Uskup Agung di Oceania prihatin masalah HAM Papua

Para Uskup Agung Anglican di Oceania yang

Jayapura, Jubi – Para Uskup Agung Anglikan se Oceania berkumpul di Australia pékan ini. Mereka kemudian mengeluarkan pernyataan bersama terkait persoalan di kawasan Pasifik, diantaranya masalah Hak Asasi Manusia di West Papua, perubahan iklim dan kebudayaan.

Dalam pernyatan bersama yang diterima Jubi (Kamis, 9/3/2017), lima Uskup Agung, masing-masing Uskup Agung Philip Freier dari Australia, Uskup Agung Clyde Igara dari Papua New Guinea, Uskup Agung Winston Halapua dan Uskup Agung Philip Richardson dari Aotearoa, Selandia Baru dan Polinesia, dan Uskup Agung George Takeli dari Melanesia menyebutkan telah mendengar cerita pelanggaran HAM ”mengerikan” di West Papua.

“Seperti terjadi kesewenang-wenangan negara dan cejara telah terjadi pada mereka (rakyat West Papua),” kata Uskup Agung Clyde Igara usai bertemu di Tweed Heads, New South Wales.

Lanjutnya, para pemimpin agama suatu saat bisa saja dihakimi atas kelemahan mereka dalam mendukung keadilan di dunia ini.

“Pada kenyataannya, kita membiarkan apa yang dunia lihat sebagai kelemahan dalam kekuatan sebenarnya, yakni kebodohan,” lanjut Uskup Agung Clyde Igara.

Selain masalah di West Papua, pernyataan bersama lima Uskup Agung Oceania ini memperingatkan ancaman terhadap wilayah Oceania dari perubahan iklim. Secara keseluruhan bangsa Oceania akan kehilangan pulau tempt mereka tinggal beberapa tahun ke depan.

“Advokasi keadilan iklim dan tindakan harus menjadi prioritas yang paling mendesak untuk Anglikan Oceanic,” sebut Uskup Agung Philip Richardson.

Mereka mencatat bahwa ada empat wilayah di Oceania yang meliputi beberapa negara, lebih dari 1000 bahasa, dengan budaya yang kaya dan beragam, terancam karena perubahan iklim. Empat wilayah ini telah lama bersatu melalui jalinan sejarah dan persahabatan panjang, tapi saat ini mereka menghadapi masalah dengan latar belakang ketidakharmonisan.

Pernyataan bersama para Uskup Agung ini juga membahas tantangan pekerja musiman dan mobilitas tenaga kerja di Oceania dan bagaimana mereka kita bisa merespon dengan baik aktivitas pastoral dan perkembangan politik.

“Hubungan kami yang berkembang dengan komunitas Anglikan di seluruh Asia bisa diperdalam dan melihat ke depan untuk pertemuan dari Uskup Agung dari Komuni Anglikan di bulan Oktober 2017,“ ujar Uskup Agung Philip Richardson. (*)

Reporter :Victor Mambor

victor_mambor@tabloidjubi.com

March 12, 2017 1

Calls for resignation of Fiji’s UN Ambassador

RadioNZ – Fiji’s opposition SODELPA party has called for the resignation of the Fijian ambassador to the United Nations, Nazhat Shameem, after she described the past protections of the rights of indigenous Fijians as institutionalised racism.

Ambassador Shameem’s comments were part of an address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the 1st of March.

In her comments she said, “Racism was institutionalised in Fiji to such an extent that it instilled a ‘privileged caste’.”

“Rights of the majority in a democracy whether indigenous or not must not be used to suppress the rights of the minority and vulnerable communities,” she also said.

The SODELPA vice president, MP Ro Kiniviliame Kiliraki says Ambassador Shameem’s comments were misguided and smacked of prejudice.

He said they amounted to a deliberate misunderstanding of the grievances of the indigenous community in Fiji and were contrary to international law on the rights of indigenous peoples.

“She should retract that statement. In fact we are calling for her resignation. It is out of line as far as Fiji is concerned. It is an insult to the indigenous people. And at that level, she shouldn’t be there.”

