Saturday, April 30, 2022

Photos May Day Sydney

 A sunny day in Sydney for May Day (International Workers' Day/ Labour Day). 

 

If we celebrate  workers’ rights around the world on the 1st May, tragically in West Papua it is the day a people were betrayed by the  international community. 

 

Fifty-nine years ago on the 1 May in 1963, the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) transferred administration of the Dutch colony of Netherlands New Guinea to Indonesia. From the moment Indonesia took over the administration from UNTEA, the oppression of the West Papuan people began and 59 years later the oppression continues and so does the struggle of the West Papuan people for self-determination.  



























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Two Indonesian soldiers injured after being shot in Papua ambush


Two Indonesian soldiers injured after being shot in Papua ambush  
11 hours ago


Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Two Indonesian military officers were shot by terror group members in an ambush in Puncak District, Papua Province, in the wee hour of Saturday.

Commander of the Regional Military Command 173/PVB Brigadier General Taufan Gestoro confirmed that two soldiers from the Task Force of the Yonif R 408/SBH military regional command (Kodim) were shot by terror group members intercepting the soldiers while returning to their post around Ilaga, Puncak District, after delivering logistics.

"The incident occurred early Saturday at around 00:15 WIT (Eastern Indonesian Standard Time) in Kimak Village, Ilaga Sub-district," he told ANTARA on  Saturday.

The incident occurred when 10 soldiers, led by First Lieutenant IA. Mizam, on Friday night, were traveling by a truck from the Ilaga Makodim Post to the Wuloni Post to deliver logistics.

While returning to Ilaga, in the wee hour of Saturday, the group was intercepted that led to a shootout.

The two soldiers that got injured were First sergeant Sudirno, who was shot in the right elbow, and chief soldier Zubaidi, who was shot in the right nose through the upper left lip.

Both injured soldiers were evacuated to Timika aboard a plane belonging to SAS Air, he revealed.

Related news: Some 82 percent Papuans press for new autonomous regions: Minister

Papua has borne witness to a repeated cycle of violence over the past few years, with armed groups in the districts of Intan Jaya, Nduga, and Puncak targeting civilians and security personnel.

Intan Jaya recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020 when armed groups launched a series of attacks in the area that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.

On March 2, 2022, several members of an armed Papuan group operating in Beoga Sub-district, Puncak District, killed Palaparing Timur Telematika's (PTT's) eight workers, who were engaged in repair work on a base transceiver station (BTS) tower of state-owned telecommunications operator Telkomsel.

On December 2, 2018, a group of armed Papuan rebels had brutally killed PT Istaka Karya's 31 workers, who were engaged in construction and building the Trans Papua project in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak in Yigi Sub-District, Nduga District, Papua Province. 

Related news: Papua police chief pledges to safeguard Eid prayers

Reporter: Evarukdijati, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution

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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

1) What is at stake with new provinces in West Papua?


2) Paid tuition fees, living costs of 355 overseas Papuan students: govt 

3) Papuan rebels kill construction worker in Indonesia

4) Indonesian govt to accept ruling on Papua autonomy law
5)  Nothing was decided in Jokowi’s meeting with MRP and MRPD: Mahfud MD   

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1) What is at stake with new provinces in West Papua?
EDUARD LAZARUS

Jakarta’s plan to break West Papua into five provinces from the existing two leaves an even larger military footprint.




Bark painting wallets at Asei village in Jayapura, a modern adaptation of a traditional craft in the area dating back to at least the 1600s (Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images)


Published 28 Apr 2022 05:00   0 Comments   Indonesia     Follow @Eduardlazarus

On 12 April, the Indonesian parliament announced plans to establish three new provinces in West Papua. Currently, the western part of the island of New Guinea consists of two provinces: West Papua Province and Papua Province. The plan is to break down these two administrative regions into five, with the addition of the South Papua Province, Central Papua Province, and the Papua Central Highlands Province.

These designs for proliferation have ramifications far beyond altering arbitrary lines on a map. The creation of new administrative districts entails the necessity to establish government apparatus, set up military posts, and construct new infrastructure – all of which might exacerbate violent conflict in the region.

