2) Partnership in critical minerals
3) Interim Nduga regent entrusted as negotiator to release pilot taken hostage
4) Government "not sitting idly by": Jokowi on Papua hostage crisis
5) Jokowi Inaugurates Papua Street Carnival Today
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1) Release the pilot
Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta ● Wed, July 5, 2023
The July 1 deadline set up by the Papuan rebels who hold Susi Air pilot Philip Mehrtens has passed and the military operation deployed by the Indonesian Military (TNI) has thus far not born fruit.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo himself has pledged that the government would continue to seek the release of the Kiwi pilot through peaceful means, although we are not too sure if the government's approach has been effective so far.
Now, after five months and with no prospect of Mehrtens being released soon, we call on the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) to immediately free the hostage for humanitarian reasons. The kidnapping of Mehrtens has not only brought grief to his family but has inflicted suffering on the Papuan people because the crisis has resulted in the disruption of flight services in the region, which serve as a lifeline for Papuans, especially those living in remote areas in the Papua highlands.
We also support the government's determination to use peaceful approaches, including through negotiations with the assistance of religious and community leaders, in ending the hostage crisis. But at the end of the day, the government's ultimate approach should not just be buying time, it should set a deadline for resolution of the crisis with minimal casualties. In the grand scheme of things, the government should also make more concerted efforts to address the roots of grievances and frustration in Papua.
We are aware of the complex mix of the economic and political interests of the local elites in Papua and the unscrupulous motives from elites and politicians at the central government level. The grievances have deep roots and we can see that clearly from the family background of those involved in the current hostage-taking plot. Egianus Kogoya, the dreadlocked rebel behind the kidnapping of Mehrtens is the son of tribal leader Silas Kogoya of Nduga regency, Papua Highlands. I
n 1996, the elder Kogoya led a plot to abduct foreign and domestic researchers who conducted research in Mapenduma. These hostages were only released following a security operation led by then-commander of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) Brig. Gen. Prabowo Subianto. And now, with President Jokowi's trip to Papua New Guinea, we can also express our hope that he is looking to find an amicable solution to the hostage crisis in the highlands of Papua.
It is also reassuring to know that the TNI has also pledged that it would resort to peaceful means to solve the crisis. TNI chief Adm. Yudo Margono said the military would prioritize negotiations with the rebels by involving religious and local leaders. Considering the demands from the TPNPB and how these rebels launched their operation, we should applaud the government's pledge for peace.
The TPNPB, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), kidnapped the pilot when his small plane, with seven passengers on board, landed in Nduga, Papua Highlands, on Feb. 7. These rebels burned down the aircraft soon after it landed. Initially, the rebels demanded Indonesia recognize the independence of the whole Papua territory and the immediate withdrawal of all TNI troops in the region.
For Jakarta, the demands made no sense at all. It is impossible to start negotiations to grant independence to Papua, which is internationally recognized as the sovereign territory of Indonesia. With no response given by Jakarta, the rebels reduced their demand by calling for the government to start negotiations on the process to grant independence to the resource-rich territory. As expected, Jakarta did not respond to the fresh demand as it was convinced that it would not be the last pressure from the hostage takers.
The central government has a history of underestimating these armed rebels and at times the cost of such an approach is high. In November 2018, rebels killed 16 construction workers in Nduga's Mbua district and in March 2021 they kidnapped another pilot of Susi Air in Puncak regency. The pilot was later released.
We believe unless the central government address the root causes of problems in Papua, murders and kidnapping will continue to be a fact of life, and while we call for the release of Mehrtens, we also called on Jakarta to listen more to the Papuan people's aspiration.
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2) Partnership in critical minerals
Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post)
Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta ● Thu, July 6, 2023
Versi Bahasa Indonesia
The agreement on the 2023-2025 Action Plan between the State Government of Western Australia and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) on the development and processing of critical minerals, notably nickel and lithium, is quite strategic.
The agreement will trigger the acceleration of economic and trade relationships between the two countries which have so far been much narrower than their real potential. The cooperation also will strengthen the two countries’ commitment to speed up their transitions to renewable energy.
As the signing of the Action Plan was made on Tuesday in Sydney on the sidelines of the summit meeting between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese we are confident that the strong political support will speed up the realization of the cooperation agreement.
The participation of business leaders from both countries in the deal right from the outset will also ensure that Indonesian and Australian investors will buy into the integrated development of the critical minerals. The completion of the Action Plan, which contains so many technical details, was remarkably fast given that the agreement was based on the memorandum of understanding between the Western Australia government and Kadin signed in Perth early this year during the visit by Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan. Luhut also met with the management of Australian lithium miners such as Tianqi Lithium, BHP and Pilbara Minerals.
The partnership will open up opportunities in the critical minerals sector. Indonesia’s huge nickel resources and Australia’s lithium resources should become the bridge for a commercially viable and symbiotic partnership for the two neighboring countries to develop battery and electric vehicle (EV) industries. Indonesia is well-endowed with nickel, accounting for 37 percent of global nickel production and 22 percent of international reserves, but lacks lithium.