March 10, 2017 1

West Papua flag mural in Darwin remains intact despite criticism from Indonesian Consul

Independence activist Piter Elaby — Photo: West Papua independence activist Piter Elaby touches up a mural in Darwin’s CBD on Australia Day, 2016. (ABC News: Felicity James)

The Indonesian Consul to Darwin, Andre Siregar, has denied he pressured the owner of a wall to paint over a mural which features the West Papuan flag, but said he had reported its existence to Jakarta.

“It is something that we respect, we have to respect, but please note that it, itself is offensive to us,” Mr Siregar said.

Mr Siregar said as the Indonesian Government’s representative in Darwin he had conveyed Indonesia’s position on West Papua.

“Of course that is a flag of a separatist group — they want West Papua to be their own country,” Mr Siregar said.

“They ignore the 2.5 million Papuans who have gone to the election and voted, and the 3.9 million Papuans that live there.

“So as the government representative in Darwin I have conveyed this situation to the NT Government, [and] we don’t want them to be ill-informed.”

Mr Siregar told the ABC he was the last to find about the “external pressure” and urgency to remove the mural.

“I guess I found out last, that someone feels pressured, and someone wants their walls clean, someone had to choose someone to blame,” Mr Siregar said.

Mr Siregar said the building’s owner — Carlo Randazzo, the honorary Vice-Consul to Italy — had contacted him about the issue last week.

“He just said ‘we’re going to clean it up’, I said ‘it’s your wall, it’s your wall’ — and he just gave me some updates regarding where it’s been with those people who have painted on it,” Mr Siregar said.

“I’ve also casually spoken to Peter Styles about this, and he as the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, would take note of that. But again I have not really followed up on this discussion.”

Photo: The mural depicting the West Papuan Morning Star flag was painted in June 2015. (ABC News: Stephanie Zillman)

Issue flared after ‘external pressure’

The issue of the large depiction of the West Papuan flag in the city’s centre flared after the artists who painted it in June 2015, were told to paint over it by an employee of Randazzo Properties.

The email to the artists cited “external pressures” as the reason for the sudden, urgent removal of the mural.

The mural itself also depicts the Aboriginal flag, and was painted as a symbol of solidarity between the two groups.

Mr Siregar said the Indonesian Consulate respected freedom of expression in Australia, and he had explained to visiting Indonesian officials the West Papuan flag mural did not necessarily reflect the position of Australians.

“Now after eight months there are many Territorians who also came to me and asked me ‘what’s with that flag?’,” Mr Siregar claimed.

Mr Siregar also said Indonesia was working at improving its human rights record.

“If there’s some concerns about human rights, as a developing country we’re all striving to make sure there’s no more human rights violations, even if there were violations, we are committed to rectifying those mistakes.”

Photo: The Indonesian consul was blamed for the “external pressure” to remove the mural. (ABC News: Stephanie Zillman)

March 5, 2017 0

Pacific nations want UN report on Papua

News.com.au – Seven Pacific island nations have called for a UN investigation into allegations of human rights abuses in Indonesia’s West Papua and Papua provinces, where a separatist movement has simmered for decades.

A statement to a session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, read on behalf of the seven states by Vanuatu’s Justice Minister Ronald Warsal, accused Indonesia of serious human rights violations of indigenous Papuans including extrajudicial executions of activists and beatings and fatal shootings of peaceful protesters.

The statement called on the council to request a comprehensive report from the high commissioner for human rights and Indonesia’s co-operation in providing unfettered access to the two provinces, which independence supporters refer to collectively as West Papua.

Pacific island leaders angered Indonesia last year when they used their speeches to the UN General Assembly to criticise Indonesia’s rule in West Papua.

Jakarta accused them of interfering in Indonesia’s sovereignty and supporting groups that carry out armed attacks.

Warsal, who spoke on behalf of Vanuatu, Tonga, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and the Solomon Islands, said they also wanted to highlight the Indonesian policy of encouraging the migration of Javanese and other ethnic groups, which has led to the dramatic outnumbering of indigenous Papuans in their own land.

The Indonesian government “has not been able to curtail or halt these various and widespread violations,” he said.

“Neither has that government been able to deliver justice for the victims.”

