By Asia Pacific Report editor David Robie
A lively 43sec video clip surfaced during last week’s Pacific Islands Forum in the Fiji capital of Suva — the first live leaders’ forum in three years since Tuvalu, due to the covid pandemic.
Posted on Twitter by Guardian Australia’s Pacific Project editor Kate Lyons it showed the doorstopping of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare by a melee of mainly Australian journalists.
The aloof Sogavare was being tracked over questions about security and China’s possible military designs for the Melanesian nation.
- READ MORE: The full 2022 Pacific Islands Forum communique
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- Media freedom defenders criticise China, other Pacific info ‘threats’
- Yamin Kogoya: Fatal disconnect between Jakarta and West Papua
- ‘Talanoa journalism’ in the Pacific
- PIF and West Papua – a timeline
But Lyons made a comment directed more at questioning journalists themselves about their newsgathering style:
“Australian media attempt to get a response from PM Sogavare, who has refused to answer questions from international media since the signing of the China security deal, on his way to a bilateral with PM Albanese. He stayed smilingly silent.”
Prominent Samoan journalist, columnist and member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) gender council Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson picked up the thread, saying: “Let’s talk western journalism vs Pacific doorstop approaches.”
Lagipoiva highlighted for her followers the fact that “the journos engaged in this approach are all white”. She continued:
‘A respect thing’
“We don’t really do this in the Pacific to PI leaders. it’s a respect thing. However there is merit to this approach.”
A “confrontational” approach isn’t generally practised in the Pacific – “in Samoa, doorstops are still respectful.”
But she admitted that Pacific journalists sometimes “leaned” on western journalists to ask the hard questions when PI leaders would “disregard local journalists”.
“Even though this approach is very jarring”, she added, “it is also a necessary tactic to hold Pacific island leaders accountable.”
So here is the rub. Where were the hard questions in Suva — whether “western or Pacific-style” — about West Papua and Indonesian human rights abuses against a Melanesian neighbour? Surely here was a prime case in favour of doorstopping with a fresh outbreak of violations by Indonesian security forces – an estimated 21,000 troops are now deployed in Papua and West Papua provinces — in the news coinciding with the Forum unfolding on July 11-14.
In her wrap about the Forum in The Guardian, Lyons wrote about how smiles and unity in Suva – “with the notable exception of Kiribati” – were masking the tough questions being shelved for another day.
“Take coal. This will inevitably be a sticking point between Pacific countries and Australia, but apparently did not come up at all in discussions,” she wrote.
“The other conversation that has been put off is China.
“Pacific leaders have demonstrated in recent months how important the Pacific Islands Forum bloc is when negotiating with the superpower.”
Forum ‘failed moral obligation’
In a column in DevPolicy Blog this week, Fiji opposition National Federation Party (NFP) leader and former University of the South Pacific economics professor Dr Biman Prasad criticised forum leaders — and particularly Australia and New Zealand — over the “deafening silence” about declining standards of democracy and governance.
While acknowledging that an emphasis on the climate crisis was necessary and welcome, he said: “Human rights – including freedom of speech – underpin all other rights, and it is unfortunate that that this Forum failed in its moral obligation to send out a strong message of its commitment to upholding these rights.”
Back to West Papua, arguably the most explosive security issue confronting the Pacific and yet inexplicably virtually ignored by the Australian and New Zealand governments and news media.
In Suva, it was left to non-government organisations and advocacy groups such as the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) and the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) to carry the Morning Star of resistance — as West Papua’s banned flag is named.
The Fiji women’s advocacy group condemned their government and host Prime Minister Bainimarama for remaining silent over the human rights violations in West Papua, saying that women and girls were “suffering twofold” due to the increased militarisation of the two provinces of Papua and West Papuan by the “cruel Indonesian government”.
Spokesperson Joe Collins of the Sydney-based AWPA said the Fiji Forum was a “missed opportunity” to help people who were suffering at the hands of Jakarta actions.
“It’s very important that West Papua appears to be making progress,” he said, particularly in this Melanesian region which had the support of Pacific people.
Intensified violence in Papua
The day after the Forum ended, Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) general secretary Reverend James Bhagwan highlighted in an interview with FijiVillage how 100,000 people had been displaced due to intensified violence in the “land of Papua”.
He said the increasing number of casualties of West Papuans was hard to determine because no humanitarian agencies, NGOs or journalists were allowed to enter the region and report on the humanitarian crisis.
Reverend Bhagwan also stressed that covid-19 and climate change reminded Pacific people that there needed to be an “expanded concept of security” that included human security and humanitarian assistance.
In London, the Indonesian human rights advocacy group Tapol expressed “deep sorrow” over the recent events coinciding with the Forum, and condemned the escalating violence by Jakarta’s security forces and the retaliation by resistance groups.
Tapol cited “the destruction and repressive actions of the security forces at the Paniai Regent’s Office (Kantor Bupati Paniai) that caused the death of one person and the injury of others on July 5″.
It also condemned the “shootings and unlawful killings’ of at least 11 civilians reportedly carried out by armed groups in Nduga on July 16.
“Acts of violence against civilians, when they lead to deaths — whoever is responsible — should be condemned,” Tapol said.
“We call on these two incidents to be investigated in an impartial, independent, appropriate and comprehensive manner by those who have the authority and competency to do so.”
Jayapura, Jubi – An academician of the Musamus University in Merauke, Yosehi Mekiuw, said the formation of three new provinces in Papua would marginalize indigenous peoples as it would trigger further exploitation of Papua’s natural resources when forests are the source of people’s livelihood. Today, many sago forests have been replaced with oil palm plantations.
