2) Regional Leaders Urge Jokowi to Evaluate Security Measures in Papua
3) Security Forces Should Protect People, Not Shot Them, says Human Right Activist
4) Papua Governor Urges Freeport to Act on Government Demands
5) Illegal Hunting Triggers Deer’s Migration from Merauke to PNG
6) Police Shot in Self-defence , Says Chief
7) Wamena Hit by Fuel, Cement Shortages
8) Papuan Councilor Slams Police Killing
9)Violence Against Children in Papua Reaches Emergency Levels, Komnas PA Says
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- Published: 04 October 2015
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has called on the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council to do more in investigating and monitoring allegations of human rights abuse and violations in the Papua and West Papua regions of Indonesia.
Sogavare made the call in New York Thursday in his address at the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
"All states have a legal duty and moral responsibility to uphold, respect and promote human rights and where necessary take preventive, protective and punitive measures against human rights abuses or violations in accordance with the UN Charter and applicable international laws,” Sogavare said.
“Against the foregoing backdrop, the General Assembly is well aware of the continuing concerns of human rights violations in the Papua and West Papua regions of Indonesia and Solomon Islands further calls on the Geneva based Human Rights Council to do more in investigating and monitoring of allegations of human rights abuse and violence on the ethnic Melanesians there.
"We (Solomon Islands) would like this issue attended to in a timely manner," he added.
Prime Minister Sogavare said Solomon Islands together with the Pacific Islands Forum are seeking genuine dialogue and cooperation with Indonesia to resolve and dissolve the reported allegations of human rights violations.
He said the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in their recent 'Leaders Summit' in Port Moresby approved the deployment of a fact finding Mission to West Papua to establish the alleged abuse of human rights there.
He said the summit resolved to appeal to the Government of Indonesia to allow free and unrestricted access to this mission 'in the true spirit of regional cooperation.'
Prime Minister Sogavare added that, "In the long term however, the United Nations cannot shy away from the root causes of these violations."
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2) Regional Leaders Urge Jokowi to Evaluate Security Measures in Papua
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 3, 2015
Police in West Papua – Jubi-
Jayapura, Jubi – A recent spate of shooting incidents and other violence in Papua since President Joko Widodo assumed office last year should prompt him to evaluate the government’s policy in the region, said a councilor.
A member of Commission I of the Papua Legislative Council for Politics, Government, Legal and Human Right Affairs, Laurenzus Kadepa said Papua local leaders including governor, regents and majors, as well as provincial and regional legislators need to take prompt action and urge the president to reconsider security measures in Papua.
Since the last incident which killed four high school students and wound dozens of civilian at Enarotali, Paniai on 8 December 2014 was occurred, series of violence were respectively happened in Papua, namely in Yahukimo, Dogiyai, Tolikara and twice shooting incidents in Timika in the recent month.
“In the first case, two civilians was shot dead and four others were wounded in the shooting incident allegedly perpetrated by military personnel, while in the second case, the police officers were suspected to shot dead a teenager and injure the other one. If necessary, local legislators and governments in Papua should urge the president to pull the military which the number is excessive out of Papua,” Kadepa told Jubi by phone on Thursday (1/10/2015).
He said the young generation is a national asset, the next generation. The question is why do they becoming target of shooting by the Military/Police over the years? What is the reason behind it?
The security force, he further said, would no longer be counted in tackling and uncovering those cases. Moreover, it has connection with their image. Kadepa doubted those cases could be uncovered transparently. “The local leaders shouldn’t be silent about this situation. This inhuman act must be stopped. State must pay attention and not being silent when civilians in Papua always become a shooting target of Military/Police. Papuans are also the Indonesian citizens,” he said.
The Chairman of Golkar Fraction of Papua Legislative Council, Ignasius W Mimin earlier said Papuans always become victims of injustice. They were chased, shot and killed, though they are part of this country. “Where is the State? If it happens all the time, where are they going? They were chased and killed on their own land. Until when are they going to scarify?” said Mimin on the earlier week.
