Saturday, June 30, 2018

1) Papua Police Search for Missing Members Following Election Attack

2) Freeport Indonesia Acquisition Valued at Nearly 4 bn USD
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1) Papua Police Search for Missing Members Following Election Attack

                                   A polling station during the Papua Regional Election. TEMPO/Maria Hasugian

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Papua Police have mobilized 100 personnel in search of two of its members that went missing while transporting ballot boxes of Papua regional head election(Pilkada). 
“Some 100 personnel were deployed to search [for the missing police members] along the Mamberamo Raya river,” said Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli in a text message Temporeceived today, June 30.
Furthermore, according to National Police Spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto, both men went missing following an attack conducted by an armed group on the day of the election, Wednesday, June 27. 
There were nine police members with Torere District Head Obaja Faroro traveling on two speedboats to the Torere District carrying Pilkada logistics and the ballots. 
In the middle of their journey, the group was attacked by the unknown armed group that resulted in the death of the Torere District Head. Five police members jumped off the boat to evade the numerous gunshots. Three of the policemen survived while the other two, Police Insp. Second Class Jesayas H. Nusi and Brigadier Sinton Kabarek, are yet to be found. 
Setyo suggests that the armed group responsible for the attack is highly suspected to be connected with the group that shot at a Brimob plane at the Keneyam Airport in Papua just two days prior. The group, according to Setyo, allegedly intended to disrupt the election in Papua (Papua Pilkada 2018).
Andita Rahma

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2) Freeport Indonesia Acquisition Valued at Nearly 4 bn USD

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State Owned Enterprise Minister Rini Soemarno explained that she has discussed Freeport Indonesia`s acquisition value with Freeport McMoran Head Executive Richard Adkerson. 
“The final negotiation was US$3 billion and almost touching US$4 billion (Rp56 trillion), it’s still being finalized,” said Minister Rini at her house on Saturday, June 30.
She further explained that the finalization will likely be complete within the next two weeks, which will focus on the discussion related to environmental financial issues. 
Minister Rini said she has already reported the value of the acquisition to President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo before the Eid al-Fitr day in mid-June. The rest will focus on the detailed agreement between both sides and crucially about the way the partnership should be handled professionally and transparently. 

“On how to maintain it in an apparent way that it does not intervene with the government and is truly managed transparently,” said Rini. 
Previously, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan held a closed meeting with Freeport CEO Richard Adkerson at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington on Monday noon local time. 
Chitra Paramaesti
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Friday, June 29, 2018

1) KPU Hopes Papua Pilkada Takes Place before July 3

2) Ties between Timor-Leste and Australia hit turbulence

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HTTPS://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2018/06/29/055919589/KPU-HOPES-PAPUA-PILKADA-TAKES-PLACE-BEFORE-JULY-3

FRIDAY, 29 JUNE, 2018 | 18:40 WIB
1) KPU Hopes Papua Pilkada Takes Place before July 3

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner Pramono Ubaid Tanthowi said the commission was still awaiting security assurances from the Indonesian military (TNI) and the police (Polri) before carrying out postponed regional elections in two regencies in Papua, viz. Nduga and Pania regencies, and at scores of poling stations in Yakuhimo regency.
“Until now, we keep coordinating with TNI and Polri on when they will give security assurances to hold regional elections in those areas," Pramono said in his office on Thursday, June 28.
According to Pramono, the logistic distribution was hampered in Paniai regency due to security concerns. While in Yakuhimo regency, as many as 87 polling stations failed to hold the voting. “Papua needs serious measures [for the election],” he said.
Promono expected the voting would resume before the recapitulation day at the district level. “We hope before July 3 [the voting] will be held. But it’s rather difficult in the Paniai region, so we demand [security] assurances from TNI and Police for a conducive situation,” he added.

