[Kabar-Irian] Irian News - 12/1/05
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- Papua residents told not to celebrate 'independence day'
- Papuans mark self-declared independence anniversary
- Hundreds demonstrate in Indonesia for an independent Papua province
- Solidarity for West Papua in Aotearoa New Zealand on 1 December 2005
- Masters mind
- Letter to Condolezza Rice
- UK Must Intervene to Stop Indonesia Using British Weapons on Peaceful
Protestors
- Indonesia kicks off 3rd nationwide polio immunization campaign
- HIV-positive Dolvince keeps spirit of life aflame
- Indonesia must stump up cash: UNAIDS chief
- Papua: Children Receive Birth Certificates From PNG
- PNG issues birth certificates to Papuan refugee children
*****************************
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
December 01, 2005
Papua residents told not to celebrate 'independence day'
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post/Jayapura
Papua Governor JP Solossa on Wednesday told residents not to celebrate the
self-declared independence anniversary of Papua on Dec. 1.
"All residents should go about their day as usual. Do not be provoked by
groups that are planning to commemorate Papua's 'independence'," Solossa
said.
He was speaking after the West Papua Liberation Front announced plans to
mark the 43rd anniversary of Papua's self-declared independence with a
prayer service.
Pro-independence Papuans traditionally celebrate Papua's "independence"
from Indonesia on Dec. 1. Former president Abdurrahman Wahid allowed
Papuans to mark the day with flag-raising ceremonies, but the practice was
banned when the nationalistic Megawati Soekarnoputri took office in 2001.
Separatists proclaimed the independent state of West Papua on Dec. 1,
1962. Indonesia took effective control of Papua a year later, and
separatists have continued to wage a low-level independence campaign in
the province ever since.
Governor Solossa urged all Papuans to maintain security and peace, while
working together to develop the province.
"We are all tired of this situation. If we want change, let us work
together. Differences are common, but do not allow them to disrupt
development plans that aim to improve people's welfare," he said. Last
Dec. 1 there were clashes between pro-independence Papuans and police
after the independence supporters raised the Bintang Kejora flag, the
symbol of the Papua independence movement. Several people were injured in
the clash but there were no deaths.
Papuans, both those who want independence and those who do not, have long
complained that the central government has failed to return to the
province of fair share of the revenue from its rich natural resources.
Past human rights abuses by the military have also fueled separatist
sentiment.
In 2001, the central government granted the province special autonomy and
a greater share of its mineral wealth. But recent plans to partition Papua
into three provinces have sparked discontent and violence.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Dody Sumantyawan warned residents any
independence celebrations on Dec. 1 would be considered illegal
activities.
"There is only one independence day in the country and that is Aug. 17;
there is no other," he said, adding that police would break up any illegal
gatherings on Thursday.
He said that if prayers were planned for Thursday, they should have
nothing to do with politics. West Papua Liberation Front secretary-general
Selfius Bobi said the group's anniversary celebration would focus on
prayers, and that there would be no raising of the Bintang Kejora flag.
Prayer gatherings are planned for two locations: at the home of murdered
pro-independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay in Sentani, near Jayapura, and at
a church in Polimak, Jayapura.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABC/Radio Australia
Papuans mark self-declared independence anniversary
Last Updated 01/12/2005, 22:58:13
Independence supporters in Indonesia's Papua province have marked the 44th
anniversary of their declaration of independence from Holland.
Our correspondent in Indonesia, Peter cave, says about 500 activists have
blocked a highway just north of the provincial capital, Jayapura.
Some of the 200 police on standby prevented the demonstrators from raising
the outlawed "Morning Star" flag of the separatist movement, but there
were no violent incidents.
An Indonesian police spokesman said the demonstrators had agreed not to
raise the flag and police had allowed them to hold a free speech forum on
the highway.
The meeting then dispersed peacefully.
Earlier, hundreds of separatists held a prayer meeting near the home of
the late independence leader, Theis Hiyo Eluay, who was killed in
suspicious circumstances in 2001.
