2) After Meeting with Luhut, Papua Governor Expresses Disappointment
3) MSG Summit Postponed
4) West Papua to Have Its Own Bullet Train Network
5) Marap Indigenous Group claim back three oil palm plantation divisions in Arso.
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1) Trust Needed in Human Rights Settlement in Papua
27 April 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan on Monday (25/4/2016) led a coordination meeting on alleged human rights violations in Papua and Papua Barat provinces.
The meeting was held at the meeting room of the Political Ministry’s office and attended by Indonesian Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw and Papua Barat Police Chief Brigadier General Royke Lumawa and Papua human right defenders
In response to the efforts to resolve the human rights issues in Papua, the awardee of the international award for human rights from Canada, John Humphrey Freedom Award 2015, Yan Warinusi said a resolution to gross human rights violations and contradiction of history and construction of political identity between Papua and Jakarta should become urgent issues, and should be a concern and responsibility of President Joko Widodo and his administration to resolve it
Trust Building
“It is very important step that should be taken by President Widodo to restore public trust as well as the international community who continue to highlight human rights violations in Papua which cannot be solved for decades in accordance with Indonesian law,” said Warinusi.
He further said trust building is an absolute condition that should be created in this settlement process. Therefore, President Jokowi must issue a written instruction to the National Human Rights Commission and Indonesian General Attorney to immediately execute their task in accordance with the Law. For example, towards some cases that occurred before the Law No. 39 Year 199 about human rights and the Law No. 26 Year 2000 about human rights court, therefore the mechanism is clear that is should be taken to the Ad Hoc Human Rights Court, which needs the investigation of human rights violations from National Human Rights and Indonesian General Attorney for legal action. Meanwhile towards the human rights violations occurred after year 2000, such as Wasior 2001, Wamena 2003 and Enarotali-Paniai of 8 December 2014, it needs enforcement and assurance towards President Widodo to provide the widest access for the National Human Rights and Indonesian General Attorney to optimally work in revealing and taking the human rights violation suspects to the trial before an independent and impartial human rights court.
It is not only be terminated until the court, but in the future the Indonesian Government must be able to give a legal assurance towards a clear political policy to stop the (severe) human rights violations perpetrated by State through security personnel (both Police and Military).
“It could be applied by enforcing the elimination of security/military operations that enable the mobilization of security personnel (Police and Military) in the massive number, either it was part of open or closed security operations,” said Yan Warinusi.
This trust building issue becomes a concern of civil society group who involved in the process of documentation on human rights violations in Papua. The government must show good intention to solve the human right violations in Papua.
“Coalition for human right violations gives recommendation that three cases of Wasior, Wamena and Paniai should be settled by the government in 2016. It is to build a trust. If the government could solve these three cases, we can move to another cases,” said Frits Ramandey about the recommendation by Coalition for Human Rights Violations in Papua towards the government through the Coordination Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
Neutral Party in NeedSeparately, Papua human right defender Pastor John Jonga thought the settlement of the human rights issue in Papua needs a neutral party, because it is not wise to involve the parties such as security forces who have been accused of being perpetrators of human rights violations.
“I wonder and think it is funny because the perpetrators are mostly them (security personnel). But there might be an awareness from the Minister or Papua Police Chief considered to human right violations during the time,” Pastor Djonga told Jubi on Tuesday (26/4/2016).
He also criticizes the process as unserious process. Because to settle the human rights violations in Papua that was occurred since 1960s to 2016 could not merely done through one or two days discussion. The State must be more serious to explore the human rights violations issues from the highland to the coastal area, from the sea to the mountains and from any situations and conditions in Papua.
Djonga further said Papua is a big island, so it’s not easy to solve the violations occurred for decades, it could not easy and fast to explore the human rights violations from the sixties only with three days discussion, it is considered as carelessly work.
“I thought the discussion is positive, but the time is too short and it should be more serious. For me, the reason of State conducted this event was to show to the world that the Indonesian Government was fighting, protected and respected the human rights in Papua,” he said.
