Wednesday, April 29, 2015

WEST PAPUA: Open access now 'vital', say NZ journalists, rights activists


http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/pacific-media-watch/west-papua-open-access-now-vital-say-nz-journalists-rights-activists-9248

WEST PAPUA: Open access now 'vital', say NZ journalists, rights activists

Green MPs Catherine Delahunty - one of the Tapol letter co-signatories - and Steffan Browning outside the Indonesian Embassy in Wellington last year. Image: Green Party.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Item: 9248
Alistar Kata
AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): The spokesperson for the main journalists union in New Zealand today criticised the Indonesian blocking of access for international journalists in the West Papua region but says he is even more concerned about the "intimidation"  of local Papuan journalists.
Brent Edwards, convenor of the EPMU's Print and Media Industry Council, told Pacific Media Watch the lack of access for international journalists has been a "big concern".
“But as important, if not more important, is the treatment of journalists in West Papua," he said.
"How free are they to go about their business of reporting free from fear of intimidation or government heavy-handedness?"
A global appeal, being launched today by the London-based Indonesian human rights organisation Tapol, is calling for President Joko Widodo to give "free and open access" to "international journalists, humanitarian organisations, and human rights observers into the two provinces of Papua and West Papua.
With the plight of self-determination for the West Papuan people, Edwards said the Indonesian authorities were trying to "clamp down on any expression of that particular view".
“I know, talking to one or two West Papuan journalists that I’ve met, they clearly do their job under tremendous difficulty and it takes quite a lot of courage on their part to do the job," he said.
"It forces them to adopt some level of self-censorship to try and avoid in order to keep publishing or broadcasting".
Human rights' abuses
Restricted access also affects human rights' groups entry into the region.
The Pacific Media Centre's director, Professor David Robie, himself wearing a black "free West Papua" tee-shirt, condemned the Indonesian "media blackout" and described changes by Indonesian authorities to allow a handful of selected Western journalists from Jakarta to visit Papua as being designed to "delude neighbouring countries".

He had written on West Papuan issues for several years and had never been allowed into the region.
But he added that there been a shift in public information and while mainstream media in New Zealand had not caught up with the West Papua issue, social media and citizen journalism were creating a "global groundswell".
He was one of the signatories to the international Tapol letter.
Amnesty International New Zealand activism support manager Margaret Taylor said the region was a "very closed shop", with the organisation having been denied access to the West Papua region since 2002.
Taylor said when media or observers are not allowed access, "grave human rights abuses occur".
“Peaceful protest in Papua can end up getting you killed and or severly injured, and if you survive the experience you could end up in prison for decades, " she said.
“There is brutal repression regularly at the hands of military and police and because they go unobserved, they act with impunity".
'Public right to know'
Allowing international journalists entry into the West Papua province meant "the public's right to know is respected".
Edwards said: “If their right to know is to be respected, then journalists have to be free to move around and report as they wish without fear or favour.
“Until that happens, there will be ongoing suspicion about Indonesia and its motives there."
Taylor said entrance for human rights groups and observers was "vital because in the darkness, bad things happen".
“Human rights’ observers and the media act as a great dose of sunshine and they put a spotlight onto the abuses."
Taylor said another main reason to get into the provinces, was to observe that President Widodo kept his promises.
Widodo's promises
"He made promises that he would open up access to Papua province and improve Indonesia’s human rights’ record, but there was no sign of improvement in this side of Indonesia at all".
For organisations like Amnesty International to do their job, Taylor said they needed to be "standing alongside" the Papuan people.
“Papuan journalists do put their lives and their livelihoods on the line for reporting and getting coverage out to the waiting world," she said.
“Let’s make sure their efforts aren’t wasted and then we can certainly add balance and weight to what they’re saying by spreading their message far and wide."
World-wide attention
According to Taylor, international pressure from New Zealand was attracting the "world's attention".
“It is getting traction, the story is getting out there, people are aware of the issues," she said.
“Particularly here in New Zealand, we draw from a population, including Pacific and Melanesian people that say, well, 'hey, they’re our brothers and sisters, and there is an increasing awareness of and acknowledgement of that and there is a need to act."
Edwards said for journalists, pressures from neighbouring countries was "one way of providing support for local journalists".
"It's ensuring the Indonesian government knows the international community of journalists, at least, aren’t turning a blind eye to it and will continue to agitate for press freedom in West Papua".
Supporters of #OpenPapua staged a vigil in Auckland's Aotea Square yesterday and at Parliament in Wellington today.

