Statement - AWPA condemns the brutal killing of 4 West Papuan civilians +Photos from todays rally in Sydney.

Australian West Papua Association (Sydney)

Statement - AWPA  condemns the brutal killing of 4 West Papuan civilians

 

30 August 2022 

 

 

AWPA condemns the brutal killing of 4 West Papuan civilians in   Pigapu-Logopon Village in the  Mimika Regency in Papua. The victims were residents of neighbouring Nduga district where there are regular clashes between the Indonesian security forces and the Free Papua movement.

 

Local media has reported that the mutilated bodies were found in sacks. Residents from the local village were shocked to find four sacks in the nearby river. The sacks contained   headless and legless torsos.   

 

Joe Collins of AWPA said, “although six elite troops who are accused of involvement in the killing were arrested, it should be remembered that it’s rare for Indonesian security forces to be put on trial for human rights abuses in West Papua. Those that are usually receive very light sentences."  An example is the killing of Chief Theys Eluay  in 2001 by  Kopassus officers. In the end four Kopassus soldiers were convicted and sentenced to just a couple of years for the killing. The Commander in Chief of the Indonesian army at the time said, the soldiers should be considered heroes . What did they do wrong? all the did was kill a rebel leader. 

Joe Collins said, "it should also be remembered that Australia is involved in training and aiding the Indonesian security forces. If the idea is to make the Indonesian military more professional, the behaviour of  the Indonesian troops in West Papua shows it is a total failure.?

 

 

The 30 August is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

 

In March of these year  UN human rights experts expressed serious concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, citing shocking abuses against indigenous Papuans, including child killings, disappearances, torture and mass displacement of people.

 

Joe Collins said, "According to Canberra we have a special relationship with Indonesia. It's time for Canberra to use its good will with Indonesia  to call on Jakarta to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to be allowed into West Papua to conduct an urgent independent investigation into the human rights situation as other  Pacific leaders have done."

Ends

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Photos from todays rally in Sydney.

The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

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1) Indonesian troops accused of killing, mutilating 4 Papuans

2) TPNPB commander meets Komnas HAM Papua: Indonesia and Papua equal in Melanesian Spearhead Group 

3) Papua Police investigates murder of four Nduga residents 

4) Six Soldiers Named Suspects In Papua Mutilation Case  

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https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indonesian-troops-accused-killing-mutilating-papuans-89004179

1) Indonesian troops accused of killing, mutilating 4 Papuans

Indonesian security forces say they have arrested six elite troops who are accused of involvement in the killing of four indigenous Papuans and the mutilation of their bodies

ByThe Associated Press August 30, 2022, 1:28 AM 

JAYAPURA, Indonesia -- Indonesian security forces said Monday they have arrested six elite troops who are accused of involvement in the killing of four indigenous Papuans and the mutilation of their bodies.

“We are committed to upholding the law in this case,” Papua military chief Maj. Gen. Teguh Muji Angkasa told reporters in Jayapura, the capital of restive Papua province, “If any of our soldiers are involved in criminal acts, we will not tolerate it.”

Residents of Iwaka village in Mimika district were shocked on Friday by the discovery of four sacks, each containing a headless and legless torso, in the village river. Two other sacks were found separately, one containing four heads and the other eight legs. 

Police determined that the victims were residents of neighboring Nduga district who allegedly had driven a rented van to meet someone who had offered to sell an AK-47 rifle and a gun for 250 million rupiah ($16,800). Police said the men's mutilated bodies were placed in sacks filled with rocks and thrown into the river.

Conflicts between indigenous Papuans and Indonesian security forces are common in the impoverished Papua region, a former Dutch colony in the western part of New Guinea that is ethnically and culturally distinct from much of Indonesia. Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 after a U.N.-sponsored ballot that was widely seen as a sham. Since then, a low-level insurgency has simmered in the mineral-rich region, which is divided into two provinces, Papua and West Papua.

Papua military spokesperson Lt. Col. Herman Taryaman said the victims are suspected of having been sympathizers of an armed separatist group.

“The victims were actively looking for weapons and ammunition in Mimika,” Taryaman said.

Papua police spokesperson Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said the perpetrators also set fire to the men's van and took the money that was intended for buying the weapons. Police arrested three civilians over the weekend for suspected involvement in the killing, and that led to the arrest of the six soldiers by military police, Kamal said.

Sebby Sambom, a spokesperson for the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the pro-independence Free Papua Organization, urged Indonesian President Joko Widodo to try the perpetrators in an open court and “punish them with the death penalty.”

