Thursday, September 28, 2017

1) LUKAS ENEMBE’S VOLUNTEERS PAY VISIT TO KOMNAS HAM RI


2) FULL FREEDOM OF WEST PAPUA: THE MESSAGE FROM THE STREETS, FOR THE STREETS
3) HESEGEM: WIRANTO ERRONEOUSLY SETTLED HUMAN RIGHTS CASES WITH ‘BAKAR BARU’ CUSTOM
4) Area youth travels to Papua, Indonesia
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1) LUKAS ENEMBE’S VOLUNTEERS PAY VISIT TO KOMNAS HAM RI
Sep 28, 2017
Jayapura, Jubi – A number of Lukas Enembe volunteers, led by Alberto Wanimbo, went to the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission
(Komnas HAM). A group of volunteers who call themselves as Representatives of the Mass Frontiers of Mass Rally in Entire Land of
Papua come to Komnas HAM RI office on Monday (September 25).
The arrival of this group to urge Komnas HAM to convey the government to immediately stop all forms of criminalization to Papua Governor,
Lukas Enembe.
“On the 19th we did a big demonstration in six cities in Papua. The essence of the demo is to ask the government to stop all forms of
criminalization on Lukas Enembe who is the best son of Papua at this time, “said Wanimbo who is the Head of Luke Enembe Volunteer Team
Volume II, after delivering their complaint.
He reiterated that post-meeting between Governor Lukas Enembe and Head of BIN, National Police Chief and North Sumatra Police Chief, Irjenpol
Paulus Waterpauw and Lukas Enembe’s summons as a witness in the case of corruption of scholarship fund, indicate a criminalization effort
on the governor.
“The current criminalization could happen in the future to other Papuan leaders,” Wanimbo added.
He alluded to the evidence that was not strong in the investigation of scholarship fund case.
“But the investigation seems to be forced. This gives the impression there is a political motive in the investigation,” he said.
The arrival of this group to Komnas HAM RI was received by Komnas HAM Commissioner Natalius Pigai. According to Pigai, he has communicated
with National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian. The Police, said Pigai, only perform the duties as law enforcement.
“The case of the alleged corruption is under investigation on collecting evidence and initial information,” explained Pigai.
In fact, he continued, before the big demonstration that occurred on the 19th, the case of Lukas Enembe has been completed in the police.

“The National Police Chief told Komnas HAM that the investigation could be continued or also not. Police are also monitoring the
dynamics that occur in Papua, “said Pigai. (*)
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Sep 28, 2017

2) FULL FREEDOM OF WEST PAPUA: THE MESSAGE FROM THE STREETS, FOR THE STREETS
Melbourne, Jubi – The music video track, Full Freedom, draws parallels between the rise of racial violence in the USA, and violence against West Papuans in Papua.
ARIA nominated producer Airileke & Dizz1 have joined forces again to release a new remix of the song “Full Freedom” through Rize of the Morning Star. Having put out the original track and a video for the song in 2012, the updated release is a Krump mix that includes a sample from Tight Eyez, the creator of Krump himself saying:
“it needs to be addressed; it needs to be acknowledged that this is happening.” Tight Eyez, Creator of Krump

The audio is taken from an interview where he elaborates on Krump as a movement and art form, and his assertion on the importance of raising awareness about the ongoing human rights abuses in West Papua.

