1) Torture in the Postcolony of Papua, Indonesia

2) Residents of two villages in Oksop District still taking refuge in the forest

3) Rights group says the thousands of troops sent to Papua in 2024 illegal

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1) Torture in the Postcolony of Papua, Indonesia1 2 

Budi Hernawan3

Abstract: Drawing on Achilles Mbembe’s concept of postcolony and long-term field research in Papua since 1998, I argue that torture in Papua, Indonesia, constitutes an integral part of construction of Papua as a postcolony by the Indonesian state over the last five decades. The construction develops in two ways. First, it asserts control and dominance over the land and people of Papua through private indirect government that condones extractive industry, land grabbing and coercive military power, which includes theatrical torture and excessive violence with impunity against any opposition to the state. Second, Indonesian state power instills a mindset of inferiority in the indigenous Papuans toward the nation as a whole, characterizing Papuans as savages and labeling them with animalistic traits. However, the postcolony of Papua does not solely involve a binary opposition between the Indonesian state and Papua. Rather, it instills “the logic of conviviality” among all Papuans and Indonesians, creating a fluid power dynamic in which the state, Papuans, and Indonesians coexist.

Introduction

Despite growing national and international human rights scrutiny, the five-decade-long conflict in Papua remains unresolved. Since 2018, the conflict has escalated, with Tentara Nasional Pembe- basan Papua Barat (TPNPB/the West Papua National Liberation Army) and the Indonesian se- curity forces intensifying military operations, as documented by both national (Aliansi Demokrasi Untuk Papua 2023) and international human rights organisations (Human Rights Monitor 2023; Amnesty International Indonesia 2018, 2020). Among the persistent patterns of abuse, torture and excessive use of violence are the most frequently reported to the public and will be analyzed in this article. Other abuses, such as extrajudicial killings and indiscriminate attacks on civilian objects, are beyond the scope of this article.

Based on extensive field research on torture in Papua since 1998, including 12 years of liv- ing and working in the region, I argue that torture in Papua functions as a mode of governance (Hernawan 2018). Torture refers to acts that “broadly involve state authorities inflicting pain on the body for a particular purpose” (Hernawan 2018, 9). It consists of four key elements: pain, intentionality, instrumentality, and control (see Kenny 2010 in Hernawan 2018, 10).

Torture in Papua is not merely a means of obtaining information but is much more problematic and disturbing. It constitutes a spectacle of the sovereign power of the state that both outcasts and simultaneously colonizes Papua and Papuans(Hernawan 2018, 215). As a result, torture has become part of the governing instruments of the Indonesian state to dominate and control Papua. Torture also has a theatrical element intended to display the power of the state publicly (Her- nawan 2018, Ch. 5). In other words, torture extends beyond interrogation techniques to represent a broader machinery of domination that seeks to pacify and control the bodies and minds of the Papuans.

However, torture is not the only tool deployed by the Indonesian state apparatus. Other forms of Indonesian state control and domination are exercised through extractive industries, land grab- bing (Pusaka 2024b, 2024a), and the regulatory framework of the new Papua Autonomous Regions …………………...

https://www2.hu-berlin.de/transcience/Vol15_No2_S83_101.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawHJkLJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYdpZIbKmze1p57m6S_-1tUawrFzUBQBDixiX5NYlUrRV2FJ0VC8NvPFLw_aem_gF5QgZn_1jbFD4fntj--Pg

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A google translate.

Original Bahasa link.

https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/warga-dua-kampung-di-distrik-oksop-masih-mengungsi-di-hutan/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHKwntleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcrLEFRSy9S5jCVxU2LXbRCKgnfkkKdvULWHjSHYk9nnXsbEnVBbmI0Tfw_aem_o2Z7tNi4Ue5p8WzUCbsqMw

2) Residents of two villages in Oksop District still taking refuge in the forest

Kristianto Galuwo

Last updated: December 13, 2024 10:27 pm

Author: Larius Kogoya

Editor: Kristianto Galuwo

Jayapura, Jubi – Since November 28, 2024, non-organic security forces and joint personnel have conducted searches in the Oksop District. The focus of the search was in Mimin and Alutbakon Villages, Oksop District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Papua Pegunungan.

This was conveyed by the Head of Oksop District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Yohanes Sasaka. The impact of the search was that civilians in the two villages were forced to flee to the forest, even bringing toddlers, children, the elderly, women, and pregnant women. Until the evening of December 4, 2024, around 300 TNI/Polri personnel were reported to have entered the Oksop District area.

"When we communicated with the [joint] troop commander, he said they were looking for three members or leaders of the TPNPB OPM who were targeted for arrest, and there were seven other TPNPB OPM members as well. "So their goal is to capture and eradicate the TPNPB in the Pegunungan Bintang area," he said, via a cellphone received by Jubi from Jayapura City, Papua, Friday (13/12/2024).

He said that the security forces also ordered civilians to move from a number of villages that were the targets of the sweep.

"So the two villages, Mimin and Alutbakon, were 100 percent devoid of people, all in the forest. They were extremely scared because the soldiers suddenly appeared in the villages in uniform and with full weapons, like in a war zone," he said.

Sasaka said that from November 28 to November 30, 2024, the security forces secretly conducted sweeps in the forest. The people in the five villages in Oksop District were unaware of the presence of the security forces in the forest.

"Until November 30, the TNI members [began to] be seen [discovered] in the forest, because it so happened that children were burning forest coconuts and the fire was big, like a forest fire. So the security forces were afraid, then [they] started entering civilian villages and taking over the villages [and using them] as their headquarters,” he said.

