https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/west-papuan-student-charged-treason
1) West Papuan student charged with treason
A West Papuan university student was charged with treason in Jayapura’s District Court on March 28, arising from a November 2022 protest rally that was violently repressed by police.
Yoseph Ernesto Matuan, a student of the University of Science and Technology Jayapura (USTJ), was charged for simply calling for a referendum and raising the Morning Star flag at the rally. Two other USTJ students will appear before the court to face charges on April 3.
The rally was held to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the assassination of Papua Presidium Council leader Theys Hiyo Eluay on November 10, 2001. Eluay was murdered by military personnel. The soldiers responsible received jail sentences of just two years.
During the rally police fired tear gas, beat students and lecturers and arrested a number of students who gave speeches and raised the Morning Star flag.
Australia West Papua Associaltion (AWPA) spokesperson Joe Collins said the charges contravene Articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Article 19 states: ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.’ Article 20 [protects] ‘the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association’,” said Collins.
“Jakarta seems to believe that these articles do not apply to the West Papuan People.”
According to AWPA, police also recently arrested 20 West Papuans who were undertaking fund raising activities for victims of the two cyclones that hit Vanuatu at the beginning of March.
Those arrested were eventually released, said AWPA. However West Papuan activists are being intimidated to stop any activity that might bring international attention to the injustices suffered by the West Papuan people – even humanitarian activities.
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https://en.jubi.id/papua-police-tries-to-contain-tpnpb-series-of-attacks/amp/
2) Papua Police tries to contain TPNPB series of attacks
News Desk - Armed Conflict In Papua
31 March 2023
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Mathius D Fakhiri on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, said his party wanted to ensure that security disturbances in Puncak Jaya did not further widen. “For Puncak, we immediately do serious handling,” he said.
According to Fakhiri, security disturbances by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) have repeatedly occurred since early 2023. A number of attacks caused casualties on the part of both soldiers, police, and civilians.
Fakhiri urged civilians not to travel to places far from the observation of security forces, both the Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI). “I have also called on TPNPB members to immediately cooperate with all stakeholders, while providing security guarantees so that security disturbances do not recur,” Fakhiri said.
The following is a series of security disturbances that occurred in Puncak Regency:
1. On January 23, 2023, an armed group shot dead a motorcycle taxi driver on the Ilame Bridge, Wako Village, Gome District.
2. On January 24, 2023, armed groups attacked a member of the TNI at Sinak Market, Sinak District.
3. On February 18, 2023, armed groups burned down a house and engaged in a shootout with security forces in Ilaga.
4. On March 3, 2023, armed groups attacked a TNI post and shot dead one TIN soldier and a civilian in Pamebut Village, Yugu Muak District. However, TPNPB stated that the civilian was shot by security forces.
5. On March 22, 2023, armed groups shot dead a motorcycle taxi driver at the Kimak road junction, Ilaga District. (*)
In addition, Fakhiri reminded his members not to respond excessively to the burning of houses and the Gome District Office, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province on Tuesdays (28/3/2023). According to him, such arson is a strategy of the perpetrators to provoke the security forces to pursue the perpetrators.
“I ask the officers in the field not to respond excessively. Because usually the motive for the West Papua National Liberation Army armed group to burn [is] hoping that the officers will respond and then be shot at,” Fakhiri said.
“I have reminded every rank, if there is an incident in the afternoon or evening not to respond immediately. Wait for the afternoon, then respond and carry out crime scene processing,” he said.
Fakhiri assessed that the series of incidents in several vulnerable areas was motivated by a motive to show the existence of each armed group. He considered that the various attacks were uncorrelated events.
“That’s why I hope the authorities in the field can scrutinize it well. Except for the incidents in Nduga and Lanny Jaya, of course it is of more concern, because it can interfere with the efforts of the authorities to rescue the Susi Air pilot who is currently still being held hostage by the Egianus Kogoya group,” he said.
Previously, TPNPB reportedly burned three houses in Gome District, Puncak Regency on Tuesday. “Disturbances from armed groups resulted in three houses being burned down,” said Head of the Cartenz Peace Operation Public Relations Task Force Sr. Comr. Donny Charles Go. (*)
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https://en.jubi.id/hiv-aids-prevention-program-in-merauke-constrained-by-lack-of-budget/amp/
3) HIV Aids prevention program in Merauke constrained by lack of budget
News Desk - The AIDS Commission
31 March 2023
Merauke, Jubi – The AIDS Commission (KPA) of Merauke Regency in South Papua cannot carry out more intense programs for HIV/AIDS prevention because the budget allocation from the local government for the commission is very limited.
KPA Merauke Secretary Damario Sriyono told Jubi on Thursday, March 30, 2023, that the budget given to them from the local government this year was Rp 200 million. In the previous year, the budget allocated by the Merauke Government amounted to Rp 300 million.
