2) Two Indonesian soldiers killed in separatist attack in Papua
3) Supreme Court raises prison term for Polish man over treason, link with Papuan rebels
4) Indonesia authorities arrest suspected ISIS terror cell in Papua
5) Police rebuke baseless rumors of additional troops in Papua's Sugapa
6) PLI launch a new campus in West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
-----------------------------------------
1) Why many Indonesians are fed up with pro-Papuan activists in Australia
By: Erwin Renaldi and Tasha Wibawa
ABC Posted 14 minutes ago
The West Papuan Morning Star flag has been a point of contention across Indonesia for decades.
For many West Papuans, it represents freedoms that have been taken away.
Key points:
- The West Papuan flag is seen as a symbol of independence
- West Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1963 following Dutch occupation
- Many Indonesians believe foreign reporting on West Papua is one-sided
Every year on December 1 — the date the flag was first raised in 1961 — activists fly the Morning Star as a symbol of independence and resistance to incorporation into Indonesia.
They have supporters in many parts of the world: This year events were held in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Fiji, to name a few places.
But despite the many supporters, there are also many Indonesians who say the Morning Star flag actually represents a betrayal of the national motto "unity in diversity" and that their voices on the issue are not being heard.
"The reporting of West Papua is one-sided in Australia, that's why we feel we need to make a political statement," a member of the Sydney-based Indonesian community group Projo told the ABC on the condition of anonymity.
Just a few weeks ago a Morning Star flag-raising event at Leichhardt Town Hall in Sydney's inner west raised the ire of some Indonesians.
Indonesia's Consulate General in Sydney said it "regrets" that the council allowed "a symbol of separatism" to be raised, adding that it could be "misinterpreted to represent support from the Australian Government".
Others, like Indonesian-born Sydney taxi driver Hendra Ong, said the move by the council was "offensive and humiliating".
In a statement, the council told the ABC it had been raising the flag for a number of years and was "not aware of receiving any complaints from the general public".
However, the Indonesian Consulate General has "objected to the flag-raising in writing most years", it said.
'Even if the cost is death’
Papua and West Papua are Indonesia's easternmost provinces, and commonly referred to internationally as West Papua.
The region has been embroiled in conflict on and off ever since its incorporation into Indonesia in 1963.
The latest flare-ups earlier this year, in which protesters clashed with authorities, resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries.
Rights groups say there are continual human rights abuses, while foreign media are routinely denied access to the region.
Authorities also recently charged Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, who was hiding in Australia, for being a "provocateur" and for "spreading hoaxes".
The Indonesian Government remains firm in its stance that the region is part of a unified Indonesia and has been since a United Nations-backed referendum, and that any unrest is a domestic issue.
For some Indonesians, such as Diana Pratiwi, who lives in Melbourne, West Papua should "not be allowed independence", however flying the flag was simply "a symbol of Papuan culture" and "freedom of expression".
But for others, the flag is less tolerable.
A number of Indonesian community groups in New South Wales have called on members to create videos showing their support for a united Indonesia, which includes West Papua as an ingrained part of the country.
One video showed a group of men and women wearing red and white — the colours of the Indonesian flag — and yelling: "We are Indonesia, Papua is our brother. A united Indonesia, even if the cost is death."
The video aimed to counter the narrative by the Papuan pro-independence activists in Australia, the community group Projo said.
Remnants of East Timor 'trauma' continues
Richard Chauvel, West Papua researcher from the University of Melbourne, said the deep fears about foreign interference stemmed from the "trauma" felt by Indonesians following Australia's involvement in East Timor.
"It reflects back on the role that Australia played in 1999 … and how [East Timor independence] has been interpreted and understood by Indonesians and politicians until today."
There is much debate over exactly what role Australia played during East Timor's move to independence but it was clearly a significant one and included leading a multinational peacekeeping force during 1999 and 2000.
As for the situation in West Papua today, the Australian Government has remained largely silent on the recent violence and will only say that it urges "all sides to avoid violence and exercise restraint".
Dr Chauvel said under the Lombok Treaty of 2006, Australia and Indonesia agreed to respect each other's sovereignty and would not support "separatist movements".
------------------------------
2) Two Indonesian soldiers killed in separatist attack in Papua
Posted about 9 hours ago
Two Indonesian soldiers have been shot dead in Indonesia's eastern-most province of Papua, ambushed by separatist rebels while transporting goods to a village in a remote area.
Papua has suffered a simmering conflict for decades, led by a mostly poorly armed and fractured separatist movement.
