2) Prabowo expands military's role in test of fragile democracy
3) KNPB: Papuans have been victims of Indonesian militarism since 1963
4) TPNPB responsible for burning military cars in Yahukimo
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1) No amnesty for armed insurgents for now: minister
January 29, 2025 23:44 GMT+700
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto will only grant amnesty to inmates who have not been involved in armed insurgency for now, despite calls otherwise, according to Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas.
"We are open to such plans. However, the one we are processing does not cover criminals convicted of involvement in armed insurgencies," Agtas said after a press conference here on Wednesday.
The minister conveyed the remarks in response to calls for amnesty for those convicted of taking up arms against the government in Papua. Decisions on amnesty are ultimately in the President's hands, he added.
Agtas informed that the Law Ministry is preparing and verifying up to 44 thousand convicts whose names have been proposed for amnesty. However, those convicted of armed insurgencies in Papua are not among them.
"We concurred that (those involved) in armed insurgencies will not be proposed for the President's amnesty for now," the minister said.
Responding to amnesty proposals for armed insurgents in Papua, House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II legislator Indrajaya, on Wednesday said he believes it would mark a new approach to peace in Papua.
Indrajaya, who hails from South Papua, further said that such amnesty would open new opportunities to permanently end armed conflict in the Papua region.
However, he reminded the government that humane dialogue with local stakeholders should be the next step beyond the amnesty.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Ministry launched a booklet on the human rights and responsibilities of law-abiding Indonesians on January 22, 2025. Minister Natalius Pigai informed that the book would be provided to those granted amnesty by President Prabowo.
Pigai said he believes that they must receive proper human rights education to develop a humanity mindset before their reintegration into society.
"We are open to such plans. However, the one we are processing does not cover criminals convicted of involvement in armed insurgencies," Agtas said after a press conference here on Wednesday.
The minister conveyed the remarks in response to calls for amnesty for those convicted of taking up arms against the government in Papua. Decisions on amnesty are ultimately in the President's hands, he added.
Agtas informed that the Law Ministry is preparing and verifying up to 44 thousand convicts whose names have been proposed for amnesty. However, those convicted of armed insurgencies in Papua are not among them.
"We concurred that (those involved) in armed insurgencies will not be proposed for the President's amnesty for now," the minister said.
Responding to amnesty proposals for armed insurgents in Papua, House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II legislator Indrajaya, on Wednesday said he believes it would mark a new approach to peace in Papua.
Indrajaya, who hails from South Papua, further said that such amnesty would open new opportunities to permanently end armed conflict in the Papua region.
However, he reminded the government that humane dialogue with local stakeholders should be the next step beyond the amnesty.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Ministry launched a booklet on the human rights and responsibilities of law-abiding Indonesians on January 22, 2025. Minister Natalius Pigai informed that the book would be provided to those granted amnesty by President Prabowo.
Pigai said he believes that they must receive proper human rights education to develop a humanity mindset before their reintegration into society.
Translator: Agatha Olivia V, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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2) Prabowo expands military's role in test of fragile democracy
President Prabowo Subianto taps armed forces for major projects
Ananda Teresia (Reuters) Jakarta Wed, January 29, 2025
Nearly three decades after the fall of Indonesia's authoritarian leader Soeharto, the nation's new president is causing unease among liberals and others by increasingly turning to the once-all-powerful military to carry out his governing vision.
Critics of President Prabowo Subianto point to the former defense minister's early actions as a worrying sign of his tendency to replace civilian functions with the military, raising comparisons to a Soeharto-era doctrine called "dwifungsi" (dual function) that allowed the armed forces to crush dissent and dominate public life.
Just three months into office after sweeping to a landslide election victory last year, Prabowo has quickly expanded the armed forces' roles in several public areas—including running much of his flagship project to serve free school meals. His allies in parliament are also preparing legislation that would allow Prabowo to appoint active military officers into senior government positions, dismantling some of the safeguards put in place after Soeharto was overthrown in 1998 following an economic crisis and popular uprising. Prabowo's resounding victory in last year's election was largely driven by younger voters, polls showed, a generation with little or no memory of Soeharto's military-backed New Order regime.
Soeharto, who was Prabowo’s former father-in-law, had been a middle-ranking military officer when he took over from Sukarno, the country’s first president and founding father, in 1966.
