1) West Papua Tensions Building
2) MPR speaker lauds intensification of military operations in Papua
3) Top Indonesian army official dismisses rebel claims that a dozen soldiers had been killed while searching for missing pilot
4) Indonesia upgrades operation in West Papua
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1) West Papua Tensions Building
19 APRIL 2023
The long-running conflict in West Papua has slipped from the headlines in recent times as other regional issues took precedence in many newsrooms. But this week it's back on the news agenda - so what’s going on there?
Separatists in Indonesia’s Papua region say they have killed nine Indonesian soldiers in an ambush, as the Indonesian military (the TNI) continues to search for kidnapped New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens.
Mehrtens was detained by members of the West Papua National Liberation Army after he landed at an isolated airstrip in Nduga district in February.
The plane, carrying five passengers, was scheduled to pick up 15 construction workers building a health centre in the small town of Paro, after a group of separatist rebels reportedly threatened to kill them.
The plan to evacuate the workers angered the rebels, who responded by setting fire to the plane, and seizing the pilot.
Shortly afterwards two battalions of the Jakarta-based Unit 81 counter-terrorism squad were sent to Timika, a city on Papua’s south coast. Unit 81 has traditionally been the military group which spearheads operations against rebel groups throughout the country.
Indonesian military spokesman Julius Widjojono said soldiers were searching at a number of sites, and despite weather problems they believe they are close to finding the pilot.
The West Papua National Liberation Army has previously demanded that Indonesia recognise Papuan independence in return for the pilot’s release.
They are also demanding a face-to-face meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, to discuss concerns over the continued presence of the Indonesian Army in the troubled province.
“The United Nations and the New Zealand government have an obligation to push Indonesia to stop the military operation,” rebel spokesman Sebby Sambom has said. Top of Form
Other demands include more arms and ammunition, along with a $US5 million ransom for the kidnapped Kiwi.
Background
When Indonesia gained its independence from the Netherlands in 1949, the Dutch government retained control over the territory of West New Guinea. From 1949 until 1961 the Indonesian government sought to "recover" West New Guinea (later known as West Irian or West Papua), arguing that the territory, a part of the former Netherlands East Indies, rightfully belonged with Indonesia.
In late 1961, after repeated and unsuccessful attempts to secure its goals through the United Nations, Indonesia's President Sukarno declared a military mobilisation, and threatened to invade West New Guinea. In Washington, the Kennedy administration, fearing that US opposition to Indonesian demands might push the country toward Communism, organised talks between the Netherlands and Indonesia designed to avert military action.
The talks led to the New York Agreement in 1962, which gave Indonesia control of West New Guinea (then renamed West Irian) Jakarta agreed to hold an independence referendum within seven years. Once in control, Indonesia’s security services set about stamping out any calls for independence.
Over six weeks from July to August 1969, the UN oversaw the "Act of Free Choice." Under the New York Agreement all adult Papuans had the right to participate in an act of self-determination to be carried out in accordance with international practice. That did not occur – instead Indonesian authorities selected 1022 West Papuans to vote publicly and unanimously in favour of integration with Indonesia.
Despite significant evidence that Indonesia had failed to meet its international obligations, in November 1969 the United Nations "took note" of the "Act of Free Choice" and its results, thereby lending support of the world body to Indonesia's annexation.
By the time of the vote, the West Papuan nationalist movement was already well established under the leadership of Nicolaas Jouwe and Theys Eluay, who sought to establish an independent state called West Papua.
West Papuan leaders, including Eluay and Moses Werror, declared the establishment of the Free Papua Movement in 1965, which called directly for independence from Indonesia.
The independence movement has continued the struggle for decades, enduring several military crackdowns, with widespread human rights abuses reported on several occasions.
In the 1990s, the West Papua separatist movement underwent a significant transformation, shifting from armed struggle to non-violent resistance. This was due in part to the influence of the international human rights community, which began to shine a light on the abuses taking place in West Papua.
In 1998, Indonesia's President Suharto was forced to resign, and his successor, BJ Habibie, implemented a range of democratic reforms, including granting West Papua a degree of autonomy. However, many West Papuans felt that this was not enough, and in 2000, a group of West Papuan leaders, including Theys Eluay, launched the Papua Presidium Council, which called for independence through peaceful means.
West Papua has had a special autonomous status since 2001. Since June 2022, it has been divided into five provinces.
However, the Indonesian government has been reluctant to grant West Papua full independence, and the region remains one of the poorest and most conflict-ridden in Indonesia.