Not long ago, Indonesia’s recently-appointed Commander of Armed Forces General Andika Perkasa proposed a novel, “humanist” approach to handling political conflicts in West Papua. Rather than clamping down harder on armed combatants with gunfire, he has declared an aim to gradually resolve conflict by “territorial development operations”, involving the deployment of personnel to carry out teaching, healthcare and infrastructure-building missions to establish rapport with local Papuan communities, hoping to steer them away from the independence cause.


Aside from the fact that relations between Indonesian armed forces and Papuan people might have already soured to the point of being irreparable, what is omitted from Perkasa’s plans is that these operations require a lot more troops than those that are presently stationed in West Papua. Just one month after his appointment, Perkasa announced his plans to establish an additional eight military district commands (Kodim) in the region, an increase from 22 to 30. It is estimated that each Kodim consists of 700–900 personnel, meaning an additional 6,400 armed troops in what is already the most heavily-militarised area in Indonesia.

Consequently, establishing new provinces might also entail the proliferation of new military regions (Kodam) at the provincial level to coordinate the numerous Kodim on cities and regencies, meaning that even more military personnel are required to fill out posts on every different administrative levels. While under the new strategy these troops are expected to mostly carry out civic duties instead of being engaged in physical combat, the number of armed conflicts between the Indonesian military and West Papua National Liberation Army have increased in recent years along with the growing number of troops deployed in West Papua.

The arbitrarily divided administrative regions could also exacerbate what have been recognised by senior Papuan political activists as violent disputes between local tribes.




Activists stage a rally in Jakarta in December demanding the government provide freedom for the people of Papua (Jepayona Delita via Getty Images)

From a purely technocratic standpoint, breaking down the region into smaller, more manageable administrative areas is presented as a catalyst to promote good governance and induce development. Plans for proliferation were already introduced by amending the Papuan Special Autonomy Bill in 2021. Among other changes, the amendment will increase the allocation of the Special Autonomy Fund to Papuan Provinces from 2 to 2.25 per cent of the national General Allocation Fund (GAF). The government had also extended the revenue-sharing framework for oil and gas enterprises in West Papua, where the local government receives 70 per cent of the revenue, from 2026 to 2041.

Ever since the Special Autonomy Law for Papua (Otsus) was introduced in 2001, the region has indeed seen noticeable improvements. Although the 2021 Human Development Index still ranks the provinces of Papua (60.62) and West Papua (65.26) to be the lowest in the country, their overall growth from 2010 to 2019 surpassed the Indonesian national average of 0.53 points per year. The gulf between development within West Papua and the rest of the country was very large to begin with but has been catching up.

Yet the grievances of indigenous Papuan people go beyond these quantifiable improvements. In its heyday, the 2001 Otsus was dubbed the “prosperity approach”, where the central government in Jakarta funded projects in the region by mostly building infrastructure, such as roads. However, these funds ended up fuelling tensions as military presence became even more pronounced in their role of safeguarding construction work and business ventures such as mining and plantations.

Furthermore, the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law has largely ignored the political rights of West Papuans to self-govern. One key facet of the original bill was the formation of the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP), a coalition of Papuan tribal chiefs tasked with arbitration and speaking on behalf of indigenous Papuans. While MRP’s role has largely been consultative over the years, they claim to be excluded from talks of establishing the three new provinces, with Indonesian human rights lawyer in-exile and current head of Amnesty Australia’s strategic campaigns Veronika Koman describing the move as “a product by Jakarta, for Jakarta”.

Seeing that the Indonesian government has largely bypassed mechanisms of representative democracy they set themselves, protests opposing the proliferation broke out in major Papuan cities such as Jayapura, Wamena, and Timika. Two people were killed in Yakuhimo Regency while six others were injured when security forces opened fire in March 2022. Earlier this year, a petition rejecting the Otsus amendment was circulated among local Papua residents, and managed to gather 718,179 signatures.

