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1) West Papuan independence leaders sell their climate vision at COP26
The 'government-in-waiting' hopes to create the world’s first 'green state' if independence is achieved.
Wealthy nations have spent significant funds on flashy pavilions inside the COP26 summit halls to sell their climate plans.
The leaders of the West Papuan independence movement launched their 'Green State Vision' in a marquee across the river from the official venue.
Last year, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua declared itself a 'government in waiting' and nominated its leader, the exiled Benny Wenda, as its interim president.
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"In West Papua, we’re facing a genocide and an ecocide," he tells SBS News.
"They are destroying our land, our environment in the name of development."
He is referring to Indonesia, which has controlled the region since 1962.
"In recent years we’ve seen huge numbers of palm oil companies coming into West Papua, with the support of the Indonesian government. The result is the destruction of ancient rainforest," says Raki Ap, a spokesman for the Free West Papua campaign.
West Papua is half of the island of New Guinea, home to the world’s third-largest rainforest.
But its abundance of natural resources has made it an attractive destination for mining and fossil fuel companies.
It is home to the Grasberg mine, which contains the world's largest reserve of gold and the second-largest reserve of copper. Indigenous tribes say it has caused extensive damage to the region's ecosystem.
The Green State Vision plan would make 'ecocide' a serious criminal offence and ensure extraction companies adhere to international environmental standards or cease operations.
It would also restore guardianship of natural resources to Indigenous groups.
"How can you make a policy without the most important stakeholders, which are the indigenous peoples?" asks Mr Ap.
"We know how to preserve nature and we’re willing to meet the requirements of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The West Papuan Independence movement does not have an official seat at the COP26 table. Talks with official participants have been limited.
"We hope we will get momentum and people will understand our Indigenous-led changes," Mr Ap says.
Instead, the group's leaders are speaking with grassroots environmental activists, hoping to gain public support for their vision.
"It's all about peace, justice and harmony with nature, our culture and our identity," says Mr Wenda.
"We want to set an example to the world. We are ready to govern ourselves and set an example for the rest of humanity."
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Jayapura, Jubi – As COVID-19 cases in Jayapura City continue to decrease that the city is now considered at level 2 of the public activity restrictions (PPKM), the administration decides to continue learning activities at schools, which has been started on Oct. 25, 2021.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PPKM level 2 means the number of COVID-19 cases in the area is between 20 and 50 people per 100,000 population per week.
“Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are less than 10 people per 100,000 population per week. Meanwhile, the mortality rate is less than 2 people per 100,000 residents,” Jayapura mayor Benhur Tomi Mano said at his office on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.
Mano said that even though schools were open, the number of students was still limited, as well as learning hours.
“Students attendance is 50 percent, study hours are shortened or only core subjects being studied. That way, students will not be in school for too long. It will minimize the risk of creating a new COVID-19 cluster,” said Mano.
Mano further asked school principals, teachers, and parents of both elementary and junior high students to support the implementation of learning at schools so that it runs smoothly and the students do not catch COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Jayapura deputy mayor Rustan Saru said that from a number of inspections he carried out in several elementary and junior high schools, he could say that these schools were eligible to implement offline learning as they had complied with the health protocols.
“The facilities are complete, from handwashing facilities to measuring body temperature. Besides, there are no street food vendors outside schools,” said Saru.
Furthermore, Saru said, study hours were divided into two, some students started at 8.30 a.m. and some others at 10.30 a.m. There is already a school task force and room for COVID-19 isolation in some schools. Wearing masks, maintaining distance, and avoiding making a crowd is a must.
“The face-to-face learning has been running safely, no one has been exposed [to the virus] so far. Schools must be monitored continuously at all levels of education so that there are no new clusters [of COVID-19],” he said.
Saru asked both teachers, students, and parents to maintain health protocols even outside schools.
“PPKM level 2 is implemented because vaccination has reached 70 percent, the bed occupancy rate of COVID-19 reference hospitals is at 4 percent,” he added. (*)
Reporter: Ramah
Editor: Dewi Wulandari
Manokwari, Jubi – Director of the West Papua Regional General Hospital Arnold Tiniap said that no more COVID-19 patients had been treated at the hospital since the last week.
“There are no more COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe symptoms who are hospitalized within a week,” said Tiniap in Manokwari on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.
He said that currently, there were four mild COVID-19 cases in Manokwari so they were only self-isolating. “There are still four COVID-19 patients in Manokwari but with mild symptoms. They choose to self-isolate while reporting to the nearest health center,” Tiniap said.
Tiniap, who is also the spokesperson of the West Papua COVID-19 Task Force, asked the public not to be careless even though there was a trend of decreasing cases. He hoped that people would continue to comply with health protocols in doing their daily activities.
“The public should continue adhering to health protocols because COVID-19 is still around us,” said Tiniap.
He also said that throughout 13 regencies and cities in West Papua, there were still 16 active cases of COVID-19, most of them with mild cases. The patients come from eight regions, namely four people from Manokwari, Sorong City four people, Sorong Regency three people, Bintuni one person, Fakfak one person, Wondama one person, Kaimana one person, and South Sorong one person.
“While the other five regions have zero cases of COVID-19, namely Raja Ampat, South Manokwari, Tambrauw, Maybrat, and the Arfak Mountains,” Tiniap added.
Previously, West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan expressed his optimism that West Papua province would be free of COVID-19 cases by the end of this year.
“All of us are responsible for curbing the spread of COVID-19 to realize zero COVID-19 in West Papua at the end of 2021,” said the governor. (*)
Reporter: Hans Kapisa
Editor: Edho Sinaga
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