Tuesday, December 29, 2015

1) BENNY WENDA RESPONDS TO THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, “WEST PAPUA WILL NEVER BE PART OF INDONESIA.”


2) President Joko Widodo arrives in Papua

3) Resignation of Freeport`s chairman to create new atmosphere: Sudirman

4) Indonesia Loses ‘Connector’ at Freeport-McMoRan
5) Freeport Shares Drop Following Moffet’s Resignation  
6) JOKOWI MUST TAKE CARE OF PAPUA WITH HEART : KOMARUDIN WATUBUN SAYS
7) CHURCH MUST PAY ATTENTION TO PAPUAN EDUCATION, FILEP KARMA SAYS
8) Statement by the Executive-Director of the LP3BH

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1) BENNY WENDA RESPONDS TO THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, “WEST PAPUA WILL NEVER BE PART OF INDONESIA.”
Des 29, 2015
December 28, 2015

West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda has written this statement in response to the Indonesian government boosting more military ties with Australia and warning countries not to support West Papua
Dear everyone,
On Monday 21st December, the Indonesian Defence and Foreign Ministers met with the Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers in Sydney and warned Australia and other countries to “respect its sovereignty over West Papua”.
Not only that but also they boasted about strengthening military ties with Australia, on the very same day that 22 year old West Papuan Marvel Doga was shot dead by the Indonesian military for protesting against a palm oil company. Such state killings and brutality are always the only ‘Christmas presents’ we West Papuans get from the Indonesian government.
What is there to be proud of for killing youths that challenge the corporations destroying their land?
The Indonesian Defence and Foreign Ministers meeting with the Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers in Sydney
The Indonesian government is clearly very worried about the growing international support for West Papua’s freedom and more evidence of this was witnessed when Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said,
“I would like to close on this point. It is a point that is very troubling for Indonesia, because Indonesia never meddles in the affairs of other countries, and likewise, we don’t want others to meddle in ours, or try and divide us. With regard to Papua, certain countries are meddling, and we don’t like it,”
He went onto say “For us, Papua is [part] of the united Republic of Indonesia. The united Republic of Indonesia extends from Sabang to Papua. There is no other solution, that’s it, that’s the way it is,”
Let me tell the Indonesian Defence Minister now,
West Papua has never been and will never be part of Indonesia.
Indonesia is the problem. Independence for West Papua is the solution.
The Indonesian Defence Minister is an inherent part of this problem because he is responsible for the more than 40,000 Indonesian soldiers illegally occupying West Papua. He has no right to talk about West Papua and can talk about Indonesia from Sabang to the Moluccas because that is where Indonesia’s real borders belong but West Papua is a Melanesian nation that has nothing to do with Indonesia.
Most commentators would agree that the reunification of Melanesian people is something to be praised and in fact the Melanesian nation of Vanuatu has been praised for encouraging Melanesian unification as part of supporting West Provincial Government Allocates 2.6 Trillion for Economic SectorPapua’s freedom.
However, the Indonesian government is also clearly very worried about the reunification of the Melanesian and Pan-Pacific Islander family because having issued a warning to Australia and other countries, Ryacudu then insulted our Melanesian brothers and sisters in Vanuatu and attacked Melanesian sovereignty when he said
“Vanuatu persists in encouraging Melanesian people to reunite. That’s not right, and I disagree with it.”
I response to this, I say
Indonesia has no right to meddle in the internal affairs of Melanesia. We Melanesian Pacific Islanders do not need Indonesia’s permission to reunite.
Melanesian and Pan-Pacific unity flows in every river, whispers up every tree and floats upon every wave of the Pacific Ocean. It surges through our very souls as Melanesian people. We continue to yearn and continue to strive to reunite with wantoks; with all our brothers and sisters so that one day we will be one free family again.
The Indonesian Defence Minister might be warning countries around the world not to support a Free West Papua but let me warn the Indonesian Defence Minister
Through peaceful struggle, we West Papuans are ready to set ourselves free from the oppression of Indonesian rule. Indonesia’s colonialism will come to an end very soon.
This Defence Minister once infamously said that the killers of West Papuan Independence Leader Theys Eluay were “heroes”.
Who are the real criminals in West Papua when military generals like Ryacudu continue to approve of such killings and continue to orchestrate this ongoing genocide which has left over 500,000 West Papuan people dead?
Not only did Ryamizard Ryacudu warn Australia, Vanuatu and other countries over West Papua, he went onto say that Indonesia had “never disrupted or caused disruptions in other countries” and it expected the same of other nations regarding Papua and its long-running independence movement.
As a West Papuan, a Melanesian and a Pacific Islander I am outraged that such malicious threats and outright lies continue to be blurted out by Indonesian government ministers about the lives of my people and countries that support us.
Indonesia invaded West Papua, invaded East Timor and earlier this year executed Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumuran. They even threatened to go to war with Vanuatu because of its support for West Papua’s freedom.
We West Papuans (living just 250km North of Australia) have been suffering under a secret genocide and the illegal occupation of our country since West Papua was illegally annexed by Indonesia in the 1969 so called Act of Free Choice; (known to West Papuans as the Act of NO Choice.) During the resulting long decades of torture, it is estimated that over 500,000 people (in 3 West Papuans) has died because of this military occupation.
Earlier this month, the Human Rights Commission Komnas HAM has found that human rights violations have increased in West Papua this year, documenting over 700 West Papuans who were persecuted by the Indonesian State in 2015. Only last week on 19thDecember, 23 West Papuans were arrested and locked up just for peacefully demonstrating against the illegal Indonesian occupation.
The Indonesian government is doing all they can to try to stop the truth from coming out of occupied West Papua and Human Rights Watch recently released a 74 Page report detailing how foreign journalists are still being effectively barred from working there. On top of this, a few weeks ago the Indonesian President even ordered all International NGO’s to leave West Papua by the end of 2015, a move obviously proving that the Indonesian government has something to hide.

