2) Indonesia Shown the Inability to Demonstrate a Proper Diplomatic Behaviour in Public Spaces.
3) ICMI Condemns Pacific Countries over Meddling on West Papua Issue
4) Jokowi Continues Papua Rights Issue Resolution
5) Fiji and PNG ‘playing games’ over Papua issue
6) West Sepik governor frustrated by delays on power hook-up
7) Uncen Students Host Screening of Documentary on Human Rights Defender Munir
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1) Workers strike at US miner Freeport’s Indonesia site
By AFP PUBLISHED: 17:25 +11:00, 3 October 2016 | UPDATED: 17:25 +11:00, 3 October 2016
More than 1,000 workers have gone on strike at an Indonesian gold and copper mine owned by US firm Freeport-McMoRan in a row over bonus payments, the company and a union said on Monday.
The workers, mostly truck operators, started the strike last Wednesday at Grasberg, one of the world's biggest gold and copper mines, which is located in the mountains of eastern Papua province.
The workers' union said they were angry about differences in bonus payments given to them and an engineering team at the site.
General view of the Freeport McMoRan's Grasberg mining complex, one of the world's biggest gold and copper mines located in Indonesia's remote eastern Papua province ©Olivia Rondonuwu (AFP/File)
Riza Pratama, a spokesman for Freeport's Indonesian unit, said operations in Grasberg's open-pit mine had been affected by the strike but an underground mine at the site was so far unaffected.
A processing plant at the mine was still operating but at limited capacity, he said.
A member of the union, Gibi Kenelak, said that a senior company official had flown from Jakarta and spoken to the workers on Monday but the matter remained unresolved.
Grasberg has been plagued by strikes, accidents and production problems in recent years.
In 2011, a three-month strike crippled production at the mine, and workers only halted the industrial action once Freeport agreed to a huge pay rise.
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2) Indonesia Shown the Inability to Demonstrate a Proper Diplomatic Behaviour in Public Spaces.
3 October 2016
By Dio Herdiawan Tobing
IN the past few days, Indonesia’s first Right of Reply in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has attracted nation-wide Indonesia medias. Not because Indonesia’s statement was outstanding, but merely because of its firmness and the beauty of Indonesia’s representative. However, we found out that to some extent Indonesia’s statement focused heavily on sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as, the institutionalization of human rights commitment by the numbers of ratified conventions. This does not show any advantages. It opens a loophole that Indonesia was unable to show evidence of the progress made in Papua related to the human rights violation.
Meanwhile, the second Right of Reply embraced by Solomon Islands, shows intelligence, diplomatic, and well-researched information. Solomon Islands, though, only a very small archipelagic country showed its concern on human rights issue in West Papua by reminding Indonesia that although Indonesia has ratified the Convention against Torture (CAT), progress has not yet been made in Papua. In fact, Indonesia has not yet submitted its Periodic Review since 2008. The Solomon claimed that they received information on the lack of human rights protection of the Melanesian people in West Papua from the Respected UN members and head of civil societies.
Furthermore, it is also regretful to hear that in another right of reply utilized by Indonesia to respond against Solomon Islands, the Republic again justified that Solomon Islands’ concern has breached Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and claiming that Solomon Islands is trapped in trash information of the separatist group in West Papua. Again, without elaborating on what progress has been made and what form for commitment has been implemented by the Indonesian government towards promotion and protection of human rights in West Papua.
In fact, this occasion reminded us of Southeast Asian countries conducting their diplomatic activities. The ASEAN’s method of diplomacy, has been seen upholding the norm of sensitivity, politeness, non-confrontation and agreeability, and the principle of quiet. ASEAN members in their decision- and policy-making process have always refrained from criticizing others, claiming that criticizing other respective members of ASEAN will fall into the violation of non-interference principle and respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is similar, on what the delegation of Indonesia delivered in her right of reply, that the concern of Solomon Islands’ towards human rights situation in West Papua will only disrespect Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, in other occasion, ASEAN has a method famously known as ‘constructive-engagement’. ASEAN and particularly, Indonesia, have been progressively utilizing this tool to put concern on the human rights situation in Myanmar. In 2009 Indonesia had bilateral talk with Myanmar in regards to the Rohingya massacre. This occasion became a cornerstone because during the talk, it was the first time that Prime Minister Thein Sein finally acknowledged that he paid great attention to this issue. Myanmar finally accepted that Rohingya was also their concern. Wasn’t the talk breach Myanmar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity? Actually, it was too, yet the difference is the operation of ASEAN’s constructive engagement remains invisible. Because the diplomatic-negotiation has never been done in public spaces, claiming that it is the feature of ASEAN’s diplomacy, backdoor diplomacy, or for some, how ASEAN conducts its intra- or inter-ASEAN relations have become a model named as “Asian Diplomacy”
Therefore, reflecting on the case of Solomon Islands-Indonesia in the UNGA and Indonesia-Myanmar in ASEAN, the conduct of ASEAN Diplomacy shows only an excuse for ASEAN in particular, Indonesia, upon their inability to demonstrate a proper diplomatic behavior in public spaces.
The author is research Intern at ASEAN Studies Center University of Gajah Mada
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3) ICMI Condemns Pacific Countries over Meddling on West Papua Issue
1 October 2016
Jakarta, Jubi – The Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) condemned the statement by Pacific countries’ leaders for what it called their meddling in Indonesia’s affairs over West Papua.
ICMI Deputy Chairman Priyo Budi Santoso in a press release received in Jakarta on Thursday (29/9/2016) accused those Pacific leaders of intervening concerning West Papua.
“Pacific countries should not intervene the internal affairs of Indonesia with provocative statements that the West Papua should be given their rights for self-determination,” said Priyo.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands Manasye Sogavere said there have been the human rights violations in West Papua, therefore the people should be given the rights for self-determination through a referendum to decide whether they would stay with the Republic of Indonesia or build their own state.
