1) Jokowi Mulls New Province in Papua

2) Jokowi's Infrastructure Approach in Papua Criticized

3) Australian envoy, Indonesian minister discuss various issues 

4) Mahfud MD Champions Cultural, Humanitarian Approach for Papua

5) International Lawyers calls for release of Papuan political prisoners

6) Benny Wenda: President Jokowi treating West Papua as holiday home in midst of human rights crisis

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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jokowi-mulls-new-province-in-papua

1) Jokowi Mulls New Province in Papua 

BY :HERU ANDRIYANTO OCTOBER 29, 2019 

President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo meets with provincial government officials, tribal leaders and other dignitaries in Wamena, Papua, on Monday. (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Staff Office)

Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Monday that he would consider a proposal for the establishment of a new province in the mountainous central part of Papua, albeit in a disapproving tone.

The request for a third province on the island came from community leaders and religious figures during a meeting with the president in Wamena, Papua.

The president responded by saying that the government had placed a moratorium on the establishment of new provinces and districts, as he had been receiving many such proposals. 

"To speak frankly from the start; we did place a moratorium on the establishment [of new districts and provinces] across Indonesia," Jokowi was quoted by the Presidential Staff Office as saying during the gathering.

"Why? Because there are already 183 proposals for new provinces, districts or municipalities on my desk. Once I approve one of them, others will line up in front of my door every day," the president said.

However, he indicated that he would give special consideration to Papua's Central Mountain area upon his return to Jakarta.

"But especially for the Central Mountain area – please hold your applause – I will follow up," he said to applause from the audience.

The Central Mountain area is home to the indigenous Mee Pago and La Pago people, and it comprises 10 of the 29 districts in Papua Province. 

The proposal was put forward by Bevadigi Balom, a local leader representing an association of Central Mountain communities.

Five More

Sixty-one tribal and community leaders from Papua visited the State Palace in Jakarta last month to ask for the creation of five new provinces to accommodate the political aspirations of various indigenous peoples in Indonesia's easternmost region.

They argued that the two existing provincial governments were unable to manage hundreds of Papuan tribes, each with its own culture and customs.

The president said at the time that the best he could do was to approve the creation of two or three new provinces on the island. But he pointed out that it was both very difficult and costly to set up a new province, and that the process required comprehensive and careful assessment. 

West Papua was established in 1999 after it was split off from Papua. The two provinces enjoy special autonomy to accelerate development and boost prosperity.

The island is shared with neighboring Papua New Guinea.

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https://en.tempo.co/read/1265615/jokowis-infrastructure-approach-in-papua-criticized

2) Jokowi's Infrastructure Approach in Papua Criticized

Translator: Dewi Elvia Muthiariny   Editor: Petir Garda Bhwana 

29 October 2019 07:35 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A researcher of Papuan studies at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Aisah Putri Budiarti, assessed an approach based on infrastructure often implemented by the government of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to end the conflict in Papua was not effective as the method was too partial as the sole solution.

“Infrastructure development has not been proven to solve issues [in Papua] during the last five years. Even a conflict escalated at the end of the President’s first term due to stigma and discrimination,” Aisah told Tempo via a phone call, Monday, October 28.

Aisah reiterated that the conflict from August to September revealed that economic development alone could not resolve racial issues and discrimination against Papuans. If the method was repeated in the President’s second term, she doubted there would be a resolution.

"The government cannot work partially, focusing on just economic development while setting aside socio-political issues or halting them to be resolved," Aisah added.

Unfortunately, the researcher observed that the government was still applying such a method. During the inaugural speech in October, the President said he would continue his work orientation towards economic development.

"The government needs to create a breakthrough to solve problems in Papua holistically," Aisah remarked.

She outlined at least four root problems in the country’s easternmost province as conveyed by LIPI, namely political status and history of integration of Papua's entry into Indonesia, development failure, alleged human rights violations, and stigma-discrimination.

Moreover, Aisah opined that the government's most strategic effort to do was to commit to establishing a dialogue as Jokowi’s government did at the beginning of the first term. 