'Open up' global plea


PMC's Professor David Robie ... growing "global groundswell" of West Papua awareness. Image: Alistar Kata/PMC
The Australia West Papua Association supports the joint statement on "open access" in Sydney today . Image: AWPA
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1) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR ACCESS TO WEST PAPUA UNITES PROTESTORS ACROSS 20 CITIES

2) West Papua protesters call on Indonesia to ‘stop murdering people’
3) Uproar: What is Hidden Indonesia in Papua?
4)St udents Urge Papua Legislative Council to Be Impartial over Yahukimo Case
5) Papuans Must Stand Up to Fight
6) Indonesian and PNG Soldiers Teach Elementary School Students


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1) GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR ACCESS TO WEST PAPUA UNITES PROTESTORS ACROSS 20 CITIES


PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2015.
London demonstrators lead global protest against Indonesian media blackout in West Papua.
See the the open letter to President Joko Widodo here.
London, 29 April 2014 – Dozens of demonstrators dressed in black gathered outside the Indonesian Embassy today to lead the global protest against West Papua’s 50-year long isolation. The demonstration was organised by TAPOL and Survival International, supported by Amnesty UK and the Free West Papua Campaign. The rally was one of 22 protests around the world calling for free and open access to Indonesia’s most secretive region. Since West Papua’s annexation in 1963, Indonesia has imposed a media blackout on the contested, resource-rich territory, allowing perpetrators of human rights violations to act with total impunity. West Papua is one of the world’s most isolated conflict spots. For decades, Indonesian security forces have brutally suppressed Papuan pro-independence movements.
The ‘Global Day of Action for Free and Open Access to Papua’ has sparked rallies in West Papua, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Scotland, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Protests in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco are planned to take place later today. This global coordinated effort, the first of its kind, shows that worldwide solidarity for West Papua has reached unprecedented levels.
Esther Cann from TAPOL, a London-based NGO coordinating the rally said, “This is the first time we’ve seen anything like this level of support for West Papua. NGOs, parliamentarians and solidarity groups all around the world are telling Indonesia that human rights abuses in Papua can no longer be ignored. Papuan voices must be heard. In this age of information, it’s astounding that there are blackspot regions like West Papua.”
From the Solomon Islands to Scotland to San Francisco, hundreds of demonstrators from 22 cities in 10 different countries united to call for a free and open West Papua. Demonstrators wore black, representing the ongoing media blackout in West Papua. They gathered to demand that President Joko Widodo fulfill his presidential campaign promise of opening West Papua to international journalists, humanitarian and human rights organisations. A three-minute silence was observed to symbolize the silencing of the media in West Papua.
“President Jokowi himself has said that there is nothing to hide in Papua. So why is it still virtually impossible for journalists and NGOs to report on Papua? We know that serious human rights violations are happening in Papua, but we still have no idea of the scale of the killings and torture over the last 50 years,” said Cann.
“This global day of action is our way of telling the Indonesian government that the world is watching. Even though they’ve kept West Papua isolated for 50 years, the world has not forgotten. The truth must and will come out,” said human rights activist Peter Tatchell, who took part in the protest.
At the end of the demonstration, a joint letter to President Jokowi signed by 52 Papuan, Indonesian and international groups and parliamentarians was delivered to the Indonesian Embassy in London. The letter pointed out that ‘the media blackout denies the Papuan people the right to have their voices heard and allows human rights violations such as killings, torture and arbitrary arrests, to continue with impunity … The de-facto ban on foreign journalists, NGOs and humanitarian organisations contributes to the isolation of local journalists, and makes independent investigation and corroboration virtually impossible’. An Avaaz petition calling for media freedom in West Papua, launched by the Free West Papua Campaign and signed by over 47,000 people was delivered to President Jokowi by Papuan students in Jakarta today.
Reporters without Borders, a co-signatory to the joint letter, criticised Indonesia’s decline in media freedom. Benjamin Ismail, the Head of the Asia-Pacific Desk at Reporters without Borders said, “Indonesia’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has worsened dramatically in the last four years. In 2015, it ranked 138 out of 180 countries. This year’s position is mainly the result of the media blackout in West Papua orchestrated by the authorities.”
Access for UN human rights observers has been closed for eight years. In recent years, international humanitarian agencies and NGOs have been pressured to close their field offices and leave Papua. International journalists and NGOs seeking to visit and work in Papua are currently required to undergo a stringent visa application process involving the unanimous approval of 18 separate government agencies known as the Clearing House committee.
In October last year, two French journalists were sentenced to 11 weeks in detention under immigration charges because they had tried to report the Papua conflict. During a UN Human Rights Council event last month, Valentine Bourrat, one of the two journalists detained stated that “…keeping Papua closed to journalists means that the Indonesian authorities are hiding human rights violations. As journalists we cannot let a murderous silence prevail.”
Independent reporting by local and national journalists in Papua is dangerous and sometimes lethal. According to the Papuan branch of Indonesia’s Alliance of Independent Journalists (Aliansi Jurnalis Independen, AJI), in 2014 there were 20 reported cases of violence and intimidation against journalists in Papua.
“Journalists must be able to work without intimidation, threats or restriction. We should be able to report independently and without fear for our security. Why is this not guaranteed to journalists in Papua? As Indonesian citizens, why are our rights not safeguarded?” said Oktovianus Pogau, a journalist with Suara Papua, a Papuan news site.
During his presidential campaign, President Jokowi publically stated that there was nothing to hide in Papua and promised to open the region. Yet six months into his presidency, Papua remains closed off to the international community. While President Jokowi has pledged his commitment to resolve past rights abuses, the execution of eight people for alleged drug trafficking offences less than 24 hours ago puts the future direction of Indonesia’s human rights into serious question.
Contact: Esther Cann, Coordinator, TAPOL, +44 7503 400308 esther.cann@tapol.org For photos of demonstrations in other cities please email campaigns@tapol.org
MORE INFO :
PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE : WEST PAPUA: Open access now ’vital’, say NZ journalists, rights activists
WEST PAPUA MEDIA ALERTS : The Eyes of the Papuans: A video advocacy process
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2) West Papua protesters call on Indonesia to ‘stop murdering people’
PROTESTERS outside the Indonesian consulate in Darwin have called on the country to “stop murdering people”.
A small group gathered for a global day of action for media access in West Papua on Wednesday with about half a dozen police present.
Similar protests will take place in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, as well as internationally.
Protesters said the event had been planned for some time and the timing was coincidental after the executions of Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in Indonesia overnight.
“We’re very disappointed with (Indonesian president) Joko Widodo for taking this action,” protester Rob Wesley-Smith told AAP.
“If they want to be a modern, contemporary country they should do away with the death penalty.”
He said he had hoped President Widodo would have been more liberal than his militaristic predecessors.
“We’re calling on Indonesia to stop murdering people,” he said.
He welcomed Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s announcement on Wednesday that ambassador Paul Grigson would be recalled from Jakarta, but said there could be economic ramifications for the Northern Territory if Indonesia retaliated, such as by reducing its quota of NT cattle.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Adam Giles issued a statement on the executions, saying his thoughts were with the Chan and Sukumaran families.
“The loss of a child is a tragedy for any parent, let alone in the circumstances witnessed in Indonesia overnight,” he said.
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A google translate of article in majalahselangkah.com . Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa link at

