The Civil Organisations Solidarity for Papua Land has condemned Indonesia’s Papua expansion plan of forming three new provinces risks causing new social conflicts.

And the group has urged President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to cancel the plan, according to a statement reports Jubi.

The group — comprising the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua), JERAT Papua, KPKC GKI in Papua Land, YALI Papua, PAHAM Papua, Cenderawasih University’s Human Rights and Environment Democracy Student Unit, and AMAN Sorong — said the steps taken by the House of Representatives of making three draft bills to establish three New Autonomous Regions (DOB) in Papua had created division between the Papuan people.

As well as the existing two provinces (DOB), Papua and West Papua, the region would be carved up to create the three additional provinces of Central Papua, South Papua, and Central Highlands Papua.

The solidarity group noted that various movements with different opinions have expressed their respective aspirations through demonstrations, political lobbying, and even submitting a request for a review of Law No. 2/2021 on the Second Amendment to Law No. 21/2001 on Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus).

These seven civil organisations also noted that the controversy over Papua expansion had led to a number of human rights violations, including the breaking up of protests, as well as police brutality against protesters.

However, the central government continued to push for the Papua expansion, and the House had proposed three bills for the expansion.

Wave of demonstrations
The Civil Organisations Solidarity for Papua Land said it was worried the expansion plan would raise social conflicts between parties with different opinions.

They said such potential for social conflict had been seen through a wave of demonstrations that continue to be carried out by the Papuan people — both those who rejected and supported new autonomous regions.

The potential for conflict could also be seen from the polemic on which area would be the new capital province.

In addition, rumours about the potential for clashes between groups had also been widely circulated on various messaging services and social media.

“All the facts present have only shown that the establishment of new provinces in Papua has triggered the potential for social conflicts,” the solidarity group said.

“This seems to have been noticed by the Papua police as well, as they have urged their personnel to increase vigilance ahead of the House’s plenary session to issue the new Papua provinces laws,” said the group.

The group reminded the government that the New Papua Special Autonomy Law, which is used as the legal basis for the House to propose three Papua expansion bills, was still being reviewed in the Constitutional Court.

Public opinion ignored
Furthermore, the House’s proposal of the bills did not take into account public opinion as mandated by Government Regulation No. 78/2007 on Procedures for the Establishment, Abolition, and Merger of Regions.

“It is the most reasonable path if the Central Government [would] stop the deliberation of the Papua Expansion plan, which has become the source of disagreement among Papuan people.

“We urged the Indonesian President to immediately cancel the controversial plan to avoid escalation of social conflict,” said the Civil Organisations Solidarity for Papua Land.

The solidarity group urged the House’s Speaker to nullify the Special Committee for Formulation of Papua New Autonomous Region Policy, as well as the National Police Chief and the Papuan Governor to immediately take the necessary steps to prevent social conflict in Papua, by implementing Law No. 7/2012 on Handling Social Conflicts.

The seven civil organisations also urged all Papuan leaders not to engage in activities that could trigger conflict between opposing groups over the Papua expansion.

“Papuan community leaders are prohibited from being actively involved in fuelling the polarisation of this issue,” the group said.

Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

A protest action by Papuan students which took place in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar, which was opposing the creation of new autonomous regions in Papua, ended in a clash with a social movement.

Several people were injured and rushed to the nearest hospital.

Action coordinator Boci explained that the incident began with the protesters planning to hold a rally in front of the Mandala Monument. When they began marching towards the rally point, they were blocked by the Ormas (the Indonesian Muslim Brigade).

“Since early morning there were plain clothed police with the ormas. Then when we moved off to the rally site we were blocked by the Ormas BMI, then we were assaulted, pelted with stones, beaten with pieces of wood, kicked, until three people were bleeding and I was hit and my fingers injured”, said Boci in a statement to CNN Indonesia.

The protesters then stood their ground in front of the Papuan student dormitory, said Boci, after which the police conducted negotiations and the BMI members retreated and moved away from the dormitory.

“Although we were provoked our action still continued. After that the police arrived but we continued to hold our ground in front of the dormitory and read out our action demands near the dormitory,” he explained.

As a result of the attack by the BMI, Boci said that five students suffered injuries and were bleeding.

Five students injured
“Yes, five students suffered injuries and are currently still receiving medical treatment”, he said.

Earlier, an Ormas in Makassar was involved in a class with several Papuan students in front of the Papuan student dormitory on Jalan Lanto Daeng Pasewang.

The clash occurred when the Papuan students were protesting against the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua in front of the dormitory.

The Ormas then tried to break up the student protest. The Papuan students refused to accept this and pelted several of the Ormas members with stones.

Makassar metropolitan district police operational division head Assistant Superintendent Darminto said that those who had been injured were receiving medical treatment at the Labuang Baji Hospital.

Translated by James Balowski for IndoLeft News. The original title of the article was Kronologi Aksi Mahasiswa Tolak DOB Papua Berujung Bentrok di Makassar.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Indonesian police have been accused of beating two Papuan students with rattan sticks – severely injuring them — while 20 other students have been injured and the Morning Star flag seized in a crackdown on separate protests yesterday across the two Melanesian provinces of Papua and West Papua.

The protesters were blocked by police during a long march in the provincial capital of Jayapura opposing planned new autonomous regions in Papua.

The police have denied the rattan beating claims.

Papuan human rights activist Younes Douw said almost 3000 students and indigenous Papuans (OAP) took to the streets for the action.

“Around 650 students took to the streets today. Added to by the Papuan community of around 2000 people,” Douw told CNN Indonesia.

Douw said that the actions yesterday were held at several different points in Jayapura such as Yahukimo, Waena and Abepura.

Almost every single gathering point, however, was blockaded by police.

Police blockade
“Like this morning there was a police blockade from Waena on the way to Abepura,” he said.

Douw said that two students were injured because of the repressive actions by police.

The two were named as Jayapura Science and Technology University (USTJ) student David Goo and Cendrawasih University (Unas) student Yebet Tegei.

Both suffered serious head injuries.

“They were beaten using rattan sticks,” Douw said.

Jayapura district police chief Assistant Superintendent Victor Mackbon denied the reports from the students.

“It’s a hoax. So please, if indeed they exist, they [should] report it. But if they don’t exist, that means it’s not true,” Mackbon told CNN Indonesia.

Demonstration banned
The police had earlier banned the demonstration against new autonomous regions being organised by the Papua People’s Petition (PRP).

The Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) said that by last night at least 20 people had been injured as a result of police violence in in breaking up the protests.

“In Sorong, 10 people were injured. In Jayapura, 10 were also injured,” LBH Papua chair Emanuel Gobay told Kompas.com.

“The injuries were a consequence of the repressive approach by police against demonstrators when they broke up the rallies,” he said.

Police also arrested several people during the protests.

“In Nabire, 23 people were arrested then released later in the afternoon.

“Two people were also arrested in Jayapura and released later,” Gobay said.

When this article was published, however, local police were still denying that any protesters had been injured.

Fires, flag seized in Sorong
In Sorong, police broke up a demonstration against the autonomous regions at the Sorong city Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) office, reports Kompas.com.

Earlier, the demonstrators had asked DPRD Speaker Petronela Kambuaya to meet with them but there was no response.

The demonstrators then became angry and set fire to tyres on the DPRD grounds and police fired teargas into the rally.

Sorong district police operations division head Police Commander Moch Nur Makmur said that the action taken was following procedure.

“We had already appealed to the korlap [protest field coordinator], saying that if there were fires we would break up [the rally], but they (the protesters) started it all so we took firm action and broke it up,” said commander Makmur.

Police also seized a Morning Star independence flag during the protest. The flag was grabbed when the demonstrators were holding a long march from the Remu traffic lights to the Sorong DPRD.

Makmur said that when police saw somebody carrying the Morning Star flag, they seized it.

