Merauke, Jubi – Hundreds of Indigenous Papuan mama (women/mothers) who are members of the Association of Indigenous Papuan Mama Traders (IPM2AP) in Merauke Regency, South Papua, staged a protest demanding the local government to construct a representative market within the city of Merauke.
The peaceful demonstration on Monday (3/18/2024) took place at the South Papua People’s Council Office (MRPS) on Mandala Street in Merauke. Earlier, hundred of mamas conducted a long march from the New Mopah Market, two kilometers away from the MRPS Office. They carried banners and some of them delivered speeches along the way.
In front of the chairman and members of the MRPS, the Indigenous Papuan mama traders presented several demands, including urging the South Papua People’s Council to pressure the government to build a market specifically for indigenous Papuan traders behind SMP Negeri 2 Merauke.
Regarding the Blorep Market built by the Merauke Regency Government for indigenous Papuan traders, they requested that the market, located in Blorep, be designated as a venue for selling handicrafts and a training center for the economic development of indigenous Papuan mamas.
Another demand was for the mama traders to urge the MRPS to push for the construction of a market for indigenous Papuan traders behind SMP Negeri 2 Merauke. They hoped that this cultural institution could advocate for it through the provincial meeting and discuss it with the acting governor.
The indigenous Papuan mama traders also requested the MRPS to ensure and oversee the targeted implementation of grassroots economic programs or those aligned with the distribution of indigenous Papuan business actors in the new provincial territory.
“We also request that the MRPS immediately urge the South Papua Special Autonomy Acceleration Supervisory Body to ensure that the indigenous Papuan market becomes an agenda and a mandatory task for the government as part of the implementation of Presidential Regulation Number 121 of 2022,” said IPM2AP Coordinator, Mika Balagaize.
In their final demand.
Mika Balagaize urged the MRPS, the South Papua Provincial DPR, and the acting governor to issue regulations regarding the development of local food and the empowerment of Indigenous Papuan economies. These legal products aim to protect and serve as affirmative policies for indigenous Papuans there.
“Regarding the Blorep Market, we ask the MRPS to coordinate with the Merauke Regency Government to conduct a feasibility study for the market,” he said.
“We indigenous Papuan mama traders believe that the Blorep Market is not strategic because it is far from residential areas, so we fear that there will be no buyers there. Besides, there is no transportation access to the area, and the area is also deserted. Because it is deserted, there are often criminal cases there, which makes us afraid,” concluded Mika Balagaize.
Chairman of the South Papua People’s Council, Damianus Katayu, welcomed the peaceful demonstration conducted by the Indigenous Papuan mama traders in Merauke. He promised to convey the aspirations to the provincial government and the Merauke Regency Government. (*)
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) expressed its assessment that the Cartenz Peace Operation in Papua does not demonstrate a prioritization of law enforcement. LBH Papua urged the government to evaluate the implementation of the Cartenz Peace Operation in Papua.
“I think the implementation of the Cartenz Peace Operation should be evaluated by all parties still supporting it,” LBH Papua Director Emanuel Gobay said in Jayapura City on Monday, March 18, 2024.
Gobay stated that the Cartenz Peace Operation carried out by the joint forces of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police did not show efforts towards law enforcement. Gobay cited the arrest of MH (15) and BGE (15), two students apprehended in Kali Brasa, Yahukimo Regency on February 22, 2024.
“They are children. When it comes to children, it is clear under Law Number 11 of 2012regarding the Juvenile Justice System, in the practice of arresting children, human rights principles must be prioritized. But why is there an alleged practice of torture? We see through photographic evidence the presence of injuries in those photos,” he said.
On February 27, several media outlets reported statements from the Head of the Cartenz Peace Operation, Sr. Comr. Faizal Ramadhani, stating that MH and BGE had been released.
However, the Chairman of the Yahukimo Church Alliance (PGGY) Rev. Atias Matuan, stated that MH and BGE had not returned home and were allegedly still detained by the police. On March 14, the Yahukimo Police confirmed that MH and BGE were still detained at the Papua Police Headquarters Detention Center, as they had been designated as suspects in the shooting of an aircraft in Yahukimo.
Gobay stated that the way personnel of the Cartenz Peace Operation handled the cases of MH and BGE was allegedly in violation of regulations. According to him, various violations in law enforcement carried out by the Cartenz Peace Operation would tarnish the reputation of the TNI and police institutions.
“This will only tarnish the reputation of the Police and the TNI who continue the Cartenz Peace Operation. They say they will not commit legal violations, but just three months into 2024, they have already committed such violations. The alleged practice of torture further shows the poor image of Cartenz Peace Operation personnel,” he said.
Gobay stated that the leadership of the TNI and police should impose strict sanctions on members of the Cartenz Peace Operation who commit legal violations. Gobay also requested that the Papua Office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua) carry out its duty to monitor law enforcement by the operation’s personnel to prevent legal or human rights violations.
“What is the status of Papua? Is the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force conducting combat operations or law enforcement operations? Is there a military emergency status declared in Yahukimo?” Gobay asked.
According to him, law enforcement operations follow the logic of criminal procedural law. “If someone commits an offense, they are arrested, interrogated, investigated, their status is determined as a suspect, then detained as a detainee by investigators. Next, the case is handed over to prosecutors as a prosecutor’s detainee. Then it proceeds to court, detained by the judge, and the judge examines the case there until a verdict is reached. That is what law enforcement is,” Gobay said. (*)
"Revitalization is being carried out, so that local languages do not experience extinction following the decreasing number of local language speakers," Maturbongs stated in Jayapura, Tuesday.
He explained that the Papua Language Center will continue to collaborate with the local government in Papua to conduct revitalization to prevent more local languages from becoming extinct.
Revitalization has been carried out since 2022 for several languages, including Sentani, Tobati, Marin, Beaboa, Sobey, Kamoro, Biak, Moi, Hatam, and Dani.
The 10 languages, which are the current focus of the Papua Language Center, are spread across the provinces of Papua, Papua Pegunungan, West Papua, and Southwest Papua.
"Hopefully, with continuous revitalization, this language will not become extinct because its speakers will increase," Maturbongs affirmed.
Maturbongs admitted to several languages having reportedly become extinct in Papua due to the lack of language speakers.
The extinct languages are Tandia in Wondama Bay and Air Matoa in Kaimana, both in West Papua, as well as Mapia in Supiori and Mawes in Sarmi District, both in Papua.
"The extinction of the four languages is the result of no more speakers," he stated.
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Translator: Evarukdijati, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Arie Novarina
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