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1) Church condemns attack on Kingmi Church Office, highlights ongoing conflict drivers
News Desk - The Papuan Council Of Churches
12 October 2023
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan Council of Churches has drawn attention to the recent attack on the Kingmi Church Office in Keneyam, Nduga Regency on September 16, 2023.
Benny Giay, the Council’s Moderator, conveyed his sentiments regarding the government’s labeling of the church as a supporter of The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). He expressed that the church has now become a target, and he fears that after the Kingmi Church, another church denomination in Papua may be next.
Giay explained that the motive behind this attack mirrors the recurring events in Papua, wherein there are underlying interests related to the region’s abundant natural resources. The church’s commitment to its service in the region continues to pose a challenge for those behind such attacks.
He cited previous incidents, including a photo from June 13, 2022, showing Indonesian Military (TNI) members pointing their weapons at the Kingmi Church signboard in Nduga. Back in March 2011, the Commander of XVII Cenderawasih Military Command issued a confidential document accusing the Kingmi synod of supporting the separatist movement.
Giay mentioned that derogatory language, such as “devil’s church,” is used in reference to the church, indicating its perceived hindrance to the ambitions of certain parties in the region.
Additionally, Giay cited the findings of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), which identified four root causes driving the ongoing Papuan conflict: racism; the failure in fulfilling the welfare of the Papuan people, including their education, healthcare, and economy; differences in historical perspectives regarding Papua’s integration into Indonesia; and the lack of accountability for those involved in human rights violations, including the sale of weapons and ammunition that has become increasingly prevalent over the past five years.
Anum Siregar, the Director of the Democracy Alliance for Papua, said that peace in the region cannot be achieved as long as these underlying conflict drivers persist. She further asserted that those trading in weapons and ammunition with TPNPB would continue to scapegoat innocent parties in the region, as demonstrated by the recent incident involving the Kingmi Church. (*)
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Jayapura, Jubi – Pendinus Wanimbo of the West Baliem Office of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) stated that the suspect in Michele Kurisi’s murder was either a KNPB supporter or regular member who operated independently outside of the organization’s framework.
He emphasized that the KNPB has never encouraged or instructed its members to commit crimes against anyone.
Michele Kurisi was murdered on August 28, 2023, in Kolawa District, Lanny Jaya Regency, Mountainous Papua Province. From October 5 to 8, 2023, Operation Peace Cartenz 2023 arrested three suspects of the murder, with AW being identified by the police as a member of the West Baliem KNPB.
Wanimbo expressed his belief that it was inappropriate of the police to link Michele Kurisi’s murder with the KNPB. He also raised concerns about media coverage that had wrongly accused the KNPB or implied the presence of KNPB members in the murder.
KNPB spokesperson Demin Tabuni also contradicted the Papua Police’s statement that the suspect in Michele Kurisi’s murder was an active member of the KNPB Militant. Tabuni clarified that the names of the suspects mentioned by the Papua Police were ordinary individuals who were not integrated into the organizational structure of KNPB West Baliem. (*)
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https://en.tempo.co/read/1782156/jokowi-to-resume-food-estate-development-in-papua
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will resume the development of the Food Estate in Merauke, Papua.
"We haven't talked about the productions, but we are focusing on rice and sugarcane productions. The potential for Food Estate is 2 million hectares, however, initial development would be 200,000 hectares," said the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto when met after a limited meeting in Jakarta today, October 10.
During a National Agriculture Development Meeting in 2021, Jokowi also asked Merauke Regency in Papua to become a national food shed along with two other locations in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra. "The President wants an integrated area with a focus on food and energy," said Acting Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi, also present in the meeting today.
Airlangga mentioned that the financing for this project will utilize the public-private partnership. However, Deputy Minister of SOEs Kartika Wirjoatmodjo mentioned that the government has not appointed the leader for the Food Estate project.
This project was intended to boost rice and food production. During its development, the Food Estate program has resulted in tens of thousands of rice fields but bore little result.
Food Estate has been slammed by politicians Hasto Kristiyanto and Muhaimin Iskandar. "We need to push food productivity on a massive scale, not food estate," Muhaimin said when met on September 27.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace previously mentioned that this project has been proven unsuccessful in several regions, due to a lack of credible research. "It's always rushed," said Greenpeace campaigner Arie Rompas when called by Tempo on September 28.
DANIEL A. FAJRI, IHSAN RELIUBUN
Editor's Choice: Prabowo Questions Why People Criticize Food Estates
The issuance of the NIBs is aimed at demonstrating that the process of obtaining the numbers is free of charge and not complicated, the minister explained in Sorong on Wednesday, adding that NIBs can support Southwest Papuan MSE actors to succeed in developing their businesses.
"I give the NIB in order to ensure that MSE players have the identification numbers required to exercise their rights to run businesses," he said.
The issuance of the NIBs is also an effort from the central government to encourage the governments of Southwest Papua province and its regions to proactively assist all MSE players in obtaining them, he added.
"I would like to call on provincial and district governments to be more proactive in approaching MSE players that have not yet obtained NIBs and provide them with the finest services, so they can exercise their rights to run businesses," Lahadalia said.
He added that people can apply for NIBs without paying or waiting for a long time.
"The process of obtaining NIBs is easy, swift, and completely free of charge," he emphasized.
The Investment Minister then said that he expects regional governments to follow up on his initiative by providing convenience to those seeking to obtain business permits, which, it is hoped, would help develop people's businesses.
Meanwhile, acting governor of Southwest Papua, Muhammad Musa'ad, lauded the minister for his genuine concern for the well-being of MSE actors in Southwest Papua.
"I appreciate the Investment Minister for siding with the MSE players. This will encourage us to take strategic steps to fulfill the business rights of Southwest Papuan MSE actors," he said.
He then instructed all regional leaders in the province to direct their officials to serve MSE players by helping them obtain NIBs.
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Reporter: Yuvensius L, Tegar Nurfitra
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