2) Can Papua build Indonesia anew?
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1) Asking for Victor Yeimo to be released from detention, the police dispersed the crowd at the Papua High Court
Reporter: Hengky Yeimo August 30, 2021 10:28 pm
Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – Hundreds of people came to the Papua High Prosecutor's Office on Monday (30/8/2021) to demonstrate demanding that the Prosecutor's Office immediately release Victor Yeimo from detention for treatment at the hospital. Victor Yeimo's detention was finally suspended on Monday afternoon, and he has been taken to the Regional General Hospital or RSUD Jayapura.
The group of protesters came from the direction of Abepura, Jayapura City. At around 10:00, they arrived at the Papua High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati), and immediately held a speech at the entrance to the Papuan Prosecutor's Office. In their speech, the protesters demanded that the Prosecutor's Office for Papua immediately suspend the detention of the international spokesman for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Victor Yeimo.
Victor Yeimo is currently undergoing trial at the Jayapura District Court in a criminal case related to the anti-racism demonstration in Papua in 2019. On Friday (27/8/2021), the panel of judges chaired by Eddy Soeprayitno S Putra SH MH, with member judge Mathius SH MH and Andi Asmuruf SH decided to postpone the detention of Victor Yeimo, so that Yeimo could be treated because of illness.
Read also: Victor Yeimo is again examined by a doctor at the Jayapura Hospital
The crowd rallied at the Papua Prosecutor's Office on Monday, because until Victor Yeimo had not been released from detention. They asked the Procuratorate to immediately release Victor Yeimo from detention, and let Yeimo go to the hospital for treatment.
The police have closed the gates of the office, and barred the protesters from entering the office grounds. At around 13.00, the police dispersed the crowd, which was coordinated by the KNPB.
A number of protesters were injured in the disbandment, including Gad Holanue, Varra Iyaba, Hengki Giban, Leti Soll, Egenius Tebay, Jufri Dogomo. In addition, three participants in the Soleng soll protest, Beni Orsa Bayage, were arrested by the police.
The crowd rallied at the Papua Prosecutor's Office on Monday, because until Victor Yeimo had not been released from detention. They asked the Procuratorate to immediately release Victor Yeimo from detention, and let Yeimo go to the hospital for treatment.
The police have closed the gates of the office, and barred the protesters from entering the office grounds. At around 13.00, the police dispersed the crowd, which was coordinated by the KNPB.
A number of protesters were injured in the disbandment, including Gad Holanue, Varra Iyaba, Hengki Giban, Leti Soll, Egenius Tebay, Jufri Dogomo. In addition, three participants in the Soleng soll protest, Beni Orsa Bayage, were arrested by the police.
Read also: Emanuel Gobay: Papuan Attorney General detains Victor Yeimo without any legal basis
Papuan DPR member John NR Gobai also complained about the police treatment which prevented him from entering the Papua Prosecutor's Office on Monday afternoon. In fact, Gobai is the person who is the guarantor in the determination of the suspension of detention issued by the Jayapura District Court.
“I was stopped by the police, then I was pulled over by the crowd. I did not enter and did not express my aspirations," said Gobai.
A member of the Indonesian Regional Representative Council from Papua, Herlina Murib, was also barred from entering the Papua Prosecutor's Office. "We hope that the police will not repeat the inhumane behavior shown by confronting us and expelling people who want to express their aspirations. It's against the law," Murib said.
Read also: John NR Gobai: Kajati Papua ignores Victor Yeimo's ban
The protest at the Papua Prosecutor's Office on Monday was the second demonstration by activists to demand that the Prosecutor's Office let Victor Yeimo go to the hospital for treatment. On Saturday (28/8/2021), the Papuan Prosecutor's Office also visited the Papuan Prosecutor's Office, because they were considered to have ignored the decision of the Jayapura District Court panel of judges who had suspended the detention of Victor Yeimo.
Because the Papuan Prosecutor's Office was empty on Saturday, the mob finally went to the residence of the Head of the Papuan High Prosecutor's Office, Nikolaus Kondomo. There, they again asked Kondomo to immediately carry out the suspension of Victor Yeimo's detention. However, Kondomo rejected the request, and stated that Victor Yeimo's suspension could only be done on Tuesday (31/8/2021).
On Monday at around 15.20 WP, Victor Yeimo was finally released from the detention house of the Papua Regional Mobile Brigade Headquarters, and taken to the Jayapura Regional Hospital. The ambulance was escorted by two police patrol cars and three black minibuses.
Read also: Feeling that Victor Yeimo's statement was ignored by the public prosecutor, the family went to the house of Kajati Papua
There were about 20 policemen escorting Yeimo to the Jayapura Regional Hospital. Public Prosecutors, Adrianus Tomana and Valerianus Dedi Sawaki were also present at the Jayapura Hospital.
Victor Yeimo was accompanied by advocate Emanuel Gobay and a number of other legal advisors. The two members of the Papuan DPR who became guarantors in the application for the suspension of detention of Victor Yeimo, Laurenzus Kadepa and John NR Gobai also accompanied Victor Yeimo. Yeimo's wife and mother were also at the Jayapura Hospital.
Public Prosecutor Adrianus Tomana when met by Jubi at the Jayapura Hospital said the medical examination on Monday was in accordance with the decision of the panel of judges to postpone the detention of Victor Yeimo. Tomana said the length of the suspension of detention would depend on the doctor's conclusion on Victor Yeimo's medical examination.
"When the time for the banning depends on the results of the doctor's examination. If the doctor declares that he has recovered, then our ban is lifted, and [Victor Yeimo] is returned to the detention cell,” he said. (*)
Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G
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2) Can Papua build Indonesia anew?
