Tuesday, December 29, 2015

1) BENNY WENDA RESPONDS TO THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, “WEST PAPUA WILL NEVER BE PART OF INDONESIA.”


2) President Joko Widodo arrives in Papua

3) Resignation of Freeport`s chairman to create new atmosphere: Sudirman

4) Indonesia Loses ‘Connector’ at Freeport-McMoRan
5) Freeport Shares Drop Following Moffet’s Resignation  
6) JOKOWI MUST TAKE CARE OF PAPUA WITH HEART : KOMARUDIN WATUBUN SAYS
7) CHURCH MUST PAY ATTENTION TO PAPUAN EDUCATION, FILEP KARMA SAYS
8) Statement by the Executive-Director of the LP3BH

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1) BENNY WENDA RESPONDS TO THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, “WEST PAPUA WILL NEVER BE PART OF INDONESIA.”
December 28, 2015

West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda has written this statement in response to the Indonesian government boosting more military ties with Australia and warning countries not to support West Papua
Dear everyone,
On Monday 21st December, the Indonesian Defence and Foreign Ministers met with the Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers in Sydney and warned Australia and other countries to “respect its sovereignty over West Papua”.
Not only that but also they boasted about strengthening military ties with Australia, on the very same day that 22 year old West Papuan Marvel Doga was shot dead by the Indonesian military for protesting against a palm oil company. Such state killings and brutality are always the only ‘Christmas presents’ we West Papuans get from the Indonesian government.
What is there to be proud of for killing youths that challenge the corporations destroying their land?
The Indonesian Defence and Foreign Ministers meeting with the Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers in Sydney
The Indonesian government is clearly very worried about the growing international support for West Papua’s freedom and more evidence of this was witnessed when Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said,
“I would like to close on this point. It is a point that is very troubling for Indonesia, because Indonesia never meddles in the affairs of other countries, and likewise, we don’t want others to meddle in ours, or try and divide us. With regard to Papua, certain countries are meddling, and we don’t like it,”
He went onto say “For us, Papua is [part] of the united Republic of Indonesia. The united Republic of Indonesia extends from Sabang to Papua. There is no other solution, that’s it, that’s the way it is,”
Let me tell the Indonesian Defence Minister now,
West Papua has never been and will never be part of Indonesia.
Indonesia is the problem. Independence for West Papua is the solution.
The Indonesian Defence Minister is an inherent part of this problem because he is responsible for the more than 40,000 Indonesian soldiers illegally occupying West Papua. He has no right to talk about West Papua and can talk about Indonesia from Sabang to the Moluccas because that is where Indonesia’s real borders belong but West Papua is a Melanesian nation that has nothing to do with Indonesia.
Most commentators would agree that the reunification of Melanesian people is something to be praised and in fact the Melanesian nation of Vanuatu has been praised for encouraging Melanesian unification as part of supporting West Provincial Government Allocates 2.6 Trillion for Economic SectorPapua’s freedom.
However, the Indonesian government is also clearly very worried about the reunification of the Melanesian and Pan-Pacific Islander family because having issued a warning to Australia and other countries, Ryacudu then insulted our Melanesian brothers and sisters in Vanuatu and attacked Melanesian sovereignty when he said
“Vanuatu persists in encouraging Melanesian people to reunite. That’s not right, and I disagree with it.”
I response to this, I say
Indonesia has no right to meddle in the internal affairs of Melanesia. We Melanesian Pacific Islanders do not need Indonesia’s permission to reunite.
Melanesian and Pan-Pacific unity flows in every river, whispers up every tree and floats upon every wave of the Pacific Ocean. It surges through our very souls as Melanesian people. We continue to yearn and continue to strive to reunite with wantoks; with all our brothers and sisters so that one day we will be one free family again.
The Indonesian Defence Minister might be warning countries around the world not to support a Free West Papua but let me warn the Indonesian Defence Minister
Through peaceful struggle, we West Papuans are ready to set ourselves free from the oppression of Indonesian rule. Indonesia’s colonialism will come to an end very soon.
This Defence Minister once infamously said that the killers of West Papuan Independence Leader Theys Eluay were “heroes”.
Who are the real criminals in West Papua when military generals like Ryacudu continue to approve of such killings and continue to orchestrate this ongoing genocide which has left over 500,000 West Papuan people dead?
Not only did Ryamizard Ryacudu warn Australia, Vanuatu and other countries over West Papua, he went onto say that Indonesia had “never disrupted or caused disruptions in other countries” and it expected the same of other nations regarding Papua and its long-running independence movement.
As a West Papuan, a Melanesian and a Pacific Islander I am outraged that such malicious threats and outright lies continue to be blurted out by Indonesian government ministers about the lives of my people and countries that support us.
Indonesia invaded West Papua, invaded East Timor and earlier this year executed Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumuran. They even threatened to go to war with Vanuatu because of its support for West Papua’s freedom.
We West Papuans (living just 250km North of Australia) have been suffering under a secret genocide and the illegal occupation of our country since West Papua was illegally annexed by Indonesia in the 1969 so called Act of Free Choice; (known to West Papuans as the Act of NO Choice.) During the resulting long decades of torture, it is estimated that over 500,000 people (in 3 West Papuans) has died because of this military occupation.
Earlier this month, the Human Rights Commission Komnas HAM has found that human rights violations have increased in West Papua this year, documenting over 700 West Papuans who were persecuted by the Indonesian State in 2015. Only last week on 19thDecember, 23 West Papuans were arrested and locked up just for peacefully demonstrating against the illegal Indonesian occupation.
The Indonesian government is doing all they can to try to stop the truth from coming out of occupied West Papua and Human Rights Watch recently released a 74 Page report detailing how foreign journalists are still being effectively barred from working there. On top of this, a few weeks ago the Indonesian President even ordered all International NGO’s to leave West Papua by the end of 2015, a move obviously proving that the Indonesian government has something to hide.