“The flag was removed immediately, officers were quick to seize the flag,” he said.

Translated by James Balowski for IndoLeft News. The original title of the article was Demo Tolak DOB Diadang Aparat di Papua, Mahasiswa Luka Dipukul Rotan.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Screams erupted as the sound of gunshots ricocheted around the open-air market. People ran.

It was bloody.

“I saw from my own eyes the gun violence,” says Laurens Ikinia.

“It was just crazy.”

Ikinia was still a child when he witnessed Indonesian security forces open fire at a market in Wamena, the largest highland town in West Papua’s Baliem Valley.

He says it was a massacre. It was later recognised as the 2003 Wamena Incident (or Peristiwa Wamena 2003 in Bahasa Indonesian).

What began as a raid on an armoury led to a two-month operation by the Indonesian Army and National Police. Thousands of villagers were displaced, civilians killed.

It was a response to increasing cries for West Papuan independence.

Some healing in NZ
The trauma of that day lasts, says Ikinia, but in the recent years, studying in New Zealand he has experienced some healing.

Ikinia is one of 125 West Papuan students in Aotearoa, arriving in 2015 and 2016 on a scholarship to study abroad.

He aspires to write Pasifika stories, about the people and places largely ignored by the international media.

He is close to completing a Master of Communications at Auckland University of Technology.

However, the domino effect of legislative changes in Jakarta means the 27-year-old stands to lose it all.

A couple of years before the violence in Wamena, Papua Provincial Governor Lukas Enembe established a scholarship programme for Papuans to study abroad.

The investment in indigenous human resources drew on Special Autonomy funds granted by Jakarta, but employed at the governor’s discretion.

‘Inspired thinking’
“It was inspired thinking on his part,” says Professor David Robie, retired director of the Pacific Media Centre and editor of Asia Pacific Report (APR).

“Get them educated outside West Papua, outside Indonesia, and come back with fresh ideas.”

But in 2021, the money dried up.

In a 20-year legislative review, the central Indonesian government passed a bill ratifying sweeping amendments to the Special Autonomy Law, effectively diverting money and authority away from the provinces.

Despite widespread opposition by West Papuans and calls for an independence referendum instead, the funds propping up several provincial programmes, including the scholarships were allocated elsewhere.

The fallout for the students abroad arrived in December.

A letter to the Indonesian embassy with a list of names — 39 students in New Zealand, and dozens of others overseas, were to be sent home.

‘Underperforming’ students
A translation of the letter says underperforming students and those who had not completed their study in the allocated timeframe would be repatriated by December 31, 2021.

Ikinia’s name is on the list.

“It doesn’t make sense at all,” he says.

“Based on my track record, I was one of the ones that completed the programme the fastest.”

He says all postgraduate students were given a three-month thesis extension due to covid interruptions.

“I am just about to finish.”

He says the decision to recall students is based on incorrect data held by the Provincial Government’s Human Resources Department Bureau (HRDB).

Many phone calls
“We have had a number of phone calls. It seems like people in the department don’t hold the data according to the latest results.

“It’s totally wrong. I did not start my masters in 2016.”

It’s politics, says Yan Wenda, president of the Papuan Student Association in Oceania, and a postgraduate student at the University of Otago.

“The central government in Jakarta changed the law without any input from the provincial government.

“They did the review, and in some areas changed how they managed the money between the provinces and the districts.

“It affects the students studying abroad.”

He says calls to the bureau confirmed this.

‘The money is not here’
“[They said] ‘the money is not here. It’s just not happening for you guys, you’ll have to come back home.’”

He says not only have successful students been recalled, but also the allowance for others has stopped.

“As students we are desperate to pay our rent. We haven’t had any allowance in two months.

“This is why we need to speak up about this.

“We have been victims of this change.”

A public statement issued by the newly formed International Alliance of Papuan Student Associations Overseas (IAPSAO) on January 27 urged the Indonesian government to consider the rights of Papuans to obtain a quality education.

Wenda and student presidents from the United States and Canada — where 81 students were recalled, Russia, Germany, and Japan signed it.

Sustainability of the governor’s policy
They requested the 10 per cent fund allocation for the education sector return to the Papua Provincial Government “for the continuity and sustainability of the governor’s policy to develop Papuan human resources”.

“Don’t kill Papuan human resources anymore with political policy.”

The students have since demanded that the Indonesian Embassy facilitate a dialogue with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

“It is a really sad development,” says Professor Robie.

“It’s all political by Jakarta. It’s all about self-determination, all about denying the rights of Melanesians in the two provinces of Papua to define their own future.”

He says the Jakarta government is uncomfortable with the student scholarships, and says the premise for repatriation was baseless.

“They are trying to curb the rights of Papuan students to get an education overseas.

‘Fundamentally changed’
“What has fundamentally changed is that (provincial) autonomy, that right to send those students to where they want to go.

“Those decisions are no longer in their hands.”

After APR reported on the issue, Dr Robie received a letter from the Indonesian Embassy, stating it was “appalled at the unfounded claims” made in the regional website.

The letter said the Indonesian government was committed to ensuring the right to education for all Indonesian citizens.

In response to questions from the Times-Age the embassy refuted claims that repatriation of students was politically motivated and said the HRDB did not recall students based on academic performance alone.

Length of study and the students’ disciplinary records were also taken into account.

A spokesperson said they could not speak to the accuracy of the information used recall students. However, they said the decision was the result of a thorough assessment by the bureau.

Conceded adjustments made
They denied budget cuts to the Papuan Special Autonomy Fund were responsible, but conceded adjustments were made to the “budgetary system”.

In response to the demands for dialogue with the president:

“[We] have duly engaged and in coordination with concerned students, Students’ Coordinator, student organisations, and the Provincial Government of Papua to further discuss the issue at hand.”

Wenda and Ikinia say scholarship students around the world are united in their stance, they will not return home.

“We are demanding our rights to education. We have no political agenda at all,”  Ikinia says.

“The government claims that we have a hidden political agenda, this is totally incorrect and unacceptable. We have been always participating in the events that the Indonesian Embassy has been hosting.”

When Indonesia staged a Pacific Exposition in Auckland in 2019, Papuan students actively participated in the event. Most of the Papuan students participated as local ambassadors to accompany the diplomats and delegations who came from the Pacific.

“I myself have also been the president of the Indonesian Students Association in Palmerston North and at the same time vice-president of Indonesian Students in New Zealand in 2018-19.”

‘Trauma healing’
Ikinia says West Papuans have become a minority in their own land, and suffering is not an anomaly.

“In New Zealand I realised how other people could treat us, like family,” he says.

“This is the treatment we should receive from the Indonesian government.”

He believes coming to New Zealand goes beyond academic achievement.

“It is part of the journey to find the potential in my life. And it’s part of the trauma healing.”

He says the New Zealand government is in a position to help the students, by acknowledging their Pasifika status.

“We are not Asians, we are Melanesians.

“We know NZ is a generous country that helps minority groups. We hope in this difficult time the New Zealand government will open its arms and have us as part of their Pacific family.”

Mary Argue is a Wairarapa Times-Age reporter. Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

A global Papuan student welfare advocacy group has condemned the Indonesian government’s disruption of autonomous local education grants supporting studies abroad, branding the move as “assassinating” indigenous human resource development.

The International Alliance of Papuan Student Associations Overseas (IAPSAO) issued an open letter today headed “Do not disturb and hinder [us] — leave us [to] study in peace”, saying that funding changes created under the controversial new autonomy statute would have a crippling impact on education.

Some 125 Papuan students — 41 studying in New Zealand and 84 in the United States — have been ordered home under the new policy removing the 10 percent autonomous education funds allocated to the Melanesian provincial governments and transferring the administration of funds to other departments.