According to him this situation has made the Papuans feeling not safe on their land. Many stigmas have always been connected with Papuans. Until when are they going to be treated like this? (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
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3) Security Forces Should Protect People, Not Shot Them, says Human Right Activist
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 3, 2015
Wamena, Jubi – A human rights activist in Central Highlands, Pater Jhon Jongga, urged both the military and the police’s top brass to control their personnel with guns.
The weapons are the state’s instruments to protect people and should not be used to shoot them instead.
“I think it’s a mistake if the officers were overpowering in using the weapons. I am going to tell the Military commanders as well as Police chiefs to control their personnel who carrying guns. Because it is for protecting people and not for random shooting,” Jongga said in Wamena on Wednesday to respond two shooting incidents against students in Timika, Mimika Regency.
He said, if those personnel couldn’t be strict by the rule, they shouldn’t carry the weapon all the time. The last shooting incident in Timika was a huge mistake and totally unacceptable by the entire Indonesian citizens. Moreover, the similar case was just occurred in Timika in last August.
“If they could not be discipline, they must not walk to the market or anywhere by carrying weapons. Because if there is a misunderstanding, they could not possibly control their emotion; then they might shot people. Moreover, if those personnel were drunk, carrying weapons could be worst. I just think it’s not right,” he said.
According to him, on Monday evening (28/9/2015), two vocational school students, Kalep Bagau and Fernando Saborefek , were allegedly shot by police officers at Gorong-Gorong, Timika. “The last shooting was perpetrated by Military personel, and now in the same date, the same place, the police officers did the same thing. Well, I think it was happening because the commanders have not yet controlled over their personnel, so they might not regret on what have they done. It is about shooting a human, moreover it was happened in town. So, those institutions must be stricter in taking control or giving legal sanction over their personnel. I insist it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Papua Police stated it would involve a team of Central Forensic Laboratory to investigate the shooting that allegedly perpetrated by police officers which killed a student and injured the other at Gorong-Gorong Timika, Mimika Regency on Monday evening (28/9/2015). The Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw said the involvement of the Central Forensic Laboratory team is needed in order to determine the type of bullet and weapon used that cause fatalities. (Wsai H/rom)
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4) Papua Governor Urges Freeport to Act on Government Demands
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 3, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe urged PT. Freeport Indonesia to immediately act on a 167-point proposal submitted to the provincial government in 2013.
“I told this to Freeport’s EVP Community Development Sonny Prasetyo on Wednesday (30/9/2015) when I accepted him at my office,” Enembe told reporters in Jayapura on Thursday (1/10/2015).
According to him, Freeport’s presence and impact was associated with the welfare of Papua people, thus the company must improve its role in developing the people of Papua as well as in raising the fiscal capacity of Papua Provincial Government and local governments surrounding Freeport’s operation areas.
Further, he said the Provincial Government went to reorganize the mining business in Papua as the elaboration of Law No.21/2001 on Special Autonomy for Papua Province. “In 2013, the Papua Provincial Government has submitted 17 points of request to renegotiate with Freeport,” he said. Of 17 points, he said, 11 points are coming from new Papua Government while other 6 points were part of agenda of former administration of 2009 – 2014 period.
When asked about the plan of visit of the three ministers to Freeport a few times ago, he admitted the Papua Provincial Government disapproved the visit on Sunday because it’s not a working day. “They have inform us about the visit, but it coincides with Sunday, while we have issued the rule for not having activities on that day,” Enembe said. (Alexander Loen/rom)
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5) Illegal Hunting Triggers Deer’s Migration from Merauke to PNG
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 2, 2015
Merauke, Jubi – Merauke Regent Romanus Mbaraka in his speech on the public consultation of technical working group on low emission development initiative held in Merauke City on Tuesday (1/10/2015) said all the time Merauke Regency is known for many deer. But due to illegal hunting it is now migrating to Papua New Guinea.
