AWPA Sydney

Saturday, March 27, 2021

1) Students hand over aid for Intan Jaya and Nduga refugees in Kuyawage

2) 22 firms partner with vocational schools in Papua, W Papua

3) Kick racism: Papuan soccer player receives supports after racially charged comments on his IG

4) Army in Yahukimo help locals get access to clean water

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(A google translate. Original Bahasa link)

https://jubi.co.id/papua-mahasiswa-serahkan-bantuan-bagi-pengungsi-intan-jaya-dan-nduga-di-kuyawage/

1) Students hand over aid for Intan Jaya and Nduga refugees in Kuyawage

Reporter: Yance Wenda March 27, 2021 11:34 pm

Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi

Some of the residents of Intan Jaya who fled to Nabire, Wednesday (10/3/2021). - Jubi / Abeth You

Jayapura, Jubi - Donations and assistance collected by students in Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua this week have been handed over to refugees from Intan Jaya Regency and Nduga Regency in Kuyawage, Lanny Jaya, Papua. The handover was carried out on Thursday (25/3/2021).

This was stated by the coordinator of raising donations and assistance for Intan Jaya refugees in Lanny Jaya, Melkyanus Wenda to Jubi, Saturday (27/3/2021). According to him, the aid that was handed over was collected by students from Lanny Jaya from 10 districts in the Lapago Customary Area on March 22-24, 2021.

"From the action that was carried out for three days, students and the Lanny Jaya community [have collected] 21 boxes of instant noodles, two sacks of rice, a carton of cooking oil, one carton of instant coffee, one carton of sandals, 18 sacks of wearable clothes, and money worth Rp. 16. million. The items we collected were delivered directly to the Nduga [and Intan Jaya] refugees in Kuyawage on Thursday, ”said Melkyanus Wenda.

Also read: Pemuda Lanny Jaya raises funds for families in Intan Jaya

The prolonged armed conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army and the TNI / Polri in Nduga and Intan Jaya Districts caused thousands of civilians to leave their hometowns and flee. Some of them fled to a number of neighboring districts, such as Nabire, Mimika, and Lanny Jaya Regencies.

Melkyanus said that the refugees in Lanny Jaya were scattered in several districts. “Refugees [from] Nduga [scattered] in Kwiyawage District, Goa Balim District, and West Wano District. We cannot confirm the number of refugees there. Our aid was immediately handed over to the existing refugee posts, then they would arrange it, ”he explained.

Wenda hopes that the assistance provided can be a blessing for the refugees. "The entire Lanny Jaya community hopes that this small contribution will benefit families who have fled from their own land, as a result of gunfire between the West Papua National Liberation Army and the TNI / Polri in Intan Jaya and Nduga," he said.

One of the refugees in Goa Balim District, Yehezkiel Kogoya, expressed his gratitude for the delivery of the aid. "We, from the refugees, would like to thank the people of Lanny Jaya and friends of the humanitarian team who have worked hard to raise goods and money for those who are currently in difficult circumstances. May God bless, "said Kogoya. (*)

Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G.

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https://en.antaranews.com/news/171094/22-firms-partner-with-vocational-schools-in-papua-w-papua

2) 22 firms partner with vocational schools in Papua, W Papua

5 hours ago

Sorong, W Papua (ANTARA) - Twenty-two companies have signed an agreement on a strategic partnership program with vocational high schools in Papua and West Papua, according to a top official from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture.

The agreement would boost efforts to strengthen the linkage between industries with vocational high schools in the two easternmost provinces, said Ahmad Saufi, director of partnership and linkage with companies and industries at the ministry's vocational education directorate, in Sorong city, West Papua on Saturday.

"Through this partnership, a link and match program can be strengthened,” he remarked.

The cooperation would help produce vocational school graduates with certified competencies and skills that meet the demands of the industrial sector, he said.

The partnering companies and associations include PT Intan Marine Product Development, PT Alam Papua, PT Medco Papua, PT Astra, PT Freeport Indonesia, Petrosea Tbk, BTM Al-Hijrah Sorong, CV Asli Papua Konsulindo, and the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI/Sorong chapter).

They also include PT Cobota, PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), PT Panca Duta Karya (Sorong), Swiss-Belhotel (Sorong), PT Bank Papua Sorong, PT BNI 46 Tbk. (Sorong branch), PT Telkom Indonesia, Bank Mandiri (Sorong branch), PT Trakindo Sorong, Rumah BUMN BNI, West Papua's National Development Partnership Agency (LPKN), PT Salawati Motorindo (Sorong), and PT Pelayaran Belibis Papua Mandiri.