Home Affairs Ministry’s Public Relations head (Kapuspen) Bahtiar said the ministry had contacted the Papua's acting governor on recent developments in the area. Bahtiar said Papua is in a safe state. 
“There is no extreme case. There are disruptions from certain civil armed groups, which regularly take place in mountainous areas, but in general there is no problem in Papua," Bahtiar said in his office on Thursday, June 28. 
Bachtiar said elections in Nduga regency was hampered by the local KPU, whose commissioner had been suspended and his duties assumed by the Papua Provincial KPU. "Bu the committee was late on D-day, so it [the election] was postponed," he said. 
Earlier reports said the situation in Nduga regency, Papua, was simmering in light of attacks by an armed group on an airliner carrying dozens of police officers at Kenyam airport on June 25, or two days prior to the elections.
 
DEWI NURITA
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2) Ties between Timor-Leste and Australia hit turbulence

Men who exposed Australia for spying on the Timor-Leste Cabinet during 2004 bilateral gas talks now face jail



June 29, 2018








Timor-Leste's new government has hit a major hurdle in its plan to improve fraught relations with Australia over the sensitive issue of maritime boundaries in the gas-rich sea between the two countries.
It was only in March that Australia and Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor, signed a treaty drawing permanent maritime boundaries.
Ties have been improving since, but now the legacy Australian spying 14 years ago has come to the fore.
The Australian spy agency "whistleblower" known as Witness K and his Canberra-based lawyer, Bernard Collaery, a veteran advisor to Timor-Leste, were on June 28 committed for trial on criminal charges that could see them both jailed.
They are accused of illegally informing the Timor-Leste government that Australia had been spying on them by using Cabinet room listening devices installed on the authority of then foreign minister Alexander Downer.
This was while crucial talks were being conducted on the sharing of maritime oil and gas reserves.
"Witness K was not a whistleblower," Callaeary said previously. "He went with his complaint to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and received approval, and I received approval to act."
Collaery said that the prosecution was a "vindictive" attack that aimed at ruining his reputation and career, according to The Australian.
"It's an attack on myself for acting as a lawyer within my professional rules and it's a sad moment in the history of the country I love and have served," he said.
Privately the Timorese government is saying little, but Colleary is extremely close to Timor-Leste leaders such as Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak and Xanana Gusmao. 
The prosecution by Australia could stymie ongoing talks between Timor and Australia on the thorny issue of whether piped gas from the US$50 billion Great Sunrise gas field lands in Timor-Leste or Australia for processing.
Xanana Gusmao, head of the ruling Alliance for Progress and Change (but not prime minister), is continuing to press for a Timor-Leste facility, despite energy companies claiming such a move is uneconomic and could lead to them not exploiting the fields.
People close to the new Timor PM have said he is very keen to have much closer engagement with Australia. No minister in Australia's ruling conservative government has visited the country since its election in 2013.
Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Dionisio Babo told ucanews.com that the relationship with Australia had improved in recent years under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
This was during renegotiation of an earlier the maritime treaty, which was torn up by a U.N. court forcing Australia into negotiations. Colleary ran the court case in The Hague for Timor-Leste.
Babo remained mute over the trial committal decision of June 28: "I will not comment, it is a matter for the Australian legal system."
A spokesperson for the Australian government said planning was underway for Julie Bishop to visit Timor-Leste.
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Thursday, June 28, 2018

1) Indonesia beefing up disputed Papua border force in bid for minerals


2) Candidate Governor regrets shooting incident in Nduga
3) Soedarmo promises to support dormitory renovation

4) Indigenous women traders seek for economic development training


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1) Indonesia beefing up disputed Papua border force in bid for minerals
By  - 
  






2) Candidate Governor regrets shooting incident in Nduga
Published
 5 hours ago 
on
 29 June 2018

Jayapura, Jubi – Candidates Governor and Vice Governor Lukas Enembe and Klemen Tinal regret the shooting incident occurred in Kenyam Airport, Nduga District on Wednesday morning (27/6/2018).
“It should be delayed if there is trouble. We’ve heard the election logistics in Nduga and Paniai has been stuck, but we hope it solved by today,” said Enembe to reporters after voting at the polling place 023 in Argapura, Jayapura Selatan Sub-district, Jayapura Municipality on Wednesday (27/6/2018).