“When compared with few years ago, the deer are easy to find around the forest but in the recent years, due to illegal hunting it is hard to find it,” he said. Meanwhile, the deer population in Papua New Guinea from time to time is increasing because its population is protected and well maintained.
“Merauke shares the borderland with Papua New Guinea while the distance is not too far. So it is not surprising if its flora and fauna could migrate to Papua New Guinea, especially deer,” he said.
The Sota Sub-district Chief, Mike Walinaulik, some times ago admitted many Papua New Guineans came to Sota selling fish-oxygen bubbles and deer’ antlers. After getting some money, they use it to buy the primary stuffs such as rice, sugar or soap. (Frans L Kobun/rom)
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6) Police Shot in Self-defence , Says Chief
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 2, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw said three officers who were allegedly involved in the shooting dead of a vocational school student at Kampung Pisang, Gorong-Gorong, Mimika Baru Sub-district, Mimika Regency, acted in self-defense.
Waterpauw expressed regrets over the incident but said the officers’s action was in accordance procedure.
“It should have never happened, but it did happen. So it must be seriously tackled because its impact would be widespread,” he said.
“Three officers came to the scene after getting report from a resident whose the house was stolen and broke by a suspect allegedly friend of the victim. The officers were attacked while the patrol car was damaged. Three officers could be said being in hazard, so they opened an alert shot. But then they found out there are casualties, there’s people hit by bullet on the tight,” the Police Chief Waterpauw said at Papua Police Headquarters on Tuesday evening (30/9/2015).
According to him those officers didn’t act responsively but handled the situation carefully. They acted to not spreading the case. It’s according to procedure; giving an alert. “It had to be done if already disturbed the safety of life. If they did a violence effort, the casualties must be greater. They had to do prevention. If later there are casualties, I think it’s situational because it was night and dark,” he said.
Although he believe the officers were confronted and handled the situation properly, but to clarify this case, the Papua Police deployed a team led by Papua Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Albert Rudolf Rodja to collect some information and conduct investigation whether the officers have acted properly on procedure base. “I express my condolence to the family. As the believer, I believe we never know the God’s plan. I cannot say too much. Only I apologize to what was happened. But actually they has tried to prevent this to be happened,” he said.
Three police officers who were on the scene are Brigadier Chief H, Brigadier Chief N and First Brigadier IP. Currently Provost has seized their guns for further investigation. Despites the investigation, Waterpauw said the Papua Police is currently prioritizing negotiation with victim’s family to burry the body immediately after the autopsy.
Earlier, on Monday (28/9/2015) at around 19:45 Papua Time, a vocational school student Kalleb Baggau (18 years) was shot on the chest and died, while another student Fernando Saborefek (17 years) was shot on the abdomen. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
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7) Wamena Hit by Fuel, Cement Shortages
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 2, 2015
Wamena, Jubi – Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya Regency, have experienced a shortage of fuel, cement and flour for the last four days.
The shortage came after airlines reduced flights as their fleets were undergoing maintenance, source said. Trigana Air, Cardig Air, Jayawijaya Dirgantara and Deraya operate an aircraft each for transporting the gasoline into that area. The airlines normally operate two aircraft each.
Sources told Jubi in Wamena on Tuesday (30/9/2015) that the aircraft only transported rice for poor (raskin).
Currently the Jayawijaya Industry, Trade and Cooperation Office conduct immediate coordination with relevant parties and aviation companies.
“We will also report this situation to the Regional Secretary and the Regent. Therefore, we anticipate this situation to not lasting and critical for us in Wamena, and for the Central Highland area in general,” said the Head of Jayawijaya Industry, Trade and Cooperation Office, Semuel Munua at his office on Tuesday.
“We also struggle that the existing aviation with restricted flying hours could be given clearance to serve three to four times a day,”
According to him, he will find a solution of this problem immediately because Wamena is an axis of the other central highland areas. If this situation could not be immediately solved, the highland areas would experience the similar situation.