That so many indigenous West Papuans expressed their disdain for renewing the Special Autonomy status, even with its considerable increase in allocated regional budget, is a sign that something has gone horribly wrong. On a general level, this means that there is a fatal disconnect between how the Indonesian government view their treatment of the region, and how the people actually affected by such treatment see the arrangement.

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2) Paid tuition fees, living costs of 355 overseas Papuan students: govt 
 6 hours ago
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - The Papua Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM) has paid the tuition fees and living costs of 355 Papuan students currently pursuing higher education at universities in five countries, an official has said.

 

The total reserved funds used for the late payment of tuition fees and living costs reached Rp300 billion, the agency's head, Aryoko A.F. Rumaropen, said in a press statement on Wednesday.

 

Of the total students, 204 are studying at universities in the United States, 68 are pursuing higher education in Australia, 59 in New Zealand, 17 in Canada, and 7 in Japan, he informed.

 

The Papuan students have not only taken up undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, but also vocational and professional programs, he added.

 

"We have gradually paid the tuition fees and living costs for our students in Japan, New Zealand, and Australia," he said.

 

Rumaropen further said that all students' tuition fees and living costs from January to April 2022 is paid this week. He then urged the students to send their study progress reports on a regular basis to the agency.


Related news: Minister Mahfud reiterates President's focus on Papua, West Papua

 

The reports are important because the authorities use them as a basis for paying their tuition fees and living costs, he explained.

 

ANTARA has reported earlier about how the Indonesian government has consistently demonstrated its strong commitment to boosting the development of the country's eastern regions, including Papua and West Papua provinces.

 

The Papua special autonomy law has paved the way for fund flows from the central government to Papua and West Papua since 2001.

 

The Finance Ministry's data has indicated that during the implementation of the Papua special autonomy law, the government disbursed Rp138.65 trillion for Papua and West Papua as special autonomy funds and additional funds for infrastructure projects.


Related news: VP discusses reconciliation, sustainable development with PGGP members

 

Meanwhile, the total regional transfer and village funds that the government distributed in the two provinces between 2002 and 2021 have been recorded at Rp702.3 trillion, according to People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Bambang Soesatyo.

 

Despite central funding, the two provinces are still struggling to improve the quality of their human capital, as evidenced by their scores on Indonesia's 2020 Human Development Index, which were below the national average of 71.94.


Related news: Scholarships handed to 89 university students in West Papua's Sorong

Related news: Some 82 percent Papuans press for new autonomous regions: Minister


 

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Papua and West Papua scored 60.44 and 65.09, respectively, on the index. Their scores were lower than Aceh province, which chalked up 71.94.

 

BPS data released in February this year further showed that the poverty rates in Papua and West Papua were recorded at 26.8 percent and 21.7 percent, respectively.

 

Development outcomes also remained inequitable for native Papuan communities as was evident from their low income level and lack of access to education and health services, it said.

 

In the midst of this challenging reality, the government has hinted at its intention to extend the allocation of special autonomy funds for Papua and West Papua by another two decades to accelerate efforts to close the development gap and usher prosperity for all communities in the region. (INE)

 

EDITED BY INE

Reporter: Qadri Pratiwi, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf



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3) Papuan rebels kill construction worker in Indonesia


Security forces say civilian's murder was a revenge killing for the slaying of two leading rebels last week
 By Konradus Epa, Jakarta Published: April 27, 2022 07:37 AM GMT

A construction worker was killed in an attack by armed separatists in Indonesia's restive Papua province in reprisal for the recent killing of two rebels by security forces, police said.  

The shooting took place in Erogama, a remote village in Puncak district, police spokesman Ahmad Mustofa Kamal said on April 26.

Samsul Sattu, 45, originally from Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi province, was shot while drinking coffee outside his home with two friends on April 25.

The shooting was likely in response to the killing of two West Papua National Liberation Army and Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) members last week by security forces, said Kamal. 

TPNPB-OPM commander Luki Murib and Badaki Kogoya were both killed on April 23 in the same village as Sattu.

