of the separatists’ insignia, but in the democratic setting of Indonesia it is increasingly difficult to curb the political movement. Press releases and religiously-related activities are the common methods of domestic activists with the main goal to converge perceptions toward independence. Such efforts have been done along with international lobbies to internationalise the conflict.
Sticks and carrots
The Jokowi administration has sought to combine two strategies: building welfare and building a military presence. In terms of improving welfare, Jokowi has plans to establish three Ocean Toll Roads in Sorong, Jayapura, and Marauke. Sorong has been selected as the first location for a deep sea port facility as the gateway to Papua and is expected to reduce the cost of developing infrastructure in the region. Jokowi’s other project is to build Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Indonesia including in Papua. Two SEZs will be initiated in Merauke and Sorong, as well as the industrial region at Teluk Bintuni and a tourism region at Raja Ampat.
The economic measures will be accompanied by the expansion of the territorial military structure to the region. The Indonesian Army has confirmed that the establishment of military district command (Kodam) in Manokwari, West Papua will be accelerated in 2015. The Eastern Region Fleet command base is being shifted to Sorong. TNI has also been planning to set up a 3rd Division of the Army Strategic Command as well as the 3rd Division of Air Force Operational Command in Sorong. Although the territorial structure has been criticised as potentially bringing back New Order-style military intervention, it is expected to help maintain Indonesia’s sovereignty over the restive region.
Potential fault lines
The rules of engagement are not balanced: the KKBs have the ability to sporadically attack the security apparatus whenever they want, but the security apparatus must play by democratic rules. In this asymmetric setting, the Jokowi administration is aware that winning the hearts of the locals and building domestic resilience is the most important approach. To achieve this, a new programme called serbuan teritorial or ‘territorial invasion’ is to be intensified. Although it is sounds like a hostile measure, the core of the programme is to increase military social functions and to improve its image among locals.
Thirteen memoranda of understanding have been secured with various ministries such as for agriculture and transportation. Various community projects to empower the locals are set to be implemented, led by the Kodam in collaboration with local government, related state agencies and leaders of various ethnic groups. Some activities have been implemented such as the planting of paddy early this year.
A potential peril of the project is that it could easily turn into patronising state projects that would further aggravate the feeling of angst toward the national government. Upholding democratic principles, therefore, is very important. One of the potential fault lines that require special attention is cultural misunderstanding towards the complexities of Papuan culture. It could be manifested in the form of resistance toward transmigrants and foreign immigrants; or feuds and attacks on the local inhabitants.
Thus, exposure to Papuan culture is needed to promote better understanding and hinder ethnocentrism and stereotyping of Papuans. The Jokowi government should give them the attention they desperately need – by properly developing the region for the greater good of the Papuan people in particular, and a united Indonesian nation-state in general.
*Emirza Adi Syailendra is a Research Analyst at the Indonesia Programme of the S. Rajaratnam of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
RSIS Commentaries are intended to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy relevant background and analysis of contemporary developments. The views of the author/s are their own and do not represent the official position of the S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU, which produces the Commentaries.
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2) 6,000 Personnel on Standby to Safeguard President’s Visit to Papua
At least 6,000 are currently stand by to secure a visit by President Joko Widodo to Papua – Judi
Jayapura, Jubi – At least 6,000 are currently stand by to secure a visit by President Joko Widodo to Papua on Friday (8/5).
The Cenderawasih XVII Regional Military Commander Major General Fransen Siahaan told reporters on Wednesday (6/5/2015) in Jayapura that the military was deploying 3,260 personnel.
The Military Headquarters also provides five helicopters, a military aircraft and two warships to support them.
“We are ready to guard Mr. President in his visit to Papua,” said Siahaan.
“We are ready to guard Mr. President in his visit to Papua,” said Siahaan.
Further he expects no group is intended to disturb the president’s mission to Papua. His first mission was in December 2014.
“If anyone wants to disturb or even stop the president’s mission, the security forces would not hesitate taking the firm action,” he said. Meanwhile the president’s mission plan to Manokwari, West
Papua would be discussed on Wednesday (6/5) since travelling to Bintuni will take a longer time.
