2) TPNPB-OPM Demands Release of 2 Apprehended West Papuan Teenagers
5) Fansoway Art Gallery showcases Sentani’s unique wood skin paintings
An Australian-based West Papua advocacy group has condemned the arrest and “humiliation” of two teenagers by Indonesian security forces last week.
The head of Cartenz 2024 Peace Operations, Kombes Faizal Ramadhani, said in a statement on Friday that the 15-year-olds had been arrested after a clash with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB ) in Kali Brasa on Thursday, February 22.
During the shootout, a TPNPB member named as Otniel Giban (alias Bolong Giban) had been killed.
- READ MORE: A BBC report on the arrest in Bahasa Indonesian
- A Jubi news report on the incident in West Papua
The Sydney-based Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) today condemned the arrest of the teenagers, only identified by the Indonesian authorities by their initials, MH and BGE and who were initially seized as “suspects” but later described as “witnesses”.
Faizal said that the teenagers had been arrested because they were suspected of being members of the TPNPB group and that they were currently being detained at the Damai Cartenz military post.
However, the TPNPB declared that the two teenagers were not members of the TPNPB and were ordinary civilians.
The teenagers were arrested when they were crossing the Brasa River in the Yahukimo Regency.
Aircraft shot at
The clash between security forces and the TNPB occurred while the Cartenz Peacekeeping Operation-2024 searched for those responsible for shooting at an aircraft in Yahukimo in which a military member had been wounded.
Meanwhile, also in Jakarta last Friday the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, met with Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto — who is poised to win this month’s Indonesian presidential election.
Marles stressed at a media conference at the Defence Ministry that Australia did not support the Free Papua Movement, saying the country “fully recognise[d] Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty”.
“We do not endorse any independence movement,” he told a media conference.
However, in Sydney AWPA’s Joe Collins said in a statement: “I was at first surprised that West Papua even got a mention at the meeting as usually Australia tries to ignore the issue but even our Defence Minister can hardly ignore a media question on it.”
‘No support for any independence movements’
An extract from the media conference says:
Subianto: “Thank you very much. I don’t think there is any need for questions. Questions?”
Journalist: “Thank you very much Mr Deputy Prime Minister. Regarding the huge amount of [the] Australian defence budget, how should the Indonesian people see it? Is it going to be a trap or an opportunity for our national interest?
“And my second question is what is Australia’s standpoint regarding the separatist [pro-independence] movement in Papua because there are some voices from Australia concern[ed] about human rights violations?”
Marles: “Thank you for the question. Let me do the second issue first. We, Australia utterly recognise the territorial sovereignty of Indonesia, full stop. And there is no support for any independence movements.
“We support the territorial sovereignty of Indonesia. And that includes those provinces being part of Indonesia. No ifs, no buts. And I want to be very clear about that.”
Collins said there was no shortage of comments during the delegation’s visit to Indonesian around how important the relationship was.
“West Papua will remain the elephant in the room in the Australia-Indonesian relationship,” Collins said. “We can expect many hiccups in the relationship over West Papua in the coming years “.
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The spokesperson of The National Liberation Army of West Papua - Free Papua Movement (TPNPB - OPM) Sebby Sambom claimed that the two people apprehended by joint state apparatus on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, are civilians. Both of them are 15-year-old teenagers, MH and BGE.
According to Sebby, MH and BGE were crossing the Brasa River in Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency while bathing before being arrested.
"They were just trying to pick bananas," said Sebby on Sunday, February 25, 2024. However, the military and police joint apparatus intercepted MH and BGE on their way. Sebby said that the personnel surveil them using drone cameras. During the arrest of the two teenagers, the state enforcers personnel shot dead an OPM member named Otniel Giban.
Sebby confirmed that Otniel was indeed a member of OPM, but MH and BGE were not. "The late Otniel Giban was an active TPNPB-OPM Wosem Battalion troop who was seconded to Kodap 16 Yahukimo. However, the two people arrested were purely civilians," he said.
According to Sebby, the two teenagers are still being detained and are at the Yahukimo Police Station.