A troubled history
Independence supporters claim the province became independent in 1961 when
the Dutch colonial administration withdrew.
However, Indonesia declared its sovereignty over the territory in 1969
after the United Nations approved an integration referendum, during which
a few hundred hand-picked tribal leaders cast a ballot.
The separatists, now split into factions, have been fighting a sporadic
rebellion since then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hundreds demonstrate in Indonesia for an independent Papua province
(Updated 11:55 a.m.) - 2005/12/1
Jayapura, Indonesia (AP)
Security forces clashed with hundreds of rock-throwing protesters at an
independence day rally Thursday in Papua province, police and witnesses
said. There were no reports of injuries.
Students, laborers and civil servants yelled "free Papua" as they blocked
roads near the state university in the provincial capital, Jayapura,
police chief Lt. Col. Paulus Waterpauw said.
Some threw rocks at police and at the university, breaking windows and
damaging a police vehicle, he said, adding that several people had been
detained.
The demonstrators were marking the anniversary of failed efforts by Papuan
tribal chiefs to declare independence from Dutch colonial rule in Dec. 1,
1961.
Two years later Indonesia seized control of Papua, and formalized its
sovereignty over the region in 1969 through a stage-managed vote by about
1,000 community leaders, which critics dismissed as a sham.
A small, poorly armed separatist movement has battled Indonesian rule ever
since. About 100,000 Papuans _ one-sixth of the population _ are estimated
to have died in military operations.
The resource-rich yet desperately poor province, formerly known as Irian
Jaya, occupies the western half of New Guinea island.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Solidarity for West Papua in Aotearoa
Thursday, 1 December 2005, 12:01 pm
Press Release: Peace Movement Aotearoa
Solidarity for West Papua in Aotearoa New Zealand on 1 December 2005
This alert has four sections: 1) About West Papua; 2) About 1 December,
West Papua Independence Day; 3) 'Messages of solidarity' - something you
can do wherever you are to add your voice to those who are calling for
justice, peace and self-determination for the people of West Papua; and 4)
Details of the solidarity events in Auckland and Wellington on Thursday.
1) About West Papua
Since 1963 West Papua has been occupied by the Indonesian armed forces.
For the past forty-two years, the people of West Papua have been subjected
to gross human rights violations including rape, torture, cultural
genocide, murder and massacre - more than 100,000 West Papuans have been
killed. More than 15,000 West Papuans are currently living in camps in
Papua New Guinea; and others are forced to live in exile around the world
because it is not safe for them to go home.
Multi-national corporations in cahoots with the Indonesian authorities
have exploited West Papua's natural resources to an extraordinary degree.
This has caused massive social dislocation, devastation of rain forests,
and pollution of streams and rivers on which the local people depend for
their survival.
There have been repeated ongoing calls from West Papuan leaders for
dialogue to turn West Papua into a 'land of peace', but these have been
ignored by the Indonesian authorities. The number of Indonesian troops in
West Papua continues to increase; plans announced earlier this year to
deploy an additional 20,000 combat-ready troops to West Papua will take
the total up to around 50,000 - one soldier for every 44 civilians.
As well as the direct violent repression by Indonesian armed forces, they
are creating armed militias, similar to what they did in East Timor.
2) About 1 December, West Papua Independence Day
1 December is the anniversary of the 1961 West Papuan Declaration of
Independence from Dutch colonial rule and is observed by people in West
Papua and by solidarity groups around the world.
In West Papua people mark the day in a variety of ways, including raising
the 'Morning Star' (the West Papuan flag) - in previous years the
Indonesian military and police have responded with increased violent
oppression around this day, arresting and killing those they perceive as
pro-independence activists.
On 1 December last year, among the West Papuans arrested were Philep Karma
and Yusak Pakage who organised peaceful celebrations and raised the
Morning Star flag in Jayapura. On 26 May 2005, an Indonesian court
sentenced Philip to fifteen years imprisonment and Yusak to ten years.