He also highlighted the human rights activists who involved in the meeting, that on his point of view, they should be capable to provide feedback instead of conducting a meeting or exploring the human rights violations in Papua. In addition, the Central Government also need to appoint a neutral person who can be trusted by any parties to resolve the human rights issues in Papua, because the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs have harmed the Papuan people.
Political Approach and Human Rights Trial
After the coordination meeting on the alleged human rights violations in Papua and Papua Barat provinces led by the Minister Pandjaitan on Monday, Coalition for human rights violations member Matius Murib who involved in the meeting said the coalition currently endorses the government to urge the Indonesian Human Rights Commission to settle the cases of Mapenduma 1996 and Biak 1998 through political approach at the Indonesian House of Representative.
“Wasior 2001 and Wamena 2003 as well as Paniai 2014 must be settled through Human Rights Trial in 2016. The government has showed good intention and being open, so the human rights defenders should be unite and mutually gather the facts and data for advocacy,” said Murib.
Papua Police Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw confirmed that three alleged human rights cases to be recommended are Wasior 2001, Wamena 2003 and Paniai 2014.
“Although these cases have been recommended but until now the team is still not completing the data because it might not possible to take this case to the trial,” said Chief Waterpauw.
He further admitted the team led by the Chief of National Human Rights Commission Papua Representative is still in Jakarta and completing the supporting documents. According to him, three cases were recommended because of sufficient data and further the National Human Rights Commission has formed the ad hoc team, so it becomes priority to be followed up.
However, the Indonesian Police Chief Badrodin Haiti told reporters that Wamena and Wasior cases would be solved through political approach, because both cases were occurred before the authorization of the Law on Human Rights Trial, namely the Law No. 26 Year 2001.
“It settlement would be executed by the government and Indonesian House of Representative. Currently, the Indonesian Human Rights Commission is handling the investigation on the two cases while the Indonesian General Attorney would conduct the charge. The two cases with 12 human rights violations would become priorities to be solved,” said the chief. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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2) After Meeting with Luhut, Papua Governor Expresses Disappointment
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe expressed his disappointment after a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan to discuss alleged human rights violations in Papua.
On Thursday evening (21/4/2016), Papua Governor along with Papua Police Chief, Chairman of Papua Legislative Council, Cenderawasih Military Commander, Chairman of Papua People’s Assembly, Human Rights Commission Representative Papua and Coalition for Human Rights Violation in Papua held a closed meeting with Luhut at his office on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta Pusat.
The meeting is aimed to follow up the recommendation resulted from the Focus Group Discussion on Documentation of Alleged Human Rights Violations in Papua that held from 15 to 19 April 2016 at a hotel in Jayapura City and attended by group of civil society who concern on human rights violations in Papua.
“The state should not be involved in solving the human rights issues in Papua, instead it should leave it to Papua to be solved by Customary Law. It remains to be debated,” Governor Enembe briefly said after the meeting with the minister.
Separately, human rights activist Theo Hesegem who also participated in the meeting, said the settlement of human rights violations in Papua was not easy.
“We cannot solve the problem just by gathering and talking, then suddenly it is done. In this case, the victims should become a priority,” said Hesegem on Monday (25/4/2016).
He also stressed that all cases suspected as human rights violations had political background, therefore it couldn’t be separated with the political issues.
Papuan people’s trust towards the Central Government also should be confirmed before talking about human rights resolution in Papua.
“Wasior and Wamena cases already took to the Attorney General from more than a decade, but the State seems have no intention to solve it. It was stopped without any particularly reason. We only knew that the Attorney General returned the files to the Human Rights Commission by reason of lack of evidence. On the other hand, the Human Rights Violations said the investigation has been done and the Attorney General was responsible with the lack of evidence,” said lawyer and human rights defender Anum Siregar during the FGD break in Jayapura.
She requested the government to show good intention by solving the first three cases as priority.
“Wasior and Wamena cases were already investigated, it should be first settled until the human rights court. Then the Paniai case occurred in last 2014 to be settled because the ad hoc team has been formed. If these cases were solved, then we are ready to talk about another cases,” said Anum Siregar.
