Thursday, July 15, 2021

1) Indonesia passes new Papua autonomy law


2) Papua planning partial lockdown in August: official  

3) Govt using welfare, dialogue to promote development in Papua: minister  
4) Police in Jayapura break up rally against Papua special autonomy, 23 arreste
-----------------------------------------



1) Indonesia passes new Papua autonomy law

Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Kate Lamb AAP Thu, 15 July 2021 6:18PM

Indonesia's parliament has ratified a new autonomy law for Papua aimed at boosting development in its poorest region, sparking protests from activists who warned it would increase Jakarta's grip on the resource-rich area.

The Papua special autonomy bill, which revised 20 articles from a pre-existing 2001 law, relates to Indonesia's easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua, where a low-level insurgency for independence has simmered for decades.

The new law will boost a special autonomy fund for the region, ensure affirmative action for indigenous Papuans in local politics, boost healthcare and education and funnel more proceeds from oil and gas, said Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian.

"We hope that this law will accelerate development in Papua and see Papuans prosper," he told parliament after the bill was ratified on Thursday.

Indonesia says the region is part of its territory after a United Nations supervised vote in 1969 that involved about 1025 people.

Separatists say the vote, known as the Act of Free Choice, did not reflect their aspirations.

Markus Haluk, of the United Liberation Front for West Papua said his group strongly rejected the revised law, describing it as an extension of "racist colonial rule".

"The democratic solution for West Papua is that the government of Indonesia provide a choice to Papuans to determine their right to self-determination," he said in a statement.

Police on Wednesday arrested 23 students demonstrating against the law in the provincial capital of Jayapura, while another 40 were arrested in Jakarta on Thursday, according to Papuan groups.


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


2) Papua planning partial lockdown in August: official  
3 hours ago


Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Papua is planning to enforce a partial lockdown for one month in August, 2021 to curb COVID-19 spread in communities amid a growing threat posed by the more contagious Delta variant, an official said.

"The lockdown will be imposed by considering several factors, including an upward COVID-19 trend," assistant for economic and people's prosperity affairs for the Papua provincial government, Muhammad Musaad, said.

The detailed rules for the enforcement of the partial lockdown are being deliberated by the authorities, he informed in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, on Thursday.

Referring to reports made by agencies, he said the current COVID-19 surge in Papua can partly be blamed on public mobility, especially the arrival of non-Papua residents at seaports. The lockdown is also being mulled in view of two sporting events, he added.

Ahead of the convening of Papua's 2021 PON National Games in October and National Para Games in November this year, local residents in Jayapura city and four districts will need to get vaccinated, as requested by President Joko Widodo, he pointed out.

In keeping with the President's request, the Papua administration is keen to intensify mass vaccination drives in Jayapura city and the districts of Jayapura, Mimika, Merauke, and Keerom, Musaad informed.

"We do not want to have additional COVID-19 cases," he remarked.

Related news: Bubble system applied during Papua's PON National Games: minister

Papua's 2021 PON National Games are scheduled to take place from October 2 to October 15, 2021, while the National Para Games (Peparnas) will be held from November 2 to November 15.

At least 6,400 athletes and 3,500 officials from 34 provinces across Indonesia are expected to participate in Papua's PON National Games, which will feature 37 events. Meanwhile, 1,935 athletes and 740 officials will take part in the National Para Games in Jayapura City and Jayapura district, which will feature 12 events.

To ensure the safety of athletes and officials participating in the PON National Games and National Para Games, President Widodo has asked the concerned agencies to inoculate all athletes.

He has also instructed that local residents living near all venues of the sporting events and athletes' villages be vaccinated, Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali said.

Speaking at the online press conference shortly after attending a limited cabinet meeting with the President on Tuesday, Amali said mass vaccination drives for the targeted recipients need to be intensified.

To this end, mass vaccinations will be ramped up in Papua province to achieve the government's goal of inoculating all targeted recipients by August this year, he said.