Papuan students studying in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Russia and the United Sates are also affected.

The Papua provincial government led by Governor Lukas Enembe has followed a proactive  policy on education with a scholarships programme abroad to invest in the region’s human resources.

“Papuan students, the recipients of the Papuan Provincial Government Foreign Scholarships, are aware and understand that education is one of the human rights guaranteed by the state constitution in Article 31 of the 1945 Constitution and Law No. 20 of 2003 on the National Education System,” the student statement said.

The students also cited international laws concerning human rights endorsed by Indonesia, which “provide legal obligations [on] the government to respect, protect and promote the right to education”.

“Political policies by the central government towards Papua often create bad legal implications for the rights and dignity of indigenous Papuans,” added the statement.

Scholarships, empowerment affected
The students said that amendments to the Special Autonomy Law volume 2, the enactment of Law No. 2 of 2021, the second amendment to Law No. 21 of 2001, and regarding special autonomy for the Papua province and Government Regulation No. 107 of 2021, had led to several priority programmes of the provincial government of Papua being stopped.

“Especially programmes funded from Papua’s special autonomy fund, including
education scholarships, economic empowerment and health,” had been impacted on, the student statement said.

“We are aware and understand that the basis of the Papua provincial government’s decision to repatriate Papuan Students from Abroad in a very large number, which is due to the 10 percent of the Special Autonomy funds for the education sector [being withdrawn] and transferred to other institutions.

“The termination and diversion of 10 percent of the education fund managed by the Papua
provincial government is an assassination of human resource investment for the future of Papua through education.

“We also view that [with] the policy of diverting the allocation of education funds, the central government does not consider [the interests] of the ongoing scholarship programme (Papuan Students Abroad).”

The student statement also said the central Jakarta government’s political policies did not consider human rights, including “the rights of Papuan children to obtain a quality education”.

The students demanded the following:
1. The central government must return the 10 percent of OTSUS funding allocation in the education sector to the Papua provincial government for the continuity and sustainability of the “Governor’s Policy” to develop Papuan human resources through the Papua Foreign Scholarship Programme;
2. The central government must take responsibility for the negative implications of the amendment to Law No. 21 of 2001 concerning OTSUS Papua which has an impact on the Papua Provincial Government’s Foreign Scholarship Programe;
3. The central government should not “kill Papuan human resources” anymore with its political policies; and
4. The central government should take responsibility for policies that have an impact on the 2022 budget (tuition and living costs) for Papua Province Foreign Scholarship recipients.

The statement is signed by the presidents of the Papuan Students Association in Oceania, Papuan Students Association in the United States of America and Canada, Papuan Students Association in Russia, Papua Students Association in Germany and the Papua Students Association in Japan.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

It is open season again for Indonesian trolls targeting Asia Pacific Report and other media with fake news and disinformation dispatches in a crude attempt to gloss over human rights violations.

Just three months ago I wrote about this issue in my “Dear editor” article exposing the disinformation campaign. There was silence for a while but now the fake letters to the editor – and other media outlets — have started again in earnest.

The latest four lengthy letters emailed to APR canvas the following topics — Jakarta’s controversial special autonomy status revised law for Papua, a brutal assault by Indonesian Air Force military policemen on a deaf Papuan man, and a shooting incident allegedly committed by pro-independence rebels – and they appear to have been written from a stock template.

And they all purport to have been written by “Papuan students” or “Papuans”. Are they their real names, and do they even exist?

The latest letter to Asia Pacific Report, dated July 30, was written by a “Paulus Ndiken” who claims:

“I’m a native Papuan currently living in Merauke, Papua, Indonesia. I would like to address your cover story about Indonesia apologises for ‘excessive force’ against deaf Papuan man.

“One day after the incident, the Indonesian Air Force had detained and punished severely 2 members … that had roughly apprehending [sic] Esebius Bapaimu in Merauke, Papua province.”

Dubious reputation
The letter linked to Yumi Toktok Stret, a website with a dubious reputation with accuracy. The report was sketchy and the correct name of the assaulted man, according to reputable news media and Papuan sources, is actually Steven Yadohamang.

“We regret that this kind of rough-housing [sic] happened on the street,” wrote correspondent “Ndiken”, “but we, as Papuans, [are] also glad to know that these perpetrators have received sound punishment …

“Responding to the unfortunate events, the Indonesian netizens had asked for the Indonesian military to immediately take action against the guilty party and were glad that the institution had addressed the people’s concern in a very fast manner.”

A more nuanced and accurate article was written for Asia Pacific Report by Brisbane-based West Papuan academic Yamin Kogoya who compared the “inhumane” assault to the tragic killing of George Floyd in the United States after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes as he lay face down in the street on 25 May 2020.

Another letter writer, “Michel Wamebu” … “a native West Papuan living in Merauke”, said on June 29 he would like to bring our attention to West Papua, “which has been painted as if the whole island is in conflict, when actually [there are] only a few small areas [that] were invaded by the Free Papua terrorists that had been exposed to enormous violence.

“I would like to assure the world that there [is] nothing like a full-blown war.”

In the lengthy letter about an incident on June 4 when four civilians were killed in a shooting and two were wounded, “Wamebu” provided alleged details that are likely to have been provided by military sources and at variance with actual news reports at the time.

‘Spike’ over special autonomy
“Yamkon Doleon”, a “student from West Papua and currently studying in Yogyakarta, Indonesia” wrote on July 19 that there had been “a spike in the topic of Papuan special autonomy in social media and also [in] a few international media”.

Launching into a defence of the new Special Autonomy for Papua law for the governance of the two Melanesian provinces of Papua and West Papua for the next two decades – adopted by the House of Representatives in Jakarta last month without consultation with the Papuans, “Doleon” wrote:

“The Special Autonomy itself is a law that guarantees every Papuan to be the leader of their region, to have free education, free health service, and a boost I [the] economy … So which article is not in favour of the people?”

The writer makes no mention of the heavy militarisation of Papua in recent months, the repeated allegations of human rights violations, or the rejection of the Special Autonomy law by the Papuan people.

In a comment about the spate of Indonesian troll messages to some media outlets, West Papua Media Alerts said:

“Indonesian intelligence bots, go away. You are being banned and reported and deleted everytime you post, so go away.”

The engaged media advocacy and news service continued: “It is clear we are telling the truth, otherwise you wouldn’t have to spend so much money trying to counter it with a transparent influence exercise. Go home, invaders.

“Friends, there are literally over a hundred sock accounts using random Anglo names, and the same script response. These accounts all come from the BIN-run FirstMedia in Jakarta, and were all created after March 2.

Report fake accounts
“If you see a comment, please click through on the account name, click the 3 dots and report them as a fake account and going against community standards. We will obviously delete and ban these fake accounts.”

Meanwhile, the London-based Indonesian human rights watchdog Tapol has strongly condemned the two Air Force military policemen who severely beat the disabled man, Steven Yadohamang, in Merauke, Papua, on 27 July 2021.

Video footage which has been widely shared on social media, shows the two personnel beating up a man and crushing his body into the ground and stamping on his head.

The footage of the assault on Steven Yadohamang. Video: Benar News

Tapol said in a statement: “It is clear from the footage that Yadohamang does not possess the capacity to defend himself against two individuals who appear to be unconcerned with possible consequences.”

A similar incident in Nabire took place the following day, said the statement. A West Papuan man, Nicolas Mote, was suddenly smacked on the head repeatedly during his arrest despite not resisting.

“The incident follows a spate of previous violent incidents committed by the security forces against civilians in West Papua province and is likely to raise further questions about what purpose increasing numbers of military personnel are serving in West Papua,” Tapol said.

Although the Air Force had apologised, it had suggested that the two military policemen, Second Sergeant Dimas Harjanto and Second Private Rian Febrianto, alone should bear responsibility for the incident, said the watchdog.

