Thursday, October 26, 2023

1) Dozens killed in famine-hit Papua Highlands



2) Delayed justice: Call to investigate unresolved shooting incident in Mappi 
3) Urgent calls to solve attacks on displaced women in West Papua 
4) Ministry works with church groups for social barns in Papua 
5) West Papua general hospital preparing for "Perdana" accreditation 

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1) Dozens killed in famine-hit Papua Highlands

Dio Suhenda (The Jakarta Post) 
PREMIUM Jakarta   ●   Thu, October 26, 2023 

A months-long famine in Papua Highlands province’s Yahukimo regency has killed at least 23 residents, forcing the government to scramble to provide disaster relief and plan for long-term solutions to avoid similar disasters from happening in the area in the future. The famine has affected around 12,000 people living in over 13 villages in the regency, said Amuma district head Zakeus Lagowan on Tuesday. He blamed heavy downpours that have been happening since August for causing local crops to rot. Fatalities doubled in the past week, Zakeus went on to say, rising from 11 deaths last week to 23 as of Oct. 23. “However, we haven’t got the complete data yet because communication [with the affected] villages is only limited through transceivers,” Zakeus said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.id

The Yahukimo famine has caught the attention of Jakarta. Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy held a coordination meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation with several officials, including Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Suharyanto. Authorities in Jakarta have sent disaster aid comprising 20 tonnes of rice and thousands of packages of ready-to-eat meals, protein biscuits and basic food staples to the affected region. 

They also sent 1,500 packages of hygiene kits, 50 sets of solar lights, five tents and Rp 1 billion (US$63,000) in operational funds. Some of the aid, however, has yet to reach the famine-hit villages as they can only be accessed by air. The disaster agency has prepared a Cessna Grand Caravan cargo airplane with the capacity of 1.5 tonnes per flight.

 “This is just the initial aid.  We’ll coordinate with local administrations should the affected residents need more assistance from us,” Suharyanto said in a statement on Thursday. The government also came up with several recommendations for mitigation measures to avoid similar incidents from happening in the future. “We recommend the National Food Agency [BPN] to address the issue so food shortages in Papuan Highlands and Central Papua can be resolved permanently,” Muhadjir said after the meeting. Among the concrete steps recommended to solve the issue is the development of crops that are more resilient to extreme weather. The government is also mulling opening food estates and building food storage facilities in the famine-prone areas. 

The heavy downpours in Yahukimo have also triggered landslides that destroyed locals’ homes, Muhadjir said. According to the BNPB, at least 30 houses were heavily damaged by the landslides, although authorities were still confirming the data. The famine in Yahukimo is the second known incident this year occurring in the Papuan Highlands, one of the new provinces in the country’s easternmost island which was inaugurated in November last year. In August, at least six people in Puncak regency were killed in an extreme weather-induced famine. 

Cold weather and the lack of rain killed taro and yam crops commonly grown in the region, driving residents to scramble for food. Some people chose to eat the spoiled crops, causing them to fall ill.  A drought from June to August last year in Lanny Jaya also resulted in hundreds of people scrambling for food in Kuyawage district. Three died from hunger-related health issues.

 Resource-rich but restive Papua Island has become a focus of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who aims to develop the country’s easternmost regions. Among strategic projects introduced by the President on the island is the food estate focusing on corn in Jayapura regency. 

Food shortages, however, may not just be a problem in Papua, as the archipelago has been experiencing an extended dry spell due to the El Niño that tends to bring dry and hot air to Indonesia.




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https://en.jubi.id/delayed-justice-call-to-investigate-unresolved-shooting-incident-in-mappi/

2) Delayed justice: Call to investigate unresolved shooting incident in Mappi   
News Desk - Bloody Mappi Tragedy 
26 October 2023

Jayapura, Jubi – The investigation into the shooting of nine civilians on December 14, 2022, in Mappi Regency of South Papua Province remains incomplete, with both the police and the Papua representative of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua) yet to make significant progress.

In the aforementioned incident, Moses Nakas Erro (32 years old) died at Mappi Regional Hospital, and eight others sustained injuries, including Sabinus Sokmi Sedap, Otniel Qah Samagoi, Basilius Bape Yebo, Rexon Ya. A Pasim, Kaspar Khani Yebo, Wilhelmus Jeji Samagoi, Yohanes. T Sedap, and Ferdinandus Boy.

The event is known as the “Bloody Mappi Tragedy of December 14, 2022” and is yet to be thoroughly investigated.

Arnold Anda of LBH Papua Pos Merauke, in a press release received by Jubi on Tuesday (24/10/2023), stated that the Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition Team’s investigation revealed that there was no clash between two groups, but rather the authorities allegedly responded with excessive force by opening fire on civilians, resulting in casualties.

“Based on our findings, the alleged perpetrators are members of the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI). Complaints have been filed with various authorities, but there has been no substantial follow-up to date,” said Arnold Anda.

Given this situation, LBH Papua Pos Merauke questioned the commitment of the PapuaPolice, Mappi Police, and the Komnas HAM Papua to ensure justice for the citizens who were victims of the Bloody Mappi Tragedy, in accordance with the state’s responsibility for the fulfillment, respect, protection, and enforcement of human rights.

They argued that in upholding the right to justice for the victims of the Bloody Mappi Tragedy, it is essential to adhere to the provisions stipulated in Article 28i, paragraph (4) of the 1945 Constitution, in conjunction with Article 8 of Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights.