In recent years, the West Papua separatist movement has gained renewed international attention, with activists calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and for greater autonomy for the region.
What’s next ?
Following the rebel ambush three of Indonesia’s most senior military leaders are now in West Papua to evaluate the situation, including the newly installed head of the Indonesian Military (the TNI) commander Admiral Yudo Margono.
The Admiral has previously turned down New Zealand’s offer of assistance in the recovery of the kidnapped pilot. New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Kevin Burnett had reportedly offered assistance during a visit to the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, east of Jakarta.
“He offered to help, but I am still able to complete (the rescue).” Yudo told reporters.
Prior to the offer Indonesian media had reported that New Zealand diplomats had gone to Papua to monitor the negotiation process.
Yudo also told reporters the operation to find and release the kidnapped pilot was a “law enforcement” operation, rather than a military one.
The TNI had pulled out of some highland regions in West Papua last year, hoping to project a softer profile.
Following Mr Mehrtens' kidnapping, the West Papua Liberation Army issued a statement saying they would now target "all foreigners: the US, EU, Australians and New Zealanders".
As spokesman said those countries had supported Indonesia's rule by sending weapons and training soldiers over past decades.
The rebels are also critical of countries in the region ignoring their plight in the long-running conflict, and also for allowing the sham referendum in 1969 to go ahead in the first place.
With the arrival of Indonesia’s top brass, and the subsequent re-assessment of the conflict, the kidnap of a Kiwi pilot may prove a turning point in the West Papua story.
Banner Image : Manokwri Harbour, West Papua / image Axel Drainville
- Asia Media Centre
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2) MPR speaker lauds intensification of military operations in Papua
1 hour ago
Jakarta (ANTARA) - People's Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo lauded the decision of Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Commander Admiral Yudo Margono to upgrade the status of military operations in Papua to battle standby.
"We ask the TNI commander and all officials to be firm and not hesitate in acting against KKBs (armed criminal groups) perpetrating anarchist actions, threatening, and causing loss of lives of residents and officers in Papua," Soesatyo noted as per the statement here on Tuesday (April 18).
On Saturday (April 15), Papuan separatists ambushed TNI officers sweeping a region in Mugi Sub-district, Nduga District, Highland Papua, to search for New Zealander pilot of Susi Air Phillip Mehrtens abducted since February.
The incident caused the death of one TNI officer, First Private Miftahul Arifin, while four other officers suffered gunshot and fall wounds.
In response to the escalating KKB attacks in Papua, Admiral Margono decided to elevate the military operation tactic from a soft approach to battle standby in areas prone to attack.
"On account of the April-15 attack, we decided to escalate (our tactic) from soft approach to battle standby," the TNI commander said as quoted in a TNI statement on Tuesday.
Soesatyo remarked that the incident highlighted the need for the TNI and police to ensure the safety and security of officers deployed to rescue the Susi Air pilot.
"Optimum protection from the risks of continued harassment and threats from KKB's anarchist actions must also be provided," the speaker remarked.
Meanwhile, he also urged the military to mobilize more personnel to provide security in Papua and, along with the police, identify and map armed criminal groups' attack patterns.
"Hence, we can determine the correct strategy to ensure that the TNI and police can protect local civilians while combating violence perpetrated by KKBs," Soesatyo remarked.
Related news: TNI imposes Operation Battle Standby against Papua separatists
Related news: Deputy minister outlines three strategic issues in Papua in 2023-2024
Related news: VP, ministers discuss plan for Christian study center in Papua -----------------------------------
3) Top Indonesian army official dismisses rebel claims that a dozen soldiers had been killed while searching for missing pilot
Posted 47m ago
Indonesia's military chief has dismissed a separatist group's claim that they have killed more than a dozen government soldiers who were searching for a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by rebels in the restive Papua region.
Key points:
- Top Indonesian military officials dispute Papuan rebel claims of number of soldiers killed
- The soldiers were engaged in a search for a kidnapped New Zealand pilot held by rebels
- Human rights monitors say Indonesian approach to Papua violence ineffective
Indonesian Admiral Yudo Margono and the military's top brass flew to the region after initial information said attackers from the West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, ambushed 36 government soldiers in the Nduga district of the mountainous Papua Highlands province.
Rebel spokesperson Sebby Sambom said in a statement that his group's fighters were holding the remains of 12 soldiers, including nine who, he said, were "arrested and executed". The rebels offered no proof to back up their statement.