Soeharto rose to power amid a bloody communist purge that had brought down the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), then Sukarno’s strongest ally, and killed hundreds of thousands of people accused to be communists. Prabowo, a son of renowned economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, was a special forces commander under his repressive 32-year reign and was later dismissed from the military amid unproven allegations of human rights abuses. Supporters of Prabowo, who has denied past rights abuses, say tapping the military for important projects offers efficiencies.
But critics see in Prabowo's moves, including a recent expansion of military command structure, a worrying lurch towards re-militarization in the world's largest Muslim-majority country. "He's not abiding by civil supremacy," said analyst Yanuar Nugroho of Prabowo. "He instead wants to restore the glory of military ... where various kinds of civic-works can be done by the military, arguing it will be faster, more effective," said Yanuar, a former deputy chief of presidential staff to Prabowo's predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Read also: Critics slam new proposal to allow soldiers to conduct business Prabowo's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment on military deployment for government projects.
Although not replicating the "dual function" of the past, Prabowo's early reliance on the military is raising concerns among Indonesian observers about the undoing of democratic reforms that sprang up after Soeharto was ousted. "There's a lot of aspects of the Prabowo administration that are seeking to replicate what existed under his former father-in-law Soeharto," said political analyst and author of the Indonesia-focused newsletter Reformasi Weekly, Kevin O'Rourke. "Restoring military roles in politics is one aspect." Under Soeharto, there were no checks and balances and the military was also involved in business, O'Rourke said, adding that the same pattern now could erode democratic oversight of government institutions, affecting policymaking.
Although not replicating the "dual function" of the past, Prabowo's early reliance on the military is raising concerns among Indonesian observers about the undoing of democratic reforms that sprang up after Soeharto was ousted. "There's a lot of aspects of the Prabowo administration that are seeking to replicate what existed under his former father-in-law Soeharto," said political analyst and author of the Indonesia-focused newsletter Reformasi Weekly, Kevin O'Rourke. "Restoring military roles in politics is one aspect." Under Soeharto, there were no checks and balances and the military was also involved in business, O'Rourke said, adding that the same pattern now could erode democratic oversight of government institutions, affecting policymaking.
Combat-trained cooks and farmers Prabowo, who had a 81 percent approval rating after his first 100 days in office, has wasted little time in handing over large projects to the armed forces since taking office. The most visible example has been his US$28 billion signature project to provide free school meals. Air Force Colonel Satrya Dharma Wijaya is a case in point. His usual job is aircraft maintenance, but since November, he has been busy ordering stoves, refrigerators and frying pans to cook meals for thousands of children at a time at a base in Jakarta. "This was previously a marshalling area where we prepared troops to deploy for an assignment," said Satrya, wearing his short-sleeved blue uniform at Halim Perdanakusuma air base's newly expanded kitchen.
The military was running 100 of the 190 kitchens operating by the project's launch in collaboration with the newly formed National Nutrition Agency, cooking up and delivering food for 570,000 children on its opening day. Army chief General Maruli Simanjuntak said that a plan is under way for the military to form 100 special "territorial development" units assigned to farming, fisheries and animal husbandry. Prabowo has also moved swiftly to vastly expand other military-run projects established when he was defense minister. A program for soldiers to clear land for cultivation has been increased by 50-fold with the aim of boosting Indonesia's food security from an initial 60,000 hectares to a projected 3 million hectares—an area about the size of Belgium.
Read also: Retreat for new regional heads raises recentralization concerns
He has also ordered the expansion of another of his projects, directing the Air Force to convert its idle land into rice and corn fields to be managed by soldiers and villagers to supply food for the free-meals project. In addition, he has declared a nationwide extension of a third small military civil-works initiative—laying water pipes for plumbing and irrigation in remote, poor areas. Army chief Simanjuntak said that turning to soldiers to help run large programs is effective, as the army follows a strong chain of command, adding that rules are in place to prevent military repression. "It's impossible to return to the New Order (Suharto) era. There's no way," Simanjuntak said.
Soldiers leading ministries? One key area of concern for critics is around upcoming legislation that would allow Prabowo to appoint active duty military officers to top government jobs for first time in decades. The legislation, prepared by Prabowo's allies, will soon go before parliament where the president's coalition controls 74 percent of seats. The bill will be deliberated in coming months, several lawmakers told Reuters.