The song also contains excerpts from a speech given at the United Nations 20 years ago by Benny Wenda, the exiled Independence leader and spokesperson for The United Liberation Movement for West Papua. Although heavy with campaign messaging from the Free West Papua movement, the new “Skittles & Tea” mix and film clip is named in reference to Trayvon Martin, an unarmed, African American 17 year old who was shot and killed on his way home from the store.
Although unjustified, his shooting was ruled “legal” by a Florida jury.  This remix and video are Rize of the Morning Star’s response to a situation in both the USA and West Papua where police brutality happens with impunity.  In these times we see some Freedom but we still seek Full Freedom. 
“Hip hop has always had that vibe of pushing back against oppression. What I love about Krump is the fact that it is resistance through dance and music – it’s not about a Rapper. It’s more collective than that, its more tribal than that, the raw aggression in Krump is something that Pacific Islanders can relate to”, says Airileke
About the music video
Produced in a collaboration of Rize of the Morning Star teams in Australia and the USA, the video was created to dramatize the ongoing human rights struggle in West Papua, and to start a conversation about solidarity across borders for all people experiencing marginalization in their communities.
The video features world renowned dancers from both continents; in Australia the internationally acclaimed  Torres Strait Islander dancer Albert David represents indigenous Australia’s solidarity with West Papua as he raises the symbol of West Papuan freedom, the Morning Star flag.
Raising the Morning Star Flag in solidarity on U.S. soil are world renowned krumpers Baby Tight Eyex, Preston Projecc, KidBeast 88, and JBeast Carson.
“This is the first time a solidarity video from the U.S. has been made, so we really wanted to create a piece that showed iconic American imagery and artists, then present it alongside their Melanesian counterparts. We wanted to speak to the fact that although we are far apart in distance, our worlds are connected through our common struggles,” said Jewell Faamaligi, Representative for the RIZE team in the U.S..
The point of naming it after Trayvon is to speak to the reality that at the end of the day we all want the same thing; to be able to return home safely from doing something as innocuous as going to the store to buy Skittles and tea. When an injustice happens anywhere in the world we all feel it deeply, because it is an unwanted reminder of how fragile the lives of people of color are.”
Through this film clip we wanted to show to the Papuan people that their cries have been heard on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. This is a message from the streets, for the streets. This track bridges from one end of the Pacific to the other.… its a bridge created for the message of West Papua from the Streets of Moresby to the Streets of L.A.
The title of the track also references what is going on in the United States right now. “At the moment we see the same things going on in Australia, with political leaders giving space for the rise of overt racism,” said Arilike.
“West Papua has the largest Gold and Copper mine in the world, most likely the device you are reading this on comes from resources extracted from West Papua. The Freeport mine was part of the deal the USA and Australia made with Indonesia to allow West Papua to be handed over to Indonesia.
We have since seen the indigenous population decline from over 95% to less than 47% in just 50 years,” he also said.(*)
 
Source: Rize of the Morning Star
Editor: Zely Ariane
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3) HESEGEM: WIRANTO ERRONEOUSLY SETTLED HUMAN RIGHTS CASES WITH ‘BAKAR BARU’ CUSTOM
Sep 28, 2017
Jayapura, Jubi – Chairman of Advocacy Network for Law and Human Rights of Central Highlands of Papua, Theo Hesegem, said that the settlement
of human rights violations cannot be equated with the customary peace of burning stones, in accordance with the customs of Papuans.
Theo Hesegem made the comment in respond to the statement of Menkopolhukam RI, Wiranto, about the custom of ‘bakar batu’ (burning
stone) in the settlement of human rights violations in the land of Papua.
“Wiranto speaks something that is out of his knowledge. Tribal war is different from the human rights violations that often carried out by
state through the TNI and Police,” he said Monday (September 25).
 Surprised by Wiranto’s statement, Hesegem questioned when Wiranto was at war with the Papuan people and where it was done.
“So resolving cases of human rights violations through the mechanism of ‘bakar batu’, is just wrong,” he said.
He also questioned on what legal basis Wiranto could use to resolve human rights violations with Papuan culture.
According to him, there are many human rights violations in Papua, all of them motivated by the element of Papua political status on the past.
“It is not on the background of tribal war. Wiranto comments in the media have made indigenous Papuans very angry and refuse to accept.
Political issues cannot be equated with tribal wars. If there is no material basis to speak, it is better to just stay still,” he said.
Previously as quoted from detik.com, Wiranto said that human right case settlement through judicial route is the western culture.
Indonesian way in solving the problem, including gross human rights violations, is through deliberation and consensus in kinship. He
refers to custom in Papua, ie the ‘bakar batu’.
“The killing of tribes in Papua alone is a consensus, as they have a ‘bakar batu’ tradition, eating together, (as to the problem of killing solved). ” said Wiranto on Friday (September 22).(*)
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4) Area youth travels to Papua, Indonesia



