Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

AWPA Update No 4/ 2021

The situation in West Papua continues to deteriorate with ongoing clashes between the security forces and the OPM. The West Papuan people continue to be arrested, intimated and killed by the security forces. AWPA letter to Senator Marise Payne re deteriorating situation in West Papua (7 May). https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2021/05/awpa-letter-to-aust-foreign-minister-re.html

Youtube -Media Luar Negeri Terus Update For Menentukan Nasib Sendiri: West Papua‼

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RgLSfsRoTI

Indonesian manhunt for 170 ‘terrorists’ slammed as licence to ‘shoot anyone’

By Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies SMH June 4, 2021

Singapore: Indonesian troops on a manhunt for rebels in the strife-torn region of West Papua have been given carte blanche to shoot anyone, a local priest warns, after the government labelled armed separatists “terrorists”. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age from Jayapura, Catholic priest Father John Djonga said community leaders had told military and police at a meeting in the provincial capital that the new label would only intensify conflict. “The church and the people strongly opposed the decision and asked the government to revoke the decision on classifying KKB as a terrorist group,” Djonga said using the Indonesian forces’ name for the armed groups. “By treating them as terrorists, the military will be free to shoot anyone who is suspected as KKB.” Joko Widodo’s government is deploying hundreds of troops to its contested easternmost territory to search for armed insurgents after Indonesia’s intelligence chief was killed in an ambush on April 25. The latest conflict has come with West Papua’s special autonomy status due to expire this year, sparking fresh calls for independence.

Indonesian forces are chasing 170 members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement. The crackdown has reportedly displaced several thousand people. Tensions have been high since the separatists’ shooting in April of two teachers suspected of being Indonesian spies and the burning of three schools in Beoga, Puncak. Bambang Soesatyo, the speaker of the upper house in Jakarta, has called on Indonesia to “exterminate” the TPNPB and “talk about human rights later”. In May the Joko government designated the group as terrorists. The meeting came in a climate of continuing suspicion over weeks of internet blackouts which Indonesia said were the result of a damaged underwater cable. Indonesia’s crackdown in its resource-rich outpost has also included the detention of pro-independence leader Victor Yeimo, who was arrested last month, accused of organising the biggest mass demonstrations in years in 2019.

There has been low-level insurgency there since it was absorbed into Indonesia in 1969 by the so-called Act of Free Choice, a process disputed as a sham by independence advocates because the 1025 people selected to vote were chosen by then president Suharto’s military.

In 2001, special autonomy was granted to Papua and later West Papua province - the two are often referred to simply as West Papua. It allowed a local administration to “regulate and manage the interests of the local people” - excluding matters relating to foreign affairs, safety and defence, monetary and fiscal policy, religion and justice - and for Indonesia to support development with funding, which has totalled $9.5 billion since 2002.

However, it was opposed by independence leader Theys Eluay, who was soon after assassinated by members of Indonesia’s special forces, and with the 20-year special autonomy term running out in November pro-independence Papuans have protested against its extension, arguing it restricts political freedoms in its existing form and offers no prospect of a future breakaway from Indonesia. Indonesian authorities, meanwhile, have given themselves six months to pursue the 170 targeted rebels in Puncak, Intan Jaya and Nduga. Arief Fajar Satria, the spokesman for security forces sent to Papua last month, said the joint police and military operation consisted of 1128 personnel and their strategy was “to wait for them to come out from their hiding” in the mountains. “We have mapped out these fugitives based on their vital roles,” he said from Jakarta, to where he has returned along with many of the reinforcements. “They often do a bit of a hit and run strategy, just like when they put schools on fire. “We chased them up to the verge of the forests but unfortunately the equipment is not able to detect them due to the very thick forests. So we waited right on the verge of the forests.”

Victor Mambor, a senior editor at media outlet Jubi Tabloid, said the number of people displaced had increased significantly since the declaration of the TPNPB as terrorists. Nudga and Intan Jaya, he said, were “like dead cities”, with no government activities or schools open and security forces using them as posts. He cast doubt on whether security forces would be able to identify and capture the rebels on their wanted list. Even if they are successful, however, it will do nothing to end a perennial crisis of trust. “Until today, Papuans still see the Act of Free Choice as an act of annexation,” Mambor said.

“As long as we don’t settle this historical issue, nothing can be solved.” The only way to achieve that is dialogue, according to Adriana Elisabeth, an expert on Papuan issues at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences who bemoans the fact there has been precious little of it over the years. Having herself gathered representatives from different parties from 2011 to 2016 for informal discussions, she has suggested Jakarta should conduct talks with individual Papuan tribes as well as with the TPNPB. Formal talks have, however, never materialised. “Jakarta is worried that Papuans will demand independence while Papuans do want to demand independence,” she said. “To me, that is not the kind of dialogue they should have. I think they should first come together to discuss each of their problems.”

Chris Barrett is the south-east Asia correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Karuni Rompies is Assistant Indonesia Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

As conflict escalates, TPNPB-OPM threatens to shoot Indonesian workers in Papua

CNN Indonesia – June 7, 2021

Jakarta – The armed conflict in Papua has escalated recently with a series of armed contacts being unavoidable and more loss of life. The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) has also warned all Indonesians working in Papua to immediately leave the land of the Bird of Paradise as Papua is known. The threat was issued after they sounded the drums of war against the TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) in a conflict which will be centred on the Ilaga region in Puncak regency several weeks ago. "Looking at the armed confect in the regencies of Puncak, Intan Jaya and Nduga, Papua, we from the TPNPB-OPM Central Headquarters National Commission are issuing a firm warning to all Indonesian migrants who are making a living in the country owned by the Papua nation to immediately leave the armed conflict zone", said TPNPB-OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom in an official release on Sunday June 6. Sambom said that they will not hesitate to shoot Indonesian workers who are still in the war zone. According to Sambom, this will be the consequence for those who fail to comply with the ultimatum. As of posting this report, there has yet to be an official statement from the TNI or Polri on the threat made by the armed criminal group (KKB) which the government has now labeled as terrorists.