The Indonesian President Joko Widodo is also planning to visit West Papua before the end of 2015 but he is certainly not welcome. We West Papuans know that such visits are merely publicity stunts attempting to show government care about West Papua whereas actually the Indonesian President is visiting West Papua to further impose Indonesian state control over West Papua. This means more Indonesian soldiers and more deals with multinational corporations like Freeport McMoran that exploit and destroy our ancestral land. We firmly believe that his visit will only bring more trouble in 2016, more bloodshed of West Papuans.
Indonesia’s new ‘civilian President’, Joko Widodo with the Indonesian military
West Papuans are Australia’s closest neighbours and we West Papuans look to Australia as our big brother in the region. Therefore on behalf of my people I appeal to the Australian government not to forge more military ties with this human rights abusing government.
Why deal with a government that is committing genocide against your closest neighbours?
It has been revealed that Australian supplied military helicopters have previously been used to bomb West Papuan villages and so any new military ties between Indonesia and Australia send shivers down our spines. These new military ties terrify West Papuan villagers who do not know if they will be the next victims of this brutal genocide.
The Indonesian government has already failed to convince the world of all their moral, political and legal arguments over their continued occupation of West Papua and the only channel they have left is their so called ‘economic diplomacy’. The world needs to be aware that this is the only tactic the Indonesian government can use now.
Therefore I urge the Australian government and parliament to please look to the suffering of your closest neighbours in West Papua, and help to promote human lives over money from Indonesian “economic diplomacy”.
We desperately need the support of our big brother Australia to please help us against this secret genocide and the ongoing military occupation of our ancestral lands.
Please do continue to support my people, to write to your representatives and tell as many people as possible about West Papua.
Neither the threats of the Indonesian government nor the bullets of the Indonesian military will break the spirit of my people and our resolve to struggle for full freedom through self-determination.
We are certain that one day we will finally be free.
Benny Wenda
West Papuan Independence Leader
Spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua

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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/102248/president-joko-widodo-arrives-in-papua

2) President Joko Widodo arrives in Papua

Selasa, 29 Desember 2015 23:29 WIB | 397 Views
Merauke, Papua (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana arrived at Mopah airport in Merauke, Papua on Tuesday evening to visit Indonesias eastern provinces of Papua and West Papua.

The president and his entourage, including minister of public works and housing Basuki Hadimoeljono, presidential chief of staff Teten Masduki, and presidential communication team member Sukardi Rinakit, left Jakartas Halim Perdanakusumah airport at 13.40pm and arrived at Meraukes airport at 20.20pm aboard the presidential plane.

According to the head of the Press, Media and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat, President Joko Widodo will not only visit Merauke, but also Wamena and Sorong, before ending 2015 at Raja Ampat.

After attending an "Indonesias Dreams for 2015-2085" event in Hasanap Sai field in Merauke, the president and his entourage will travel to Wamena by plane, where he will dedicate new terminals at Wamena and Kaimana and meet with the people of Jayawijaya.

On Thursday he will proceed to Sorong and Raja Ampat. Before returning to Jakarta on Friday, January 1, he will visit a local sago factory.

This was the third visit to Papua and West Papua made by the President, following his first visit to the eastern provinces from December 27-29, 2014 and the second visit from May 8-11, 2015.

President Jokowi, as he is also called, has said he believed that by frequently visiting the region, conflicts in Papua would be settled.

"I will often visit Papua," he said at Waringin Sports Stadium in Jayapura on December 27, 2014.

Before visiting Papua, the President had visited several other provinces, including South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara, to inspect infrastructure development in the regions.

The visits are evidence that Indonesia is now leaving Java-centered orientation and turning to an Indonesia-centered vision, as President Jokowi said at the Heroes Day in Surabaya on November 10, 2015. 

"Indonesia is moving towards an Indonesia-centered and not Java-centered vision. Prosperity will not happen only in Java," he said at the time. 

reporting by agus salim
(H-YH/INE/a014)  
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014) 


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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/102240/resignation-of-freeports-chairman-to-create-new-atmosphere-sudirman

3) Resignation of Freeport`s chairman to create new atmosphere: Sudirman

Selasa, 29 Desember 2015 19:58 WIB | 453 Views
 Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias Energy Minister Sudirman Said expressed hope that the resignation of Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Inc.s Chairman James R. Moffett would create a new atmosphere.