The president has already tapped former military officers for top roles—such as Foreign Minister Sugiono, who served in the army's special forces before retiring. Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, deputy speaker of parliament from Prabowo's Gerindra party, said the president should be free to appoint active officers anywhere in government. "These strategic programmes must be run by people who are disciplined, highly committed and have been trained to be responsible and disciplined," Sufmi said. 'Democratic backsliding' But even some former military men have concerns about Prabowo's instinct to turn to the armed forces. "Don't give a blank check where soldiers could be placed at any posts. It will ruin the system," retired Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo, one of several generals who led post-Soeharto military reforms, told Reuters. Widjojo said the tendency would have policy implications by weakening civilian institutions. Analyst Yanuar said he fears the trend of militarization under Prabowo will lead to a "democratic backsliding" and centralization of power.
"A strong president who is backed by a strong military with almost full control in the parliament," Yanuar said. "This is similar to Soeharto: military with dual function.”
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Original Bahasa link
3) KNPB: Papuans have been victims of Indonesian militarism since 1963
Aryo Wisanggeni
Last updated: January 29, 2025 2:35 pm
Author: Larius Kogoya
Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G
Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan people have continued to be victims of militarism practices carried out by the Indonesian government since 1963. This was stated by the First Chairman of the West Papua National Committee, Warius Sampari Wetipo at a national seminar entitled "Realizing the Spirit of People's Resistance for the Right to Self-Determination for the West Papuan People" which took place in Makassar City, South Sulawesi Province, on Monday (27/1/2025).
Warius Sampari Wetipo said that the KNPB was born because of militarism in the Land of Papua which has never stopped since May 1, 1963. According to him, in practice, military operations in the Land of Papua have never stopped since May 1, 1963, when the West Papuan nation was annexed by Indonesia.
Since then, massive and structured military operations have occurred throughout Papua. Although the Indonesian government has not officially announced the implementation of martial law in Papua, the security forces have continued to carry out various military operations there.
"The state committed crimes through Operation Trikora, Operation Mandala, Operation Wibawa, Operation, Tumpas, Operation Sadar, Operation Ketupat, Operation Senyap, Operation Koteka. Until now we still hear about Operation [Peace] Cartenz, Operation Nemangkawi, Operation Elang, and so on. Papua is a military emergency zone or Military Operation Area," said Warpo Wetipo when interviewed further via the WhatsApp application service on Tuesday (28/1/2025).
Wetipo stated that since 2018 there have been sweeps of residents' homes, burning of churches, schools, shootings of civilians by TNI/Polri officers in various regions of Papua. Mass evacuations occurred in Nduga Regency. After that, armed conflict between the TNI/Polri apparatus and the armed group of the West Papua National Liberation Army or TPNPB occurred and spread to various regions in Papua.
"The armed conflict between the TPNPB and the TNI/Polri continues to spread in various regions in our homeland, such as in Intan Jaya Regency, Yahukimo, Pegunungan Bintang, Maybrat, Puncak Jaya, Timika, Paniai, Dogiyai, Lanny Jaya, Puncak Jaya, and most recently in Yalimo and Tambrauw Regencies. The Papuan people are the main victims," said Wetipo.
The large-scale evacuation caused civilians to lose their homes, lose their relatives. A number of elderly people and babies who died in the middle of the forest died. The refugees also lost their livestock, could not farm, and lost their livelihoods.
The Central Executive Board of BPP KNPB together with the KNPB Makassar Regional Consulate held a national seminar entitled "Realizing the Spirit of People's Resistance for the Right to Self-Determination for the West Papuan People" in Makassar City, South Sulawesi Province, on Monday. The seminar was attended by students, university students, youth, and KNPB delegates from Manado, Gorontalo, and Tomohon.
The seminar was also attended by representatives of student organizations that are members of the Cipayung Group, human rights and democracy activists, LBH Makassar, FRI-WP, KNPB activists, AMPTPI and AMP.
Activist of the Indonesian People's Front for the Liberation of West Papua (FRI-WP) Makassar Region, Arul reviewed the history of President Soekarno issuing the Trikora Declaration in the Yogyakarta Square on December 19, 1961, one of the contents of which was the dissolution of the Dutch puppet state of Papua. The decree also ordered a general mobilization led by Soekarno.
"The impact was a massive military invasion in the West Irian region (West Papua). The independence of the West Papuan nation was castrated on December 19, 1961," he said.
According to Arul, the political economic conspiracy of America, the Netherlands, and Indonesia during the struggle for West Irian has sacrificed the people and nation of West Papua, because the people and nation of West Papua were never involved in the negotiations. "That indicates that the meeting was only carried out by the devil, the devil, and witnessed by ghosts," said Arul.