Outrage over Indonesian officers for stomping on disabled Papuan teen’s head – by Yamin Kogoya #CafePacific #HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #WestPapua @westpapuamedia @FreeWestPapua #justice4papuahttps://t.co/tolA6q0EgS pic.twitter.com/1oJVYp7gSk

— David Robie (@DavidRobie) July 29, 2021

‘Pattern of violence’
“They, and the Indonesian media, have described the soldiers as ‘rogues’. This assessment is not consistent with a pattern of violence committed against civilians that has been allowed to go unpunished in recent months and years,” Tapol said.

“Indeed, had there not been such indisputable visual evidence of security force violence, it is entirely possible that the incident would not now be subject to further investigation by the authorities.

“But despite facing punishment, the perpetrators are likely to only to receive light sentences because they will be tried in military courts.”

Following the end of the New Order period, civilian politicians were not pushing for military personnel to be tried in civilian courts.

Since 2019, there had been a steady build-up of military and police personnel in the two provinces of Papua and West Papua, said Tapol.

“Deployments and security force operations have increased further since April 2021, when the Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security, Mahfud MD, designated the armed resistance movement, TPNPB, as a ‘terrorist’ group.

“West Papuans and Indonesians have raised concerns that the designation would further stigmatise ordinary West Papuans.

“We would also highlight that in West Papua there are significant underlying problems with institutionalised racism by the authorities.”

Tapol called on President Joko Widodo and the House of Representatives of Indonesia to finish the post-Suharto agenda of reforming the military to combat a culture of impunity over human rights violations in West Papua.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The unanimous House of Representatives decision in Indonesia last week to endorse the revised Papuan Special Autonomy Law shows, yet again, the propensity of the Jakarta elite to dictate the future of the territory, despite persistent calls to honor local demands.

This “new deal” is not likely to end violence in the resource-rich provinces, which stems in large part from Jakarta’s refusal to settle past human rights abuses there.

On paper, the revision offers some of the substantial changes needed to help Papuans close the gap with the rest of the nation. For example, it extends special autonomy funding for Papua and West Papua to 2041 and increases its amount from 2 percent to 2.25 percent of the general allocation fund, with a particular focus on health and education.

The Finance Ministry estimates that over the next 20 years, the two provinces will receive Rp 234.6 trillion (US$16 billion).

The revisions also strengthen initiatives to empower native Papuans in the policy-making process by allocating one fourth of the Regional Legislative Council to native, nonpartisan Papuans by appointment. They also mandate that 30 percent of those seats go to native Papuan women.

Under the new law, a new institution will be established to “synchronize, harmonize, evaluate and coordinate” the implementation of special autonomy. Headed by the Vice President, the new body will answer to the President and will have a secretariat in Papua. The previous government formed a presidential unit to accelerate development in Papua and West Papua (UP4B), but President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo dissolved it shortly after taking office in 2014.

The chairman of the special House committee deliberating the revision, Komarudin Watubun, a Papuan, described the new law as “a breakthrough” as it would require the government to consult the Papuan and West Papuan governments in the drafting of implementing regulations.

But this is where the core problem of the special autonomy law lies. In democracy, respecting the will of the public, including dissenting views, is vital to the lawmaking process, precisely because the laws will affect that public. Public scrutiny should precede rather than follow a law, but in the case of the special autonomy law, that mechanism was dropped from the House’s deliberation, which lasted seven months, under the pretext of social distancing to contain the spread of covid-19.

The Jakarta elite have clearly left the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) behind as a representation of the customs and will of the provinces’ people, as well as the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP), not to mention civil society groups, tribes and those who mistrust special autonomy and the government. In the words of MRP chief Timotius Murib, the revisions reveal Jakarta’s lack of good intentions for Papuan development.

This is not the first time the executive and legislative powers have colluded to bypass public consultation on a highly controversial bill. The tactic worked in the passage of the Job Creation Law last year, as well as the new Mining Law, and the approach is apparently repeating in the ongoing deliberation of the Criminal Code revision.

As long as the obsolete, Jakarta-centered approach remains intact, Papuan peace and prosperity will remain elusive.

This Jakarta Post editorial was published on 21 July 2021.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Indonesia’s most troubled province of Papua is become embroiled in another mass demonstration with protesters barricading provincial government buildings and offices over a draconian and undemocratic appointment.

The latest unrest is in response to last week’s controversial appointment of Papua’s Provincial Government Secretary, Dance Yulian Flassy, as Acting Governor of Papuan province by Indonesia’s Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian.

It has been alleged that Flassy sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs requesting to be appointed as Acting Governor of Papua.

The letter no T.121.91/4124/OTDA dated June 24, 2021, was signed by the Ministry of Home Affairs General Director of Regional Autonomy, Akmal Malik.

This sudden appointment shocked Governor Enembe, who has been in Singapore receiving medical treatment since May. The governor said that he had not been informed nor made aware of the appointment.

He said that this was “maladministration” and an attempt to cause more trouble in Papua.

Four points
Governor Enembe wrote a letter to President Jokowi, which outlined four points:

1. Governor Enembe will return to Papua to perform his duty as governor as soon as he is fully recovered;
2. As an active governor, Governor Enembe has not been consulted, informed about, or agreed to Flassy’s appointment as Acting Governor;
3. Governor Enembe was elected by his people in accordance with Indonesia’s constitution to administer the province and lead his people. He stated that when he took office, he took an oath to protect the unitary state of Indonesia. He is disappointed by this kind of unlawful and unconstitutional behaviour coming from the high office; and
4. Governor Enembe requested President Jokowi to dismiss Flassy from office as he had misused his public portfolio in trying to take office without consulting Governor Enembe.

“In addition to these [points], Mr Flassy has already done many things that contradict my policies as Governor,” said Governor Enembe (Fajar Papua.com, June 25).

The Governor said he was surprised by the fact that Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian was the one who granted permission for him to go to Singapore for medical treatment in April. Governor Enembe asked: “Why, then, is Mr. Tinto trying to replace me, knowing that I am still alive and recovering?”

Muhammad Rifai Darus, Governor Enembe’s spokesperson, said Enembe was still active as the head of Papua’s regional, provincial government and criticised the appointment in its breach of proper procedure and mechanism (as reported by Papua Today online news, June 25).

Discriminatory move
Ricky Ham Pagawak, the vice-chairman of the Democrat party in Papua, said that this appointment was discriminatory and a civil coup d’état against Governor Lukas’ office (Papua Post, June 26).

Pagawak continues to criticise the appointment by saying the letter was issued in the morning and in the afternoon on the same day Flassy was appointed.

“Is this fair?” he asked.

In response, Papuans have already blocked several government buildings, including the office of the Democrat Party.

“If there is no withdrawal of this appointment from the central government, Papuan people will continue to galvanize mass rallies and occupy provincial office until the matter is fully resolved,” said Pagawak (Suara Papua, June 26).

A member of the Papuan Provincial Parliament, Nason Utty, also expressed his disappointment at Flassy’s move, sending a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, requesting to be appointed as Acting Governor of Papua.

“It is inappropriate for the provincial secretary to do this. Mr. Enembe remains the legitimate Governor of the Papuan Province, so this is an important decision that should be consulted first with him,” said Nason Utty (SindoNews.com, June 26).

Severe criticism
Despite the severe criticism by Governor Enembe and Papuans, Luqman Hakim, Vice-Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives in Jakarta, said that this appointment was appropriate and proper procedures and mechanisms had been followed.

“The decision of the Minister of Home Affairs to appoint Papua Provincial Secretary, Dance Yulian Flassy, as acting Governor was needed and legitimate. In the principles of constitutional law, it is not permissible for a government to have a power vacuum,” Hakim told DetikNews reporters (June 26).

