AWPA update
Summary of events in West Papua (6 April -10 May 2020)
Upcoming on ABC on Foreign Correspondent
Just north of Australia a secret war is being fought. West Papuan independence fighters and Indonesian security forces are involved in a protracted and bloody battle over the issue of Papuan independence. Sally Sara reports on a war with no end in sight. Watch The War Next Door on Foreign Correspondent, Tuesday May 12th at 8pm on ABC and iview. https://www.abc.net.au/foreign/the-war-next-door/12220578
New book The Road: Uprising in West Papua
John Martinkus
They all know the history; they have all grown up with the repression. They have grown up fighting. They have seen their leaders shot and jailed. They live with the military post on the corner. The searches, the document checks, the beatings, the arrests, the surveillance and the swaggering, casual violence of the Indonesian army and police. They all have one thing in common: an overwhelming desire to right a historic wrong.
Release date: 18 May 2020
West Papua activists found guilty of treason
RNZI 25 April 2020
An Indonesian court has found six activists guilty of treason for their role in protesting in support of West Papuan independence last August.
The six - Indonesian People's Front for West Papua spokesperson Surya Anta and students Charles Kossay, Deno Tabuni, Isay Wenda, Ambrosius Mulait and Arina Elopere - staged their protest independence in front of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
Wearing traditional headdress, Papuan human rights activists Ambrosius Mulait (left) and Dano Tabuni at the start of their trial in the Central Jakarta District Court Photo: Seto Wardhana/Jakarta Post
A panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court gave them all nine-month sentences, except for Isa Wenda, who received eight months. The Jakarta Post reported that the sentences were delivered in a virtual verdict hearing. Elopere was found guilty of waving the banned Morning Star flag, which symbolised the Papuan independence movement. She also danced and sang a song with the lyrics, "We are not red and white [the colours of the Indonesian flag]," during the 28 August protest. Tabuni was found guilty of treason in the form of a speech at the same protest, where he demanded that the government immediately hold a Papuan independence referendum. The remaining activists were found guilty of attending the protest and voicing their opinions over the referendum demand.
Judges said during the session that all defendants had violated Article 110 in relation to Article 106 of the Criminal Code Law (KUHP) for conspiring to promote "secession". "All defendants are found guilty of a collective act of treason," said presiding judge Agustinus Setyo Wahyu.
The sentence is lower than the one year and five months in prison demanded by prosecutors. The activists' lawyer, Oky Wiratama, said she was disappointed with the verdicts and questioned the process. "[The verdict stated that] treasonous acts have pros and cons in addition to containing political substance, so the treason charges can be misused by the government to oppress its citizens." "If the judges were in doubt, I think the best way to resolve the case would have been to not impose a prison sentence for the defendants. They should be free of charges," Ms Wiratama said. She added her team would deliberate the case for seven days before deciding whether to appeal. Amnesty International Indonesia director Usman Hamid said the treason charges might have been misused by the government against individuals who should never have been arrested or detained in the first place.
AWPA letter to Aust Foreign Minister at
More Than 70 Papuan, Moluccan Activists Jailed for Nonviolent Protests
Human Rights Watch called on the The Indonesian government to release at least 70 Papuan and Moluccan activists imprisoned for peacefully voicing their political views. https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/03/indonesia-new-arrests-peaceful-political-expression
List of Known Political Prisoners in Indonesia
Human Rights Watch UPDATE May 4, 2020
Indonesian authorities have imprisoned four political prisoners in Ambon since July 2007, for their involvement in a peaceful protest dance by 28 people at the Ambon stadium. The four were among a total of 68 men, including the dancers, who were arrested and sentenced to between 7 and 20 years in prison on treason charges. All have since been released except for the four, who each received 17-year prison terms: Jhon Markus; Romanus Batseran; Jordan Saiya; and Johannis Saija. Human Rights Watch used a database provided by the London-based Tapol organization as well as the submission by the lawyers Jennifer Robinson and Veronica Koman to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to list these cases in eight cities in Indonesia:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/03/list-known-political-prisoners-indonesia
NZ govt urged to apply more scrutiny in West Papua
RNZI 6 May 2020
A West Papua solidarity group in New Zealand has criticised the government for not doing enough about violence and human rights abuses in Indonesia's Papua region. West Papua Action Auckland said the government should be engaging with Indonesian authorities more after a shooting attack at mining company PT Freeport Indonesia's offices in Papua province killed a New Zealander Graeme Wall on 30 March. The attack occurred in a regency, Mimika, where deadly conflict between pro-independence West Papuan guerilla fighters and Indonesian security forces has surged in the past two months.
