Sorong, Jubi – Indigenous rights activist in Southwest Papua, Ferry Onim, has called on certain officials in South Sorong Regency (Sorsel) to stop intimidating environmental activists in the region.
Onim’s statement follows reports of intimidation allegedly carried out by individuals believed to be government officials and police officers against environmental activists in South Sorong.
The alleged intimidation is believed to be linked to an environmental action held during the commemoration of World Environment Day on June 5, 2026.
During the event, environmental activists transported garbage to the South Sorong Regent’s Office as a form of protest highlighting waste management and environmental issues in the regency.
According to the activists, several hours after the demonstration ended, they befan receiving threats and other forms of intimidation.
One activist, identified by the initials OS, said they received a phone call from an individual believed to be a member of the security forces. OS recorded the conversation as evidence.
Later that evening, two other activists, identified as YK and NS, reported receiving phone calls and WhatsApp messages from a person believed to be an official within the South Sorong Regency Government.
The official reportedly questioned why the activists had brought garbage to the regent’s office and suggested that the action may have been driven by a particular agenda.
Another activist, identified as ME, alleged that they were confronted and pressured by a government contract employee (P3K), identified by the initial M.
ME claimed that the individual pushed them, causing them to fall. As a result, the activist’s right leg struck a table and suffered bruising.
The activists believe that the series of phone calls, text messages, psychological pressure, and alleged physical violence constitute intimidation aimed at suppressing freedom of expression and environmental advocacy efforts.
Onim emphasized that the criticism expressed by environmental activists was not intended to undermine the government, but rather reflected public concern and a shared responsibility to protect the environment.
“We ask [certain officials within] the South Sorong Regency Government to stop intimidating environmental advocates. The government should be proud that there are still members of the community who care enough to continuously raise concerns about environmental issues,” Onim told Jubi in Sorong on June 10, 2026.
According to Onim, the government, communities, youth organizations, schools, civic groups, and environmental activists all share responsibility for finding solutions and taking concrete action to maintain environmental cleanliness.
For that reason, he argued, the government should create space for dialogue and cooperation with all stakeholders, rather than silencing or suspecting those who are concerned about environmental protection.
He noted that environmental activists had previously submitted recommendations and sent letters to relevant institutions regarding waste management problems in the area, but no follow-up action had been taken by the responsible agencies.
“Why is it that action is only taken after public criticism emerges, while previous reports and recommendations appear to have been ignored?” he said.
Onim added that World Environment Day should serve as a moment for evaluating government performance in addressing environmental challenges.
He stressed that law enforcement agencies and local governments should protect citizens who advocate for the public interest, rather than creating fear among those who voice criticism.
“These are citizens exercising their constitutional right to express opinions for the benefit of the broader community and the protection of the environment,” he said.
“There must be no attempt to silence the voices of the people simply because they are raising concerns about environmental problems in South Sorong. The government should not be intolerant of criticism,” he added. (*)
Jayapura, Jubi – An English language skills development program initiated through a partnership between the Syena Ahoro Papua Foundation (SAPA Foundation) and the Central Papua Provincial Education and Culture Office has surpassed its initial target.
Originally designed to reach 875 students across three regencies, the program ultimately attracted 980 participants, reflecting strong enthusiasm from the education sector in the region.
The month-long English course program was conducted in the regencies of Nabire, Dogiyai, and Deiyai. It involved 980 students from elementary, junior high, and senior high/vocational schools as part of efforts to improve educational quality and English proficiency among Central Papua’s younger generation, equipping them to face future educational challenges and global competition.
SAPA Foundation Chairperson Christywella Saroy expressed gratitude for the program’s achievement in exceeding its participant target.
“For one month, SAPA Foundation implemented the English language course program in three regencies of Central Papua—Nabire, Dogiyai, and Deiyai. From an initial target of 875 students, we successfully reached 980 participants from elementary to senior high/vocational levels,” Saroy said in a statement on Thursday.
She added that the program benefited 21 partner schools and had a positive impact on 10 additional schools.
“The program has also provided benefits to 21 partner schools and created positive impacts on 10 other schools,” she said.
According to Saroy, the program’s success demonstrates the strong enthusiasm of students, schools, and local communities for English language learning.
Through the collaboration between the Central Papua Provincial Government and SAPA Foundation, it is expected that more young people in Central Papua will gain strong English proficiency, opening wider access to education, information, and opportunities at both national and international levels.
The program aims to improve students’ English-language competency so they are better prepared to pursue higher education and compete in a globalized world.
“Various materials were delivered interactively, covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, and were enriched with practical exercises to make learning easier to understand,” Saroy said.
Before the courses began, SAPA Foundation organized a three-day Capacity Building In-House Training for Tutors and Teachers attended by 16 tutors and eight teachers. The training was designed to equip educators with more interactive, engaging, and student-friendly teaching methods.
At the end of the training, participants demonstrated the methods they had learned through micro-teaching sessions.
Following the training, tutors and teachers were assigned to program sites in Nabire, Dogiyai, and Deiyai to conduct English language courses in target schools.
To ensure the courses did not disrupt regular classroom activities, classes were held outside normal school hours.
Throughout the program, students attended English lessons daily, with each session lasting three to four teaching periods over a span of three to four weeks.
Using an interactive and enjoyable learning approach, students were given opportunities to strengthen their foundational English skills, including vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation, sentence construction, and speaking ability.
The intensive schedule was expected to help students develop and apply their English skills more quickly in everyday life.
Head of the Data and Education Facilitation Section at the Central Papua Provincial Education and Culture Office, Medelky Anouw, said the program represents an early step in preparing students for upcoming national policies aimed at strengthening English language instruction in schools.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education plans to make English a compulsory subject in schools, beginning at the elementary level in 2027.
To anticipate the policy, the Central Papua Provincial Government, through the Education and Culture Office, launched the course program as a foundational initiative.
“We believe that English is a window to the world. Schoolchildren need to be equipped with English skills so they can compete at both the national and global levels,” Anouw said.
As part of the program evaluation, SAPA Foundation also organized English competitions in all three regencies to assess students’ progress after one month of English instruction.
The competitions featured several categories, including Flash Card Race, Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Race, Sentence Building, and Picture Talk.
Through these activities, students were not only tested on their English proficiency but were also encouraged to become more confident in actively using the language.
Participants responded positively to the program, saying they gained valuable new knowledge and felt more confident speaking English.
“I used to be afraid of speaking English, but now I’m much more confident. The teaching methods were fun and easy to understand,” said one student participant from Nabire.
SAPA Foundation is committed to improving educational quality, developing youth capacity, and empowering communities across Papua through education, training, skills development, and entrepreneurship programs.
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