2) West Papua journalist faces intimidation, files appeal to UN
3) Dozens wounded, detained in West Papua crackdown: Witnesses
4) Papuan Students Face 33 Human Rights Violation Since 2018
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1) PNG Governor warns Indonesian president Widodo over West Papua
Papua New Guinea's Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop has strongly called on the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo not to take Papuans for granted.
Parkop says today that if President Joko Widodo won’t take heed of what our people are asking him to peacefully solve the issue, East and West Papuans are going to stand united and nothing is going to stop them.
Powes Parkop has long been a supporter of the Papuan call for recognition as an independent state.
Governor Parkop says mobilization of Papuans has started because we are not taking this ill treatment anymore and alerts President Widodo that if he will take Papuans for granted he is to expect something more to come.
“I want to have peace with you (Widodo) because you are my neighbor, I want to exchange with you, I want to interact with you and build relationship. We don’t want to live with hate, discrimination, and in division”, Parkop said.
Parkop says as much as Papuans want to share their wealth and resources with Indonesia, but there is so much hate now because of the killings, rape and torture of Papuan people.
Port Moresby residents, churches, and few parliament leaders stand in solidarity and marched today from Kone field to Jack Pidik Park with some West Papuans after reports of an incident in Surabaya last week where Papuan students were harassed by a mob and later arrested.
The students were released, but the government response to the harassment, and lack of an apology to Papuans, has met with criticism in the Pacific Islands.
Governor Parkop’s call is supported by Northern Governor Gary Juffa, and Vice Petroleum Minister and Komo Magarima MP Manasseh Makiba.
Meanwhile Radio New Zealand reports Indonesia's President Joko Widodo says he will invite prominent Papuans to his palace in the wake of the recent violence there.
The president's office says an invitation will go out to traditional, community, and religious leaders.
Jokowi says the meeting will discuss ways to accelerate prosperity in Papua and West Papua provinces.
FM100/PNG Today
Powes Parkop has long been a supporter of the Papuan call for recognition as an independent state.
Governor Parkop says mobilization of Papuans has started because we are not taking this ill treatment anymore and alerts President Widodo that if he will take Papuans for granted he is to expect something more to come.
“I want to have peace with you (Widodo) because you are my neighbor, I want to exchange with you, I want to interact with you and build relationship. We don’t want to live with hate, discrimination, and in division”, Parkop said.
Parkop says as much as Papuans want to share their wealth and resources with Indonesia, but there is so much hate now because of the killings, rape and torture of Papuan people.
Port Moresby residents, churches, and few parliament leaders stand in solidarity and marched today from Kone field to Jack Pidik Park with some West Papuans after reports of an incident in Surabaya last week where Papuan students were harassed by a mob and later arrested.
The students were released, but the government response to the harassment, and lack of an apology to Papuans, has met with criticism in the Pacific Islands.
Governor Parkop’s call is supported by Northern Governor Gary Juffa, and Vice Petroleum Minister and Komo Magarima MP Manasseh Makiba.
Meanwhile Radio New Zealand reports Indonesia's President Joko Widodo says he will invite prominent Papuans to his palace in the wake of the recent violence there.
The president's office says an invitation will go out to traditional, community, and religious leaders.
Jokowi says the meeting will discuss ways to accelerate prosperity in Papua and West Papua provinces.
FM100/PNG Today
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2) West Papua journalist faces intimidation, files appeal to UN
Ardila Syakriah The Jakarta Post
Jakarta / Sat, August 24, 2019 / 04:37 pm
Aggrieved: Escorted by military personnel and police officers, Papuans demonstrate in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday. Protesters called on the government to take seriously cases of physical and racial abuse against Papuan students by security personnel in Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
West Papua journalist Victor Mambor claims he has faced intimidation and harassment for reporting on the internet blackout sanctioned by the government amid escalating protests in Papua and West Papua.
The Indonesia Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI Indonesia), of which he is a member, reported that Victor, the editor of Jubinewspaper and a correspondent for The Jakarta Post, had fallen victim to "doxing" by a social media user with the Twitter handle @antilalaton Thursday.
Doxing refers to the publishing of private or identifying information about individuals on the internet, usually with malicious intent.
A day later, UK-based law firm Doughty Street Chambers announced that Victor had filed an urgent appeal to UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression David Kaye regarding internet blocking in the provinces amid protests that have occurred since Monday.
