Call to avoid any provocative move echoed in Papua’s Mimika

 https://en.antaranews.com/news/167073/call-to-avoid-any-provocative-move-echoed-in-papuas-mimika

Call to avoid any provocative move echoed in Papua’s Mimika  

30th January 2021

Timika, Papua (ANTARA) - Deputy District Head of Mimika, Johannes Rettob, joined peaceful calls for native Papuan communities in Papua Province to steer clear from any provocative move over Ambroncius Nababan's alleged racist remarks against Natalius Pigai.

"Please stay calm. Do not get provoked. In its place, we allow law enforcement agencies to handle the case properly. The suspect has also been detained," Rettob told local journalists in Timika, the capital of Mimika District, on Saturday.

Rettob urged native Papuan communities in his district to monitor the National Police's probe into the alleged racism case to ensure transparent and fair handling.

The deputy district head of Mimika also urged his people to take a lesson from the unrest that broke out in Timika and several other cities in Papua and West Papua in 2019 owing to the alleged racist behavior against their Papuan compatriots in Surabaya and Malang, East Java.

In August and September of 2019, a spate of violence had engulfed several parts of the two provinces.

On August 28, 2019, violence had erupted in Deiyai District, located some 500 kilometers away from Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province, resulting in the deaths of an army soldier and two civilians.

The indigenous Papuan residents of Jayapura had again held protests on August 29, 2019, venting ire over the alleged racist behavior, but their rally had later taken a violent turn.

On September 23, 2019, a deadly riot had erupted in Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, resulting in the deaths of 33 civilians, including a senior medical doctor, who had served native Papuans for 15 years.

"May such similar incidents of unrest not recur in Papua Province, including Mimika District," he remarked, adding that any form of racism is categorically prohibited, so he supports the law enforcement agencies to crackdown on those committing acts of racism.

In response to the case, the Papuan Customary Council had earlier appealed to native Papuan communities in the province to not be provoked by Nababan's alleged racist remarks against Pigai, former commissioner of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

The council has also urged the country's law enforcement agencies to punish those found guilty of racism-related criminal offences to deter others.

"We hope the severe punishment will have a deterrent effect, so that no other people will dare to post racist remarks on social media platforms," the council's Secretary II, John Gobay, stated.

Gobay noted that the Papuan Customary Council's representatives had visited the Papua Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate in Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province, on January 26, 2021.

They represented Pigai's family to offer them and the Papuan communities a sense of justice over the case, he remarked.

The National Police is handling the case of Nababan, a People's Conscience Party (Hanura) politician, who has been accused of posting racist remarks against Pigai on his Facebook account.

Nababan has been in detention since January 27, 2021, following police interrogation. 
Related news: Papua's police officers launch mask-wearing campaign in Jayapura City

Related news: Population in Papua currently reaches 4.30 million: BPS

EDITED BY INE

Reporter: Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf

------------------------

1) Papua’s police officers launch mask-wearing campaign in Jayapura City

2) Population in Papua currently reaches 4.30 million: BPS  

———————————-

https://en.antaranews.com/news/167064/papuas-police-officers-launch-mask-wearing-campaign-in-jayapura-city

1) Papua’s police officers launch mask-wearing campaign in Jayapura City  

10 hours ago

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Head of the Papua Police Headquarters' Protocol Bureau Sen. Coms. Jeremias Rontini distributed face masks to Jayapura residents venturing outdoors on Friday to bring to their collective consciousness the ongoing risks of COVID-19 there.

During the mask-wearing campaign held at the Jayapura Mall's area, Rontini was accompanied by his colleague, Sen. Coms. Iqbal Al-Qudusy, and two ambassadors of the Papua Police Public Relations Division, Wisnu and Andi Ernawati.

According to a press statement that ANTARA received from the Papua police here, Saturday, Rontini urged the city's residents that he came across during the campaign to continue to practice the 3M+1 T health protocols while venturing outdoors.

By consistently wearing face mask, washing hands, maintaining the recommended physical distancing measures, and avoiding crowds that fall under the 3M+1 T measures, the potential spread of COVID-19 infections can be prevented, he remarked.

Meanwhile, Head of the Papua Police Headquarters' Public Relations Task Force Sen. Coms. Iqbal Al-Qudusy stated that this public awareness campaign of the importance of wearing face masks in public areas was held amid a spike in new COVID-19 cases.

