2) PAPUAN GROUPS CONTINUE VOICING OPPOSITION TO SPECIAL AUTONOMY LAW
https://www.ucanews.com/news/a-safe-haven-for-conflict-scarred-papuan-children/95620#
1) A safe haven for conflict-scarred Papuan children
Church-run orphanage takes in kids from remote village impacted by violence between Indonesian troops and separatists
Ryan DagurRyan Dagur, JakartaPublished: January 06, 2022 10:13 AM GMT
In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Indonesia’s Intan Jaya, the district experiencing the worst violence in Papua, dozens of children have been rescued by a priest and taken to a Catholic-run orphanage.
They are being cared for at the Hawai Daughter of Mercy Orphanage in Sentani on the outskirts of Jayapura, the provincial capital run by the Congregation of the Little Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Onike Belau, one of them, tried to hold back tears as she told Franciscan Bishop Leo Laba Ladjarof Jayapura how she and her friends had to leave their village early last month, leaving behind their displaced parents.
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"In our village, the war continues, between Papuan [freedom fighters] and Indonesian [security forces]," the elementary school student told Bishop Ladjar, who met them at the orphanage during a Christmas
event on Dec. 27 that was streamed online.
She said this situation, plus their schools being burned down, left them with no other choice but to leave their village. "I'm happy to finally be here," she said.
Yulistisina Belau, another child, also told how violence in her village had disrupted their lives. "My mother died when I was little, my father is old," she said, crying.
Meanwhile, there are still many children who are neglected because of this conflict. Their lives are languishing, their education is also neglected
Haltingly, she said people in her village were afraid to live there, so many had taken refuge in the local church.
The children managed to get out of the village thanks to Father Yeskiel Belau.
From Baitapa, their remote village in the highlands, they flew by small plane to the port in Nabire and then sailed across Cenderawasih Bay for 24 hours to reach Jayapura. It was the first time they had left their village.
On Dec. 3, they arrived at Jayapura Harbor, where they were greeted by Sister Alexia Eva, the orphanage’s coordinator.
The orphanage, founded in 1992 by Dutch-born Franciscan priest Nico Syukur Dister and Belgian-born nun Sister Maricen, has become a foster home for at least 700 Papuan children who have been helped to have a formal education.
The latest intake are civilians who have become victims of a protracted armed conflict between Papuan separatists and Indonesian security forces.
Emanuel Gobay, director of the Papua Legal Aid Institute, said they were "part of a small group that was lucky to get help from the Church."
“Meanwhile, there are still many children who are neglected because of this conflict. Their lives are languishing, their education is also neglected,” he said.
According to an activist group, the Papuan People's Solidarity Against State Violence, about 50,700 people have been displaced due to violence since 2018, mostly women and children. At least 307 have died during this time.
In Intan Jaya, it said, the conflict that has intensified over the last year has forced at least 5,850 people to flee, 32 people have died, and five people are listed missing. Victims included a two-year-old child who died and a six-year-old child who
was seriously injured after being shot.
Gobay said this situation means Papua’s next generation could have serious problems in the future.
“Watching their parents suffer, leaving their homes behind, of course, thoughts of revenge emerge,” he said.
When they sit down and hear a loud bang or noise, their reaction is to hide
He also criticized the government, saying it has shown little commitment to helping civilians, especially the children.
"The children are being helped because of the goodness of the Church, but state institutions should be caring for them," he said.
Children in conflict areas receiving protection and assistance are guaranteed by the Convention on the Protection of Children and the Child Protection Law, he said. "In this context, the state is ignoring the rights of children in the Papua conflict," he said.
Sister Alexia said she feels the impact the experience of violence has had on the children. "When they sit down and hear a loud bang or noise, their reaction is to hide," she said.
She said the orphanage is trying to occupy their minds with other things and enhance self-development by keeping them busy by cleaning up after themselves, taking care of the garden and the local environment, as well as studying.
Discipline, said Sister Alexia, will be the foundation for their independence when they grow up.
During his recent visit to the children, Bishop Ladjar tried to offer them hope after hearing their stories. The bishop told them that he and other religious leaders were seeking peaceful solutions to the conflict affecting them.
“They [the protagonists] don't realize that the victims are all of you. Everyone is affected by it," he said.