The partnership will open up opportunities in the critical minerals sector. Indonesia’s huge nickel resources and Australia’s lithium resources should become the bridge for a commercially viable and symbiotic partnership for the two neighboring countries to develop battery and electric vehicle (EV) industries. Indonesia is well-endowed with nickel, accounting for 37 percent of global nickel production and 22 percent of international reserves, but lacks lithium.
Furthermore, Indonesia has a large low-cost labor force to man the industry. The country is naturally very ambitious to become a regional battery production hub and eventually a center for the EV industry but it needs lithium, a critical component for the car battery industry, from Western Australia, which holds the second-largest lithium reserves in the world and is the largest producer globally.
Companies from South Korea, China and Japan have begun investing in the nickel, car battery and EV industries in Indonesia but these investors need to ensure a consistent and secure lithium supply. Analysts say an average EV battery requires around 8 kilograms of lithium.
This should be a strong driver for joint ventures between Australian and Indonesian businesses. We know there are many big Indonesian business groups already operating through their subsidiaries in the Australian natural resource sector, mainly in metallurgical and thermal coal mining. Since coal use is now being gradually phased out in the transition to renewable energy, these companies should be aggressive in investing in Australia’s lithium industry.
Companies operating in the manufacture of car batteries and EVs in Indonesia will be the major users of Australian lithium. They should therefore enter the supply chain at the mine level in Australia to secure supply. Australia is globally known as a major source of energy and minerals. Indonesian firms can play a crucial role in accelerating supply by providing financing for mining and processing before manufacturing at home.
So strategic is the role of the linkage of the nickel and lithium industries both in terms of economic benefits and contribution to mitigating climate change that both governments also should provide incentives for cooperation in the lithium value chain.
Joint ventures in the lithium industry would broaden and intensify business relationships as companies of both countries will increasingly be engaged and get more exposed to the prospects of investments in other business areas. Put it briefly, the partnership in the critical minerals will trigger a faster expansion of their economic ties, which have so far been growing much slower than their potential even after the implementation of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) in 2020.
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Ran out of my free articles for the month on the two articles below
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3) Interim Nduga regent entrusted as negotiator to release pilot taken hostage
A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Jakarta ● Thu, July 6, 2023 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 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.
https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2023/07/05/release-the-pilot.html…
https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2023/07/05/release-the-pilot.html…
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4) Government "not sitting idly by": Jokowi on Papua hostage crisis
News Desk (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Jakarta ● Fri, July 7, 2023 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the government has been working very hard to secure the release of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens who is still being held hostage by the Papuan rebels. Speaking during a press conference in Jayapura, Papua, President Jokowi, who is on a tour of the province following his sojourn to neighboring Papua New Guinea, said he could not openly talk about what measures were being taken to deal with the hostage crisis. He also said there had been successive meetings to discuss ways to seek the release of Mehrtens, the Susi Air pilot, who was kidnapped by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM)…….
https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2023/07/07/government-not-sitting-idly-by-jokowi-on-papua-hostage-crisis.html
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News Desk (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Jakarta ● Fri, July 7, 2023 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the government has been working very hard to secure the release of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens who is still being held hostage by the Papuan rebels. Speaking during a press conference in Jayapura, Papua, President Jokowi, who is on a tour of the province following his sojourn to neighboring Papua New Guinea, said he could not openly talk about what measures were being taken to deal with the hostage crisis. He also said there had been successive meetings to discuss ways to seek the release of Mehrtens, the Susi Air pilot, who was kidnapped by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM)…….
https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2023/07/07/government-not-sitting-idly-by-jokowi-on-papua-hostage-crisis.html
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5) Jokowi Inaugurates Papua Street Carnival Today
Translator Dewi Elvia Muthiariny
Editor Laila Afifa
7 July 2023 10:51 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo officially opened Papua Street Carnival in Jayapura today, July 7, 2023. The event is orchestrated by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry in tandem with the Papua Youth Creative Hub (PYCH).
“I was there when PYCH was inaugurated, then I see its progress shown to me earlier. I believe young Papuans will make a big leap,” the President said in his speech in Jayapura, Papua, Friday.
He said the leap is already visible when he sees the carnival exhibiting Papuan products, from coffee to smoked fish, packaged in an attractive design. Other than food products, he said electronic goods, such as cell phones and laptops, have also been assembled in eastern Indonesia.
“That’s a leap. We will see what the creative industry in Papua is like. We will see it this morning,” Jokowi remarked.
A number of state figures were also present at the carnival opening ceremony, including Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit, and Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Admiral Yudo Margono.
Sandiaga Uno said the carnival features dozens of PYCH youth costumes that will be exhibited in a parade with the longest runway in eastern Indonesia. Attractions of 100 decorative boats will also be displayed in this event.
“Themed Papua Extravaganza: the East Great Spirit, the Papua Street Carnival is a forum for creative economic actors, a reflection of the enthusiasm of young people to advance Papua and their extraordinary creations,” Sandiaga Uno said.
IMA DINI SHAFIRA
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