Kamal said Murib was killed because he was involved in the murder of the Papua regional intelligence chief, Brigadier-General I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha, on April 25, 2021, in Beoga, Papua.

“There’s an impression that by sending more police and military personnel to the region, Jakarta doesn’t want to resolve the problem in Papua, which makes local people more uncomfortable and vulnerable”


The killing of the intelligence chief, the highest-ranking officer to die in the decades-old separatist insurgency, sparked an escalation in the conflict — with more troops deployed — that has claimed the lives of dozens of people including civilians.

A marine was shot and killed and several others were injured on April 22 when rebels ambushed their patrol in Nduga district.
TPNPB-OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom said Sattu was killed because he was an outsider who should not have been in its territory.
The rebels gave a similar reason for killing eight technicians repairing a remote telecommunications tower in the region early last month.   

Father John Bunay, coordinator of the Papua Peace Network, said civilians are becoming increasingly vulnerable in the conflict.

“There’s an impression that by sending more police and military personnel to the region, Jakarta doesn’t want to resolve the problem in Papua, which makes local people more uncomfortable and vulnerable,” he told UCA News. 

“We hope President Joko Widodo can scale back security forces in the region and give dialogue a chance.” 


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4) Indonesian govt to accept ruling on Papua autonomy law

Wednesday, 27 Apr 2022  8:04 PM MYT

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): The government has said it will comply with the Constitutional Court’s upcoming decision on a petition for judicial review filed by the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) last year that challenge several provisions in the 2021 Papua Special Autonomy Law.

The statement came after President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo’s meeting on Monday (April 25)with representatives from the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) that extensively discussed the 2021 law, which amended a previous law on special autonomy in Papua.

The 2021 amendment includes a provision that allows the House of Representatives and the government to create new provinces, municipalities and regencies in the country’s easternmost region without the approval of the MRP or regional legislative councils (DPRP).

In the law’s previous edition, the creation of new administrative areas required green-lighting by the two institutions.

The MRP filed its petition last year challenging several some provisions in the 2021 amendment, including those that allowed bypassing MRP and DPRP approval in establishing new administrative regions in Papua.

Monday’s meeting marked the first time the President had met with the MRP after the House endorsed three new bills earlier this month on the creation of the new provinces of South Papua, Central Papua and the Papua Central Highlands.

The MRP had previously called on the House and the government to postpone the bills’ deliberation citing the ongoing legal process. It also stressed that establishing new provinces in the region was “not the only [solution] to bring prosperity to Papuans”.


According to a statement released on Monday by the MRP, the President said the government would comply with the Constitutional Court’s decision regarding the 2021 law, but stopped short of confirming that the government would postpone its plan to form the new provinces.

“Regarding the process to amend the Papuan Special Autonomy Law, according to the reports that I have received, it was conducted with the involvement of the House, the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) as well as DPRPs and the MRP,” Jokowi said, as quoted in the MRP’s statement.

“If there are provisions that are under judicial review at the Constitutional Court, we will respect and comply with the court’s decision.”



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5)  Nothing was decided in Jokowi’s meeting with MRP and MRPD: Mahfud MD   

Papua Expansion Controversy - News Desk 27 April 2022 

Jakarta Jubi TV – President Joko Widodo met with the delegations from the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) and the West Papuan People’s Assembly (MRPB) in Jakarta on Monday, April 25, 2022. During the meeting, the President was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, and the Deputy V of the Presidential Staff Office.

Mahfud MD in an online press conference said the meeting discussed the Papuan people’s aspirations on the Special Autonomy Law and the Papua Province expansion. However, no decision was made at the meeting.

“The meeting went well, information was exchanged, and there were no new decisions. The MRP invited the President to stop by their office when he visited Papua and the President said yes,” he said.

“The President told the MRP delegates, regarding the Special Autonomy Law that was being reviewed by the Constitutional Court, the government respects the legal process. In the end, it’s the Court’s verdict we must respect,” Mahfud said.

Meanwhile, regarding the formation of new autonomous regions in Papua, Mahfud said there were indeed pros and cons but, according to him, there was not a thing in this country that was immediately agreed upon by everyone.