Catherine Delahunty of the West Papua Action Auckland group said New Zealand's government should be applying more scrutiny on what was happening in Papua. "It's a code of silence that costs lives, in this instance a New Zealand life. So we're actually really disappointed in the consistent blocking of any action or any diplomacy leadership." Ms Delahunty said that in recent times violent conflict had escalated in West Papua, and more political prisoners detained, but that the group's calls for the New Zealand government to do more to about it had been ignored. "We have consistently tried to get meetings with the foreign minister or prime minister to try and engage on this issue, but it just doesn't lead anywhere," she said. "This country can't say it's not involved. This latest tragic incident where a New Zealander lost his life at Freeport, clearly we're involved."Incidents like this one, which are very confused, require independent scrutiny, and it was a New Zealand citizen.”
New Zealand's government said it has been reassured by Indonesia that there would be a thorough investigation into the killing of a New Zealander in Papua.
A spokesperson from New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government was alarmed by the attack. She said Indonesian Police assured New Zealand's Embassy in Jakarta about an ongoing investigation, after Wellington made a formal request to be kept informed. A faction of the West Papua Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. "We have sought further details from the Indonesian authorities through our Jakarta Embassy," the ministry spokesperson said. "From our most recent engagement with Indonesian regional police authorities last month, we are aware two suspects were killed during a police raid and that one person has been charged with a number of offences." Meanwhile, Ms Delahunty said her group was also concerned about pressure on a West Papuan church leader in the wake of the Freeport attack. Reverend Socratez Yoman of the West Papua Baptist church had been 'invited' by Indonesian police to 'clarify' an article he wrote about a shooting attack in which Graeme Wall was killed. While the West Papua Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, the Baptist leader suggested it could have been engineered by Indonesian security forces. West Papua Action Auckland said it was concerned for his safety.
Security forces kill West Papuan separatists after deadly attack
RNZI 12 April 2020
Indonesian security forces have killed three West Papuans they suspect of being part of an armed group behind a deadly attack at the premises of multi-national miner Freeport. Clashes near the Grasberg copper and gold mine began in February, leaving left two security personnel and four rebels dead.
On 30 March, eight gunmen shot and killed New Zealand miner Graeme Thomas Wall when he and six employees of PT Freeport Indonesia were in a parking lot at the company's office in the restive province. Two Indonesian miners were in critical condition while four others suffered minor injuries. The West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization, claimed responsibility for the attacks. Spokesman Sebby Sambom warned mine employees to leave the area that the group declared a battle zone. Rebels in Papua have been fighting a low-level insurgency since the early 1960s, when Indonesia annexed the region that was a former Dutch colony. Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 after a U.N.-sponsored ballot, seen as a sham. The mine, which is nearly half owned by US-based Freeport-McMoRan and is run by PT Freeport Indonesia, is seen by separatists as a symbol of Indonesian rule and has been a frequent target. Local police chief Era Adhinata told the Associated Press security forces raided a house owned by a security guard of PT Freeport Indonesia, who also was a rebel supporter. They shot and killed two suspected rebels in a gunfight, arrested the owner, and seized weapons and a morning star flag of the separatist movement. Mr Adhinata said the two slain rebels had been identified as gunmen in the shooting of the New Zealander and the others. He said security forces later killed another rebel during a shootout on Friday in the Mount Botak of Tembagapura mining district, and seized an assault rifle and ammunition. A National Liberation Army of West Papua commander, Lekagak Telenggen, confirmed the police claim. He called on the US and Indonesia to stop the gold mine operations in Papua.
West Papuan family questions military killing of student son and friend
RNZI 15 April 2020
A West Papuan family is asking questions about the circumstances around the killing of their son and his friend in Mimika regency on Monday. Media reports from Papua say the two university students, Eden Bebari and Ronny Wandik, aged 19 and 21, were killed by Indonesian military personnel about halfway between the city of Timika and the giant Freeport gold mine. According to Seputar Papua, authorities claim the pair were part of an armed separatist criminal group and that they were shot dead in a firefight with the military.