A conflict also took place on Friday May 28 when an armed group killed the head of the Oksamol sub-sector in the Bintang Highlands, First Brigadier Mario Sanoy. The group also stole two SS1 assault rifles and a revolver from a police station. Not long afterwards however, police succeeded in finding the stolen weapons near the armed group's headquarters in the area. And it has not just been security personnel, civilians have also fallen victim. On Thursday June 3, police said that an armed group was responsible for the shooting of a construction worker named Habel Halenti (30) as he was returning home from Eronggobak village in Ilaga district. The shooting was witnessed by a friend of Halenti's named Alif who was able to flee and report the incident to the local sectoral police.

"The victim managed to shout, ‘Mercy, commander’. But was shot directly by a KKB member who was pointing the firearm", said Papua regional police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Ahmad Musthofa Kamal. On the same day an attack was carried out by an armed group near the Aminggaru Ilaga Airport in Puncak. The group is alleged to have torched several airport facilities which triggered an exchange of fire with the Air Force's Special Troops Corps Paskhas. The incident resulted in the torching of tower at the Airport management work unit and the AirNav offices in Ilaga, although there were no causalities in the incident.

Finally, police have accused an armed group of being responsible for the shooting of the family of Nipurlema village chief Petianus Kogoya in Ilaga. (mjo/psp)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Konflik Memanas, OPM Ancam Tembak Mati Pekerja di Papua".] Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210607065034-12-651030/konflik-memanas-opm-ancam-tembak-mati-pekerja-di-papua

TPNPB-OPM asks Jokowi to reevaluate terrorist label following Komnas HAM meet

Suara Papaua – June 27, 2021

Frits Ramandey pictured with TPNPB-OPM leader Damianus Magai Yogi in Paniai – June 24, 2021 (SP)

Stevanus Yogi, Paniai – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) is asking President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and his government to reexamine the TPNPB-OPM's line of march which it has been pursuing since it was formed in 1965 until now. This was conveyed by the supreme commander of the TPNPB-OPM's Paniai Defense Command Area (Kodap) IV in the Meepago customary territory, Damianus Magai Yogi. in response to the government's labeling the group as terrorists

He made the remarks after holding a dialogue at the TPNPB-OPM's headquarters in Paniai with Frits Ramandey, the head of the National Human Rights Commission's (Komnas HAM) Papua representative office on Thursday June 24. "This is clearly very wrong. The TPNPB-OPM were born out of what, what was the struggle by our parents which we continue to this day, if you don't know, the state should study our history properly so it doesn't give us arbitrary labels such as terrorists", he said.

Yogi said that their struggle is clear, namely defending West Papua's national independence on December 1, 1961, which was declared again on July 1, 1971 with the reading out of the proclamation of independence. "Our enemy is also clear, namely resisting the Indonesian military, the TNI and the Indonesian police. So what is it about us that's unclear. We are combatants. Everything about us is clear. We are fighting on the basis of a historical truth, not some kind of story or artificial pretense", he asserted.

The labeling of armed groups in Papua as terrorists, according to Yogi, should have been studied first by trusted independent institutions. This is in order to prove whether the struggle they are conducting can be categorised as terrorism or not.

But because this was not done and because of arbitrary actions and accusations, it just shows the Indonesian state's ineptitude in fighting the TPNPB.

"And on the issue of labeling us all kinds of things, this is not new, it's being going on for some time, KKB [armed criminal groups], KSB [armed separatist groups] and now terrorists. Essentially whatever label we're given, we're not concerned about it, we will continue fighting until Papua is independent", he asserted. When asked when they will act clearly and openly against the Indonesian military, Yogi said that they are following the mechanisms of international war. "We have our own strategy. Essentially we follow international mechanisms. A clear time fame exists", he answered briefly to Suara Papua's question. Frits Ramandey took the opportunity to say that what was conveyed to him about the terrorist label will be passed on to President Widodo, the Indonesian police chief (Kapolri) and the TNI commander (panglima TNI) in Jakarta.

"I have listened personally and I support your statement. Because it is indeed true that it is wrong to try and resolve the Papua problem with the TPNPB-OPM though an approach of disarmament [sic] or violence. Therefore I will pass on what you have asked (the removal of the terrorist label) to the president, Kapolriand panglima TNI", said Ramandey speaking in front of Yogi.

In accordance with President Widodo's commitment through his recent instruction that the Papua conflict cannot be resolved with arms, rather that it must be through dialogue, Ramandey hopes that what has been conveyed by Yogi will be heard and get a response. "This means that we at Komnas HAM believe the president wants to revoke the terrorist label. And we at Komnas HAM also disagree with this label. So we very much hope that in relation to this, what has been asked for by the Paniai TPNPB commander will be welcomed", Ramandey told Suara Papua. Komnas HAM's aim in conducting the visit to the TPNPB headquarters was to hear directly what the TPNPB-OPM in the Meepago area wants to convey to the head of state in relation to the terrorist label and also dialogue.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Ditemui Komnas HAM Soal Label Teroris, Ini Tanggapan Panglima TPNPB Paniai".]

Source: https://suarapapua.com/2021/06/27/ditemui-komnas-ham-soal-label-teroris-ini-tanggapan-panglima-tpnpb-paniai/

Suspected rebels kill five civilians in Indonesia's Papua province

The Star Sunday, 27 Jun 2021

JAKARTA, June 27 (dpa): Separatist rebels killed five civilians in the latest violence in Indonesia's Papua province, the military has announced.
Members of the Free Papua Movement fired shots at a truck that was fleeing their ambush in Yahukimo district on Thursday (June 24), killing five bystanders, said regional military spokesman Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Suriastawa.Suriastawa said the truck was carrying materials for the construction of a bridge when it was ambushed by the rebels."These people are terrorists," he said. "They don't want Papua to be developed and prosperous and target civilians as their victims." The Indonesian government in April designated separatist insurgents as terrorists after an army general was killed in a rebel ambush. The killing prompted President Joko Widodo to order a crackdown on the separatist group.

The National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, claimed responsibility for the killing. There has been a separatist insurgency in Papua since the 1960s, but deadly clashes between rebels and government security forces have intensified in the past several years. Government security forces have been accused of human rights abuses in Papua, a mainly Melanesian region that was incorporated into Indonesia in a UN-administered ballot that rights groups and pro-independence activists criticized as a sham. - gpa

Victor Yeimo, who is the international spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the Papuan People’s Petition was arrested on the 9 May and faces a number of charges including treason because of his peaceful role in the anti-racism protests on the 19 August in 2019. The demonstrators at the time were protesting against the arrest and racial abuse against West Papuan students in Surabaya, Indonesia. Victor Yeimo has denied any involvement in another follow up anti-racism rally on the 29 August which led to clashes between the security forces and protesters. Tapol and other Civil society groups have called for his immediate and unconditional release.