The Dutch colonisers of the Indonesian archipelago held onto West Papua when Indonesia became independent after World War II.

It became part of Indonesia following a UN-supervised referendum in 1969 that involved only a tiny proportion of the population and was criticised as a sham. Independence supporters want a second referendum.

The indigenous people of the two Papua provinces, which make up the western half of the island of New Guinea, are ethnically Melanesian and culturally distinct from the rest of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

West Papua is home to the world’s largest gold mine by reserves, one of the world’s biggest copper mines and vast areas of virgin forest.

The government insists it is an indivisible part of the Indonesian state and is unlikely to make any concessions to separatists out of fear that could re-energise other dormant independence movements.

March 5, 2017 0

Australia PM ino bringim ap West Papua heve long Indonesia President

Radio Australia – Updated 28 February 2017, 13:21 AEDTCaroline Tiriman

Ol pipal blong West Papua itok oli wari tru long pasin em Australian Praim Minista Malcolm Turnbull ino bin toktok wantaim President Joko Widodo long ol human rights isiu long West Papua.

Tupela lida wantaim ibin tokaut long gutpela wokporoman blong kantri blong tupela bihain long wokabaut blong Predisent Widodo long Australia long wiken.

Mr Turnbull i tok Australia bai respektim ol internal affairs blong Indonesia olsem ol ibin tok oraet longen aninit long Lombok Treaty.

Ronny Kareni emi wanpla West Papua Activist long Australia i tok oli wari olsem toktok blong Praim Minista Turnbull bai mean olsem Australia bai no toktok long ol wari blong ol Melanesian pipol blong West Papua.

Ol i sutim tok long Indonesia long bagarapim na kilim dai planti handred tausan pipol blong West Papua.

long Sande ol pipal blong West Papua na ol sapota blong ol ibin mekim protest mas long Sydney, na taste ol protes ibin gohet long Western Australia na tu long Northern Territori long sapotim ol pipal blong West Papua.

February 28, 2017 0

Tonga’s Pohiva survives no confidence vote

RadioANZ – Efforts by Tonga’s nobles to remove Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva have failed.

The nobles, with some support from independents in the parliament, could muster just ten votes to the 14 in support of the prime minister.

One member of cabinet, Aisake Eke, the Finance Minister abstained.

Mr Pohiva, the first commoner elected to lead the country, has been prime minister for just over two years.

Tongan Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva. — Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva. Photo: RNZI/Alex Perrottet

The country’s nobles have been leading a campaign to remove him, but Mr Pohiva said their complaints had no basis.

Meanwhile it has been reported that Lord Ma’afu, who is a member of Mr Pohiva’s government, has been abandoned by the country’s other nobles.

The Kaniva Tonga website reported the other 32 nobles had signed an agreement to ostracise Lord Ma’afu.

They had also said that if they succeeded in ousting Mr Pohiva they would not have given a ministerial role to Lord Ma’afu.

February 27, 2017 0

Walking against impunity

vanuatuindependent.com, By Flo Vanua –February 25, 2017

AN activist group on their mission known as ‘The Walk Against Impunity,’ has been in Vanuatu this week, raising awareness about the struggle for justice and freedom in Maluku and West Papua.

The team has been to Port Vila, Luganville and Pentecost spreading the word on Maluku and West Papua’s freedom. The team was led by Dutch activist Francis Janssen and his team.

The team members said this was his second walk against impunity because Mr Janssen was inspired by the words of late Father Walter Hadye Lini: “Vanuatu is not free until all of Melanesia is free.”

Francis Janssen, accompanied by Marcel Tomasowa and Isaac Pattikawa, arrived in Port Vila on February 11, where they were welcomed by Peter Ranbel and Alul Ravue Fanbir.

In preparation for the walk, the team spent their first days in Port Vila meeting with very special people – Andy Ayamiseba, David Thomas, Chiefs Nakamal, Barak Sope, Yoan Simon, and Pastor Alan Nafuki and members of the Lini family.

Mr Janssen had an intensive conversation with Hilda Lini.

“This very inspiring lady made a deep impression, and the walking team marks her words: ‘If Maluku and West Papua will become independent, the first 10 years will be very tough, but that should not withhold you from continuing the struggle’, Ms Lini told us,” he said.

