2) Visit by Police Chief perceived as effort to intimidate
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1) Focus on West Papua
Charlene Lanyon Tuesday, June 21, 2016
SUBMISSIONS made by various sectors to the Pacific Islands Forum have highlighted West Papua as an issue of concern in the region.
Committee representative Lopeti Senituli said 47 submissions were received from the private sector, civil society, individuals, donor communities and Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies.
"The committee comprises experts in specialist fields and we are tasked with identifying and recommending to the forum leaders a set of initiatives that are transformative of the region and supportive of deeper regionalism.
"We would also review progress reports and prepare a brief report to the forum leaders.
"During our assessment, we found that 13 of the 47 proposals that were received were on the issue of West Papua," he said.
PNG's Leonard Louma said West Papua was also one of the five priority issues adopted by the forum last year, along with climate change, fisheries, cervical cancer and information and communications technology.
"However, last year the focus was on the human rights violations happening in West Papua," he said.
"This year's submission focuses on highlighting the issue on the international stage such as at the United Nations and its Human Rights Council.
"Papua New Guinea PM and forum chair Peter O'Neill had written to the Indonesian president and he has informed us that the appropriate place to bring up this issue was at the Bali Democracy Forum."
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2) Visit by Police Chief perceived as effort to intimidate
Jayapura, Papua Elsham – On Friday 17 June 2016, at 2.20 p.m., local time, the Head of the Fakfak Police Resort, Fakfak Police Chief Superintendent Ghazali Ahmad, accompanied by six of his officers, paid a visit to the Fakfak Secretariat of the Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (ELSHAM Fakfak). According to Freddy Warpopor, Co-ordinator of ELSHAM Fakfak, the purpose of his visit was to confirm a report regarding the complaint submitted by ELSHAM Fakfak, in relation to cases of pornography and sexual abuse committed by the Fakfak Police Resort against minors.
As was previously reported, on 2 May 2016, local police officers had arrested a number of civilians who were planning on conducting peaceful demonstrations. A number of teenagers were also among those arrested. During the interrogation at the Fakfak Police Headquarters, one of the police officers had displayed video footages of porn on his cell phone, and then he had forced MT, HD and HH to watch the video. Subsequently, the victims’ family asked ELSHAM Fakfak to accompany the victims to report the case to the Profession and Ethics Division (Propam) of the Fakfak Police. After the complaint was submitted, ELSHAM Fakfak, together with a team of Human Rights advocates in Fakfak held a press conference on Thursday 16 June 2016.
A day after the case was reported and the press conference held (16 June), Fakfak Police Chief Superintendent Ghazali Ahmad came to the Secretariat of ELSHAM Fakfak, located at Jalan Krapangit Gewab, Village of Lusiperi, Fakfak District City, Fakfak. During his visit, the Chief of Police was accompanied by one of his aides who was wearing a police uniform, and four other police officers in plain clothes. When they arrived in front of the Secretariat of ELSHAM Fakfak, the aide of the Police Chief directly barged into the office, without asking for permission to enter beforehand.
“They came without any prior notice. When I stepped out and met with the Police Chief, he asked: “Oh Mr. Freddy, please could we have our picture taken, it’s for my records”. After the aide took our picture, he went straight into the office of ELSHAM’s secretariat without asking for permission, and he started taking pictures of any and all the documents that were there, as well as the furniture that was in the room, including the nameplate of ELSHAM Fakfak’s secretariat,” said Warporpor.
Warpopor then advised the Fakfak Police Chief to meet with the Chairman of the Mbaham Matta Customary Council in order to fulfill certain obligations for a process of customary settlement of the case, because the community wished for such a process. In the meantime the settlement through the formal legal process will still be pursued, so that there will be sanctions against police officers who have violated the law. Responding to the suggestion by the Co-ordinator of ELSHAM Fakfak, the Police Chief promised he would continue to co-ordinate in order to find the way to a favourable settlement. A around 3 p.m., local time, the Fakfak Police Chief and his men left the building of the ELSHAM Fakfak Secretariat. Before the arrival of the Police Chief, members of the police intelligence had been seen, monitoring the Secretariat of ELSHAM Fakfak.
In a separate statement, Ferry Marisan, Director of ELSHAM Papua, stated that the actions taken by Fakfak police officers who walked in unexpectedly at the office of the Fakfak Secretariat of ELSHAM, represent a form of intimidation. “The police should abide by the legal procedures in order to collect information, they were out of order when they abruptly walked into the office of ELSHAM Fakfak, without any prior notice. It was only yesterday that we submitted the complaint to the Profession and Ethics Division (Propam) of the Fakfak Police; if they wish to obtain certain clarifications or confirmation, they are more than welcome to send an official letter to us, and we will respond. We do not want any pressure from any party whose intentions would be to make people afraid to report the truth,” said Marisan.
ELSHAM Papua © 2016
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