He, along with two village heads from Mimin and Alutbakon, and 12 young people, went through the villages, but not a single person was in the village because everyone had fled to the forest.

His party had also approached the security forces and asked for permission to gather the displaced people, then check on the civilians of five villages in Oksop District.

“The residents of Atenar, Oksop, and Oktumi Villages, [who fled] have returned to the village. Meanwhile, we still have to look for the residents of the two villages [Mimin and Alutbakon], because they have fled to the forest far from the village,” he said.

Security forces occupy the Oksop District Office, church, and health center

Oksop District Head Yohanes Sasaka said that security forces also occupied three places or public facilities, namely the Oksop District Office, the GIDI Ephesus Sape Church in Mimin Village, and the Oksop Health Center.

According to him, the security forces who occupied the church made a fire pit inside the building. In addition, church facilities were also damaged, starting from the window glass to the pulpit. The church was only a building frame.

"After that they put weapons, suitcases, and bags that were brought, put them in the church, they lived there smoking cigarettes and so on. They all occupied the church and made a fire to sunbathe [warm their bodies]," he said.

Sasaka said that when entering Mimin Village they were prohibited from bringing cellphones or taking pictures. They were escorted at gunpoint by security forces.

"We wanted to take pictures too, later we would be shot, so we were still careful, still slowly communicating with the commander," he said.

He estimated that the number of security personnel was around 400. Consisting of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the TNI Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), while the (so-called) Nusantara troops consist of a combination of TNI/Polri.

From the results of communication with the TNI commander in the field, it is known that the security forces were brought in on the direct orders of President Prabowo Subianto.

"The people are very afraid and traumatized, then they ran to save themselves into the forest because there were many TNI who were fully armed, conducting searches in their villages," he said.

The community asked for the troops to be withdrawn immediately, because the residents were very afraid and could not carry out their activities as usual. They also asked the highest leaders in the regions such as the Acting Regent, regional secretary, DPRD chairman, together with NGOs, traditional council institutions, religious figures, and TNI/Polri leadership elements and Komnas HAM, to communicate with the president so that the security forces would be withdrawn immediately.

Meanwhile, one of the pastors of the GIDI Ephesus Sape Church, Mimin Village, Besiel Mimin said that they were finally unable to worship, because the church had been damaged by security forces. Residents finally worshipped in their respective homes for the past two weeks.

"We are in a Christmas atmosphere that should be celebrated peacefully, but the people here do not feel the peace of Christmas, but instead are afraid. We cannot worship, because our church is used by the TNI and the facilities are damaged. Then the congregation who are in refugee camps in the forest, they also worship in the forest," he said.

Jubi attempted to confirm the presence of security forces in the Oksop District, to the Head of Information (Kapen) of the Joint Defense Area Command (Kogabwilhan) III, Colonel Inf Winaryo via mobile phone or application message, but until this news was published, confirmation efforts were not responded to. (*)

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https://www.indoleft.org/news/2024-12-10/rights-group-says-the-thousands-of-troops-sent-to-papua-in-2024-illegal.html

3) Rights group says the thousands of troops sent to Papua in 2024 illegal

Kompas.com – December 10, 2024

Vitorio Mantalean, Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) says that the thousands of troops sent to the land of Papua throughout 2024 were illegal.

Imparsial Director Ardi Manto Adiputra stressed that the status of the Papua Military Operations Area (DOM) was officially revoked after reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998.

"We noted that throughout 2024 the government sent at least 3,187 non-organic troops to the land of Papua. This does not yet include additional troops the exact number of which is unknown", said Adiputra on Tuesday December 10.

"It is important to remember, the deployment of these troops is an illegal act that is contrary to Article 7 Paragraph (3) of the TNI [Indonesian Military] Law", he continued.

Under that regulation, it emphasises that military operations other than war can only be conducted after there are state policies and political decisions, namely government political policies together with the House of Representatives (DPR), which are formulated through the mechanism of the working relationship between the government and the DPR.

So far there has not been a single political policy or decision to deploy TNI troops to the land of Papua.

Imparsial believes that the illegal deployment of troops and the augmentation of personnel is clear evidence of the government's lack of seriousness in resolving the conflict in Papua.

Strengthening military influence in conflict vulnerable areas is seen as not being in line with the pledge to prioritise dialogue and a peaceful approach.

"As a consequence, people continue to fall victim because armed contacts always occur in residential areas", said Adiputra.

"Based on the results of Imparsial's monitoring throughout 2024 at least 18 incidents of violent armed conflict occurred in Papua", he added.

These armed contacts killed at least nine members of the TNI and Polri (National Police) and four civilians. A number of members of the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) and local residents were also injured.

Imparsial also highlighted the potential for conflict in Papua that is of growing concern due to regional decentralisation (the creation of new autonomous regions) and the implementation of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) such as the food estate program in Merauke in Southern Papua.

"Imparsial views the food estate program followed by the addition and formation of five Vulnerable Area Support (PDR) infantry battalions in Papua as not only deviating from the TNI's role but also having the potential to worsen the cycle of violence", explained Adiputra.

"Conflicts between the TNI and communities that cause human rights violations are very likely to occur, especially based on the statement by the Minister of Agriculture who stated that the clearing of a million hectares of land will be directly controlled by the Cenderawasih/XVII regional military commander", he continued.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Imparsial Anggap Ribuan Pasukan Dikirim ke Papua Selama 2024 Ilegal".]

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2024/12/10/16083181/imparsial-anggap-ribuan-pasukan-dikirim-ke-papua-selama-2024-ilegal

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