Legal and Security Affairs, in a meeting at his office Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing direction is quite clear. The government, said Menkopolhukam seriously intend to reconcile once atasdugaan investigate human rights violations that have occurred.
The Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan, in the meeting held at his office at that Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing a clear direction related to this issue. The government, said the minister, seriously intend to reconcile as well as to investigate the alleged human rights violations occurred in Papua.
“If the government was proven to conduct violation in the past, so the current leaders in this country would not hesitate to apologize to the victims,” said the minister.
He also emphasized that this effort is not for blaming. According to him, President Widodo has given advice to punish those who found guilty but it must have evidences. He said there would be a team led by Governor of National Defense Institute Agus Widjojo to run the investigation and reconciliation.
“If there are new founding in the investigation, we would not close the next step,” he said. (Victor Mambor/rom)
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3) MSG Summit Postponed
Posted: Friday, April 29, 2016 8:00 am
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Special Leaders Summit scheduled to be held in Port Vila next week has been postponed to a date yet to be confirmed.
Daily Post understands the MSG Special Leaders Summit will no longer be held from May 3-5 as initially planned and provisional dates (subject to change) may be May 30 to June 3, 2016 depending on the availability and commitments of the Leaders.
This will be a blow to Vanuatu’s Free West Papua Association organized public march today, which was planned to happen on the brink of the MSG Leaders’ Summit but will strengthen the support and determination nationwide.
On Tuesday, Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told the Fiji Sun that he won’t be attending the MSG meeting in Port Vila as he would be attending the Queen’s birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle in London with Fiji’s Military Forces Band.
PM Bainimarama who said the appointment of Fijian diplomat Amena Yauvoli as MSG Director General would be discussed in the upcoming MSG Leaders’ meet also noted that Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea have questioned the system used to appoint Mr. Yauvoli.
He further indicated that Fiji’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Inoke Kubuabola as likely to represent Fiji in the MSG meeting.
In 2015 then Prime Minister Sato Kilman did not attend the MSG Leaders’ Summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands due to political developments and sent an envoy in his absence.
Nevertheless, the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Charlot Salwai has frankly confirmed its intention to see Indonesia out of the MSG and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) gain full membership into MSG.
The process of the appointment of the new MSG DG has also come under scrutiny, an issue raised by PM Salwai and this week Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill wrote to the chair of the MSG, Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare saying the process of consensus through the MSG Leaders Summit by all members must be completed before such appointments can be announced.
Vanuatu Free West Papua Committee members Lai Sakita and Jacob Kintor are calling on “all real men, women and youths” to come out of their facebook comfort zones, to join the public march in Port Vila this morning, to demand the Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders to give full membership of MSG to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), and terminate Indonesia from the Sub Regional Organisation.
The march starts at Fung Kuei car park opposite Anchor Inn, along the Lini Highway to the MSG Secretariat at Independence Park this morning.
All marchers are asked to gather at the car park at 7.30am.
“The aim of the peaceful march is to show our civil society organisation support for the unification of the Melanesian countries of Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, including the non-self-governing territories of Kanaky and West Papua and to call for MSG to upgrade West Papua bid to full member,” the invitation from the West Papua Office explains.
The two members made the call on behalf of the Chairman, Pastor Allan Nafuki, for all responsible people of Port Vila from throughout Vanuatu and round Efate, to join the march from Fung Kuei car park to the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, to hand over a public petition to the MSG Leaders.
The petition which is signed by thousands of people, demands MSG to do what is right and make the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) a full member of MSG.
Indonesia has been granted Associate Membership of MSG, an act which the marchers see as a mockery to Vanuatu’s traditional stand for freedom for West Papua. The marchers want to see Indonesia’s Associate Membership cancelled.
Sakita says expressing one’s firm support for West Papuans’ Right and Freedom is one thing but real people are those who come out to stand up for what they believe in.
“While we appreciate your brave words of support for West Papua on fb, we want all of you to prove what you say by coming out to join in this peaceful march to confirm you mean business for the people of West Papua,” Sakita says.
