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1) Sharp rise in Papuan mass arrests during military operations, says ICP
By APR editor - October 19, 2021 Asia Pacific Report newsdesk
Arrested Papuan activists protest from an Indonesian police truck during a rally at US Embassy in Jakarta on 30 September 2021. Image: IndoLeft News/CNN Indonesia
The International Coalition for Papua (ICP) says there has been an increase in the number of arbitrary arrests in its latest report on human rights violations in Papua between July and September 2021.
The ICP found that mass arrests took place during military security operations in response to attacks by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), reports Suara Papua.
The increase in arrests was also related to the spread of protests opposing the extension of Special Autonomy for Papua and calling for the release of Papua activist and human rights defender Victor Yeimo.
“The mass arrests were reported to have been accompanied by violence by security forces which resulted in a significant rise in cases of torture and abuse,” the ICP report said.
“In unison with this the number of extra-judicial killings declined to only two, which were related to excessive use of force during law enforcement operations.
“This decline, however, does not mean that the armed conflict in West Papua lessened over the last three years.”
According to the ICP, violence related to the armed conflict has now spread to the regencies of Yahukimo and Star Highlands.
Armed clashes
Prior to this, the two regencies were largely unaffected by the impact of the armed conflict.
In August 22, 2021, TPNPB members killed and set fire to the bodies of two construction workers near the Kribu village in Yahukimo regency.
On September 2, 2021, TPNPB members killed four people and injured two TNI (Indonesian military) officers at the Kisor village in Maybrat regency.
On September 13, 2021, the TPNPB also attacked a sub-district military command (Koramil) post in Kiwirok sub-district in Star Highlands regency.
It was reported that a healthcare worker fell into a ravine and died during this attack and several public facilities were burnt to the ground. A joint security force responded by conducting raids in the three regencies which resulted in arbitrary arrests and torture.
The statistical figures show that the number of armed clashes that were reported increased threefold in late 2021 compared with 2017, increasing from 24 in 2017 to 44 in 2018 and 64 in 2020.
As of September 30, 2021, the ICP documented at least 63 armed clashes in West Papua since the start of the year.
Papuan pleas rejected
On July 15, the House of Representatives (DPR) revised the Special Autonomy Law. In doing so, the government ignored calls by the Papua Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), the Papua People’s Council (MRP), the West Papua People’s Council (MRPB) and thousands of West Papuans who rejected and protested against these unilateral revisions.
The revisions made 19 amendments to the existing Special Autonomy Law related to articles which regulate the allocation of Special Autonomy funds and the establishment of new autonomous regions.
Meanwhile, the establishment of a Papua Human Rights Court and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KKR) were sidelined.
During the time that the Special Autonomy Law was being revised, security forces forcibly broke up protests by West Papuans in various parts of Indonesia on the grounds that they violated covid-19 health protocols.
A new report on freedom of expression and assembly in West Papua published by the UK based human rights group TAPOL describes how these protests were violently repressed by Indonesian security forces using the regulations on controlling the spread of covid-19.
During the period of the report, many countries declared their support for a fact-finding mission led by the United Nations to investigate allegations of human rights violations in West Papua.
Call for urgent mission
In September, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS or ACP) sent a letter to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) calling for, “an urgent mission to West Papua to provide an evidence based information report on the human rights situation”.
Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu also declared their support for a similar mission during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.
On September 17 the UN published a new report on cooperation with representatives and its mechanisms in the field of human rights.
The report was drafted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and referred to five cases of criminalisation and intimidation against West Papua human rights activists.
Translated by James Balowski for IndoLeft News. The original title of the article was “ICP Melaporkan Terjadi Peningkatan Penangkapan Sewenang-Wenang di Papua”.
Jayapura, Jubi – Sorong regent Johny Kamuru has delivered to the people of Moi Decree No.593.2/KEP.345/IX/2021 on land rights recognition of the Gelek Malak Kalawilis Pasa, one of the Moi Tribe’s clans. The handover was carried out at the Keik Malamoi Building on Friday, October 15, 2021.
Head of the Papua Indigenous People Institution Silas Kalami appreciated the regent’s decree as it had been long anticipated by the people ever since the issuance of Sorong Regional Regulation No.10/2017 on Recognition and Protection of Indigenous People in Sorong Regency.
“The Sorong regent’s decree is the first [to recognize land rights of Indigenous People in Sorong]. Through the recognition of rights, the community will protect forests and customary lands stronger,” Kalami said in a press release on Friday.
Indigenous People, Kalami said, must protect their land and forest for the sustainability of their lives. Any kind of development must adapt to the needs of Indigenous People. “Do not sacrifice Indigenous People,” he said.
“The forest and land are part of Indigenous People’s identity. Without them, there are no longer Indigenous People,” he added.
Meanwhile, Gelek Malak Kalawilis Pasa tribal chief Herman Malak said that his party never wanted the presence of oil palm plantations in their area from the very start. The people are now making maps and gathering support to defend their customary lands and forests.
“We, the Gelek Malak, have proven that we can protect our customary lands and forests, setting an example for other clans to join our cause,” said Malak. He invited Indigenous People from other clans to support the regent of Sorong, Johny Kamuru, to reject oil palm plantations in Sorong. (*)
Reporter: Arjuna Pademme
Editor: Edho Sinaga
Manokwari, Jubi – Five regencies in West Papua Province have become the priority areas to be reduced from extreme poverty in 2021.
Indonesia Vice President Ma’ruf Amin said that the poverty reduction program is part of the government’s attempt to reduce extreme poverty to zero by 2024.