There is an element of common sense in Hakim’s statement – such high office should not be left as a power vacuum infinitely. Especially in Papua, one of the most conflict-ravaged regions of Indonesia and the world.

But even simple rules that govern such as common sense differ significantly between Jakarta and Papua.

In Papua, strong local leadership is needed to respond to never ending impending crises.

However, Jakarta is also notoriously known for introducing harmful policies, opposite to the wishes of Papuan people, which aggravate these conflicts and crises.

One such failed policy is the infamous Papuan Special Autonomy Law No. 21 of 2001, introduced 20 years ago to deflect the ever-growing demand for Papuan independence, following the fall of Suharto’s 32-year iron fist rule in 1998.

Autonomy law opposed
This law will expire in November 2021. Jakarta’s insistence to extend what Papuans regard as a “failed and dead special autonomy” policy have already been met with severe criticism and massive rejection by Papuan society.

Exacerbating these situations further, controversial labelling of any Papuans who opposed Jakarta as “terrorists” in recent months, following the killing of a senior Indonesian intelligence officer, General I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha, also sparked outrage among Papuans and Indonesians alike.

Papuan civil society groups and churches strongly rejected this “terrorist” label and asked Jakarta to revoke the decision. This harmful label will give the green light for security forces to shoot any Papuan regarded as a West Papua National Liberation Army member.

Local media Suara Papua (Papua Voice) has recorded rare shocking footage on the current devastating humanitarian crisis in Papua’s highlands, as security forces continue to terrorise the locals in their pursuit for Papua’s liberation army.

WATCH THE VIDEO ON FACEBOOK – Suara Papua

Jakarta’s unsympathetic approach in not respecting Papuan’s customary practice of 40 days of national mourning for the May 21 passing of their Vice-Governor, Klemen Tinal, rubs salt in Papua’s deep wounds.

These are among many of Jakarta’s top-down, draconian policies that fan the burning flames in the hearts of Papuans in this decade-old-conflict-stricken region of the world.

Because the central government doesn’t even have the courtesy of asking their own elected Governor about the appointment of another Indigenous Papuan as acting Governor, indicates that Jakarta is creating and nurturing conflicts among Papuan indigenous people.

Governors not consulted
Jakarta also did not ask the governors of both provinces (Papua and West Papua) about the impact that the recent “terrorist” labelling of Papuans might have on the psychology of the Papuan people.

It seems that Indonesia, a country that prides itself as the world’s fourth-largest democracy with an ambition to play a role in global affairs, struggles to decide what it stands for –- democracy and freedom? Or something else?

This indecisiveness was demonstrated further when Indonesia decided to join 14 other countries (including North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia and China) in rejecting a resolution on “The Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity during the vote in the UN Assembly in May this year.

This ambivalence reflects in almost every policy Jakarta has introduced for Papua. We have the ruling elites in Jakarta making statements of removing all Indigenous Papuans from their ancestral homeland.

On the other hand, President Jokowi wants to approach Papua through welfare.

Unfortunately, the same president that talks about welfare also gives orders to his troops for a manhunt looking for “terrorists” in West Papua.

The appointment of Flassy as Acting Governor without consulting Governor Lukas Enembe and Papuan people reflects Jakarta’s tragic mishandling of West Papua.

Practising what is preached
Jakarta should pick what principles and values it wants to live by and handle its affairs with Papuans accordingly.

Otherwise, any meaningful and permanent peace cannot be installed in the land of Papua if Jakarta continues to approach Papua with self-contradictory policies. It’s a case of practising what you preach.

Both Enembe and Flassy are Papuans and should be united in resolving the many challenges that their people face, not fighting over the top jobs. But unfortunately, elites in Jakarta continue to introduce policies that encourage Papuans to be at odds with one another for all sorts of things.

That is the true colour of the old colonial strategy of “divide and conquer” at work. We learned what happened over the past 500 years of European colonisation –- they used this strategy in decimate local indigenous populations.

Because of these unfortunate tragedies, Governor Lukas Enembe has stated that people in Papua remain calm and united to protect Papua and not be easily provoked by what is happening.

He has asked if Papuan people want to express their frustrations over the appointment of Dance Yulian Flassy, to do it peacefully without causing harm to all life in the land of Papua.

Muhammad Rifai Darus, Governor Enembe’s spokesperson, said Governor Enembe was alive and recovering.

When he comes home, he will deal with Jakarta and appoint his Vice-Governor in accordance with proper procedure and mechanism.

In the meantime, he asks the people in Papua to remain calm and not to provide any unnecessary opportunity for the enemy of Papua to use this moment to create more conflict and devastation.

• Yamin Kogoya is a West Papuan academic who has a Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development from the Australian National University who contributes to Asia Pacific Report. From the Lani tribe in the Papuan Highlands, he is currently living in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
  
• Other Yamin Kogoya articles

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

A Pacific Islands Forum-hosted webinar has called on the United Nations and Indonesia to be “more responsive” to the pleas of West Papuans and take action to resolve human rights issues in the Melanesian region.

The Secretary-General of the Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, the secretary-general of Pacific Council of Churches, Reverend James Bhagwan, diplomats and human rights activists made the call at the Suva-hosted online event on Friday.

“I do want and hope the UN will be responsive and the Indonesian government to also be responsive, so this matter moves forward and [we are] not continually having a conversation about it,” said Dame Meg.

She said that the UN high commissioner for human rights had been invited to visit West Papua, but this was not getting attention.

Dame Meg said that although her term would end next year, the issue of human rights in West Papua would go on as it was “ingrained very hard” for citizens of the region.

The webinar was part of the PIF’s Blue Pacific Talanoa series.

Rosa Moiwend, a West Papuan human rights activist, gave a stimulating message from a strong Melanesian and Pacific woman.

“The lives of West Papuans are a matter for all of us, so we need to take an action to save the lives of West Papuans no matter [what] your political backgrounds, or your standing. I think human lives is the most important thing,” Said Moiwend.

Covid no reason to delay action
Reverend Bhagwan said the covid-19 pandemic should not be a reason to not act on the latest Pacific resolutions about West Papua.

He said the resolutions on West Papua to intervene have been long-standing and “we know that the invitation [to visit West Papua] and the discussions have happened well before covid came into the region”.

“The government of Indonesia [must] allow the fact-finding mission to visit West Papua and to respect the call of Pacific leaders in terms of the Human Rights Commission to send a team and respect those findings,” he said.

“We continue to urge the current chair and we acknowledge the work that their chair and secretary general had been doing and we look forward to discussions around the forum leaders meeting this year.”

“And we continue to call for the incoming chair of the forum to continue PIF leaders’ resolutions and report back to the forum leaders meeting in 2021.”
“We need to open the story, we need access for information – this also includes access for foreign journalists to be able to come in and investigate.”

Indonesia ‘committed’ to human rights’
Indonesian representatives Dr Felix Wanggai and Nicholas Messet said that Indonesia was committed to promoting and protecting human rights.

“Indonesia is also facing its own [problems], but we are committed to promoting and protecting human rights and so alleged human right cases with principle of justice,” said Messet.

He said that human rights violations in West Papua never happened without law enforcement against the perpetrators.

“Not a single human rights issue goes with impunity,” he said.

“Indonesia believes that the PIF is not the forum to discuss the issue of territorial integrity of a sovereign countries, but on the other hand, PIF has a moral duty to see that human right issue must not happen to its members and dialogue partners countries, including Papua and West Papua which is part of Indonesia,” Messet said.

Dr Wanggai highlighted the commitment of the central government of Indonesia to human rights such as basic rights of access to health services, education, connectivity, water, housing for the West Papuan people.

“In the context of Papua, our government has defined the root causes in Papua, for example inequality, undeveloped area, lack of connectivity, and lack of the skill to manage their natural resources.”