Just last week there were reports of an additional 2,900 and 3,500
Indonesian troops arriving in West Papua; and today reports have started
coming through of a heavy military presence on the streets of Jayapura.
More information about West Papua, and what has happened on Independence
Day in previous years, is available on the 'West Papua: the forgotten
Pacific country' web page at
http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/wpapua.htm
3) Messages of solidarity for the people of West Papua
You are invited to add your voice to those of people all around the world
who are calling for justice, peace and self-determination for the people
of West Papua. This ongoing initiative was launched on 1 December 2004,
the forty-third anniversary of the West Papuan Declaration of Independence
from Dutch colonial rule.
If you would like your message included on the 'Messages of solidarity'
web page - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/wpsol.htm - please send your
name, address*, occupation / position and organisation (optional), and
message to Peace Movement Aotearoa email pma@xtra.co.nz [* only the town /
city part of your address will be put on the web page, not your full
address.]
If you can help distribute 'Messages of solidarity' forms from stalls, or
in newsletters or other mail outs, you can either follow the link at
http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/wpsol.htm to the printable form, or email
pma@xtra.co.nz with your postal address and a note saying how many forms
you require, or if you would prefer us to send you the artwork so you can
copy the form as needed. Thank you.
4) West Papua solidarity events on Thursday, 1 December 2005
* Auckland - 12 noon *
- West Papua solidarity lunchtime stall and raising of the West Papua flag
- "this month West Papuans have defied police intimidation and the threat
of arrest to demonstrate, we can use our freedom to promote theirs"; 12
noon in Auckland Downtown square, corner of Customs and Queen Streets,
under the big canopy just by the crossing. Organised by the Indonesia
Human Rights Committee, for more information contact tel (09) 815 9000 or
email maire@clear.net.nz
* Wellington - 1pm and 5pm *
- Gathering in solidarity with the people of West Papua - join us to fly
the 'Morning Star' flag, with the opportunity to write a personal message
in support of justice, peace and self-determination for West Papua if you
wish; 1pm in parliament grounds. Organised by Peace Movement Aotearoa, for
more information contact tel (04) 382 8129 or email pma@xtra.co.nz
- West Papua 'the forgotten Pacific country' is the focus of today's
fortnightly peace vigil; from 5pm to 6pm at the Cenotaph (corner Lambton
Quay and Bowen Street). For more information contact Peace Movement
Aotearoa, tel (04) 382 8129 or email pma@xtra.co.nz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Guardian (UK)
Masters mind
-- The Netherlands and Indonesia are not happy with a study that questions
their actions over West Papuan sovereignty, writes John Aglionby
Tuesday November 29, 2005
This Thursday, December 1, marks the 44th anniversary of the West Papuan
people's declaration of independence from their Dutch colonial masters.
The residents of the western half of New Guinea island have, however,
never ruled themselves because nine months later, in August 1962, the
Dutch, via the United Nations, handed over control of the resource-rich
territory to Indonesia.
That move was given international legal sanctity following a referendum
seven years later, called the Act of Free Choice, of 1,025 of the
approximately 700,000 Papuans. Since then no major nation has ever
questioned Jakarta's right to rule West Papua.
This may soon change following the publication this month of a study
commissioned by the Dutch government into the history of the area. Written
by Dr Pieter Drooglever of the Institute of Netherlands History, the
740-page Een Daad van Vrije Keuze (An Act of Free Choice), leaves little
doubt that the vote was, as the UN under-secretary general in 1969,
Chakravarthy Narasimhan, said in a 2001 interview, "a whitewash".
"[The UN representative] Ortiz Sanz was not allowed to play any part in
putting together the electorate and was given the smallest possible role
in the implementation of the referendum itself," Dr Drooglever wrote in an
English summary of the Dutch-language book.
"In the opinion of the Western observers and the Papuans who have spoken
out about this, the Act of Free Choice ended up as a sham, where a
press-ganged electorate acting under a great deal of pressure appeared to
have unanimously declared itself in favour of Indonesia," he continued.
