Sunday, September 6, 2020

1) TPNPB denies the claim troops taking control of Tembagapura

 

2) 19th Anniversary, Jubi in the perspective of researcher and Regional Police
3) Workers back to protest and block the road

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1) TPNPB denies the claim troops taking control of Tembagapura


                                                              National Liberation Army of West Papua- Supplied

Jayapura, Jubi – West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) accused the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander and National Police Chief for developing a scenario of deploying additional troops to secure the area of Freeport. TPNPB spokesperson Sebby Sembom declared it regarding the visit of the two highest rank chiefs of the Indonesian security forces to Timika, Papua, which is said to review the control over Tembagapura Sub-district by the liberation army.
Sembom denied this claim. “It might be a scenario to deploy more soldiers to Timika,” he told Jubi on Tuesday (1/9/2020). Sembom further highlighted that it was not true that TPNPB has taken control of Tembagapura Sub-district, the area which covers the Freeport mining site. In fact, Sembom said, TPNPB troops are not there anymore.
“All retreated for evaluation. But the location is still near Freeport. They can still attack Freeport anytime,” said Sembom.

In the meantime, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and National Police Chief Idham Aziz with ten high-rank military and police chiefs arrived at Timika on Saturday afternoon (29/8/2020) and directly joined a meeting. The meeting held at Rimba Papua Hotel was closed for the press.
“This is an internal event. Therefore, from the arrival to the meeting, we cannot allow the press to cover,” the Mimika Sectoral Police published an official announcement to journalists.

Among the highlighted issues discussed in the meeting were the concern to address the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) which was declared still entrenched Aroanop, Tembagapura Sub-district.
It relates to the fact that TPNPB is increasingly attacking the Freeport area, both in Tembagapura or in Mimika lowlands. As a result of this attack, since the early of March, thousands of villagers of Waa-Banti, Kimbeli and Opitawak villages located near Tembagapura were evacuated to Timika.
The prolonged handling of Tembagapura refugees has now led to some new problems in the provision of housing facilities, food, health services, education, and so on. The meeting also discussed the demonstration held by Freeport workers who closed access to the mining area in Ridge Camp Mile 72. The road blockage by Freeport workers ended on Friday (28/8/2020) after the corporate management dealing with employees to fulfil their requests. (*)
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2) 19th Anniversary, Jubi in the perspective of researcher and Regional Police


Semarang, Jubi – Adriana Elizabeth, a senior researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and the Coordinator for the Papua Peace Network in Jakarta, said Jubi always be the first in reporting the updated situation of Papua. Further, she said that she has been familiar with Jubi and followed the news on Jubi since 2004 when doing her research in Manokwari.
“Jubi becomes something that I must read because it presents updated information before the other parties find out,” said Adriana when talking in an online discussion on Wednesday (2/9/2020) to commemorate the 19th Jubi’s anniversary.
She also mentioned that the Papua Peace Network (JDP) had collaborated with Jubi for many times on several occasions, including hosting discussions on various issues of Papua. Furthermore, Adriana said Jubi has become a critical information centre that needs to take notice.

According to her, information is becoming an essential commodity. However, following a recent trend, many people are currently providing information or talking about Papua, but without sufficient understanding of the issues happening in Papua. “Those impromptu observers are putting everything on risk (of misunderstanding),” said Adriana.
She said Jubi’s reporting is qualified because it emphasises the substance. “So far, I have not found hoaxes published on Jubi. If its news is not perfect, then it could later be clarified. It’s a process,” she explained.

Moreover, she hopes that Jubi can play a critical role to cover dynamics in Papua as well as to bridge the gap of understanding on Papuan issues before the Indonesian public. Also, she expects Jubi to add more content on education and health in Papua because she thought these two issues require in-depth coverage to uncover the roots of problems facing Papuans.

“Regarding health issues in Asmat, for instance, it found out that the problem is not on health workers, but it more relates to the change of lifestyle and people’s mindset. This sort of story, I think, needs to be covered. Therefore, Jubi would not always write about conflict as people’s basic needs also need to respond,” said Adriana.
Moreover, she hopes Jubi can make in-depth features about natural resources in Papua. There is a considerable question around this issue to debate whether natural resources are a gift or curse for indigenous Papuans. “This issue needs to be raised, especially regarding the customary people living in the natural resources area to clarify the public understanding,” she said.
In the meantime, the Public Affairs Chief of Papua Regional Police Senior Commissionaire Ahmad Mustofa Kamal said Jubi is one of the media to report police activities in Papua. “It covers the news on police activities and other information happening in Papua. Sometimes, the information that we have not known yet already published on Jubi,” said Kamal.
He took an example of an incident that happened in a region where the Sectoral Police do not exist. Jubi got the information about it before the police. “We were surprised to answer the question from other journalists asking for confirmation after they read the news published on Jubi,” added Kamal.
However, he also criticised Jubi for sometimes publishing news without prior confirmation (from the police). “We hope journalists can also confirm the information they found on the ground,” said Kamal.
In general, he thought that during its 19 years of journey, Jubi has contributed to the effort of developing transparent information for the public because people have rights to know what and how the incidents happened. “Therefore, from time to time, people would be knowledgeable and aware of the better land of Papua,” he said. (*)

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3) Workers back to protest and block the road



Jayapura, Jubi – Freeport Indonesia workers held a protest for the second time in Mile 72 that connecting Tembagapura and Freeport mining area on Wednesday (2/9/2020) demanding the corporate to pay additional incentive for those who keep working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A protester contacted by Jubi on Wednesday evening said the workers decided to start a demonstration in Mile 72 on Wednesday at 8 pm Papua time. He said the blockage of Mile 72 causing the access road from Tembagapura to the gold mining site closed.
“We, the workers, got angry and decided to block the main route to the Freeport production area. Therefore, the mining activities once again disrupted and the production stopped,” said a source who asked his name to remain anonymous on WhatsApp to Jubi.

Another protester said the demonstration held on Wednesday evening was related to the incentive disbursement to workers who have been working for seven months during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week, they accepted the corporate’s word to pay their incentive on 31 August 2020.
“We (who demand the incentive) are not only one or two persons. Thousands of us request the management to pay the incentive to workers who keep working during the Covid-19 immediately,” he said.

According to him, the protesters have a shelter in Mile 72. “The protesters are still building the tent and blocking the road with two heavy equipment,” he said.
Tembagapura is a residential and office compound of Freeport where located in Mile 66, Tembagapura Sub-district, Mimika Regency, Papua. Tembagapura becomes a temporary resident for workers who are not in shifting hours. If the road blockage by the protesters has effectively happened, Freeport workers from Tembagapura cannot access their working site.
Last week, Freeport Indonesia workers held the same protest at Mile 72 and blocked the road. However, the demonstration and road blockage ended on Friday (28/8/2020) after the corporate management agreed to fulfil their requests, namely to provide busses to transport the off-duty workers to Tembagapura and provide an incentive for those who work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When confirmed on Wednesday evening, Vice President Corporate Communication Riza Pratama said he could not affirm the information regarding the second protest and blockage at Mile 72. “We are still looking for information and confirmation from the employees,” he replies Jubi’s message on WhatsApp.(*)
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