“This is a crime against humanity by the Indonesian government through its security Forces,” Sambom said in a statement, adding that his group is ready to carry out “retaliation operations” if the government ignores their demand.

Conflict in the region has spiked in the past year, with dozens of rebels, security forces and civilians killed.

In July, gunmen believed to be separatist rebels killed 10 traders who came from other Indonesian islands and an indigenous Papuan. Sambom later claimed responsibility for the killing, accusing the victims of being spies for the Indonesian government. 

In March, rebel gunmen killed eight technicians repairing a remote telecommunications tower. In December 2018, at least 31 construction workers and a soldier were killed in one of the worst attacks in the province.

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https://en.jubi.id/tpnpb-commander-meets-komnas-ham-papua-indonesia-and-papua-equal-in-melanesian-spearhead-group/

2) TPNPB commander meets Komnas HAM Papua: Indonesia and Papua equal in Melanesian Spearhead Group 

Peace Talk On Papua Problems - News Desk 29 August 2022

Supreme Commander of TPN-PB OPM Damianus Magai Yogi (left) and Head of Komnas HAM Papua Representative Frits Ramandey (right) - Jubi/Abeth You

Enarotali, Jubi – The commander in chief of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), Damianus Magai Yogi states that Indonesia and Papua are equal in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).  

Therefore, Yogi said, when Indonesia wanted to discuss the fate of Papua, he hoped that the two parties could sit together at the MSG table.  “We, Indonesia and Papua, are equal in the MSG. 

Therefore, the TPNPB hopes that we will sit together at the MSG table. Let the MSG settles it,” Damianus Magai Yogi told the head of the Papua office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua), Frits Ramandey, in a closed meeting on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.  Yogi said that as long as Papua was still a part of Indonesia, Papuans would not be safe. 

He said that his family members, for example, were often threatened with being shot dead whenever they wanted to shop at the market or seek health treatment in the city.  “That means we in Papua have no peace. Indonesia still sees us as enemies so we spend our entire lives in the forests. What if we agree to sit down to talk about peacebuilding? And then let’s just live separately in each nation,” he said.  

Frits Ramandey expressed his gratitude for Damianus Magai Yogi as Yogi had received him well in Enarotali. Ramandey and Yogi further discussed both parties’ willingness to resolve gross human rights violations in Papua.  

As a member of the Monitoring and Negotiation Team for a number of humanitarian events in Papua, Ramandey also conveyed his mission to Michelle Bachelet as the High Commissioner of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

“On behalf of Komnas HAM Papua and as a part of the Monitoring and Negotiation Team, I have met in Geneva the High Commissioner of the UN Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet. I told her about this mission and she supported it as it is an effort to resolve human rights violations that have occurred in Papua,” he said. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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https://en.jubi.id/papua-police-investigates-murder-of-four-nduga-residents/

3) Papua Police investigates murder of four Nduga residents   

Murder Of Nduga Residents 29. August 2022

Jayapura, Jubi – The Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the Papua Police is currently investigating the killing of four residents of Nduga Regency in Mimika Regency, allegedly committed by three civilians and six Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers last Monday, August 22, 2022.

“The victims were mutilated, the heads and both legs were cut off, put in a sack, and dumped in the river at Pigapu Village, Iwaka District, Mimika Regency,” said Papua Police General Criminal Investigation director Sr. Comr. Faisal Ramadhani in Jayapura City on Sunday, August 28, 2022.

According to Faisal, the civilian perpetrators, namely Andre Pudjianto Lee aka Jeck, Dul Umam, and Rafles, have been arrested and are undergoing examination at the Mimika Police Station.

“As for the six TNI personnel, we are still coordinating with the Military Regional Command,” he said.

From the results of investigations, three victims have been identified as Arnold Lokbere, Rian Nirigi, and Leman Nirigi, while one other victim’s identity is still unknown.

“The four victims were lured by the perpetrators to buy AK 47 and FN weapons for Rp 250 million,” said Faisal. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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Https://En.tempo.co/Read/1628226/Six-Soldiers-Named-Suspects-In-Papua-Mutilation-Case

4) Six Soldiers Named Suspects In Papua Mutilation Case  

Translator Dewi Elvia Muthiariny 

Editor Markus Wisnu Murti 

29 August 2022 21:07 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Commander of the Army's Military Police Lt. Gen. Chandra W. Sukotjo stated that six soldiers were named suspects in the mutilation case of two civilians in Pigapu Village, East Mimika, Papua.