In an interview with Guardian Unlimited, Dr Drooglever said he found that
in "the whole set up of the plebiscite there was no freedom of speech".
How close Dr Drooglever got to the truth can be guessed by the reaction in
both the Hague and Jakarta. Dutch foreign minister Ben Bot refused to
formally receive the report - it had been commissioned by his predecessor
in 2000 - and reportedly described it as "superfluous". An Indonesian
foreign ministry spokesman, Yuri Thamrin, viewed the study as "an academic
work" but of no "significant substance". "The status of Papua as an
integral part of Indonesia has already been recognised by the world,
including the Netherlands itself," he said.
John Saltford, a British academic who wrote one of the last major studies
of West Papua, said Dr Drooglever's book "will have a profound effect".
"He could have been a lot more circumspect and tried to blur the issue,"
he told Guardian Unlimited. "The difference here [compared to other books]
is that it was a Dutch foreign-ministry commissioned report."
Papuan independence campaigners, in contrast, rejoiced at its publication.
A rally to mark the event in the West Papuan capital Jayapura was harshly
suppressed.
Benny Wenda, an activist who has been granted political asylum in Britain,
said the Drooglever report has "opened a door". "Now Papuans' actions have
to be focused around keeping this door open and at on it till victory," he
told Guardian Unlimited.
Jakarta's treatment of West Papua over the decades has been characterised
more by brutal repression and rampant exploitation of the natural
resources than developing the people's welfare.
Dr Drooglever estimates "tens of thousands" of Papuans have been killed in
Jakarta's attempt to suppress opposition to Indonesian rule. Tens of
thousands of troops are stationed in West Papua to contain a tiny armed
separatist movement which the Dutch academic believes poses no threat to
Jakarta.
Last week, the military announced that a new division of some
10,000-15,000 troops of the elite strategic reserves would be created
specifically to be based in West Papua. Foreign journalists and most
researchers and aid workers are banned from Papua but, ironically,
tourists are not.
Dr Drooglever believes the military, which has to find some 60% of its own
budget, has such a heavy presence there for ulterior motives. "There's a
lot of money available in the territory and the troops go where the money
is," he told Guardian Unlimited.
The territory is home to the world's largest gold and copper mine, run by
a subsidiary of the American firm Freeport-McMoran, and the Anglo-American
oil giant BP is developing a massive natural gas field which is expected
to be generating revenues of around £55m a year.
In recent years government revenues to West Papua have more than tripled
as a result of a massive nationwide decentralisation programme. But the
World Bank reported in a study this month that despite this - and the fact
that Papua (Jakarta does not use the word West in its official name) is
the second wealthiest province in the nation - the poverty level, at 40%,
is double the national average, one third of the children do not attend
school and nine out of 10 villages do not have basic health service with a
health centre, doctor or midwife.
The UN's Aids organisation, UNAids, has identified it as having an HIV
epidemic that is all-but out of control.
After the Indonesian dictator General Suharto fell in 1998, the government
promised special autonomy to the region and a law was passed to that
effect the following year. But it has still not been fully implemented and
Jakarta has repeatedly violated its provisions, as recognised by the
country's constitutional court.
No major governments or the UN have spoken out about the Drooglever report
so the chances of the Papuans using it to generate international momentum
remain very slim.
The author himself believes Papuans will have to set their sights lower
than independence. "I think they will have to be happy when an
administration is set up that's not dominated by the military," he said.
-- Email: john.aglionby@guardian.co.uk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights
29 November 2005
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Rice:
The West Papua Advocacy Team at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for
Human Rights deeply regrets your decision to renew full military ties
between the U.S. and Indonesian militaries, notwithstanding the clear
Congressional consensus against such action. Your resort to the "national
security waiver" provision contained in recent Congressional State
Appropriations Legislation transparently disingenuous, as there is no
pressing national security concern that would warrant use of this waiver
to evade long-standing Congressional restrictions on this assistance.