Consequently, using the authority granted by Article 100 of Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights, LBH Papua Pos Merauke calls upon the Papua Police Chief to instruct the Mappi Police Chief to promptly address the shooting incident that occurred at Kilometer 2 Kepi, Mappi Regency.

They also implore the Komnas HAM Papua not to overlook the case. (*)


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3) Urgent calls to solve attacks on displaced women in West Papua   
News Desk - Sexual Violence 
26 October 2023

Jayapura, Jubi – Hana Lay, the Coordinator of the Solidarity Movement for Students and People of Papua in Manokwari, is urging the Papua Police and the Yahukimo Police to promptly investigate the attack on two displaced armed conflict victims, identified as IS and AK.

“The brutal killings were carried out by unidentified individuals. We urge the Papua Police Chief and the Yahukimo Police Chief to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice, regardless of their identity,” Hana said in a WhatsApp call on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

The attacks on AK and IS occurred on October 11, 2023, in two separate incidents. AK was attacked while gardening in the morning of October 11. She was found dead on the same day with multiple stab wounds on various parts of her body, and her hands were tied with ropes.

IS was also attacked when she was heading to her garden. The assault took place at Kilo 5, Dekai, while she was walking with her 6-year-old child. The child witnessed the assailant attacking her mother and fled to seek help.

Police and family found IS severely injured with several stab wounds. IS was receiving medical treatment and later passed away at the Dekai District General Hospital.

Hana emphasized that the Human Rights Law No. 39 of 1999 declares that all humans, as creations of God, must be respected, upheld, and protected by the State, the law, the government, and every individual. She stated that the murder of women is an extremely heinous act.

“Based on Law No. 12 of 2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes, protecting women entails all efforts aimed at safeguarding them and providing a sense of security in the fulfillment of their rights. Yahukimo Regency is a conflict area between the West Papua National Liberation Army and the Indonesian Military. Us women have the right to feel safe,” she said.


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https://en.antaranews.com/news/297174/ministry-works-with-church-groups-for-social-barns-in-papua
4) Ministry works with church groups for social barns in Papua 
 11 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Social Affairs is collaborating with church groups to build social barns to increase preparation for facing natural disaster threats in the Papua region.

Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini stated that her side had collaborated with several church groups in Yahukimo District, Highland Papua Province, to prepare for social barns.

"For the long-term preparation, we have collaborated with church groups to prepare buffer stock, but the priority is preparing social barns," she noted in Jakarta on Thursday.

In the efforts to mitigate drought, she stated that the government is currently focusing on teaching village residents to cultivate food plants, especially resilient varieties amid extreme weather conditions.

"We have left for Tolikara to plant potatoes, carrots, mustard greens, and tubers," the minister remarked.

She noted that during the period from 2021 to 2023, the central government had prepared 36 social barns in Papua, West Papua, Southwest Papua, Highland Papua, South Papua, and Central Papua as a preparation effort to face the possibility of a drought that could lead to food shortages.

According to Rismaharini, five social barns are spread in Sorong City in West Papua, Teluk Wondama District in West Papua, and Maybrat District in Southwest Papua.

This is followed by 21 social barns in the districts of Biak, Keerom, Sarmi, and Supiori in Papua Province, while four social barns were prepared in the districts of Jayawijaya, Tolikara, and Bintang Mountain in the Highland Papua Province, she remarked.

In addition, there are three social barns in the districts of Merauke and Boven Digoel in South Papua Province as well as three social barns in the districts of Nabire, Puncak Jaya, and Paniai in Central Papua Province, the minister noted.

Rismaharini remarked that the government also considered security issues in deploying workers to build social barns in Papua. 

Related news: BNPB prepares aid to handle landslides, famine in Highland Papua
Related news: Tens of Central Papua villagers seek refuge to a mily post: Officer
  

Reporter: Devi Nindy Sari R, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala





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5) West Papua general hospital preparing for "Perdana" accreditation 
 8 hours ago


Manokwari, West Papua (ANTARA) - The West Papua Regional General Hospital (RSUD) is making preparations to obtain its "Perdana" or 1-star accreditation for the quality of management and patient services.

"We are preparing for it and plan to complete it by October or early November this year," the director of West Papua RSUD, Dr. Arnoldus Tiniap, informed here on Thursday.

He said that the hospital's accreditation is a key requirement to collaborate with the state-owned Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) and consolidate support from the Ministry of Health.

So far, the hospital has established collaboration with BPJS Kesehatan by signing a commitment to serve patients registered in the National Health Insurance (JKN) program.

"Accreditation is very important. This provincial hospital just started operating, and within a year it must be accredited," Tiniap said.

He assured that the hospital's management is striving to improve resources in terms of infrastructure, facilities, and medical personnel to optimize health services for West Papua residents.

He said that the hospital is looking for one obstetrician and one otolaryngologist.

"We need two more specialists to optimize our services. We lack an obstetrician and an otolaryngologist," he added.

Meanwhile, the hospital currently has workers who can provide basic health services, such as pediatricians, surgeons, internal medicine specialists, ophthalmologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists.

Since its establishment in May 2022, West Papua RSUD has been expected to become a regional referral hospital that has specialists who can treat heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, hypertension, and cancer.

"We will try to prepare specialist doctors by 2024 because we will be a referral hospital," Tiniap said.

The hospital has also received support from the Health Ministry through the Special Allocation Fund (DAK) to purchase items such as patient beds, he informed.

Related news: West Papua Governor invites local youths to maintain Indonesia's unity
Related news: Bappenas to monitor SDG implementation in West Papua
Related news: West Papua involves figures in preventing trafficking, sexual violence



Reporter: Fransiskus W, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala

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