Tapol release at https://www.tapol.org/news/indonesia-release-victor-yeimo-immediately-and-unconditionally and AWPA letter to Australian Foreign Minister at

https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2021/05/awpa-letter-to-foreign-minster.html

Crackdown on TPNPB way to smooth Jakarta-Papua dialogue: Minister

Jubi News Desk June 16, 2021

Jakarta, Jubi – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has spoken that war would not solve the Papua conflict but law enforcement against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) was a part of the strategy to expedite a dialogue with the Papuan people, suggesting the TPNPB was only a small group and not representing the Papuans. Mahfud said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s instructions were to prioritize the welfare approach to resolve the conflict in Papua. “In principle, according to the president’s instruction, solving problems in Papua should not be done with weapons and explosions but dialogue for the sake of welfare,” Mahfud said on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

However, he added, escalated armed conflict between the TPNPB and Indonesian security forces was justified to expedite the dialogue between the government and the larger Papuan community. “The law enforcement against armed groups is part of ways to smooth dialogue with the Papuans, a population bigger than the armed groups,” he said. Mahfud claimed the government would put forward dialogue in solving the Papua conflict. He said the Ministry had had a meeting with the Papuan People’s Assembly on Friday. TPNPB spokesperson Sebby Sambom said his party was ready to engage in dialogue with the government but the Indonesian military (TNI) and police continued to fight and capture them. Sambom said the TPNPB agreed to talk but with the United Nations (UN) as an intermediary. “We accept the President’s good intentions but on the condition that the negotiations be mediated by the UN,” he said.

According to Sambom, his group had asked for negotiation since 2019 but to no avail. “We have asked the Indonesian government so many times. We are waiting for President Joko Widodo’s commitment,” he said. Meanwhile, responding to Mahfud’s statement, rights watchdog Imparsial researcher Hussein Ahmad asked Jokowi to withdraw all non-organic TNI troops, or the TNI personnel from outside Papua, from Papua to reduce violence in the region. Ahmad said he appreciated the government’s intention to resolve the Papua issue without weapons. However, he reminded that this intention must be proven on the ground with a clear policy. “The statement must be proven by withdrawing all non-organic TNI troops from outside Papua to stop the escalation of violence,” he said. Editor: Edi Faisol

Victor Yeimo's lawyer says detained Papuan activist's rights being denied

Suara Papua – June 11, 2021

Victor Yeimo pictured at Brimob detention centre – Undated (Istimewa)

Maria Baru, Jayapura – Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Emanuel Gobay is asking the Papua regional police (Polda) to immediately transfer Victor Yeimo from the Mobile Brigade Command Headquarters (Mako Brimob) detention centre to the Polda Papua detention centre. The call was made because Yeimo's rights as a suspect are not being met and are being complicated by the Mako Brimob's standard operating procedures (SOP) and internal regulations. "For the sake of facilitating our client's (Victor Yeimo) rights as a suspect, we urge the Papua regional police chief to transfer Victor to the Papua Polda detention centre. Because as a suspect, our client has rights which must be fulfilled and are guaranteed by law", he explained to Suara Papua at his office on Thursday June 11.

Gobay explained that Yeimo's rights at the Mako Brimob have not been fully met. One of the problems is that it is difficult for his family to meet him. "Polda Papua and Brimob must fulfill the suspect's rights. Because it's guaranteed under Law Number 8/1981 on criminal law. Investigators have not fulfilled his rights since he was detained. The impression is that they have intentionally made everything difficult after he was transferred to Mako Brimob.

This is the basis and grounds for urging the Papua Polda to transfer our client", he explained.

Yeimo is currently being detained at the Kotaraja Mako Brimob in Abepura. He was transferred there early on May 10 without the knowledge of or coordination with his lawyer. Gobay said the thing that is making it difficult is that police investigators are at the regional police headquarters (Mapolda) while Yeimo is at the Mako Brimob which is located a long way from Mapolda. His client, continued Gobay, should be held at the Papua Mapolda detention centre in order facilitate questioning, family visits and coordination between police investigators and his lawyers. "But what's happened is our client has been placed at the Mako Brimob. So the investigators often make up excuses which don't make sense. One example, his right to meet with his family to see them, to provide support, provide food, and so forth is difficult. His family wants to visit Victor Yeimo. They have to go to Polda Papua which is located in Jayapura. When they arrive there, after providing information to investigators they then have to go back to Brimob. When they arrive at Brimob they have to deal with the Brimob officers that are on duty", he explained.

He further explained that Brimob officers at the guard post have internal SOP and because of this everything related to meeting the rights of the suspect is more difficult.

"The reality which we encountered on the ground is that sometimes the investigators are there and sometimes they're not. Many times we wanted to meet with them but they weren't there so the family has found it difficult to fulfill the suspect's rights to be met by his family. This shows the fact that Law Number 8/1981, the criminal code, the suspect's rights are being violated there", he said. Gobay admitted to being annoyed by the police's attitude, in this case the Papua regional police chief (Kapolda), who has still not responded to a letter requesting Yeimo's transfer which was submitted by the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights for Papua. "I don't agree with the attitude of the investigators and their superiors, in this case Pak [Mr] Kapolda. We from the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights have submitted a letter for the transfer of a prisoner from the Mako Brimob detention centre to the Polda Papua detention centre on the grounds of meeting the suspect's rights. But there has still not been any response whatsoever. Meanwhile the reality which we encountered is that the suspect's rights have not been fully met. Here I think is the impression that there has been neglect which is impacting on the violation of the suspects rights", he said. "I'm explicitly asking the Pak Kapolda to immediately respond to the transfer request letter which we from the Coalition for Justice and Human rights submitted. I've already found a copy which was given to the Mako Brimob provost meaning that he's already received it. Our client is still protected under the presumption of innocence. He has not been sentenced by a court at all so the Pak Kapolda must be professional. The lack of professionalism we are referring to is for example not responding to the letter requesting a prisoner be transferred that we submitted", he explained.