"A new leader will always bring a new atmosphere and working style, including in his/her management of portfolios and stakeholders in Indonesia," he noted in a written press statement received here on Tuesday.

The minister said he always welcomed changes, and the Indonesian government respected the internal decision of the corporation.

"This is an internal corporate decision of Freeport McMoran. The government is not involved in it," he clarified.

Moffett, who is also the companys founder, is being replaced by Gerald J. Ford who is an independent director of Freeport McMoran.

Moffetts resignation came around when the US mining giant was still negotiating the extension of its mining contract in Papua with the Indonesian government.  

Freeport is seeking an extension of its contract that will expire in 2021.

The company has expressed its readiness to meet several requirements for the extension of the contract that have been submitted by the Indonesian government, including increasing royalties and investing up to US$18 billion for underground mining, infrastructure, and smelter development.

The contract extension issue has been the reason behind the case of the recorded conversations involving House Speaker Setya Novanto who demanded a stake in the company that led to his recent resignation.

On April 4, 1967, PT Freeport Indonesia had signed a working contract for mining in Erstberg in Papua for a period of 30 years until 1997.

In 1991, Freeport obtained an extension of its contract for another 30 years until 2021 following the discovery of the Grasberg mine in 1988.

The 1991 contract carried a clause that allowed a possible extension of the contract after its expiry in 2021 until 2041.

On December 31, 2012, Freeports proven reserves in Papua were recorded at 2.52 billion tons of ores comprising one percent copper, 0.83 grams of gold ore per ton, and 4.24 grams of silver ore per ton.(*)
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4) Indonesia Loses ‘Connector’ at Freeport-McMoRan

James R. Moffett’s departure at mining company could throw wrench in contract talks with government


By SARA SCHONHARDT And  BEN OTTO Dec. 29, 2015 1:31 p.m. ET
For decades, James R. Moffett guided the fortunes of the U.S.’s biggest mining company, Freeport-McMoRan Inc., in the crucial but sometimes tricky Indonesian marketplace.
The sudden resignation of Mr. Moffett as Freeport’s executive chairman, announced Monday, could throw a wrench into negotiations with the Indonesian government over the fate of one of Freeport’s—and Indonesia’s—biggest mines, industry analysts say.
At stake is a contract governing the operation of Freeport’s Grasberg mine, an immense open-pit excavation in the remote eastern-Indonesian province of Papua. Grasberg is one of the world’s biggest producers of gold and copper, and has played a central part in Freeport’s business since 1988, when exploration under the guidance of Mr. Moffett, a geologist and former wildcatter, found the deposits. Grasberg accounted for a sixth of Freeport’s copper and 93% of its gold production in 2014, pulling in $3 billion out of Freeport’s $21.4 billion in global revenue.
Mr. Moffett was “the key connector” between Freeport and Indonesian officials, with relationships and experience built up over decades, said Rangga D. Fadillah, an analyst from business consultancy Bower Group Asia. His resignation “will be a threat for a smooth renegotiation,” Mr. Fadillah said.
A spokesman for Freeport’s Indonesian unit declined to comment on how Mr. Moffett’s departure will affect Freeport’s business and referred questions to company representatives in the U.S., saying headquarters would issue a news release on the matter. A U.S.-based Freeport spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Freeport said Grasberg’s open-pit mineral reserves are falling fast, and it is seeking to renew its contract for 20 more years, so it can start investing in underground mining. Freeport has also agreed to divest itself of more than 10% of its stake in its Indonesian unit, in line with the country’s attempts to take control of more of its natural resources from foreign firms. 
Freeport faces a mid-January deadline to set a price at which the government or state agencies can purchase the stake. Those negotiations have been complicated by revelations—in an audiotape recording by a local Freeport executive—that a prominent Indonesian politician allegedly asked for Freeport shares in exchange for help with the contract renewal, in a meeting with the company earlier this year. The politician denied wrongdoing, and he resigned his post earlier this month as Parliamentary House of Representatives speaker; the matter is under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.
Freeport is also working to satisfy an Indonesian regulation that bans exports of unprocessed minerals unless it can show progress in building refining facilities in Indonesia.
Freeport’s experiences in Indonesia mirror the travails of many mining firms that are trying to rebuild operations while juggling restive investors and tumbling global demand for many of the commodities they produce. In August activist investor Carl Icahnrevealed he had taken an 8.5% stake in Freeport.
In an attempt to recover from a disastrous foray into oil and gas in 2013, Freeport suspended its dividend this month and said it would cut capital spending by billions of dollars in coming years. The company reported a loss of $3.8 billion in the third quarter and has seen its stock slide 70% this year and 16% in the past month.
Mr. Moffett, a 77-year-old Louisiana native, co-founded a predecessor of Freeport in the late 1960s, and frequently flew to Indonesia to oversee discussions with policy makers and other high-level officials, often taking the lead rather than Freeport’s local head.
Known even to the most senior Indonesian officials as “Jim Bob,” Mr. Moffett steered Freeport through decades of political and economic turbulence, including the rule of autocrat Suharto, separatist violence in Papua, where Grasberg is located, economic crises and a bumpy transition toward democracy.
Freeport’s dealings in Indonesia under Mr. Moffett have sparked controversy. The company battled allegations by human-rights groups in the late 1990s that it cooperated with Indonesian security forces in suppressing pro-independence activities in Papua. Freeport denied involvement in any human-rights abuses and has said it invests in community-development programs. 
Freeport’s Grasberg contract expires in 2021, and under Indonesian regulations it isn’t allowed to start the renewal process until 2019. Freeport is pressing for early renewal because it says it needs assurance it can continue operating in Indonesia before putting up the $18 billion investment needed to develop underground operations.
Indonesia has been pushing Freeport for key changes to its current contract, making the company’s continued operations dependent on things like increased royalties, the construction of a multibillion-dollar smelter and a smaller concession area.
Freeport also has significant operations in Peru, Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as natural gas and natural shale gas operations in the U.S., and is reviewing mining operations globally.
—Anita Rachman and Deden Sudrajat contributed to this article.
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TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER, 2015 | 17:38 WIB
5) Freeport Shares Drop Following Moffet’s Resignation  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Freeport McMoRan (FCX) shares continue to drop in the stock market following the recent resignation of its founder James Moffett. Moffet, also known as Jim Bob, also resigned from his position as the company's council. Moffet made his decision following a recent addition of two new company directors under the pressure from investor Carl Icahn.
Based on Tempo's observation on Bloomberg website, the shares continue to drop. In a previous trading session, the FCX share drops by 0.24 points from US$7.57 to US$7.33. The shares then drop even lower to a level of US$6.85, or 0.72 points lower from its previous value.
Moffet had led Freeport since 1984. Moffet is the founder of McMoran Oil and Gas Co in 1969 and was the one who initiates the acquisition of Freeport Minerals Co. in 1981. Moffet's resignation came just a few months after the company changes the organizational structure of its high-ranking officials.
DESTRIANITA K.
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6) JOKOWI MUST TAKE CARE OF PAPUA WITH HEART : KOMARUDIN WATUBUN SAYS
Des 27, 2015

