https://en.jubi.co.id/priests-ask-security-forces-to-maintain-peace-during-christmas-in-papua/
1) PRIESTS ASK SECURITY FORCES TO MAINTAIN PEACE DURING CHRISTMAS IN PAPUA
Wamena, Jubi – President of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI) Dorman Wandikbo has asked all parties to create a peaceful atmosphere as Christmas is near, hoping that all the people in Papua could celebrate and enjoy Christmas in peace instead of chaos since armed conflicts have been escalating in several parts of Papua this year.
“No one should disturb the peace during this holy month, not even the security forces. There should be no additional movement from the security forces until we enter next year. Because everyone wants a calm and peaceful Christmas,” said Wandikbo after inaugurating the Yerussalem Danggena GIDI Church in Wollo District, Jayawijaya Regency, on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.
He said there should be no shootings and other security disturbances during Christmas celebrations. “It’s very important that there should be no arson, no military operations whatsoever,” he said.
From Merauke Regency, a Catholic religious leader, Hendrikus Kariwop, invited Christians and the Merauke community in general to maintain national unity and religious harmony. He said that Christmas should be free from conflicts.
“Let’s stop the hatred toward differences. Differences should be seen as a blessing, not a threat,” Kariwop added.
Moreover, Wandikbo mentioned that there were still many people in various regions of Papua who were about to celebrate Christmas in evacuation camps, such as the displaced people in Suru-Suru District, Yahukimo Regency; Nduga Regency; Ilaga District, Puncak Regency; and other areas.
“Today we can enjoy Christmas in Wollo. However, our brothers and sisters in Suru-Suru, Nduga, and Ilaga cannot. There are still those who fled their hometowns. The displaced people cannot enjoy Christmas. They are in the forest,” he said. (*)
Reporter: Arjuna Pademme
Editor: Dewi Wulandari
Jayapura, Jubi – A total of 476,534 indigenous children in Papua and West Papua provinces do not attend school, says data from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) for Papua and West Papua.
In the customary area of Domberai, 57,040 children unable to attend school, in Bomberai 14,504, in Mamta 56,769, in Anim Ha 92,988, in Meepago 89,433, in Saireri 43,622, and in Lapago 100,969 children cannot go to school. These figures do not even include children of special need and toddlers needing early childhood education.
Lecturer of the University of Papua Agus Sumule said this was due to shortage of teachers in the two provinces. Even if there was a school building, Sumule said, the school would not operate without teachers.
Sumule said the problem was exacerbated with teachers being absent from their assignments, especially teachers teaching in the Central Mountains area. A 2012 study by UNICEF showed that 30 percent of teachers in Papua and West Papua were absent from teaching.
The shortage of teachers in Papua and West Papua has reached 20,147 people, including elementary school teachers 9,351 people, junior high school teachers 5,402, high school teachers 1,964, vocational school teachers 1,676, and teachers who are about to retire 1,754.
Sumule said there should be a breakthrough by providing sufficient and qualified teachers. “If we only rely on teacher graduates from Faculty of Teacher Training and Education of the Cenderawasih University, the University of Papua, and the Musamus Merauke University, it will never cover the shortage of teachers in Papua,” Sumule told Jubi in a phone call on Saturday, December 18, 2021.
“Because we need tens of thousands of teachers only for elementary schools. That means we have to invite other parties to also open a Teacher Training program,” he added.
Sumule said that Government Regulation No. 106/2021 on the implementation of Papua Special Autonomy Law stipulated elementary school teachers can be supplied through opening a Diploma Two Teacher Training and Education (D2 PGSD) program that accepts high school and vocational high school graduates. The program can be opened in universities that have educational programs, including for example, theological colleges which have Christian Education programs.
“Let’s work together and provide opportunities for colleges that have Christian Education, Catholic Education, Islamic Education. By opening another program called D2 PGSD, hopefully it will expedite the effort to meet the needs of teachers in Papua,” he said.
According to Sumule, Papua and West Papua needed at least 33,000 teachers to teach children who are not currently in school. He suggested the Rp 1.4 trillion Special Autonomy funds for education in Papua and West Papua be used to address the current shortage of teachers.
“The main cause of people not going to school is not the lack of school buildings. People can go to school under a tree. But without teachers, don’t dream of having a school,” he said.