Priyo asserted that West Papua Province could not be separated from Indonesia. So, if there are problems, the one who should be responsible to resolve it is the Indonesian Government, not other countries.
“So, if there are problems in West Papua, the Indonesian Government has responsibility to resolve it”. According to him, the open statement by the Pacific countries has been disturbed and intervened the internal affairs of Indonesia in the UN forum.
“As the neighbor countries, they shouldn’t do it, because the problems occurred in West Papua is the internal affairs of Indonesia as the sovereign country and the member of the United Nations,” said Priyo.
He urged the Indonesian Government to explicitly condemn the provocative act by Pacific countries against West Papua. In their statement, ICMI is clearly support the Unitary State of the Republic Indonesia or death! and West Papua is part of the Republic Indonesia, therefore it should be kept under the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia. (*/rom)
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4) Jokowi Continues Papua Rights Issue Resolution
TEMPO.CO, Birmingham - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo continues to take measures to resolve human rights issues in Papua, said presidential staff for political, legal, and security issues Jaleswari Pramodharwardani on Sunday, October 2, in a discussion held by the Indonesian Students Association (PPI) in England.
“Leadership is crucial in the resolution of human rights issue in Papua, and we have a president who is very aware of [what's happening] in Papua. The public rarely knows that they [the issues] continue to be discussed,” Dani said in Birmingham, as quoted by Antara.
He revealed that during his visit to Papua in December 2015, President Jokowi asked religious leaders for advice over the President’s plan to visit Papua. The President wanted to personally observe the living condition of the Papuan communities.
“President Jokowi suggested the release of political prisoners and followed it through by calling Army chief of staff, Police chief and Chief Security Minister,” he said.
President Jokowi is fully committed to resolving issues in Papua, according to Dani. However, the mass media have rarely reported progress made by the government in rights issues in Papua.
“Two days before I came here [England], I held talks with chief security minister [Wiranto] over human rights violations in Papua. I think the public must know that they [resolution efforts] continue to be done, but [so far] they have failed to make the headlines for public consumption,” he said.
ANTARA
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5) Fiji and PNG ‘playing games’ over Papua issue
11:21 am today
A former prime minister of Vanuatu says the Melanesian Spearhead Group is becoming ineffective because of games being played by Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
A leader’s summit for the regional group originally scheduled for this week has again been postponed without explanation.
This comes as the MSG grapples with a bid for full membership by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is opposed by Indonesia.
Barak Sope, a staunch advocate for West Papuan independence, said the group has become ineffective because Fiji and Papua New Guinea, which both support Indonesia, are dodging making a decision.
"My view is that it's just a game between the government of Papua New Guinea and the government of Fiji," he said.
"I think they're working with the Indonesians, and they're not supporting the Melanesian people in West Papua who want their independence. The postponements just keep on going on."
Mr Sope said the three remaining members of the MSG - Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia’s FLNKS - should go ahead and make a decision without the other two.
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6) West Sepik governor frustrated by delays on power hook-up
10:54 am today
The Governor of Papua New Guinea's West Sepik, or Sandaun Province is calling for the national government to help connect Vanimo's electricity grid with neighbouring Indonesia.
Amat Mai has expressed frustration that the state-owned company PNG Power has not yet connected the provincial capital's grid to Wutung at the Indonesian border.
The border between Indonesia's Papua province and Papua New Guinea. Photo: 123RF
He said his provincial government has spent $US500,000 to purchase a diesel generator from Indonesia which has linked up power from the capital of Papua province to the border and the bureaucrats in Waigani don't seem to grasp that Vanimo has growing needs for development but is always short of power.
"I think they don't have the bigger vision. We need to bring power to the (Bewani) Oil Palm (project), to Bhatas (the market on the border), so PNG Power can actually make money from the plantation, from the houses et cetera," he said.
"But they are too slow, and for the connection with Indonesia, they are doubting, because of the border security reasons."
Mr Mai said he has also committed $US1.3 million of local district service improvement funds to erecting power poles between Vanimo and the border.
He said the cables and poles were just laying idle in Vanimo, and in the absence of positive action from central government, his province needed to get moving to meet its own electricity needs.
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7) Uncen Students Host Screening of Documentary on Human Rights Defender Munir
30 September 2016
Jayapura,Jubi – Students at Cenderawasih University hosted a screening of a documentary about the human rights defender Munir Salid Talib, known as Munir, at the Cenderawasih University Auditorium in Jayapura on Wednesday (28/9/2-16).
The Chairman of Muslim Students Association (HMI) of Politics and Social Science Faculty Commissariat Putra Rumagia said the figure of Munir is needed in the current day because he fought for human rights.
“Today a figure like him has already gone. From the movie, we could see that he is very firmly in fighting against injustice in this republic,” he told Jubi on Thursday (29/09/16).
According to Rumagia, Munir is the firm, discipline and very brave figure in defending justice of each violations made by the state.
“We hope this nation could be more advance and respect all people who fight for human rights and human independence as well,” he said.
The Chairman of Student Executive Agency of Cenderawasih University Dony Gobay said the figure of Munir could not found in this era.
“In this modern era, there are many human rights violations occurred in Papua,” he said.
Through this screening event, Gobay expected the new generation would remind the flashback of a human rights defender.
“Fighting the truth would become a reality, because the most important for a human right defender is to always keep fighting,” he said.
It means, he added, there is nothing without values with what have been fought by Munir in several years ago that could be momorized today.
“It is very important and recorded in the history about human rights defenders in this country,” he said.
Muir was poisoned on 7 September 2004 when travelling from Indonesia to Amsterdam, Netherlands with Garuda Airlines. (*/rom)
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