Worse West Papua human rights, ‘shrinking space’, says new report

By PMC Editor, September 29, 2017Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

West Papua has experienced a “significant aggravation” of the human rights situation in the past two years compared to previous years, says a new report from more than 40 faith-based and civil rights organisations.

“Reports by local human rights defenders describe an alarming shrinking of democratic space,” says the report.

“Although Indonesian President Joko Widodo pushed economic development and granted clemency to five long-term political prisoners, the police strictly limited even the most peaceful dissident political activities.”

The report says that Indigenous Papuans – particularly women – “continued to have a high risk of becoming victims of human rights violations.”

It adds that “racist attitudes toward West Papuans among the police and military, insufficient legal protection, the lack of proper law enforcement, inconsistent policy implementation and corruptive practices among government officials contributed to the impunity of security forces.”

Local journalists in West Papua also continued to face “intimidation and obstruction” from the security forces.

This is the fifth report of the International Coalition for Papua (ICP) covering events from January 2015 until December 2016.

Human rights analysis

More than 40 organisations in West Papua, Jakarta, and worldwide have brought their analysis on the human rights and conflict situation in West Papua together.

The executive summary of the 218-pages report explains how several human rights standards have deteriorated over the last two years.

The report is compiled by the International Coalition for Papua (ICP) and the German Westpapua-Netzwerk (WPN). The executive summary says:

“The years 2015 and 2016 were characterised by a significant aggravation of the human rights situation in West Papua compared to previous years. The term West Papua refers to the Indonesian easternmost provinces of ‘Papua’ and ‘Papua Barat’. Reports by local human rights defenders describe an alarming shrinking of democratic space.

“Indigenous Papuans, particularly women, continued to have a high risk of becoming victims of human rights violations. Racist attitudes toward West Papuans among the police and military, insufficient legal protection, the lack of proper law enforcement, inconsistent policy implementation and corruptive practices amongst government officials contributed to the impunity of security forces.

“Government critics and activists faced legal prosecution with varying charges. Using a charge of treason (‘makar’) remained common against non-violent offenders.

Increasing ‘incitement’ charges

“West Papuan political activists also faced an increasing number of charges incitement or violence despite the non-violence of protest and almost all activism.

“The deterioration of the political and civil rights situation in West Papua during the past two years was most obvious in the sheer number of political arrests.

“Those arrests drastically increased to 1083 in 2015, and then quadrupled in 2016 to 5361 arrests, in tandem with growing political protest for self-determination.

“Almost all of the arrests came during peaceful protest in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). In addition, the Indonesian government and the regional police in West Papua increasingly restricted the right to freedom of opinion and expression using official statements (Makhlumat) issued by the Papuan Regional Police in 2016.

“Local journalists in West Papua faced continued intimidation and obstruction from the security forces. In comparison to previous years, the number of reported cases against local journalists has slightly decreased throughout the reporting period 2015 and 2016.

“President Joko Widodo’s promise in May 2015, to make West Papua freely accessible to foreign journalists and international observers was not implemented. Foreign journalists were in an increasing number of cases prevented from entering West Papua or when permitted to enter, they faced obstruction, surveillance, intimidation and physical violence.

“International human rights organisations and humanitarian organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) remained banned from freely accessing West Papua.

Threatened, obstructed

“Human rights defenders in West Papua had to work under fear of being monitored, threatened and obstructed by the security forces. The killing of well-known human rights defender Joberth Jitmau, marked the sad highlight of attacks against human rights defenders during these two years.

“The police termed Jitmau’s killing a traffic accident and did not conduct a criminal investigation. Jitmau’s case was a representative example of the widespread impunity in West Papua.

“Only in rare instances were security forces prosecuted in public or military trials. Two of the three cases of prosecution resulted in considerably low sentences for the perpetrators in view of the severity of the criminal offences.

“Security force members also continued to use torture and ill-treatment as a common response to political protest or incidents of alleged disturbance of public order. Extra-judicial killings occurred particularly often as an act of revenge or retaliation for violent acts or other non-violent interactions with members of the security forces.

“The situation with regard to economic, social and cultural rights in West Papua was stagnant. The quality of education in West Papua remained considerably low, due to poor management of the education system, inadequate competencies, high absence rates amongst teachers, and inadequate funding. (Less than 1 percent of Papua Province’s annual budget goes to education.)

“There is still no culturally appropriate curriculum in place, which is capable of improving the educational situation of indigenous Papuan children and of preserving local cultures.