Rob Goodfellow (The Jakarta Post)
PREMIUM Wollongong, New South Wales ● Mon, August 30 2021
The pantheon of values that make up the rich social tapestry of modern Indonesia does not yet include “Papuan values”. Might such values include respect for the natural environment? Or the veneration of elders? Or esteem for customary practices that have stood the test of time and which have found new relevance in the age of global deforestation, arable land degradation and climate change? Or even new and emerging values such as gender equality and opportunities for women and girls?
If so, then such values would certainly complement the broad evolving Indonesian national character, still “a work in progress” despite the passage of 76 years since the Indonesian proclamation of independence.
In revealing a profile of Papuan values, one must first consider what questions Papuans might regard as essential to be asked and answered. This is sound not only in terms of the complex field of human diversity but significantly it is also Indonesian government policy—from the very top.
In December 2015, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo made these aspirations and intentions very clear when he said, “I want to listen to the people’s voices and I’m willing to open dialogue for a better Papua. The people of Papua don’t only need health care, education, and the construction of bridges and roads; they also need to be listened to.”
President Jokowi’s position was an acknowledgement that neither political remedies, such as the power sharing features of the Papuan People’s Assembly, nor infrastructure development, have substantially advanced the idea of national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity) as it relates to Papuan inclusion in the “big Indonesian family”.
There has been considerable research on the matrix of value systems across the international border in neighboring Papua New Guinea (PNG). This especially includes the Wantok (Tok Pisin for “one talk”) system, which characterizes not only common social, cultural, and personal ideals and principles but also illustrates the practical advantages of shared language and ethnicity, often confined by district or provincial boundaries or even geographic isolation.
This is further characterized by what might be considered universal PNG values such as “reciprocity” (exchange for mutual benefit) and “keeping time with the sun” (or an orientation toward the natural cycles of day and night rather than imposed time frames such as “nine to five”).
The PNG experience shows that when you ask someone respectfully what is important to them, such as what they value, you are asking because it matters. The question shapes what happens next.
Steven Rick Elson Mara, or Steve, comes from Serui, Papua province. He was born and raised in Wamena but now lives and works in Jakarta. He is the Papua youth chairman of LIRA (the People’s Information Barn) and a founder of the Inspirational Young Papuan Organization.
Steve completed his elementary and junior high school studies in Wamena, and high school in Jayapura city. He is a graduate of the Jayapura Law School and holds a postgraduate degree in National Defense in the Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution program, Indonesia Defense University, Bogor. His passion is in diplomacy and dialogue which he sees as the best way to solve social problems. His dream is to one day do his PhD.
Steve is proud of Indonesia’s ethnic diversity, especially Papua’s 270 tribes and 300 languages. And he is especially proud of the natural beauty of his home province.
When I asked Steve about his values, he answered that Papuans are known for their high level of tolerance and for their respect of culture, customs, and the power of nature.
“I am very happy when people from other ethnic groups in Indonesia respect my culture. Many Indonesians from other provinces who have lived in Papua for generations even love my culture more than their own. This makes me feel proud to be an Indonesian.”
Mariana Erny Buiney is an international relations education specialist with degrees from Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta and the Australian National University. She now teaches in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Cenderawasih University, Jayapura. Like Steve, Mariana hopes to continue her education to PhD level and has applied for an Australia Awards Scholarship. Mariana believes that more than anything “family values” characterize Papuan culture.
She says this value is based on the “extended intergenerational family” that ranges from distant cousins to great grandparents and mostly involves practical assistance and emotional support. She explains that a Papuan person’s identity, and even their self-esteem, is solidly grounded in the family. Mariana says, “If we understand and respect each other’s values, it means we can build good relationships. Besides, we can help each other if there are difficulties and especially work together for the common good.
When other Indonesians respect my values, it means my existence as a person is acknowledged and I feel part of the national family.” Yohana Susana Yembise was born in the city of Manokwari, West Papua. From 2014 until 2019 she served as women’s empowerment and child protection minister, becoming the first female minister originating from Papua to serve in an Indonesian government. She then became the first female Papuan to become a professor in Indonesia (Cenderawasih University.)
Her signature social program is known as “Three Ends” for ending domestic violence, ending human trafficking, and ending inequality of economic access to women. When you talk to Prof. Yembise you immediately sense that she has a contemporary perspective on Papuan values.
This reminds us that values are never static and always changing and sometimes need to be challenged. She says, “I'm not a politician, just an educator looking at the situation in Papua through my own eyes.” Yembise makes the strong point that she considers herself to be of the same value as a man, however, as she also says, “Women in Papua are still subordinated through many social norms for example, a bride price or dowry. This restricts a woman’s human potential and must be changed.” One of her other strong values is upholding the importance of consultation.
She says, “The government must continue listening to the aspirations of the people. Papuans are a proud people who are shaped by the vast nature of their province. While I was serving as a minister, I carried out a program for empowering women and protecting children in Papua by involving traditional and religious leaders so that the community began to feel valued. Most importantly, they felt their views were being considered as equal partners.”
Clearly Papuans like Steve Mara, Mariana Buiney and Yohana Yembise are proud Indonesian citizens with their own unique values-based contribution to the multi-ethnic Indonesian nation state project. And, as part of the new generation of Indonesian social policymakers, who are determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past, their ultimate question seems not to be, “How can Indonesia build Papua anew”, but rather, “How can Papua culture build Indonesia anew?” ***
The writer is an Australian federal government registered lobbyist and principal consultant with Cultural Consulting.
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