TPNPB Battalion Commander Wosem Napianus Kerebea, according to Sebby, said that there was no shootout during the incident. At that time, Otniel only kept a noken or traditional Papuan bag with a morning star motif and a cellphone. Otniel, he said, did not carry a firearm.
Head of the Cartenz Peace Operations Police Commissioner Faizal Ramadhani said MH and BGE were witnesses at the scene of the shooting. Currently, they are still being detained to be questioned about an airplane shooting incident and their involvement with TPNPB troops.
The joint officers claimed to have found evidence from the two witnesses, namely 74 rounds of cal.5.56 ammunition, 2 SS1 magazines, and cash amounting to Rp3 million and Rp50,000. Apart from that, there was a Solar Cell, Morning Star Noken, two Oppo cellphones, a Nokia cellphone, a wrench, two charger heads, and one type C cable.
However, Sebby claimed that the weapons and ammunition found did not belong to MH and BGE, but to the military and police personnel.
Sebby asked for both of them to be released. “The two people arrested were civilians. We have the report," said Sebby.
According to the Head of Cartenz Peace Operations, Otniel's death occurred during an investigation into the shooting incident of the Wings Air plane on Saturday, February 17.
AISYAH AMIRA WAKANG
Imagine you're 15 again, the world is your playground, and your biggest worry is what game to play next.
Now, imagine that abruptly ending as you find yourself in handcuffs, accused of being part of a violent incident
far beyond the innocent games of childhood.
This is not a hypothetical for two teenagers in Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, who found themselves in the
iron grip of a joint military and police force on
February 22, 2024. Their alleged crime? Being present at a location that became the site of a fatal encounter
between state enforcers and a member of the National Liberation
Army of West Papua - Free Papua Movement (TPNPB - OPM).
The Incident Unraveled
According to the spokesperson for the TPNPB-OPM, Sebby Sambom, the teenagers, identified only
as MH and BGE, were engaged in the innocuous activities of bathing in the Brasa River and picking bananas when
they were apprehended. The arrest took a grim turn with the
shooting death of Otniel Giban, an active member of the TPNPB-OPM, by the arresting forces. Sambom
emphasizes that Giban was unarmed at the time, found
only with a traditional Papuan bag and a cellphone. The teenagers, he argues, were simply in the wrong place
at the wrong time, with no involvement in the
movement or the preceding events leading to the altercation.
Evidence in Question
The narrative surrounding the teenagers' arrest is further complicated by the items found in their possession.
Ammunition and other evidence, purportedly linking them to a shooting incident involving a Wings Air plane on February 17, were claimed by Sambom to belong to the
military and police, not the teenagers. This accusation raises serious questions about the validity of the charges against MH and BGE, who are currently
detained at the Yahukimo Police Station, labeled as witnesses to the shooting incident.
International Attention and Calls for Release
The arrest of the teenagers has not gone unnoticed by the international community. West Papua advocacy
groups have vehemently condemned the actions of the Indonesian security forces, describing the arrest and subsequent treatment of MH and BGE as a grave humiliation.
The groups echo Sambom's demands for the immediate release of the teenagers, advocating for their rights as civilians caught in a conflict they neither
understand nor are a part of.
The situation in Dekai District underscores a larger, more profound issue plaguing regions embroiled in
conflict: the vulnerability of innocents caught between the crossfire of opposing forces. As the international community watches closely, the fate of MH and BGE hangs in
the balance, a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the urgent need for justice and accountability.
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) has urged the judge of the Manado State Administrative High Court to overturn the decision of the Jayapura State Administrative Court, which dismissed the lawsuit of the Awyu Tribe community. This is crucial to safeguard the rights of the Awyu Tribe as indigenous people who have lost their customary land due to oil palm plantations.
“The Manado High Court judge must annul the Jayapura Court decision in order to protect the rights to ancestral land of the Awyu Tribe,” said LBH Papua Director Emanuel Gobay in Jayapura City on Tuesday (20/2/2024).