The development of human resources in Papua and West Papua remains a challenge. The Human Development Index scores of the two provinces lag behind other Indonesian provinces, with Papua and West Papua scoring 64.7 and 60.84, respectively, on Indonesia's 2019 Human Development Index.

To improve the quality of human capital in Papua and West Papua, the Indonesian Finance Ministry has suggested that the regional governments allocate an endowment fund to finance human resource development and the education of native Papuans.

The fund can be allocated from Papua province's annual budget, director of the Finance Ministry's Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) Scholarship Program, Dwi Larso, stated.

The Papuan administration could adopt a similar endowment fund for education as the LPDP to support its human resources development efforts, he added. (INE)

Related news: Army in Yahukimo help locals get access to clean water

Related news: Two Papua New Guinea citizens nabbed for smuggling marijuana

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Friday, March 26, 2021

1) Military mystery: How many security personnel are there in West Papua?

2) The winding road of Papuan fighters, from OPM to terrorists

3) Jokowi is a ‘hero’ for Myanmar, what about justice for the Papuans?

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https://en.jubi.co.id/military-mystery-how-many-security-personnel-are-there-in-west-papua/

1) Military mystery: How many security personnel are there in West Papua?

News Desk March 26, 2021 3:43 pm

Indonesian Military personnel stand in ceremo10 ny on their arrival on March 9, 2021 in a Navy base in Jayapura, Papua. As many as 1,350 personnel were deployed to secure Indonesia-PNG borders. Courtesy of TNI.

West Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi

Jayapura, Jubi – Escalating tensions between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the West Papua National Liberation Army, which have caused the deaths of civilians, have led many to question: how many security personnel are there in West Papua?

“We don’t know,” deputy speaker I of Papua Legislative Council (DPR Papua), Yunus Wonda, said recently to Jubi. “I think even (Papua Governor Lukas Enembe) won’t know,” he said.

He said DPR Papua never received any reports on nonorganic security personnel deployed to Papua Land or internationally known as West Papua.

Read also: 1,350 military personnel deployed to secure Indonesia-PNG borders

Jakarta’s decision

He said the decision was fully in the hands of the central government. The security personnel themselves had their line of command, which was different from the civil bureaucracy, he said.

“But we have told the central government to not deploy too many personnel. We have asked them to just utilize the existing (organic) security personnel here,” Wonda said.

He said Papua Land does not need too many nonorganic security personnel as if Papua Land was at war.

Wonda suggested the central government to trust the provincial police chief and military commander to handle the escalating tensions because they knew better.

“Aren’t you ashamed of what the international world thinks of? We face our own people as if we’re at war (with foreign troops). The nonorganic security personnel did not understand the local people characteristics,” he said.

In late February and early March, Intan Jaya residents reported that a disabled man and a teenager were shot to death, allegedly by the TNI. The TNI claimed the teenager was a member of the TPNPB.

Read also: Three Intan Jaya residents dead, allegedly in the hands of TNI personnel

Intan Jaya Legislative councilor, Oktovianus Wandikbo, said on March 7 that the teenager was a student. He said the look of mountain people in Intan Jaya were typical, so to eyes that were not discerning, they would look similar to TPNPB.

“This kid was a school kid. But we in the mountains wore similar apparel: we wore orchid necklaces dangling on our chest, we had dreadlocks, overlarged jacket, boots for mud, brought noken, and some ate areca nuts. Security personnel who just arrived here had to learn this and to know the habits of the local people. Don’t mistake civilians with TPNPB, it’s fatally wrong,” he said.

A scholar from the School of Social and Political Sciences at Universitas Cenderawasih, Elvira Rumkabu, said researchers in Papua Land had a hard time getting the accurate data on the number of nonorganic security personnel sent to Papua by Jakarta.

“We had asked our friends in Jakarta who focused on security personnel issues, but they could not get any data about it as well,” Rumkabu said in a recent seminar.

Several public figures in Papua have called on the central government to pull out nonorganic security personnel from Papua Land. One of them was the coordinator of Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation of the Evangelist Church Synod in Papua Land, Pastor Leonora Balubun, who asked the central government to pull out the troops from Papua Land. “But they answered by sending more even though they knew that Papuans were afraid of the military personnel,” she said last month.

