2) Veronica Koman meets with Australian MPs about Papua
3) The reasons behind the latest Papua unrest
4) Jokowi expected to resolve Papuan problems through dialogue: Priest
-----------------------------------
1) SafeNET Suspects Information on Papua Intentionally Suppressed
Translator: Ricky Mohammad Nugraha Editor: Laila Afifa 17 October 2019 18:31 WIB
Indonesian security forces patrolling on the street in Ilaga, Puncak Regency, Papua, Monday, October 1, 2019. Security officers' patrol to ensure the safety of post-terrorist shootings and arson in the region. ANTARA FOTO/Sevianto Pakiding
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Regional coordinator of SafeNET, Damar Juniarto, suspects there are blatant attempts to suppress information regarding Papua as they deemed information from the region has been framed in inaccuracy.
He argues that the international community was unable to fully receive information regarding Papua and said that countries in Europe and New Zealand have been targeted by false information regarding the situation in Papua.
“The contents are diverted to fake websites,” said Damar on Thursday, October 17.
Moreover, Damar said there are ongoing cyber attacks against websites that report on the suspected human rights violations happening in Papua. This adds to the problems regarding fake media accounts, internet bot mobilizations, and mirror websites to attack pro-Papuan activists.
“We are already in the high alert (siaga satu) on freedom of expression and the protection of pro-democracy activists,” he argues.
NINDYA ASTUTI
----------------------------------
2) Veronica Koman meets with Australian MPs about Papua
News Desk The Jakarta Post
Jakarta / Thu, October 17, 2019 / 02:35 pm
Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman met with the Australian parliament's human rights subcommittee on Wednesday to speak with its members about the current situation in West Papua.
Earlier today with @amnestyOz briefing the Human Rights Sub-Committee of the Parliament of Australia on deterioration of the human rights situation in West Papua.
In a Facebook post about the visit, Veronica said that, together with Amnesty International Australia, she asked the Australian federal government to "do more to help stop the bloodshed in West Papua".
"[The MPs] were enthusiastic and asked many questions because they have heard of the unrest but do not know the details," she said.
Previously, Veronica had also met with United Nations high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet in Sydney
anah Gadigal, 8 Oktober 2019
Sungguh sebuah kehormatan bisa bertemu dengan perempuan inspiratif dengan perjalanan hidup yang luar biasa: Michelle Bachelet.
Sebelum menjabat sebagai Komisioner Tinggi HAM PBB saat ini, ia adalah presiden perempuan Chile pertama, dan pernah terpilih dua kali untuk jabatan tersebut. Ia menghasilkan banyak hukum dan reformasi yang progresif selama masa jabatannya. Sebagai pegiat hak perempuan terkemuka, ia juga pernah ditunjuk menjadi direktur pe...See more
"I updated her about the current crisis gripping West Papua, particularly about the security approach by the Indonesian government, the displacement of civilians and the massive clampdown on freedom of expression, including arrests of peaceful activists," Veronica said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Veronica, a lawyer for the Papuan Student Alliance, is currently wanted by the East Java Police who accuse her of provoking the protests and riots in Papua and West Papua that started in August.
She has been named a suspect for allegedly violating four laws: the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, Law No. 1/1946 on misinformation, Article 160 of the Criminal Code and Law 40/2008 on the eradication of racial and ethnic discrimination.
Veronica has denied the charges, saying that the police have "overstepped their authority and gone over the top with exaggerations in an attempt to criminalize [her actions]". (kmt)
---------------------
10/17/2019, 14.48
INDONESIA
3) The reasons behind the latest Papua unrest
Adriana Elisabeth, head of the Center for Political Studies at the Indonesia Institute of Sciences, talks about the situation in Papua. In Indonesia, anti-Papuan racism is a widespread. Since 19 August, several protests have turned violent. The government must better understand the human rights situation and not limit itself to political aspects. It must take an interest in local economic realities and socio-cultural issues.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The recent violent unrest in Indonesia’s easternmost possessions, the provinces of Papua and West Papua, is not due to sectarian tensions between natives and immigrants. Those behind the disorders know well local social problems and could exploit the violence for future political gains, this according to Adriana Elisabeth (pictured), coordinator of Papua Peace Network (PPN) and head of the Center for Political Studies at the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI), a government body, co-author of Papua Road Map (2009) and a former head of the Papua Study Team at LIPI.
On 19 August, violence broke out in Manokwari, Sorong, Jayapura and Wamena, triggered by protests over racist incidents that occurred a few days before against Papuan students in Surabaya and Malang (East Java province). Infiltrators among pro-independence protesters increased tensions, resulting in repeated clashes between civilians and security forces, vandalism and even many deaths.
The worst incident took place in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, when, on 23 September, hundreds of protesters set fire to government and other buildings causing the death of scores of people trapped inside. Indonesian authorities blamed the violence in Papua and West Papua provinces on sectarian hoaxes and fake news.
For Adriana Elisabeth, “Racism has been a common experience for Papuans”, for both “students and ordinary people”. This has included the “stigma of separatism”, compounded by the fact that “they look already different from other Indonesians.”
“From the perspective of pro-referendum/independence groups, racism started early”, in 1969, with the controversial integration process, the Act of Free Choice. Since then, most Indonesian government initiatives have been treated with suspicion by Papuans.