EGI ADYATAMA

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https://en.antaranews.com/news/135552/australian-envoy-indonesian-minister-discuss-various-issues

3) Australian envoy, Indonesian minister discuss various issues 

 6 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Gary Quinlan AO met with Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD at the latter's office in Jakarta on Tuesday to discuss a host of issues.  

The visit was aimed at introducing himself to Mahfud MD who was appointed to the post of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs only last week, Quinlan said while speaking to the press following the meeting.

Asked whether they discussed the Papua issue at the meeting, he said they did not discuss anything specific. However, the meeting discussed a wide range of issues including legal cooperation, counter-terrorism, cybercrime, narcotics, child exploitation, and other legal issues.

"We did not talk about specific issues. We talked about issues, mainly regarding operations, legal security cooperation, counter-terrorism, law enforcement," he said.

The two also discussed cooperation and collaboration between the two countries in various sectors.

Related news: Australia, Indonesia partners since RI`s independence: Ambassador

The meeting came shortly after Mahfud MD received Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian.

Tito met Mahfud MD to report the latest situation in Papua and the result of his visit to the province while accompanying President Joko Widodo.

The meeting was also part of the coordination as a minister under the purview of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. (INE)

Related news: Australian ambassador shares keys to tackle disparities

Related news: Indonesian coffee potential grows unlimited: Australian Ambassador

Reporter: Zuhdiar Laeis/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf

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https://en.tempo.co/read/1265984/mahfud-md-champions-cultural-humanitarian-approach-for-papua

4) Mahfud MD Champions Cultural, Humanitarian Approach for Papua

Translator: Ricky Mohammad Nugraha   Editor: Laila Afifa 

29 October 2019 22:26 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD asserts that he will focus on cultural and humanitarian approach - without eliminating other approaches - in handling issues that arise in Papua. 

“The approach we’ll adopt will surely remain comprehensive,” said the former constitutional court chief justice in Jakarta on Tuesday, October 29. 

He maintains that law enforcement will continue to be mobilized in handling armed criminal groups (KKB) but a different approach will be practiced in facing separatists. The aforementioned will not be applied to the general public not linked to criminal activities. 

Mahfud asserts that the use of a cultural and humanitarian approach will remain as the government’s top priority without eliminating elements of law and security.

“Military approach will be used if needed. Such as cases in facing separatists,” said Mahfud who also revealed the government’s plan to conduct a comprehensive mapping on areas in Papua. 

ANTARA

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https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/402051/international-lawyers-calls-for-release-of-papuan-political-prisoners

5) International Lawyers calls for release of Papuan political prisoners

8:48 pm on 29 October 2019  

An international lawyers group has called on Indonesia to free West Papuan prisoners held for peaceful expression of their political views.

International Lawyers for West Papua has also raised concern that treason trials of six Papuan pro-independence activists have been moved to East Kalimantan.

The activists, who include leading members of the West Papua National Committee and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, were arrested during recent unrest. They are accused of stirring mass protests in the Papuan provinces during August and September.

Two executive members of the Committee, its chairman Agus Kossay and Steven Itlay, and the leader of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua's Legislative Committee, Buchtar Tabuni, were arrested last month in Jayapura.

Police said the trial, slated for December, was moved from Papua to East Kalimantan for security reasons. But International Lawyers for West Papua says the move hinders the activists' access to family and support, and will affect the fairness of the trial.

The international lawyers' network, which aims to help the indigenous people of West Papua exercise their right to self-determination under international law, said the six political prisoners must be moved back to Papua.

It also said that West Papuans held for peaceful expression of their political views should be released, or those charged with offenses recognised under international law, accorded a fair trial.

"Others should be promptly brought before a judge, charged with an offense recognised under international law," said ILWP in a statement.

"Lawyers are currently travelling to assist but as there is no funding to support these mounting expenses, continued legal representation is at risk."

Indonesia acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights thirteen years ago.