Meanwhile, Klemen Tinal profoundly regrets what happened in Nduga Sub-district suspended the people’s right on democracy.
Regarding the statement of Indonesia Police Chief Tito Karnavian about the incident in Nduga was more related to politics, Tinal said it should be a reference for all. “About conflict or other issues as presented by Indonesia Police Chief, it could be a reference for all of us because he knew better about the security issue,” he said.
Separately, the Acting Papua Governor Soedarmo said the process of governor election in Nduga District, as reported by the Election Commission Province Papua, would be temporarily suspended by order of the National Election Commission. The provincial Election Commission will take over the implementation from the regional Election Commission. However, the provincial team has not yet arrived in Nduga.
“Perhaps the voting could be delayed,” Soedarmo told reporters on Wednesday noon ((27/6/2018).
Meanwhile, Papua Police Chief the Inspector General Police Rafli Amar confirmed a shooting detected from a distance at around 08:00 pm Papua time in Kenyam Airport.
“That’s right. There were about six gunshots heard from a distance,” said the chief. Further, the police and military are attempting to find the shooting perpetrators, he said.
Senior Police Commissioner Ahmad Mustofa Kamal, the Chief of Papua Police Public Relations, said the election logistics which planned to distribute on Wednesday morning (27/6/2018) had arrived in Kenyam Airport. Its distribution delayed due to gunshots.
“It was ready to distribute to sub-districts, but the gunshots scared the organisers,” he said. Furthermore, he stated the police keep continuing to protect the logistics while waiting for the organisers. (*)
 
Reporter: Roy Ratumakin
Editor: Pipit Maizier
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3) Soedarmo promises to support dormitory renovation

Published
 5 hours ago 
on
 29 June 2018
Jayapura, Jubi – Acting Papua Governor Soerdarmo promised to fulfil the demand of Papuan students who live in Rusunawa Uncen dormitory, Perumnas III, Waena, Jayapura City for renovation and TV facility.
“Perhaps the first thing that we can do is painting the building and providing a unit of television and parabola,” said Soerdarmo while monitoring the readiness of voting at the polling place in Uncen dormitory on Wednesday (27/6/2018).
He thought the building need to renovate; therefore the provincial government will try as much as they can to help. “I will discuss it with the budget team. At least it can be done gradually,” he said.
Furthermore, he hopes students can use this facility properly. “The dormitory is a place to live and study for students, so I ask you to maintain it properly and not use it to support any groups to against the country,” said Soedarmo.
Meanwhile, the dormitory administrator Elius Wenda appreciate the visit of the acting governor who accompanied by Papua regional leadership communication forum. “We hope the governor can help us. Hopefully, it doesn’t take a long time because those who live in the dormitory are the successors and future leaders of Papua,” said Wenda. (*)
 
Reporter: Alex Loen
Editor: Pipit Maizier
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4) Indigenous women traders seek for economic development training


Published
 5 hours ago 
on
 29 June 2018


Jayapura, Jubi – A Papuan woman trader Asna Inggamer said what Papuan traders need right now is capacity building training from both provincial and municipal governments.
“We hope the relevant offices in municipal and provincial governments to consider that we seek for economic development training as they promised earlier. We have settled in this market for months but no training so far,” Mrs Inggamer told Jubi on Tuesday (26/6/2018).
According to her, Jayapura Mayor has declared that the market was intended to anticipate the National Sports Week XX that would be held in Papua in 2020 as it would sell souvenirs, traditional accessories and so on. However, no action was taken by the government to set up the traders.
“We also expect the government to help build food stalls on the third floor, where it was intended. Because it is a new market, we cannot use wood tables. If so, these should be identical in type and shape for a neat look,” she said.
The Coordinator of the Solidarity of Papuan Traders (Solpap) Franky Warer confirmed that the indigenous woman traders need a scale up in economic practice. “These women indeed need to have regular training. We unceasingly talk to relevant stakeholders about this but no further action,” he said. (*)
 
Reporter: Arjuna Pademme
Editor: Pipit Maizier


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District head killed, two police officers missing in shooting attack in Papua


District head killed, two police officers missing in shooting attack in Papua
Nethy Dharma Somba
Jayapura | Thu, June 28, 2018 | 11:27 am