“Yes, we have named them suspects,” said Chandra when asked by reporters in Jakarta, Monday, August 29, 2022. He said the Military Police of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command had already carried out legal proceedings against the six soldiers. “The Army's Military Police have sent a team of investigators to assist the Military Command,” Chandra added. The perpetrators from civilians have also been handled by the police. As for the motives, Chandra said the investigation is still underway. Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Andika Perkasa and the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dudung Abdurachman have ordered the Army's Military Police to thoroughly investigate the case which allegedly involves six soldiers. On August 27, mutilated bodies were found in Pigapu-Logopon Village, Mimika Regency, Papua. Head of the Army's Information Service Brig. Gen. Tatang Subarna said the Cenderawasih Military Command in Mimika had arrested the suspects and continued to cooperate with the Mimika Police to uncover the case.

ANTARA 

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1) Maybrat displaced people traumatized, hesitant to return to hometowns: Church

2) Loss Of Mangroves Leads To Declining Fish Species In Youtefa Bay 

3) Protests Against Special Autonomy, Creation Of New Provinces Continue In Papua

4) Families Say Paniai Trial A Farce, Only To Project Good Image To International Community

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https://en.jubi.id/maybrat-displaced-people-traumatized-hesitant-to-return-to-hometowns-church/

1) Maybrat displaced people traumatized, hesitant to return to hometowns: Church 

Izaak Bame, Maybrat Displaced People -

 News Desk 28 August 2022

Jayapura, Jubi – The Manokwari Sorong Diocese Catholic Church has recently persuaded the displaced people of Maybrat to return to their hometown in Kisor Village. However, they are still traumatized following what happened in Kisor on September 2, 2021, when, after the attack on Kisor Military Post, police officers especially the mobile brigade acted repressively against civilians while chasing the perpetrators of the attack.

Pastor Izaak Bame of the Manokwari Sorong Diocese told this as a response to the appeal of West Papua Governor Paulus Waterpauw to the Maybrat Regent to send the Maybrat displaced people home. Some of them are even still taking shelter in Maybrat forests.

Bame said the church also longs for the Maybrat community to return home. But the church regretted that there was no guarantee for the safety of the people, and it meant that the situation was not ideal for these people to return as they were still traumatized.

“It turns out that they experienced police brutality before. After the Kisor incident, wherein a mobile brigade member was killed, the security forces searched for the perpetrator but in the process, they also tortured the community, seized people’s belongings, and even arrested some people who had nothing to do with the murder in Kisor Military Post,” he told Jubi via WhatsApp on Thursday, August 25, 2022.

“As a Pastor, I would like to convey to the Governor that the Maybrat displaced people may return to their hometowns on the condition that there is a written agreement to immediately withdraw all Indonesian Military [TNI] and Police personnel in Maybrat Regency. The agreement must be stamped and signed by the [West Papua] Governor, [Maybrat] Regent, and the TNI and police, as well as the church as community representatives,” Bame added.

Bame said the local government must also guarantee the continuation of the teaching and learning process for the children of Maybrat. “Education is important for their future. We also urge that health workers be placed in the hometowns of the displaced people, especially in the center of the District capital,” he said.

He further asked the security forces not to interfere with priests, pastors, or church officials. “Please do not disturb the Church officers who are serving the people in the villages of the South Aifat and the Greater East Aifat,” he said. (*)

Izaak Bame Maybrat displaced people

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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Https://En.jubi.id/Loss-Of-Mangroves-Leads-To-Declining-Fish-Species-In-Youtefa-Bay/

2) Loss Of Mangroves Leads To Declining Fish Species In Youtefa Bay   

Youtefa Bay - News Desk 28 August 2022

Jayapura, Jubi – If you look at the mangroves in Papua New Guinea from Vanimo in north-westernmost PNG to the provinces of East Sepik and Madang, you can see that their mangroves are thriving well. Even though there is nickel mining in East Sepik’s capital of Wewak, the mangroves are left untouched.

The West Papuan say the fish there are still tame and know no bait. No wonder the Ambai fishermen of West Papua who went fishing at Wewak successfully found and sold fish there.

In contrast, the mangroves in West Papua’s Youtefa Bay are disappearing at an alarming level. The loss of mangrove forests will greatly affect fish stocks in the Pacific Ocean. This is because mangroves are spawning grounds for various types of fish, snails, shellfish, and molluscs.

Researcher and head of the Fisheries Studies at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences John D Kallor told Jubi recently that mangrove forests in Youtefa Bay are already “sick”. “The loss of mangrove forests will lead to declining fish species in Youtefa Bay,” he said.

A resident of Injros Village, Nico Meraudje, told Jubi that bubara or bobara, mackerel, skipjack and goropah (grouper) fishes now rarely enter Youtefa Bay. “Only bulanak (bluespot mullet), samandar (rabbitfish), and squid that still remains in Youtefa Bay but there are just a few of them,” he said.