“If anyone wants to disturb or even stop the president’s mission, the security forces would not hesitate taking the firm action,” he said. Meanwhile the president’s mission plan to Manokwari, West
Papua would be discussed on Wednesday (6/5) since travelling to Bintuni will take a longer time.
The simulation of military’s guard preparation to protect the president’s visit was held in the Cenderawasih XVII Regional Military Command Headquarter on Tuesday (5/5) led by the Jayapura 172 Military Resorts Commander Colonel Infantry Trijuniarto. (*/rom)
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3) Jokowi Urged to Push for Paniai Case Resolution During Papua Visit
Jayapura, Jubi – President Joko Widodo should push for a resolution into the killings of four students in Paniai and other human rights abuse cases during his visit to Papua this weekend, a Papuan legislator said.
“He must convey to Papuan people about the certainty of solving the Paniai shooting case, Yahukimo case and other severe human rights violations that occurred in Papua,” said the head of the Special Human Right Committee at the Papuan Legislative Council, Laurenzus Kadepa, on Wednesday (6/5/2015).
He said the government did not appear to be serious about upholding human rights. He urged the government to be assertive and take action against any military personnel or police officers involved in human right violations.
“It is to avoid such impact on the government and the State as well. Whether we meet the president or not during his mission in Papua, our stance will still remain the same: solve the Paniai and Yahukimo cases as well as other severe human right violations in Papua at the first place,” he said.
“It is to avoid such impact on the government and the State as well. Whether we meet the president or not during his mission in Papua, our stance will still remain the same: solve the Paniai and Yahukimo cases as well as other severe human right violations in Papua at the first place,” he said.
Earlier, the Ecumenical Churches Forum in Papua stated its rejection against the president’s visit before solving several violence cases by security forces towards civilians in Papua over the years. The Chairman of Ecumenical Churches Forum in Papua, Benny Giay last week said the churches forum refused the president’s plan to visit Papua because they considered it would not give a benefit to Papuans.
“The president didn’t show his good intention to solve the issues of violence in Papua, instead it continues to be happened at every time when the president planned to visit this region,” said Giay. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
“The president didn’t show his good intention to solve the issues of violence in Papua, instead it continues to be happened at every time when the president planned to visit this region,” said Giay. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
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4) AJI Kota Jayapura: Positive Coverage is Only Needed, Press Law to Amend
Jayapura, Jubi – The Alliance of Independent Journalist (AJI) Kota Jayapura said that the Papua Police’s statement that foreign journalists are engaging in propaganda to harm Indonesia reflected his lack of understanding of journalists’ work.
Papua Police Spokesperson Senior Police Commissionaire Rudolf Patrige Renwarin said journalists would be allowed to enter Papua if they ” objectively reported on positive issues in Papua, for instance about ongoing development; Papuans are no longer isolated or underdeveloped but already advance instead; it would be positive”.
He earlier said “foreign journalists are sometimes undertaking propaganda by broadcasting the false news and associated with Papua separatist group so that would harm Indonesia in the international spotlight.”
AJI Kota Jayapura said the Indonesian Press Law regulates the work of journalists in Indonesia, including the foreign press.
“The Press Law No.40/1999 clearly regulates the act of foreign press in Indonesia,” AJI Kota Jayapura Chairman Victor Mambor via email to Jubi on Wednesday (6/5/2015).
“The Press Law No.40/1999 clearly regulates the act of foreign press in Indonesia,” AJI Kota Jayapura Chairman Victor Mambor via email to Jubi on Wednesday (6/5/2015).
“However, under the law, foreign journalists are not obligated to report positive news during their stay in Indonesia,” he said.
He further said wherever they report, journalists must adhere to the code of ethics. “So a journalist for wherever he goes or come from has an obligation to report in an accurate, equal, factual and objective manner and will be responsible to the public instead of certain group or institution, even to media cooperation where it work for,” said Mambor.