A voter receives a ballot paper from an election official wearing a traditional Papuan outfit on June 27 at polling station TPS 005 in Awiyo subdistrict, Abepura district, Jayapura, to vote in the Papua gubernatorial election. JP/Nethy Dharma Somba (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)
An unidentified armed group launched a shooting attack in Papua on Wednesday, in the second attack in the region this week in the wake of the Papua gubernatorial election.
Torere district head Obaja Froaro was killed when unknown armed assailants allegedly shot at a speedboat he was on, on Wednesday at around 4 p.m. local time in Torere in Puncak Jaya, a regency in Papua's restive central highlands.
"The Torere district head was shot to death by the criminal armed group while transporting the Torere people's ballot boxes right after the voting," Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said in Jayapura on Thursday.
Two police officers, who were on board the same speedboat, went missing in the ambush.
"The two police officers are still missing," Boy said, referring to a group of Puncak Jaya Police officers who were in charge of guarding the Dow election materials and securing the Papua gubernatorial election.
Obaja and a total of nine Puncak Jaya Police officers were on their way from the Dow polling station to Torere to transport boxes full of filled-out ballots.
Votes for the Papua gubernatorial election were cast at the Dow polling station earlier that day.
"Seven other police officers survived," Boy said.
Another speedboat carrying local residents escaped the gunfire by immediately fleeing the scene when the alleged shootings started.
It was the second incident in Papua this week after a Twin Otter aircraft carrying election material and police personnel was fired on by unidentified assailants shortly after it landed at Kenyam Airport in Nduga regency on Monday.
The pilot suffered a gunshot wound to his back, and three residents died in an ensuing firefight between the gunmen and security personnel, the authorities said. (stu/ipa)
 
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the number of deaths. The death toll is one, the Torere district head, not three as Boy earlier said.
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1) Poll violence flares in Indonesia's Papua


2) Indonesia police say 2 dead, 2 missing in Papua attacks
3) West Papua Liberation Army behind deadly Nduga attack
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1) Poll violence flares in Indonesia's Papua
Alleged separatists have opened fire on boats carrying voters in Indonesia's Papua province, killing two police officers and another person, police say.
Three people, including two police officers, have been killed in Indonesia's eastern province of Papua after alleged separatists opened fire on boats carrying voters and officials who had cast ballots in local elections, police say.
Indonesia had been on high alert for violence with elections for 171 city mayors, regents, and provincial governors held across the world's biggest Muslim-majority country on Wednesday.
Indonesia took control of Papua following a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969, six years after the end of Dutch colonial rule.
Alleged separatists on Wednesday shot at two boats carrying voters and officials on a river in Torere district in Papua, killing three people, police said on Thursday. Three more police officers were missing.
The incident comes just days after a suspected separatist shooting at a tiny airport in Nduga district in Papua where three people were killed and a child injured. The election for that district's chief had to be postponed due to the violence.
Unofficial counts in Indonesia's regional elections put candidates favouring President Joko Widodo ahead in three provinces on Java island, home to more than half of the population of the world's third-largest democracy.
But candidates backed by the opposition fared better than expected in the elections, which is an important pointer for national parliamentary and presidential races in 2019.
Some hardline Islamic leaders have publicly called for the ousting of Widodo, who has pledged to protect Indonesia's tradition of pluralism and moderate Islam in the officially secular country.
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2) Indonesia police say 2 dead, 2 missing in Papua attacks
Published: 
JAYAPURA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police say two people were killed and two are missing after gunmen attacked police and civilians in a mountainous region of easternmost Papua province.
Papua police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal says an official was killed Wednesday and two police officers are missing after gunmen shot at their speedboat, which was transporting them from Torere subdistrict where they observed local elections.
Separately, he says a motorcycle taxi driver died after being shot in the head in Waegi subdistrict on Wednesday.
A pro-independence insurgency has simmered in the formerly Dutch-controlled Papua region since it was annexed by Indonesia in 1963.
On Monday, gunmen killed three people and injured two others in an attack at an airport in the Puncak Jaya area.
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3) West Papua Liberation Army behind deadly Nduga attack
5:02 pm today 


A faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for Monday's deadly shootings in Indonesia's Nduga regency.