“We used to be able to see skipjack fish entering Youtefa Bay but now it is gone,” Nico added.

Similarly, a study by Cenderawasih University’s Public Health Sciences lecturer Hazmi in 2014 concluded that fish and shellfish in Youtefa Bay had been polluted with heavy metals such as lead.

“This condition is exacerbated by the behavior of residents who throw garbage directly into the four rivers that flow into Youtefa Bay. Moreover, Youtefa Bay is different from Hamadi beach which is directly exposed to the waves that garbage can be carried away by the current,” Hazmi told Jubi.

Hazmi said that when he conducted his research in 2014, Youtefa Bay was not as shallow as it is today. “In my study, I found that the water, fish, shellfish, and even the urine of residents around Youtefa Bay already contained heavy metals due to pollution,” he said.

Meanwhile, mud sediments that continue to enter Youtefa Bay are expected to worsen metal pollution in the waters.

Destruction of mangroves and fish stocks

The destruction of mangroves in Youtefa Bay, combined with the sedimentation that has made the lagoon even shallower, has damaged the habitat of fishes. It is no wonder that Papuan fishermen often go to the water borders of PNG, where there is still plenty of fish that are easy to catch.

The arrest of Indonesian fishermen in Papua New Guinea is not something new. But it is none other than a result of the decreasing fish stock in Papua waters. Fishermen go to the neighboring country’s waters as the fishing ground is not far, only 4-7 miles from the mainland.

The Antara news agency reported on June 7, 2019, that PNG police had arrested five Indonesian fishermen illegally fishing in the West Sepik province of PNG.

“It is true that five fishermen from Jayapura were arrested and currently detained in Vanimo,” Indonesian Consul in Vanimo Abraham Lebelauw said at that time.

Other than in Vanimo, Indonesian fishermen from Wakatobi were also arrested in southern PNG’s Daru Province for crossing the border and fishing there illegally. Among the fishes often caught there are the Chinese snapper, white snapper and kuro fish (threadfin).

Watchdog Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia recently received a report that one Indonesian-flagged fishing vessel had been arrested by PNG marine authorities. According to DFW Indonesia data, from May 2020 to November 2021, there have been six arrests that involve 34 Indonesian fishermen and crew. They were detained and tried in Papua New Guinea.

The latest incident is last week when PNG marine authorities chased three fishing boats from West Papua, resulting in the death of the captain of Calvin 02 fishing boat, who got shot in the neck. Two other vessels, Arsila 77 and Baraka Paris fishing boats were detained by the PNG authorities. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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Http://Www.indoleft.org/News/2022-08-27/Protests-Against-Special-Autonomy-Creation-Of-New-Provinces-Continue-In-Papua.html

3) Protests Against Special Autonomy, Creation Of New Provinces Continue In Papua

Suara Papua – August 27, 2022

Reiner Brabar, Sorong – The Greater Sorong Papua People's Petition (PRP) is continuing to hold actions protesting the formation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in the territory of West Papua. The latest action was held in front of the Elin Sorong traffic lights on Thursday August 23.

During a break in the action, Greater Sorong PRP Coordinator Apey Taramy said that that the PRP continues to hold to the principle of opposing any kind of unilateral policies by the Indonesian government.

"The Papuan people, from Sorong to Merauke, the people who are oppressed and colonised, continue to firmly oppose any and all policies forced [onto Papuans] from Jakarta. Whether it is Otsus [Special Autonomy] or regional expansion, which is supported by the local political elite or a handful of Papuan figures, who have a mission to perpetuate the oppression of the Papuan people", said Taramy.

It is no longer a secret, said Taramy, that their hidden agenda, which has been known from the start, is a mission to control and exploit Papua's natural resources (SDA).

"Otsus and the creation of these new provinces have been forced through to pursue their agenda in the interests of investment, their political interests, in the interests of controlling Papua. All of this is nothing more than to exploit Papua's natural resources", he explained.

According to Taramy, the action is a follow up to earlier protests and is being held to respond to a visit to West Papua by the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II to gather views related to deliberations on the Draft Law on the Creation of South-West Papua Province (PBD) at a meeting with the governor and greater Sorong regional leadership on August 23 which is being held at the Lambert Jitmau building in Sorong city.

"We can see that one of the regions included in the expansion of the PBD province, namely Maybrat, there is no other more pressing interest, other than the appointment of acting regent Bernath Rondonuwu who is not an original son of Maybrat, except for natural resources that are ready to be exploited. 78,000 hectares of cement mining land in Mare, timber in Aifat, and the potential of nickel in the South Ayamaru region are valuable assets for capitalists whose existence has been protected for exploitation in the near future", he said.