"We are not talking nonsense that there are victims. You are among many victims, but you were able to escape from the violence, but there are still many other children who cannot eat and cannot go to school because of this conflict.”
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https://en.jubi.co.id/papuan-groups-continue-voicing-opposition-to-special-autonomy-law/
2) PAPUAN GROUPS CONTINUE VOICING OPPOSITION TO SPECIAL AUTONOMY LAW
Jubi TV – As many as 113 civil society organizations members of the Papuan People’s Petition (PRP) have once again voiced their rejection against the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) Law, which was amended in July 2021.
The PRP emphasized that the Papua Otsus Law had been imposed by force by Jakartan elites without hearing and taking into account the voices and demands of the Indigenous Papuan people.
“The PRP has collected the signatures of the Papuan people in Papua, Indonesia, and the international community for the petition. The wave of protests by the people continues to rise from 2019 to 2021,” said Jefri Wenda, the national spokesperson for the PRP during a press conference in Jayapura on Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
The rejection of Otsus has led to the arrest and imprisonment of activists in numerous cities in Papua, including PRP international spokesperson Victor Yeimo. According to Wenda, the Papuan People’s Petition has reached 718,179 supporters who voted against the Otsus Law.
“The fact that the state forced the continuation of Otsus cannot be separated from the passing the Omnibus bill on job creation into law. They serve the interests of capitalists, colonialists, and the military in Papua,” said Wenda.
On July 15 last year, the House of Representatives passed the new Papua Special Autonomy Law. The new regulation extended the allocation of autonomy funds for Papua until 2041 and increased the funds from 2 to 2.25 percent.
The Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) in its latest report said that the amended Otsus Law also revised eighteen clauses in the previous law and added two new provisions. In short, the amendments brought about three fundamental changes to Papuan autonomy: a weakened provincial authority, greater fiscal control from the central government, and a reconfiguration of political representation for Indigenous Papuans.
Under the 2001 Special Autonomy Law, provincial governors and legislators have the authority to allocate Special Autonomy funds, sign off on key central government policies relating to Papua including infrastructure projects, and approve the creation of new provinces and districts. However, the new law authorizes the central government to channel Otsus funds directly to cities and regencies, without going through the province first. The provincial government can now only provide recommendations to the central government.
The new law also stipulates a list of indicators that must be used as the basis for distributing Otsus funds between local governments. This includes the overall population, the indigenous Papuan population, the level of development, and construction costs.
IPAC mentioned that the unilateral amendment to the Special Autonomy Law has the potential to create new conflicts. “Seeing the protests over these amendments, it appears that there is a risk of creating new ‘hotspots’ for violent mobilization,” said Sana Jaffrey, the director of IPAC.
Jaffrey added that President Jokowi should use his political capital to build consensus on implementing the new law if he wants to succeed.
However, the PRP views Otsus as a product of a conspiracy between the Papuan elite and the Jakarta elite. The policy does not at all accommodate the views of the Indigenous Papuans. The House’s decision to pass the Otsus bill into law does not make Papuans as Otsus has, in fact, failed to provide welfare for Indigenous Papuans throughout the years.
The Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, and the State Intelligence Agency continue to deploy their personnel to Papua to date. The exploitation of natural resources such as the Wabu Block, agriculture in Keerom and Yahukimo, oil palm plantations in Merauke, Nabire, Sorong, and other areas are getting bigger. This fact contradicts the guarantee of welfare for Indigenous Papuans that is Otsus.
“The Omnibus Law, the Special Autonomy Law, and all laws that were forced to be enacted are for the benefit of investors. International and national corporations are backed by a very large number of security forces,” said Jefri Wenda.
Therefore, the PRP, said Wenda, remains in its stand of rejecting the Papua Special Autonomy Law. “The PRP will guard the people of West Papua in fighting for the right to self-determination in a peaceful and democratic manner. We will also continue raising the Papuan People’s Petition for the third stage,” he said.
“The PRP also urges the unconditional release of our international spokesperson Victor Yeimo and all the West Papuan political prisoners,” Wenda added.
To this day, Victor Yeimo, who is in police custody, is still undergoing treatment at the Dok II Jayapura Hospital. He had to undergo intensive treatment for six months because of his lung illness, which had been exacerbated by the lack of air and sunlight in his detainment room. He was alleged for treason in the antiracism protests in Papua and West Papua in 2019 which, Yeimo himself said, he did not attend.