“Health care and education remained in a devastating condition, far below the national average, despite the large amount of special autonomy funds that flow to the two administrative provinces Papua and Papua Barat.

Strong imbalance

“There is a strong imbalance in the fulfillment of minimum standards in terms of health, education, food and labor rights between the urban areas and the remote inland areas of West Papua.

“Indigenous Papuans, who mostly reside outside the urban centres, suffer the most of this imbalance. Both Papuan provinces are amongst the regions with the highest prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS infections and child mortality of any ‘Indonesian province’, while the quality of health services is alarmingly low.

“Insufficient equipment in rural health care institutions and a lack of adequate health monitoring and response mechanisms remained strikingly evident. These shortcomings were highlighted when a pertussis epidemic broke out in the remote highland regency of Nduga, killing least 51 children and three adults within a span of three months in late 2015. Malnutrition enabled the rapid spread of the epidemic.

“The case also mirrors the government’s growing challenge to guarantee indigenous Papuans right to food. Palm oil plantations and other agricultural mega-projects have led to the destruction of local food sources, livestock and access to clean drinking water.

“Cases of domestic violence are often settled in non-legal ways, which fail to bring justice for the victims and lack a deterrent effect for perpetrators. Women living with HIV/AIDS are particularly often facing discrimination and stigmatization.

“The very existence of West Papuans is threatened by the uncontrolled migration from other parts of Indonesia. This particularly applies to the urban centers where they have largely become a marginalised minority facing strong economic competition.

“In most rural areas, where indigenous Papuans are still the majority, government-promoted large-scale natural resource exploitation projects attract migrants and continue to cause severe environmental degradation as well as the destruction of live stock of indigenous communities.

“Government institutions continued to facilitate the interests of private Indonesian and foreign companies. This practice negatively impacts indigenous people’s right to their ancestral lands and resources as well as their right to determine their development.

“Resource extraction often means clearing large forest areas and polluting of water resources, thereby forcing indigenous communities to change their very way of life. Destruction of forests and hunting grounds as a life source puts an additional burden on women, in particular.”

October 5, 2017 0

West Papua protest: Indonesian police kill one and wound others – reports

West Papuan activists clash with police guarding the office of a US mining company. On Tuesday, one person was reportedly killed by Indonesian police at a protest in Deiya regency. Photograph: Ed Wray/AP

Indonesian paramilitary police have shot and killed one person and wounded a number of others at a protest in a West Papuan village, according to human rights groups and local witnesses.

A 28-year-old man was reportedly killed during the incident in Deiya regency on Tuesday afternoon, and up to seven wounded, including at least two children.

The regency’s parliament has reportedly called for the arrest of the officers involved, and for the withdrawal of the police mobile brigade, known as Brimob.

The incident began after workers at a nearby construction site refused to assist locals in taking a man to hospital, after he was pulled from the river.

After a five hour delay in sourcing another vehicle the man died on his way to hospital, according to local sources. Angry relatives and friends protested against the construction company, allegedly attacking a worker’s camp – believed to be primarily from Sulawesi – and destroying some buildings.

Authorities were called to the protest, and Associated Press reported police alleged protesters kidnapped a worker, which protesters denied.

“The joint forces of police, mobile brigade police and army officers came. Did not ask questions but shot several youths,” Father Santon Petege told West Papuan information site, Tabloid Jubi.

“There were no warning shots at all,” witness, Elias Pakagesaid. “Officers immediately fired on the unarmed villagers.”

A human rights lawyer investigating the case, who requested to remain anonymous, also said there was no verbal warning from authorities, and she labeled the incident an extrajudicial killing.

“When they arrive they just shoot. They used guns and violence and shoot directly,” she said.

Unconfirmed reports said 17 people were shot by the police mobile brigade, including the deceased man and a number of children.

Pictures purported to be of the victims and seen by Guardian Australia show deep bullet wounds.

According to local media, police denied they shot directly at the protesters, but rather at the ground and hit four people after warning shots failed to calm the situation.

The head of public relations for Papua police, Kombes A.M. Kamal denied anyone died other than a person who was critically ill, and alleged protesters had attacked an employee.

A separate report quoted the spokesman as saying the police only fired rubber bullets.

The lawyer said the police spokesman’s claims were not true, that the hospital doctor had recognised the injuries as bullet wounds, and that one young man died of his injuries, not an illness.