Admiral Margono confirmed only one fatality and said four other soldiers were missing, while the rest had returned to their post. Five were wounded, though, and were in a stable condition and were evacuated to a hospital.
"I'm here to find out directly and accurately from our troops on the ground about the exact situation, so that we can evaluate our (rescue) mission for the pilot," Admiral Margono told a news conference.
The soldiers were part of a group searching for Phillip Mark Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot for the Indonesian aviation company Susi Air who was abducted by the rebels in February.
Admiral Margono said that soldiers who survived the shootout told him the rebels had used civilians, including women and children, as human shields during the assault, making the troops hesitant to return fire and resulting in them being cornered.
"I really regret that," Admiral Margono said. "They have used methods that should not be done in a war."
Mr Sambom said in an earlier statement that the rebels had carried out the attack in retaliation for Indonesia's "massive military operation" in Papua and the killing of two rebels in a shootout with security forces last month.
Admiral Margono rejected the rebel claims as "fake news" and said the military operations in Papua were launched with a view to keep casualties at a minimum.
However, he said, authorities would increase pressure on the rebels around several separatist strongholds.
Unrest in Papua a decades-long challenge for Jakarta
The military activities in Papua have raised concern among rights groups, who say the security approach that had been implemented by Jakarta for decades has proven unable to resolve violence in the region.
Amnesty International Indonesia has called for prioritising dialogue with the separatists to prevent potential human rights violations and a larger humanitarian crisis.
"This will not only increase the risk to the safety of civilians there, but also the New Zealand's pilot who is still being held hostage," executive director of the group, Usman Hamid, said.
In February, the rebels stormed a single-engine plane shortly after it landed on a small runway in Paro and abducted its pilot.
The plane initially was scheduled to pick up 15 construction workers who had been building a health centre after the rebels threatened to kill them.
Authorities will continue to prioritise a peaceful approach for the release of Mr Mehrtens, Admiral Margono said.
The fighting is the latest in a series of violent incidents in recent years in Papua, a former Dutch colony in the western part of New Guinea that is ethnically and culturally distinct from much of Indonesia.
Conflicts between Indigenous Papuans and Indonesian security forces are common.
Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, after a UN-sponsored ballot that was widely seen as a sham.
Since then, a low-level insurgency has simmered in the region, which has been divided into five provinces since last year to boost development in Indonesia's poorest region.
Rebel attacks have spiked in recent years, with dozens of rebels, security forces and civilians killed.
Data collected by Amnesty International Indonesia showed at least 179 civilians, 35 Indonesian troops and 9 police, as well as 23 independence fighters, were killed in clashes between rebels and security forces between 2018 and 2022.
AP
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4) Indonesia upgrades operation in West Papua
4:45 pm today
The Indonesian Military (TNI) has officially escalated its operational status in West Papua to "ground combat ready" following a clash with the West Papuan Liberation Army over the weekend with multiple casualties reported on both sides.
TNI commander Yudo Margono made the announcement in Jakarta on Tuesday upon returning from West Papua.
Margono said the decision was reached after a "very thorough evaluation" of the joint police and military operation to rescue New Zealander Phillip Mehrtens who was taken hostage by the West Papua separatists in February.
He said it was also in light of the high number of casualties being reported from the clash with the Papuan rebels , who claimed to have killed and captured over a dozen Indonesian soldiers.
According to The Jakarta Post, TNI claims it used a "a peaceful approach to the rescue operation...to keep the local population safe."
However, the fatal clashes "altered the outlook" of its operation.
"To deal with such attacks, we will raise the troops' status to combat ready," Yudo told the news outlet.
Meanwhile, the West Papua Liberation Army is calling on the New Zealand government to intercede and de-escalate the tensions in Ndugama in Highland Papua.
RNZ Pacific has also received reports of Indonesian airstrikes on the separatists' positions which rebel leaders say further endanger the life of Mehrtens.
They are calling for a ceasefire and urging Jakarta and Wellington to stop ignoring their requests for peaceful negotiations.
RNZ Pacific has reached out to the New Zealand and Indonesian foreign affairs ministries for an update on the situation.
An MFAT spokesperson said: "We are aware of the reports but will not be making any comment."
"The welfare of Mehrtens is our top priority. We're doing everything we can to secure a peaceful resolution and Mehrtens' safe release, including working closely with the Indonesian authorities and deploying New Zealand consular staff."
"We are also supporting Mehrtens' family, both here in Aotearoa New Zealand and in Indonesia. They have asked for privacy at this incredibly challenging time," the MFAT spokesperson added.
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