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1) VERONICA KOMAN JOINS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA, CONTINUES VOICING PAPUAN RIGHTS
human RIGHTS activist Veronica Koman with the Figures of Women Amungme, Mama Yosepha Alomang - Jubi/Doc. Personal.
Jayapura, Jubi – Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman has officially joined rights NGO Amnesty International Australia as a strategic campaigner lead. Her main role is to serve as a liaison between the organization, state officials, politicians, and ambassadors in Australia.
Koman said she would tackle human rights issues in Australia and the international community. Despite joining the Australian-based NGO, Koman said she would continue advocating for the rights of the Papuan people.
“Because the level of human rights violations in Papua is already on a global scale. So, of course, I will not leave it behind,” she told Jubi on Thursday, December 16, 2021.
According to Victor Mambor, a senior Papuan journalist and a friend of Koman, Koman’s joining with Amnesty International Australia is very good for her because as a human rights defender, Koman needs an organization that can protect her.
“Especially with the terror against her parents and family that has happened several times, she needs the help of an organization based in where she lives now,” said Mambor.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor issued a statement in Geneva requesting Indonesia to immediately stop threats and intimidation against Veronica Koman, who is currently in exile in Australia. Koman faces several charges in Indonesia including allegations of spreading false information aimed at inciting ethnic hatred.
Koman along with Victor Mambor, Victor Yeimo, Wenislaus Fatubu, and Yones Douw are the five human rights activists named in the UN Secretary-General’s 2021 report. Koman and her family in Indonesia have faced intimidation over Koman’s reporting on Papua, the report said.
“I urge the Indonesian government to drop the charges against Veronica Koman, immediately investigate threats and acts of intimidation against her, and bring the perpetrators to court,” Lawlor said. (*)
Reporter: Hengky Yeimo
Editor: Syam Terrajana
Jayapura, Jubi – At least 366 elementary school students in Jayapura Regency, Papua cannot read, a recent survey by Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) says.
Education Team Leader of WVI for Sentani Marthen Sambo said the results were obtained from a survey conducted in 78 elementary schools across 15 districts in Jayapura Regency from October 11 to 29, 2021.
“Not all schools in 15 districts could be surveyed. In Demta District, for example, only two out of four targeted schools were surveyed, while six out of seven schools in Sentani District were surveyed. Of the 81 elementary schools targeted, only 78 schools were successfully surveyed,” said Sambo on Thursday, December 16, 2021.
The survey involved 853 elementary school students, namely from Sentani 268, West Sentani 89, East Sentani 74, Kemtuk Gresi 72, Depapre 64, Waibu 60, Nimbokrang 56, Yokari 52, Kemtuk 29, Ravenirara 19, Demta 18, Nimboran 18, Unurumguay 15, Ebungfauw 12, and South Gresi 7.
The result of the survey shows that 48 percent of students are able to read and understand the text, while 9 percent are not fluent in reading and do not understand the text. The rest of it, or 43 percent of the students surveyed, cannot read at all.
According to Sambo, this finding is very alarming because 43 percent is a large number for third-year elementary students who cannot read. Students should be able to read in order to learn.
The reason, Sambo said, was that children’s literacy activities in the school environment were still low. For example, the teacher rarely taught new vocabulary to students that their interests in reading were lacking.
Sambo said that in order to improve the reading ability of elementary school students in Papua, especially in Jayapura Regency, several steps need to be taken, such as holding a literacy program supported by both the government, NGOs, and the community, improving teacher’s quality, and creating a comfortable environment for children at school.
Jayapura Education Agency’s head of Primary School Division Slamet Riyadi said the government continued to improve the quality of education by installing internet networks in several remote districts in Jayapura Regency. “This is important because learning is often done online nowadays,” he said.
Meanwhile, YPK Amai Elementary School teacher Oktavia Afni said teachers need a lot of training related to Information and Communication Technology to adapt to online learning. Afni hoped that all parties, including teachers and parents, would contribute to improving the students’ literacy skills. “Psychosocial support is also important for students to actively learn,” she said. (*)
Reporter: Theo Kelen
Editor: Syofiardi
Yance Agapa, Jayapura – The Papuan people reject the investigation team formed by the state through the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to investigate alleged gross human rights violations in Paniai on December 8, 2004.
"To this day Indonesia has never solved any cases of gross human rights violations in the land of Papua, especially not the bloody Paniai case. So, we the people of Paniai and the families of the victims are [instead] hoping for a visit by the United Nations High Commissioner [on Human Rights] to see for themselves the evidence and facts on the ground in Karel Gobai, the location of the shootings", said Papua activist Andi Yeimo in Abepura, Jayapura city, on Tuesday December 14.
Yeimo even believes that the Indonesian government is incapable of resolving cases of gross human rights violations and because of this, the Papuan people are asking for the United Nations to visit Papua.
"We already know that the government talks nonsense. Indonesia once offered four billion [rupiah] in money as compensation. But we, the families of the victims, rejected this evil attempt outright", he said.
In relation to a UN visit to Papua, Yeimo explained that 85 countries have already urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Papua. But Indonesia has used the Covid-19 pandemic situation as grounds to prevent the visit.
"Domestically, Indonesia [tries] to distract the Papuan people's focus with the agenda of Otsus (the extension of special autonomy), the creation of new autonomous regions, the National Sports Week and military operations in West Papua", said Yeimo.
"All students, youth, religious figures, state civil servants and all OAP (indigenous Papuans) unite now, take part in rejecting the [investigation] team formed by the state. We Papuans all know that Indonesia has never taken responsibility for its actions", said Yeimo.
Earlier, Amiruddin, the head of the investigation team into gross human rights violations, said he hoped that the newly formed team of investigators will be able to work transparently.
"The Attorney General's move to form the Paniai incident investigation team is a good move", said Amiruddin in a press release.
Notes
On December 8, 2014, barely two months after President Joko Widodo was sworn in as president, five high-school students were killed and 17 others seriously injured when police and military opened fire on a group of protesters and local residents in the town of Enarotali, Paniai regency. Shortly after the incident, while attending Christmas celebrations in Jayapura on December 28, Widodo personally pledged to resolve the case but seven years into his presidency no one has been held accountable for the shootings.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Kasus Paniai Berdarah, Rakyat Tolak Tim Investigasi Buatan Negara".]
Source: https://suarapapua.com/2021/12/14/kasus-paniai-berdarah-rakyat-tolak-tim-investigasi-buatan-negara/
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