As Senator Leahy, author of those restrictions, noted: "This is an abuse
of discretion and an affront to the Congress. . . . To waive on national
security grounds a law that seeks justice for crimes against humanity --
without even obtaining the Indonesian government's assurance that it will
address these concerns -- makes a mockery of the process and sends a
terrible message. The Indonesians will see it as a clean bill of health."
Timing of this decision is particularly counterproductive.
In West Papua, the Indonesian military is engaged in a major buildup of
forces absent any security justification. Indonesian military operations
that have led to significant civilian death and hardship over the past
year continue. Also in West Papua, the murder of two U.S. citizens and
one Indonesian citizen in August 2002 remains unsolved with police and NGO
reports indicating a central military role in the killings.
In Aceh, a fragile peace remains hostage to the Indonesian military's
compliance with ceasefire terms that require it to draw down its forces in
that war-torn province. In East Timor, crimes against humanity committed
by the Indonesian military and its militias remain unpunished. Military
"businesses" including drug and people trafficking, illegal logging, and
extortion of legitimate domestic and foreign companies continue to operate
without constraint.
Sincerely,
Emily S. Goldman
Senior Program Officer
And the RFK Memorial West Papua Advocacy Team:
Ms. Abigail Abrash-Walton
Mr. Charles Farhadian
Mr. Eben Kirksey
Mr. Edmund McWilliams
Mr. Octovianus Mote
Mr. John Rumbiak
Ms. Miriam Young
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News Release
>From the office of the South-East England's Green MEP, Caroline Lucas
30th November 2005
UK Must Intervene to Stop Indonesia Using British Weapons on Peaceful
Protestors, Says MEP
British weapons may be used by Indonesian troops to quell peaceful
pro-democracy protests in West Papua tomorrow (December 1st), Euro-MP
Caroline Lucas has warned.
Dr Lucas, whose warning comes after a UK newspaper printed a photograph of
a British-made water cannon being used in West Papua, has called on
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to intervene to make sure the scene isn't
repeated as West Papuans prepare to mark 'Liberation Day' tomorrow.
The Green Party MEP said: "The British Government has in the past claimed
that Indonesia has pledged not to use British-made military equipment
against its own civilians - yet that is precisely what seems to be
happening in West Papua.
"Tomorrow, December 1st, is West Papuan 'Liberation Day' - on which
demonstrations are to take place around the world demanding independence
for West Papua, which has been occupied by Indonesia for more than 40
years.
"Alarming allegations of increased human rights abuses committed by
Indonesian troops against West Papuans - including rape, torture,
extra-judicial killings and the burning of entire villages - are likely to
attract many more Papuans to take to the streets tomorrow than in previous
years, and I have called on Jack Straw to urgently intervene and remind
Indonesia of its commitment not to use British-made weapons, or breach
international human rights law, in its response."
Demonstrations are to take place around the world to mark 'Liberation
Day', including a protest outside the Indonesian Embassy in London (38
Grosvenor Square, 1pm) and, later, the HQ of the BP oil company, which is
opening up a new gas plant in West Papua.
Activists will raise the West Papuan 'Morning Star' flag - but they will
not face arrest, abuse or persecution: all possible fates of Papuans
demonstrating in the same way in their homeland.
Editors' notes:
1. For further details on tomorrow's Liberation Day demonstration see
www.freewestpapua.org.uk
2. Dr Lucas's letter to Jack Straw is available at
www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk or on request from Ben on any number below
-- For more information please contact Ben on 01273 671946, 07973 823358
or ben@greenmeps.org.uk
www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesia kicks off 3rd nationwide polio immunization campaign
Associated Press
Updated: 2005-11-30 10:31
Indonesia kicked off its third nationwide polio immunization campaign
Wednesday, hoping to stamp out the virus since it re-emerged in the
country in March after a 10-year break.
"Experience shows that the third round is crucial in hitting the disease
hard, but _ saying that _ we may see more cases next year and need more
rounds," said Thomas Moran from the World Health Organization.
Polio has sickened 291 children in Indonesia since March, according to WHO
statistics.