Jakarta, Jubi – A member of Parliament from PDIP, Komarudin Watubun, said Setya Novanto’s resignation as Chairman of the House of Representatives for ethical violations is a momentum to defend the people of Papua.
“I hope everyone does not just stop at the results of the trial MKD. There is a snowball that must be dismantled to the core, “said Komarudin, in Jakarta on last week.
He continued, during the presence of PT. Freeport in Papua, is only used as a platform of central government’s interests.
“And Papuans become the victims. Shooting continues to occur. Now the people of Papua demand firm steps from President Jokowi, “he added.
Members of Parliament from Papua felt responsible for the policies of President Jokowi in Papua, because he was the first to invite Jokowi in Papua at the end of the legislative election campaign last year.
At that time, he entrusted Papua to Jokowi to not only take care with his mind but also with heart Thus, the Papuan people can avoid any conflict of interests related to the presence of PT. Freeport.
“That should be the entrance for Jokowi to realize his promise,” he stated. (*/ Tina)
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7) CHURCH MUST PAY ATTENTION TO PAPUAN EDUCATION, FILEP KARMA SAYS
Des 28, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Filep Karma urged a number of church institutions in Papua to pay attention to the education of Papuan children. 
Educational institutions should be able to prepare the next generation with better education to face globalization.
Karma stated during the book discussion and writing seminar on Life Stories in the Hall of the College of Theology Walter Post Sentani, Jayapura regency, Papua, on Sunday (27/12/2015). “First, the church needs to think about the children’ education institutions,” he said seriously.
He said, many children in Papua are not getting a good education. He cited those imprisoned for criminal cases. In Papua there is no prison for children. Children are punished and sent in an adult prison.
“Secondly, the church must build a rehabilitation institution because dependence on alcohol is very high, “he said.
He added, these children can be used by others to reached their will and it will be a great danger.
Balim Council Secretary Engelbertus Surabut said the government has no attention for native Papuans, so the church must take on the role. The Church is not only preaching, but must be more seriously to build moral education of the Papuans.
“Ora et Labora “ pray and work “must be implemented in Papua. The words of love must be real, if not, the gospel will never be real, “he said. (Mawel Benny/Tina)
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8) Statement by the Executive-Director of the LP3BH
29th December 2015

    If it is indeed true that Ir H. Joko Widodo is about to visit the Land of Papua as Head of State, he wlll be faced with a situation of
Human Rights Abuses committed  by the State Security Forces against the civilian population, in particular against the indigenous Papuan
people. Although it has been claimed that things would improve, they have continued to deteriorate which throws a negative light on a
democratic state all of which can be witnessed by the international community.

    Speaking as a Lawyer and Defender of Basic Human Rights here in the Land of Papua  which became an integral part of the Republic of
Indonesia 52 years ago, I can say that during all this time that up until the end of 2015, the Government of Indonesia has displayed no
political will to resolve the many grave human rights abuses that have occurred against the people of the Land of Papua.