But the father of Eden Bebari denies that his son was a member of any such group or that the pair were found with firearms. Demi Bebari said his family would meet the leadership of the security forces in Mimika, to hold them responsible for the death of their only son. He said his son was just a child who was in the area fishing with a friend when they were killed. A spokesman for Indonesia's military said the incident is under investigation. The killings occurred in the same region around the giant Freeport gold and copper mine where armed conflict between factions of the West Papua Liberation Army and Indonesia's security forces has recently escalated.
Noting inconsistencies in reports circulating about the killings, Mr Bebari said the killings must be investigated and the case submitted to a civil court.
He said the family didn't want the perpetrators to be put on trial in a military court but said the National Human Rights Commission should be asked to investigate.
Police shooting in Mamberamo In related news, three Indonesian policemen were killed, and two others seriously injured during a clash with soldiers in Mamberamo district of Papua province. The Jakarta Post reports that Sunday's incident occurred when over a dozen police officers went to a military post in the town of Kasonaweja and confronted soldiers after one of their colleagues was allegedly beaten by the troops. According to a family member of one of those killed, the beating resulted from a heated argument between the policeman and a motorcycle taxi driver who asked the soldiers to help him. The local police chief reportedly told his men not to retaliate, saying he would resolve the issue with the local military commander. However, around 20 officers reportedly ignored him and were fired upon when they challenged the soldiers.
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is calling on the government to establish an independent team to investigate the fatal shooting of two people in Mimika.
Burial of Eden Armando Bebari and Ronny Wandik in Timika – April 11, 2020 (Suara Papu
Six Mimika residents nabbed while supplying food to armed Papuans
Antara News 8th April 2020
Timika, Papua (ANTARA) - Police in Mimika District, Papua Province, on Tuesday apprehended six local residents for allegedly trying to supply food to an armed rebel group led by Hengku Wamang in the Kali Kopi neighborhood. The suspects were identified as Yohanis Wamang, Roni Wamang, Ema Natkiin/Natkime, Nangain Magai, Emarain Magai, and Imelda Magai, said Mimika Police Chief Adjunct Sen.Coms. I Gusti Gede Era Adhinata on Wednesday in Timika, the capital of Mimika District. The suspects were nabbed during a joint public order operation conducted by local police and military personnel on Tuesday for preventing residents from carrying machetes and liquor, he revealed. During the operation, security personnel found a car belonging to the suspects loaded with food, he continued. During questioning, the suspects admitted the stock of food, which included rice, instant noodles, sugar, coffee, and kitchen ingredients, was meant for the Hengky Wamang-led group, Adhinata stated.
One of the suspects revealed he was related to Hengku Wamang and told investigators the rebel group leader had asked them to buy food from Timika's Pasar Lama market on Bhayangkara Street, he added. The security situation in Papua remains volatile due to acts of deadly violence committed by Papuan separatists. The rebels have engaged in frequent exchanges of fire with Indonesian military and police personnel. The rebels have also launched deadly attacks on civilians over the past years and killed several of them. As per Papua Police records, between early January and December 28, 2019, a total of 23 shooting and criminal cases involving armed Papuan groups have claimed the lives of 10 police and military personnel as well as 10 civilians. The armed Papuan groups had committed such criminal acts in the administrative areas of the districts of Puncak Jaya, Jayawijaya, Mimika, and Paniai in 2019, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw remarked on December 28, 2019. Acts of terror committed by the armed rebels in the area of Oksibil, the capital of Pegunungan Bintang District, for instance, had terrified local residents. Consequently, they were fearful of leaving their homes for harvesting their agricultural land. (INE) Related news: Notorious armed Papuan rebels terrorize resident of Pegunungan BintangRelated news: Security threats from armed Papuan criminals in Mimika identified. EDITED BY INE Reporter: Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution Editor: Suharto
