Friday, May 5, 2023

1) Viktor Yeimo sentenced to eight months in prison



2) Cartenz task force pursuing 6 separatists linked to Dekai murders 
3) West Papua sees 3.13% economic growth in Q1: BPS  
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1) Viktor Yeimo  sentenced to eight months in prison

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Amnesty International Indonesia May 5, 2023
A google translate.
Original Bahasa link




Unconditional Release of Viktor Yeimo and Political Activists in Papua
Responding to the guilty verdict of the Jayapura District Court Panel of Judges regarding the anti-racism protests in 2019 against West Papua National Committee (KNPB) activists, Viktor Yeimo, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid said:
“Although we respect that the Jayapura District Court panel of judges handed down a lighter sentence than the demands of the public prosecutor, we consider that the guilty verdict shows the state's neglect of respecting human rights. We need to abandon the use of treason and insult articles in the Criminal Code to punish peaceful activists and protesters in Papua, Maluku and elsewhere.”
“In Papua, the pattern of violence has been going on for a long time against those who advocate and even just practice freedom of expression and fulfillment of other human rights. Today's conviction of Viktor Yeimo is just one example of the lack of human rights guarantees.”

“This will send a message to other activists and protesters that dissent and the peaceful expression of their views is not tolerated by the state. Even though the state has committed to respect it.
“We urge the state to release Viktor Yeimo and other activists who are imprisoned just for expressing their expressions peacefully in Papua. Because it is all guaranteed by the constitution.”


Background
Viktor Yeimo, activist and spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), at a trial at the Jayapura District Court Friday, May 5, was sentenced to eight months in prison in connection with his involvement in anti-racism demonstrations in Papua which led to riots in August 2019. Sentence from the Panel of Judges lighter than what the public prosecutor demanded, namely three years in prison.
In addition, in sentencing the defendant, the Panel of Judges used Article 155 of the Criminal Code (KUHP), which contains broadcasting or showing letters or pictures that contain statements of feelings of hostility, hatred, insult or humiliation to the Indonesian Government.

The article used by the Panel of Judges is different from the four articles used by the Public Prosecutor. On 21 February 2022, the public prosecutor charged Viktor Yeimo with four articles in the Criminal Code, namely Article 106 on treason, Article 110 Paragraph 1 on conspiracy to treason, Article 110 Paragraph 2 on preparing for treason, and Article 160 on incitement.

One of Viktor Yeimo's lawyers, as reported by the media, stated that the judge's decision is known as ultra petita, namely a decision that goes beyond the charges and demands of the public prosecutor.
Viktor Yeimo denied all these accusations by saying he was not involved in planning the 2019 anti-racism demonstration and only took part in the action because he felt devastated by the racist treatment of Papuans.
Authorities in Indonesia have used the penal code, particularly the treason clause, to prosecute dozens of peaceful pro-independence political activists in Papua who legally exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

According to Amnesty International's monitoring data from 2019 to 2022, at least 78 people in Papua have been arrested on charges of violating treason articles under Articles 106 and 110 of the old Criminal Code.
Under national law, the rights to freedom of opinion, assembly and association are also guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution, specifically Article 28E paragraph (3), Article 23 paragraph (2) and Article 24 paragraph (1) of Law no. 39 of 1999. It should be remembered that Article 23 of Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights also guarantees that everyone is free to have their own political beliefs and to express opinions according to their conscience.

The right to freedom of expression, including political expression, is also guaranteed in Article 19 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which is further explained in General Comment No. 34 regarding Article 19 of the ICCPR. It should be underlined that Indonesia has ratified the ICCPR through Law no. 12 of 2005, which also means that Indonesia has a binding obligation to respect, protect and fulfill these rights.
Amnesty International does not take any position on the political status of any provinces in Indonesia, including their calls for independence. However, in our opinion, freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully express one's views or political solutions.





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2) Cartenz task force pursuing 6 separatists linked to Dekai murders 
 6 hours ago


Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force has launched a hunt for six of the nine armed separatists who allegedly murdered two residents of Statistik Dekai Street in Yahukimo District, Papua Pegunungan Province.

In a press statement received in Jakarta on Friday, Head of the Cartenz Peace Operation Senior Commissioner Faizal Ramadhanisaid that the police have the identities of the six separatists, while three others were arrested on Thursday (May 4, 2023).

"The nine perpetrators are members of the Yahukimo Armed Criminal Group (KKB). The six people we pursue have been identified by their initials as EP, AS, YS, YH, and YY. Meanwhile, the three perpetrators who have been arrested are YS alias JS, ES, and NM," he informed.

The three have been named as suspects in the April 30 murder of Yonatan Arruan and Asri Obet from Toraja, South Sulawesi.

Describing the alleged role played by the suspects in the murders, Ramadhani said that NM stabbed Obet using a knife, while YS alias JS and ES attacked Arruan using a machete.