Taramy also suspects that the Home Affairs Minister's appointment of Rondonuwu is none other than an effort by the Indonesian governed to exploit natural resources in Maybrat regency.

Several speakers at the action reiterated the Papuan people's opposition to the creation of new provinces in Papua. Natex, one of the demonstrators, said that the Indonesian government does not have any good intent in developing Papua, except to exploit its natural wealth. "Jakarta's plan is so ruthless and terrifying", said Natex.

The Greater Sorong PRP read out a statement of demands at the action:

• Revoke the draft law on the creation of South-West Papua Province.
• Revoke the revisions to the Special Autonomy Law.
• Reject the creation of new autonomous regions anywhere in the territory of West Papua, including the creation of PBD province.
• Immediately give Papuans the right to self-determination as a democratic solution for the Papuan people.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Sikap Tolak DOB dan Otsus Terus Berlanjut".]

Source: https://suarapapua.com/2022/08/27/sikap-tolak-dob-dan-otsus-terus-berlanjut/

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Http://Www.indoleft.org/News/2022-08-26/Families-Say-Paniai-Trial-A-Farce-Only-To-Project-Good-Image-To-International-Community.html

4) Families Say Paniai Trial A Farce, Only To Project Good Image To International Community

Markus You, Nabire – The process of uncovering the alleged gross human rights violations that took place in the Bloody Paniai case on December 8, 2014, has failed to reveal the senior officer who allegedly gave the command to shoot into the crowd, which resulted in five people being killed and 11 others being injured.

Papua human rights activist and lawyer acting on behalf of the families of the victims of the Paniai tragedy, Yones Douw, says that declaring a single suspect in the case demonstrates the state's intent to protect human rights violators.

The determination of a sole suspect by the Attorney General completely goes against the testimonies of witnesses who revealed that a senior officer was involved in the bloody tragedy at the Karel Gobai Square in Enagotadi, Paniai.

According to witness testimonies, the shooting took place after there was an order to shoot.

"Witnesses revealed that in front of the people, the military officer who was on duty at the time give the order to shoot because they suspected that the long-march by a social organisation had been infiltrated by a third party. There was a command from a superior [officer], [but] there is only one suspect. That's illogical. Do they want to hide the other perpetrators? The state must be honest and open in uncovering the bloody Paniai case", Douw told Suara Papua in Nabire on Friday August 26.

Douw said that IS, a retired TNI (Indonesian military) officer who has been declared as the sole suspect in the case, is unknown to the various parties that have conducted investigations into the case in the Paniai regency.

"The suspect IS, who was declared as a defendant in the Paniai case, who entrusted him with this role? Because we didn't find his name in the bloody Paniai case. The determination of the suspect is not in line with the facts on the ground", he explained.

IS is a retired TNI member who at the time of the incident was a liaison officer with the Paniai District Military Command (Kodim).

Douw believes that right from the start the legal proceedings onto the Paniai case have demonstrated the unfairness, untruthfulness and dishonesty of law enforcement officials.

It is because of this that the families of the victims, the victims and the witnesses in the Paniai case have refused to attend the trial at the Makassar Human Rights Court in South Sulawesi.

"The indictment of just one suspect isn't in line with the facts on the ground. The families of the victims are very angry", he said.

He also believes that the Paniai trial in Makassar will just be a farce and for image building which will in fact not provide a sense of justice to the victims and the families of the victims.

"We as the families of the victims believe that the hearings into the Paniai case are simply to project a good image in the eyes of the international community, because it doesn't fit with the factions on the ground", said Douw.

Laurenzus Kadepa meanwhile, a member of the Papua Regional House of Representatives (DPRP) Commission I, says that the position of the victims and the families of the victims in refusing to attend the hearings in Makassar have to be understood as a form of disappointment with the state which aside from taking too long to address the case has only indicted a single suspect.

In a press release received by Suara Papua, Kadepa asked that the position taken by those refusing to attend the hearings, which are scheduled to be held this month, not be ignored.

"No matter what, the voices of the victims and the victim's families must be heard by the state, in this case the Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia", said Kadepa.

An Amnesty International Indonesia report published in 2018 titled, Don't bother, just let him die – Killing with impunity in Papua, stated that the Paniai tragedy took place when hundreds of Papuans protested near the local police and military headquarters in response to an assault by military personnel on 11 Papua children the day before, on December 7, 2015, in the Ipakiye Village, around one kilometre from the Paniai Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).