Mr Janssen’s first walk against Impunity took place in Timor-Leste in 2015 in commemoration of the sad anniversary of the killing of five foreign journalists in the village of Balibo. The journalists murdered by Indonesian military in the wake of the Indonesian invasion.

Mr Janssen dedicated his first walk to the brave people of Timor-Leste who persisted in their struggle for freedom.

“The atrocities that occurred in Timor-Leste during the Indonesian occupation are still happening in West Papua and Maluku today.

“No freedom of press, no freedom of expression, no freedom.

“However, the people still deal with occupation, oppression and violence.”

This gives the reason for Mr Janssen to continue walking against impunity because, he says, impunity is a green light for perpetrators to continue and repeat the atrocities, over and over again.

Those taking part said they hope this Walk against Impunity will be an inspiration to young Ni-Vanuatu, international activists and to all those who care about human dignity, freedom and self-determination.

They said they are in good spirits and no storm can stop them from walking against impunity.

Follow Francis and his team at: http://www.facebook.com/walkagainstimpunity2blog

February 25, 2017 0

Ingin Merdeka dari AS, California Kirim Proposal Pemisahan Diri

CALIFORNIA – Kelompok yang memperjuangkan kemerdekaan California dari Amerika Serikat (AS) mengirim proposal pemisahan diri ke Kantor Sekretaris Negara di Ibu Kota Washington. Jika memenuhi syarat, California bisa menjadi negara yang terpisah dari AS.

Kelompok di balik pengiriman proposal kemerdekaan California itu adalah “Yes California Independence Campaign”. Pada hari Kamis, “Sekretaris Negara” California Alex Padilla untuk memulai upayanya untuk mengumpulkan sekitar 600 ribu tanda tangan pemilih yang dibutuhkan guna rencana ambisius dalam pemungutan suara kemerdekaan California.

Ratusan ribu pemilih itu nantinya akan memberikan suara untuk mencabut bagian dari konstitusi AS yang menyatakan “California merupakan bagian tidak terpisahkan dari AS”. Ide kemerdekaan California atau Calexit (California exit) muncul setelah Donald Trump memenangkan pemilu November 2016 lalu.

Kelompok pendukung kemerdekaan California menyerukan amandemen konstitusi. Usulan mereka yang bertajuk ” California Nationhood”, juga akan meminta pemilih untuk mencabut klausul yang menjelaskan Konstitusi AS sebagai “hukum tertinggi negeri”.

Jika proposal itu disetujui, maka pemungutan suara untuk menentukan nasib California akan dijadwalkan pada Maret 2019. Pemungutan suara itu untuk meminta warga AS, apakah “California menjadi negara bebas, berdaulat dan independen atau tidak”.

Kelompok pro-Kemerdekaan California juga bersiap membuat pengajuan ke PBB sebagai negara baru yang mereka sebut sebagai Republik California. “Menjadi negara bagian AS tidak lagi melayani kepentingan terbaik (warga) California,” klaim kelompok pro-Kemerdekaan California.

”Tidak hanya terpaksa mensubsidi anggaran militer besar-besaran ini dengan pajak kita, tapi California dikirim untuk bertempur dalam perang yang sering dibuat lebih banyak untuk melanggengkan terorisme ketimbang meredamnya. Satu-satunya alasan teroris yang mungkin ingin menyerang kita adalah karena kita bagian dari AS.”

Wakil Presiden kelompok Yes California Independence Campaign, Marcus Evans, mengatakan tanda tangan para pemilih akan divalidasi pada 25 Juli untuk diloloskan dalam pemungutan suara November 2018.

”Amerika sudah membenci California, dan Amerika bersuara emosi,” kata Evans kepada Los Angeles Times. ”Saya pikir kami akan memiliki orang hari ini jika kita memegangnya,” imbuh dia, yang dikutip Sabtu (28/1/2017).

(mas)

January 31, 2017 1

Protester arrested outside Indonesian Embassy held in custody overnight for fine-only offences

ABC Net Au – By Elise Scott m

Protestors lie on the road covered in white sheets stained with red dye, at the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra.