MRP councilor, Ciska Abugau, said in the same meeting that Papua Land’s organic security personnel should have been enough to handle security in the region.

‘We only follow orders’

The deputy head of Legal Department of Cenderawasih Military Command, Lt. Col. Abdul Azis, told the MRP’s meeting that the TNI had several types of military operations: battle operation, security operation, territorial operation, and border security operation.

He said the security policy in Papua Land was a “state political policy”, not TNI’s decision alone. He said what occurred in Papua at the moment were territorial and border security operations. He did not tell the meeting about the data of organic and nonorganic military personnel in Papua province, one of the two provinces in Papua Land.

“There won’t be any operation without the approval of the state,” he said on March 19.

The Regional Supervisory Inspector at Papua Police, Sr. Comr. Alfred Papare told the MRP meeting on March 2019 that the National Police deployed the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in “restive areas” in Papua, because Brimob had the capacity to handle armed groups.

“That’s the headquarters’ strategy. Besides enforcing the law, we have 600 Brimob personnel,” he said.

Papare said Brimob were deployed in Mimika, Puncak, Nduga, and Intan Jaya Regencies.

“I am aware of the calls to pull out nonorganic personnel of Papua, but it’s not our decision to make but the leaders in the central (government). We only follow orders,” Papare said.

‘Revise special autonomy law’

The head of Social Affairs, Population, Women Empowerment, and Child Protection in Papua province, Ribka Haluk, said on March 19, 2021, during a coordinating meeting with Papuan People Council (MRP) that as long as the Special Autonomy Law was not revised, Papuans’ calls to the central government on security matter would fall on deaf ears.

She said there were several things that were in the central government jurisdiction according to the Special Autonomy Law. One of them was security matters. “If we want no more outside deployment of personnel in Papua, we first revise the special autonomy law,” she said.

Read also: Intan Jaya conflict (2): Civilians become victims of TNI-TPNPB war

On March 9, 2021, the Cenderawasih Military Command welcomed 1,350 soldiers at a Navy port in Jayapura, Papua. The TNI said the personnel were to secure Indonesia and Papua New Guinea borders and the troops replaced another 1,350 deployed in July 2020.

A popular video on TikTok showed the soldiers boarded off a war ship and the video sent uneasy feelings among many native Papuans who had been traumatized by violence allegedly done by security personnel.

In 2018, Amnesty International released a report about unlawful killings, revealing that from January 2010 to February 2018, there were at least 95 deaths, and “The perpetrators have been both police officers and soldiers, and none of them have been subject to criminal investigation by an independent institution, “ wrote Amnesty Indonesia’s director, Usman Hamid, in July 2018.

Reporter: Arjuna Pademme

Editor: Dewi Wulandari

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A google translate. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.

Original Bahasa link at

https://jubi.co.id/jalan-berliku-pejuang-papua-dari-opm-hingga-terorisme/

2) The winding road of Papuan fighters, from OPM to terrorists

Reporter: Arjuna Pademme March 26, 2021 4:51 pm

Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi

Jayapura, Jubi - For decades Papuan independence fighters have shown their existence.

The seeds of Papuan resistance against the Indonesian government grew since the Dutch officially handed over West Irian (Papua) to the Indonesian government, May 1, 1963.

Papuans who feel that their freedom of freedom is being taken away organize themselves. Sparked the Free Papua Organization (OPM), an armed resistance movement.

The winding road traversed by the Papuan independence fighters to reclaim what they considered their rights. The Government of Indonesia continues to carry out various strategies and policies to reduce their resistance.

Military (security) approaches, development, and so-called negative public views of this group.

The government is reluctant to mention OPM. This is because it indicates the state recognizes the existence of Papuan independence fighters.

The government originally called them an armed group. The title was changed to an armed civilian group.

Then armed criminal groups, armed civilian criminal groups, and now there are plans to categorize OPM as a terrorist organization.

This plan was conveyed by the Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Police Commissioner General Boy Rafli Amar during a hearing with Commission III of the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta, earlier this week.

Also Read: BNPT is reviewing the status of TPNPB OPM

The statement of the former Papua Police Chief has been opposed by various parties. Director of the Democracy Alliance for Papua, Latifah Anum Siregar, reminded the government to be more careful in providing definitions.

"Yes, in my opinion, I'm sorry, maybe the government has lost its mind, how to handle [OPM]," said Anum Siregar to Jubi, Thursday (25/3/2021).

