Friday, July 7, 2023

1) Indonesia's Presidents visits PNG amid growing concerns over West Papua


2) Jokowi: Susi Air Pilot's Release Negotiations Ongoing  
3) Jokowi ensures government's unwavering efforts to free Susi Air pilot 
4) Interim Nduga regent to negotiate with Papuan rebels for release of NZ pilot
5) President monitors prices, distributes aid at Papua's Pharaa Market 
6) President Jokowi edifies Papua students about capital relocation  
7) Jayapura High Court finds Viktor Yeimo guilty of treason   
8) Jokowi’s Papua approach must do more than scratch an ‘itch’
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1) Indonesia's Presidents visits PNG amid growing concerns over West Papua
From Pacific Waves, 6:01 am today  
Indonesia's President Jokowi Widodo visited Port Moresby on Thursday for a one day state visit where he met with his Papua New Guinean counterpart James Marape.
Relations between the two neigbours have largely been cordial with both seeing strong economic growth over the last two decades. 
But the relationship isn't smooth sailing, with the issue of West Papua weighing heavily among many Papuan New Guineans. 
Finau Fonua reports


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2) Jokowi: Susi Air Pilot's Release Negotiations Ongoing  
Translator Najla Nur Fauziyah 
Editor Mahinda Arkyasa
 8 July 2023 00:19 WIB

TEMPO.COJakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that various efforts are still being carried out by the government to release Susi Air's Pilot Captain Phillip Max Mehrtens, wo are being held hostage by the Free Papua Movement (OPM). A meeting has been conducted last night to discuss the strategy to release the pilot.

However, the President stopped short of disclosing to the public the exact agenda and plan. "We are not being silent. We have carried out various efforts, but unable to disclose them to the public," said Jokowi in Papua on Friday, July 7, 2023.

Captain Phillip Max Mehrtens has been held hostage by the OPM since February 7, 2023. The plane he commandeered, Susi Air's Pilatus Porter with flight number SI 9368 suddenly lost contact after landing on Paro Airport, Nduga Regency, Highland Papua Province. It is revealed recently that the plane was attacked and burned by OPM leader Egianus Kogoya.

The Head of the Indonesia National Armed Forces Information Center, Rear Admiral Julius Widjojono said that the military is actively awaiting a mediator to negotiate with OPM regarding the release of Phillips Max Mehrtens.

For the time being, Julius said, the focus is on negotiation. They are trying to intensify the negotiation process. 

Meanwhile, the OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom said his side has not decided on a mediator and that the negotiation has not started. "If Jakarta has not agreed to the terms, we will wait," said Sambom to Tempo, on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

IMA DINI SHAFIRA

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3) Jokowi ensures government's unwavering efforts to free Susi Air pilot  
12 hours ago

Jayapura (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that the government will continue to make efforts to free Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens held hostage by an armed separatist group in Papua.

Jokowi told reporters here on Friday that efforts so far been made cannot be divulged to the public.

The president made the statement after opening the Papua Street Carnival event held at the yard of the Papua Governor’s Office.

"The government has worked hard to resolve the problem and is still in the process," he affirmed.

The president spoke of having held a meeting on Thursday (July 6) night regarding the problem, though the results cannot be disclosed.

Earlier, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri responded to the press' questions here on Tuesday (July 4) by stating that his side is still prioritizing negotiation to free the pilot held hostage by the Egianus Kogoya-led separatist group.

The negotiation, which is still ongoing, is conducted by involving the Kogoya family, community leaders, and religious leaders.

The New Zealander pilot was abducted by the armed separatist group on February 7, 2023, shortly after landing in Paro, Nduga District, Papua Pegunungan Province. The group also torched the Susi Air aircraft. 

Related news: Government urges caution in efforts to free hostage pilot in Papua
Related news: Negotiation main strategy for freeing abducted Susi Air pilot: TNI
Related news: No international involvement needed to free Susi Air pilot: Minister

Reporter: Evarukdijati, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala

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The STAR

4) Interim Nduga regent to negotiate with Papuan rebels for release of NZ pilot
Thursday, 06 Jul 2023  3:02 PM MYT

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): In an effort to release New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, taken hostage by Papuan separatists, the interim Nduga regent Edison Gwijangge will hold negotiations with the rebels, according to the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Adm Yudo Margono.