The lawyers body says Indonesia must adhere to the covenant's recognition of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, and the right to due process and a fair trial, while prohibiting arbitrary arrest and detention.

The ILWP said that fair treatment of political prisoners and activist leaders will help deescalate conflict and tension in the region.

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https://www.ulmwp.org/benny-wenda-president-jokowi-treating-west-papua-as-holiday-home-in-midst-of-human-rights-crisis

6) Benny Wenda: President Jokowi treating West Papua as holiday home in midst of human rights crisis

October 29, 2019 in Statement

President Jokowi has made another trip to West Papua, treating it as a holiday home whilst the Indonesian military kill and torture us like animals.

In 2014, during Jokowi’s first election, I told BBC Indonesia that, ‘president to president, there is never any change’. Jokowi’s entire presidency has shown the truth of this.

Just after Indonesia gained membership of the UN Human Rights Council, President Widodo gave his inaugural speech. The President made no mention of human rights, no mention of West Papua. Under his watch, West Papua has seen one of its biggest uprisings ever, becoming an international issue – and the President has nothing to say about it. The world can see that the Indonesian elites have no commitment to human rights or to addressing the root causes of the problem in West Papua. There is no humanity in the Indonesian system of governance: it is rotten to the core.

Indonesia was clear that its application to the HRC was made in an attempt to try and stop the West Papua issue from reaching the Council. At the same time, investigative journalists and others revealed that Indonesia has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars spreading hoaxes on Facebook and other social media. Just this week, Indonesia announced a new $200 million chequebook diplomacy fund to try and stop our progress.

We are in a battle of truth against lies. Of justice against injustice. Of David against Goliath. Every move Indonesia makes to stop the progress of the people of West Papua only brings us closer to our liberation.

These are the moves of a desperate opponent, an opponent who is losing politically, morally, diplomatically and legally. All Indonesia has now is propaganda, repression and bribes.

The UN was founded on the principles of human rights – freedom from torture, harassment and intimidation. All 47 members of the UN’s Human Rights Council have a moral duty and responsibility to protect everyone from state-sponsored abuse – you cannot hide from this issue. The UN Charter itself required ‘universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all’. In West Papua today, massacres, illegitimate arrests and public torture are carried out every day by the Indonesian state.

Just this month, Indonesian police and military have been going to every village in West Papua, forcing people to pledge allegiance to the Indonesian flag and coercing West Papuans into accepting Indonesia’s bogus ‘development’ programs. Police even went to the village I grew up in, bringing the heads of the district and forcing them at gunpoint to accept new colonial ‘development’ projects. Indonesia’s membership of the Council is based on flagrant hypocrisy. Now Indonesia is on the HRC, the world has a responsibility to act to stop these state-sponsored and state-mandated abuses.

We now have a situation where a member of the UN HRC has been actively blocking the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights from visiting a territory under its rule. A situation where a member of the Council is actively blocking international diplomats from even visiting its occupied territory. If Indonesia wants to be taken seriously as a member of the Council, it must immediately allow the High Commissioner unrestricted access to West Papua to see the reality on the ground. What is Indonesia trying to hide?

We reiterate our just and reasonable demands to the Indonesian President that the people of West Papua be allowed to hold a free and fair referendum on independence, that Indonesia withdraw its troops from West Papua, remove press restrictions in our land, allow the UN High Commissioner to visit, and release all political prisoners immediately. The seven political prisoners who have been kidnapped by the Indonesian occupation forces and dumped in East Kalimantan must be immediately returned to West Papua where they can be monitored and supported by their family and legal counsel.

The further the ULMWP and the people of West Papua take our struggle, the more our opponent reacts in a desperate attempt to defame, sideline and crush us. Indonesia is on the wrong side of history – no amount of repression and lies can stop justice from taking its course. Jokowi, stop using occupied West Papua as a holiday home in the middle of a genocide. We want our freedom, and a referendum on independence. History will judge you, as it has judged your predecessors who committed genocide in East Timor.

Benny Wenda
Chair
ULMWP

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