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https://en.jubi.id/12-regions-in-papua-identified-as-prone-to-be-election-conflict-hotspots/
1) 12 regions in Papua identified as prone to be election conflict hotspots
News Desk - 2024 Elections
14 July 2023
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Police has published a vulnerability index for the General Election, indicating that 12 out of 29 regencies and cities in Papua are at risk of conflict during the upcoming elections on February 14, 2024.
The 12 regions identified in the index are Intan Jaya Regency, Dogiyai Regency, Deiyai Regency, Puncak Regency, Nduga Regency, Lanny Jaya Regency, Puncak Jaya Regency, Yahukimo Regency, Bintang Mountains Regency, Jayawijaya Regency, Tolikara Regency, and Yalimo Regency.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Fakhiri expressed concerns about the noken system, also known as the tie system, which is commonly used in certain areas of Central Papua and Mountainous Papua Provinces.
“This system often leads to conflicts and potential casualties because political actors can manipulate the remaining votes,” he said on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
To ensure the safe and smooth conduct of the elections, Fakhiri emphasized the need to address this issue and proposed reducing the use of the noken system in the 2024 elections.
He also called for the local governments, General Election Commission, and Election Supervisory Board to have better control over the Permanent Voters List, as it frequently causes problems.
Finally, Fakhiri highlighted the importance of strict control over the Permanent Voters List because any changes to it could disrupt security. Ideally, he suggested implementing the One Man One Vote principle for the election. (*)
Jayapura, Jubi – Press organizations in Papua, including the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) of Jayapura City, the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) of Papua, and the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI) of Papua, lambasted what was reported to be intimidation against Abdel Gamel Naser, a journalist from Cenderawasih Pos. The incident occurred while he was covering the case of mangrove forest destruction in the Youtefa Bay Nature Park conservation area in Jayapura City on Tuesday (11/7/2023).
Gamel, as he is commonly known, allegedly faced intimidation from two police officers who were present near the location. The officers approached Gamel and questioned his reasons for photographing the area. Despite explaining that he was a journalist, the officers insisted on deleting the photos, resulting in Gamel deleting three images from his reporting.
“To avoid further conflict so I can continue my reporting elsewhere, I deleted the photos. As I was leaving the location, they issued further threats,” Gamel stated in a press release issued by the press organizations on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Gamel was among a group of approximately a dozen journalists who were covering the halt of logging and material stockpiling in the mangrove forest area of Youtefa Bay Nature Tourism Park. The halt was carried out by the Papua Forestry and Environment Service, the Papua Natural Resources Conservation Center, and the Papua Police Special Crimes Unit.
According to Gamel, the intimidation occurred while he was capturing images near a location where police lines had been established, and several police personnel happened to be present nearby.
Lucky Ireeuw, chairman of the AJI Jayapura, strongly condemned the alleged intimidation faced by Gamel during his work. Such repressive actions hinder the exercise of press freedom in Papua.
“The intimidation suffered by Gamel obstructs press freedom and violates Law No. 40/1999 on Press,” Ireeuw asserted.
He further called on the Papua Police to take decisive action against the officers implicated in the alleged intimidation.
“We urge the police to ensure press freedom in Papua,” Ireeuw added.
Meanwhile, PWI Papua deputy, Ridwan Madubun strongly condemned the display of arrogance that resulted in the alleged intimidation of his fellow journalist Gamel. Madubun believes such actions are unjustifiable, especially when they occur while journalists are carrying out their responsibilities in the public domain.
He also expressed dismay at the ongoing repressive acts against journalists in Papua. It is important to note that journalists are safeguarded by the law in carrying out their coverage duties to inform the public.
Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ignatius Beny Ady Prabowo mentioned that efforts have been made within the police institution to educate police personnel about press freedom since their training at the National Police School.
“I have just been made aware of the alleged intimidation against Gamel. Journalists who encounter such incidents can report them to our Internal Division,” Prabowo added. (*)
Dian Erika Nugraheny, Bandung – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo says that there are underground and above ground efforts to free Susi Air pilot Mark Mehrtens who is being held hostage by a Papuan armed criminal group (KKB) – the government’s term for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).
The president however was reluctant to reveal any details about the efforts being pursued by the government.
"We really don't want to say much because we can't reveal our efforts to the public. Every angle [is being pursued], we're using all channels", Widodo said when giving an explanation to the press at the Nuarta Nyoman Gallery in West Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday July 12.
"So the efforts we're pursuing are really the end point in producing something. But I cannot reveal these efforts, there are underground efforts, there are above ground efforts", he said.
When asked further about developments in the release of Mehrtens, the president again said that the government cannot explain any further. "I can't reveal that", said Widodo.
New Zealand pilot Mehrtens has been held hostage by a KKB group led by Egianus Kogoyasince February 7. Recently, it was reported that the KKB had asked for a 5 billion rupiah ransom in exchange for the release of Mehrtens.
Papua Regional Police Public Relations Division Head Senior Commissioner Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo said that the ransom money would be agreed to through the negotiation process.
He said that the regional government (Pemda) is in the process of preparing the money requested by Kogoya.
"Actually, related to this, Pemda officials have been preparing the payment of the money from the start when there were demands by the Egianus Kogoya group. Not long after the hostage taking, in the first video that appeared, there was a demand on the Indonesian government for an amount of money, weapons, even food and medical supplies", said Prabowo as quoted by Kompas TV on Sunday July 2.
"At that time (the request) was for 5 billion rupiah, the amount can be agreed to later in the negotiation process. But since we tried to open communication and up until now the Egianus groups has never been open to negotiations with us", he said.
However there was no explanation with regard to which regional government he was referring to.
TNI (Indonesian military) commander Marshal Yudo Margono meanwhile said that he believes that there is nothing wrong with the government agreeing to a 5 billion rupiah ransom for Mehrtens' release.
Margono is of the view that meeting the ransom demand is a humanitarian endeavor for the sake of saving the life of the New Zealand pilot and people in the area where Mehrtens is being held.
"What's clear is that it's for peace and humanity, moreover it relates to human life, both the pilot's as well as local people, meaning it doesn't matter what the price is", said Margono at the Vice-Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday July 4.
Papua Regional Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri however said that the KKB group led by Kogoya has never asked for a ransom. "As I have already conveyed, Egianus and his group have never asked for money", said Fakhiri in Jayapura on Monday July 10.
According to Fakhiri, they once directed the acting regent of Nduga to prepare an amount of money in the event that the negotiation process bore fruit.
And most recently, Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has also spoken out about the 5 billion rupiah to release Mehrtens. Mahfud said he does not know anything about a ransom.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Soal Pembebasan Pilot Susi Air, Jokowi: Ada Upaya Bawah Tanah, Atas Tanah".]
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