Human Rights Monitor
Police crackdown on commemorations for New York Agreement across West Papua – 222 arrested, 41 injured
Every year, West Papuans come together to commemorate the 2019 West Papua Uprising and the New York Agreement of 1962 signed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding the administration of the territory of Western New Guinea under mediation of the United States of America. On 15 August 2024, police dispersed peaceful protests in the towns of Nabire, Wamena, and Sentani, as well as in Jayapura City with force. According to information received from local human rights groups, 222 protesters were arrested, and 41 injured as police forces dispersed the crowd with batons, teargas, and rubber ammunition. Many wounded protesters sustained head injuries, indicating that the officers targeted vital body areas. The protest in Nabire triggered outbreaks of occasional ethnic violence in the Bumi Wonoreja area. Acts of horizontal violence between Papuans and non-Papuans have significantly increased over the past years, resulting in a growing potential risk for the occurrence of atrocities in West Papua.
Officers blocked the demonstrations in Timika and Manokwari. The demonstrations proceeded without violent incidents and protesters were allowed to hold public orations under close observation of heavily equipped police forces. Other commemorations, like those in Indonesia’s largest city Jakarta, or Sorong, Papua Barat Daya Province, were held without attempts to prevent protesters or disperse the rallies.
The demonstrations were led by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), a Papuan civil resistance and movement organisation demanding the repetition of an independence referendum in West Papua through peaceful action. KNPB representatives in all cities had registered the demonstrations following national law requirements (see photos below, source: KNPB), raising questions about the legality of the police intervention in Nabire, Jayapura, and Manokwari. Notification in writing must be submitted by a representative of the group holding the peaceful assembly. The notification must be received by the local police no later than 3 x 24 hours before the commencement of the activity, as stipulated in Article 10 (1), (2), and (3) of Law No 9/1998 on Freedom of Expression in Public.
Nabire, Papua Tengah Province
The protest in the town of Nabire gathered at Kali Bobo, Siriwini, Karang Market, SP I, and Jepara II. Police officers from Nabire District Police were present at all gathering points to disperse the crowd with batons, teargas, and rubber ammunition. According to information published by local media, 101 protesters were reportedly detained at the yard in front of the Nabire District Police headquarters. Police officers forced them to take off their shirts while exposed to the tropical midday sun (see photo on top, source: indpendent HRDs). One-hundred-one protesters were reportedly released in the evening, at 11.23 PM, while seven KNPB supporters remained in custody. It is not clear if they have already been released or whether the police will press charges against them.
Police officers dispersed the crowd with stun guns, batons, teargas, sharp weapons, and rubber ammunition, firing indiscriminately into the crowd (see photo of bullet shells below, source: independent HRDs). At least four protesters were injured, with three of them being hospitalized. One protester sustained a stab wound as a police officer allegedly stabbed him with a knife to the head (see photos below, source: independent HRDs). Two journalists were intimidated by police officers and reportedly prevented from covering the peaceful protest.
Following the dispersal, human rights defenders documented attacks of horizontal ethnic violence against Papuan protesters by non-Papuans in Bzumi Wonoreja, Nabire. A Papuan was recorded fleeing from dozens of non-Papuans chasing after him with stones and weapons (see videos below, source: independent HRDs). The incident illustrates racial notions and horizontal tensions between indigenous Papuans and Non-Papuans that have grown over past years as a result of racial discrimination, marginalisation, and social envy.
| No | Name | gender | Forms of ill-treatment |
| 1 | Oni Gobai | male | Sustained a bullet injury on the back of the left thigh as police officers opened fire at the protesters meeting at the Karang Market, Nabire |
| 2 | Yosua Pigome | male | Sustained a bullet injury on the right inner thigh as police officers opened fire at the protesters meeting at the Karang Market, Nabire |
| 3 | Andi Gobai | male | Sustained a bleeding head injury after officers beat him with a wooden stick on the head |
| 4 | Marselus Goo | male | Police officers electrocuted him and beat him with a wooden stick on the back, another officer stabbed him with a knife to the head causing a cut on top of the head (see video below, source independent HRD) |
| 5 | Sue Pahabol | female | Sustained a head injury after police officers beat her on the head |
| 6 | Meri Tebai | female | Sustained injury in the knee after being hit by a tear gas grenade |
| 7 | Ananias Douw | male | Police officers beat him with a baton, resulting in bruises on the head, hand, and left shoulder |
| 8 | Yance Pekei | male | Police officers beat him with a baton, resulting in bruises on the head, left hand, and the back |
| 9 | Ida Goo | female | Police officers beat her with a baton, resulting in bruises on the left knee |
| 10 | Delpin Goo | female | Police officers beat her with a baton, resulting in bruises on the right shoulder |
| 11 | Novir Pigai | male | Sustained injury on the right hand after being hit by a tear gas grenade |
Police forces dispersing protesters in Nabire with rubber bullets, teargas and batons, 15 August 2024
Full report with photos/videos …..
https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/police-crackdown-on-commemorations-for-new-york-agreement-across-west-papua-222-arrested-41-injured/
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