Friday, August 11, 2023

1) Indonesian media favours govt voice on West Papua, new research finds


2) Indonesia to Develop Food Storage in Papua to Anticipate Drought
3) Indigenous Papuan youth lead celebrations and advocacy on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples




1) Indonesian media favours govt voice on West Papua, new research finds

4:09 pm today  
Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific Lead Digital and Social Media Journalist 
News media in Indonesia act as "government loudspeakers" by advancing a one-sided narrative regarding the conflict in West Papua, a new study reveals.
The human rights abuses against indigenous Papuans, who have been under military occupation of the Indonesian armed forces since 1962-63 and their fight for independence from Jakarta, remains a sticking point for the Indonesian government in the region.
However, the Indonesian national media provides an unfair coverage on the plight of the West Papuan's by only amplifying the state's narrative, according to research published in the Pacific Journalism Review.
The paper, which looks at how six dominant media organisations in Indonesia report on the Free West Papua Movement, found that they "tend to be only a 'loudspeaker' for the government" by using mainly statements issued by state officials when reporting about West Papua.
The findings come from in-depth interviews that were conducted between 2021 and 2022 with six informants and journalists who have a history of writing on West Papua in the last five years.
Additionally, the research analysed over 270 news items relating to West Papua issues that appeared in the six Indonesian online media - Okezone, Detik, Kompas.com, Tribunnews, CNN Indonesia and Tirto - in the week after the Indonesian government formally labelled the armed wing of the Free West Papua Movement as a terrorist group in April 2021.
"The Indonesian media does not use a balanced frame, for example, in terms of explaining why and how acts of violence are chosen on the path to fight for West Papuan independence," the author of the research from Universitas Padjadjaran, Justito Adipresto, writes.
Non-state actors have acknowledged that "labelling West Papuan separatist groups as terrorist will not only not solve the problem, but that it also has the potential to prolong the human rights violations that have been taking place in West Papua," Adipresto says.
While some point to the economic disparities to as a starting point to the West Papua conflict, the research shows that the media fall significantly short of providing a nuanced coverage by ignoring the "haunting track record of violence and militarism, ethnicity and racism" in their reports.
"The imbalance of representation that occurs in relation to reporting on West Papua cannot be separated from Indonesia's treatment of ethnic groups and the region of West Papua," Adipresto says.
He says government's labelling of Free West Papua Movement has "severe implications for the current and future situation and conflict in West Papua".
"Media in Indonesia is under the shadow of the state", he said adding that reporting on West Papua lacks "explanation and sufficient context".
He said Indonesian media were "very concerned about the readers clicks", and therefore on the quantity of reports rather than the quality.
"The concentration of reporters in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, also leads to reporting from reporters not located in or never having visited West Papua, potentially reducing empathy and understanding of human rights or economic aspects in their reporting.
"The quality and ethics of journalists are an issue in reporting on West Papua, considering that journalists do not tend to cover the issue of labelling a 'terrorist' comprehensively."
The research shows Indonesian media place greater importance on comments from government officials, often ignoring or not providing space for other voices, in particular the West Papuan community.
"It is necessary to develop a more systematic and consolidated strategy for the national media to cover West Papua better," the author concludes.
The full paper, titled Government loudspeakers: How Indonesian media amplifies the state's narrative towards the Free West Papua movement, can be found here.

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2) Indonesia to Develop Food Storage in Papua to Anticipate Drought

Translator Najla Nur Fauziyah
 Editor Laila Afifa
 11 August 2023 13:26 WIB  

TEMPO.COJakarta - Indonesian government is preparing to develop food storage facilities to anticipate the effect of drought in Papua. The food storage will be located in Agandugume District and Sinak District.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy said that the construction will start next week. "Next week the storage development will start, and hopefully it will be finalized in less than a month," said Muhadjir in his statement on the official Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Friday, August 11, 2023.

Muhadjir said that the decision to establish food storage in the two districts was green-lighted during a cabinet meeting led by President Jokowi in Merdeka Palace on Thursday, August 10, 2023.