"The other five suspects, namely YH, YY, YS, AS, and EP did not participate in the murder. However, they took part in the video statement that they had taken action, which was uploaded on social media," he added.

Ramadhani, who is also director of the General Criminal Investigation Unit (Direskrimum) at the Papua Regional Police, said that his party is pursuing the six members of the Yahukimo KKB.

A strict legal process will be followed for the three suspects who have been arrested, he said. Police will conduct an in-depth examination in the case.

"We will carry out a reconstruction (of the incident) to provide an overview of the occurrence of the case," he informed.

In addition, a joint team from Yahukimo Police and the Cartenz Peace Task Force on May 4 conducted a raid at one of the houses where members of the armed separatist group were suspected to be hiding.

The raid took place on Paradiso Street behind Anggruk complex, Dekai sub-district, Yahukimo District.

Head of public relations of the Papuan Police, Senior Commissioner Ignatius Benny Prabowo, said that during the raid, nine people were arrested and evidence was secured in the form of a number of personal documents, electronic devices, sharp weapons such as arrows, axes, machetes, knives, scissors, air rifles, as well as one homemade weapon.

On April 30, armed separatists reportedly raided the home of Obet and Arruan on Statistik Dekai Street, Yahukimo. Police officers found Arruan, a private worker, dead behind the house. Meanwhile, Obet, a farmer, was found dead in a field behind the house.

Related news: Papua Police confirms wanted separatist killed by rival
Related news: Operation Peace Cartenz has sent team of medical personnel to Kiwirok
Related news: Govt must not remain silent against rebels in Papua: minister


Reporter: Laily Rahmawaty, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati


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3) West Papua sees 3.13% economic growth in Q1: BPS  
9 hours ago

Manokwari, West Papua (ANTARA) - West Papua's economy recorded a growth of 3.13 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2023, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) reported.

The rate reflects an improvement compared to the first quarter of 2022, when the province’s economy contracted 1.01 percent yoy, acting head of West Papua BPS, Johannis Lekatompessy, said in Manokwari, West Papua, on Friday.

The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) on current prices was recorded at Rp23.92 trillion (US$1.6 billion) and on constant price at Rp16.028 trillion (US$1.1 billion), he informed.

“On a quarterly basis, West Papua’s economy grew 1.48 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, when (quarter-on-quarter growth) was (recorded at) 1.04 percent," Lekatompessy added.

He said that the GRDP was supported by the growth of several industries, including process manufacturing (8.90 percent yoy); food, drinks, and accommodation (8.89 percent yoy); other services (8.62 percent yoy); mining (6.73 percent yoy); and trade (6.01 percent).

The industries further comprised water supply (5.68 percent yoy), information and communication (5.41 percent yoy), electricity and gas (5.16 percent yoy), company services (5.15 percent yoy); government administration (4.54 percent yoy), and others, he added.

"There were two types of businesses which experienced a contraction, those being construction with 11.43 percent (yoy) and agriculture with 7.34 percent," he informed.

There were three industries that contributed significantly to the region's GRDP: manufacturing industry (29.56 percent), mining (18.98 percent), and construction (11.71 percent), he elaborated.

However, the conclusion of the LNG Tangguh Train 3 project in Teluk Bintuni district led to a contraction in the performance of the construction business during the first quarter of 2023, he said.

Meanwhile, the processing manufacturing industry saw some positive growth owing to an increase in Tangguh LNG production, which, in turn, also promoted better work performance in the mining industry, he added.

"Throughout the first quarter of 2023, the processing industry became the source of highest growth, as much as 2.79 percent (yoy)," he informed.

In terms of output, the GRDP was supported by the development of goods and services exports, which were recorded at 90.65 percent owing to huge international demand for oil and gas products, he said.

Exports of goods and services became the source of the highest growth in terms of output, which contributed to the total exports of West Papua in the first quarter, Lekatompessy highlighted.

Government consumption—using both the state and the regional budget—also increased to 3.67 percent yoy, becoming one of the drivers that improved the economy after the pandemic, he informed.

"So was household consumption, which grew 2.69 percent yoy," he further added.

Papua province dominated the share of GRDP in Maluku and Papua areas, with contribution capped at 53.17 percent, followed by West Papua with 19.48 percent, North Maluku with 16.20 percent, and Maluku with 11.15 percent, he said.

However, the highest economic growth was recorded in North Maluku at 16.50 percent, followed by Maluku at 5.12 percent yoy, West Papua at 3.13 percent yoy, and Papua at -2.39 percent yoy, he added.

Related news: Unemployment rate declined by 0.38 percent in February 2023: BPS
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Related news: Govt's anticipatory measures help drop Eid al-Fitr inflation: BPS


Reporter: Fransiskus Salu W, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati


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