    Since the Act of Free Choice occurred (according the Indonesian version), many people, perhaps hundreds or it could even be thousands
of people, have been the victims of grave human rights abuses.across the whole of the Land of Papua,

    Yet this is simply being ignored even though the facts reveal that this is at the very root of the problem of finding a solution to
the social-political conflict, as was made clear by the Institute of Scholars of Indonesian (LIPI) in its book, Papua Road Map.

    This has happened despite many calls by the Papuan people for a legal resolution of a number of acts of violence all of which were
violations of Basic Human Rights  here in the Land of Papua, as confirmed by the Congress of the Papuan People which was held in
Jayapura in 2000. It was this situation that led to the enactment of Law 21/2001 on Special Autonomy for the Province of Papua.

    Articles 44 to 46 of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua provide clear legal instructions for procedures, mechanisms and legal steps
that are needed to resolve the many cases of the basic rights violations of the Papuan People by the State.

     This is also stipulated in Law 39/1999 on Basic Human Rights and Law 26/2000 on Human Rights Courts as a sectoral part which has
binding legitimacy.     It is for me a matter of great regret that to this day, not a single case of alleged human rights abuses ever since the Act of Free
Choice was enacted in 1969 has been investigated and analysed so as to be resolved in according with the law.

    The Wasior Case in 2001 very clearly and factually complied with the stipulations of Article 7, Article 8 and Article 9 of Law 26/2000
on Human Rights Courts  meaning that it is still not clear whether this is a matter for KOMNAS HAM (Commission for Basic Human Rights) or
the Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia.

   This is also the problem with an incident that occurred when a number of students were shot on Karel Gobay Field, Enarotoli, District
of Paniai on 8 December 2014. There have been no follow-up legal investigations about human rights abuses in order to prove that human
rights violations occurred on that occasion.

    As the Executive Director of the Institute for Research, Investigation and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH) Manikwari, I call
upon President Joko Widodo to issue without delay a Presidential Decision (Keppres) which grants full powers  and authority to KOMNAS
HAM, for it to be able to conduct investigations and bring to justice those responsible for grave Human Rights Violations in the Land of
Papua, including the Wasiior Case before the Human Rights Court, in conditions that conform with the principle of upholding the law and
restoring the confidence of the International Community in Indonesia as a state that is truly democratic.

     President Joko Widodo should show respect and pay attention to the issue of grave human rights in the Land of Papua, which appear to
be genocidal which led to the State leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum to call for a fact-finding mission to be sent of the Land of
Papua in the near future.

    I fear that the government of Jokowi is dominated by ministers, staff members and political parties which are ultra nationalistic and
will not allow such a fact-finding mission to attend to this matter.

    Such a situation can only lead to political actions being taken by the Papuan people who are now united within the United Liberation
Movement of West Papua.to bring the issue of Papua, in particular the genocidal grave human rights violations, to the attention of the
international community, including  the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Islands Forum, as well as the United Nations.

    Systematic human rights violations have been occurring throughout the Land of Papua. while attention has been growing, in particular
regarding summary executions, torture, severe mal-treatment, detentions and arrests in violation of the law as well as excessive
violations of freedom of expression and actions against pro-democracy activists who have been raising these problems with the State in many
different ways..

     There is a lengthy list of various human rights violations that have been experienced by the indigenous Papuan  people and which have
been committed by members of the security forces, the TNI (Army of Indonesia ) and Polri (Police Force). oll of which have been occurring
continuously for the past 52 years.in the Land of Papua and which have
been getting worse.

    The fact is that not a single step has been taken by anyone to responsibly resolve these matters in accordance with the law, all of
which means that impunity has reigned supreme here in the Land of Papua.

Peace
Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive Director of the LP3BH in the Land of Papua.
[Translated by Carmel Budiardjo, Recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, 1995]
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Monday, December 28, 2015

1) MPR Urges Police to Tackle Separatism in Papua



2) Freeport Submits Permit Extension, Eyes Future Reform
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HTTP://EN.TEMPO.CO/READ/NEWS/2015/12/29/055731442/MPR-URGES-POLICE-TO-TACKLE-SEPARATISM-IN-PAPUA

TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER, 2015 | 11:00 WIB
1) MPR Urges Police to Tackle Separatism in Papua
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Hidayat Nur Wahid, expressed his concern about gunmen attack in Sinak Police Base in Puncak, Papua, on Sunday.
"Security threat in Indonesia is not limited to radicalism; separatism is also real and it is a threat," said Hidayat Monday, December 28.
 
Therefore, he urged the government to be more proportional in dealing with the threats. "Separatism is also a problem; do not just focusing on radicalism," he said.
 