Health workers hope that around 24 million children will receive the
vaccine Wednesday, Moran said. Around the same number were vaccinated in
the earlier two rounds.
An Indonesian health official vaccinates a child during mass polio
immunisation in Jakarta November 30, 2005.[Reuters]
Moran said the WHO was "confident" that the disease could eventually be
beaten in Indonesia.
The campaign appeared to get off to a slow start in Jakarta, where nurses
in health centers and government buildings were waiting to administer the
vaccine, which comes in the form a droplet squeezed into children's mouth.
Moran, who was in the eastern province of Papua which is in an early time
zone, said "things were well underway" there.
Health experts say Indonesia's outbreak is genetically linked to the virus
circulating in Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen and was likely brought to
Indonesia by a migrant worker, a religious pilgrim or a traveler.
Polio spreads through sewage-contaminated water and usually infects young
children, attacking the nervous system and causing paralysis, muscular
atrophy, deformation and sometimes death.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Features
December 01, 2005
HIV-positive Dolvince keeps spirit of life aflame
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post/Jayapura
The mere mention of the term "PLWHA" (person living with HIV/AIDS) will
make people's imagination immediately form the image of a frail person
characterized by a severe inferiority complex and a strong urge to keep
himself aloof from society.
This is a common image about a PLWHA because the people in this country,
generally, still find it difficult to accept them.
Someone with HIV/AIDs here will always be looked down upon because of the
assumption that they were infected because of their bad behavior -- such
as fornication or promiscuity. As a result, PLWHAs prefer to isolate
themselves from the rest of society, as a defense mechanism against all
the ignorant people that have stigmatized them.
Such cases are not always just that way, however, as evidenced by Dolvince
Minneke Imbiri, 42, nicknamed Vin, who has been living with HIV for years
in her town of Sorong, Papua.
If you meet Vin, you will never believe that she has HIV because you will
see someone who is big, healthy and strong. She has been able to stay
physically in good condition because she always takes her ARV
(anti-retroviral) medication and stays positive when leading her life.
For her, to be able to lead her life as it is, free from any feeling of
shame due to HIV, is the result of a fierce mental struggle and the fruit
of her mental resilience.
"When I learned that I tested HIV positive, I fainted and felt really
hopeless. I was overwhelmed by great shame mixed with my disappointment
with what had happened to me. I thought life had been unfair to me and my
family.
"For days on end, I locked myself in my room and refused to see anybody,
including my own husband and my children," Vin, when reminiscing about her
early days as a PLWHA, told The Jakarta Post in Jayapura.
Vin was infected by her husband, who died in 2002 after two years of
suffering from AIDS.
She said her husband may have been infected while he was in Timika. "My
husband worked for a company away in Timika and I think he got the virus
while he was there," she said.
When the doctor confirmed that her husband was infected by HIV, Vin took
her own initiative to take an HIV test and found out the tragic news.
Coming out
At first, it was really a big burden for Vin to even picture herself as
someone infected with HIV, especially after the death of her husband left
her as a single parent to care for her two daughters.
However, it was these two daughters who made Vin come out of hiding,
literally and figuratively, and start getting along with other people. Vin
is a civil servant at the secondary education agency in Sorong regency.
"Even if I continued hiding, it would not change my status as a person
with HIV, I then thought. Besides, my daughters needed money and my
attention. I came to the conclusion, then, that there was no difference,
actually, between being someone with or without HIV. Both are alive,
right?" she noted.
Her resolve encouraged her to start getting along with other people again.
She did not even get angry when people ridiculed her upon learning that
she was someone with HIV. "I simply did not care. What mattered to me was
that I was alive and did not disturb other people.
"Besides, I said to myself that I had never chosen to be someone with HIV
and that I had become one just because of sheer bad luck," said Vin, who
loves volleyball and basketball.
In her workplace, Vin is not discriminated against because of her status
as someone with HIV. "My office mates understand what I'm going through
and they also know that HIV can be communicated only through bodily
fluids. So, they have never felt either reluctant or revolted to get along
with me. Often they drink from my glass," said Vin, who now has three
grandchildren.