“Therefore, the President explained that the expansion plan was based on the data that the demand for expansion across the archipelago was actually high. There are 354 applications for expansion, and for Papua’s interests, we grant it to three provinces,” said Mahfud.

“According to the results of a survey conducted by the presidential institution, 82 percent of the people in Papua ask for expansion. And if we talk about protests there, there are many protests rejecting the plan but there are also many protests supporting the plan,” he claimed.


He said Papua was a special concern for Jokowi. “The President visits other provinces once or twice but he has been to Papua 14 times and he visited remote areas, not just the provincial capital,” he said. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk
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Tuesday, April 26, 2022

1) Jokowi meets MRP and MRPB, promises to respect Constitutional Court’s decision

 

2) TPNPB waging war in Keneyam, Nduga   
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1) Jokowi meets MRP and MRPB, promises to respect Constitutional Court’s decision   
Papua Special Autonomy Law - News Desk 26 April 2022



Members of the MRP and MRPB take a group photo before meeting President Jokowi at the Presidential Palace - IST

Jakarta, Jubi TV – President Joko Widodo received delegations from the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) and West Papuan People’s Assembly (MRPB) at the Merdeka Palace on Monday, April 25, 2022.

The meeting was attended by MRP chair Timothy Murib, deputy chair Yoel Luiz Mulait, MRP Deliberation Committee chair Benny Sweny, and expert staff Joram Wambrauw, as well as Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid. Meanwhile, from the MRPB, Maxsi Nelson Ahoren and a number of other MRPB figures were present.

When receiving the MRP and MRPB delegations, the President was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, and Deputy V of the Presidential Staff Office Jaleswari Pramodhawardani.

To the President, Timotius Murib conveyed two problems. First, the MRP regrets the process of the Papua Special Autonomy Law amendment which was not proposed by the Papuan people through the MRP and the Papuan Legislative council (DPRP), as mandated by Article 77 of the Special Autonomy Law of 2001.

“The substance of the new law also harms the rights of indigenous Papuans, therefore we requested for a judicial review to the Constitutional Court,” said Murib.

According to him, Article 77 is very important because it mandates consultation with and participation of the Papuan people. It is also in line with Jokowi’s mandate on February 13, 2020, wherein he invited all parties to evaluate the effectiveness of the 20 years’ implementation of the Special Autonomy Law.

Murib said many of the articles amended did not match Jokowi’s letter dated December 4, 2020, which mandated changes to be limited to three articles: general provisions, regional finances, and regional expansion.


In fact, after being deliberated by the House, eventually, there were 19 articles were changed. According to a study conducted by the MRP, the 19 amended articles are detrimental to the rights of indigenous Papuans. For this reason, the MRP and MRPB submitted a judicial review to the Constitutional Court.

The second problem that was conveyed by the MRP and MRPB was the government’s plan to form new autonomous regions in Papua, which did not involve the MRP and MRPB as stipulated by Article 76 of the previous Special Autonomy Law, which said the division of Papua into provinces must be carried out with the approval of the MRP and DPRP.

Benny Sweny also said to Jokowi that out of the dozens of visits by the President to Papua, he had never visited the MRP.

“I ask Mr. President to visit the MRP next time because this institution is the home of the Papuan people,” said Sweny.

Responding to the aspirations of the MRP and MRPB, Jokowi said he was surprised the Special Autonomy Law amendment was considered to exclude the participation of indigenous Papuans and the material was considered problematic. However, Jokowi said the government appreciated the MRP’s move to request a judicial review from the Constitutional Court and would respect the Court’s decision.

“Regarding the amendment of the Special Autonomy Law, as far as I know, through reports I have received, the House has involved the DPRP and MRP in the deliberation process. But if there are materials that are being reviewed in the Constitutional Court, we will respect and obey whatever the Court’s decision is,” said Jokowi.

“While regarding the provincial expansion, I would say, this is often an aspiration from the regions itself. Almost every time I go to regencies and cities, there are always demands for provincial expansion. The State’s fiscal condition, including the potential of the regional budget, is taken into account in the discussion on regional expansion. The idea is to not burden the state budget,” said the President.