The case concerns the environmental feasibility permit issued by the Papua Provincial Office for Investment and Integrated One-Stop Service for the oil palm plantation of PT Indo Asiana Lestari or PT IAL. The permit challenged by the Awyu indigenous community includes plans to develop a 36,096.4-hectare oil palm plantation in Mandobo District and Fofi District, Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua Province. The Awyu indigenous community, as the plaintiff, stated that the permit was issued without their knowledge.
On November 2, 2023, a panel of judges led by Merna Cinthia along with associate judges Yusup Klemen and Donny Poja declared the lawsuit of the Awyu indigenous community groundless and dismissed it. On November 22, the Coalition Team for the Protection of Papua’s Customary Forests, acting as legal advisors to the Awyu indigenous community, filed an appeal to the Manado High Court.
Gobay stated that the examination of environmental cases in administrative courts as well as general courts has its mechanisms regulated in the Supreme Court Regulation No. 1/2023 on Guidelines for Adjudicating Environmental Cases. Gobay criticized the panel of judges of the Jayapura State Administrative Court for disregarding these mechanisms when examining and adjudicating the lawsuit of the Awyu indigenous community.
“The Decision Letter of the Papua Provincial Office for Investment and Integrated One-Stop Service for the oil palm plantation of PT Indo Asiana Lestari is an administrative decision of the government. The panel of judges should have followed the mandate of Article 26 of the Supreme Court Regulation in conducting the case examination,” he said.
The panel of judges rejecting the lawsuit on the grounds that the issuance of the permit followed a letter of support for oil palm plantation investment from the Customary Community Institution (LMA) of Boven Digoel Regency Number 30/LMA-BVD/VIII/2018 dated August 29, 2018, are unacceptable according to Gobay. He deemed these grounds irrelevant to the substance of the case and contrary to the mandate of providing customary land and individual land of indigenous people for any purpose.
“This has demonstrated that the panel of judges also committed violations of human rights, especially regarding the cultural identity of indigenous communities, including the protected rights to ancestral land as regulated in Article 6 paragraph (2) of Law No. 39/1999 concerning Human Rights,” he said.
On that basis, LBH Papua requests the Manado State Administrative High Court judge to annul the decision of the Jayapura State Administrative Court. LBH Papua also requests the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to review the panel of judges examining
the case at the Jayapura State Administrative Court. LBH Papua also requests the Judicial Commission to monitor Manado’s judges in their appeal process. (*)
5) Fansoway Art Gallery showcases Sentani’s unique wood skin paintings
Sentani, Jubi – Sentani is not only renowned for the beauty of its lakes but also for the Khombouw wood skin painting art from Asei Besar Village in East Sentani. These paintings are available at the Fansoway Art Gallery on KhalKote Street, East Sentani District, Jayapura Regency.
At first glance, Fansoway Art Gallery resembles any souvenir shop. However, it displays various artworks and crafts typical of the Asei tribe in Asei Besar Village. Asei Besar Village is well-known as a producer of high-quality wood skin paintings. The Khombouw wood is said to come from the Khombow trees around Lake Sentani. The painting motifs depict symbols of life and livelihoods of the Indigenous Papuan in Sentani.
Tresia Ohee (40), Coordinator of Fansoway Art, stated that the painting is a cultural heritage passed down by ancestors and is still preserved, upheld, and safeguarded by the next generation in Asei Besar. Besides its economic value and cultural promotion, according to Tresia Ohee, the wood skin paintings have also become a medium to introduce the tradition and identity of the native Sentani people to outsiders or those curious to learn.
“It is not just about selling [the wood skin paintings], but the most important thing is that we preserve our culture. It is our dignity and identity, so whenever there is a painting like this anywhere, people know it is from Asei Besar Village, which makes us proud,” said Ohee.
Various motifs of wood skin paintings are available at Fansoway Art Gallery, such as Cenderawasih (Bird of Paradise), Sentani women dancing, a group of men hunting at Lake Sentani, and others. All paintings use typical base colors of red, black, and white on light brown wood skin. These paintings speak to visitors and buyers about the uniqueness and richness of the traditions and culture of the community in Asei Besar Village.