Hidayat also gave an example that there was an attack a day after President Joko Widodo granted five political prisoners amnesty. "We need to concern about radicalism. However, we need to remember that our police are also the victims of separatism. They were attacked, murdered, and robbed" said Hidayat.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI

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2) Freeport Submits Permit Extension, Eyes Future Reform
By : Rangga Prakoso & Alin Almanar | on 7:35 PM December 28, 2015
Jakarta. Mining giant Freeport Indonesia has submitted its request to extend its permit for concentrate exports, set to expire on Jan. 28.
An Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry regulation stipulates concentrate exports extension requests must be submitted 45 to 30 days before the permit expires.
"We have submitted the extension request," Freeport Indonesia spokesman Riza Pratama said in Jakarta on Monday.
Indonesia reviews concentrate export permits every six months, as part of the much-criticized implementation of a mineral export ban policy that came into effect in January 2014.
The government ties in permit extensions with miners' willingness to develop smelters in an effort to add value to Indonesia's raw minerals in-country.
Freeport Indonesia — which operates Grasberg, one of the biggest copper and gold mines in the world — has committed to investing in a $2.3 billion project to expand the capacity of its joint-venture copper smelter in Gresik, East Java.
The government previously granted a permit to Freeport to export concentrates, valid from July 28 this year until Jan. 28, 2016.
The permit was granted after Freeport reported to the ministry that the Gresik smelter development had reached 11 percent. Riza declined to provide an updated estimate.

Concession saga
Freeport has been embroiled in a major political scandal this month, after the firm's Indonesian chief reported claims to the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said that then-House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto had attempted to extort the mining giant. Setya allegedly requested a stake in its divestment plan, estimated to be worth billions of dollars, in exchange for "high level" lobbying to allow the miner to secure contract extensions before its concession ends in 2021.
US-based parent Freeport McMoRan requested certainty for the 2021 extension, after announcing it plans to spend $15 billion in developing underground mining operations at Grasberg.
A government regulation, however, states concession extensions can only be filed within two years of the original end date — 2019 at the earliest in Freeport's case.
Sudirman last week told the Jakarta Globe that the miner had once told him a business plan of such a large scale "won't be feasible" without certainty of an extension.
Still, he did not disclose if an extension could be granted sooner than 2019.
The government will consider certain parameters, including reviewing the progress of smelter development and the extent of Freeport's commitment to investing in Gresik, Sudirman said.
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1) Take stern measures against attackers in Papua: VP

2) Joko’s Visit to Papua Unchanged Despite Attack
3) Shooting incident not related  to Jokowi visit: Religious  leader -
4) Bodies of shooting victims  removed to Jayapura
5) Gunmen kill 3 police in Indonesia’s troubled Papua
6) Attackers Kill 3 Policemen in Indonesia’s Papua Province
7) Joko Widodo to visit Papua
8) Trigana aircraft was not shot at during flight
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1) Take stern measures against attackers in Papua: VP
Senin, 28 Desember 2015 23:07 WIB
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla has directed the security agencies to take stern measures against those involved in the attack on the Sinak police precinct in the easternmost Indonesian province of Papua.  

"We must uphold the law everywhere in Indonesia. Anyone found guilty must face the strong arm of the law," he said here on Monday.

The vice president said both the military and the police will take strong steps to uphold the law in the area.

He said he was yet to receive a report from the National Police chief regarding the incident.

The attack on the Sinak police precinct came two days before President Joko Widodos scheduled visit to Papua on Tuesday. The visit will continue till the advent of the New Year.

Kalla said the security agencies will step up security during the presidents visit.

A group of unidentified people had attacked the police precinct on Sunday night, killing three police officers and leaving two others injured, Papua Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw said.  

The attackers also took away seven firearms of different types and several rounds of ammunition.(*)
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2) Joko’s Visit to Papua Unchanged Despite Attack
By : Farouk Arnaz | on 5:12 PM December 28, 2015

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo will not cancel plans to visit the province of Papua after a police station in the restive province was attacked by armed assailants, killing three police officers, a senior government official confirmed on Monday.
“Despite the shooting, which led to the deaths of three police officers, the president has not changed his intentions to celebrate New Year in Papua,” Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said at the state palace, as quoted by Tempo.
The Indonesian Military [TNI] in Papua, which is handling the security detail of Joko's three-day visit, have deemed the towns Joko plans to visit — Merauke, Wamena and Raja Ampat — safe and secure.
“This [shooting] will be taken into consideration but the president is sure it will be dealt with and has confidence in the TNI's security assessment,” Pramono said.
He added that Joko is further convinced spending New Year's Eve in Papua would prove the government's commitment to developing the resource-rich but severely underdeveloped province.
The Sinak subdistrict police station in Papua's Puncak district was attacked by a barrage of gunfire at 8.45 p.m. on Sunday, police said.
Three police officers manning the station were killed in the incident and another officer wounded. Several assailants then broke in to the headquarters' armory, stealing seven assault riffles and a crate of ammunition.
Police sent a joint team which included 30 officers from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) to Sinak using a Twin Otter airplane operated by Trigana on Monday morning.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Suharsono said the pilot cancelled his landing after hearing what he believed were gunshots. Suharsono said it is not yet known what the pilot heard, but maintained they were not shots being fired.
"The plane eventually landed [in Sinak] and the officers are on the scene," Suharsono said.
The plane returned from Sinak to transport the four victims of the shooting.