One of the suspects revealed he was related to Hengku Wamang and told investigators the rebel group leader had asked them to buy food from Timika's Pasar Lama market on Bhayangkara Street, he added. The security situation in Papua remains volatile due to acts of deadly violence committed by Papuan separatists. The rebels have engaged in frequent exchanges of fire with Indonesian military and police personnel. The rebels have also launched deadly attacks on civilians over the past years and killed several of them. As per Papua Police records, between early January and December 28, 2019, a total of 23 shooting and criminal cases involving armed Papuan groups have claimed the lives of 10 police and military personnel as well as 10 civilians. The armed Papuan groups had committed such criminal acts in the administrative areas of the districts of Puncak Jaya, Jayawijaya, Mimika, and Paniai in 2019, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw remarked on December 28, 2019. Acts of terror committed by the armed rebels in the area of Oksibil, the capital of Pegunungan Bintang District, for instance, had terrified local residents. Consequently, they were fearful of leaving their homes for harvesting their agricultural land. (INE) Related news: Notorious armed Papuan rebels terrorize resident of Pegunungan BintangRelated news: Security threats from armed Papuan criminals in Mimika identified. EDITED BY INE Reporter: Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution Editor: Suharto
OPM proposes ceasefire to help contain spread of Covid-19 in West Papua
Surara.com – April 8, 2020 Agung Sandy Lesmana and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari –
The Free Papua Organisation (OPM) is offering a ceasefire in the midst of the corona virus pandemic. The option of a ceasefire however must also be agreed to by the Indonesian government by withdrawing all non-organic troops from Papua. West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and OPM spokesperson Sebby Sembom has confirmed reports of the offer. He also emphasised that the option of a ceasefire must be agreed to by the government by ending military operations in Papua and withdrawing non-organic troops. “Yes, it’s true and if Indonesia withdraws all non-organic military from Papua. Because the fact is that the TNI-Polri [Indonesian military-Indonesian police] are currently mobilising troops in large numbers and conducting military operations in Ndugama, Lani Jaya, Timika, Tembagapura and Oksibil in the star mountains (Pegunungan Bintang) regency”, said Sembom when contacted by journalists on Wednesday April 8. As a broad outline, the option of a ceasefire offered by the OPM must also be accepted by the government with an agreement not to conduct military operations in the Island of the Cenderawasih as Papua is known.
Sembom has also issued a written release by OPM-TPNPB Chairperson Jeffrey Bomanak which was written from the OPM-TPNPB Victoria headquarters on Wednesday. In the release, Bomanak said that the OPM-TPNPB will also support the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic which they see as threatening human life.
Bomanak explained that the war between the OPM and the Indonesian military is still continuing particularly at several vital points such as the Freeport mining area in Tembagapura, Timika.
Armed contacts are also still taking place in Intan Jaya, in the Ndugama III Defense Command Area (Kodap) in the Star Mountains as well as the OPM-TPNPB Victoria headquarters. The government is said to still be increasing troop numbers. “And the OPM-TPNPB respects the energy of countries which have a commitment to fight the Covid-19 global epidemic such as Papua New Guinea, Australia and East Timor so the OPM-TPNPB has had to issue this statement and commitment so that Indonesia does not act carelessly in military operations which will spread the corona virus to other countries”, wrote Bomanak.
Bomanak also wrote that the OPM-TPNPB is making this offer and commitment openly to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as a way of realising the international guidelines issued by the United Nations to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
“So the OPM-TPNPB is asking Indonesia to respect the good intentions of the UN and the OPM-TPNPB for the sake of humanity and global justice”, said Bomanak.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Syarat Tarik Militer di Papua, OPM Tawarkan RI Gencatan Senjata saat Corona”.]
Three police officers die following clash with military personnel in Papua
Benny Mawel The Jakarta Post Jayapura Sun, April 12, 2020
Three officers from the Mamberamo Raya Police force have died while two others sustained injuries following a reported clash with military personnel in Mamberamo Raya regency, Papua, on Sunday morning. “Two police officers were killed in the clash. However, we have received a report that another officer succumbed to his injuries at the hospital this morning,” Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. He added the incident was caused by a misunderstanding between the police officers and military personnel in the regency on Saturday. A family member of one of the deceased victims, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said the incident occurred when more than a dozen Memberamo Raya Police officers went to the Infantry Batallion (Yonif) 755 task force post in Kasonaweja at 7:15 a.m. on Sunday following an alleged beating of their colleague by military personnel. Two days earlier, a police officer identified as Chief Brig. Petrus Duow reportedly agreed to rent a motorbike from a local ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver for Rp 50,000 (US$3.49) per hour. However, the police officer only paid Rp 50,000 after borrowing the motorbike for three hours. Amid the heated argument between Petrus and the ojek driver, other ojekdrivers called personnel of Yonif 755 task force to come. Ten military personnel arrived and allegedly beat Petrus.