Managing special autonomy framework
Indonesia was continuing to manage the special autonomy framework for Papua and West Papua provinces.

“So, by the special autonomy framework, the government recognises Papuan identity in economic, culture, social and local politics,” said Dr Wanggai.

He also highlighted that the government recognised the importance of cultural affairs in solving human rights issues which he called Papuan cultural affairs, known as the Papuan People Assembly (Majelis Rakyat Papua).

However, Reverend Bhagwan said that he was concerned about the arrest of the members of the MRP and the breakup of public hearing meetings across West Papua.

“Here we receive information directly from our member churches and on the ground,” he said.

Last Tuesday, more than 50 people were arrested in Merauke at the meeting to discuss their concern over the special autonomy law,” said Reverend Bhagwan.

Moiwend said that the “invasion” by the Indonesia military in West Papua caused more human rights violations as it often became arrogant and oppressed the Papuans. It scared Papuans in the villages.

Human rights abuse still a problem
She said that human rights abuse still continued.

“But I think one of the key aspects is the political aspect and we can’t deny that there is fighting between the Indonesian military and West Papua freedom fighters. I think when we look at this conflict, ordinary people have became a victim,” she said.

“We have thousands of internally displaced people now living in Wamena and another neighboring regency from Nduga.

“And we haven’t finished working on that issue and now we have Intan Jaya also with the same kind of background. The conflict is also related to the Wabu block which is related to the Freeport mining concession area.

“This needs to be addressed by the government of Indonesia. Two things, one is from the political aspect, and one is from the human rights aspect.

“The most urgent things right now is how the government deals with the human rights issue, especially the situation of women and children as internally displaced people in these two areas, but also in other parts like in Sorong,” Moiwend said.

Laurens Ikinia is a Papuan Masters in Communication Studies student at the Auckland University of Technology who has been studying journalism. He is on an internship with AUT’s Pacific Media Centre.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

West Papuan activists and an Indonesian human rights lawyer criticised the recent military crackdown on the two Melanesian provinces of Papua and West Papua in a New Zealand-hosted webinar at the weekend.

“The Indonesian government is trying to prevent an uprising like last year, when the uprising was against racism and self-determination – that’s what is happening on the ground,” exiled lawyer Veronica Koman said.

She also highlighted some of the findings from the recent report from the London-based Indonesian human rights group TAPOL, West Papua Uprising 2019, and said people wanted the truth.

The report says that more than 40,000 indigenous people of West Papuan have been displaced due to military crackdown. And more than 300 people have died.

West Papua Uprising also reveals that some of the people were allegedly killed by the Indonesian military, some died from malnutrition, and others from illness in the refugee villages.

Koman said that the number of victims recorded in the report was less than the actual number.

The crisis, particularly in the Nduga and Intan Jaya regions, is now a major concern since a third pastor has been killed, said Victor Yeimo, the international spokesperson for Komite Nasional Papua Barat (KNPB), a civil resistance organisation that mobilises and advocates for West Papua’s right to self-determination on independence.

The other webinar speaker was Ronny Kareni, a West Papuan musician and activist, and a community engagement youth worker based in Australia. The #PapuanLivesMatter webinar was moderated by former Green MP Catherine Delahunty and the discussion unfolded on her birthday yesterday.

International campaigns
The West Papuan Action Auckland group hosted the webinar on the topic of the current political situation, the opposition to “special autonomy” plans by Indonesia, and campaigns to free West Papua on the ground and internationally.

In the opening session, Delahunty explained that information discussed during the webinar would be used for the political education of Aotearoa New Zealand and local politicians who were “very slow” in taking up the West Papuan human rights and independence issue.

“Now, as most of you know, the situation in West Papua has been extremely serious for many, many years and continues to be a huge problem. And the importance of this solidarity movement across the world cannot be underestimated,” Delahunty said.

Victor Yeimo said the recent killing of a Catholic catechist in Intan Jaya hadadded more unrest for the indigenous people of West Papua.

“In the last three months we have seen that the Indonesian military has shot our pastor and also a Catholic catechist,” he said.

Opposition to ‘special autonomy’
Kareni, Koman and Yeimo said that the Indonesian-imposed new “special autonomy” status was not the solution to the aspirations of the indigenous people of West Papua.

Most Papuans rejected the Special Autonomy law and wanted a referendum on independence.

“As of today, there are 90 organisations that have joined or signed the petition for the referendum. Webinars, seminars and press statements are continuing day by day to reject the extension of the special autonomy in West Papua,” Yeimo said.

Koman said that the special autonomy was part of Indonesia’s colonialist practice towards the indigenous people of West Papua.

“Special autonomy has been used by Indonesia to whitewash colonialism, and colonialism remains a weapon … this is exactly what Indonesia is creating, class war among West Papuan elites against grassroots,” Koman said.

Kareni said that the special autonomy status was used as a campaign by the Indonesian government.

“The government always uses it as their propaganda in international forums by saying that the people of West Papua are given full rights to rule themselves through the special autonomy law, so what Papuans need is more on development,” he said.

“In its 10 years of ‘special autonomy’, the people of West Papua rejected it and also made a big announcement that it has failed, and now we are into two decades of it. And now [Indonesian government] wants to extend it further.

Massive impact on the people
“It is just to continue [with] their bigger interest [over] the economic foreign investment in the region and it will have a massive impact on the dignity, the land, and as well environment and every issue that we are talking about today.”

Although Koman and Yeimo are “most wanted” people by the Indonesian government, they are still consistently active and remarkably risk their lives in campaigning for self-determination for the people of West Papua.

Koman highlighted the result of her advocacy work disseminating information – her life is at risk in Indonesia.

Despite facing this risk, she keeps advocating the issue at international level.

“I have a personal mission. Why I focus on disseminating information on West Papua is because I came from there,” he said.

“I used to be very nationalistic person and it was because I didn’t know anything about West Papua. And I believe that my fellow Indonesians just don’t know what is happening, that is why I think West Papua doesn’t need any propaganda.

“People just need the truth about what happening in West Papua,” she said.

Victor Yeimo and Veronica Koman both said that the solidarity movement to West Papua in Indonesia was growing stronger.

“It is also happening across the world,” Kareni said.

The webinar panel called on the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, people in the Pacific, and others across the world to join the West Papuan solidarity struggle.

This article has been contributed by a postgraduate student journalist from Auckland University of Technology.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The United Liberation Movement if West Papua (ULMWP) has accused the Indonesian government of imposing martial law on the Melanesian region of West Papua and brutally supressing protests in a crackdown.

“Students have been shot with live rounds, tear gassed and beaten with bamboo sticks by police in Jayapura – just for staging a peaceful sit-in. How can people be shot and beaten for sitting in a public space?” said ULMWP chair Benny Wenda.

RNZ Pacific reports that the university students were forced to flee from the gunshots as the police dispersed the protesters yesterday.

The students were demonstrating against the government’s plans for a new Special Autonomy law in Papua region when members of both police and military forces came to disperse them.

Footage from Jayapura shows armed security forces personnel pursuing students through their dormitory precinct in Waena sub-district, accompanied by the sound of gunfire.

At least one student was wounded and has reportedly been taken to hospital.

A police spokesman has denied that the students were isolated in their dormitories, saying the demonstrators were disrupting public order.

Public gatherings not allowed
He said that during the covid-19 pandemic mass public gatherings were not allowed.

According to the Papua Legal Aid Institute, 13 people involved in the demonstration were arrested.

Over the past two months, two religious workers, pastor Yeremia Zanambani and Catholic preacher Rafinus Tigau, have been killed by the Indonesian military, says the ULMWP.

Another has been shot, and one more has mysteriously died.

Armed police were “stalking every corner of West Papua”, and troops awere forcing thousands of people from their homes across huge swathes of our land, the ULMWP’s website said today.