A police report cited by AP said a 28-year-old man died instantly after being shot multiple times.

Dr Eben Kirksey, a senior lecturer at UNSW, said there was often a “disinformation campaign” by authorities following incidents in West Papua.

Kirksey said history had shown investigations rarely translated into prosecutions, and prosecutions often saw light sentences.

“If we look at the history, of when there is evidence of security force misconduct I don’t have much hope.”

The Asian Human Rights Commission called for a full transparent investigation by human rights groups, and for the officers to be held accountable.

There are frequent reports of violence and mass arrests by authorities against West Papuans, the indigenous people of an Indonesia-controlled region on the western half of an island shared with Papua New Guinea, and which has battled for independence for decades.

But information is difficult to verify, largely because of the restrictions on foreign media.

In 2015 Indonesian president Joko Widodo announced the lifting of the media ban for the province, but in reality, government clearing houses vet media visits and maintain restrictions. Two French journalists were deported earlier this year for reporting without the required visa.

The Jakarta Post on Wednesday called for the government to open up the province to the world’s media, noting the significant gains made by a “relentless” independence campaign.

It argued Jokowi should stop hiding his government’s purported improvements and developments in the region.

“At almost every turn, we are being outmaneuvered by campaigners who want to see Papua separate from Indonesia. And yet the Indonesian government has done very little to counter it,” it said.

“By maintaining this restriction, the government is operating like a paranoid regime, afraid the outside world may find the skeletons it hides in its closet. If the government has done much to improve the lives of Papuans, why not show it to the world?”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com

August 8, 2017 0

Church says Papua riot sparked by military burning Bibles

By STEPHEN WRIGHT Associated Press, June 8, 2017 — 2:45am

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A major church in Indonesia’s predominantly Christian Papua province said a riot in the provincial capital last month was sparked by the military burning Bibles, contradicting the police account of events.

A report by the Evangelical Christian Church in Papua said a priest and another man from a local congregation took photos of burnt New Testament Bibles at a military base in Jayapura and took several away as evidence.

It said the two men and city officials unsuccessfully tried to calm the crowd that gathered outside the base on May 25 after reports of Bible burning spread on social media. Protesters threw rocks, burned tires and blocked a road as they demanded that soldiers be handed over to them for punishment.

At the time, police said soldiers had burned rubbish and distributed photos of a mass of burned materials that included a book on theology that they annotated with text saying “this is not the Bible.”

The military’s spokesman in Papua, Teguh Pudji Rahardjo, on Thursday acknowledged that Bibles had been burnt but said it was an accident that was still being investigated.

He said some bibles and theological books that had been brought from Java for distribution to Christians in Papua were inadvertently mixed in with rubbish that was cleared out of the base’s mess.

“Like all Indonesians, we as members of the Indonesian Military are religious people, and we respect all religions,” Rahardjo said.

The incident is indicative of the tensions that simmer in Indonesia’s two easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua, which are culturally and ethnically distinct from the rest of the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

A low-level insurgency and resentment at Indonesian rule has endured since the 1960s, when Indonesia annexed the region. It restricts foreign journalists from reporting in both provinces.

Jayapura’s chief of police was bruised in an attack by protesters and his aide was hospitalized with stab wounds and an injured nose and jaw, according to both church and police accounts. Three protesters suffered gunshot wounds when police and troops dispersed the crowd.

The police statement said a water cannon was used but the church’s report said two armored vehicles from the military base had fired at the crowd.

The Evangelical Christian Church in Papua has about 600,000 members and dates its origins to German missionaries in the 1850s.

June 8, 2017 0

Indonesia’s Jokowi still owes resolution of past rights abuses

By PMC Editor –December 10, 2016,By Margareth S. Aritonang in Jakarta

A nun observes photographs of victims of past human rights abuses in front of the State Palace in Jakarta during a weekly rally that is locally known as Kamisan. This rally was the 417th since 2007 and it demanded demanding the government resolve the cases. (Seto Wardhana )

After two years of running the country, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has still not fulfilled his campaign promise to address long-unresolved human rights abuse cases in Indonesia, a promise that is thought to have sealed his victory against his former contender Prabowo Subianto, who is implicated in the forced disappearances of pro-democracy activists in 1998.

“The government must fulfill its obligation to solve all cases of gross human rights violations that occurred in the past,” prominent human rights lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis said at a discussion yesterday.

“The President will forever owe us that promise unless he keeps his word.”