“I want to emphasize that the division of provinces is not an easy thing. If something seems problematic, we have to talk about it again. Please go through the ministers, and if you are still not satisfied, I will keep myself open to communication. Regarding the MRP invitation, I am looking forward to it and I will visit the MRP soon,” Jokowi said.

At the end of the meeting, Usman Hamid directly handed over to the President the Amnesty International Indonesia’s latest report which highlighted the escalated armed conflict in Papua, especially in Intan Jaya. “I also talk to the President that the increasing presence of military troops in Papua is often accompanied with the occurrence of violence and human rights violations in Intan Jaya, Papua,” he said. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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2) TPNPB waging war in Keneyam, Nduga   
Armed Conflict - News Desk 26 April 2022

Jayapura, Jubi TV – The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) under the command of Goliath Tabuni and Lekagak Telenggen claimed to have set fire in Ilaga, Puncak Regency and shot military on patrol in Keneyam, Nduga Regency, Papua.

“It’s true, the TPNPB set fire in Ilaga by order of TPNPB Commander Gen. Goliath Tabuni and TPNPB General Operations Commander Maj. Gen. Lekagak Telenggen, with TPNPB Commander of Ilaga Penny Murib and TPNPB Commander of Sinak Militer Murib,” said TPNPB spokesperson Sebby Sambom on Sunday, April 25, 2022.

The arson of a building belonging to PT Martha Tunggal Teknik in Ilaga’s Gome District on Friday occurred at around 6 p.m. local time. Local authorities said there were no casualties in the arson.

Sebby Sambom also stated that his party attacked the Mupe 3 Military Post and killed a marine.

“On Friday, April 22, at 3 p.m., TPNPB Ndugama-Derakma troops and the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police attacked each other and we shot dead one person. We can’t say for sure how many were injured,” he said.

Sambom said that there were no injuries or deaths from the TPNPB during the attack.

According to Sambom, one of the TPNPB leaders Egianus Kogoya has called on civil society in the areas of Keneyam, Nogolaid, and Batas Batu not to be walking around the area where they live in the past few days. “Egianus and his troops have surrounded the Keneyam area and warned the people,” he added. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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Monday, April 25, 2022

1) Newly elected Timor Leste President Ramos Horta expected to help peacebuilding in Papua

2) Minister Mahfud reiterates President's focus on Papua, West Papua  

3) Some 82 percent Papuans press for new autonomous regions: Minister 
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1) Newly elected Timor Leste President Ramos Horta expected to help peacebuilding in Papua   

Peacebuilding In Papua - News Desk 25 April 2022


                                                Photo illustration, flag of Timor Leste. - pixabay.com




Jayapura, Jubi – Coordinator of the Papuan Observatory for Human Rights (POHR) Thomas Ch. Syufi expressed his hope that Ramos Horta, who recently got re-elected to be the President of Timor Leste on Thursday, April 21, 2022, could help push the Indonesian government to resolve the Papua conflict.

Ramos Horta is a senior Timor Leste politician who has a long track record in international diplomacy to fight for Timor Leste’s independence from Indonesia. Syufi expected Ramos Horta to be able to communicate with figures and diplomats from the United Nations and the Indonesian government regarding peacebuilding in Papua.

“Ramos Horta can encourage the reconciliation of human rights violations and a space for negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Papuan people to achieve a dignified and permanent solution to the conflict in the provinces of Papua and West Papua,” Syufi told Jubi when contacted by telephone on Friday.

Ramos Horta is a moderate leader and winner of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, known for his commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the armed conflict in Timor Leste [formerly East Timor], which was then part of Indonesia.

“Horta has 24 years of experience helping to push for a peaceful resolution of the East Timor conflict with Indonesia, as well as being a Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Guinea-Bissau and other countries in 2013. Indonesia will believe that Ramos-Horta can help Papua,” said Syufi.