Another FRI-WP Makassar activist, Nyora, said that the problem in West Papua, his party saw not only genocide, ecocide and ethnocide. According to him, the main problems faced by the Papuan people are colonialism, racism, and capitalism in the Land of Papua.
"In short, Indonesia practiced colonialism in West Papua. The next, racism is very fertile in Indonesia. The practice of racism has been implemented since the beginning, since the West Papuan Nation was annexed into the Republic of Indonesia," said Nyora.
Nyora revealed that the Indonesian nation as a new colonial nation feels superior to the Papuan nation. In every decision regarding political, economic, legal, social, and cultural status, the Papuan Indigenous People are never involved as subjects.
"That's where racism is embedded. Indonesia considers the Papuan nation to be backward, ancient, primitive, stupid, weak, poor. That's the nature of colonialism," he said.
The condition of the people in Papua is getting worse, because of the problem of capitalism. Nyora said that Papua is economically controlled by foreign capitalism and Indonesia is only a errand dog. This condition often causes indigenous people to experience agrarian conflicts which become serious problems and give rise to new conflicts.
"Indonesia is only a errand dog for foreign capitalists. Even customary land is capitalized by local capitalists and bourgeoisie," said Nyora.
Public advocate LBH Makassar, Rasak said that LBH exists to advocate and provide legal protection for victims, especially the weak who need legal assistance. LBH Makassar accompanies victims on various issues, including Papuan activists who express their opinions and protest in the form of demonstrations.
"We were once interrogated by Indonesian security forces, 'why are you advocating for Papuan issues and so on'. For LBH Makassar, advocating for the weak, the oppressed/colonized is necessary, [they] have their fundamental rights protected," said Rasak. (*)
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Original Bahasa link
4) TPNPB responsible for burning military cars in Yahukimo
Timoteus Marten
Last updated: January 29, 2025 12:27 pm
Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Liberation Army, Free Papua Organization, Regional Defense Command or TPNPB-OPM Kodap XVI, Yahukimo under the leadership of Battalion Yamue admitted that they are ready to take responsibility for the burning of an Avanza car belonging to the Indonesian military.
TPNPB-OPM Spokesperson Sebby Sambom said that the management of the TPNPB National Commission Headquarters had received an official report from Elkius Kobak, Commander of TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo on Tuesday (28/1/2025).
"That the TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo troops under the leadership of Homy Heluka, Commander of the Yamue Battalion have succeeded in burning an Avanza car belonging to members of the Indonesian military on Jalan Paradiso, KM 4 Social Housing Complex, Dekai City, Yahukimo Regency today, Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 14:19 in the morning," said Sebby Sambom as quoted from a press release to Jubi in Jayapura, Papua, Wednesday (1/29/2025).
In a further report, said Sambom, Homy Heluka said that since morning they had been conducting operations in the Dekai area until 14.00 noon, and an Avanza car was found.
"Because the car has been used by the Indonesian military for the past two months, to carry out operations, we, the TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo troops under the leadership of Major Homy Heluka, burned it until it was completely burned, for this incident we are ready to take responsibility," said Sambom.
Sebby Sambom continued, TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo also conveyed to the Indonesian Government military apparatus, to immediately stop operations and patrols using private cars.
"Because we have known your movements (military). We also convey to civilians to stop their activities in the armed conflict area in Yahukimo, because our troops are operating and pursuing the Indonesian Military who have been conducting searches in residential areas from morning to night in search of the whereabouts of the TPNPB troops," he said.
Regarding this incident, we, the TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo troops, firmly issue a statement that:
1. The Indonesian military, which has been using Avanza cars with tinted windows, immediately stop operations and patrols in the alleys, or towards the gardens, and stop arresting civilians heading to the gardens;
2. Papuans or Papuan officials who own Avanza, Extrada and tinted glass cars that have been given to the Indonesian Government military in Yahukimo, if we, the TPNPB, are caught, we are ready to execute them;
3. Non-Papuans immediately leave the armed conflict area in Yahukimo, and if we are caught collaborating with the Indonesian military, we, the TPNPB, are ready to execute them;
4. The Indonesian military, which has been disguised as spies, gallon sellers, vegetable sellers, builders, meatball sellers, etc., immediately stop your activities. If we are caught, we will not hesitate to execute you;
5. The Indonesian Government military immediately stops the dual function of the military in Papua. If sent to Papua for war, TPNPB is ready to serve you and immediately evacuate churches, hospitals, schools and other civilian buildings, which have been used as military posts and headquarters. (*)
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