The protest action by the hundreds of people, which was accompanied by the throwing of stones and wood in the direction of the sectoral police (Polsek) and sub-district military command (Koramil) offices, was greeted by bullets being fired in the direction of the crowd. Four people died on the spot and 11 others were injured.

A number of local residents told the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) that they saw the police shooting one of the demonstrators at close range, even after they had fallen to the ground.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aktivis HAM Soroti Negara Lindungi Pelaku Tragedi Paniai Berdarah".]

Source: https://suarapapua.com/2022/08/26/aktivis-ham-soroti-negara-lindungi-pelaku-tragedi-paniai-berdarah/

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1) Lawyer reads out defense memorandum, asks court to release seven Morning Star raisers

2) Govt should not hesitate to form Human Rights Court in Papua: DPRP 

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https://en.jubi.id/lawyer-reads-out-defense-memorandum-asks-court-to-release-seven-morning-star-raisers/

1) Lawyer reads out defense memorandum, asks court to release seven Morning Star raisers   

Alleged Treason Trial - News Desk 24 August 2022

Jayapura, Jubi – Emanuel Gobay of the Papua Coalition for Law Enforcement and Human Rights, the legal counsel for the seven Morning Star raisers charged with treason, read out their defense memorandum in a trial at the Jayapura District Court on Monday, August 22, 2022. In the defense memorandum, the coalition asked the panel of judges to acquit the seven defendants from all charges and demands.

The seven defendants are Melvin Yobe (29), Melvin Fernando Waine (25), Devio Tekege (23), Yosep Ernesto Matuan (19), Maksimus Simon Petrus You (18), Lukas Kitok Uropmabin (21), and Ambrosius Fransiskus Elopere (21). They were charged with treason for raising the Morning Star flag at Cenderawasih Sports Centre in Jayapura City on December 1, 2021.

The trial was led by a panel of judges at the Jayapura District Court presided by RF Tampubolon, with member judges Mathius and Iriyanto T.

The coalition stated that the Public Prosecutor could not prove legally and convincingly that the seven defendants committed treason as referred to in Article 106 of the Criminal Code Jo Article 55 Paragraph (1) to 1 Criminal Code.

The coalition elaborated that the action carried out by Melvin Yobe and his friends on December 1, 2021, was no other than celebrating a cultural birthday for the Papuan people, especially when there were no efforts by the Indonesian government to reconstruct Papua’s history as Papuan people pleased.

“The Morning Star-raising and the march were part of the demand for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to clarify the history of Papua, as mandated by Law No. 2/2021 on the Second Amendment to Law No. 21/2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua,” said Gobay reading out the memorandum of defense.

The memorandum of defense further stated that the defendant’s actions did not disrupt public activities or public order. The defendants also did not resist when arrested by the police.

The coalition also argued that the Morning Star flag was part of the expression of a cultural symbol. Whenever the flag is raised, does not necessarily mean Papua separates itself from Indonesia.

The coalition stated that five of the 17 witnesses presented by the public prosecutor did not know about the legal basis that prohibited the Morning Star flag in Indonesia. The witnesses also said that the raising of the Morning Star by the defendants did not immediately free Papua.

In the defense memorandum, the coalition emphasized that the public prosecutor was also unable to present an expert witness to explain the treason article charged against Melvin Yobe and his friends.

“Therefore, the treason article charged against the defendants cannot be proven by the public prosecutor, on the grounds that the public prosecutor was unable to present an expert witness in the trial,” said Gobay.

The memorandum of defense stated that the treason charge against Melvin Yobe and his friends was part of the police’s attempt to misuse the treason article and criminalize freedom of expression in public, which is the spirit of the 1945 Constitution. The coalition also questioned the police who arrested the seven Morning Star fliers without a warrant.

Gobay asked the panel of judges to acquit the seven defendants from all charges and demands of the Public Prosecutor. “As well as rehabilitating the good name of Melvin Yobe and his friends in the community, and charging the costs of the case to the state,” read Emanuel Gobay.

After listening to the defense memorandum, the panel of judges adjourned the hearing until Wednesday, August 24. In Wednesday’s hearing, the public prosecutor will submit a response to the defense memorandum of the Papua Coalition of Law Enforcement and Human Rights. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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https://en.jubi.id/govt-should-not-hesitate-to-form-human-rights-court-in-papua-dprp/

2) Govt should not hesitate to form Human Rights Court in Papua: DPRP   

Human Rights Court - News Desk 24 August 2022

Jayapura, Jubi – Chairman of the Special Group of the Papua Legislative Council (DPRP) John NR Gobai said the central government should not be afraid or hesitant to establish a Human Rights Court in Papua. Indeed, such a court is urgently needed because there are many unsolved cases of human rights violations in Papua.