Almost all the victims of the fire in Wamena were domestic migrants, people from other islands, not Papuans. The tragedy has led to the exodus of their community from Papua. But, for the political scientist, “The violence has no relation with sectarian issues.”
“Prior to that, social relations between local Papuans and non-Papuans were very harmonious. Historically, the first Christian mission arrived in Papua (Mansinam Island, Manokwari, West Papua Province) from the Nuku Sultanate in Tidore, Moluccas. This indicates that social harmony among the religious community had a strong foundation.” Indeed, “the local identity of Papua includes Islamic values too.”
Since annexation by Indonesia in 1969, the West Papua National Liberation Army (Tentara Pembebasan Nasional Papua Barat, TPNPB) and the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM) have been seeking independence for the Papua region in a low intensity conflict.
In April 2018, Joko Widodo was the first Indonesian president to visit the distant region.
Local communities and leaders have repeatedly filed complaints against the central government for the excessive exploitation of the area’s natural resources, whilst human rights activists have reported frequent discrimination and widespread intolerance towards Papuans who emigrated to other parts of the country.
For Adriana Elisabeth, the cycle of violence and human rights violations in Papua are “difficult to resolve, because there are different perspectives between the government (military and policy) and Papuans.” The latter want the authorities to bring violators to justice, above all soldiers and police officers, the latter claim that security must be the priority.
"The government needs to understand better the human rights spectrum, not only its civil and political aspects, but also its economic and cultural aspects. Many human rights cases in Papua are linked to non-political or security issues, but to customary rights over land that belongs to the local community.”
Economic interests, in particular investors and companies, are usually insensitive to local values, and seek only economic benefits for their businesses. (PF)
————————————————
4) Jokowi expected to resolve Papuan problems through dialogue: Priest
3 hours ago
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - A Papuan priest has called on incumbent President Joko Widodo to hold a dialogue with the representatives of all Papuan community groups to find solutions to crucial problems in the province after he is sworn in as Indonesia's president on October 20, 2019.
The Papuan people are keen to have a discussion within the spirit of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as the central government had done in Aceh Province, said Esmon Welilo, a priest who is also chairman of the Interreligious Harmony Forum (FKUB).
"We do hope that the dialogue can be held during his second leadership term," he told ANTARA in Jayapura, the capital city of Papua Province, on Thursday.
Esmon Welilo said Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is the first Indonesian president who has made 12 working visits to the Papua Province, including three times to Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District.
Under Jokowi's leadership, it is time for the central government to hold a dialogue to seek comprehensive solutions to the problems in Papua, he said, adding that he believed that all the Papuan people would keep supporting the government's programs.
The call for holding a dialogue with President Jokowi had been echoed by West Papua Governor, Dominggus Mandacan, on September 12, 2019.
Mandacan said he awaited the president's readiness to meet West Papua's local leaders of various ethnic groups to listen to and comprehend their aspirations following the recent Surabaya incident that infuriated native Papuans.
Over these past two months, a spate of violence broke out in several parts of Papua and West Papua in the upshot of the Surabaya incident and fake news that had triggered public ire among native Papuans.
On August 28, violence broke out in Deiyai District, some 500 kilometers away from Jayapura, resulting in the deaths of an army soldier and two civilians.
Protests were again held on August 29 by the indigenous Papuan residents of Jayapura, as they vented their ire over the alleged racist behavior against their Papuan compatriots in Surabaya, but their rally then turned violent.
On September 23, a deadly riot had erupted in Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, killing 33 civilians, including a senior medical doctor, who had served the native Papuans for 15 years. Related news: Jokowi confirms total evaluation of Papua's special autonomy status
Related news: Jokowi ensures Papuan representation in subsequent cabinet line-up
EDITED BY INE
The Papuan people are keen to have a discussion within the spirit of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as the central government had done in Aceh Province, said Esmon Welilo, a priest who is also chairman of the Interreligious Harmony Forum (FKUB).
"We do hope that the dialogue can be held during his second leadership term," he told ANTARA in Jayapura, the capital city of Papua Province, on Thursday.
Esmon Welilo said Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is the first Indonesian president who has made 12 working visits to the Papua Province, including three times to Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District.
Under Jokowi's leadership, it is time for the central government to hold a dialogue to seek comprehensive solutions to the problems in Papua, he said, adding that he believed that all the Papuan people would keep supporting the government's programs.
The call for holding a dialogue with President Jokowi had been echoed by West Papua Governor, Dominggus Mandacan, on September 12, 2019.
Mandacan said he awaited the president's readiness to meet West Papua's local leaders of various ethnic groups to listen to and comprehend their aspirations following the recent Surabaya incident that infuriated native Papuans.
Over these past two months, a spate of violence broke out in several parts of Papua and West Papua in the upshot of the Surabaya incident and fake news that had triggered public ire among native Papuans.
On August 28, violence broke out in Deiyai District, some 500 kilometers away from Jayapura, resulting in the deaths of an army soldier and two civilians.
Protests were again held on August 29 by the indigenous Papuan residents of Jayapura, as they vented their ire over the alleged racist behavior against their Papuan compatriots in Surabaya, but their rally then turned violent.
On September 23, a deadly riot had erupted in Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, killing 33 civilians, including a senior medical doctor, who had served the native Papuans for 15 years. Related news: Jokowi confirms total evaluation of Papua's special autonomy status
Related news: Jokowi ensures Papuan representation in subsequent cabinet line-up
EDITED BY INE
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.