The committee says they are considering means to make sure only local media personnel and those that they know, are allowed to take pictures.
They expect the event will be of significant interests to “strangers” as well, who they advise, should think twice before snapping pictures of the march.
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4) West Papua to Have Its Own Bullet Train Network
By : Jakarta Globe | on 10:24 AM April 29, 2016
Jakarta. West Papua will have its own bullet train network, a high-speed railway line capable of running express trains at a maximum speed of up to 250 kilometers per hour, Hermanto Dwi Atmoko, Director General of Railways, said on Thursday (28/04).
Trains used on the network will be capable of carrying larger loads, similar to those intended for use in Sulawesi and Kalimantan, and run faster than trains in Java and Sumatera.
Hermanto said, after a meeting with West Papua Deputy Governor Irene Manibuy, that the first and second phase of the development will take place between 2016 and 2019.
“First the regional government will have to clear the land, test the routes, assess the environmental impact and look for recommendations from all regional leaders in the area,” Hermanto said.
All in all, West Papua’s railway development will be done in three phases. The total length of the railway track from Manokwari to Sorong will be 390 kilometers. The project is expected to start this year.
Trust Building
“It is very important step that should be taken by President Widodo to restore public trust as well as the international community who continue to highlight human rights violations in Papua which cannot be solved for decades in accordance with Indonesian law,” said Warinusi.
“It is very important step that should be taken by President Widodo to restore public trust as well as the international community who continue to highlight human rights violations in Papua which cannot be solved for decades in accordance with Indonesian law,” said Warinusi.
He further said trust building is an absolute condition that should be created in this settlement process. Therefore, President Jokowi must issue a written instruction to the National Human Rights Commission and Indonesian General Attorney to immediately execute their task in accordance with the Law. For example, towards some cases that occurred before the Law No. 39 Year 199 about human rights and the Law No. 26 Year 2000 about human rights court, therefore the mechanism is clear that is should be taken to the Ad Hoc Human Rights Court, which needs the investigation of human rights violations from National Human Rights and Indonesian General Attorney for legal action. Meanwhile towards the human rights violations occurred after year 2000, such as Wasior 2001, Wamena 2003 and Enarotali-Paniai of 8 December 2014, it needs enforcement and assurance towards President Widodo to provide the widest access for the National Human Rights and Indonesian General Attorney to optimally work in revealing and taking the human rights violation suspects to the trial before an independent and impartial human rights court.
It is not only be terminated until the court, but in the future the Indonesian Government must be able to give a legal assurance towards a clear political policy to stop the (severe) human rights violations perpetrated by State through security personnel (both Police and Military).
“It could be applied by enforcing the elimination of security/military operations that enable the mobilization of security personnel (Police and Military) in the massive number, either it was part of open or closed security operations,” said Yan Warinusi.
This trust building issue becomes a concern of civil society group who involved in the process of documentation on human rights violations in Papua. The government must show good intention to solve the human right violations in Papua.
“Coalition for human right violations gives recommendation that three cases of Wasior, Wamena and Paniai should be settled by the government in 2016. It is to build a trust. If the government could solve these three cases, we can move to another cases,” said Frits Ramandey about the recommendation by Coalition for Human Rights Violations in Papua towards the government through the Coordination Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
Neutral Party in NeedSeparately, Papua human right defender Pastor John Jonga thought the settlement of the human rights issue in Papua needs a neutral party, because it is not wise to involve the parties such as security forces who have been accused of being perpetrators of human rights violations.
“I wonder and think it is funny because the perpetrators are mostly them (security personnel). But there might be an awareness from the Minister or Papua Police Chief considered to human right violations during the time,” Pastor Djonga told Jubi on Tuesday (26/4/2016).
He also criticizes the process as unserious process. Because to settle the human rights violations in Papua that was occurred since 1960s to 2016 could not merely done through one or two days discussion. The State must be more serious to explore the human rights violations issues from the highland to the coastal area, from the sea to the mountains and from any situations and conditions in Papua.
Djonga further said Papua is a big island, so it’s not easy to solve the violations occurred for decades, it could not easy and fast to explore the human rights violations from the sixties only with three days discussion, it is considered as carelessly work.