“Our current budget is only enough for office operations. It is still very far from what is expected. We are grateful there are still independent organizations working in Merauke such as the Pelangi Maluku Foundation and PKBI Papua. With them, we build partnerships,” said Sriyono.
“With such funds, it is impossible for us to make programs as expected. In 2011, the budget was smaller, but in those years there were still many donors working on HIV-AIDS issues. While this year there are no donors. So we still need to work hard again,” he added.
Questioning the government’s attention to the handling of HIV/AIDS, Sriyono said KPA still needed the attention of local governments in preventing and overcoming the disease, especially given that HIV cases in Merauke Regency still exist, and in the past year, new cases that have emerged were around 100 cases.
“After the donors in Merauke stopped, we thought we were ready to work alone because the system was good. But now the reality is, there is a lack of budget. Some NGOs, such as Yasanto did not get HIV budget allocations at all. Therefore the programs are not running well,” he said.
Sriyono added that statistically, HIV/AIDS cases in Merauke have not increased significantly. It is just that the average number of cases each year ranges around 100. Last year, there were 130 new cases that emerged.
“You wouldn’t say it’s increasing, rather, it’s sloping. For the beginning of 2023, there have indeed been cases, I just don’t remember the exact numbers,” he concluded. (*)
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Indonesia ‘makes humanitarianism illegal’ for West Papuans – 20 arrests
Twenty West Papuans who were fundraising for the victims of tropical cyclones in Vanuatu were today arrested by Indonesian police in Jayapura, the Papuan provincial capital, claims a West Papuan advocacy group.
“This was a peaceful, compassionate action, with Papuans taking to the streets to raise money for those affected by this latest Pacific natural disaster,” said Benny Wenda, interim president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), in a statement.
“The Indonesian response was to disband the march at the barrel of a gun.
“Armed Indonesian police sought to block activists at several points, forcibly disrupted the procession, and eventually conducted a series of arbitrary arrests.”
Vanuatu was hit by two successive cyclones within 24 hours earlier this month. Homes and schools were destroyed, many were forced to flee to evacuation centres, and people lost access to water and electricity for several days.
West Papuans see ni-Vanuatu as “family” — “we naturally want to support them in their hour of need, just as they have always supported us in ours,” said Wenda.
“By criminalising this act of solidarity, Indonesia has demonstrated it will not accept any form of Papuan assembly or self-expression.”
Not political protest
Wenda said this was not a political protest. Participants did not raise the Morning Star flag or call for independence.
“They only raised awareness and money for a fellow black Melanesian nation that has always supported the West Papuan struggle.
“Indonesia, like the ULMWP, is a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) along with Vanuatu. They have an obligation to allow West Papuans to raise money to stop the suffering of their fellow member.”
Indonesia has behaved like this before.
In March 2015, after Vanuatu was hit by a large cyclone, Papuans in the Yahukimo regency held a similar solidarity fundraiser. In response, police violently broke up the meeting, shooting six Papuan civilians and killing one.
“We must remember that climate change is the sole reason Vanuatu is so vulnerable to cyclones and other natural disasters. Despite producing zero carbon emissions, Vanuatu is being punished for the actions of rich countries and big corporations,” Wenda said.
“West Papuans stand with all Pacific nations in our joint fight against this existential threat. Our island is the lung of the world, with its third largest rainforest and thousands of unique plants and animals.
‘Ripping down forests’
“But Indonesia is ripping down our forests and mountains to build highways, mines, and palm oil plantations.
“To fight for climate justice we must also fight for West Papuan independence and the fulfillment of our Green State Vision.”
Wenda said he also wanted to alert the world about the alleged murder of another Papuan child. Enius Tabuni, a 12-year-old boy, was killed by Indonesian soldiers who then videoed his dead body, branded him as “OPM” — the Papuan Freedom Movement.
“The way that Tabuni was killed is the logical conclusion of Indonesia labelling OPM and all Papuan resistance fighters as ‘terrorists’. If we are stigmatised as terrorists, then we can be killed like terrorists.”
Tabuni was not OPM — he was a schoolboy, said Wenda.
“His death is a continuation of the last few years, as Indonesian occupation forces have committed unprecedented atrocities against civilians,” he said. Other incidents cited:
- The murders of Pastor Yeremiah Zanambani and his brothers;
- The murder of 12-year-old Makilon Tabuni;
- the killing and mutilation of four West Papuans last August; and
- the beheading of a 35-year-old Papuan mother last month.
“None of these people were combatants. The Indonesian occupation kills all West Papuans equally.”
‘Deliberately targeting’ youth
In an attempt to crush the Papuan spirit, Indonesia was “deliberately targeting” the next generation of West Papuans, Wenda claimed.