“The five priority regencies in West Papua are the Wondama Bay Regency, Bintuni Bay Regency, Tambraw Regency, Maybrat Regency, and South Manokwari Regency,” Amin spoke at the 2021 Extreme Poverty Reduction Coordination Meeting at the West Papua Governor’s office in Manokwari on Thursday, October 14. 2021.
Amin said these five West Papua regencies were chosen to become among the 35 national priority regencies, based not only on the extreme poverty rate but also the number of extremely poor people in the region.
According to Amin, the extreme poverty rate refers to the World Bank and the United Nations definition, which is 1.9 US dollars PPP (purchasing power parity) per capita per day, below the general poverty rate used by the Indonesia Statistics, which is equal to 2.5 US dollars PPP per capita per day.
“In the five regencies in West Papua which become our poverty reduction priorities in 2021, the total number of extremely poor people is 39,357, with a total of 12,440 extremely poor households,” Amin said.
The number comprises Wondama Bay with an extreme poverty rate of 24.08 percent and a population of 7,960 extremely poor people; Bintuni Bay 21.05 percent and 13,760 people; Tambraw 22.40 percent and 3,140 people; Maybrat 22.89 percent and 9,520 people; and South Manokwari 20.97 percent and 5,150 people. (*)
Reporter: Hans Kapisa
Editor: Edho Sinaga
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Indonesian Church celebrated the ordinations of new new priests and deacons in the Diocese of Timika, Papua province.
The ceremonies took place last week, on 12 and 14 October led by Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunjamin of Bandung (West Java).
The first ordination on 12 October involved three priests in Bilogai (Intan Jaya), scene of violent clashes between Indonesian security forces and Papua’s independence movement.
The second, two days later, was held in St Peter's parish church in Mauwa (Dogiyai), where the prelate ordained two deacons and five priests.
Bishop Bunjamin celebrated the two services in lieu of Bishop Aloysius Murwito of Agats who is still struggling with the consequences of contracting COVID-19.
Currently, the Diocese of Timika is still without a bishop following the death of Bishop John Philip Saklil, a charismatic prelate who died suddenly in August 2019 due to a heart attack. Fr Marthen Ekowaibi Kuayo is the diocesan administrator the diocese at present.
The new priests are: Fr Fransiskus Sondegau, Fr Joseph Bunai, Fr Yeskiel Belau, Fr Silvester Bobii, Fr Silvester Dogomo, Fr Vincentius Budi Nahiba, Fr Febronius Angelo, Fr Paulus Leo Patty Yeruwuyan, and Fr Ricky Icarol Yeuyanan. The new deacons are: Emanuel Richardus Buanglela and Ricky Icarol Yeuyanan
For each diocese in Indonesia and for the local Church, the ordination of new priests is a reason for celebration and pride, even more so for the Diocese of Timika, a vast territory that stretches south from central Papua to the north of the great island.
The territory is made up of 30 parishes entrusted to the pastoral care of only 22 diocesan priests and 21 priests of other orders, 74 religious and seminarians and 44 nuns. Catholics number 114,680 out of a population of 1.2 million.
One of the new ordained priests is a Jakarta-born, ethnic Chinese who decided to respond to the calling and live his vocation in a remote area of the country.
Fr Vincentius Budi Nahiba told AsiaNews that he arrived in the Diocese of Timika "when I was still a layman" and was a "volunteer teacher in Waghete, a remote region of the diocese" thanks to a programme promoted by the local Jesuit province.
In his “daily” and “intense” relationship with native Papuans, “especially the little ones”, he felt “the calling to serve them as a priest”.
In a statement received by ANTARA on Tuesday, Moa and Ama, two survivors of the terrorist assault, said they have been under the Komnas HAM's protection in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, for almost a month.
According to Moa, they are still waiting for a definitive decision from their government on their request for returning to their hometowns in the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi.
Related news: 17 civilians evacuated from Papua's Kiwirok: police
Instead of being sent back to the Kiwirok health center in Pegunungan Bintang district, they have appealed to the Komnas HAM and Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) to help them go home, Moa said.
Related news: Kiwirok attack: Missing health worker found, escorted to Sentani
In response to this request, head of the Komnas HAM-Papua Office's public complaint services, Melchior S.Weruin, said his office has contacted authorized persons in the Pegunungan Bintang district government and LPSK.
However, six of the nine survivors of the Kiwirok terrorist attack, who are keen to get home, are still waiting for the government's assistance in this regard, Weruin informed without mentioning the health workers' names.
Related news: Nemangkawi task force continues crackdown on terrorists in Kiwirok
On the morning of September 13, 2021, several members of the Lamek Tablo-led separatist terrorist group had reportedly torched several public facilities, including a public health center, and homes in Kiwirok.
The Papuan terrorists reportedly assaulted and tortured several health workers from the Kiwirok Public Health Center. As a result, one health worker, identified as Gabriela Meilan, died while four others sustained serious injuries.
Related news: IDI assists healthcare workers surviving Kiwirok's terrorist attack
Meilan died after being tortured by the terrorists, said officials.
The separatist terrorists also got into a gunfight with Indonesian security personnel during which one army personnel sustained minor injuries on his right arm after a bullet ricocheted and struck him.
The wounded army personnel was identified as 1st Private Ansar from the 403/WP Infantry Battalion.
The deadly terrorist attack has resulted in the termination of healthcare services at the Kiwirok Public Health Center since September 13, according to a Komnas HAM official.
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