Key points:
- The separatist movement has been in conflict with Indonesian soldiers in Papua for a decade
- Indonesian soldiers have since been guarding the village to ensure resident security
- A military spokesman said 10 separatist rebels ambushed the group of soldiers, killing two
Muhammad Aidi, intelligence assistant for Indonesia's special forces unit, said the rebels attacked when soldiers and local residents were transporting goods for year-end celebrations from a helicopter pad to Kulapa village in Intan Jaya regency.
"Around 150 metres from the outskirts of the village, suddenly 10 members of an armed separatist group with various weapons attacked," Mr Aidi said in a statement, adding the bodies of the two soldiers remained at the location.
He said the rough terrain, bad weather and poor communications in the area were hampering the evacuation of the victims.
Soldiers have been guarding the village to ensure the security of residents.
A former Dutch colony, resource-rich Papua was incorporated into Indonesia after a controversial UN-backed referendum in 1969.
The region has since endured decades of mostly low-level separatist conflict.
After a spike in protests and civil unrest in August, Indonesia sent about 6,000 additional military and police personnel to the region.
Reuters
—————————————————
3) Supreme Court raises prison term for Polish man over treason, link with Papuan rebels
News Desk The Jakarta Post
Jakarta / Wed, December 18, 2019 / 07:15 pm
The Supreme Court has increased the prison sentence of Jakub Fabian Skrzypski, a Polish national and reportedly the first foreigner convicted of treason in Indonesia, to seven years in prison for his role in assisting a separatist group in Papua.
The sentence given by the country’s highest court is two years longer than the five-year sentence handed down in May by the Wamena District Court in Papua, which found Skrzypski guilty of treason for his involvement in a plot to overthrow the Indonesian government and making contact with a rebel group in Papua.
“The Supreme Court sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment, while the Wamena District Court [sentenced him to] only five years,” the district court’s crime unit head, Richarda Arsenius, said as quoted by Antara.
In response to the matter, Papua’s Jayawijaya Police chief Adj. Comr. Suheriadi said they coordinated closely with the Jayawijaya Prosecutor’s Office to follow up on the Supreme Court’s verdict.
“Now that the final decision has been made, the prosecutor’s office has the authority to execute the verdict by relocating [Skrzypski] from the detention center at the Jayawijaya Police headquarters to Wamena prison,” he said.
“If [Skrzypski’s] lawyer, family or [the Polish] consulate would like to relocate him, they must send an official letter to the Law and Human Rights Regional Office.”
Throughout his stay at the detention center, Skrzypski reportedly never encountered health problems because he was examined on a daily basis by health officers at the police’s medical center.
Skrzypski was arrested at Habema Lake in Jayawijaya in August last year, according to the police. The 39-year-old was found with documents and video detailing the Papuan struggle for independence.
He and his lawyer, Latifah Anum Siregar – who previously said his client was the first foreigner convicted of treason – denied all wrongdoing while the prosecutors accused him of having met with leaders of the Free Papua Organization (OPM).
Latifah said the Supreme Court’s verdict was “too heavy”. She and Skrzypski are currently discussing the next steps, including the possibility of filing a judicial review to challenge the top court’s ruling, which means it must find evidence of legal flaws made by the court.
"Skrzypski has rejected the accusations from the beginning," Latifah said as quoted by the AFP.
The European Parliament described the Polish man as a political prisoner and called for his transfer back to his home country.
The country’s easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua have long been dealing with the separatist movement, which the Indonesian government routinely blames as being as the actor behind various cases of violent unrest in the restive region. (vla)
——————————————
4) Indonesia authorities arrest suspected ISIS terror cell in Papua
Indonesian police have swooped on group of ISIS-inspired suspected terrorists, accusing them of planning an operation in the province of Papua.
The arrest was a “pre-emptive strike” by the anti-terrorism squad earlier this month in several locations in Papua, National Police spokesman Asep Adi Saputra said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The suspects have been transferred to Jakarta for questioning.
They were suspected of having links to the Islamic State-inspired Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which has carried out a series of attacks in Indonesia.
Police said the arrests were made after officers conducted surveillance of meetings between the suspects, as well as training and preparation for suspected attacks.
“Their target and their plan is currently being investigated,” Saputra said.
Separately, Papua police chief Paulus Waterpauw said on Tuesday the suspects were part of JAD networks on the Indonesian island of Sumatra that had moved to Jayapura, the provincial capital of Papua.
He said the arrests prompted police in Papau to heighten security in the area, especially before the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Indonesia is predominantly Muslim but some areas, particularly in the east, including Papua, have Christian majorities.
Papua has suffered a simmering conflict led by a mostly poorly armed and fractured separatist movement for decades, though not the type of sectarian or religious conflict in some other parts of Indonesia.
Two Indonesian soldiers were shot dead in Papua, ambushed by separatist rebels while transporting goods to a village in a remote area, a military spokesman said on Wednesday.