"Community members are suggested to continue to practice the government's health protocols," he affirmed, adding that they were also urged to support the government's COVID-19 vaccination program in Papua.

The police's participation in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease pandemic was brought to the attention of journalists by General Listyo Sigit Prabowo shortly after taking the oath of office as Indonesia's new police chief on January 27, 2021.

Prabowo admitted to being sentient of the tough challenges that the police face while assisting the government in tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has had a huge impact on public health and the economy.

To this end, one of the endeavors that the National Police would categorically make was to find ways to convincingly enforce the government's health protocols in communities to prevent the potential spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, he emphasized.

"The people's safety is our utmost priority, and how the National Police can help safeguard the sustainable improvement of the country's national economy and economic growth," the newly installed chief of police remarked.

Akin to several other countries across the globe, Indonesia has also been striving to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.

On Friday, January 29, 2021, Indonesia had recorded 13,802 additional COVID-19 cases, 10,138 recoveries, and 187 deaths in a single day.

With such figures, the total tally of cases had risen to 1,051,795, while total recoveries had reached 852,260, and the death toll had climbed to 29,518, according to the Task Force for COVID-19 Handling.

Indonesia currently has 170,017 active cases or patients undergoing independent care and isolation after a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. In addition, 81,497 people are suspected to have contracted the virus in the country. 
Related news: Population in Papua currently reaches 4.30 million: BPS

Related news: RI-PNG border security personnel in Merauke donate clothing to locals

EDITED BY INE

Reporter: Muhsidin, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf

——————————-

https://en.antaranews.com/news/167049/population-in-papua-currently-reaches-430-million-bps

2) Population in Papua currently reaches 4.30 million: BPS  

14 hours ago

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Population in the Indonesian province of Papua currently reached 4.30 million, or rose by some 1.47 million, from that in 2010, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

The current figure of the province's total population was based on the outcome of the 2020 Population Census, Head of the BPS-Papua Office Adriana Helena Carolina stated here on Saturday.

The province's annual population growth rate is recorded at around 4.13, or still exceeds Indonesia's average population growth rate that stands at 1.25 percent, she stated.

Some 92.83 percent of Papua's total population, or equal to 3.99 million people, have residential address as stipulated in their Family Cards (KK) and Identity Cards (KTP), Carolina pointed out.

Meanwhile, the remaining 7.17 percent, or 308 thousand residents, live in places whose addresses do not match with those mentioned on their KK and KTP, she remarked, adding that this fact revealed that the migration rate was high enough.

The result of last year's population census also demonstrated that members of the so-called Millennial and Z generations constituted the vast majority of Papua's population, she remarked.

The millennials comprise 32.09 percent of Papua's total population, while those from the Z generation constitute 30.38 percent of the province's total populace.

The 1.37 million millennials are all categorized as those from the productive age group, while 1.30 million members of the Z generation are from the unproductive and productive age brackets.

Some seven years after 2021, those belonging to the Z generation will all have reached the productive age group.

This reality would present opportunities and challenges since they would potentially become the actors of Papua's future development, she remarked.

The BPS recorded that 54.1 million Indonesians had registered for last year's population census conducted online from February 15, 2020, to May 29, 2020.

"This number is very large since it is equivalent to almost twice as much as Australia's population. It is a very encouraging achievement, bearing in mind that this is the first population census conducted online in Indonesia," BPS Head Suhariyanto stated on August 31, 2020. 
Related news: RI-PNG border security personnel in Merauke donate clothing to locals

Related news: Coffin of fallen soldier arrives in Bandung for burial

EDITED BY INE

Reporter: Muhsidin, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf

—————

1) 15 arrested in Jakarta as they prepare protest against Papuan Special Autonomy

2) In Exile, an Icon of the West Papuan Independence Struggle Fades

————————————

https://www.indoleft.org/news/2021-01-27/15-arrested-in-jakarta-as-they-prepare-protest-against-papuan-special-autonomy.html

1) 15 arrested in Jakarta as they prepare protest against Papuan Special Autonomy

Tirto.id – January 27, 2021

           Papuan protesters from AMP and FRI-WP hold rally in Central Jakarta – December 1, 2020 (Tirto

Adi Briantika – A group of Papuan students in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta, who were planning to hold a protest action opposing the extension of Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus), were arrested and taken to the Metro Jaya regional police headquarters on Wednesday January 27.

"Around 15 people were taken away and put into a police crowd control vehicle", one of the participants, Ambrosius Mulait, told Tirto.

Mulait – a former political prisoner jailed for treason – said he did not know the reason for the arrest because the group had not yet arrived at the rally location when the arrests took place.

Two days ago, said Mulait, the group sent a written notification of the action to police, but the police did not issue a permit for the demonstration. He suspects that this was the reason for the arrest – as well as the pretext of Covi-19 health protocols which prohibit crowds from gathering.

Although they tried to negotiate with the police to be allowed to demonstrate, this did not bear fruit.

Mulait and the other participants who were not arrested are still being held in front of the parliament under police guard.

"How can Papuans convey their right to an opinion opposing Otsus, but are always silenced. Today we were silenced", he said.

A similar incident occurred on October 27, 2020 when demonstrators near the Cenderawasih University in Jayapura, Papua, were dispersed and 13 arrested.

Action coordinator Mani Iyaba said that based on directives issued by the Jayapura district police, "Any protesters can be beaten, trampled underfoot".

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "15 Demonstran Tolak Otsus Papua Jilid II Ditangkap di Kompleks DPR".]

Source: https://tirto.id/15-demonstran-tolak-otsus-papua-jilid-ii-ditangkap-di-kompleks-dpr-f9Fg

—————————————————

https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/in-exile-an-icon-of-the-west-papuan-independence-struggle-fades/

2) In Exile, an Icon of the West Papuan Independence Struggle Fades

Benny Wenda has been a fierce advocate for the West Papuan cause. Why is it, then, that the proclamation of his presidency has been met with marked skepticism within West Papua?

By Leon Langdon January 29, 2021

Benny Wenda meets with Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne and Jennifer Robinson of International Lawyers for West Papua, at Parliament House in Australia, February 13, 2013. Credit: Flickr/Greens MPs

In December 2020, Benny Wenda told TIME Magazine, “I’m on a mission. I’ll finish my mission and then I will rest.” Wenda, an activist for Papuan independence, was declared president of the Provisional Government of West Papua in a statementreleased by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) on December 1. Wenda was appointed president in exile by a secret congress, on the anniversary of West Papua’s declaration of independence in 1961.

Benny Wenda has been a fierce advocate for the West Papuan cause. He was jailed in Indonesia on charges related to his activities in pursuit of West Papuan independence, but fled prison in 2002. He was charged with inciting an attack on a police station – a charge he denies. He was granted political asylum in the United Kingdom  in 2003. Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest at the request of the Indonesian government, but this was rescinded in 2012, on the grounds that it was politically motivated. In 2020, the widespread Black Lives Matter protests inspired the “Papuan Lives Matter” campaign, which saw Wenda speak at protests in the U.K. Without a doubt, he is a fierce and unrelenting advocate for his people.

Why is it, then, that the proclamation of his presidency has been met with marked skepticism within West Papua?

The Free Papua Movement’s military faction, the TPNPB, and the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), the movement’s civilian campaign, have rejectedWenda’s presidency and the government-in-waiting that has been proclaimed in the U.K. Sebby Sambon, spokesperson for the TPNPB, listed many reasons why Wenda’s claim to the presidency was illegitimate. The fact that West Papuans had no say in the matter, that Wenda is outside of the territory of the revolution, and that he is no longer an Indonesian citizen were among them. Sebby also said that Wenda was working for capitalist interests, namely the governments of Australia and the United States. Warpo Sampari Wetipo of the KNPB has echoed Sebby’s rejection, saying that the declaration could undermine the unity of Papuans.

This laundry list of reasons given by both major factions on the ground in West Papua highlight the contempt with which they now view Wenda, once their spiritual leader, and the disconnect between factions that were once aligned.

Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.

The ULMWP had risen to prominence as the main political actor in the region, and in 2014 the TPNPB and KNPB came under the umbrella of the ULMWP. However, as violence swept the region once more, both were alienated by Wenda and the ULMWP. The membership of the TPNPB and KNPB tends to be younger than that of the ULMWP. This generational disconnect is significant for a number of reasons. Violence in West Papua has been on a significant upward trajectory in recent months and years, with the United Nations human rights office making its concern known.

Much of this is driven by the construction of the Trans-Papua Highway. This massive piece of infrastructure is ripping through the heart of West Papua, endangering vital rainforests and bringing mining interests and agribusiness into the backyard of indigenous West Papuans. The construction of the highway has been attended by an escalation in violence, which has seen Indonesia deploy troops and chemical weapons along what has been termed West Papua’s “highway of blood.” In December 2018, at least 19 construction workers were killed by members of the TPNPB while working on the highway. This highway is a source of massive strife for those in West Papua, and since Wenda has not been in the country since long before its construction began, it is no wonder that people find it difficult to identify with him.

Wenda’s December 2020 announcement led to the TPNPN clarifying that they have not been working with Wenda since 2017, due to their difference in principles. Sebby Sambon criticized Wenda’s receipt of a 2019 award from the Oxford City Council for his work, saying it would be better given to those fighting within the country.

Wenda has the credentials of an activist, but his time to lead his people seems to have passed. He is viewed as a figure who is sowing discontent from afar, which could only lead to further reprisals by the Indonesian Army. The declaration of a government-in-exile, with Wenda at the helm, risks alienating Papuans on the ground. Moreover, where Wenda does have influence, with other countries, it is at risk of being undermined. Wenda has spoken to governments around the world. In November 2020, he addressed the Dutch Foreign Affairs Committee, which led to the Netherlands calling for U.N. involvement in West Papua. The declaration of the presidency has led to such backlash within West Papua, that other countries may no longer view him as a legitimate spokesperson of his people. Wenda’s best contributions to West Papuan independence may have been undermined by his desire to lead his people.

Leon Langdon is a graduate of Law with Politics from University College Dublin. He is an incoming Master’s student in International Relations at New York University, and he is also a George Moore Scholar. His research interests include Asian politics, conflict resolution, and environmental security. His work has appeared in the Oxford Political Review and on TheLatest.com.

--------------------

1) MRP leaders meet to talk about Otsus fund, plan to split Papua into 4 provinces

2) Covid-19 vaccination for health workers in Papua runs at slow pace

—————————————————

https://en.jubi.co.id/mrp-leaders-to-talk-about-otsus-fund-new-provinces/

1) MRP leaders meet to talk about Otsus fund, plan to split Papua into 4 provinces

West Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi

• News DeskJanuary 29, 2021 2:07 pm

Jayapura, Jubi – Leaders of Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) held a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 28 to talk about the central government’s plan to revise Law No. 21/2001 on Special Autonomy (Otsus) in Papua, in particular articles on Otsus funds and on splitting Papua province into four provinces.

 

“We met today to reach the same perception about the latest situation on the central government’s plan to make the second revision to the law,” said Timotius Murib, the speaker of MRP, in a video released by MRP on Thursday.

 

Murib said he had received information from Jakarta about the revision. The central government wanted to revise article 34 on Otsus fund and article 76 on requirements to add more provinces in Papua Land, which currently stipulates that MRP has to agree on an establishment of new provinces.

Read also: Aspiration for referendum and declining Otsus raised in MRPB Papua’s hearing

 

“With the second revision, the central government wants to remove the requirements that (Papua and West Papua governors), MRP and Papua Legislative Council have to agree on an establishment of new provinces,” he said.

 

He said the plan would cut Papuan people access to have a say in the decision on new provinces. “That’s a violation to the right of native Papuans as citizens,” Murib went on.

 

Documents from Home Affairs Ministry have circulated since last year, showing that Jakarta plans to split Papua province into smaller Papua province, Southwest Papua province, Central Papua province, and South Papua province.

 

The meeting on Thursday would decide on MRP’s standpoint on the plan. “We will reject the (central government’s plan),” he said.

 

Read also: Mass organisation strikes demonstration rejecting Otsus in Makassar

 

Earlier on Jan. 26, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani told senators at the Regional Representative Council (DPD) that the government wanted to disburse more Otsus fund for Papua and West Papua provinces after the first period of the fund, 20 years, would end this year. She recommended an increase of from 2 percent to 2.25 percent of the national general allocation funds (DAU) from the national budget. She estimated that the fund could reach Rp 234 trillion in 20 years.

 

Article 77 of the law actually stipulates that any revision to the special autonomy law should be initiated by Papuan people through MRP and Papua Legislative Council.

 

A group of Papuans named Papuan People Petition (PRP) had vocal in rejecting central government’s plan regarding Otsus. PRP spokesperson, Sem Awom said they rejected the plan to disburse Otsus fund for 2021-2041.

 

Awom said the plan was a unilateral move, disregarding Papuan voices in the process. PRP even called the move a “fascistic” one because it was inspired more by the interests of Jakarta elites.