Gobay is asking the Papua regional police chief to use his discression to order his subordinates, specifically the investigators handling Victor Yeimo's case, to write a document which can be used by his family as liaison to fulfill the suspect's right to be visited by his family, to be visited by a clergyman, or visited by government officials, a catholic nun and a doctor.

http://www.indoleft.org/news/2021-06-11/victor-yeimos-lawyer-says-detained-papuan-activists-rights-being-denied.html

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "PH Minta Victor Yeimo Dipindahkan ke Rutan Polda Papua".] Source: https://suarapapua.com/2021/06/11/ph-minta-victor-yeimo-dipindahkan-ke-rutan-polda-papua/

Nemangkawi Task Force nabs Papuan separatist

11th June 2021

A Papuan separatist, identified as MT (center, in orange shirt), was produced before the press during a briefing held by the Mimika Police on Friday (June 11, 2021). (ANTARA/Evarianus Supar/sh)

Timika, Papua (ANTARA) - The Nemangkawi Task Force set up to tackle violence in Papua has arrested one separatist with links to an armed group led by Guspi Waker.
The joint task force, which comprises military as well as police personnel, arrested the rebel, identified as MT, on A Yani street, Timika late on Thursday, Mimika district police chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner IGG Era Adhinata, disclosed here on Friday.
MT had been on the Mimika police's wanted list over his involvement in several crimes in Tembagapura sub-district since 2017, he said. "He was arrested after a long investigation process," he added.

Police picked up MT after he arrived in Timika by bus from Tembagapura, Adhinata said adding, he was staying in Kwamki Narama subdistrict. MT has claimed that he is a member of an armed Papuan group led by Guspi Waker, which operates in Ugimba, Intan Jaya district, Adhinata said. He told police he joined the group in 2017 at Nua Waker's invitation, he added. Since then, he has been involved in several crimes in Tembagapura, including kiosk arsons behind the Tembagapura Police dormitory and excavator arsons in Utikini village on November 7, 2017, Adhinata said. He was also allegedly involved in the shooting of a PT Freeport truck convoy on April 11, 2020.

On March 8, 2020, MT took part in the shooting of a police patrol vehicle in Tembagapura, which left one officer injured, Adhinata said. MT was active on his social media account and shared information about his actions, he added. Mimika district police said it will continue to monitor and investigate the possibility of there being more armed rebels in the district and also persuade them to surrender. Reporter: Evarianus S, Sri Haryati Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani

TPNPB-OPM welcomes Jokowi's desire for dialogue, but insists on UN mediation

CNN Indonesia – June 15, 2021

Jakarta – West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) spokesperson Sebby Sambon has welcomed a directive by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to resolve the Papua conflict with dialogue, not just armed conflict.

Moreover, said Sambon, they have repeatedly promoted negotiations long before Widodo expressed such a desire through Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD."We have already proposed negotiations between TPNPB-OPM fighters and the Indonesian government to resolve the armed conflict, but not with the TNI [Indonesian military] and the Polri [Indonesian police]", said Sambon through an SMS sent to CNN Indonesia on Tuesday June 15.

Despite this, he does not want the negotiations to be conducted just between the two parties, but rather that there must be a third party to act as mediator. That party, said Sambon, must come from a neutral body such as the United Nations (UN). But what is certain, he said, is that they do indeed agree with Widodo's good intentions to end the armed conflict in the land of the Bird of Paradise as Papua is known. "So perhaps we can agree with the President's good intentions, but on the condition they're tripartite negotiations which can be mediated by a UN agency", he said. "Many times we have informed the Indonesian government trough various forms of media that we are waiting for [a sign of] seriousness from Indonesian President Joko Widodo", he added.

Sambon said that they have expressed a desire for mediation since 2019, but he opposes the negotiations taking place in Papua or Indonesia. "In a neutral country. Any country that the mediation team designates. With the agreement of the UN", he said.

Earlier, Widodo gave a directive to Mahfud MD on resolving the conflict in Papua. The former Jakarta governor said that the problems in Papua and West Papua provinces cannot be resolved by arms and outbursts of fighting.

Widodo, said Mahfud, wants to use a welfare approach as the principle model to resolve the conflict in Papua. "The principle in accordance with the president's directive, is to resolve the problems in Papua not by arms and outbursts [of fighting], but with dialogue for the sake of prosperity", said Mahfud as quoted from the Polhukam YouTube channel on Tuesday. (tst/ain)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "OPM ke Jokowi: Perundingan dengan Pemerintah, Bukan TNI/Polri".]Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210615144248-20-654582/opm-ke-jokowi-perundingan-dengan-pemerintah-bukan-tni-polri

Editorial The Papua question

Editorial board Jakarta Post Fri, May 28, 2021

Amid the deepening trust deficit between the Papuan people and the government, many in the country’s easternmost territory suspect that the disruption to the local internet service in April was actually a deliberate move to silence anti-government critics and activists. When it comes to Papua, anti-government voices reportedly dominate social media chatter, so it makes sense that the government might opt to cut digital access as an easy way to censor them.

The cause of the disruption could be purely technical as the government has claimed, but it is also probable that political and security considerations played a part. Overwhelmed by the noise on social media, the government could certainly take a shortcut by shutting down the telecommunications network. Such a tactic would only worsen the situation, however, as it would prompt rumors and fake news to spiral out of control. Believe it or not, state-owned telecommunications giant PT Telkom needed one whole month just to start fixing the undersea fiber optic cable, located about 700 kilometers off Sarmi regency, which broke on April 30 to cause the disruption. But it’s not clear when the repairs will finish and access restored.

Papua administration secretary Dance Yulian Flassy has called force majeure on the network outage and asked the public not to believe the rumors. But then again, since an internet shutdown in Papua is not unprecedented, many are skeptical that a technical issue is really behind the current outage.

It is a fact that the government has been cutting off Papua from the outside world for decades by measures that included restricting foreign visitors, especially foreign journalists. Jakarta remains stubbornly insistent on maintaining its isolation policy for Papua, although it has become increasingly irrelevant amid the rapid growth in social media use and internet penetration, which has allowed the world to keep an eye on the region.

In the meantime, the local elite are alleged of misusing the Papua special autonomy funds to enrich themselves and their cronies. As the 20-year autonomy status is to end this November, political maneuvering has intensified to pressure the central government to extend the privileged status.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said she agrees to extend the funding provision to Papua and West Papua on the condition of tighter and more transparent accountability of spending. In continuing to isolate Papua, the government has not learned from its failures in East Timor. Rampant human rights abuse, uncontrolled corruption and blatant abuse of power, as well as closing off the region from the outside world, were among key factors that led to the former Indonesian territory to claim independence as Timor Leste in 1999.