Photo: Protesters blocked the road outside the Indonesian Embassy. (Facebook: Free West Papua Campaign Australia)

Map: Canberra 2600

A protester arrested outside the Indonesian Embassy has been fined and released from police custody after being held for almost 24 hours, under what his defence lawyer has described as unusual circumstances.

Adrian ‘AJ’ Van Tonder, 25, was arrested on Friday morning at the rally in Canberra, where he and his fellow protesters lay in the embassy driveway covered in sheets and fake blood.

Van Tonder, a Melbourne student, was with about 30 people protesting alleged human rights abuses by the Indonesian Government in West Papua.

The group blocked vehicles from entering and exiting by lying across the driveway.

Protestors wave flags and signs outside the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra.

Photo: Protesters travelled from Melbourne to take part in the rally. (Facebook: Lewis Prai Wellip)

This morning Van Tonder pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court to obstructing the embassy, refusing to provide a name and address and failing to comply with an order to move on.

He was fined $750 and released.

The combined offences carry a maximum penalty of up to $3,800.

The court heard the other protesters gave their details when asked by police to move on, but Van Tonder remained silent.

Van Tonder’s defence said being held in custody overnight on offences that carry fine-only punishments was “not something that would normally happen” and it was not clear why it had.

Magistrate Robert Cook told Van Tonder the right to protest peacefully should be protected.

“You should engage in it and that’s your right,” he said.

But he warned against ignoring police instructions.

“Ultimately then you leave police with no choice than to remove you physically,” he said.

Claims police trying to appease Indonesian Government

A group of fellow protesters supported Van Tonder in court.

Outside, they said his time in custody was unfair and stressful.

“The last 24 hours have been horrible,” Kiah Dennersterin said.

The protesters claim police are being pressured by Indonesia to arrest activists like themselves.

“Police are trying to appease the Indonesian Government and show they’re being strong against West Papuan activists,” another protester Rebecca Langley said.

“Recently there’s been a bit of tension between Indonesia and Australia regarding their military cooperation and it means eyes are on.”

Member of the West Papuan community Ronny Kareni said the arrest would not silence their message to free West Papua.

“It’s evident that the Australian Government is bowing down to Indonesia’s pressure,” he said.

“[The arrest] will only create more fire and fuel more support from people in the streets.”

The group said they travelled to Canberra from Melbourne to take part in this protest and Invasion Day protests.

ACT Policing was contacted for comment.

January 28, 2017 0

Australian unions pledge support for West Papua

The s has renewed a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Republic of West Papua (FRWP), pledging support for the cause of West Papuan self-determination.

The signing ceremony on 15 May was attended by members of the West Papuan community and a number of trade union leaders, including ACTU president Ged Kearney, Victorian Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari, Communication Workers Union Victorian branch secretaries Len Cooper and Joan Doyle and Maritime Union Victorian branch secretary Kevin Bracken.

FRWP minister for foreign affairs, immigration and trade, Jacob Rumbiak, told Red Flag that the memorandum, first signed in 2000, is being renewed because there is now greater international recognition of and support for West Papua.

The territory covers the western half of the island of New Guinea, located just north of Australia. It has been under Indonesian rule since the mid-1960s. More than 100,000 West Papuans are estimated to have been killed as a result of the occupation. The Indonesian military acts with impunity, often hand-in-glove with the operators of the Grasberg mine, the largest gold mine in the world.

“I hope that this [renewal] will in turn mean that the ACTU will petition the ALP to change its policy”, Dr Rumbiak said. The Labor Party currently supports Special Autonomy for West Papua. That path was initiated in 2001 but led nowhere. “They should change to support the right of self-determination”, he said.

The memorandum also pledges to “support the application by the United Liberation Movement (ULM) of West Papua for full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group”. The United Liberation Movement, of which the FRWP is a part, was formed in December last year to present a common voice of a number of different groups within the West Papuan liberation struggle.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group consists of Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, along with the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia. If the ULM were granted membership of the Spearhead Group, it would be seen as an endorsement of West Papua’s right to self-determination.

[To find out more about the campaign for West Papuan self-determination, visit freewestpapua.org.]

SourceL https://redflag.org.au/

January 28, 2017 0