Three people died after gunmen targeted an aircraft transporting Indonesian paramilitary police at the airport of this remote Papuan regency.
Liberation Army gunmen launched an attack at the Trigana Air twin otter which had arrived carrying 18 Brimob personnel.
The paramilitary police had been transported from the Highlands town of Wamena to Nduga to provide security during this week's regional elections.
Two people, including the pilot, were injured before a gunfire ensued on the airfield between the Liberation Army members and Indonesian security forces.
Three people who died have been identified as migrants from Indonesia's South Sulawesi province.
A faction of the Liberation Army said it was responsible for shooting the three people, including a boy, saying he was hit by a stray bullet.
The boy's parents were the other two killed in the violence. According to reports from Papua, they were migrants from South Sulawesi who had been established traders in Nduga's township.
A PNG-based spokesperson for the Liberation Army and the Free West Papua Movment, Sebby Sambom, said their soldiers shot at the man bcause he had pulled out a gun.
"The person from Sulawesi, he took position holding a pistol and tried to shoot the Liberation Army, Free West Papua group... soldiers... That's why the Liberation army shot him Then his wife and son they came and held him. Then his wife was shot..."
The spokesman suggested that the child's death was entirely accidental. However, he alleged that the man killed was one of many migrants from other parts of Indonesia who had come to live in Papua and become undercover intelligence agents assisting Indonesia's security forces in operaions against Papuans.
"We always identify them, we have data," Mr Sembom explained.
"Some Indonesian civillians become businessmen, but they are Indonesian intelligence agents. Indonesian soldiers and police give them small stores or trade house buildings. They're everywhere."
Tensions remain high in Nduga amid bursts of gunfire that have broken out sporadically after the Army dispersed from the airfield following the deadly gunfight.
Meanwhile, the attack in Nduga is one of a series of reported incidents of deadly violence in the Highlands regencies which have disrupted the regional elections taking place this week.
In Puncak Jaya regency, three people died after being shot in Torere district yesterday.
According to CNN Indonesia, Indonesian police blamed the shooting deaths on unidentified gunmen.
Along with reported tribal violence in recent days in Yahukimo regency, the incidents cast doubt on whether the elections will proceed in these areas where Papua's provincial governor Lukas Enembe has strong support.
The Liberation Army has launched several attacks in the region since last year. Two TNI personnel were killed in Nduga last December, prompting reprisal attacks which left two civilians dead and a church burnt.
Around the same time, the Liberation Army declared a general mobilisation of all its soldiers in Papua to carry out operations against the Indonesian state and what it called "the invaders".
As well as independence, the Army's stated goal has been to close the Freeport mine, which is one of the largest sources of revenue for the Indonesian state.
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Wednesday, June 27, 2018

West Papua Governor Committed to Preserve Region`s Forest


HTTPS://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2018/06/27/055919537/WEST-PAPUA-GOVERNOR-COMMITTED-TO-PRESERVE-REGIONS-FOREST
WEDNESDAY, 27 JUNE, 2018 | 19:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan announced that he is committed to preserving the forests in the province that cover a vast area of 9,730,550 hectares. In comparison, the forests cover 90 percent of the province that is 143,076 square kilometer.
“The forest areas in West Papua are more or less 200-times larger than the City of Oslo,” said Dominggus in his presentation during a seminar on tropical forests at the Scandec Holberg Hotel in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday, June 26.
The West Papua Province has declared itself as a conservational province since 2015 and has contributed 8.12 percent of Indonesia’s total rain forest areas. The area’s ecosystem also holds numerous biodiversity from Asia and Australia. 
The Governor also explained that West Papua’s forests have also contributed for the global society by storing 1,320 million metric tons of carbon. “This can be beneficial if it’s preserved properly,” said Dominggus. 
Dominggus stated that there are 17 ocean and water conservation areas that extend to 4.2 million hectares. 
“Almost every area here is still in great condition, which is an essential food source and reserve for the people of Papua,” said the Governor. 
Despite its rich natural resources, the Papua Province and West Papua remains to be Indonesia’s poorest areas. “This irony becomes the greatest challenge for us to preserve our large portion of wealth that is still left,” said Governor Dominggus.  
Linda Novi Trianita TNR
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