Even before the expansion, Mekiuw said, indigenous Papuans had lost the forests where they used to find food. For example, the Marind Anim tribe had lost their forest due to oil palm plantations. They also cannot use water from the river because the water source has been polluted by factory activities. Sago, fish, and vegetables that used to be produced by forests are now being replaced by instant foods such as instant noodles and biscuits.
“It’s clear that forests, land, swamps, and sago hamlets are the treasures, legacy, dignity, the future of the food barn and the breath of life for indigenous peoples,” Mekiuw said in an online discussion held by Pusaka Bentala Rakyat on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.
Mekiuw said the government needed to take steps and policies to protect indigenous peoples after the Papua expansion. This can be done through the making of regulations, both Regional Regulations and Special Regional Regulations regarding the protection of customary forests, communities, and their sources of livelihood.
The government, said Mekiuw, must also create a community empowerment program based on the culture of the local indigenous community and regularly evaluate each program. “Our children and grandchildren must continue to eat sago,” he said.
Constitutional Law expert Bivitri Susanti said that instead of establishing new provinces, the government should first evaluate the implementation of special autonomy that has been running by involving the participation of indigenous Papuans. According to Bivitri, who is also a lecturer at the Jentera Indonesian Law School, the monitoring and evaluation of special autonomy did not work so far.
The government even revised the Special Autonomy Law No. 21/2021 to Law No. 2/2021 without taking into account the Papuan people’s aspirations. This new Special Autonomy Law allowed the government to carry out Papua expansion directly, without having to ask for approval from the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) or the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP).
TAPOL expresses its concern and deep sorrow at the numerous events that have occured recently in West Papua, which have led to the deaths of several people. Firstly, the destruction and repressive actions of the security forces at the Paniai Regent’s Office (Kantor Bupati Paniai) that caused the death of one person and the injury of others on Tuesday 5th July 2022; and secondly, shootings and unlawful killings of at least 11 civilians, carried out by armed groups in Nduga on Saturday 16th July 2022.
Acts of violence against civilians, when they lead to deaths whoever is responsible, should be condemned. We call on these two incidents to be investigated in an impartial, independent, appropriate and comprehensive manner by those who have the authority and competency to do so.
It is important that these cases are handled with measures which are legal and proportional and according to human rights principles. If the perpetrators are caught and detained, they must be judged in a fair judicial framework. Experience says that, in Papua at the present time, security operations conducted by the TNI and Polri in response to attacks by armed groups lead to situations where human rights violations are felt by the civilian population.
Security operations and the vengeful pursuit of perpetrators are not able to stop the cycle of violence in West Papua, especially when it results in civilian casualties. The government must ensure that the search and pursuit of perpetrators by the security apparatus will not be done in an arbitrary or high-handed way, as this will increase feelings of fear in other civilians and also repeatedly force them to flee.
Contact: info@tapol.org
"What is the evidence? It's Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2020 concerning the acceleration of welfare development in Papua and West Papua, which is commanded by the Vice President (Ma'ruf Amin) directly," he said during a media presentation here on Thursday.
The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) have ratified Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua Province, which emphasizes increasing special autonomy (Otsus) funds, improving governance, and increasing the participation of indigenous peoples, he added.
The former TNI commander said that the government and the DPR have also approved the establishment of three new autonomous regions (DOBs)—Central Papua, Highlands Papua, and South Papua provinces—as part of an effort to bring public services closer to the people of Papua.
Related news: Govt promises swift action against separatists killing Nduga civilians
Regarding the acts of violence and killings carried out by armed separatist groups (KKB) in Papua, he said that the acts were undertaken because the groups are afraid of the government's development achievements.
"The general public in Papua basically wants a peaceful life, they do not want to be involved in the violent actions (by KKB)," he explained.
Based on data recorded between March 2010 and March 2022, armed groups have carried out 226 acts of violence in Papua, including killings and burning of public facilities, government buildings, schools, and houses, with the aim of spreading terror among the community.
Meanwhile, from April to July 2022, he said, the groups committed 18 crimes and killed 22 people, as per records.
"I receive reports from the head of districts, the language is the same (they do not want to be involved in violent acts). Furthermore, the government has called on the people to not be provoked by ethnic, religious, racial and social group (SARA) sentiments developed by the KKBs and to carry out activities as usual," Moeldoko said.
Related news: Eight civilians killed by Papuan terrorists flown to hometowns
The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing earlier assured that work on unfinished sections of the Trans-Papua Road would be completed gradually by 2024.
"Some incomplete roads in the Trans-Papua Road system, such as the Jayapura-Oksibil corridor and the 183-kilometer Keerom Batom-section, will be completed by gradual means by 2024," the ministry's spokesperson, Endra S. Atmawidjaja, informed.
Related news: Nine civilians slain by terror group in Nduga, Papua
The development of the Trans-Papua Road until 2024 will prioritize the completion of the inter-provincial Jayapura-Wamena section -- which is expected to be the main logistics corridor for the highland region -- and the Manokwari-Mameh-Windesi-Kampung Muri-Kwatisore-Batas Papua road section in West Papua, he said.
Of the 3,462-km Trans-Papua Road, some 183 km is still not connected, while some 1,647 km of the road section, comprising 977 km in Papua and 670 km in West Papua, has been paved, the spokesperson informed.
Apart from completing the Trans-Papua Road, the ministry is also committed to completing some infrastructure projects in the provinces of Papua and West Papua, he added.
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