AJI Indonesia's advocacy head Sasmito Madrim said that @antilalathad accused Victor of having links to the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in the provinces and abroad, as well as being an informant for Indonesian lawyer Veronica Koman, who is a lawyer for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB).
Sasmita said the accusations against Victor were groundless since Victor had merely been doing his job as a reporter objectively while complying with the journalism code of ethics.
"The AJI would like to remind social media users and law enforcers that journalists, in doing their jobs, are protected by Law No. 40/1999 on the press. If anyone thinks there is incorrect journalistic material published in the media, the Press Law regulates the mechanisms that ensure a journalistic right to reply and corrections, and allow the filing of complaints to the Press Council," Sasmito said.
The journalist group said @antilalathad made at least three accusations against the journalist between July and August.
"The distributor of information and negative propaganda to Veronica Koman is @victormamborwho is the chief editor of jubi.co.idand @ArnoldBelau, the chief editor of suarapapua.com. @victormamboris also the connecter between the foreign wing of the OPM and the OPM operating in the hinterland [of Indonesia]," @antilalatsaid.
Pemasok info dan propaganda negatif bagi Veronica Koman adl @victorcmambor yg merupakan pemred jubi.co.id dan @ArnoldBelau pemred suarapapua.com @victorcmambor ini jg yg mjd penghubung antara sayap OPM di luar negeri dgn sayap OPM yg beraksi di pedalaman.
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Victor said on Saturday that he had not faced direct intimidation during the protests this week, but he was worried about the safety of his family.
"The user has even shared my house location on Twitter," he told the Postvia text message while attaching a screenshot of the tweet posted in February.
Victor has chosen Doughty Street Chambers lawyer Jennifer Robinson and Veronica of the KNPB to represent him in filing the urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur, which may take action if his report on the internet blockade and its impact are found to be credible.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights website, if information in a petition is found to be credible, the rapporteur will send a letter to the foreign minister of the concerned country urging the government to ensure the “physical and mental integrity” of persons affected in the report.
The internet blackout was imposed on Wednesday following days of protests across the provinces, where protestors had taken to the streets since Monday morning to protest against racist abuse suffered by Papuan students during a clash over the weekend in Surabaya, East Java.
Doughty Street Chambers revealed on its website that the complaint was based on the violation of fundamental human rights of people in West Papua by blocking internet access there, as the people were reliant on the internet and social media to be able to communicate and organize peaceful demonstrations.
"[The internet block] also interferes with the ability of journalists, including Mr. Mambor to do their work, including [...] being unable to communicate generally with each other, with sources and with the international community, difficulties in publishing online stories, and making it almost impossible to verify information circulated on social media, which is the primary means of communication for protesters and indigenous Papuans and for journalists," the law firm said.
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3) Dozens wounded, detained in West Papua crackdown: Witnesses
by Febriana Firdaus 9 hours ago
Families say they are too frightened to speak as they report relatives injured during the crackdown by security forces.
Jakarta, Indonesia- Several demonstrators have been injured and dozens detained as Indonesian authorities crack down on separatist protests in the West Papua region, according to witnesses, but the police strongly deny anyone was wounded.
A family member of one of the injured protesters, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, confirmed to Al Jazeera on Friday that a relative was injured during the protests in Fakfak Regency, West Papua province.
Rights groups Amnesty International Indonesiaand Human Rights Watch also confirmed to Al Jazeera that there were several reports of injuries in Fakfak.
They urged the authorities in West Papua to "ensure the safety" of all people across the region, and refrain from using excessive force in dealing with the situation.
"Police have the right to remove part of the protests that is violent, but must guarantee the rights and the safety of others who want to protest racial and discriminatory treatment of Papuan students by the police and mass organisations in Surabaya and Malang, East Java," Usman Hamid, executive director at Amnesty, said in a statement.
Violent protests started earlier this week when authorities detained Papuan students studying in the island of Java for reportedly holding a pro-independence rally. Another group of Papuan students was accused of damaging the Indonesian flag.
Dozens of Papuan students were rounded up and racist slurs such as "monkeys" and "pigs" were allegedly hurled at them by the local people.
Victor Yeimo, a spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), told Al Jazeera that a member of his organisation also confirmed reports of injuries sustained by several West Papuans, some of whom were taken to a local hospital.
John Djonga, a prominent Catholic priest in Papua province, said he had sent an emissary to Fakfak, who confirmed that some injured protesters were being treated in a hospital there.
Police deny allegations
The Indonesian police have repeatedly denied the reports of injuries among protesters.