Forty-five thousand people have been displaced from Nduga Regency alone, and more are fleeing Intan Jaya every day.

“This is martial law in all but name,” said Wenda.

Urban military checkoints
“You cannot walk through an urban centre in West Papua today without being stopped by police, without meeting a military checkpoint.

“Every demonstration, no matter how peaceful, is met with mass arrests and police brutality – in Nabire on September 24, in Cenderawasih University on September 28, in Jayapura today.”

Wenda said Indonesia was “panicking” because Tuvalu Prome Minister Kausea Natano, chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, had raised concerns over West Papua this month.

Indonesia was “haunted” by the words of Vanuatu, issued at the UN General Assembly in September.

“Indonesia is terrified of our Black resistance, our fight against racism and our struggle for self-determination.

“A normal democratic country does not deploy thousands of military troops against peaceful resistance – martial law dictatorship does that.”

“My people are screaming for the world’s help. There is a double pandemic in West Papua: a pandemic of covid-19 and a pandemic of racism.”

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

A Papuan church leader and advocate for social justice has penned an open letter to the Indonesian government calling for justice and an end to racism to enable a genuine self-determination process for the Melanesian region.

“The problem of Papua has become increasingly complex and severe because the root of the problem is racism and injustice, not separatism and treason,” says Reverend Dr Socratez S. Yoman, president of the Alliance of West Papuan Baptist Churches.

“It has now [become] increasingly complicated due to the global mobilisation of ‘Black Lives Matter and West Papua Lives Matter’ [movements] which has become part of the international community.

READ MORE: Background articles with Reverend Socratez Yoman

“However, no matter how difficult and complicated, there must be a way out for a win-win solution.”

Criticising the Indonesian government’s preparation of Special Autonomy Version II plans for the “Land of Papua” from an indigenous perspective, he cites an Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) report stating that racism and injustice against indigenous Papuans is the root of the problem.

Reverend Yoman also calls for the Indonesian government to hold “peaceful dialogue without limitations” with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) mediated by a third party in a neutral place.

This would be comparable to the RI-GAM negotiations over Aceh in Helsinki, Finland, on 15 August 2005. “This goal is a win-win solution.”

Open letter to Indonesia
Reverend Yoman’s letter states:

Dear Dr Tito Karnavian
Interior Minister of the Republic of Indonesia
Jakarta

Through this letter, as one of the leaders of the Church in the Land of Papua I would like to convey to the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Indonesia about the disappointment and anxiety faced by the people in the Land of Papua, especially Indigenous Papuans in addressing the Evaluation of Special Autonomy and the preparation of Special Autonomy Version II which is currently being prepared by the government.

I hear and follow and read on social media or in messages shared through WhatsApp that Indigenous Papuans are increasingly voicing their rejection of the Draft Law on Special Autonomy II. I cite one example of the rejection of the government’s version of the Special Autonomy Draft Law.

“We on behalf of the people of Region III Doberay (Birds Head), West Papua reject the Interior Ministers version of Papua’s Special Autonomy Bill. Return it to the Papuan people so that what they want is included in the Special Autonomy Bill so that in the future they can get the best solution for the future of the Land of Papua,” chairperson of the Papua Region III Customary Council Doberay, Mananwir Paul Fincent Major (Tuesday (6/23).

In my opinion, this voice of rejection is very reasonable and can be accepted with common sense because it has seen the real dynamics of Special Autonomy over the last 19 years, which is that Special Autonomy cannot answer the demands and fulfil the expectations of Indigenous Papuans.

For example: The 2001 Special Autonomy which mandated for protection, recognition of the basic rights of Indigenous Papuans, empowerment, and affirmative action, has failed, causing deep disappointment among Indigenous Papuans.

During Special Autonomy many Indigenous Papuans were killed at the hands of the security apparatus. Local political parties have not been allowed.

The Morning Star flag is prohibited from flying. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has never been implemented.

While the people of Aceh were given a special place in the hearts of the Indonesian government by being provided with a space for peace negotiations between GAM and the Republic of Indonesia mediated by a third party in a neutral venue in Helsinki on August 15, 2005.

Local political parties were able to be formed and GAM flags were allowed to fly freely.

Looking at the background of the birth of the Special Autonomy Law No. 21/2001, it is clear that it was not a gift from the Indonesian government to the people of Papua, but it was established because the people of Papua demanded independence in order to leave the Republic of Indonesia.

So, Special Autonomy is a win-win solution between the Indigenous Papuans and the Indonesian government.

Papuans are demanding independence because there is a historical background of injustice, racism and state crime in the implementation of the 1969 Act of Free Choice (PEPERA). I have carefully studied the documents resulting from the Act of Free Choice.

Annex 1 was prepared by the UN representative, Dr Fernando Ortiz Sanz from Bolivia and Annex II report is the version of the Indonesian government. The Annex II report has significant differences to the Annex 1 report.

When the Indonesian government promoted the word “wellbeing” to Papuans, the word was not a new expression, but was a repetition of what had been conveyed by the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Indonesia Amir Machmud during the implementation of the Act of Free Choice (Pepera) of July 14, 1969 in Merauke, in the presence of participants of the Members of the Forum for the Act of Free Choice.

“… the Indonesian government, desires and is able to protect the wellbeing of the people of West Irian, therefore, there is no other choice, but to stay with Indonesia.” See Source Material: United Nations Official Records: 1812th Plenary Meeting of the UN Assembly, agenda item 98,19 November 1969, paragraph 18, p.2).

The Minister of Home Affairs from The Government of the Republic of Indonesia promised that they were: “… willing and able to protect the welfare of the people of West Irian …”

But, the reality in the course of the 51 years from 1969 to 2020 is in contradiction with these beautiful and sweet words which turned the Land of Papua into a human disaster and tragedy with suffering, tears, blood and bones scattered over the Land of Papua.

Indigenous Papuans are slaughtered like animals with the stigma of being “separatists”, treasonous, and criminals in the interests of national sovereignty and national security.

Professor Dr Franz Magnis-Suseno, a Catholic cleric acknowledged the humanitarian tragedy experienced by the Indigenous Papuans as follows..

“There is an impression that Papuans are treated as if they have not been recognised as human beings …”

He adds “… The situation in Papua is bad, abnormal, uncivilized, and shameful, because it is closed to foreign media. Papua is a rotting wound on the body of the Indonesian people.” (Source: Magnis: Nationality, Democracy, Pluralism: 2015, p. 255)

Historical facts prove that the incorporation of Papua into Indonesian territory was a bloody history and filled with injustice because the Indonesian military forced Papuans with the muzzles of their weapons.

Most of the people of Indonesia, including the Minister for Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, H. Dr. Tito Karnavian do not necessarily know much about the process of incorporating Papua into Indonesian territory. The process of integration was through cruel, brutal and inhumane processes.

According to Amiruddin al Rahab: “Papua integrated with Indonesia through the force of the military.” (Source: The Papuan Secret War, Trauma and Separatism, 2010: p. 42).

What Amiruddin said is not excessive. There is evidence of the military being directly involved and leading the implementation of the 1969 Act of Free Choice (PEPERA). The Ambassador of Gabon at the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 queried question number 6: “Why is there no secret representation, but an open consultation attended by the government and the military? ” (Source: United Nations Official Records: 1812th Plenary Meeting of the UN GA, agenda item 108, 20 November 1969, paragraph 11, p.2).

“On July 14, 1969, the Referendum (PEPERA) began with 175 Members of the Deliberation Forum for Merauke. On this occasion a large group of Indonesian soldiers were present …” (Source: UN Official Report Annex 1, paragraphs 189-200).