 

On Jan. 21, speaker of West Papuan People’s Assembly (MRPB), Maxsi Nelson Ahoren, said that West Papua administration, Legislative Council and MRP had to be one voice with regard to Otsus.

 

“West Papua Legislative Council should support what MRP has requested: respectful dialogue between Jakarta and Papua before Jakarta decided anything on Otsus,” said Ahoren in Manokwari.

 

Last year, the House of Representatives began deliberating the revision to Otsus law, prompting protests from several Papuan groups. For them, the Otsus status was only Jakarta’s way to control Papuans and the implementation had veered away from its original intent: peace and prosperity.

 

Jakarta is adamant that Otsus was successful, citing it as Jakarta’s proof that they had done their best in Papua.

 

Reporter: Benny Mawel

————————————-

https://en.jubi.co.id/covid-19-vaccination-jayapura-papua-sinovac/

2) Covid-19 vaccination for health workers in Papua runs at slow pace

West Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi

News Desk January 28, 2021 4:25 pm

 

Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura municipality administration recorded as of Wednesday, Jan. 27, only 308 health workers or roughly 10 percent of the 3,464 target had been vaccinated with Sinovac shots since the kick off of the vaccination drive in the province on Jan. 15.

 

“We’re investigating what causes the delay,” said Deputy Mayor Rustan Saru on Wednesday. He said the vaccines were given to health workers at nine hospitals, 13 community health centers, and one reproductive health facility in Jayapura.

He said the city would target at least one health facility had to vaccinate at least 10 people at one time so Jayapura could meet the target of completing the vaccination in two months.

 

“We have received 7,560 doses of Sinovac vaccines. Health workers are the first priority so they would work in safety and comfort because they are the frontliners,” he went on. Each person would get 1 ml of Sinovac vaccine, given twice at 0.5 ml each.

 

Read also: 139 villages on Jayapura preparing 700 hectares farmland during Covid-19 pandemic

 

 

Rustan said he hoped all the medical workers in Jayapura would not hesitate to get vaccinated to boost trust among the people.

 

Jayapura Mayor Benhur Tomi Mano called on the health workers to campaign for the vaccines, saying that the vaccines were safe.

 

On Jan. 15, 16 Papua province officials got vaccinated to mark the beginning of the vaccination drive in the province. One of the recipients was the Cenderawasih Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Ignatius Yogo Triyono. He said he was fine after getting the vaccine. “It was like when I got smallpox vaccine, I feel a little sore in the arm muscle,” Yogo said.

 

Yogo called on the people not to believe misinformation on Covid-19 vaccine circulating in the social media.

 

The head of Papua Health Agency, Robby Kayame, said he targeted that 75 percent of population in Papua province would get Covid-19 vaccines.

 

For the first priority, the health workers, the province hoped to vaccinate 7,100 people for the first batch that is slated to complete in April 2021.

 

Read also: A story of Ruth Dolly Pagawak, Papuan woman who recovered from Covid-19

 

The government is trying hard to lower the vaccine hesitancy rate among the people across Indonesia. Some people in Jayapura were also hesitating.

 

Katrin, a university student, said she was worried about the side effect of the vaccines. She said each person would react differently to the vaccines. She was also worried that even though she got vaccinated, she could still get infected. She said vaccines should be given to those who want to get the shot and should not be forced.

 

Katrin said the health protocol—washing hands, wearing face mask, keeping physical distance—is the best way to avoid Covid-19 spread.

 

Another resident, Fardan, said he had his doubts even though he knew that the government’s Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM) had declared that the vaccine was safe.

 

“Let the vaccination for the government and civil servants run for a while, to build trust among the people,” he said.

 

BPOM had announced that the efficacy rate of the Sinovac vaccines, the first vaccines to arrive in Indonesia among the others the government ordered, was at 65.3 percent.

 

Covid-19 cases in Jayapura had yet to show any signs of declining. Deputy Mayor Rustan said compared to December, January saw more cases, even doubled the ones in January. “In December 2020, we saw 18 new people were positive of Covid-19, but in January this year, we see up to 30 people,” he said on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

 

He said the increase were caused by, among others, family meetings or parties for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday.

 

According to the central government’s website, accumulation of Covid-19 cases in Papua province reached 14,939 cases or 1.5 percent of total national cases, which stood at over 1 million cases in January.