-AAP
——————————————
5) Police rebuke baseless rumors of additional troops in Papua's Sugapa
14 hours ago
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Papua Police spokesman Commissioner A.M. Kamal dismissed unsubstantiated information on more troops being deployed to Sugapa in Intan Jaya District, Papua Province.
"Information on the deployment of security personnel by an army and police helicopter in Sugapa is not true," he informed ANTARA in Jakarta on Tuesday while speaking in connection with rumors spread among members of the public through online media.
Kamal confirmed that no additional troops were stationed in Sugapa. The security personnel deployed in the area conduct routine patrols and visits to villages in order to maintain peace and security in the run-up to this year's Christmas celebrations.
"The routine patrols and visits are aimed at offering a sense of security and comfort to the local community members ahead of this year's Christmas and New Year celebrations," he remarked while urging the people at large to remain careful with the information they receive.
Kamal warned that those spreading hoaxes were subject to violation of the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law for which they should remain cautious and careful with the information and news they receive through social media platforms.
The security situation in the provinces of Papua and West Papua Provinces remains critical owing to the terror acts by armed Papuan rebels.
On Nov 30, 2019, a group of Papuan gunmen had opened fire at an escort car owned by PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) at around Mile 60 in Tembagapura Sub-district, Mimika District, Papua Province, but no casualties were reported in the incident.
The gunmen who fired at PTFI's "Delta Zone" escort car might belong to an armed Papuan rebel group, led by Hengki Wamang, spokesman of the XVII/Cenderawasih Regional Military Command Colonel Eko Daryanto stated.
Related news: Papua police probe killing of three Ojek drivers
The ill-fated vehicle came under attack when the driver Ramadhani and two passengers, Latif and Matthew Philips, were awaiting the arrival of an employee shuttle bus from the Timika bus terminal, he stated.
The shooting took place at around 3:50 p.m. local time. Some 10 minutes later, several members of the Indonesian military and police task force were deployed to the site of the attack to assist the victims and secure the Mile 60 area, he noted.
"No one is injured in the shooting incident," he remarked, adding that the military and police personnel should stay alert to the armed Papuan criminals, who were keen to hinder Papua's security.
Papua and West Papua have come under the radar of both the Indonesian and foreign media after a spate of violence erupted in several parts of these two Indonesian provinces in August and September 2019. Related news: Government to prioritize holistic development for Papua
Related news: Bappenas composes policy centering on swifter development in Papua
EDITED BY INE
"Information on the deployment of security personnel by an army and police helicopter in Sugapa is not true," he informed ANTARA in Jakarta on Tuesday while speaking in connection with rumors spread among members of the public through online media.
Kamal confirmed that no additional troops were stationed in Sugapa. The security personnel deployed in the area conduct routine patrols and visits to villages in order to maintain peace and security in the run-up to this year's Christmas celebrations.
"The routine patrols and visits are aimed at offering a sense of security and comfort to the local community members ahead of this year's Christmas and New Year celebrations," he remarked while urging the people at large to remain careful with the information they receive.
Kamal warned that those spreading hoaxes were subject to violation of the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law for which they should remain cautious and careful with the information and news they receive through social media platforms.
The security situation in the provinces of Papua and West Papua Provinces remains critical owing to the terror acts by armed Papuan rebels.
On Nov 30, 2019, a group of Papuan gunmen had opened fire at an escort car owned by PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) at around Mile 60 in Tembagapura Sub-district, Mimika District, Papua Province, but no casualties were reported in the incident.
The gunmen who fired at PTFI's "Delta Zone" escort car might belong to an armed Papuan rebel group, led by Hengki Wamang, spokesman of the XVII/Cenderawasih Regional Military Command Colonel Eko Daryanto stated.
Related news: Papua police probe killing of three Ojek drivers
The ill-fated vehicle came under attack when the driver Ramadhani and two passengers, Latif and Matthew Philips, were awaiting the arrival of an employee shuttle bus from the Timika bus terminal, he stated.
The shooting took place at around 3:50 p.m. local time. Some 10 minutes later, several members of the Indonesian military and police task force were deployed to the site of the attack to assist the victims and secure the Mile 60 area, he noted.
"No one is injured in the shooting incident," he remarked, adding that the military and police personnel should stay alert to the armed Papuan criminals, who were keen to hinder Papua's security.
Papua and West Papua have come under the radar of both the Indonesian and foreign media after a spate of violence erupted in several parts of these two Indonesian provinces in August and September 2019. Related news: Government to prioritize holistic development for Papua
Related news: Bappenas composes policy centering on swifter development in Papua
EDITED BY INE
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.