The letter of the military leadership reads: “Intensify all activities in each field by using all organic and material forces both from the Army and other forces. Stick to the guidelines. The Referendum in West Irian (IRBA) 1969 MUST BE WON, MUST BE WON … ” (Source: Official Telegram Letter Col. Inf. Soepomo, Regional Military Command
Tjenderawasih Number: TR-20 / PS / PSAD / 196, dated 20-2-1967, based on Radio Gram MEN / PANGAD No: TR-228/1967 TBT dated 7-2-1967, regarding: Facing the Referendum at the IRBA (West Irian) in 1969).

In 1969 a majority of 95 percent of West Papuans voted for independence: “… that 95 percent of Papuans support the Papuan independence movement.” (Source: Secret Meeting of the United States Ambassador to Indonesia with UN Team Member Fernando Ortiz Sanz, in June 1969: Summary of Jack W. Lydman’s report, July 18, 1969, in NAA).

The Indonesian Ambassador, Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro admitted: “Many Papuans may not agree to live with Indonesia.” (Source: UNGA Official Records MM.ex 1, paragraph 126).

Dr Fernando Ortiz Sanz reported to the UN General Assembly in 1969:

“The majority of Papuans show a desire to separate from Indonesia and support the vision to establish an independent Papuan state.” (Source: UN Doc. Annex I, A / 7723, paragraph 243, p.47).

The political rights of the people of Papua have been truly betrayed along with their basic rights and conscience. The hope of Papuans has been sacrificed by the muzzle of Indonesian military weapons.

As for the history of the Papuan people, December 1, 1961 is Independence Day for the People and Nation of Papua. Independence was dissolved by Ir. Sukarno on 9 December 1961 by stating: “Disband the Netherlands-Made Country”.

This historical resistance and political status of Papua is the longest running conflict in Asia.

This is proven by the long struggle and resistance carried out by strong educated native Papuans before Papua was forcibly joined into Indonesian territory at the muzzle of a weapon.

Here are the names of some of the virtuous warriors: Herman Womsiwor, Markus Kaisiepo, Nicolaas Jouwe, F. Torey, Nicolaas Tanggafma, Bernadus (Ben) Tanggafma, Hermanus Wayoi, Fritz Kihirio and many others not mentioned here.

These figures had travelled the world including to the UN in the 1960s. It can be said that these educated native Papuans felt betrayed by the United Nations, America, the Netherlands and Indonesia because they were not involved in the New York agreement on August 15, 1962. These Papuan leaders expressed their feelings as follows.

“We were traded as goats by the Americans.” (Source: Maire Leadbeater: See No Evil: New Zealand’s betrayal of the people of West Papua: 2018, pp. 94).

This brief historical process has been written and conveyed to the Indonesian government, so that the government does not ignore it and does not take the view that we do not yet know these historical facts. If this history is ignored in the process of solving the Papua problem, then there will never be a peaceful solution between Indonesia and the people of Papua.

During this time the government and the security services have quietly taken cover behind the political stigma that Papuans are separatists, rebels, along with the latest myth that they are part of criminal gangs. So, the basic problem is not the political stigma used by the state to suppress the Indigenous Papuans. The root or heart of the problem between Indonesia and the people of Papua is actually racism and injustice. From racism and injustice, four major problems have been discovered by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

The LIPI team was very careful in formulating the root causes of the Papuan conflict. The LIPI team, were of the opinion that it was dangerous to even reveal the root of the problem. However, the LIPI team succeeded in mapping the consequences of 4 problems which were the result of the real root of the problem, namely racism and injustice.

In this letter I rank the root of the problems suffered by the Papuans so far as follows:

1. RACISM as the main source of the problem.
2. INJUSTICE as the main source of the problem.
3. The history of the integration and political status of West Papua in Indonesia as a result of RACISIM AND INJUSTICE.
4. Gross human rights violations committed by the state for 57 years as a result of RACISIM AND INJUSTICE
5. Discrimination and marginalisation as a result of RACISM and INJUSTICE
6. The failure of development in the fields of education, health and economy for the Indigenous Papuans because Indigenous Papuans are considered to be “Monkeys” and therefore they do not need to be developed. This is caused by RACISM and INJUSTICE.

Through this letter, I submit, that as long as the roots of the problem, namely Racism and Injustice, have not yet been resolved, Papuans will continue to fight for political rights and dignity and a future over their ancestral lands.

Instead the Indonesian government uses the strength of the security services and the legal system of the state to suppress and oppress Papuans. Also, the government will incur significant costs to bribe diplomats and Prime Ministers of states who sympathise with the struggle of the Papuan people.

The problem of Papua has become increasingly complex and severe because the root of the problem is racism and injustice, not separatism and treason. It has now been increasingly complicated due to the global mobilisation of “Black Lives Matter and West Papua Lives Matter” which has become part of the international community. However, no matter how difficult and complicated, there must be a way out for a win-win solution.

Therefore, through this open letter, I submit to the government of the Republic of Indonesia through the Minister of Home Affairs as follows:

1. Self-determination for the People of Papua as the final and peaceful solution to end RACISM and INJUSTICE towards Indigenous Papuans NOT Special Autonomy Version II.
2. To move towards the process of Self-Determination for the people of Papua, the Indonesian government should hold peaceful dialogue without limitations with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) mediated by a third party in a neutral place. Like RI-GAM in Helsinki on 15 August 2005. This goal is a win-win solution.
3. Cooperation agreements between Indonesia and West Papua will be discussed further at the negotiating table between Indonesia and ULMWP.

Thank you. God Bless Us
Ita Wakhu Purom, Monday, 29 June 2020.

Reverend Dr Socratez S.Yoman, MA
President of the Alliance of West Papuan Baptist Churches
Member: Papuan Council of Churches (WPCC)
Member: Pacific Council of Churches (PCC)
Member : Baptist World Alliance (BWA)

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific

Franzalbert Joku, a former leading West Papuan independence campaigner who changed sides and became an Indonesian government supporter, has died in Jayapura.

Joku, a former journalist who controversially advocated autonomy for Papua within Indonesia rather than independence, died on Sunday aged 66 after illness linked with heart disease and kidney failure.

He was a prominent landowner from Sentani and formerly the spokesman for the Papua Presidium Council which galvanised momentum in the West Papuan independence struggle at the turn of the century.

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But the “Papua Spring” was short-lived, while the Presidium lost ground after Indonesian military special forces assassinated its charismatic leader Theys Eluay.

Although a key supporter of Eluay, Franzalbert Joku eventually threw his support behind the Special Autonomy Status which Indonesia granted to Papua in 2001 in response to the demands for independence.

After fleeing Indonesian rule in his homeland as a younger man, Joku returned for good in 2008.

He became a frequent representative of Indonesia’s government on West Papua matters at regional fora such as the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Forum.

Gifted orator
A gifted orator with extensive links in the region, Franzalbert Joku came to the conclusion that independence was not a realistic option, and that Papuans should focus their energies on being part of the Indonesian state.

“Now I say this without meaning to undermine my brothers and sisters who are still out there in the jungle or in other countries advocating outright independence,” he told RNZ Pacific in 2015.

“I just look at the issues and try to place them within the context and try to look at what options are within the realm of possibilities.”

Joku’s shifting of allegiances made him a distrusted figure among many in the West Papuan independence movement.

But when asked last year in his last interview with RNZ Pacific about whether Papua should have independence, Joku said a “deeper look at the issues” was required.

“Independence, for some of us, doesn’t mean an instant action of declaring a sovereign nation,” he said.

‘More a value’
“I think it’s more a value. In order to find that value of freedom, of being independent, it is a continuing process.

“I differ between being an independent, sovereign nation of Papua, than being free and well-off economically, socially within a government structure that is in existence today,” he explained.

“Like in any other political processes, you can never win outright. You always end up with political compromise.”

“Special Autonomy, however imperfect and incomplete it may be, is an acceptable political compromise, and we need to grab hold of it earnestly, and make it serve our interests.”

This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz