2) BABY KANA, THREE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE IN THE STORY OF PUTI HATIL AND KOROWAI (PART 3)
3) Trial further delayed for West Papuan campaigner
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1) RAMANDEY: INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS CAN HELP TO SETTLE PAPUAN PAST HUMAN VIOLATIONS
Jan 10, 2018
Illustration of demonstration to demand the sttlements of Human Rights violation in Papua – Jubi. Doc
Jayapura, Jubi – Head of Papua Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) representative office, Frits Ramandey said that it is possible for human rights issues in Papua to be solved based on international mechanisms.
However, he said, as long as national mechanism is working, international mechanisms must respect and should not interven the process.
“But the intervention is very likely to happen in various international forums, for example some countries give their view of human rights issues in Indonesia, especially Papua in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) forum,” Frits told Jubi on Monday (December 8).
According to him, that was an example of international mechanism, and possible political intervention in such forum is unavoidable. Besides, both victims and other parties need the support of international mechanisms.
“For example, in 2017 some people referred to Papua journalists report in the media, for example, Jubi was a reference for various countries, especially embassies, such as Franciscan report, which provide basis for intervention, (in this way) the international mechanism is very possible.”
Furthermore, Frits said that periodical report from National Human Rights Commission (KOMNAS HAM) on human rights development and enforcement in Indonesia can be a fresh reminder for Indonesia has ratified several international instruments.
Related to the Paniai case, he hopes that the newly appointed TNI Commander will give TNI members a chance to be questioned.
“KOMNAS HAM Adhoc team needs to ask for information related to TNI involvement (in the case). If they fail to cooperate with Komnas HAM official letters such as the police, the credibility of TNI institutions will be ruin, as Indonesia is included in international human rights mechanism,” he said.
Previously Papuan legislator John NR Gobai said he supports international mechanism used for Papua human rights settlement. According to him, so far the central government has been acting indifferent.
“But the question is whether Indonesia government would gives permission or is willing, because international mechanism need government need support to be implemented,” said Gobai.
He said, it is possible to solve the problem of Papuan human rights with international mechanism but it is still rely on Indonesian government cooperation.
Governor regulation on Papua human rights
Related to the provincial mechanisms to settle past human rights cases, Frits Ramandey said that Papua’s governor regulation regarding human rights has not been realized. It is still stumbles in Legal Bureau of Papua Province.
Papuan governor, Lukas Enembe, according to Frits is committed to the regulation. He even had assigned Assistant I, Doren Wakerkwa (to be incharge) and Doren had given the governor guidance to the Legal Bureau of Papua Province Regional Secretariat.
“Komnas HAM has institutionalized the draft of its gubernatorial regulation,” said Frits to Jubi, Monday (December 8).
He questions the reason behind Legal Bureau lack of responses, while governor has ordered it. If there are any records related to the draft, it should be conveyed to Komnas HAM for correction.
“The Legal Bureau in some forums with the Minister of Political, Legal and Human Rights, expressed their commitment to resolve the human rights cases, but unfortunately the Bureau of Law is still lack of cooperatiion,” he said.
He said that Komnas HAM had coordinated with Head of Legal Bureau several times, but gets no respond. Frits note that it is important to remembe Act No. 21 of 2001 on Special Autonomy of Papua that was born because there were demands for solving human rights problems. (*)
Editor: Zely Ariane
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2) BABY KANA, THREE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE IN THE STORY OF PUTI HATIL AND KOROWAI (PART 3)
Jan 10, 2018
Written by Rev. Trevor Christian Johnson
Illustration of health crisis of Korowai people where an evangelist Jimmy Weyato is preparing a coffin – Jubi/Agus Pabika
Jakarta, Jubi – The 3rd and final forgotten person I want to write about during the drama of Puti Hatil’s sickness and healing is Baby Kana, also from Afimabul.
The day that Dakinus led Daniel and his baby son to Danowage, Baby Kana was also carried with them in their group. She was also brought to Danowage along with Puti Hatil. But she did not heal.
Last week (end of December) Puti was flown back to his village by helicopter, his cheek sewn closed and the wound clean and dry and healthy. He was returned to the Korowai region because he was healed and was sick no more.
He is a success story.
But Baby Kana also suffers no more. She also no longer has any illness. Instead of being flown back to her village by helicopter, however, she was returned to the dust of the earth.
She has now been dead for over 6 weeks.
Most people do not know that this other small child was also brought to Danowage from Afimabul during the same trip along with Puti Hatil. They were both carried to Danowage together.
While Puti was being cared for in the VIP Room at Dian Harapan Hospital with many visitors and enjoying much media attention and money was being gathered on his behalf, the baby Kana lay rotting in the ground, buried in a very simple wooden coffin made from rough boards.
She was yet another statistic demonstrating the poor condition of healthcare in this region.
We wanted to help her so bad. We did our best. But she died during the night. When we received her in Danowage she had already been sick for a whole month, and she was just too sick and weak to recover when she arrived.
Maybe the journey was too much for her. We did not have a chance to really treat her or an opportunity to fly her out to the hospital like Puti.
But Baby Kana is just as much a part of this story as Puti. The child Puti Hatil was saved. Baby Kana was not.
But help came because of Puti.
God is using the case of Puti to bless the entire Korowai region. And through Puti’s sufferings, the whole Korowai region seems to be experiencing a blessing of health care.
He became a symbol to rally around and to gather help and support. Because of Puti’s pain, many Korowai children will not need to experience illness or death.
After many long years of waiting for help, we are now being flooded. I can only praise the churches and students and the government officials who are very quick to help.
Upon hearing of the health crisis in the Korowai region, the Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe quickly responded and visited Danowage and promised more help and embraced many of the local people, showing his heart for the interior peoples of Papua.
Many good people are now involved and working together from both church and government to help the Korowai.
But sometimes I fear. Sometimes I fear that it will not be the case of Puti Hatil that is representative of the help that is coming to the Korowai region (a very sick baby who was helped and healed and returned successfully to the city).
Sometimes I am afraid that people will soon forget the trials of the Korowai. Instead of Puti Hatil being a symbol of hope, I am afraid that the case of Baby Kana will become a more fitting symbol – a child who died without help and will be forgotten unless I can keep her memory alive through written articles such as this.
We have two future options for the Korowai. Who will better represent the fate of the Korowai, Puti Hatil and his rescue? Or Baby Kana and her death?
This is the real tragedy of Papua; while 90% of the media is focused on politics in the cities, the interior peoples of Papua go to bed hungry and many die due to neglect. There are MANY Puti Hatils in my region. Even more sadly, there are many MORE Baby Kanas.
Between the years 2009 and 2015, shootings within the Freeport Mine project area killed 20 people and injured 59. In that same period of time illness and disease has killed much more in just this Korowai region of Papua where I serve.
I pray and plead that this is the last year that their cries will go unheard. (End)
Editor: Zely Ariane
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3) Trial further delayed for West Papuan campaigner
The trial of a West Papuan independence campaigner, jailed for over six months without charges, has been delayed due to the judge not appearing for court.
Yanto Awerkion was scheduled to appear on Tueday but for a fourth time the session was cancelled.
The pro-independence KNPB movement said the previous three cancellations were due to a lack of witnesses.
Mr Awerkion was arrested on June 23 last year because of his involvement with a petition calling for independence from Indonesia.
He is said to be facing charges of treason which, if convicted, could lead to a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
Mr Awerkion's trial has been re-scheduled to take place on Thursday in Timika in Indonesia's Papua Province.
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