“This kind of military violence is the reason that 100,000 West Papuans have been forcibly displaced since 2019, and why tens of thousands are still in the bush, unable to return to their homes,” he said.
Wenda reiterated his call for Indonesia to immediately withdraw their military from West Papua.
“Demilitarising West Papua is a precondition for this situation to be resolved peacefully. They must also release all 20 Papuans arrested today, alongside all political prisoners including Victor Yeimo.
“International journalists must be allowed to report on West Papua.
“Lastly, I repeat the call of 84 countries for Indonesia to finally allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua.”
This was an important moment for the world to reflect on what Indonesia was doing to West Papua, Wenda said.
“In reclaiming our sovereignty, we are aiming to restore our fundamental human rights – the right to show solidarity, to exercise freedom of assembly, and the rights of our children to live without fear.”
The Jakarta government had not responded at press time.
5) Papua has 700,000 voters for upcoming 2024 election News Desk - 2024 General Election 31 March 2023
Jayapura, Jubi – Statistics Indonesia (BPS) of Papua Province noted that the number of voters in the 2024 General Election in Papua Province would be 700,000. The number is calculated from the total population of Papua, based on 2022 census data of one million people.
“The number of voters in each regency or city does vary, around 65 to 70 percent of the total population of each regency or city,” BPS Papua Coordinator of the Social Statistics Function Sugiyanto to Jubi in Jayapura City on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
The figure is much lower compared to the Papua Permanent Voter List (DPT) in the 2019 elections that was 3.5 million people. This is mainly because Papua Province had been divided into three new provinces, South Papua Province, Central Papua Province, and Mountainous Papua Province.
According to him, the number of voters in South Papua Province in the 2024 elections would be around 350,0000 out of a population of 522,000; in Papua 1.1 million out of a total population of 1.4 million; and in Mountainous Papua 1.1 million out of a total population of 1.4 million.
“The population in Central Papua and Mountainous Papua indeed has a similar figure based on the 2022 census,” Sugiyanto said.
Regarding voter data, Sugiyanto explained that the Papua General Election Commission (KPU) had coordinated with BPS Papua. The coordination was carried out to equalize the data while removing the names of voters who had died from the previous election voter data.
“Not long ago we also sat down with the KPU to discuss the number of voters for the 2024 election. So, if you look at the population, it matches the BPS data. For Matching and Research, that is the authority of the KPU. BPS is not involved in field research. KPU only confirms the data of deceased residents, to then equalize the data available to the KPU as voters. After that, they do the matching in the field,” he explained.
Sugiyanto admitted that until now his party had not submitted population data from the 2022 Population Census which had been disaggregated between residents of Papua Province and residents of the three new provinces. This is because there is no BPS office in the three new provinces.
According to him, of the three new provincial governments resulting from the division of Papua, the Central Papua Provincial Government is the province that communicates most intensively with BPS Papua. “The one that has communicated intensely with us [as BPS] is the Regional Development Acceleration Agency of Central Papua Province,” he said. (*)
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“The number of voters in each regency or city does vary, around 65 to 70 percent of the total population of each regency or city,” BPS Papua Coordinator of the Social Statistics Function Sugiyanto to Jubi in Jayapura City on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
The figure is much lower compared to the Papua Permanent Voter List (DPT) in the 2019 elections that was 3.5 million people. This is mainly because Papua Province had been divided into three new provinces, South Papua Province, Central Papua Province, and Mountainous Papua Province.
According to him, the number of voters in South Papua Province in the 2024 elections would be around 350,0000 out of a population of 522,000; in Papua 1.1 million out of a total population of 1.4 million; and in Mountainous Papua 1.1 million out of a total population of 1.4 million.
“The population in Central Papua and Mountainous Papua indeed has a similar figure based on the 2022 census,” Sugiyanto said.
Regarding voter data, Sugiyanto explained that the Papua General Election Commission (KPU) had coordinated with BPS Papua. The coordination was carried out to equalize the data while removing the names of voters who had died from the previous election voter data.
“Not long ago we also sat down with the KPU to discuss the number of voters for the 2024 election. So, if you look at the population, it matches the BPS data. For Matching and Research, that is the authority of the KPU. BPS is not involved in field research. KPU only confirms the data of deceased residents, to then equalize the data available to the KPU as voters. After that, they do the matching in the field,” he explained.
Sugiyanto admitted that until now his party had not submitted population data from the 2022 Population Census which had been disaggregated between residents of Papua Province and residents of the three new provinces. This is because there is no BPS office in the three new provinces.
According to him, of the three new provincial governments resulting from the division of Papua, the Central Papua Provincial Government is the province that communicates most intensively with BPS Papua. “The one that has communicated intensely with us [as BPS] is the Regional Development Acceleration Agency of Central Papua Province,” he said. (*)