Submitted by Nathan Knapp
It was the last day in the jungle and the bush plane to carry us out could arrive mid-morning. It was around 8 a.m. there on the equator and I was doing the chicken chores for the last time. Putting the feed and water in the troughs as I had done before, there was nothing new about the scene. As I got to the end of the last trough, I glanced up toward the nesting box straight in front of me. There, not more than four feet away, nearly filling the space, was the coiled body of the thickest snake I had ever seen.
Nearly two weeks earlier, my dad, my sister and I had arrived on the coast of Papua, Indonesia, to bring my sister in to help a family doing mission and relief work in the jungle. Landing in Sentani after an all-night flight from Singapore, we waited to see what the weather would allow us concerning flights into the jungle.
We were able to leave around 9 a.m. on our hour flight to the village. It was quite interesting flying over a vast sea of jungle and having trees as far as the eye could see. Our course took us over a mountain range which we flew very close to because of the low-flying nature of the plane. There were around 50 villagers to welcome us. Since the start of our trip, we had been carrying expensive and much needed supplies for the effort there, since items of value often disappear from the mail. It was fun seeing our contacts unpack.
The first thing we did when we got to the village was go swimming. This is the main source of entertainment and pleasure, and a good river was high on the priority list when choosing a location for their health clinic and school and housing. I was a little concerned about snakes and waterborne illness in the river. This is a part of the world where the river is used for both drinking and as a waste deposit, but they had never seen a snake in the river, and as long as we didn’t down any water we’d be okay.
One of the two reasons I went on the trip was to help with work around the grounds that needed to be done. I started by filling in holes around the edges of the chicken coops to prevent snakes from entering.
The loss of even one layer is losing 180 eggs before a pullet could be raised to start laying again. The value of an egg is much greater there, because of the scarcity of food and the egg’s nutritional value. The missionaries are raising the chickens for the school children and teachers. While it was exciting, it was rather hard finding that snake in the coop after I’d worked to seal it. But it was a happy day for some of the Korowai, for after the snake was killed they took it and the chickens it killed to eat. They take whatever they can for food.
One of the things the missionary told me was that the jungle is constantly defeating him. I was able to relate with him when we went to dig out a trash pit that had filled in with mud. It took us an hour of exhausting work to get around 12 inches of rock and mud removed. This can be refilled overnight, and more, during the rainy season.
The heat of the day drains a person’s energy, so our routine was to rest and swim during the afternoon. If you let your body get too tired, you will be susceptible to the many illnesses in that region. During our time there, we rocked a good length of path from the river that had a tendency to be muddy, and since it rained nearly every day this was a useful project.
Even though I only worked mornings, I still looked forward to our dip in the river and viewed it as the most refreshing thing I’d ever felt. They garden because they need to, whereas most people here garden because they want to do it. Everything must be done by hand, including spading up the earth.
The major garden crop is sweet potatoes, lots and lots of them. In fact, the Korowai people’s main diet is sweet potato and sago palm, and they have an enzyme in their small intestine that allows them to build muscle from sweet potato. They also grow peanuts and beans and eat whatever they catch, including rats and large spiders.  They are a small, thin people and many are malnourished from their limited diet, though their health has improved since the missionaries got there to give medical and nutritional help 10 years ago.
The men do not value the women very highly, and in many cases treat the pigs better. In fact, it is said that a man’s pig is more valuable than his wife. It is not uncommon for them to sit idly while the women do the work. This contributes greatly to the lack of food and poverty.
They have married their wives when the girls are as young as 5 years old, and both men and women can kill children they do not want for various reasons, from thinking they are witches to simply not wanting them. Kind of like America. This is why our friends went to bring them medicines that will heal their bodies, a school to improve their minds, and to tell them about the eternal life saving blood of Christ for their souls.
We have a lot of problems in our country, yet the influence of a Christian mindset that honors God and people is still evident. This is a blessing they have never had.
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