The unresolved cases that Jokowi promised to address consist of the 1989 Talangsari massacre, the forced disappearance of anti-Soeharto activists in 1997 and 1998, the Trisakti University shootings, the Semanggi I and Semanggi II student shootings in 1998 and 1999, the mysterious killing of alleged criminals in the 1980s, the anticommunist massacres of 1965 and various abuses that took place in Wasior and Wamena in Papua in 2001 and 2003, respectively.

Activist Al Araf from the Jakarta-based human rights watchdog Imparsial cited a lack of political will to prioritise human rights among Jokowi’s administration as a core reason behind the lagging attempts to address the issues during Jokowi’s two-year presidency.

As the world will commemorate International Human Rights Day today, Al Araf called for Jokowi and his subordinates to make the resolution of human rights abuse cases one of the government’s priority programs.

“Otherwise Jokowi’s regime will be no different to his predecessors,” he said.

December 11, 2016 0

Flag day in Papua takes form of prayer events, petition

Events held in the cities of West Papua to mark the anniversary of the Papuan nationalist day mainly took the form of prayer events.

Morning Star Flag Photo: Copyright: chelovek / 123RF Stock Photo

Yesterday was the 55th anniversary of a declaration of independence by the indigenous people of the former Dutch New Guinea declared independence.

The Papuan nationlist Morning Star was subsequently banned when Indonesia took over, but each year global rallies mark this anniversary in support of Papuans.

In Papua, the biggest of yesterday’s events was in the Highlands town of Wamena where 3000 people converged for a large prayer event at the Traditional Council headquarters.

West Papuans show solidarity at a prayer event at Sinapuk Stadium in Wamena. Photo: Supplied

Benar News reported that organisers of the event thanked the Indonesian authorities for permitting the opportunity to worship.

Among the speakers at another peaceful event, across in Papua’s provincial capital, was Filep Karma.

Papuan pro-independence activist Filep Karma (C) asks police for a permit to hold a convoy with his supporters after being released from prison in Abepura, Papua province, on November 19, 2015. Photo: AFP

Mr Karma was released from prison a year ago after serving eleven years for raising the Morning Star in 2004.

At the Jayapura event, hundreds signed a petition in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua with its growing representative role in the Pacific region.

Thousands sign petition message in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua movement in the Pacific and at the UN. Photo: Supplied

‘Political maturity’

Unlike December 1st demos in global centres such as London, Sydney, the Papua events were not allowed to feature raising of the Morning Star.

“Papuans are already aware and do not want to be provoked by violence and conflict,” Mr Karma was reported as saying.

“Prayers and speeches such as these show political maturity and a dignified struggle.”

West Papuan independence campaigner Filep Karma. Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins

The event also heard a speech written by the Liberation Movement secretary-general Octo Mote.

He said Indonesians “are starting to acknowledge that crimes have been committed by the government and military of Indonesia in Papua”.

In Jakarta police arrested over two hundred people for participating in a demonstration in support of West Papuans’ right to self-determination.

14 were arrested in the other Indonesian city of Yogyakarta.

Indonesian police turn water canons on protestors who were mostly university students from Free Papua Organization and the Papua Student Alliance in Jakarta on December 1, 2016. Photo: Supplied

December 2, 2016 0

Ramos Horta says Indonesia must settle Papua abuses

The former president of Timor-Leste has encouraged Indonesia to settle cases of human rights abuses in Papua.

Jose Ramos-Horta visited the region earlier this month and says Indonesia must not view the Papuan people as enemies, but work with them.

During his visit he met with officials as well as former separatist rebels.

The Jakarta Post reports Mr Ramos-Horta said Indonesia should avoid using violence that often ends up wounding innocent civilians.

He said Papuans are hopeful for peace and further development, but it is up to the Indonesian authorities to promote more dialogue.

East Timor's former president Jose Ramos Horta. — East Timor’s former president Jose Ramos Horta. Photo:

November 5, 2016 0

Komite HAM Dunia Soroti Kekerasan di Papua

Direktur Eksekutif Imparsial Poengki Indarti

Poengki IndartiJayapura – Komite Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM) Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) terus menyoroti kekerasan yang sedang berlangsung di Papua dan menyesalkan penggunaan kekuatan berlebihan oleh pasukan keamanan Indonesia. Ironisnya, tidak ada mekanisme yang efektif yang tersedia untuk pertanggungjawaban hukum anggota militer yang melakukan kekerasan.