The Indonesian President Joko Widodo is also planning to visit West Papua before the end of 2015 but he is certainly not welcome. We West Papuans know that such visits are merely publicity stunts attempting to show government care about West Papua whereas actually the Indonesian President is visiting West Papua to further impose Indonesian state control over West Papua. This means more Indonesian soldiers and more deals with multinational corporations like Freeport McMoran that exploit and destroy our ancestral land. We firmly believe that his visit will only bring more trouble in 2016, more bloodshed of West Papuans.
Indonesia’s new ‘civilian President’, Joko Widodo with the Indonesian military
West Papuans are Australia’s closest neighbours and we West Papuans look to Australia as our big brother in the region. Therefore on behalf of my people I appeal to the Australian government not to forge more military ties with this human rights abusing government.
Why deal with a government that is committing genocide against your closest neighbours?
It has been revealed that Australian supplied military helicopters have previously been used to bomb West Papuan villages and so any new military ties between Indonesia and Australia send shivers down our spines. These new military ties terrify West Papuan villagers who do not know if they will be the next victims of this brutal genocide.
The Indonesian government has already failed to convince the world of all their moral, political and legal arguments over their continued occupation of West Papua and the only channel they have left is their so called ‘economic diplomacy’. The world needs to be aware that this is the only tactic the Indonesian government can use now.
Therefore I urge the Australian government and parliament to please look to the suffering of your closest neighbours in West Papua, and help to promote human lives over money from Indonesian “economic diplomacy”.
We desperately need the support of our big brother Australia to please help us against this secret genocide and the ongoing military occupation of our ancestral lands.
Please do continue to support my people, to write to your representatives and tell as many people as possible about West Papua.
Neither the threats of the Indonesian government nor the bullets of the Indonesian military will break the spirit of my people and our resolve to struggle for full freedom through self-determination.
We are certain that one day we will finally be free.
Benny Wenda
West Papuan Independence Leader
Spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/102248/president-joko-widodo-arrives-in-papua

2) President Joko Widodo arrives in Papua

Selasa, 29 Desember 2015 23:29 WIB | 397 Views
Merauke, Papua (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana arrived at Mopah airport in Merauke, Papua on Tuesday evening to visit Indonesias eastern provinces of Papua and West Papua.

