2) WWII Japanese soldier remains unearthed in Indonesia's Papua
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1) 2,000 Bibida District refugees in Madi repatriated, those in Nabire not yet
The Paniai Regency Refugee Post Coordinator in Nabire is ready to assist the Paniai Regency Government and the Central Papua Provincial Government to repatriate refugees
June 28, 2024 in Politics, Law and Security
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Author: Hengky Yeimo - Editor: Syofiardi
Nabire, Jubi – The Paniai Regency Government and the Paniai Police have repatriated around 2,000 residents from Bibida District and its surroundings (East Paniai, Dumadama, and Dogomo) from the refugee location at the Madi Holy Cross Catholic Church, Paniai, Central Papua Province on Tuesday (6/25/2024).
Meanwhile, 409 refugees from Bibida who are in Nabire Regency have not been repatriated. The same thing was also experienced by refugees from Bibida who are in other regencies, such as Mimika, Deiyai, and Dogiyai.
Coordinator of the Paniai Regency Refugee Post in Nabire Martinus Zonggonau told Jubi that he was ready to help the Paniai Regency Government and the Central Papua Provincial Government to return refugees to their hometowns. He also said he was ready to help repatriate refugees in several other places.
"We appreciate the quick steps of the Acting Regent of Paniai who has repatriated residents from Madi, this is a step taken by the Acting Regent with a mature strategy. As the young generation of Paniai, we appreciate this performance," he said, Thursday (6/27/2024).
Zonggonau said that on Tuesday (25/6/2024) the Head of the Central Papua Province Social Service, Nenu Tabuni, contacted him to visit the funeral home of a refugee who died in Wadio Atas at the residence of Soter Zonggonau.
Then his party has contacted the Social Service of the Central Papua Provincial Government to help repatriate refugees in Nabire Regency. However, so far there has been no response.
"If the government is willing to contact me and my team, we are ready to repatriate refugees to their hometowns," he said.
According to Zonggonau, the response of the Central Papua Provincial Government to repatriate refugees at this time is very appropriate. Because, after his team communicated with the refugees in Nabire, they already wanted to return to their hometowns.
"After seeing the refugees who were accommodated at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Madi being repatriated on a large scale, those in Nabire also want to return home," he said.
Zonggonau said the Head of the Social Service and the Acting Governor of Central Papua Province have committed to repatriating refugees. This was conveyed when the Central Papua Provincial Government team delivered aid in the yard of the Catholic Church in Jayanti on June 17, 2024.
"We really hope that the Central Papua Provincial Government and the Paniai Regency Government can help facilitate refugees from Nabire to return to their hometowns, our team is ready to repatriate refugees," he said.
According to Zonggonau, the Central Papua Provincial Government and the Paniai Regency Government must help with transportation to repatriate refugees to Bibida, Paniai.
"These residents must be returned to their hometowns immediately, because their livestock and houses have been damaged by security forces while pursuing the TPNPB-OPM in the East Paniai, Bibida, Wayabu, and Duma Dama Districts," he said.
According to him, repatriating refugees is important so that they can quickly organize their homes and villages as before.
"Because the displaced residents think that the source of people's lives is in their hometowns," he said.
Regarding aid for refugees, Zonggonau said that students from Paniai are currently raising funds and providing food aid for Bibida refugees in Nabire.
"I received information that students and youth from Paniai in Jayapura and Manokwari are raising funds and providing notebooks, etc. so that they can be distributed to refugees who are still in Nabire, because it is easy to reach," he said.
He hopes that students who raise funds can communicate with the refugee post in Nabire so that they can be helped in distributing it. Because currently his party is still waiting for information from the Central Papua Provincial Social Service regarding the repatriation of refugees from Nabire.
"If the refugees have been repatriated, the aid can be distributed directly to Bibida. If not, we are ready to facilitate students and youth for the distribution of aid," he said.
Tribal chief appreciates Paniai Regency Government
Central Papua Youth Tribal Chief Emanuel Mote said on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, the Acting Regent of Paniai together with joint officers (TNI-Polri) had repatriated civilians who had fled after the gunfight between the TNI-Polri and TPNPB in Bibida.
"The number of residents based on data from the Central Papua Provincial Government is 1,500 people who have been repatriated to their hometowns in Bibida, Dogomo, East Paniai, and Duma Dama," he told Jubi, Thursday (6/27/2024).