The definition of terrorism in Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning the crime of terrorism is very broad. Allows anyone to be categorized as terrorism. However, to label the OPM as a terrorism group must be considered properly.

According to Anum, it must be seen more clearly because the criminal act of terrorism is not yet clear in terms of its definition and scope.

Read also: BEM Uncen rejects the proposal that TPNPB and OPM be classified as terrorists

He is of the opinion that there is a contradiction in the law. For example Article 5 which states "The Crime of Terrorism as regulated in this Law must be considered not a political crime, and can be extradited or requested for mutual assistance as regulated in the provisions of laws and regulations."

"We know that the resistance in TPNPB / OPM has differences with terrorist groups. TPNPB / OPM has one goal. Namely political aspirations or independence. That's one of the differences, "he said.

Meanwhile, terrorist groups, said a member of the Papua Peace Network, have personal or group goals. Neither is the location. TPNPB / OPM only carried out actions in the Land of Papua.

Although in other places, including in some countries they have representatives. However, the main objective is towards the Land of Papua.

"TPNPB / OPM does not have personal goals. Their goal for large groups is to fight for independent political aspirations. The goals are different, "he said.

He is of the opinion, if you read the general explanation of the Law on terrorism, it is stated that the attacks on the population were random and not selected. So far, the OPM has carried out selective attacks against certain parties.

For example, security forces or civilians and facilities given certain definitions. The civilians who were attacked were considered prying eyes.

"Apart from that, we indeed condemn attacks on civilians. But in that context they provide a definition. If the terrorists were not, it could be randomly, not selected. The definition in the terrorist law itself mentions that, so there are differences, "he said.

Laurenzus Kadepa, a member of the commission on government, politics, law and human rights at the DPR Papua, stated the same thing.

"I think maybe the government has lost its way. I lost my mind in resolving the Papua problem and this was encouraged [to label the OPM as a terrorism group], ”said Kadepa.

Also read: Categorizing OPM as terrorism is not a solution to reducing conflict in Papua

The government's effort to study the designation of OPM as a terrorism group, said Kadepa, will in fact raise questions from many parties.

Not only those who are in Papua or those who have been pushing for peace in Papua, the international world will also question this.

"There will be questions, whether the government can no longer handle the existence of OPM, so that they want to be categorized as a terrorist group," he said.

The categorization of the OPM as a terrorist group may be viewed by the government as a way to "tame" a number of countries that have supported the struggle for independence for Papua.

Because in the international world, terrorism has no place. Almost all countries in the world say they reject the existence of terrorism.

"Meanwhile, if it is called a freedom fighter, for example the OPM, there are various countries that have expressed their support. Because they consider it part of human rights. Their representatives abroad are even accepted as citizens of certain countries, "he said.

Deputy coordinator for the Advocacy Division of KontraS, Arif Nur Fikri, is of the opinion that the broad definition of terrorism in the Law on the crime of terrorism poses a threat to all groups. Because the government can interpret it on its own.

He has criticized the breadth of the definition of terrorism since the beginning of the discussion on the revision of Law Number 15 of 2003 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism, to become Law Number 5 of 2018.

"This time it is OPM [which will be categorized as terrorism]. In the future, maybe other groups, "said Arief.

For example, parties who criticize the government or community groups who commit violence. Whether it is based on religion or socio-politics, it can also be said to be a terror organization

Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said classifying the OPM as a terrorism organization would not end human rights abuses against Papuans. Especially what the security forces allegedly did.

There are also concerns that the terrorist label against the OPM will be used as an excuse to limit the freedom of expression and assembly of indigenous Papuans.

Also read: Ligia Giay: Papuans don't need to prove that they are not OPM

In Jakarta, Komnas HAM Commissioner Amiruddin Al Rahab also reminded BNPT not to be reckless in assessing the conditions in Papua, by including OPM in a terrorist organization.

“Indeed, many victims have fallen in Papua, and this is a serious problem in Papua. However, the category of OPM as a terrorism organization is not the right solution, ”said Amiruddin Al Rahab.

Komnas HAM RI said Amiruddin would immediately communicate with Boy Rafli Amar. His party felt the need to further question the discourse on categorizing OPM as a terrorism organization.

Komnas HAM is of the view that now the best way to resolve the conflict in Papua is to uphold human rights and respect human rights by all parties.