Read also: Human Rights Watch calls for independent investigation into Freeport shooting
Memberamo Raya Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Alexander Louw had told his subordinates not to seek revenge for the incident, saying he and the local military commander would work to resolve the matter. However, around 20 police officers reportedly ignored the call and went to the military post in Kasonaweja on Sunday morning. A conflict ensued, with military personnel allegedly chasing after and shooting at the fleeing police officers. Paulus said he had ordered the local police chief to transport the deceased and injured victims out of the area and told other officers and their families not to leave the police headquarters. He added that he and Cenderawasih Military Command commander Maj. Gen. Herman Asaribab would go to Mamberamo Raya to resolve the conflict. Cenderawasih Military Command spokesperson Col. Eko Daryanto said the military command and the Papua Police had formed a joint team to investigate the incident, as quoted by kompas.com. (trn)
ULMWP congratulates the new PM and opposition leaders of Vanuatu after the recent election. Vanuatu and its people would have to be one of West Papua’s greatest supporters.
Congratulations to Prime Minister Bob Loughman from Chair of ULMWP
As Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and the people of West Papua, I would like to congratulate you on your recent election to the role of Prime Minister by the venerable Parliament of the Republic of Vanuatu. Our hearts are warmed to know that such a long-standing supporter of our struggle is now leading the great Pacific nation.
Thank you to Ralph Regenvanu and Charlot Salwai from Chairman Wenda
On behalf of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and the people of West Papua, I would like to congratulate you both on your election to parliament and your positions as leaders of the official opposition of Vanuatu. We hope the new government can continue the amazing work you and your government have done for the struggle of the people of West Papua, and we hope you and the new government can work in one voice to continue to support us.
Opinion pieces/reports/media releases etc.
On the brink of a coal boom, Papuans ask who will benefit
Will a new mining industry planned for Papua repeat an old story of dispossession and environmental degradation? BY FEBRIANA FIRDAUS ON 21 APRIL 2020
Indigenous Papuans initiate own lockdowns in face of COVID-19
by Basten Gokkon on 6 April 2020 Mongabay Series: Southeast Asian infrastructure
Get sick or go hungry? Workers face dilemma at Freeport’s Grasberg mine
by Febriana Firdaus on 8 May 2020
A view from the Grasberg mine, located near Indonesia’s highest peaks. The village of Tembagapura can be seen in the distance. Image by Richard Jones/Flickr.
https://news.mongabay.com/2020/05/get-sick-or-go-hungry-workers-face-dilemma-at-freeports-grasberg-mine/
A view from the Grasberg mine, located near Indonesia’s highest peaks. The village of Tembagapura can be seen in the distance. Image by Richard Jones/Flickr.
https://news.mongabay.com/2020/05/get-sick-or-go-hungry-workers-face-dilemma-at-freeports-grasberg-mine/
WEST PAPUA: THE ISSUE THAT WON'T GO AWAY FOR MELANESIA
West Papuans continue to fight for independence with the support of many Pacific nations. Despite Indonesia’s opposition and the recent impact of COVID-19 on the region, the resolution of West Papuan grievances may have stalled but nationalist sentiment has not been quelled. ANALYSES | 1 MAY 2020 Johnny Blades
The Australian left is known for backing Papuan independence – but it wasn’t always this way
Dominique Tasevski Dominique Tasevski completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at the University of Melbourne. Her honours thesis examined CPA-PKI relations during the 1950s and 1960s and was awarded the Brian Fitzpatrick Prize for Best Honours Thesis in Australian History. She specialises in Australia-Indonesia relations and Indonesian history and politics.
Human Rights Watch calls for independent investigation into Freeport shooting
Behind the Mountains of WEST PAPUA / Part 1
A Photographer`s Eyewitness Account Over 30 Years By Peter Bang
Watch the film…
Stop violence in Papua
Bramantya Basuki Jakarta Post Wed, April 22, 2020
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