The president and his entourage, including minister of public works and housing Basuki Hadimoeljono, presidential chief of staff Teten Masduki, and presidential communication team member Sukardi Rinakit, left Jakartas Halim Perdanakusumah airport at 13.40pm and arrived at Meraukes airport at 20.20pm aboard the presidential plane.

According to the head of the Press, Media and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat, President Joko Widodo will not only visit Merauke, but also Wamena and Sorong, before ending 2015 at Raja Ampat.

After attending an "Indonesias Dreams for 2015-2085" event in Hasanap Sai field in Merauke, the president and his entourage will travel to Wamena by plane, where he will dedicate new terminals at Wamena and Kaimana and meet with the people of Jayawijaya.

On Thursday he will proceed to Sorong and Raja Ampat. Before returning to Jakarta on Friday, January 1, he will visit a local sago factory.

This was the third visit to Papua and West Papua made by the President, following his first visit to the eastern provinces from December 27-29, 2014 and the second visit from May 8-11, 2015.

President Jokowi, as he is also called, has said he believed that by frequently visiting the region, conflicts in Papua would be settled.

"I will often visit Papua," he said at Waringin Sports Stadium in Jayapura on December 27, 2014.

Before visiting Papua, the President had visited several other provinces, including South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara, to inspect infrastructure development in the regions.

The visits are evidence that Indonesia is now leaving Java-centered orientation and turning to an Indonesia-centered vision, as President Jokowi said at the Heroes Day in Surabaya on November 10, 2015. 

"Indonesia is moving towards an Indonesia-centered and not Java-centered vision. Prosperity will not happen only in Java," he said at the time. 

reporting by agus salim
(H-YH/INE/a014)  
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014) 


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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/102240/resignation-of-freeports-chairman-to-create-new-atmosphere-sudirman

3) Resignation of Freeport`s chairman to create new atmosphere: Sudirman

Selasa, 29 Desember 2015 19:58 WIB | 453 Views
 Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias Energy Minister Sudirman Said expressed hope that the resignation of Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Inc.s Chairman James R. Moffett would create a new atmosphere.

"A new leader will always bring a new atmosphere and working style, including in his/her management of portfolios and stakeholders in Indonesia," he noted in a written press statement received here on Tuesday.

The minister said he always welcomed changes, and the Indonesian government respected the internal decision of the corporation.

"This is an internal corporate decision of Freeport McMoran. The government is not involved in it," he clarified.

Moffett, who is also the companys founder, is being replaced by Gerald J. Ford who is an independent director of Freeport McMoran.

Moffetts resignation came around when the US mining giant was still negotiating the extension of its mining contract in Papua with the Indonesian government.  

Freeport is seeking an extension of its contract that will expire in 2021.

The company has expressed its readiness to meet several requirements for the extension of the contract that have been submitted by the Indonesian government, including increasing royalties and investing up to US$18 billion for underground mining, infrastructure, and smelter development.

The contract extension issue has been the reason behind the case of the recorded conversations involving House Speaker Setya Novanto who demanded a stake in the company that led to his recent resignation.

On April 4, 1967, PT Freeport Indonesia had signed a working contract for mining in Erstberg in Papua for a period of 30 years until 1997.

In 1991, Freeport obtained an extension of its contract for another 30 years until 2021 following the discovery of the Grasberg mine in 1988.

The 1991 contract carried a clause that allowed a possible extension of the contract after its expiry in 2021 until 2041.