Dalam siaran Pers Bersama Fransiscans Internasional, Human Rights and Peace for Papua (ICP), Imparsial, Kontras, Tapol and the West Papua Networkomite HAM Dunia melihat, pengulangan kejadian kekerasan di Papua menunjukkan tingginya angka pembunuhan yang terjadi di luar hukum terutama dalam dua tahun terakhir, dan salah satu yang menjadi sorotan adalah penggunaan kekerasan dalam membubarkan protes damai di Papua.

Hal itu terungkap dalam diskusi tentang Papua di Komite HAM PBB yang berlangsung di Jenewa beberapa hari lalu. “Diskusi tentang Papua di Komite HAM PBB menunjukkan bahwa pelanggaran HAM yang sedang berlangsung di Papua terus menjadi perhatian utama bagi masyarakat internasional,”ujar Direktur Eksekutif Imparsial Poengki Indarti melalui pesan elektroniknya, Senin 15 Juli.

Disisi lain, Komisi HAM PBB menilai pengadilan militer Indonesia dalam banyak kasus tidak terbuka untuk umum dan kurang transparan, kurang adil, dan independen. “Kami sebagai delegasi Indonesia dalam pertemuan itu sudah menjelaskan bahwa pengadilan itu umumnya dapat diakses oleh publik,”ucapnya.

Bahkan, sambung Poengki Indarti, Indria Fernida dari Tapol di London terkejut melihat Indonesia kekurangan lembaga untuk menolak pelanggengan budaya impunitas .

“Korban kecewa dengan kegagalan pengadilan militer di Papua dan sangat membutuhkan mekanisme pengaduan yang efektif atas pelanggaran yang dilakukan oleh militer,” kata Indria Fernida.

Komite HAM menekankan bahwa pengadilan untuk anggota militer yang bertanggung jawab harus terbuka, adil, transparan dan akuntabel. Masyarakat sipil yang menghadiri peninjauan ini mengharapkan Komite HAM memberikan rekomendasi yang kuat kepada pemerintah untuk meninjau UU Pengadilan Militer.

Delegasi Pemerintah menyatakan kepada Komite HAM bahwa media lokal di Papua bebas untuk mempublikasikan berita. Sementara itu, kasus intimidasi, ancaman, dan kekerasan terhadap wartawan lokal di Papua terus berlanjut.

Salah satu contohnya serangan kekerasan terhadap jurnalis Banjir Ambarita.

Dalam penilaiannya, badan PBB ini juga menyesalkan situasi kebebasan berekspresi dan masalah tahanan politik di Papua.

Letnan Jenderal purnawirawan Bambang Darmono, kepala Unit Percepatan Pembangunan di Papua dan Papua Barat (UP4B), sebagai anggota delegasi pemerintah menanggapi bahwa “kebebasan berekspresi tidak mutlak.” Komite HAM menyesalkan problem terhadap tahanan politik di lembaga
pemasyarakatan Papua. Delegasi pemerintah menyatakan posisinya bahwa Filep Karma, Kimanus Wenda, dan tahanan lainnya sah dipenjara karena ekspresi mereka bertujuan untuk memisahkan Papua dari Indonesia. Menurut delegasi, pemerintah Indonesia akan terus menghentikan ekspresi damai pandangan politik yang bertujuan memisahkan Papua dari Indonesia dengan memidanakan mereka. Delegasi melihat pembatasan kebebasan berekspresi diperlukan untuk mempertahankan kedaulatan negara dan keutuhan wilayah Indonesia.

Budi Tjahjono dari Fransiskan International khawatir bahwa “hal ini menyiratkan upaya memperpanjang pendekatan keamanan yang merugikan di Papua.”

Komite akan mempublikasi kesimpulan observasi dan rekomendasi kepada pemerintah Indonesia pada akhir July.

Sehingga, lanjut Poengki, Komisi HAM PBB mengevaluasi ulang tentang pelaksanaan kovenan Internasional tentang hak sipil dan politik. “Komisi Hak Asasi Manusia PBB meninjau pelaksanaan Kovenan Internasional tentang Hak Sipil dan Politik, salah satu hak asasi manusia paling penting yang sudah diratifikasi Indonesia dan pemerintah berkewajiban untuk menjalankan jaminan perlindungan hak-hak itu di Indonesia,”ujar Poengki. (Jir/don/l03)

Selasa, 16 Juli 2013 07:27, Binpa