“I thought the discussion is positive, but the time is too short and it should be more serious. For me, the reason of State conducted this event was to show to the world that the Indonesian Government was fighting, protected and respected the human rights in Papua,” he said.
He also highlighted the human rights activists who involved in the meeting, that on his point of view, they should be capable to provide feedback instead of conducting a meeting or exploring the human rights violations in Papua. In addition, the Central Government also need to appoint a neutral person who can be trusted by any parties to resolve the human rights issues in Papua, because the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs have harmed the Papuan people.
Political Approach and Human Rights Trial
After the coordination meeting on the alleged human rights violations in Papua and Papua Barat provinces led by the Minister Pandjaitan on Monday, Coalition for human rights violations member Matius Murib who involved in the meeting said the coalition currently endorses the government to urge the Indonesian Human Rights Commission to settle the cases of Mapenduma 1996 and Biak 1998 through political approach at the Indonesian House of Representative.
After the coordination meeting on the alleged human rights violations in Papua and Papua Barat provinces led by the Minister Pandjaitan on Monday, Coalition for human rights violations member Matius Murib who involved in the meeting said the coalition currently endorses the government to urge the Indonesian Human Rights Commission to settle the cases of Mapenduma 1996 and Biak 1998 through political approach at the Indonesian House of Representative.
“Wasior 2001 and Wamena 2003 as well as Paniai 2014 must be settled through Human Rights Trial in 2016. The government has showed good intention and being open, so the human rights defenders should be unite and mutually gather the facts and data for advocacy,” said Murib.
Papua Police Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw confirmed that three alleged human rights cases to be recommended are Wasior 2001, Wamena 2003 and Paniai 2014.
“Although these cases have been recommended but until now the team is still not completing the data because it might not possible to take this case to the trial,” said Chief Waterpauw.
He further admitted the team led by the Chief of National Human Rights Commission Papua Representative is still in Jakarta and completing the supporting documents. According to him, three cases were recommended because of sufficient data and further the National Human Rights Commission has formed the ad hoc team, so it becomes priority to be followed up.
However, the Indonesian Police Chief Badrodin Haiti told reporters that Wamena and Wasior cases would be solved through political approach, because both cases were occurred before the authorization of the Law on Human Rights Trial, namely the Law No. 26 Year 2001.
“It settlement would be executed by the government and Indonesian House of Representative. Currently, the Indonesian Human Rights Commission is handling the investigation on the two cases while the Indonesian General Attorney would conduct the charge. The two cases with 12 human rights violations would become priorities to be solved,” said the chief. (Victor Mambor/rom)
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe expressed his disappointment after a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan to discuss alleged human rights violations in Papua.
On Thursday evening (21/4/2016), Papua Governor along with Papua Police Chief, Chairman of Papua Legislative Council, Cenderawasih Military Commander, Chairman of Papua People’s Assembly, Human Rights Commission Representative Papua and Coalition for Human Rights Violation in Papua held a closed meeting with Luhut at his office on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta Pusat.
The meeting is aimed to follow up the recommendation resulted from the Focus Group Discussion on Documentation of Alleged Human Rights Violations in Papua that held from 15 to 19 April 2016 at a hotel in Jayapura City and attended by group of civil society who concern on human rights violations in Papua.
“The state should not be involved in solving the human rights issues in Papua, instead it should leave it to Papua to be solved by Customary Law. It remains to be debated,” Governor Enembe briefly said after the meeting with the minister.
Separately, human rights activist Theo Hesegem who also participated in the meeting, said the settlement of human rights violations in Papua was not easy.
“We cannot solve the problem just by gathering and talking, then suddenly it is done. In this case, the victims should become a priority,” said Hesegem on Monday (25/4/2016).
He also stressed that all cases suspected as human rights violations had political background, therefore it couldn’t be separated with the political issues.
Papuan people’s trust towards the Central Government also should be confirmed before talking about human rights resolution in Papua.