He admitted the disturbance experienced by Jayawijaya Dirgantara and Cardig Air also affected Trigana Air, while some aviation companies that serve six regencies of the Central Highland area could not fulfill this need. At least aviation should fly to Wamena three to four times a day. “With the enforcement of flying hour restriction, the stock of all commodities is shortage, but we are trying to fit the supplies for next week. For instance, gasoline has reached 35 thousand rupiahs per litter in Wouma Sub-district, while the stock of diesel also quite rare because only two aircrafts, Trigana and Cardig, are operating,” he said.
“We also appealed to retailer for not taking benefit of this situation by increasing the price. Sanction would be applied to those who violate the standard of price, our stags will monitoring to the field and seize the stuffs,” Munua said.
Person in Charge of an aviation company in Wamena, Michael Bidure, said his company only receives order. “If we got diesel to be transported, we will carry it to Wamena. But related to the lack of gasoline, please ask to suppliers in Jayapura as well as retailers in Wamena, because we are only transporting,” Bidure said.
A gasoline and diesel retailer at Jalan Hom-Hom, Wamena said the increase of gasoline price is occurred due to lack of supplies from Jayapura since three days. Even on Tuesday (29/9/2015) people were queuing at some gasoline retail stalls for their motorcycles. While the retailers only get stock of few drums of gasoline only. (Islami/rom)
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8) Papuan Councilor Slams Police Killing
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 1, 2015
Jayapura, Jubi – A Papuan councilor criticized the shooting allegedly committed by the police that killed Kaleb Bagau and injured Efrando in the area of Gorong – Gorong, Timika, Papua, on Monday (28/09/2015), saying that Papuans have been treated like animals for so long.
The chairman of the faction of Golkar party of Papua Legislative Council (DPRP), Iknasius W Mimin, said Papuans have been victims of injustice, being chased, shot and killed.
“We are also part of this country but why are Papuans always killed. Where is the position of countries now? If this keeps happening, where are Papuans going since the Papuan people since in are their own land, they are chased and killed. For how long Papuans will be sacrificed? “Mimin said via phone when contacted by Jubi on Tuesday (09/29/2015).
According to him, such conditions make the Papuans now feel unsafe in their own land. Various stigma is always associated with the Papuans.
“DPRP, local governments, NGOs, and activists continue to stand for this but these condisitions are not changed. For how long Papuans would be treated like this, “he said.
The same was said by a member of DPRP of Commission I on Politics, Governance, Law and Human Rights, Laurenzus Kadepa. He said that, last August, the military shot six people in Mimika, two of them died and now police took a turn in shooting. Military and police in Papua are”racing” to shoot and kill civilians.
“Military/ police shot and killed native Papuans like a hunted animal. After the military shot people in Timika, members of the police did the same thing as a result two high school students became victims. Papua is in humanitarian crisis, “said Kadepa via phone. (Arjuna Pademme/ Tina)
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9)Violence Against Children in Papua Reaches Emergency Levels, Komnas PA Says
POSTED BY: ADMIN OCTOBER 1, 2015
Manokwari, Jubi – The head of the National Commission for Child Protection, Arist Merdeka Sirait, said that violence against children in the province of Papua and West Papua is an emergency.
“Based on the reports, the number of violence against children in Papua and West Papua in Indonesia is very high so that the National Commission for Child Protection ( Komnas PA) declared violence against children in Papua as an emergency,” said Sirait in Manokwari on Tuesday (30/9/2015).
He said the brutal murder case of a pregnant woman and two toddlers in Bintuni Bay, West Papua, Papua last week showed emergency child abuse.
“The killing of the two kids and her mother who was four months pregnant by unidentified members of the military, more sadistic than the murder of the boy Angelene in Bali,” he said.
He explained that violence against children in Papua dominated by sexual violence and it is because of the liquor.
“I went to Manokwari Prison, discussed with children inmates who committed sexual violence . The cause they committed the crime was due to alcohol consumption” said Arist Merdeka.
He added that the National Commission for Child Protection will encourage the government of Papua and West Papua to continue the campaign to stop violence against children. (*/Tina)
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