During the meeting, it was presented that there were three districts in Papua currently experiencing drought due to the effects of extreme weather. "The three districts are Agandugume District, Lambewi District, and Inori District, which are located in the same valley, which is Agandugume Valley. The districts are experiencing drought and famine which has taken 6 lives," said Muhadjir.

Therefore, food storage is intended to resolve the effects of the drought in Papua and to distribute food to remote districts. 

"Sinak is located in a strategic position as a connector to several other districts which are located in Lanny Jaya, Puncak Jaya, Puncak Regency, and Intan Jaya.

n addition to the food storage facility, the government also plans to extend the runway at Sinak Airport. The extension of the runway is intended to distribute the material for road development from Jayapura-Wamena to Sinak. 

ADE RIDWAN YANDWIPUTRA

Editor's Choice: Health Ministry Investigates 6 Deaths in Papua Allegedly of Starvation, Diarrhea


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3) Indigenous Papuan youth lead celebrations and advocacy on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

   News Desk - The International Day Of The World's Indigenous Peoples 
11 August 2023

Jayapura, Jubi – On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, students, youth, and local communities in Jayapura City joined to commemorate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The event included religious ceremonies, speeches, signing of declarations, discussions, and a luncheon.

The Papuan Youth and People’s Student Movement, known as GempaR Papua, celebrated the 2023 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples under the theme “Empowering Indigenous Youth as Catalysts for Self-Determination”. They organized a speech at Abepura Circle in Jayapura City.

Students and the people adorned themselves in the distinctive attire of their respective indigenous regions, proudly displaying Morning Star flag patterns on their clothing.

In succession, they delivered speeches asserting that the Land of Papua is not devoid of occupants. Banners and placards held aloft by the demonstrators bore slogans such as “Long Live Indigenous Peoples, Papua is a Land Inhabited. Our Homeland, Our Right. Eyes Shut, We Persist.”

The event concluded with the reading of a proclamation by GempaR Papua, titled “Papua’s Forests Are Not State-Owned Lands”.

Yokbet Felle, the coordinator of the event, read the statement on behalf of GempaR Papua, emphatically stating that the Land of Papua is not vacant. Felle underscored that slogans like “Papua is not vacant” and “Our Homeland Belongs to Us” are endeavors to raise awareness among young Papuans as the forthcoming custodians of the Land of Papua.

Furthermore, Felle highlighted that GempaR Papua stands in solidarity with indigenous communities in Papua, advocating against investments that encroach upon the ancestral rights of indigenous peoples. “We vehemently declare ‘Papua’s Forests Are Not State-Owned Lands!’ he said.


“This signifies our belief that any form of dispossession of the Indigenous Land of the Papuan People serves the economic and investment interests of the Indonesian government to repay the nation’s debts,” he added.

Caution from the Papua Customary Council

Thaha Alhamid, the founder of the Papuan Muslim Council, remarked that indigenous communities confront numerous challenges. However, Alhamid encouraged all stakeholders to share the belief that indigenous peoples globally, particularly in Papua, possess strength and prosperity.

Addressing a talk show on Wednesday evening, Alhamid advised young Papuans to absorb knowledge in order to contribute to their villages’ development.

“Your responsibility as young Papuans is to learn, so that you can return to your villages and contribute. It’s your duty to introduce innovation in Papua. Our older generation has already done that,” he said.

Alhamid emphasized that younger generations should glean wisdom from their predecessors, aiming to avoid repeating past mistakes. He proposed that continuous learning serves as preparation for community advancement.

Emanuel Gobay, the director of LBH Papua, emphasized that both international and national laws safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples. Gobay appealed to the Indonesian Government and the Papua Provincial Government to ensure the protection of indigenous communities.

“Indigenous communities are urging the government to safeguard and ensure the protection of Papua’s indigenous inhabitants. This underscores indigenous peoples’ awareness of their rights and the fundamental threats they face.” Gobay shared these sentiments with reporters in Jayapura City on Wednesday. (*)


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