AJI Kota Jayapura further said the police’s statement should be question since it directly accused the foreign press to lie and associate with separatist group as well as to harm Indonesia in the international spotlight. According to him, based on the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as conveyed by Director of Information and Media of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Siti Sofia Sudharma in the public discussion on Press in Papua dated 29 April 2015 at the Press Council, of 317 foreign journalists visited Indonesia in 2012, only five were permitted to come to Papua after eleven applications. And of 322 foreign journalists visited Indonesia in 2013, twenty-one of twenty-eight journalists who proposed to cover the reportage in Papua were permitted. Meanwhile in 2014, 322 foreign journalists were recorded coming to Indonesia, and among this number, 27 were proposed to visit Papua but only 22 got the entry permit.
“Papua Police, could it indicates how many reports by 48 foreign journalists within the last three years were not true, associated with the separatist group or harm Indonesia? If it was true, what is the indicator of these allegations? If they expected only positive reports, they should change the Press Law. It means the Press Law should be amended,” Mambor firmly said.
In addition, AJI Kota Jayapura observed the police has become the dominant sources for any news related to separatist group. And to encounter any news that possibly harm Indonesia, it’s the responsibility of Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead of Regional Police to make clarification.
AJI Kota Jayapura recorded up to 2015, the foreign journalists still have limited access to Papua. An institution called “Clearing House’’ that consist of 19 Units and 12 ministers has become an institution that restricts the access of foreign journalist to make report in Papua. Moreover, those who managed to gain access to Papua often being followed or escorted in doing their reportage; thus it restricted them in doing their job.
“Every year there are four to five foreign journalists who asked me about the situation in Papua. Most of them were not able to come to Papua. Based on their information, I can make conclusion that they were not well served when applied the proposal to make reportage in Papua. They even did not receive any responses, whether they had permission or not,” said Mambor.
“Every year there are four to five foreign journalists who asked me about the situation in Papua. Most of them were not able to come to Papua. Based on their information, I can make conclusion that they were not well served when applied the proposal to make reportage in Papua. They even did not receive any responses, whether they had permission or not,” said Mambor.
In commemorating the World Press Freedom Day 2015, AJI Indonesia stated the access restriction against journalist in Papua could only give the worse impact to the people of Papua as well as Indonesia. The access restriction would trigger the numbers of sites that separated from the principles of journalism that put the verification and confirmation as priority.
“The circulation of information in the Internet can not be prevented and verified, while the journalist also find difficulties to work because of the restriction. The open access for journalist in Papua would provide the public with more credible and reliable information, further it could be also the trusted information for the Government of Indonesia, said Suwarjono, the General Chairman of AJI Indonesia. (Arnold Belau/rom)
“The circulation of information in the Internet can not be prevented and verified, while the journalist also find difficulties to work because of the restriction. The open access for journalist in Papua would provide the public with more credible and reliable information, further it could be also the trusted information for the Government of Indonesia, said Suwarjono, the General Chairman of AJI Indonesia. (Arnold Belau/rom)
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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/98819/president-jokowi-commences-working-visit-to-maluku-png
5) President jokowi commences working visit to Maluku, PNG
Kamis, 7 Mei 2015 11:49 WIB | 829 Views
Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his entourage arrived in Ambon from Jakarta on Thursday morning for a working visit to Maluku, North Maluku, and Papua and will thereafter proceed to neighboring Papua New Guinea (PNG).
In the company of First Lady Iriana and numerous cabinet ministers, the president left Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, at 1 a.m. West Indonesia Standard Time (WIB), and arrived here at 6:20 a.m. East Indonesia Standard Time (WIT), for a six-day working visit from May 7 to 12, 2015.
While in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon, President Jokowi will open the national congress of Indonesian Municipal Governments Association (APEKSI) and launch the "Mangente Ambon" (Ambon Visit) program 2015.
Thereafter, the president will fly to Buru Island to attend a rice and corn planting ceremony, to inaugurate Way Laman dam, and to distribute Family Welfare Cards (KKS), Indonesia Healthy Cards (KIS), and Indonesia Smart Cards (KIP) to the local community.
Pattimura Military Commander Major General Wiyarto remarked that more than two thousand military personnel will be deployed to provide security during President Jokowis visit to Ambon and Buru Island.
"We are going to deploy a total of 2,665 military personnel to secure the one-day visit by President Jokowi to Ambon and the Buru district town of Namlea on May 7, 2015," Wiyarto revealed here on Tuesday.
In the meantime, Ambon Mayor Richard Louhenapessy affirmed that the organizing committee of APEKSI national congress has made the necessary preparations to organize this strategic event.