———————————

1) West Papua Liberation Movement condemns racist slurs

2) Papuan communities urged to not be provoked by racism case

3) KKSP-Papua praises prompt handling of ‘racism’ case 

————————————————-

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/435386/west-papua-liberation-movement-condemns-racist-slurs

1) West Papua Liberation Movement condemns racist slurs

24 minutes ago  

The United Liberation Movement of West Papua has condemned more racist slurs directed at West Papuans from members of Indonesia's elite.

Two incidents have provoked fresh outrage, with at least one case prompting Indonesian police to make an arrest before public anger spills over.

A former head of Indonesia's intelligence agency and special forces, General Hendropriyono. Photo: TEMPO/Dhemas Reviyanto

Last month a former head of the Indonesian intelligence agency and special forces, General Hendropriyono, said that West Papuans should be resettled away from their homeland on the island of Manado.

He explained that the idea to move two million West Papuans was so Indonesia "could racially separate them from Papuans in PNG, so that they could feel more like Indonesians instead of foreigners".

And in the past week, the chairman of a support network for Indonesian President Joko Widodo called a leading West Papuan human rights defender a "monkey".

Ambronicus Nababan, who is chair of the Pro Jokowi-Amin Volunteers (Projamin), made the racial remark about Natalius Pigai, a Papuan who is a former chairman of Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission.

The "monkey" epithet is the same slur that triggered mass anti-racism protests across Papua region in 2019.

Nababan has now been arrested and charged over the remarks he directed towards Pigai, according to police.

Natalius Pigai, a former chair of Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), a West Papuan who has been the target of racial slurs. Photo: Tekdeeps

The Liberation Movement's leader Benny Wenda said that since Indonesian troops invaded Papua in 1963, Jakarta's elites had made clear their racist plans to destroy Melanesian West Papuans as a distinct people.

In response to Hendropriyono's remarks, Wenda noted it as a viewpoint with currency among elements of Indonesia's leadership.

"This is racial ethnic cleansing, a genocidal fantasy at the highest levels of the Indonesian state," Wenda said.

He said the remarks stood in a long tradition.

"When Indonesia invaded our land, General Ali Moertopo said the Papuan people should be transferred to the moon," Wenda said in the statement.

Wenda said racism has been at the heart of Indonesia's settler colonial project in West Papua.

He said this was why the Liberation Movement established a provisional government for a prospective independent West Papua in December last year. Wenda is its interim president.

"My people rose up against this racism and colonisation in 2019. Thousands of students returned from the rest of Indonesia in an exodus from racism, dozens were killed by Indonesia, and hundreds arrested.

"The Indonesian state punished those who spoke out with over 100 years of collective prison time. The killers and racists in the army, police and state-backed militias were allowed to go free.”

The West Papuan independence campaigner Benny Wenda.  Photo: RNZ / Jamie Tahana

Meanwhile, UCA News reports that Nababan apologised to Pigai. He said he didn't intend to make racist remarks against Papuan people but only wanted to criticise Pigai's reported opposition to a Covid-19 vaccine.

In the case ofd the retired Indonesian general has also recently spoken out against alleged use of missionaries and churches in efforts to liberate Papua from Indonesia.

However Hendropriyono’s comments about removing West Papuans from their homeland have met with outrage not just in Papua but in other parts of the Pacific.

————————————————

https://en.antaranews.com/news/166953/papuan-communities-urged-to-not-be-provoked-by-racism-case

2) Papuan communities urged to not be provoked by racism case

 8 hours ago

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - The Papuan Customary Council has appealed to native Papuan communities in the province to not be provoked by Ambroncius Nababan's alleged racist remarks against noted Papuan human rights defender, Natalius Pigai.

The National Police have been handling the case of Nababan, a People's Conscience Party (Hanura) politician who has been accused of posting racist remarks against Pigai on his Facebook account.

The council has also urged the country's law enforcement agencies to punish those found guilty of racism-related criminal offences to deter others.

"We hope the severe punishment will have a deterrent effect so that there will be no more people who dare to post racist remarks on social media platforms," the council’s Secretary II, John Gobay, told ANTARA here on Thursday.

Gobay said the Papuan Customary Council's representatives visited the Papua Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, on Tuesday (January 26, 2021).

They represented Natalius Pigai's family to give them and Papuan communities a sense of justice regarding the case, he added.

Natalius Pigai is a former commissioner of Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (2012-2017).

He obtained his Sarjana (B.A.) degree from the Sekolah Tinggi Pembangunan Masyarakat Desa's School of Public Administration in Yogyakarta.