At the same time, there is no quick fix to the Papua issue, which is very complex. Many Papuans feel they are treated unfairly as Indonesian citizens, and this needs proper and prompt addressing.

The social and economic gap between Papua and the rest of the country is also growing, especially with Java. And ethnically and culturally, many Papuans feel much closer to Pacific islanders for their Melanesian heritage than other Indonesians, the majority of who do not share this ancestry.

In the meantime, the government should push to fix the undersea cable and restore full access. Any and all efforts to silence people must end in this era of digital democracy, especially those that resort to means stemming from a primitive mindset.

Civil group distributes aid for refugees in Papua’s Puncak Regency

Jubi News Desk June 8, 2021

Nabire, Jubi – A humanitarian team in Timika, the capital of Mimika Regency, is collecting and distributing aids for the people of Puncak Regency who fled their villages to avoid armed conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the Indonesia Military (TNI) and police. Head of the humanitarian team Yunias Kulla told Jubi the team was founded on May 19, 2021 and had been working to raise aid for Puncak refugees since then. “The team was founded by the Puncak people who live outside Puncak. We are collecting humanitarian aid for displaced people caused by the armed conflict,” Kulla said in a Whatsapp message on Tuesday, June 1.

Kulla said the team had received assistance from the Synod of the Evangelical Christian Church in Papua Land. “On Tuesday, we have received assistance from the Synod of the Evangelical Christian Church in Papua Land and the Wahana Visi Indonesia Christian organization. They donated one ton of rice, cooking oil, and instant noodles,” Kulla said.

Kulla hoped that the Puncak government would distribute more aid to the displaced people. “We also accept donations from individuals or groups. We accept assistance in any form and will distribute it according to the available data,” he said. Kulla further said that his party would continue to update the condition of the displaced people in Puncak. “We try to give updates about Puncak displaced people through our social media. We have also distributed stickers to the public which include the address of our post,” he said. The humanitarian post is located in Jalan Baru, Neighborhood Unit 14, Kwamki Subdistrict, Mimika.

Meanwhile, lawyer Oktavianus Tabuni urged the government to give special attention to displaced people caused by the armed conflict. “The number of displaced people is increasing but they have not received special attention [from the government] yet,” Tabuni said. “Many children in the refugee camps have their rights ignored, including the right to life and health,” Tabuni added. Reporter: Hengky Yeimo Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G

653 residents flee home to West Papua’s Ilaga while thousands go to the forests

Jubi News Desk May 28, 2021 3:04 pm

Jayapura, Jubi – The Puncak Regency administration has recorded 653 internally displaced people from the Mabugi District and North Ilaga District in the city center of Ilaga. Meanwhile, the administration said thousands more people went to the forests. These people left their villages since armed clashes erupted in several regions in Puncak on April 27, 2021 between the security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).

“There are 282 people from Mabugi and 371 people from North Ilaga. There are also refugees from four villages in Ilaga District namely Wuloni Village, Tagaloa, Kalebut, and Kimak. They are taking shelter in Kimak Street until Iringame I and II. Some refugees are in the local government housing,” said Puncak Social Agency head Peniel Wakerkwa on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Wakerkwa added that the majority of civilians in Puncak fled to the forests. The Puncak administration predicted there were 3,000 displaced people from Mabugi District, 3,000 from North Ilaga District, 800 from Kimak Village, and 900 from Tagaloa Village who seek safety in the forests.

Wakerkwa said that most of the people who were taking refuge in Ilaga were poor and struggling to survive in the shelter. “The residents who have money have fled to neighboring cities such as Timika, Nabire, and Jayapura,” he added. He said that the people were currently unable to carry out normal activities in Ilaga because of the ongoing armed conflict. “The people cannot move freely to find food because the TNI [Indonesian Military] and police are all standby. People cannot go farming [as well],” he said. He further claimed that his party had delivered some aids to the refugees in Ilaga. However, he also said that the government also needed the people’s hand in helping the refugees. “We from the Social Agency hope that the people will help us [to help the refugees] with staples and rice because we are also having difficulty to find food in Ilaga City,” he said. Reporter: Hengky Yeimo. Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G

Return displaced people in Puncak to their homes: Indonesian rights body

Jubi News Desk June 7, 2021

Jayapura, Jubi – The National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Papua has suggested the government return the refugees of armed conflict in Puncak Regency back to their respective hometowns. “I have talked to Puncak regent Willem Wandik and the Puncak Police chief. The regent agreed to visit the refugees this week. Maybe later there will be a meeting between the government and the refugees to discuss about sending them back to their villages,” Komnas HAM Papua head Frits Ramandey said on Thursday, June 3, 2021 after visiting the Puncak refugees earlier this week.

The rights body has recorded 3,019 refugees from 23 villages comprising nine villages in North Ilaga District, four villages in Ilaga District, five villages in Gome District, and five villages in North Gome District. These people left their homes to avoid armed conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police who chased after the TPNPB soldiers. According to Ramandey, the main problems found in the refugee camps were the lack of clean water and health workers. “When they live in refugee camps, it creates a humanitarian problem including health problems, as well as restriction to their activities. That is why it is better to return the refugees home so that they can return to their activities,” he said.

Ramandey said the Papua provincial government should help the Puncak government in handling refugees. “It is important for both provincial and Puncak government to collaborate [to return refugees home]. Especially because the TPNPB has guaranteed not to continue armed violence [in villages] in Puncak,” he said. Ramandey said he had talked with one of the TPNPB leaders who said he would guarantee the safety of the refugees who wish to return to their villages. “They said they did not want any more war. If there is war, it’s not them,” he added. Ramandey, however, did not mention the name of the TPNPB leader he met several days ago. “It was off the record but [the TPNPB leader I met] sure has a big influence in the TPNPB,” said Ramandey. Reporter: Arjuna Pademme Editor: Edho Sinaga

Veronica Koman dismisses accusations of 'creating instability' as slander

Kompas.com - May 27, 2021 Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta –

Human rights activist and lawyer Veronica Koman has refuted accusations by State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Deputy Chief Lieutenant General Teddy Lhaksmana Widya Kusuma who said that Koman is taking advantage of the 2021 National Sports Week (PON) to create instability in Papua.