“The central government has already established a Corruption Court in Papua, as well as an Industrial Court. Why can’t they establish a Human Rights Court in Papua?” Gobai told Jubi in a phone call on Monday, August 28, 2022.

Gobai said that if cases of human rights violations in Papua were tried in Makassar, it would not be impactful on indigenous Papuans, especially the families of victims. The distance between Papua and Makassar in South Sulawesi also makes it difficult for witnesses and families of victims to attend while obtaining legal protection.

“The Papuan people victims of human rights violations are still waiting for legal certainty in resolving various cases. It would be nice if a Human Rights Court is established in Papua, and the trial of the Bloody Paniai case is held here, too,” he said.

According to Gobai, the government should not be afraid to establish a Human Rights Court in Papua because the law stipulates it already, namely Article 45 of Law No. 21/2001 on Papua Special Autonomy.

Gobai said the central government must coordinate with the Jayapura District Court.

“We ask the President and the Supreme Court to create a Human Rights Court in Papua for the trial of the Bloody Paniai case. So that the Bloody Paniai trial can be witnessed by the public, and the public can see the government’s seriousness in resolving human rights violations and enforcing law and human rights in Paniai,” he said. (*)

Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk

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1) Floods Hit West Papua's Sorong; 2 Died in Landslide

  

2) Minister asks Papuan MSMEs to register as sole proprietorships  

3) Protesting sole defendant, families of Paniai victims refuse to attend Makassar trial

4) Minister urges Papuans to register intellectual property  

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https://en.tempo.co/read/1625774/floods-hit-west-papuas-sorong-2-died-in-landslide

1) Floods Hit West Papua's Sorong; 2 Died in Landslide    

Translator Dewi Elvia Muthiariny   Editor Petir Garda Bhwana   23 August 2022 11:38 WIB  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Floods struck Sorong City, West Papua following heavy rains from Monday until early today, August 23, 2022. Other than 1,5-meter-high flooding, landslides also hit the area, killing two people. Roads and thousands of houses in the city were inundated by floodwater. As of 09:46 eastern Indonesian time (WIT), the floods had not yet receded and slowed down community activities. The city’s disaster mitigation agency (BPBD) head, Herlin Sasabone, confirmed the hydrometeorological hazard on Tuesday. One house of Rufei Tanjung Batu, Pal Putih subdistrict, West Sorong District, was hit by a landslide. As a result, two residents died. The victims were a 35-year-old mother and her eight-year-old son. They had been rushed to the Navy Hospital and would be returned to Salatiga, Central Java. “There were three people in the landslide-hit house, namely the two victims and the father, Haryanto, who survived the disaster,” Herlin explained He added that the Sorong BPBD in collaboration with the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian Military (TNI), and the National Police continued to monitor the flood situation in the city. “People who need help and see their homes damaged by landslides can report to the Sorong BPBD office,” Herlin said.

ANTARA

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https://en.antaranews.com/news/245749/minister-asks-papuan-msmes-to-register-as-sole-proprietorships

2) Minister asks Papuan MSMEs to register as sole proprietorships  

19 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly has asked micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Papua Province to register as individual proprietorships or companies, saying the fee is only Rp50 thousand.

"By registering, they (MSMEs) obtain a legal entity that can be used to support the business," Laoly said at Sasana Krida, Papua Governor's Office, on Monday.

The existence of individual companies is a new breakthrough launched by the Law and Human Rights Ministry to support the ease of doing business for the community, he added.

It is one form of a limited liability company (PT) that can be established by an individual without the minimum amount of capital in the requirement, he explained.

The main target of individual proprietorship are MSME players as part of an effort to enhance Indonesia’s ease-of-doing-business ranking.

Furthermore, Laoly lauded Military Regional Commander (Danrem) 172/Praja Wira Yakthi (PWY), Brigadier General Juinta Omboh Sembiring, who has encouraged the public to register to ensure the legality of individual companies.

"We would like to thank Mr. Commander 172/PWY for helping us gather two hundred Papuan women who have formed the 'Mama-Mama Papua Mampu' SME group," the minister said.

Local wisdom in Papua needs to gain visibility and actualization through a regulation that requires officials of the Papua provincial government to wear traditional clothing, like in Bali and North Kalimantan, he added.

"I encourage the ranks of the Papua provincial government to continue to explore the potential, both individual and communal intellectual property (IP). Continue to create, innovate, and understand the importance of IP protection. Maintain the quality, develop it, and to increase the economic value," he said.