"Those are hoaxes. One is an old photo taken in 2018 when there was a clash between the red-white [pro-Indonesia] group and the pro-independence demonstrators," police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo told Al Jazeera.
The Indonesian government continues to block the internet in the West Papua region, making it difficult for the news media to obtain reports from the ground and verify claims of casualties circulating on social media.
Earlier this week, protesters torched a traditional market and kiosk in Fakfakand destroyed roads, prompting police to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Demonstrations were also held in other parts of the region, including in Sorong, the largest city of West Papua province, where protesters attacked and temporarily shut down the airport.
As protests continued, authorities rounded up several protesters across West Papua, according to Al Jazeera sources and reports from local media.
However, witnesses and authorities have provided conflicting numbers in terms of people detained.
The Indonesian news website, Tempo, reportedthat at least 45 people had been arrested, with about 10 of them named as suspects of assault, according to police spokesman Dedi.
On Thursday, President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo expressed concerns over violent protesters mixing with peaceful Papuan demonstrators.
"It is common, in an incident, there is [a third party who] act to get a free ride. It's common, I think," he said.
In Mimika in Papua province, police chief Agung Marlianto said protesters brought gasoline, sharp objects, and the morning star flag, the banned symbol of the pro-independence movement in West Papua.
"It is clear, there are [allegedly] free riders that oppose [the government] and have been taking advantage from this peaceful rally," he said.
Army says will act on racism charges
Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) promised to investigate individuals captured in a video, showing them hurling racial slurs at Papuan students during the raid last week at a dormitory in Surabaya.
"There were indeed people seen wearing camouflage shirts. We have taken steps to check whether these people were members of the military or not," said Lieutenant Colonel Arm Imam Hariyadi, chief spokesman of the regional military command.
A military army spokesman said the soldiers suspected of taking part in the incident will be summoned.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Haris Azhar from the legal and rights organisation, Lokataru, urged the authorities to punish soldiers involved in making the racist comments against the Papuan students.
"They have to be processed by law, especially when the evidence is clear," Haris said, adding that making racist comments violates a 2008 Indonesian law, which seeks to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimination in the country.
Haris, however, complained that instead of going after the perpetrators of the racial abuse, authorities were responding to the unrest by rounding up protesters, sending more troops and blocking the internet.
On Thursday, the Committee to Protect Journalistsin New York urged the Indonesian government to immediately lift the internet ban and to stop restricting journalists from covering the civil unrest in the region.
Foreign journalists are barred from reporting in West Papua.
Until the early 1960s, West Papua was a Dutch colony. When the Dutch left, Indonesia took control of the region through a controversial 1969 referendum when some 1,000 people were able to vote.
An armed rebellion by the indigenous West Papua National Liberation Army has been rumbling since.
The region is the poorest in Indonesia, in spite of its natural wealth, and has been subject to numerous allegations of human rights violations.
In December, an attack by independence fighters killed at least 17 people and triggered a military crackdown that caused 35,000 civilians to flee their homesas security forces tried to flush rebels out of the mountains.
According to Human Rights Watch, West Papuans have increasingly become targets of intimidation by "Islamist and nationalist groups" since the formation in 2014 of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is advocating for Papuan independence.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
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4) Papuan Students Face 33 Human Rights Violation Since 2018
24 August 2019 21:06 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta- Papuanstudents across the country have allegedly experienced 33 human rights violations since 2018, according to Director of Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Jakarta chapter Arif Maulana.
Arif said LBH had been acting as the companion of the students in the 33 cases. As for the detail, Surabaya saw nine cases, Papua eight, Bali five, Jakarta four, and Yogyakarta three cases.
"The types [of violations] include intimidation, dorm raids, dissolution of discussions, dorm attacks, arbitrary arrests, and the omission of law violations by the authorities," he said in a press conference at LBH Jakarta office, Thursday, August 22.
He said the number of the victims reached 250 students, while the alleged perpetrators were members of the military (TNI), national police, public order enforcer (Satpol PP), state officials, and mass organization.
The violations showed that the country has yet to protect its people and prioritize human rights values. In addition, the violations were committed by the state apparatus.
Following the massive human rightsviolation against Papuan students and the recent racist treatment in Surabaya, LBH urged the government to enforce the law to the perpetrators. Arif said this cannot be settled just by conveying apologies to each other.
"We afraid that it will repeat [in the future] if there is no enforcement action has been taken against these violations," Arif said.
Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani
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