Koman says that the remarks are slander. "This is slander", said Koman when sought for confirmation by Kompas.com on Thursday May 27. In addition to this, Koman also asked for an explanation on the 2021 PON, which is to be held in Papua, because armed conflicts have occurred repeatedly since late 2018. Koman also believes that BIN is incompetent because it is using her as a scapegoat. "There have been repeated armed conflicts in Papua since late 2018, right, this isn't something new. So I'm tossing the question back to BIN. If BIN has intelligence data, then what is it", said Koman. "This then is BIN, which is incompetent and continues to blame other people like me, who have been victims of propaganda, so I continue being scapegoated by this incompetent government", she said.

Koman then stated that she has almost never raised the issue of the 2021 PON in Papua. According to Koman, it is in fact the TNI (Indonesian military) and the Polri (Indonesian police) who often raise the PON narrative in relation to the unrest in Papua.

"I have only ever mentioned the word PON once, namely early last year. Since then I have never brought up the PON at any time, if there is anyone creating unrest in Papua by raising the PON [issue] then it's actually the TNI and Polri", said Koman. Moreover, Koman is also of the view that pro-referendum activists in Papua have never taken up the PON 2021 narrative and she is asking BIN not invent new issues about Papua."So BIN shouldn't make things up, what's more make up new issues like that, inventing new issues like that, yet no one's making an issue over PON", she said.

Earlier, during a meeting to discuss revisions to the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) Law, Kusuma said that Papuan separatist groups (KSP) have been detected that are taking advantage of the 2021 PON to create instability in Papua.

Kusuma said that several parties are alleged to be involved in creating this issue, two of which are Koman and United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Chairperson Benny Wenda. "It has been detected that KSP intend to take advantage of the holding of the 20th PON in 2021 to create instability, to attract international attention, among others there's Veronica Koman and Benny Wenda from overseas", said Kusuma at a House of Representatives (DPR) special committee meeting at the DPR building in Jakarta on Thursday May 27. [Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Bantah Pernyataan Waka BIN soal Instabilitas Papua, Veronica Koman: Itu Fitnah!".]

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/05/27/17415771/bantah-pernyataan-waka-bin-soal-instabilitas-papua-veronica-koman-itu-fitna

Police map four conflict-prone regions in Papua

Jubi. News Desk May 28, 2021

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The National Police’s deputy chief, Comr. Gen. Gatot Eddy Pramono, has mentioned four regencies in Papua as prone to armed conflict as the police were pursuing members of the West National Liberation Army (TPNPB). The four regencies are Intan Jaya, Mimika, Puncak, and Nduga. “We have also mapped the armed groups in each regency,” Pramono said on Thursday, May 27, 2021. He said that in Intan Jaya Regency, there are three TPNPB groups, namely the Sabinus Waker group, the Undius Kogoya group, and the Lewis Kogoya group. In Puncak Regency, there are four TPNPB groups, namely the Goliath Tabuni group, the Lekagak Telenggen group, the Peni Murib group, and the Ando Waker group. “Meanwhile, in Mimika and Nduga there is one group respectively, namely the Joni Botak group in Mimika and the Egianus Kogoya group in Nduga,” Pramono said.

Pramono further said that this year, the police recorded at least 26 cases of attacks, shootings, and gunfire by the TPNPB in the four regions, resulting in several death tolls and injured victims. “Fourteen people have died including the Papua Spy chief, one policeman, six TNI soldiers, and six civilians. Meanwhile, 19 people were injured, namely five policemen, 13 TNI soldiers, and one civilian,” he said. According to Gatot, the police have killed 22 TPNPB soldiers, shot one soldier who managed to escape, and arrested eight TPNPB soldiers. He said there were also 24 members of the TPNPB who turned themselves in to the police. On Thursday, the TPNPB declared war against the security forces, asking the TNI and police to come to Muara Puncak in Ilaga District to fight.

Indonesian rights body struggles to verify facts in Papua’s conflict zones

News Desk

Jayapura, Jubi – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) finds it difficult to verify facts in conflict zones in Papua. Head of the Komnas HAM Papua Frits Ramandey mentioned that recently his party received information that a number of villagers in Beoga District, Puncak Regency had fled their hometowns due to armed conflict between the Indonesia Military (TNI) and police and the West National Liberation Army (TPNPB). However, he said, the Komnas HAM Papua struggled to verify the information. “We received the information [about Beoga refugees] but failed to verify them,” Ramandey told Jubi on Thursday, May 27, 2021.

Among the obstacles to verify information in conflict zones are geographical conditions, poor communication infrastructure, and lack of financial support. Ramandey said that the Komnas HAM must establish good communication in conflict-prone areas with all parties including the people, the local governments, security forces, and armed groups. “But we have difficulty communicating with armed groups [the TPNPB]. When we talk to a certain group in one area, the groups in other areas do not automatically receive [the message],”

Meanwhile, director of the Democratic Alliance for Papua (AIDP) Latifah Anum Siregar said that the escalated armed conflict in Papua had prompted people to flee in fear. Many civilians have become victims of both sides of conflicting parties as they are suspected as enemy spies. The AIDP urged the government and security forces to clarify the military operation in Papua. The Indonesian government previously said it was conducting a “law enforcement operation” in Papua and then sending hundreds of troops to Papua, following President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s order to capture all members of the TPNPB. Siregar said that in the context of law enforcement operations, the alleged perpetrator should be arrested and prosecuted. However, Siregar said, the intention of the military operation in Papua was unclear while more civilians fell victims. “The government only provides a single narrative whenever violence erupts,” she said. Reporter: Arjuna Pademme Editor: Edho Sinaga

West Papua Figure Benny Wenda Lashes Back at 'State Intelligence Hoaxes'

Translator: Ricky Mohammad Nugraha Editor: Laila Afifa 28 May 2021

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The chairperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua(ULMWP), Benny Wenda, responded to what he believes is a baseless allegation made by the Indonesian State Intelligence (BIN) against separatist groups. Indonesian intelligence recently announced that Benny will use the National Games (PON XX) in Papua to spark instability and attract the attention of the international community. “We are not interested in the hoaxes and deceits spread by the Indonesian intelligence,” Benny wrote to Tempo, which was forwarded by his secretary on May 27. State Intelligence Deputy retired general Teddy Lhaksmana Widya Kusuma previously accused separatists of using the PON momentum to create instability. Kusuma specifically referred to two notable names, Veronica Koman and Benny Wenda.