Unfortunately, Vin has been ridiculed not only by some community members
but also by her in-laws. One of whom used to be a government official in
Papua, basically excommunicated from the family. He did not want me to
appear in public as someone with HIV, saying that I brought shame to the
family," Vin said.
Gradually, however, he changed his attitude, perhaps because he saw Vin's
courage and resolve to lead her life with a full sense of self-confidence.
Finally, he praised Vin for her mental resilience.
Unfortunately, those in the medical "profession" here are still unable to
fully accept Vin. Every time she has tried to get false teeth, she lost
some after a fall from a motorcycle, the dentists always refuse her
treatment. They just write me a prescription. "Can a prescription make my
teeth grow back?" she asked, exasperated.
Then her friends suggested to her that she should not tell the dentist
that she had HIV, but Vin could not accept this suggestion, arguing that
she wanted to be treated very carefully by the dentist when her false
teeth were fixed to prevent any possible wound that could communicate HIV
to other people.
"Of course, it is better for a dentist to refuse treating me if he is not
sure he can handle my case, as otherwise it is always possible that other
people may get HIV from me," she said magnanimously.
As she is a person with HIV, she does not want to find a new husband. "It
is enough for me to lead my life as I am now. I don't want to share it
with other people," she added.
Building self-confidence
Although she quit hiding her status as a person with HIV, many men do not
believe her. "Once a man asked me to a dinner. I told him that I had HIV
but he did not believe me. Finally I met him in a restaurant but I refused
to be taken home by him. I preferred to take a taxi home. I was afraid he
would really fall in love with me," she said, reminiscing.
After her initial shock, Vin has always been open about her condition. As
a result, some of her friends that have also been infected by HIV have
been inspired and now do not suffer from an inferiority complex because of
their condition. Most are also ready to be speakers to tell other people
of their own experiences as people with HIV so that other people will not
be infected by this lethal virus.
At present Vin never stops encouraging other people who have also been
infected by HIV to foster their self-confidence. "Those who do not think
their attitude is right will come to me for consultation. I always tell
them if they test HIV positive, they need not feel disappointed. I ask
them to lead our lives with virtue. Everybody, not just people with HIV,
will surely die at some point."
Thanks to her resolve, Vin has often served as a speaker in seminars on
HIV/AIDS. She usually shares her own experiences about how to live a full
life despite her condition.
In August this year, she was sent to Jakarta for a seminar on women. "In
that seminar, I also shared my experiences with the other participants."
"Mama Vin's testimony has motivated us to get along with the rest of the
community and to be bold in facing the reality of life. Not a single PLWHA
has chosen to be one, but it is our bad luck that has made us one. Must we
stop living the moment we know we are PLWHA?" said Ima, one of Vin's mates
in Jayapura Support Group Half-way House.
Nowadays, Vin lives in peace in Sorong along with her daughters, her
sons-in-law and her three grandchildren. "I'm happy just to be taking care
of my grandchildren. This is entertainment for me and it also makes me
more resolved to boldly lead the rest of my life."
Vin is always cheerful. She always thinks positively. She will respond
positively to whatever treatment she is subjected to.
Although she is now 42-years-old, Vin has never lost her spirit to make
progress. At present, she is studying law at Al Amin University in Sorong.
"I want to be a university graduate. If I have enough money, I will
continue my studies in the master's program. It will be a real source of
pride for someone with HIV to hold a master's degree, right?" she said,
cheerfully.
When you meet Vin, you will find that she is very good at making people
laugh. "Mama Vin is very good at cracking jokes to make people laugh. When
she comes here, this house will be noisy with laughter," Ima said.
"I want to share my experiences in my own way with other people with
HIV/AIDS. I want to stress to them that life goes on and that they must
not have an inferiority complex or feel they have been discarded or
useless. Everybody in this world, a PLWHA or otherwise, will be useful for
society.