"We are ready to make the national congress of APEKSI a great success," Richard remarked.
Later on Friday, President Jokowi and his entourage will visit North Maluku to inaugurate some infrastructure projects in the province.
From North Maluku, the president will leave for the Indonesian easternmost province of Papua on Saturday to inaugurate a new campus of the Institute of Public Administration (IPDN) in Jayapura and some infrastructure projects in the districts of Merauke and Manokwari.
Finally, President Jokowi will leave Papua for a state visit to PNG next Tuesday.
(O001/INE)
EDITED BY INE.
In the company of First Lady Iriana and numerous cabinet ministers, the president left Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, at 1 a.m. West Indonesia Standard Time (WIB), and arrived here at 6:20 a.m. East Indonesia Standard Time (WIT), for a six-day working visit from May 7 to 12, 2015.
While in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon, President Jokowi will open the national congress of Indonesian Municipal Governments Association (APEKSI) and launch the "Mangente Ambon" (Ambon Visit) program 2015.
Thereafter, the president will fly to Buru Island to attend a rice and corn planting ceremony, to inaugurate Way Laman dam, and to distribute Family Welfare Cards (KKS), Indonesia Healthy Cards (KIS), and Indonesia Smart Cards (KIP) to the local community.
Pattimura Military Commander Major General Wiyarto remarked that more than two thousand military personnel will be deployed to provide security during President Jokowis visit to Ambon and Buru Island.
"We are going to deploy a total of 2,665 military personnel to secure the one-day visit by President Jokowi to Ambon and the Buru district town of Namlea on May 7, 2015," Wiyarto revealed here on Tuesday.
In the meantime, Ambon Mayor Richard Louhenapessy affirmed that the organizing committee of APEKSI national congress has made the necessary preparations to organize this strategic event.
"We are ready to make the national congress of APEKSI a great success," Richard remarked.
Later on Friday, President Jokowi and his entourage will visit North Maluku to inaugurate some infrastructure projects in the province.
From North Maluku, the president will leave for the Indonesian easternmost province of Papua on Saturday to inaugurate a new campus of the Institute of Public Administration (IPDN) in Jayapura and some infrastructure projects in the districts of Merauke and Manokwari.
Finally, President Jokowi will leave Papua for a state visit to PNG next Tuesday.
(O001/INE)
EDITED BY INE.
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6) Freedom of Expression continuously being violated in Indonesia
The arrest and taking into custody of student activists, youth activists and members of the public by the Indonesian security forces,
the TNI (military) and Polri (police) in many towns throughout Papua and West Papua while they were seeking to give expression to their
political aspirations on Friday 1st May, 2015 is a clear infringement of basic human rights.
Such actions clearly violate the basic rights of the indigenous Papuan people who are citizens of the Republic of Indonesia, as
guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia and Law No 39/1999 on Basic Human Rights and Law 12/2005 on the Ratification of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In a democratic country like Indonesia, the law safeguarding the right of people to give expression to their political aspirations should be fully accommodated and not, as is the case, violated by arresting people.
There should be dialogue and constructive communication between senior officials of the government in the provinces of Papua and West
Papua and representatives of the people and a guarantee of safety for the Papuan people and the immigrants in the Papuan provinces as the
way of agreeing an approach to allow people to give expression to their aspirations in democratic conditions.
The use of force used repeatedly by troops and various kinds of armoured vehicles will never succeed in crushing the heartfelt feelings of the Papuan people. What has happened should be a serious lesson for the central government and the government administrations of Papua and West Papua. and the security forces in these regions to change their approach to the problems in the Land of Papua.
The right of people to give free expression to their aspirations is clearly protected in many laws regarding human rights, especially Law
39/1999 on Human Rights. In these days, it is extremely difficult for people to give expression to their political aspirations because of the constant use of violence, torture, beating as well as sexual abuse against
political activists in the Land of Papua.
Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive-Director of the LP3BH-Manokwari.
[Translated by Carmel Budiardjo]
As readers will have seen, scores of Papuan people have recently been arrested in the provinces of West Papua and Papua for participating in
peaceful actions on 1st May this year.
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