Ohee explained that the tradition of painting on wood skin inherited from ancestors has been successfully preserved. Apparently, the strokes of black, white, and red on the Khonbouw wood cannot be replaced because they hold special meanings. For example, the Cenderawasih painting still uses black, white, and red, with the addition of green-yellow to match the colors of the bird.
“The black color is usually obtained from charcoal or burnt clay pots. The white color is from lime, which is usually used for chewing betel nuts, and the red color is from the soil. These are the basic colors for painting on wood skin,” she said.
In addition to paintings, other crafts are also exhibited in the gallery, such as wallets, tissue holders, file holders, hats, bags for mothers, casual bags, maps, and school bags for children. All of these are made from Khombouw wood skin using a small amount of thread embroidered to strengthen them. The paintings and crafts are truly captivating, with textures that are visually appealing.
Tresia Ohee recounted how the group of wood skin craftsmen from Asei Besar Village produces all these crafts. From wall decorations with various motifs inspired by the traditions and culture of the Asei tribe, to practical needs such as tissue holders, file holders, hats, bags, maps, and school bags. There are also casual bags knitted with wood skin thread combined with synthetic thread.
Ohee vividly remembers how she has been selling and offering her father’s wall paintings since she was a child, whenever there were visitors or guests from outside coming to Asei Besar.
According to her, painting on wood skin has become a part and daily habit of the people in Asei Besar Village, even since childhood. She believes it is rather innate and habitual from birth, passed down through the Asei people. Children from Asei, regardless of which village, are capable of painting on wood skin. Meanwhile, modern products such as embroidering bags, hats, and crowns are taught to children as additional skills.
Affordable Prices
People can purchase crafts from Asei Besar according to their preferences and abilities. Fansoway Art Gallery offers affordable prices. For example, wall decorations range from Rp 50,000 to over Rp 1 million depending on size. Bags range from Rp 50,000 to Rp 500,000, File holders are priced at Rp 100,000, hats from Rp 200,000 to Rp250,000, head crowns with chicken feathers are priced at Rp5 0,000, and those with cassowary feathers range from Rp 200,000 to Rp 350,000. There are also accessories such as keychains, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets priced from Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000.
“The price for a complete set of traditional attire, from ankle wraps to headwear, for princesses is Rp 1.5 million, and for men Rp1 million. The price for a tifa (traditional Papuan drum) depends on the size, ranging from Rp 500,000 to Rp 3.5 million,” said Ohee.
Fansoway Art Gallery is open every day, except Sundays, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Papua time.
Not Just a Souvenir Shop
Fansoway Art Gallery is not just an ordinary souvenir shop. Fansoway is one of the groups of Khombouw wood skin craftsmen consisting of 20 people. Members of this group include men and women who are engaged in the art of painting and crafting Khombouw wood skin to produce various accessories.
Usually, men are more involved in painting while mothers produce bags, hats, and crowns using Khombouw wood skin as the base material.
Tresia Ohee explained that the Fansoway Art group was initiated in 2009. Initially, they only had enthusiasm and intentions without sufficient capital. It was only in 2019 that the craft group received assistance from the Provincial Department of Industry and Trade of Papua to establish the Fansoway Gallery.
“It all started with our own enthusiasm, but the capital was not in the form of money. The important capital we had was the spirit, the ability to make wood skin, to find wood skin and pound it until it is ready to be painted on. So the initial capital was really nothing but pure intention,” said Ohee, who is also a craftswoman.
She hopes that the government can pay attention to wood skin craftsmen who continue to preserve tradition and culture. Not only for the people in Asei Besar but also for painting and crafting groups in other parts of Papua. She hopes that relevant institutions can develop products and collect works from artists to increase enthusiasm for preserving painting as culture and tradition.
“Our big hope is that relevant institutions working on art and culture in Papua can come and see that we have craftsmen to move forward. Perhaps they could bring us to learn from other areas like Yogyakarta, Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, and other regions so that we can create even better products to attract attention locally and nationally,” she said. (*)
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