"Why must we ruin our own lives simply because we are PLWHAs?" she asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today Online (Singapore)
Indonesia must stump up cash: UNAIDS chief
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 1-Dec-2005 23:10 hrs
Indonesia must provide cash to help fight a looming AIDS epidemic in the
world's fourth most populous country, according to the executive director
of UNAIDS.
Peter Piot, who spent World AIDS Day in Indonesia after warning earlier
this week that the country must improve its response to AIDS, said foreign
donors could not be expected to wage the battle on the government's
behalf.
"The government, central level and provincial level, should allocate
sufficient budgetary means to deal with this epidemic," he told a press
briefing, after attending a ceremony hosted by Vice President Yusuf Kalla
to mark the 18th World AIDS Day.
"A country cannot depend for its survival on foreign aid when it comes to
treatment of people living with HIV."
Piot earlier criticised President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for skipping
Thursday's ceremony to attend the inauguration of a power plant, but he
said the president had shown admirable commitment to deal with AIDS.
The director said however that this leadership at the top needed to be
translated into "action and leadership in every province, every district,
every city," while the national AIDS commission also needed to be beefed
up.
"I believe they are doing a good job but they don't have the means, they
don't have the capacity to do what is after all quite a difficult job."
Indonesia estimates it has between 90,000 and 130,000 people infected with
HIV. But other statistics show there are at least 600,000 intravenous drug
users across the sprawling archipelago, with around half believed to be
infected, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab said
Monday.
Rates are also high among sex workers and their clients, as well as in the
easternmost province of Papua, which is believed to be home to 30 percent
of Indonesia's HIV-infected population.
A donor fund has provided 47 million dollars to help Indonesia finance
projects to reduce the spread and impact of AIDS, he said.
Piot added that "many good things" were happening in Indonesia in the
battle against AIDS, "but they are not happening at the scale which is
commensurate with the importance of the problem and the size of the
country." — AFP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The National (PNG)
Papua: Children Receive Birth Certificates From PNG
Thursday: December 1, 2005
Over 1,700 West Papuan children born in Papua New Guinea have received
birth certificates from the Papua New Guinean government – an important
step in gaining a legal identity.
According to a report from the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, 1,736 birth certificates were issued to refugee children born in
PNG living in 17 remote settlements along the border of Indonesia and PNG.
The PNG government, United Nations agencies and the Daru-Kiunga Catholic
Diocese issued the birth certificates as a part of a broader campaign by
the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Department of Community
Development.
“The completion of this exercise in PNG demonstrates the PNG government’s
commitment to meeting its international obligations and in particular the
Refugee Convention and the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” said
UNHCR PNG representative Johann Siffointe.
Mr Siffointe said the registration of births was the first legal
acknowledgements of a child’s existence and therefore a crucial first step
in realising important rights and needs.
The campaign also aims to put in place an accessible, decentralised and
sustainable birth registration and promote greater awareness of the
importance of registration amongst parents and communities.
Deputy Civil Registrar Augustus Wagambio said the majority of people in
Papua New Guinea were not registered, making it difficult for an accurate
population count.
“This exercise is very important because registration is a tool for
development. It gives rights to refugee children as long as they are born
in PNG,” he added.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Radio New Zealand International
PNG issues birth certificates to Papuan refugee children
Posted at 5:18pm on 1 Dec 2005
The UNHCR says the rights of more than 1,700 refugee children from
Indonesia's Papua Province are now better protected thanks to the issue of
PNG birth certificates to them.
The PNG government, UN agencies and the local Catholic Diocese worked
together to issue the certificates to refugee children born in PNG and
living in 17 remote settlements along the Indonesian border.
An estimated 5,000 Papuan refugees live in the region.
The UNHCR representative in PNG, Johann Siffointe, says the exercise
showed the PNG government's commitment to the Refugee Convention and the
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The issue of the birth certificates was started two weeks ago and
completed this week.
Mr Siffointe says the registration of births was the first legal
acknowledgement of a child's existence and therefore a crucial first step
in realising important rights and needs.
He birth certificates helped protect children from labour exploitation,
forced marriage for girls and under-age military service.
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