The remains of the slain officers — First. Brig. Ridho, Second. Brig. Arman and Second Brig. Ilham — are being taking to the homes of their families in Maluku, Papua and West Papua respectively.
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3) Shooting incident not related  to Jokowi visit: Religious  leader -


Nethy Dharma Somba, thejakartapost.com, Jayapura | National | Mon, December 28 2015, 9:20 PM -

The recent shooting incident in Sinak, Puncak regency, Papua, in which three police officers were killed, had no connection with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s plan to visit Papua at the end of the year, a religious leader has said.
“The shooting incident was only a sign of the unresolved hierarchical conflict between the Indonesian government and Papua’s indigenous people, especially those who identify as members of the separatist Free Papua Movement [OPM]. The conflicts are ongoing,” said Papua Peace Network (JDP) coordinator Rev. Neles Tebay on Monday.
He said that violent tactics had been a common response to problems during the 52 years of Papua’s integration with the Republic of Indonesia, but that violence had not been able resolve the problems. Instead, he said, violent tactics had only triggered revenge attacks and created a vicious circle of retribution.
Neles said that more civilians and members of security forces would fall victim to the conflict if the government did not find a proper solution.
“JDP still believes that the violent hierarchical conflict in Papua can be ended peacefully by all stakeholders,” the reverend said.
“Violent hierarchical conflict between the government and OPM members cannot be resolved by simply calling on them to leave their shelters in the forests and return to their home villages to work on development projects. Such appeals have been proven to be ineffective,” he added.
Rev. Neles recalled that in one effort to end the conflict, Indonesian security authorities had air dropped thousands of Bibles to Papuan forest areas with the hope that OPM members would find the Bibles, read them, repent and agree to end their separatist movement. However, the method was not successful.
“Therefore, it’s time for the government and OPM members to seek a realistic solution to end this hierarchical conflict,” said Neles.
He said that the JDP had suggested that the solution be pursued through a dialogue involving government and OPM representatives. 
“In the dialogue, the two parties should not blame and point fingers at each other, but jointly identify core problems and seek solutions that are acceptable to both the government and OPM members,” said Neles. (ebf)
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4) Bodies of shooting victims  removed to Jayapura
Nethy Dharma Somba, thejakartapost.com, Jayapura | Archipelago | Mon, December 28 2015, 8:21 PM -

Unresolved conflict: Again, an shooting has happened in Papua, in which a group of armed civilians have shot dead three police officers at the Sinak Police station in Puncak regency, Papua, on Sunday evening. The police are investigating motives of the deadly attack. (Illustration by Kompas/Handining) 


The bodies of three National Police members killed in a shooting at the Sinak Police office in Puncak regency, Papua, on Sunday evening – First Brig. Ilham, First Brig. Ridho Matdoan and Second Brig. Muhammad Arman Syah – have been flown to Jayapura.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw flew from Jayapura to Sinak to monitor first-hand the scene at Sinak Police station after the attack and the removal of the victims’ bodies to Jayapura on a Dimonim Air aircraft.
The three police officers were shot dead by an armed civilian group in an attack on the Sinak Police station at around 8:35 p.m. local time on Sunday.
It was reported that five Sinak Police officers were watching TV in a guard room when around 25 armed civilians attacked the station and shot them. Two of the five police officers, Second Brig. Ryan and Second Brig. Dumapa, managed to escape the attack. They ran to a nearby Military Sub-District Command (Koramil) post located around 300 meters from the police station and sought help.
Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Rudolf Patrick said in Jayapura that a shooting sound was reportedly heard once from an area behind the Sinak Police station before the armed civilian group reportedly broke through the back door of the station.
He further explained that the back door of the station had been closed prior to the incident but it was suspected that DK, a local resident who had been working as a non-permanent staff member at the office for four years, had opened it for the armed civilian group members.
“Our temporary analysis of the incident is that the shooting sound was a cue for DK to open the back door. After the attack, DK disappeared together with the group,” said Rudolf.
He said a forensic team from the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Jayapura would conduct an autopsy on the bodies before they were handed over to their families.
“This is partly to reveal what munitions they used to shoot our members,” said Rudolf.
He said it was suspected that the armed civilian group wanted to kill the police officers at the station to steal weapons.
“Details on the types of weapons and munitions taken during the attack are not yet known,” said Rudolf.
Information obtained by thejakartapost.com mentioned that among the weapons taken away by the armed civilian group were two AK rifles, three Mauser guns and two SS1 rifles as well as one case of munitions.
Meanwhile, Papua Peace Network (JDP) coordinator Rev. Neles Tebay said the shooting incident was a signal for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to immediately open a dialogue with Papuans, including members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM).
He admitted that the Indonesian government and security authorities had made various attempts to end conflict in Papua but none of them had been successful at winving the hearts of OPM members. (ebf)———————————————————————-
5) Gunmen kill 3 police in Indonesia’s troubled Papua
By Erol Ersoy - 
 