Benny attacked back at Indonesian elites which he believes have introduced injustice in Papua and that there are 21,000 security forces mobilized to the region for the past three years in a string of military operations to protect businesses there.

He believes that the Indonesian military has conducted a plethora of businesses in Papua, palm companies destructing forests owned by local Papuans. Benny also accuses the Indonesian government and Freeport of stealing copper and gold from Papua. “Where does the money to fund this come from? From West Papua,” he said. “Indonesia is a state of mafia.”Benny Wenda insists that Indonesia has illegally occupied Papua since 1963 and turned the region into a treasure for the Indonesian security forces. He accuses the Indonesian government of being apathetic towards the human rights violations against Papuan indigenous and caring more about the natural resources in the region. Read: Repeating History in Papua BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI

Repeating History in Papua

Translator: TEMPO Editor: Laila Afifa 15 May 2021

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government seems to be repeating the history of colonialism in this nation. The outcome could be like that in Indonesia in 1945.

The governmnt of President Joko Widodo seems to be repeating the dark history of this nation. In the past, the Dutch colonialists exploited our natural resources and detained and killed Indonesians. Now the people of Papua are experiencing the same thing. They are oppressed and sidelined in their own land. The Ducth used to arrogantly call us "extremists" and "inlanders" - in dismissive tones. Frequently the people living in the Dutch East Indies were insulted and referred to as "monkeys." We were treated unfairly, became victims of racial discrimantion and finally woke up and fought back.

It is as though history is being repeated. Papuan students in Surabaya were called "monkeys" in the days before Indonesian Independence Day commemoration two years ago. This racist abuse was wrong. It is no surprise that thousands of Papuan responded to this incident with large-scale demonstrations and widespread opposition.

As if that were not enough, now the Indoneian government has officially applieed the "terrorist" label to the Papuan independece movement. Announced by coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud Md. on Thursday, April 29, this mistaken policy could add to the number of victims on both sides of this dispute. Once again, civilians face the threat of becoming scapegoats.

It must be said that the approach used by the government to resolve the long running problems of Papua have been wrong from the start. It is not clear if it realizes it or not, but Jakarta strategy bears a very close resemblance to the methods used by the Dutch colonial administration decades ago. The "terrorist" label applied by Mahfud to the opposition movement in Papua is very similar to the "extremist" term used by the Dutch colonial authorities to descirbe the Indonesian indepndence movement.

Apart from applying the terrorist label and increasing the number of poice and militay personnel in Papua, the Indonesian government is also offering sweeteners if the opposition is stopped. In the bill to extend spcial autonomy in Papua, the governmnt is trying to tempt people by offering an increase in the budget for the easternmost province. Previously, the Papuan government only received two percent of the total general allocation funds, but now this is to be increased to 2.25 percent. However, so far most of this special autonomy funding has gone to the Papuan elite. According to Novermber 2020 data from the Central Statistics Agency, Papua and West Papua are still the poorest provinces in Indonesia.

Another policy planned by the government is to divide Papua into several smaller provinces. The government claims that this will improve governance in Papua. But there is also a hidden hope that this division of the provinces will result in the Papuan elite having less time to oppose Jakarta. The tactics of sharing out money and divide and conquer appear to have been taken directly from the guidebook written by the colonia powers in the past. We know that the Dutch strategy failed, and that Indonesia became independent in 1945. This means that we could suffer the same fate as the Dutch if the mistaken approach in Papua is continued. It is not too late for the government to change direction. President Jokowi could begin by admitting that there are human rights abuses in Papua that must be properly investigated.

The roots of the problem in Papua are not only related to economy, as the cenral government claims. building roads, airports and bridges will not heal the hurt and the feelings of oppression felt by the people of Papua. The way to resolve the Papuan problem that Jokowi has chosen will lead to Indonesia acting like a colonizer, something that the 1945 COnstitution says must be erased from the face of the earth. Read the Complete Story in Tempo English Magazine

JAD 'migration' to Papua, digital recruitment warrant close watch: Analysts

Yerica Lai (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta ● Mon, June 21, 2021

A second round of arrests netting suspected Islamist militants in the easternmost province of Papua, security and intelligence analysts say, indicates that religious extremist groups were seeking to set up camp outside of their usual bases on Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi. Papua, which has a majority Christian population, has been at the center of a long-standing separatist conflict that has heightened recently after simmering for decades.

Analysts believed that members of the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) who hailed from Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi had come to Papua to escape the National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad, which had intensified its crackdowns of the group from 2019 to 2021.

The JAD is a homegrown network of Islamist militants that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS) and is believed to be behind a number of terror attacks in the country. “Geographically, Papua is advantageous for them,” Stanislaus Riyanta, a Jakarta-based intelligence and terrorism analyst, told The Jakarta Post on Friday. “They are looking for alternatives that are more [accommodating] and have targets at the same time.” Relocating to the province was a survival tactic, Stanislaus said, as the network’s members were being hunted down in many parts of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi. This was particularly so after a 2018 court ruling that outlawed the JAD, which provided strong legal justification for law enforcement agencies to surveil, arrest and prosecute people connected to the group.

Read also: Court ruling justifies further crack down on JAD

However, some experts believed that JAD members were not present in Papua as recently as the police had indicated. Terrorism analyst Al Chaidar Puteh from Malikussaleh University in Aceh said the presence of IS-linked militants in Papua dated back to a wave of migrant workers in 2017. “According to our records, at that time there was a migration from JAD Makassar,” said Chaidar, adding that many who had relocated to Keerom in Papua and Manokwari and Sorong in West Papua were also looking to buy land for setting up training camps. Meanwhile, tensions in Papua’s separatist conflict have heightened in recent months, the government declaring in April that armed criminal groups (KKB) with links to Papuan rebel groups were terrorist organizations.

The move was made in response to the killing of Brig. Gen. I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha, the Papua head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), during a rebel ambush of a security patrol in the Papuan highlands that same month.