3) Uproar: What is Hidden Indonesia in Papua?
Wednesday, April 29, 2015 19:37 Reads: 410 Comments: 0
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Uproar unfurled a banner at a demonstration in the campus area Uncen. Photo: Frances Therese Tekege
Jayapura, MAGAZINE STEP - Student Movement, Youth and Papua People (Uproar) held a peaceful demonstration in Jayapura two different places, in the pages of Cendrawasih University (Uncen) Abepura campus and campus Housing III Waena, Wednesday (04/29/2015) afternoon ,
Uproar urged the Indonesian government immediately open free and open access to Papua for foreign journalists, humanitarian agencies, and international human rights organisations. "What is hidden Indonesia in Papua for 52 years?" asked the Secretary General of the uproar, Samuel Womsiwor on this demonstras.Demonstrations with similar demands held in a number of countries under the coordinated International Prisoners in London England with the theme of "WATCH INDONESIA," see what the Indonesian state against the people of Papua?
However, the demonstration uproar in Papua not without a hitch. The peaceful demonstration confronted the police in Abepura campus and campus Housing III Waena.
Reportedly, Rector Uncen also briefly banned the students marched on campus (read: Rector Uncen and police bans uproar Holds Demonstration "Journalists access to Papua." (Teresa Frances Tekege / MS)
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4)St udents Urge Papua Legislative Council to Be Impartial over Yahukimo Case