“Don't be too emotional. Must find a more appropriate solution. From the perspective of Komnas HAM, yes, with the enforcement of human rights and respect for human rights by all parties, "said Amiruddin. (*)

Editor: Angela Flassy

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https://asiapacificreport.nz/2021/03/26/jokowi-is-a-hero-for-myanmar-what-about-justice-for-the-papuans/

3) Jokowi is a ‘hero’ for Myanmar, what about justice for the Papuans?

By APR editor -

By Kristianto Galuwo in Jayapura

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has responded to comments by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, who recently condemned violence by the military junta against pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar.

The executive director of the ULMWP in Papua, Markus Haluk, said that the Papuan people also strongly condemned the actions of the Myanmar military junta which had seized power by violating the principles of democracy and human rights of the Myanmar people.

“We condemn the anti-democratic military action of Myanmar, that is the principle of the people of West Papua,” he said.

READ MORE: West Papua and Myanmar

“The West Papuans reject the Indonesian and American governments which had been anti-decolonisation by the Dutch government towards the West Papuans since 1963. The West Papuans oppose violence against anyone.”

Haluk said that while watching President Jokowi’s calls over the situation in Myanmar he had felt upset and angry because the Indonesian government had made the public question its democratic principles.

The Indonesian government condemned Myanmar’s military but at the same time the government’s actions against Papua were anti-humanitarian and anti-democratic.

“Honestly, I was angry, emotional, upset, but also I laughed out loud.

‘The problem in your backyard’
“You always talk about democracy, human rights, being a hero for those over there, but what about those in front of your eyes – the problem in your backyard is the problem of Papua,” Haluk said.

“What did President Jokowi do [to solve Papuan conflict]? Has he finished [the Papuan conflict] with 11 visits? Has he finished [the Papuan conflict) with building the Port Numbay Red Bridge?

“Is it by holding PON XX [National Sports Week in October 2021 in Papua] and building facilities with a value of trillions of rupiah? Is it by sending TNI/POLRI [Indonesian military and police] troops from outside Papua?” he said.

Haluk said that all that Jakarta had done would never resolve the political conflict between West Papua and the Indonesian government for the past 58 years – 1963-2021.

The Indonesian government must think about concrete steps to resolve the crisis.

“I convey to President Jokowi that now is the time for him to talk about Myanmar and it is indeed time to resolve political conflicts and human rights violations, crimes against humanity that continue to increase in West Papua,” he said.

Haluk said there were several concrete steps that President Jokowi could take.

President must honour promises
The President must fulfil his promise to the chair of the UN Human Rights Council to come to West Papua.

“That is in accordance with President Jokowi’s promise to the chair of the UN Human Rights Council in February 2018 in Jakarta.”

He said the president must also fulfil his promise in 2015 that foreign journalists would be allowed to freely enter Papua. Not only journalists, but also for all international communities to visit Papua.

“Allow access for international journalists, foreign diplomats, academics, members of the senate and congress as well as the international community to visit West Papua,” he said.

Meanwhile, Selpius Bobi, an activist for the victims of March 16, 2006, said last week that the Indonesian government had never stopped suppressing the freedom of indigenous Papuans.

The events that put him in prison 15 years ago were still ongoing. He said it was better for the state to admit its mistakes in West Papua.

“The Indonesian state must courageously, honestly and openly acknowledge to the public the deadly scenario behind the March 16, 2006 tragedy which it was responsible for and apologise to the victims,” he said.

Freeport clash and tragedy
Three policemen and an airman were killed and 24 other people wounded during a clash with Papuan students who had been demanding the closure of PT Freeport’s Grasberg mine.

Indonesia committed violence against the Papuan people to take away its natural wealth.

“We declare that PT Freeport Indonesia must be closed and let us negotiate between the United States, Indonesia and West Papua as responsibility and compensation for the West Papuan people who were sacrificed because of the unilateral cooperation agreement related to mining exploitation,” he said.

He also urged President Jokowi to immediately stop the crimes that were rampant in West Papua.

“Stop violence, stop military operations, stop sending TNI-POLRI, stop kidnappings and killings, stop stigmatisation and discrimination, stop arbitrary arrest and imprisonment for West Papuan human rights activists, and immediately withdraw non-organic troops from the Land of Papua, revoke the Papua Special Autonomy Law and stop the division of the province in the Land of Papua.”

This article has been translated by a Pacific Media Watch project contributor.

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