On December 31, 2012, Freeports proven reserves in Papua were recorded at 2.52 billion tons of ores comprising one percent copper, 0.83 grams of gold ore per ton, and 4.24 grams of silver ore per ton.(*)
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4) Indonesia Loses ‘Connector’ at Freeport-McMoRan

James R. Moffett’s departure at mining company could throw wrench in contract talks with government


By SARA SCHONHARDT And  BEN OTTO Dec. 29, 2015 1:31 p.m. ET
For decades, James R. Moffett guided the fortunes of the U.S.’s biggest mining company, Freeport-McMoRan Inc., in the crucial but sometimes tricky Indonesian marketplace.
The sudden resignation of Mr. Moffett as Freeport’s executive chairman, announced Monday, could throw a wrench into negotiations with the Indonesian government over the fate of one of Freeport’s—and Indonesia’s—biggest mines, industry analysts say.
At stake is a contract governing the operation of Freeport’s Grasberg mine, an immense open-pit excavation in the remote eastern-Indonesian province of Papua. Grasberg is one of the world’s biggest producers of gold and copper, and has played a central part in Freeport’s business since 1988, when exploration under the guidance of Mr. Moffett, a geologist and former wildcatter, found the deposits. Grasberg accounted for a sixth of Freeport’s copper and 93% of its gold production in 2014, pulling in $3 billion out of Freeport’s $21.4 billion in global revenue.
Mr. Moffett was “the key connector” between Freeport and Indonesian officials, with relationships and experience built up over decades, said Rangga D. Fadillah, an analyst from business consultancy Bower Group Asia. His resignation “will be a threat for a smooth renegotiation,” Mr. Fadillah said.
A spokesman for Freeport’s Indonesian unit declined to comment on how Mr. Moffett’s departure will affect Freeport’s business and referred questions to company representatives in the U.S., saying headquarters would issue a news release on the matter. A U.S.-based Freeport spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Freeport said Grasberg’s open-pit mineral reserves are falling fast, and it is seeking to renew its contract for 20 more years, so it can start investing in underground mining. Freeport has also agreed to divest itself of more than 10% of its stake in its Indonesian unit, in line with the country’s attempts to take control of more of its natural resources from foreign firms. 
Freeport faces a mid-January deadline to set a price at which the government or state agencies can purchase the stake. Those negotiations have been complicated by revelations—in an audiotape recording by a local Freeport executive—that a prominent Indonesian politician allegedly asked for Freeport shares in exchange for help with the contract renewal, in a meeting with the company earlier this year. The politician denied wrongdoing, and he resigned his post earlier this month as Parliamentary House of Representatives speaker; the matter is under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.
Freeport is also working to satisfy an Indonesian regulation that bans exports of unprocessed minerals unless it can show progress in building refining facilities in Indonesia.
Freeport’s experiences in Indonesia mirror the travails of many mining firms that are trying to rebuild operations while juggling restive investors and tumbling global demand for many of the commodities they produce. In August activist investor Carl Icahnrevealed he had taken an 8.5% stake in Freeport.
In an attempt to recover from a disastrous foray into oil and gas in 2013, Freeport suspended its dividend this month and said it would cut capital spending by billions of dollars in coming years. The company reported a loss of $3.8 billion in the third quarter and has seen its stock slide 70% this year and 16% in the past month.
Mr. Moffett, a 77-year-old Louisiana native, co-founded a predecessor of Freeport in the late 1960s, and frequently flew to Indonesia to oversee discussions with policy makers and other high-level officials, often taking the lead rather than Freeport’s local head.
Known even to the most senior Indonesian officials as “Jim Bob,” Mr. Moffett steered Freeport through decades of political and economic turbulence, including the rule of autocrat Suharto, separatist violence in Papua, where Grasberg is located, economic crises and a bumpy transition toward democracy.
Freeport’s dealings in Indonesia under Mr. Moffett have sparked controversy. The company battled allegations by human-rights groups in the late 1990s that it cooperated with Indonesian security forces in suppressing pro-independence activities in Papua. Freeport denied involvement in any human-rights abuses and has said it invests in community-development programs. 
Freeport’s Grasberg contract expires in 2021, and under Indonesian regulations it isn’t allowed to start the renewal process until 2019. Freeport is pressing for early renewal because it says it needs assurance it can continue operating in Indonesia before putting up the $18 billion investment needed to develop underground operations.
Indonesia has been pushing Freeport for key changes to its current contract, making the company’s continued operations dependent on things like increased royalties, the construction of a multibillion-dollar smelter and a smaller concession area.
Freeport also has significant operations in Peru, Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as natural gas and natural shale gas operations in the U.S., and is reviewing mining operations globally.
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TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER, 2015 | 17:38 WIB
5) Freeport Shares Drop Following Moffet’s Resignation  