Read also: Calling Papuan armed groups terrorists won't solve unrest: Watchdogs

While most analysts doubt that the JAD would join forces with KKB in Papua because they espoused different ideologies, Stanislaus warned that the JAD’s local presence could give rise to more conflicts, danger and terror in the already troubled region. “Anything could happen when you have a common enemy. We need to keep a watchful eye on how this plays out,” he said.

Crackdowns on JAD in Papua

In May, at least 12 suspected militants linked to a JAD cell were taken into police custody in a southern district of Papua. After the arrests, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono confirmed that the suspected militants were not native Papuans, but migrants from Java and Sulawesi who had been living in Merauke for some time, as reported by Kompas.com. He also said that officers had confiscated chemicals and weaponry from the suspects, who reportedly planned to attack churches and Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke. It was the second mass arrest of JAD-linked militants in Papua since 2019, when police arrested eight suspected militants in the provincial capital of Jayapura.

The eight were later found to be part of the group’s Sumatra network. The suspects arrested in May have been linked to the JAD’s Makassar branch, which was responsible for the Palm Sunday 2021 suicide bombing attack against a local church that injured 20 people and left both attackers dead.

According to the Lab 45 research group, the Makassar church bombing is the most lethal JAD attack since the 2018 Surabaya bombings on three churches and the 552nd terrorist attack in Indonesia between 2000 and 2021. Fragmented cells The JAD has been responsible for a series of violent attacks since 2016 that have targeted churches across the Muslim-majority country and is led by Muslim cleric Aman Abdurrahman. Aman, who has pledged allegiance to IS, was jailed and sentenced to death in 2018 for ordering terrorist attacks in the country.

A 2021 report from the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) notes that, unlike the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) that was behind the 2002 Bali bombings, the JAD has always been decentralized with little to no coordination or knowledge transfer between its cells. The group’s organizational structure had become even more decentralized and fragmented since mid-2018, when mass arrests left its central structure nonfunctional with no central authority to command independent cells. The IPAC report also says that the JAD’s provincial branches in East Java, West Java, Lampung, Greater Jakarta and Maluku have all been inactive as of early 2021 due to the widespread arrests.

Meanwhile, parts of the Central Java, South Sulawesi and West Nusa Tenggara branches were still functioning, but quietly. Read also: Police arrest suspects, ramp up security after Makassar bombing “No significant JAD plots emerged in 2020 and Densus 88 had only made twelve JAD arrests by the end of year, suggesting that members were lying very low indeed,” it said. Technology for recruitment According to Stanislaus, however, while the group was left with only half of its combatants after the police’s crackdown on terrorist elements, there could be thousands of underground JAD sympathizers. He also cautioned that the group had proven highly adaptable in using digital means to recruit new members. “They use Telegram to recruit and spread doctrines,” he said, adding that this was the source of self-radicalization that created either “lone wolf” operatives or smaller, uncoordinated groups.

Terrorism researcher Noor Huda Ismail echoed the warning, saying that the JAD had been able to outsmart authorities in hijacking information technology for their own purposes. “It’s clear that there is a possibility of them using online communication, as [the suspects arrested in Merauke] are not native Papuans, but newcomers,” Huda told the Post.

He added that since radicalization efforts had embraced social media, what was once a collective action had become a “connective action”. "Recruitment has been democratized. Now everyone can join them,” he said.

Four regents declare South Papua without informing the Papuan People’s Assembly

Jubi June 17, 2021

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Papua People’s Assembly (MRP) chairman Timotius Murib said that the four regents who recently declared a new province, the South Papua province, had yet to submit a proposal on the expansion to the MRP.

“Yes, we have heard about the formation of the South Papua province. However, they have yet to submit the proposal to the MRP so far,” Murib said on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. He said that regional expansion in Papua must be proposed to the MRP, the Papua Legislative Council, and the Papua governor as stipulated in Law No. 21/2001 on Papua Special Autonomy. A new administration can be formed only with the recommendations and approval of the three institutions. “If they propose an expansion to the MRP, the MRP will visit these areas to get those aspirations. That’s the mechanism but it’s not happening right now,” said Murib.

Murib agreed that expansion of administration would bring the government closer to the people and was beneficial for development. However, he disapproved if the expansion was used as a means to secure a position for the regents who had completed their terms of office. Murib further said that his party was waiting for an official application on the formation of the South Papua province. “Aspirations and declarations are welcome, but it must go through the applicable mechanism,” he said.

On Tuesday, four regents, namely the Merauke regent, Asmat regent, Boven Digoel regent, and Mappi regent declared the formation of the South Papua Province. They set up a joint secretariat in Merauke to encourage the formation of the new province.

Previously, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said that Papua would be divided into six administrative regions namely Southwest Papua, West Papua, Central Papua, Central Mountains, South Papua, and Papua Tabi Saireri. However, the plan is not final and still under deliberation. The Indonesian government has been imposing a moratorium on regional expansion since 2014. Meanwhile, the Home Affairs Ministry has recorded 314 proposals of regional expansion as of December 2020.

The West Papua Project
A terrific launch of the West Papua Project at its new home at the University of Wollongong on Friday. It was followed by an informative seminar ‘West Papua at the United Nations"

https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2021/05/photos-of-launch-of-west-papua-project.html

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West Papuan supporters rallied in Canberra on 27 May. Organised by the Free West Papuan Movement Australia

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7342615974152460857/2382301908861082804

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From West Papua Womens Office in Docklands (VIC)

Letter-writing campaign, 2021

Background Info Published in: 2021

Letter-writing & Email Campaign, 2021.

In August 2021, a delegation of West Papuans and Australian activists are travelling to Canberra to lobby Federal Members of Parliament to i) Persuade Indonesia to allow the UN fact-finding mission to West Papua which it agreed to in 2017, and ii) Shift Australia’s policy from supporting Special Autonomy to voting ‘yes’ for a motion in the United Nations registering West Papua on the Decolonisation List.

You can help by writing to your local federal MP, as well as members of the federal Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, urging them to support these two objectives. Every letter or email shows that there is a groundswell of support in Australia for the West Papuan people.

While it is better to write a letter in your words, using the bullet-point summary for information, we have prepared a template-letter which you can post or email. Please encourage your friends and family to join the endeavour. The more letters we send, the more the politicians will pay attention!

Sample letter (for copy & paste)………

https://dfait.federalrepublicofwestpapua.org/document/letter-writing-campaign-2021/

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