“Victor had to take eight pills and two injections of medication every day for six months,” said Emanuel Gobay, Victor Yeimo’s attorney. (*)
The task force also did not record an increase in new COVID-19 cases during the Christmas and New Year 2022 holiday period, according to the task force's spokesperson, Silwanus Sumule.
Based on the cumulative number of reported COVID-19 cases that the task force released by the end of 2021, the average count of daily cases stood at below five, he pointed out.
The figure indicated that COVID-19 cases in Papua were under control. Hence, on behalf of the Papua governor, Sumule thanked all parties for their hard work and prudent efforts in handling the disease.
Related news: Need collective movement to stem Omicron spread: MPR deputy speaker
"We do laud our colleagues from all COVID-19 task forces in districts and cities in Papua for their hard and smart work," Sumule noted, adding that none of the COVID-19 cases were related to Omicron.
Moreover, Sumule urged all related authorities to stay alert and take precautionary and preventive measures while expediting the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in communities.
ANTARA had reported earlier that Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced Indonesia's first Omicron case on December 16, 2021.
The first person to be infected with the new variant was a janitor working at the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran emergency hospital for COVID-19, he stated.
The case was detected after three workers at the hospital tested positive for COVID-19, he noted.
Related news: COVID-19: Jakarta bed occupancy rate rises to 7%
In response to the detection of the first Omicron case, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) urged people to stay calm.
"It is important to be vigilant, but do not panic," he emphasized while adding that so far, the Omicron variant had not caused severe symptoms, especially in patients, who have been vaccinated.
He also urged Indonesians to get vaccinated without further ado to protect themselves and to continue to implement strict health protocols.
To stem the spread of this new variant of COVID-19, a senior legislator has urged the Indonesian government to increase surveillance at international travel entry points at airports across the country.
Related news: Yogyakarta steps up contact tracing amid Omicron threat
"Omicron cases have been found in Indonesia. Hence, we need to remain on alert at our travel entry points, especially our international airports," Saleh Partaonan Daulay noted recently.
As of January 4, 2022, the Health Ministry recorded 92 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Indonesia, chiefly comprising Indonesian citizens, who had recently returned from foreign countries.
Related news: Indonesia temporarily closes entry of nationals from 14 countries
Related news: Surabaya to boost surveillance amid spread of Omicron
The 61 deportees comprised 54 Papua New Guineans, of which 23 were repatriated by the Jayapura Immigration Office, 19 from the Jayapura immigration detention house (Rudenim), and two from the Merauke Immigration Office, head of the immigration division at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Papua, Novianto Sulastono, stated in Jayapura on Thursday.
Sulastono pointed out that in addition to the Papua New Guineans, the deportees comprised eight Chinese nationals, two Dutch and Ukrainian citizens, three Kazakh nationals, one Italian, and a Sri Lankan.
The 61 foreign nationals, apart from being sent home to their countries through Jakarta, were also included on the list of people who were banned, he expounded.
Moreover, Sulastono highlighted that the number of people deported had decreased as compared to 2020 when 116 deportees were reported, of which 99 were Papua New Guineans.
The Papua New Guinea nationals were deported since they had not legally entered Indonesia, as they did not hold requisite documents, among other things, Sulastono pointed out.
Related news: 48 foreign nationals to be flown from Jayapura to Jakarta
Related news: Jayapura Immigration Office deports 30 Papua New Guinea nationals
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Mongabay Series: Mongabay Explores Podcast
5) Podcast: Exploring New Guinea’s extraordinary natural and cultural richness
- New Guinea is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Making up less than 0.5% of the world’s landmass, it is estimated to contain as much as 10% of global biodiversity.
- The dense mountainous region creates barriers to development and conservation alike, but has contributed to preserving 80% of the island’s forest cover which still remains intact.
- However, experts are worried that extractive industries threaten not just its vast biodiversity but the human knowledge, culture, and livelihood of its original inhabitants, which represent more than 1,000 different languages across the island.
- Mongabay Explores is an episodic podcast series exploring unique people, places, and stories from around the globe in-depth. You may be familiar with our previous seasons on “The Great Salamander Pandemic,” and “Sumatra.
- https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/podcast-exploring-new-guineas-extraordinary-natural-and-cultural-richness/