Related news: Daily MSME transaction value at Merauke reaches Rp82 mln
Related news: Local MSMEs derives benefit from Papua PON

Reporter: Abdu F, Kenzu T
Editor: Rahmad Nasution

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http://www.indoleft.org/news/2022-08-18/protesting-sole-defendant-families-of-paniai-victims-refuse-to-attend-makassar-trial.html

3) Protesting sole defendant, families of Paniai victims refuse to attend Makassar trial

Republika – August 18, 2022

Rizky Suryarandika, Jakarta – Human rights activist and lawyer for the families of the victims of the 2014 Paniai massacre in Papua, Younes Douw, has revealed the reluctance on the part of the families to attend the human rights trial hearing the case. The families object because only one person has been declared a suspect.

Douw said that in principle, the families of the victims do not reject the trial, which is being held in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar, but they have underlined their objection to the sole defendant in the case.

"The families of the victims oppose IS being the only suspect because it doesn't fit with the facts on the ground", said Douw during a webinar in Jakarta on Thursday August 18.

Based on this, Douw stated that the families would not attend the trial in Makassar because they object to and are shocked that right from the start only one person was declared a suspect.

"The families of the victims will not take part in or be witnesses at the human rights trial proceedings in Makassar because there is only one perpetrator, yet [the law on] human rights courts is very clear that perpetrators of human rights violations are systematic", said Douw.

Douw is convinced that there should be more than one suspect in the case and alluded to the chain of command in the structure of gross human rights violations.

"The unit which was involved in this case should be involved starting from senior officers down to the field executors. Only after this will we take part in the human rights trial", said Douw.

Douw will also raise an objection if in coming days there are parties which claim to be families of the Paniai victims. "[Regardless] of anyone acting in the name of the families, we will not take any part in it", said Douw.

On the other hand, Douw has no objections to the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) carrying out its faction of protecting witnesses and victims. He feels that this is the state's duty. "On the protection of witnesses and victims, please go ahead, that's the state's duty", he said.

Douw's message is that he hopes that justice be upheld on this earth without discrimination. He does not want to hear the term second-class citizen because all Indonesian citizens are born equal before the law.

"Apply justice and the truth, don't discriminate against skin color", said Douw.

On April 1, investigators from the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) declared IS as the sole suspect in the case. IS is a retired member of the Indonesian military who was a liaison officer at the time of the bloody Paniai tragedy in 2014.

IS has been charged with being accountable for four people being killed and 21 others being injured during a demonstration in Paniai. According to an official release, IS has been indicted under Article 42 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 9a in conjunction with Article 7b of Law Number 26/2000 on Human Rights Courts.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Keluarga Korban Kasus Paniai Tolak Hadiri Sidang".]

Source: https://www.republika.co.id/berita/rgtcyu485/keluarga-korban-kasus-paniai-tolak-hadiri-sidang

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https://en.antaranews.com/news/245729/minister-urges-papuans-to-register-intellectual-property

4) Minister urges Papuans to register intellectual property  

19 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly has asked Papua residents to register their intellectual property, especially following the launch of the Mobile Intellectual Property (IP) Clinic.

"It is hoped that this can push the potential of intellectual property in Papua," he said in a written statement received here on Monday.

Through the development of dissemination agents and the actualization of great potential, intellectual properties could become one of the pillars that support regional economic development and improvement, including in Papua, he noted.

The launch of the Mobile Intellectual Property Clinic in Papua is in accordance with one of the missions of President Joko Widodo's administration, which is to make the community feel the benefits offered by the state.

To this end, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has made several breakthroughs to help the community to register and receive legal protection for their intellectual properties.

The rights of intellectual properties must be immediately registered so that they can have more positive impacts and are not misused by other parties, Laoly said.

Papua has the potential for personal and communal intellectual properties that have strategic value, he added. He said he hoped that the registration of personal and communal intellectual property rights would continue to increase.

The minister then asked the local government and community to improve awareness regarding the importance of registering and preserving communal cultures in order to increase competitiveness and offer benefits to producers, including developing the local community and pushing economic activities by contributing to the creation of job opportunities.

In addition, registering intellectual properties is also aimed at increasing the income of farmers and producers, boosting the gross domestic product (GDP), and improving the community's social strength.

"This includes protecting Papua's cultural and biological diversity, as well as strengthening communal intellectual property ownership," Laoly remarked. 

Related news: Lampung should register IPR of its products: Ministry
Related news: Striking a balance between medicinal access and IPR protection

Reporter: Muhammad Zulfikar, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution

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