“Wasior and Wamena cases already took to the Attorney General from more than a decade, but the State seems have no intention to solve it. It was stopped without any particularly reason. We only knew that the Attorney General returned the files to the Human Rights Commission by reason of lack of evidence. On the other hand, the Human Rights Violations said the investigation has been done and the Attorney General was responsible with the lack of evidence,” said lawyer and human rights defender Anum Siregar during the FGD break in Jayapura.
She requested the government to show good intention by solving the first three cases as priority.
“Wasior and Wamena cases were already investigated, it should be first settled until the human rights court. Then the Paniai case occurred in last 2014 to be settled because the ad hoc team has been formed. If these cases were solved, then we are ready to talk about another cases,” said Anum Siregar.
Legal and Security Affairs, in a meeting at his office Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing direction is quite clear. The government, said Menkopolhukam seriously intend to reconcile once atasdugaan investigate human rights violations that have occurred.
The Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan, in the meeting held at his office at that Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing a clear direction related to this issue. The government, said the minister, seriously intend to reconcile as well as to investigate the alleged human rights violations occurred in Papua.
The Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan, in the meeting held at his office at that Thursday night, said President Joko Widodo has been providing a clear direction related to this issue. The government, said the minister, seriously intend to reconcile as well as to investigate the alleged human rights violations occurred in Papua.
“If the government was proven to conduct violation in the past, so the current leaders in this country would not hesitate to apologize to the victims,” said the minister.
He also emphasized that this effort is not for blaming. According to him, President Widodo has given advice to punish those who found guilty but it must have evidences. He said there would be a team led by Governor of National Defense Institute Agus Widjojo to run the investigation and reconciliation.
“If there are new founding in the investigation, we would not close the next step,” he said. (Victor Mambor/rom)
Posted: Friday, April 29, 2016 8:00 am
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Special Leaders Summit scheduled to be held in Port Vila next week has been postponed to a date yet to be confirmed.
Daily Post understands the MSG Special Leaders Summit will no longer be held from May 3-5 as initially planned and provisional dates (subject to change) may be May 30 to June 3, 2016 depending on the availability and commitments of the Leaders.
This will be a blow to Vanuatu’s Free West Papua Association organized public march today, which was planned to happen on the brink of the MSG Leaders’ Summit but will strengthen the support and determination nationwide.
On Tuesday, Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told the Fiji Sun that he won’t be attending the MSG meeting in Port Vila as he would be attending the Queen’s birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle in London with Fiji’s Military Forces Band.
PM Bainimarama who said the appointment of Fijian diplomat Amena Yauvoli as MSG Director General would be discussed in the upcoming MSG Leaders’ meet also noted that Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea have questioned the system used to appoint Mr. Yauvoli.
He further indicated that Fiji’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Inoke Kubuabola as likely to represent Fiji in the MSG meeting.
In 2015 then Prime Minister Sato Kilman did not attend the MSG Leaders’ Summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands due to political developments and sent an envoy in his absence.
Nevertheless, the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Charlot Salwai has frankly confirmed its intention to see Indonesia out of the MSG and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) gain full membership into MSG.
The process of the appointment of the new MSG DG has also come under scrutiny, an issue raised by PM Salwai and this week Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill wrote to the chair of the MSG, Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare saying the process of consensus through the MSG Leaders Summit by all members must be completed before such appointments can be announced.
Vanuatu Free West Papua Committee members Lai Sakita and Jacob Kintor are calling on “all real men, women and youths” to come out of their facebook comfort zones, to join the public march in Port Vila this morning, to demand the Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders to give full membership of MSG to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), and terminate Indonesia from the Sub Regional Organisation.
The march starts at Fung Kuei car park opposite Anchor Inn, along the Lini Highway to the MSG Secretariat at Independence Park this morning.
All marchers are asked to gather at the car park at 7.30am.
“The aim of the peaceful march is to show our civil society organisation support for the unification of the Melanesian countries of Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, including the non-self-governing territories of Kanaky and West Papua and to call for MSG to upgrade West Papua bid to full member,” the invitation from the West Papua Office explains.