He said the Papuan people support the Indonesian government and ASEAN countries to accept Timor Leste as a member of ASEAN.

Syufi further appreciated the Timor Leste Presidential Election that went peaceful, democratic, honest, and dignified. The general election can be a good example of democracy for other countries, including ASEAN member countries.

“Horta is an independence figure and an international figure who can bring Timor Leste forward. We feel that Horta’s victory is a victory for all the people of Timor Leste and the world. He is a great figure who has an international reputation and the credibility and integrity to contribute to global peace,” he said. (*)
Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk
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2) Minister Mahfud reiterates President's focus on Papua, West Papua  
8 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has channeled his utmost focus on the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD stated.

"Papua is the region on which the president has emphasised his focus. The president visited other provinces, perhaps, only twice or thrice, but he has visited Papua 14 times," Mahfud noted in his press statement as observed from the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Monday.

The coordinating minister earlier accompanied Jokowi to receive the visit of leaders of the Papua People's Assembly and West Papua People's Assembly at the Merdeka Palace here.

Mahfud remarked that the meeting between the president and the people's assemblies leaders was conducted smoothly, as no new decisions had to be made during the meeting.

During the meeting, Jokowi reiterated his commitment to follow up on the assembly leaders' visit by visiting respective provincial people's assembly offices while visiting the Papua region, he remarked.

"When the president visits Papua later, he will visit the Papua People's Assembly and West Papua People's Assembly offices," Mahfud affirmed.

The coordinating minister noted that the meeting was organised to heed to the people's assemblies leaders' suggestions and aspirations regarding Law No. 21 of 2001 on Special Autonomy Status for Papua Province.

The House of Representatives' plenary session passed the amendment to the Special Autonomy Law on July 17, 2021, to revise seven crucial points in some 20 articles in the law, he noted.

Despite the law having been passed and having a legal force, a judicial review on the revised law is currently ongoing in the Constitutional Court, he added.

"We respect the ongoing legal process, and we will continue to observe the progress, as the legal process would conclude with the Constitutional Court's verdict," Mahfud stated.

Related news: Biak Numfor residents urged to maintain peace ahead of Eid al-Fitr
Related news: Papua police chief pledges to safeguard Eid prayers
Related news: VP discusses reconciliation, sustainable development with PGGP members
  

Reporter: Mentari Dwi G, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati



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3) Some 82 percent Papuans press for new autonomous regions: Minister 
 6 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD pointed out that 82 percent people of Papua and West Papua had agreed to the discourse on expansion of new autonomous regions.

The minister disclosed that the figure was obtained through a presidential survey. He delivered the statement after accompanying President Joko Widodo to welcome the delegations of the Papuan People's Assembly and the West Papuan People's Assembly at the Presidential Palace, here on Monday.

"Agreements or disagreements are normal. Instead (of disagreements), the results of the survey conducted by the presidential institution showed that 82 percent of the Papuan people urge for expansion," he noted as quoted from an official on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel.

The expansion or formation of a new autonomous region in Papua became one of the issues discussed during the president's meeting with the Papua and West Papua delegations.

The president said that the expansion of the new autonomous regions at the provincial level in Papua was a priority based on importance, although there were hundreds of other requests for the creation of new autonomous regions, according to the minister.

Mahfud also said that the president had revealed that as many as 354 requests were received for the creation of new autonomous regions. According to Papua's needs, they would grant permit for the creation of three new provinces.

The minister viewed that clashing opinions were part of the usual dynamics in life. Moreover, in Papua itself, it is not uncommon to see public rallies, either from supporters of the policy or those opposing the idea.

On April 6, 2022, the working committee on the draft law of three Papua New Guinea New Autonomous Areas had been included as the House of Representatives' initiative proposal.

The draft bill touched on the subject of formation of three new autonomous regions at the provincial level from the two currently existing provinces: Papua and West Papua.

Should the bill be ratified as a law, there would be five provinces in Papua comprising Papua Province, West Papua Province, South Papua Province, Central Papua Province, and Central Highlands Papua Province.

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Reporter: Gilang Galiartha, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati

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