Regarding the 409 refugees in Nabire, Mote said, the Acting Regent of Paniai Martha Pigome had met them at the refugee camp in Jayanti, Nabire, Central Papua on Sunday (16/6/2024) at 15.00 Papua Time. At that time, the Acting Regent of Paniai asked the refugees to return to Paniai.
"On that occasion, the Acting Regent of Paniai Martha Pigome met with the displaced community, while also handing over transportation money and food assistance, received directly by the refugees, but no residents have returned to Paniai, some are still in Nabire," he said.
According to Mote, with the return of residents who took refuge at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Madi, Paniai, it is hoped that refugees in Nabire Regency and other locations will be able to return to their hometowns.
"If there are residents who choose to stay in Nabire or send their children to school in Nabire, that's possible. Or everyone wants to return to their hometowns, but the point is that everything is safe so I hope those in Nabire can return to Paniai," he said.
The Holy Cross Parish Priest, Madi, Father Herman Betu Pr, estimates that the wave of civilian refugees leaving various villages in Bibida will continue until Tuesday, June 18, 2024. It is estimated that more than 2,000 residents have left Bibida.
The residents who fled were not only to the church, but there were also those who sought shelter in relatives' homes around Paniai, and some even fled to the forest.
"A situation like this has never happened while I was on duty in Paniai," he said.
Father Herman Betu Pr said that the displaced residents had been returned because the situation in their hometowns was declared conducive by the government.
"We have sent them back to their respective hometowns, there are residents from Dogomo District and Duma Dama District, East Paniai District, and Bibida District, some who went to Nabire and the surrounding areas have not returned," he said. (*)
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2) WWII Japanese soldier remains unearthed in Indonesia's Papua
June 29, 2024 13:44 GMT+700
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government confirmed on Friday the discovery of nine remains of suspected Japanese soldiers killed during World War II in Biak Numfor District, Papua.
Hilmar Farid, the Director General for Culture at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, said the discovery could strengthen historical understanding for Japanese tourists visiting the region.
"They can come, learn, and understand that the impact of World War II reached even remote areas like Biak Numfor," he said.
He noted that the ministry has collaborated with the Japanese government and Biak Numfor district authorities since 2019 to resolve the fate of remains from the WWII era found in the region.
A joint technical team has been working since 2019 to excavate, identify, and repatriate the remains of Japanese soldiers in Papua and West Papua provinces. The nine remains were found during the team's latest mission on May 20–30.
The Ministry is discussing repatriation with Japanese authorities. However, Farid stated that the most likely option is to keep the remains at the Biak Numfor site.
"There are many cases worldwide where soldiers who died in foreign lands were buried there," Farid said.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will analyze and identify the remains to confirm they are Japanese soldiers. If not repatriated, they will be reinterred in Biak Numfor.
Fransisco Olla, a Biak Numfor district official, said the discovery is expected to bolster local tourism. He emphasized the emotional and historical connection the region has with Japan due to WWII, when at least 3,000 Japanese soldiers died there.
Related news: 20,000 of our soldiers' skeletons in Papua: Japan
Related news: Japan continues repatriation of soldiers' remains from Papua
Hilmar Farid, the Director General for Culture at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, said the discovery could strengthen historical understanding for Japanese tourists visiting the region.
"They can come, learn, and understand that the impact of World War II reached even remote areas like Biak Numfor," he said.
He noted that the ministry has collaborated with the Japanese government and Biak Numfor district authorities since 2019 to resolve the fate of remains from the WWII era found in the region.
A joint technical team has been working since 2019 to excavate, identify, and repatriate the remains of Japanese soldiers in Papua and West Papua provinces. The nine remains were found during the team's latest mission on May 20–30.
The Ministry is discussing repatriation with Japanese authorities. However, Farid stated that the most likely option is to keep the remains at the Biak Numfor site.
"There are many cases worldwide where soldiers who died in foreign lands were buried there," Farid said.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will analyze and identify the remains to confirm they are Japanese soldiers. If not repatriated, they will be reinterred in Biak Numfor.
Fransisco Olla, a Biak Numfor district official, said the discovery is expected to bolster local tourism. He emphasized the emotional and historical connection the region has with Japan due to WWII, when at least 3,000 Japanese soldiers died there.
Related news: 20,000 of our soldiers' skeletons in Papua: Japan
Related news: Japan continues repatriation of soldiers' remains from Papua
Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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