Pigai is also known for joining the reformation movement as a student activist, which ended the New Order regime era in 1999.

Meanwhile, in connection with the case, Nababan has been placed under detention since January 27, 2021.

He has been detained to prevent him from escaping and tampering with evidence of his criminal offence, director of the National Police's Cybercrime Investigation Division, Brig.Gen. Slamet Uliandi, informed.

Nababan has been charged with allegedly violating Chapter 45A Point 2 of Indonesia's Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law No.11/2018, and Chapter 16 juncto Chapter 4 (b) Point 2 of Anti-Discrimination Law No. 40/2008.

If found guilty, he will face imprisonment of more than five years.

National Police's cybercrime investigators, who took over the probe from the West Papua and Papua police headquarters, asked Nababan 25 questions during his interrogation on Monday evening before deciding to name him a suspect in the case on Tuesday, Uliandi said.

Nababan had on Monday disclosed to CNN Indonesia his reasons for posting the photos of Natalius Pigai and a gorilla on his Facebook account.

Nababan, who is also general chairman of the Pro-Jokowi-Amin Volunteers (Projamin), was quoted by CNN Indonesia as saying that he had done so in response to Pigai's statement rejecting China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine.

As a supporter of incumbent President Joko Widodo, Nababan had voiced his discontent over Pigai's statement, CNN Indonesia reported. (INE)

Related news: Ambroncius Nababan named suspect after posting racist content: police
Related news: National police investigate case of Nababan's alleged racist remark

EDITED BY INE

 Reporter: Hendrina DK, Rahmad Nasution

Editor: Suharto

——————————-

https://en.antaranews.com/news/166965/kksp-papua-praises-prompt-handling-of-racism-case

3) KKSP-Papua praises prompt handling of ‘racism’ case 

7 hours ago

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Papua’s South Sulawesi Family Harmony (KKSS) has praised the central and provincial governments' prompt handling of the alleged racism case against Ambroncius Nababan, saying it would help prevent a recurrence of sectarian unrest in the province.

"We also appreciate the Papua police chief who has initiated to hold a meeting with customary, religious, and community figures, and appealed to them to care for their respective communities," chairman of the KKSS-Papua chapter, Mansyur, said here on Wednesday.

The preventive measures the government and police have taken to deal with Nababan's alleged racist remarks against noted Papuan human rights defender Natalius Pigai are highly appreciated, he remarked.

In August and September, 2019, a spate of violence had engulfed several parts of Papua and West Papua provinces. The violence had been triggered by the alleged racist behavior against their Papuan compatriots in Surabaya, East Java.

On August 28, 2019, violence had erupted in Deiyai district, located about 500 kilometers away from Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, resulting in the deaths of an army soldier and two civilians.

The indigenous Papuan residents of Jayapura had again held protests on August 29, 2019, venting ire over the alleged racist behavior, but their rally and later taken a violent turn.

On September 23, 2019, a deadly riot had erupted in Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya district, Papua province. It led to the deaths of 33 civilians, including a senior medical doctor, who had served native Papuans for 15 years.

To prevent a recurrence of sectarian violence, a prompt handling of the recent ‘racism’ case was indispensable, Mansyur said, adding that those committing racism-related criminal offences in Indonesia need to be punished severely.

Meanwhile, in response to the case, the Papuan Customary Council has appealed to native Papuan communities in the province to not be provoked by Nababan's alleged racist remarks.

The council has also urged the country's law enforcement agencies to punish those found guilty of racism-related criminal offences to deter others.

"We hope the severe punishment will have a deterrent effect so that there will be no more people who dare to post racist remarks on social media platforms," the council’s Secretary II, John Gobay, said.

Gobay said the Papuan Customary Council's representatives visited the Papua Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, on January 26, 2021.

They represented Natalius Pigai's family to give them and Papuan communities a sense of justice regarding the case, he remarked.

The National Police is handling the case of Nababan, a People's Conscience Party (Hanura) politician who has been accused of posting racist remarks against Pigai on his Facebook account.

Nababan has been in detention since January 27, 2021 following a police interrogation. (INE)

Related news: Ambroncius Nababan named suspect after posting racist content: police
Related news: National police investigate case of Nababan's alleged racist remark
Related news: Papua: Batak community urges police action on Nababan 'racist' remark

EDITED BY INE


Reporter: Hendrina DK, Rahmad Nasution

Editor: Suharto

—————