Related news: Obeying health protocols is key to successful convening of Papua's PON
Related news: COVID-19: Partial lockdown enforced in West Papua's Manokwari, Sorong
  

 
Reporter: Hendrina DK, Rahmad Nasution

Editor: Suharto


——————————————————

3) Govt using welfare, dialogue to promote development in Papua: minister  
3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, has reiterated that the government has adopted a welfare and dialogue-based approach to promote development in the easternmost Indonesian province of Papua.

He made the statement during a virtual dialogue with the Foreign Ministry, Indonesian embassies in the Asia Pacific region, the US, and Europe as well as Indonesian representatives in Africa on Thursday.

"In addressing the issue of Papua, the government is prioritizing comprehensive welfare in all aspects. And in facing separatism, the government is emphasizing dialogues and enforcing the law in dealing with KKB (armed Papuan groups)," he stated.

Mahfud said he has held comprehensive dialogues and meetings with Papuan figures, including religious figures, social figures, regional governments, and the Papua Provincial Legislative Council (DPRP) leadership.

They have all agreed to build Papua with peace, he remarked.

Related news: Hope new autonomy law accommodates Papuan people's interests: DPRP

In addition to strengthening welfare and peace approaches, the country must ensure the safety of the Papua people in the face of the threat posed by terrorism, he added.

Constitutionally, Papua is a legitimate part of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia, in accordance with the international law adopted in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2504, Mahfud said.

Thursday's dialogue also featured the leadership of the State Intelligence Board (BIN), the National Police (Polri), the National Counter-terrorism Board (BNPT), and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).

Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand, Tantowi Yahya, lauded Mahfud MD's initiative in holding the dialogue and expressed the hope it would be held routinely.

"We appreciate the effort made by Mr. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to explain to the public about Papua issue through one gate. So far, there have been many gates to explain the policy on Papua," he remarked.

Tantowi said the narrative on Papua should focus on justice, treatment, and upholding of human rights rather than the considerable amount of funds channeled to the province.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Belgium, Andri Hadi, said all European countries support the Indonesian government 's policy on Papua. 
Related news: House passes Papua special autonomy bill at plenary session

Reporter: Syaiful Hakim/Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution



————————————————

4) Police in Jayapura break up rally against Papua special autonomy, 23 arrested

CNN Indonesia – July 14, 2021

Jakarta – Around 23 Cendrawasih University (Uncen) students at several different locations were arrested by police when they held a protest action on Tuesday July 14 opposing the extension of special autonomy in Papua.

"Based on the numbers as a whole, there were 23 students arrested at three different locations", said Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Emmanuel Gobay when sought for confirmation on Tuesday.

Gobay said that the arrests were accompanied by repression by police resulting in five students being injured. The arrested students were taken directly to the Jayapura municipal police headquarters (Mapolresta).

The repressive actions against students occurred in the Lower Uncen area in Abepura where three students were injured. One other suffered violence at Upper Waena Uncen and a fourth near the Dok 9 area.

"The grounds for the mass detentions of students and youth were because they did not disband voluntarily when asked to disperse so the police secured them at the Jayapura Mapolresta", he explained.

Gobay said that the LBH has requested information from the Papua regional police over the arrests and were told that there were no legal violations other that those committed by the protesters. The arrests were made because the demonstrators did not voluntarily disperse when asked.

"Ten people were taken from Lower Uncen, 10 were taken from Upper Uncen and three people were taken from Dok 9", he asserted.

Papua regional police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Ahmad Musthofa Kamal has confirmed the arrests saying that the students are still at the Jayapura district police headquarters.

Kamal however was unable to provide details on the arrested students saying the arrests were because the students ignored a police directive.

"They had already been warned not to leave the campus (during the protest action). And they were not given a permit because Jayapura city is a [Covid-19] red zone", said Kamal. (mjo/wis)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Demo Tolak Otsus, 23 Mahasiswa Papua Ditangkap Aparat".]

Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210714134727-32-667606/demo-tolak-otsus-23-mahasiswa-papua-ditangkap-aparat

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

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.