“We are entrusting the interim Nduga regent to conduct the negotiations,” Yudo said in a statement on Tuesday (July 4) after a meeting with Vice President Ma’ruf Amin to report on the latest situation regarding the pilot.

He went on to say that a plane was currently being prepared to reach the agreed negotiation venue between the government and the Papuan rebels, which has not been revealed.

“We are prioritising the safety of the [Susi Air] pilot and people living around that area. We will prevent any casualties, so we will conduct a peaceful negotiation,” Yudo said.


The statement came after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reiterated that the government would prefer a peaceful resolution to release the pilot taken hostage, while also acknowledging potential alternatives.

“We will keep trying to negotiate. Actually, there are a lot of [options] we can take, but I can't talk about it publicly,” Jokowi said just before setting off to Australia to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

President Jokowi has also arrived in Jayapura in Papua on Thursday to inspect infrastructure development, after finishing his overseas visit to Australia and Papua New Guinea. It has been five months since Mehrtens, who works for the frontier airliner Susi Air, was abducted by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB), an affiliate of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) following a flight to Nduga regency, Papuan Highlands province.


The Papuan rebels had used Mehrtens as a mouthpiece for their demands.

In May, in a video statement released by the rebel group, Mehrtens said the group wanted countries other than Indonesia to engage in dialogue on Papuan independence or they would shoot him.

However, on Tuesday OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom told Tempo that the groups “welcomed the wise gesture of Jokowi that shows willingness to engage in dialogue with us,” and that he had advised TPNPB leader Egianus Kogoya to not execute the hostage.




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5) President monitors prices, distributes aid at Papua's Pharaa Market 
 9 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) distributed assistance to local merchants and residents while monitoring the prices of basic necessities at Pharaa Market, Sentani Sub-district, Jayapura District, Papua Province, on Friday.

The President arrived around 2:45 p.m. local time and received an enthusiastic welcome from local merchants and residents, according to a statement released by the Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat.

At the market, he reviewed the prices of basic necessities and handed over assistance to merchants and residents, both in the form of direct cash assistance and basic necessities.

He also bought some oranges and soursops from a merchant and took pictures with local merchants and residents at the market.

The head of state was accompanied by three ministers—State Secretary Minister Pratikno, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, and Minister of Investment and Head of the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia.

Indonesian Military Commander Admiral Yudo Margono; National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo; Papua’s caretaker governor Muhammad Ridwan Rumasukun; and acting head of Jayapura District Triwarno Purnomo also joined them.

President Jokowi continued his working visit agenda in Papua by meeting with Papuan students on Friday morning.

He then proceeded to inaugurate the Papua Street Carnival held in the area of the Papua Governor's Office in Jayapura city before heading to Pharaa Market.

After visiting the market, the President was scheduled to conclude the agenda by inspecting Waibu Agro Ecotourism at Kwadeware Village, Jayapura District, before returning to Jakarta via Sentani International Airport onboard the Indonesia-1 Presidential Aircraft. 

Related news: Jakarta's Dharma Jaya selling chicken meat at affordable prices
Related news: Jokowi inspects prices of staple items at Menteng Pulo Market

Reporter: Indra Arief, Tegar Nurfitra

Editor: Rahmad Nasution


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6) President Jokowi edifies Papua students about capital relocation  
9 hours ago


Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), at an audience with Papua's students on Friday, spoke at length about the reasoning behind the decision to relocate the national capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.

The president's explanation, conveyed to the audience at a hotel in Jayapura City, Papua, aimed to respond to queries put forth by elementary school student Kesia Olivia Ergor regarding the reason behind the new capital not being in Papua instead.

According to the written statement received here, the president began his interaction with the audience by testing the students' numerical skills. Thereafter, he opened a question-and-answer session and invited students to pose queries to him.