The two members made the call on behalf of the Chairman, Pastor Allan Nafuki, for all responsible people of Port Vila from throughout Vanuatu and round Efate, to join the march from Fung Kuei car park to the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, to hand over a public petition to the MSG Leaders.
The petition which is signed by thousands of people, demands MSG to do what is right and make the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) a full member of MSG.
Indonesia has been granted Associate Membership of MSG, an act which the marchers see as a mockery to Vanuatu’s traditional stand for freedom for West Papua. The marchers want to see Indonesia’s Associate Membership cancelled.
Sakita says expressing one’s firm support for West Papuans’ Right and Freedom is one thing but real people are those who come out to stand up for what they believe in.
“While we appreciate your brave words of support for West Papua on fb, we want all of you to prove what you say by coming out to join in this peaceful march to confirm you mean business for the people of West Papua,” Sakita says.
The committee says they are considering means to make sure only local media personnel and those that they know, are allowed to take pictures.
They expect the event will be of significant interests to “strangers” as well, who they advise, should think twice before snapping pictures of the march.
“First the regional government will have to clear the land, test the routes, assess the environmental impact and look for recommendations from all regional leaders in the area,” Hermanto said.
All in all, West Papua’s railway development will be done in three phases. The total length of the railway track from Manokwari to Sorong will be 390 kilometers. The project is expected to start this year.
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https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1390
5) Marap Indigenous Group claim back three oil palm plantation divisions in Arso.
Indigenous land owners from the Marap people in Arso have used customary law to take back oil palm land owned by PT PN II as part of its Arso plantation, specifically the Core III, Core IV and Core V divisions. The action took place at Yamara village PIR 3, Manem sub-district, Keerom Regency, on Wednesday 27th April.
Maickel Fatagur, the head of the Fatagur clan which holds customary land rights, alongside other clans such as the Wabiager and Gumis clans, said that they will no longer hold any kind of meetings with the company. That is because they have used customary law to take back the land PTPN was using.
“We’e used customary law to take the land back. That means now there will be no more meetings with the company. The land now belongs to us. We invite PTPN II Arso to take back its oil palm and we will take back our land. That’s all”, Fatagur made clear to the Manager of PTPN II’s Arso plantation on Wednesday at Tami in Manem District, in Keerom.
According to Maickel, PTPN II has operated the Arso plantation on the Fatagur clan’s land, and that of its sub-clans, for around 30 years, but the local community, who hold the customary land rights, have never felt economically secure
“All these years attention has never been paid to the wellbeing of the community who hold the customary land rights on the land used by PTPN II Arso at the three locations in question, Core III, Core IV and Core V, which amount to 1300 hectares”, said Fatagur.
Dominika Tafor, the secretary of the Boda Student Association (Himpunan Mahasiswa Boda) in Keerom who is also an indigenous member of the Marap ethnic group, said that she was supporting the action taken by local indigenous people.
“We strongly support the action which the Marap community of Workwama village are taking today. We support it, because for so many years the company has not paid attention to the fate of the community. They only come to destroy”, she said.
When the indigenous people arrived at the plantation office in Tami, PTPN II’s Arso plantation manager, Hilarius Manurung, recieved them and said that he would take their wishes on board and pass them on to the Keerom local government.
“Since we’re a state owned company, we can only listen to all aspirations and complaints and pass them on to the local government for further action. There’s not much we can do. What we can do is to follow up all these complaints from the community,” said Manurung.
Suarapapua.com observed that security forces from the Keerom police headquarters were present, 11 armed policemen in a Dalmas truck, ready to police the Marap people’s action.
The action started from Workwama village at 9-00 am and travelled by truck the 6km to the plantation areas Core III – Core V, bringing a banner which read “we don’t need oil palm, we only need forest #savehutanpapua #savehutankeerom for our grandchildren”
As a symbol, the indigenous people brought soil from the three oil palm locations and taro yams from their gardens, placing them in a noken string bag made from forest palm frond midribs, and using traditional rituals took them to PTPN II’s office located in the plantation administration centre in Tami.
HARUN RUMBARAR
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