TEMPO.COJakarta - Freeport McMoRan (FCX) shares continue to drop in the stock market following the recent resignation of its founder James Moffett. Moffet, also known as Jim Bob, also resigned from his position as the company's council. Moffet made his decision following a recent addition of two new company directors under the pressure from investor Carl Icahn.
Based on Tempo's observation on Bloomberg website, the shares continue to drop. In a previous trading session, the FCX share drops by 0.24 points from US$7.57 to US$7.33. The shares then drop even lower to a level of US$6.85, or 0.72 points lower from its previous value.
Moffet had led Freeport since 1984. Moffet is the founder of McMoran Oil and Gas Co in 1969 and was the one who initiates the acquisition of Freeport Minerals Co. in 1981. Moffet's resignation came just a few months after the company changes the organizational structure of its high-ranking officials.
DESTRIANITA K.
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6) JOKOWI MUST TAKE CARE OF PAPUA WITH HEART : KOMARUDIN WATUBUN SAYS

Jakarta, Jubi – A member of Parliament from PDIP, Komarudin Watubun, said Setya Novanto’s resignation as Chairman of the House of Representatives for ethical violations is a momentum to defend the people of Papua.
“I hope everyone does not just stop at the results of the trial MKD. There is a snowball that must be dismantled to the core, “said Komarudin, in Jakarta on last week.
He continued, during the presence of PT. Freeport in Papua, is only used as a platform of central government’s interests.
“And Papuans become the victims. Shooting continues to occur. Now the people of Papua demand firm steps from President Jokowi, “he added.
Members of Parliament from Papua felt responsible for the policies of President Jokowi in Papua, because he was the first to invite Jokowi in Papua at the end of the legislative election campaign last year.
At that time, he entrusted Papua to Jokowi to not only take care with his mind but also with heart Thus, the Papuan people can avoid any conflict of interests related to the presence of PT. Freeport.
“That should be the entrance for Jokowi to realize his promise,” he stated. (*/ Tina)
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7) CHURCH MUST PAY ATTENTION TO PAPUAN EDUCATION, FILEP KARMA SAYS
Jayapura, Jubi – Filep Karma urged a number of church institutions in Papua to pay attention to the education of Papuan children. 
Educational institutions should be able to prepare the next generation with better education to face globalization.
Karma stated during the book discussion and writing seminar on Life Stories in the Hall of the College of Theology Walter Post Sentani, Jayapura regency, Papua, on Sunday (27/12/2015). “First, the church needs to think about the children’ education institutions,” he said seriously.
He said, many children in Papua are not getting a good education. He cited those imprisoned for criminal cases. In Papua there is no prison for children. Children are punished and sent in an adult prison.
“Secondly, the church must build a rehabilitation institution because dependence on alcohol is very high, “he said.
He added, these children can be used by others to reached their will and it will be a great danger.
Balim Council Secretary Engelbertus Surabut said the government has no attention for native Papuans, so the church must take on the role. The Church is not only preaching, but must be more seriously to build moral education of the Papuans.
“Ora et Labora “ pray and work “must be implemented in Papua. The words of love must be real, if not, the gospel will never be real, “he said. (Mawel Benny/Tina)
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8) Statement by the Executive-Director of the LP3BH
29th December 2015

    If it is indeed true that Ir H. Joko Widodo is about to visit the Land of Papua as Head of State, he wlll be faced with a situation of
Human Rights Abuses committed  by the State Security Forces against the civilian population, in particular against the indigenous Papuan
people. Although it has been claimed that things would improve, they have continued to deteriorate which throws a negative light on a
democratic state all of which can be witnessed by the international community.