"Why the national capital is not relocated to Papua?" Ergor, who hailed from Sorong City, asked the president.

"Indonesia is a vast country spanning from Papua to Aceh, from Sabang to Merauke. Yes, this country is vast," Jokowi stated.

Taking into account Indonesia's vast territory, the government decided to establish the new capital in Kalimantan Island, he remarked.

He explained that the new capital site in the central part of Indonesia allows it to be accessed conveniently from any part of the country.

"If the new capital is in Papua, it will be very far from Aceh, and they would need nine hours by air to come here. It will take weeks if they travel by sea," the president explained.

"Hence, we decided that the new capital site would be at the centre, and we are developing Nusantara City in Kalimantan. It is in the centre, close to Papua or from Aceh, as well as from the north or southern (part of Indonesia)," he remarked.

Jokowi then praised the elementary school students, saying that they were intelligent and courageous. He then encouraged the students to always be motivated to study.

"Students in Papua are intelligent and courageous. Hope you all will always be motivated to study, okay," the president stated.

He also expressed gratitude to the students, who participated in the audience, and wished them a safe trip while returning to their hometowns.

Related news: West Papua educates students on plastic waste handling
Related news: Unipa, USAID urge students to monitor Papua development program
Related news: Over 3,000 Papuan students get higher education scholarships

Reporter: Rangga Pandu AJ, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala


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7) Jayapura High Court finds Viktor Yeimo guilty of treason   
News Desk - Viktor Yeimo's Treason Trial 
7 July 2023

Jayapura, Jubi – The Jayapura High Court has found Viktor Yeimo guilty of treason, according to their recent appeal decision. Yeimo, the International Spokesperson of the West Papua National Committee, is sentenced to one year of imprisonment.

The verdict dated July 5, 2023 was delivered during a public session held by the Panel of Judges headed by Paluko Hutagalung, with Adrianus Agung Putrantono and Sigit Pangudianto serving as member judges.

The charges against Yeimo stem from his involvement in the Papuan anti-racism protest lambasting racial slurs targeting Papuan students at the Kamasan III Student Dormitory in Surabaya on August 16, 2019. Yeimo was accused of leading the demonstrations that occurred in Jayapura City on August 19 and 29, 2019.

The Jayapura High Court issued a higher criminal sentence compared to the previous verdict on May 5, 2023. In the previous ruling, the Jayapura District Court found Viktor Yeimo guilty of violating Article 155 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code, which pertains to the public display of writings or images containing expressions of hostility, hatred, or contempt towards the Indonesian Government. Yeimo was sentenced to 8 months’ imprisonment.

The verdict raised controversy because the charge of Article 155 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code was not initially brought against Viktor Yeimo. Moreover, the article used to sentence him had already been invalidated by the Constitutional Court.

On May 12, 2023, the public prosecutor and the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Human Rights for Papua, representing Yeimo as his legal counsel, both appealed the decision of the Jayapura District Court.

In the appeal decision, the Jayapura High Court overturned the previous decision, found Viktor Yeimo guilty of treason, and upheld the initial one-year prison sentence requested by the public prosecutor.

The Panel of Judges at the Jayapura High Court stated that the time Yeimo had already spent in arrest and detention would be fully deducted from the imposed sentence and ordered him to remain in detention. (*)

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8) Jokowi’s Papua approach must do more than scratch an ‘itch’

Yvette Tanamal (The Jakarta Post) 
PREMIUM Jakarta   ●   
Fri, July 7 2023 
Versi Bahasa Indonesia 

Arriving in Papua on Wednesday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo quickly centered his attention on economic and infrastructure development as part of his long-standing approach to the country’s easternmost region, which is beset by various political and security challenges. “De-isolating” Papua from the rest of the world and increasing its economic mobility appeared to be among Jokowi’s priorities for his latest trip, as his itinerary suggests, a strategy generally hailed by observers as a step toward bridging the regional divide between Papua and the country’s more developed western provinces. But the economic approach, if not paired with concrete efforts to address decades-old political conflict, is unlikely to soothe a restless Papua, experts have argued…

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