Acting Head of the Papua Education, Libraries, and Regional Archives Agency Protasius Lobya said in the Literacy Program Replication Workshop held by the Nusantara Sejati Foundation on October 19 that the level of teacher attendance in Papua’s rural areas was still very low. According to Lobya, some of the leading factors were family and welfare matters, including rank and salary, as well as the lack of transparency at the management of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds by the principal and BOS treasurer, which did not involve teachers. (*)
Reporter: Theo Kelen
Editor: Syofiardi
Jayapura, Jubi – A number of students and family members of Hendrik Lokbere reflected on Sunday night, December 19, 2021, the shooting that killed Lokbere two years ago. They urged the Indonesian government to investigate and disclose the murder of Hendrik Lokbere and other Nduga civilians.
Hendrik Lokbere was a Nduga civilian who worked as a public transport driver in Kenyem, Nduga Regency, Papua Province. He was shot and killed in December 2019, while on his way to the Asmat Regency border to pick up passengers.
According to eyewitnesses, Hendrik Lokbere was allegedly shot by the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police. It was, however, denied by the TNI and police. Two years have passed now and the case of Hendrik Lokbere’s death has not been disclosed, let alone taken to court.
The memorial night which took place at the Nimin Dormitory was attended by families of the shooting victims, activists of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), students from the Nduga-Jayapura Student Association, and local residents. The people also commemorated a number of victims of the shooting in Nduga other than Lokbere, namely Elias Karunggu, Saru Karunggu, and five other victims.
Memorial night coordinator Wekcho Kogoya said the shootings of civilians in Nduga were similar to cases of shootings of civilians by security forces in other places in Papua. “Facts and evidence strongly suggest there were gross human rights violations in the Nduga incident on December 19, 2019. The families of victims and the people of Papua have not forgotten the Nduga Massacre. And just like the Nduga Massacre, all [human rights violation] cases that occurred on this land were [ignored], as if the state was hiding their crimes against Indigenous Papuans,” Kogoya said.
Kogoya said that according to several witnesses, Hendrik Lokbere did not do anything that endangered anyone while driving. “The victim was a public transport driver. He was on his way to pick up passengers to Batas Batu. While descending Yosema Street, he turned on the high beam headlights, signaling to other cars and trucks. It turned out that it was [a security forces truck], they immediately opened fire and the bullet pierced through Lokbere’s chest. The victim’s uncle who was in the car jumped out. The victim was still trying to back the vehicle with struggle because it was on an incline. The security forces then surrounded the car, asked Hendrik Lokbere to get out of the car, then allegedly shot him again,” explained Kogoya.
The victim’s family together with the participants of the memorial night asked the government to withdraw troops from Nduga. They said that the deployment of the TNI and police had hindered people from doing their daily activities freely, such as gardening and farming.
“The state through the military must immediately stop violence against Indigenous Papuans. With the security forces’ presence, this December [we] did not feel the Christmas atmosphere like in other parts of the world. Indonesia must also stop the exploitation of natural and human resources in the Land of Papua. Papua is not an empty land,” said Kogoya.
One of the Papuan women who attended the memorial night, Erkab Tabuni, said that as a woman, she felt sick seeing Papuan children being killed. She said that a mother did not give birth to her child to be tortured and killed. “Hendrik Lokbere was not born to be tortured and killed. The state must open the truth and explain it to the public. As a mother, I feel really hurt about the Nduga Massacre,” said Tabuni. (*)
Reporter: Yance Wenda
Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G
Perkasa paid a visit to Manokwari to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccination program in West Papua ran smoothly in line with TNI's commitment to synergizing with the government regarding the vaccination program.
"One of my agendas in Manokwari is to witness the implementation of vaccinations. We also continue to educate the public of the TNI's readiness to serve the people in West Papua, especially those who have not been vaccinated," Perkasa noted on Thursday.
In addition to TNI's main duties as the front line of national defense, the Indonesian Military also shows its concern for the immunity of Indonesian citizens during COVID-19. To this end, TNI supports the government's agenda to build herd immunity by vaccinating 70 percent of the population in each region, Perkasa stated.
"We convey to West Papua's residents that COVID-19 vaccination is still available both through mass vaccination or at the TNI health center in this region," he noted.
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Perkasa did not deny the fact that the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination was hindered by a group of people not keen to be vaccinated.
"If there are some people not keen to receive vaccination, it is alright. Our vaccination service is still open. We can educate them and if anytime, they change their mind, they can still get the vaccine because we have sufficient vaccine stocks," Perkasa stated.
He also lauded the enthusiasm of Manokwari's residents, who visited the mass vaccination site at the Borasi Field during the fifth anniversary of XVIII Military Area Command in Kasuari, West Papua.
"Their enthusiasm is extraordinary. I see that several residents just received the first dose. This means our public awareness has slowly grown. All ranks of the TNI in the region will also continue to disseminate information on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination," he concluded.
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