    Speaking as a Lawyer and Defender of Basic Human Rights here in the Land of Papua  which became an integral part of the Republic of
Indonesia 52 years ago, I can say that during all this time that up until the end of 2015, the Government of Indonesia has displayed no
political will to resolve the many grave human rights abuses that have occurred against the people of the Land of Papua.

    Since the Act of Free Choice occurred (according the Indonesian version), many people, perhaps hundreds or it could even be thousands
of people, have been the victims of grave human rights abuses.across the whole of the Land of Papua,

    Yet this is simply being ignored even though the facts reveal that this is at the very root of the problem of finding a solution to
the social-political conflict, as was made clear by the Institute of Scholars of Indonesian (LIPI) in its book, Papua Road Map.

    This has happened despite many calls by the Papuan people for a legal resolution of a number of acts of violence all of which were
violations of Basic Human Rights  here in the Land of Papua, as confirmed by the Congress of the Papuan People which was held in
Jayapura in 2000. It was this situation that led to the enactment of Law 21/2001 on Special Autonomy for the Province of Papua.

    Articles 44 to 46 of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua provide clear legal instructions for procedures, mechanisms and legal steps
that are needed to resolve the many cases of the basic rights violations of the Papuan People by the State.

     This is also stipulated in Law 39/1999 on Basic Human Rights and Law 26/2000 on Human Rights Courts as a sectoral part which has
binding legitimacy.     It is for me a matter of great regret that to this day, not a single case of alleged human rights abuses ever since the Act of Free
Choice was enacted in 1969 has been investigated and analysed so as to be resolved in according with the law.

    The Wasior Case in 2001 very clearly and factually complied with the stipulations of Article 7, Article 8 and Article 9 of Law 26/2000
on Human Rights Courts  meaning that it is still not clear whether this is a matter for KOMNAS HAM (Commission for Basic Human Rights) or
the Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia.

   This is also the problem with an incident that occurred when a number of students were shot on Karel Gobay Field, Enarotoli, District
of Paniai on 8 December 2014. There have been no follow-up legal investigations about human rights abuses in order to prove that human
rights violations occurred on that occasion.

    As the Executive Director of the Institute for Research, Investigation and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH) Manikwari, I call
upon President Joko Widodo to issue without delay a Presidential Decision (Keppres) which grants full powers  and authority to KOMNAS
HAM, for it to be able to conduct investigations and bring to justice those responsible for grave Human Rights Violations in the Land of
Papua, including the Wasiior Case before the Human Rights Court, in conditions that conform with the principle of upholding the law and
restoring the confidence of the International Community in Indonesia as a state that is truly democratic.

     President Joko Widodo should show respect and pay attention to the issue of grave human rights in the Land of Papua, which appear to
be genocidal which led to the State leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum to call for a fact-finding mission to be sent of the Land of
Papua in the near future.

    I fear that the government of Jokowi is dominated by ministers, staff members and political parties which are ultra nationalistic and
will not allow such a fact-finding mission to attend to this matter.

    Such a situation can only lead to political actions being taken by the Papuan people who are now united within the United Liberation
Movement of West Papua.to bring the issue of Papua, in particular the genocidal grave human rights violations, to the attention of the
international community, including  the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Islands Forum, as well as the United Nations.

    Systematic human rights violations have been occurring throughout the Land of Papua. while attention has been growing, in particular
regarding summary executions, torture, severe mal-treatment, detentions and arrests in violation of the law as well as excessive
violations of freedom of expression and actions against pro-democracy activists who have been raising these problems with the State in many
different ways..

     There is a lengthy list of various human rights violations that have been experienced by the indigenous Papuan  people and which have
been committed by members of the security forces, the TNI (Army of Indonesia ) and Polri (Police Force). oll of which have been occurring
continuously for the past 52 years.in the Land of Papua and which have
been getting worse.

    The fact is that not a single step has been taken by anyone to responsibly resolve these matters in accordance with the law, all of
which means that impunity has reigned supreme here in the Land of Papua.

Peace
Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive Director of the LP3BH in the Land of Papua.
[Translated by Carmel Budiardjo, Recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, 1995]

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