Jayapura, Jubi – Students from Yahukimo urged the Papua Legislative Council’s special committee to immediately follow up on its investigation and publish the results openly.
The Coordinator of Student Solidarity for the Yahukimo Incident, Olmek Nawa, told reporters last Monday that the investigation team must not take sides in its inquiry.
“The students asked the Papua Legislative Council to involve the students and NGOs in investigating the Yahukimo case. But since we are not involved in the investigation, I went to Yahukimo to collect some data and now I have sufficient data,” Nawa told reporters in Waena.
“I appeal the Papuan people to wait until the result of investigation is published by the Papua Legislative Council,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Student Representative Council Chairman of Faculty of Social and Political Science from Cenderawasih University, Pontius Omoldoman said Yahukimo students are currently waiting for the results of investigation by the parliament. The students asked the Papua Legislative Council to be neutral in covering the perpetrator.
“If the result does not correspond to the reality on the ground, we will rally to the Parliament Office once again. We are, the students, not hesitate to voice about the truth in Papua. We asked them to not making a mistake in revealing the result of investigation. If they made a mistake, we will ask them to compile their data with ours, and NGOs. (Arnold Belau/Rom)
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5) Papuans Must Stand Up to Fight
Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of students, activists, journalists and young people who are members of Papua Cultural Care Generation held the event ‘In Memoriam of Arnold Ap’ in front of Cenderawasih University Cultural Museum to commemorate 31 years after the death of legendary Papuan musician Arnold Ap, who was killed by the military on 26 April, 1984.
The Papua Bersatu Untuk Kebenaran (BUK/Papua Unite for Truth) Coordiantor, Peneas Lokbere said long after the murder of Arnold Ap Papuans continued to be victimized in many ways.
“Papuans shouldn’t forget their culture. Papuans must stand up to fight. Arnold Ap was killed by the state, but the Papuans’ spirit to fight should not be stuck in here. The struggle must go on,” he said when delivering messages in the murder day of Arnold Ap last Sunday in Cenderawasih University Cultural Museum.
Meanwhile, Papuan human right activist Rossa Moiwend said the Papua young generation today should not forget their culture. Papuans must take their culture as their identity.  Kork (Frizzy Rasta Community) Coordinator Teddy Pekei added Papuans must rebuild their identity through its culture and arts. Arnold Ap has showed that every Papuans must grasp their culture as the foundation of Papua nation.
“Arnold Ap teaches us Papuans not to discriminate every tribe and nation in the land of Papua. He showed it through his songs that compiled from various Papuan languages,” he said.
After thirty-one years, the Government of Indonesia has not realizing that the murder of Arnold Ap and Eddy Mofu by the security force is the planned-murder and paralyzed towards Papuan identity and character of culture.
In commemorating the thirty-one years of death of Arnold Ap, the President Joko Widodo is urged to apologize to Papuan people for the crime and violation against the human rights and the paralyze of the character of Papuan culture by State’s apparatus (Military/Police) in Papua.
While the Papua Provincial Government is asked to support and assist the development of Mambesak (folk) music as part of Papuan culture and Papuans unification as well as to renovate Arnold Ap and Eddy Mofu’s grave where located in Tanah Hitam in respecting them. (Arnold Belau)
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6) Indonesian and PNG Soldiers Teach Elementary School Students

Jayapura, Jubi – A task force of border security (Pamtas) of the Republic of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (RI-PNG) taught national awareness to elementary students of SD Inpres Kampung Workwana, Keerom.
In addition, soldiers of Battalion 400/Rider also painted and cleaned the  elementary school.
According to Lieutenant Chb Sani Adithya Dharma, for four days, the military carried out painting and cleaning around the school as well as taught the kids about the importance of cleanliness, taught basic knowledge about computer, nationality and drills. The services are from Friday (17/4) to Tuesday ( 21/4).
“The service  is one form of territorial development undertaken by soldiers,” he said in Jayapura this week.
He further explained, Workwana is one of the villages in Arso, Keerom where there is one RI-PNG border post of task force from Battalion 400 / Raider led by Sergeant Dian Retno.
Dian Retno further said teaching and learning conditions in the border region is still quite poor.
“The presence of the military post in Kampung Workwana should be able to give a different color and draw the enthusiasm of the students to be more enthusiasm in learning activities by providing a wide range of subject particularly the awareness of nationality,” Lieutenant Sani said.
Separately, principal of Elementary school SD Workwana, Dominggas Karat, said the program was very good, especially to train students to be more disciplined.
“The presence of the military in the midst of the citizens is very precise, particularly in helping our school community which now looks clean and beautiful, so that we can be comfortable in teaching and learning process,” he said.
“I am very happy and grateful to the soldiers who have helped us in the process of learning. I can not give anything to them that willing to help our school. Once again, I thank you and proud of them. May God bless them, Amin, “Karat said. (*/rom)

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