Security forces investigating which group behind attack during which assault rifles, ammunition were stolen from police station
By Ainur Rohmah
JAKARTA – Three Indonesian policemen have been killed and two others injured in an attack on their station in eastern Papua province, home to a decades-long insurgency for independence.
The national police declared Monday that it was too early to say whether the gunmen involved in the incident the night before belonged to the Free Papua Organization (OPM) separatist group.
“It’s too early [to conclude the OPM] are the perpetrators. There are many possibilities. This could be criminal or political motives,” the force’s spokesperson Anton Charliyan said.
“This could be cleared if [those responsible] are arrested. The police cannot guess,” MetroTV broadcast him saying.
During the attack in Puncak regency, the gunmen also seized seven assault rifles and a crate of ammunition.
Papua Regional Police suspect the assailants had criminal motives such as seizing weapons to strengthen their group, rather than the attack being related to President Joko Widodo’s planned visit to Papua to celebrate the New Year. Kompas.com quoted spokesperson Patrige Renwarin as saying, “because even without the arrival of the president, armed criminal groups still carry out attacks against officials and civilians.”
He added that since the attack occurred while officers were watching television and chatting, police suspect that a personnel member at the station had informed the gunmen about their “careless condition.”
Pledging to pursue those responsible, he said, “in our raids, we will try to catch the perpetrators alive or dead.”
Three platoons of troops have been deployed to pursue the groups that may have been involved.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Tjahjo Kumolo told Kompas that he suspected that a small group operating in an area of ​​Sinak district and known as Lekagak Telengge — or Tenggamati – was behind the attack.
Papua Governor Lukas Enembe has called on police to be vigilant in “vulnerable areas” where armed groups “threaten the public, and arbitrarily take livestock belonging to the community.”
Papua has been home to a low-level insurgency ever since the former Dutch colony was transferred to Indonesian rule in 1963. Despite its wealth of resources, the province is among the most impoverished and has witnessed the arrest of political prisoners and alleged abuses by security forces over the decades.
In Feb. 2013, seven unarmed military personnel were killed by armed groups in Sinak while trying to unload communications equipment that had arrived by plane.
In May, Indonesian President Joko Widodo pardoned five political prisoners in Papua and announced that foreign journalists would no longer need special permission for visits — which had also been restricted to human rights activists, aid workers and researchers.
After pledging to develop the region, the government of Widodo — who took office in October following a populist campaign — allocated $460 million for infrastructure projects in Papua this year focusing on roads, bridges, irrigation and sanitation.

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6) Attackers Kill 3 Policemen in Indonesia’s Papua Province


 By ALFIAN KARTONO, ASSOCIATED PRESS JAYAPURA, Indonesia — Dec 28, 2015, 10:50 AM ET

A group of about 15 gunmen attacked a police station in Indonesia's restive Papua province, killing three officers and wounding two others, police said Monday.
Local police spokesman Col. Patrige Renwarin said the assailants attacked the station in Sinak town in the mountainous district of Puncak late Sunday while the victims were watching television.
He said the attackers took away seven assault rifles and a crate of ammunition.
Police are investigating the motive for the attack, which occurred ahead of a planned visit by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to the province.
Jokowi is planning to visit Papua to celebrate the New Year in the province, where a giant U.S.-owned mine run by Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. is located.
In the capital, Jakarta, national police spokesman Maj. Gen. Anton Charliyan said it was too early to say whether the attackers were from separatist groups operating in the region.
A low-level insurgency for independence has continued in the region since it was transferred from Dutch to Indonesian rule in 1963.
In 2013, gunmen killed seven unarmed soldiers in Sinak, about 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) east of Jakarta.
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7) Joko Widodo to visit Papua

Updated 3 minutes ago


The Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, will today begin a three-day tour of Papua to inaugurate a number of development projects.
According to the Anatara news agency, the president is due to inaugurate a new office building for the local government in Jayawijaya district.
He is also expected to start a project to expand Wamena's airport, which will allow it to accommodate larger aircraft like the Boeing 737.
In Merauke, Indonesia's easternmost city near Papua New Guinea, Jokowi is scheduled to attend the inauguration of a 10,000-hectare plantation.
Officials say Joko will spend New Year’s Eve in Waisai, which is the seat of West Papua's Raja Ampat district and a renowned diving and marine tourism site.
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8) Trigana aircraft was not shot at during flight
Senin, 28 Desember 2015 15:43 WIB
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Police Headquarters denied on Monday that a Twin Otter aircraft carrying Papua Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw was shot at during its flight to Puncak Jaya District earlier in the day.

"The aircraft was not shot at during flight. The truth is that they heard the sounds of firearms," Chief of the Public Information Division at the National Police Headquarters Senior Commissioner Suharsono noted.

Suharsono said the pilot informed him that the Trigana aircraft was not fired upon. He also remarked that the aircraft was intact. 

Inspector General Waterpauw, accompanied by Puncak Jaya District Head Willem Wandik and some officials of the Papua Provincial Police, left for Sinak in Puncak Jaya aboard a Trigana Twin Otter aircraft to review the security situation in the wake of an attack on the Sinak police precinct on Sunday night.

Three police officers were killed, and two others sustained bullet injuries during the attack.

The attackers also took away seven firearms of AK-47 and SS types belonging to the police. 
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