[Kabar-Irian] News: July 28-31 2006
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July 28-31 2006
KABAR IRIAN NEWS
TOPICS
* President agrees on evaluation of Papua special autonomy law
* West Irian Jaya could soon be renamed West Papua
* Freeport-McMoRan Enters US$465M Credit Agreement
* Papua Fighters Promise Non-Violent Future
* Papuan fighters promise non-violent future (variant)
* Tribes hold peace talks in Papua, no deal yet
* Tribal war resumes in Kwamki Lama, Papua
* BP and partners to ink gas project loans
* Two more Papuans jailed over Freeport mine protest
* President starts two-day visit to Papua
* Fine weather permits President Yudhoyono attending potato grand harvest
* Papua autonomy law should be left as is
* PAPUA: Indonesian Court Sentences Mine Protestors
* Police interrogating men detained at facility of U.S. mine in Papua
* Indonesian shares raise on gains in PGN, bank blue chips
* Painting ones identity
* Minister asks Police to probe suspected wood smuggling to China
* Death toll in Papuan tribal war rises to 10
* Three arrested at Freeport mine
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=17319
President agrees on evaluation of Papua special autonomy law
Jayapura (ANTARA News) - President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono has agreed to
evaluate Law No.21/2001 on Papua Special Autonomy
in view of the latest developments in the easternmost Indonesian region.
"The President feels that it is time for an evaluation of the law which
has been in effect in the last three years,"
presidential spokesman Andi Malarangeng disclosed following a meeting
between the head of state and the Papua People`s
Council (MRP) here Friday night.
The evaluation of the Papua Special Autonomy Law is necessary in
connection with, among others, the plan to increase the
number of provinces and regencies in Papua, which has partly been realized.
MRP Chairman Agus Alue Alua, meanwhile, said that the evaluation of the
Law is needed to find out whether there are items
that do not serve the Papuan people`s interests. "It is therefore
necessary to make an evaluation first before actually
revising the Law," he said.
Giving an example, he cited the need to amend Article 76, which stipulates
that the establishment of new provinces must get
the approval from the MRP and the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD)
after examining matters relating to social and cultural
unity, human resources readiness, economic potentials and future
developments of the region.
"Article 76 must become the core of the regulation on the establishment of
new provinces and regencies in Papua, instead of
merely made effective as an additional regulation," he said, adding that
the creation of new provinces and regencies must be
protected by a legal umbrella.
Concerning West Irian Jaya province, he said that formally the province
has been established, though at first the MRP opposed
the presence of that province. "But the law on this issue must be
reviewed," he stressed.
"We have asked the President to delay the implementation of the plan on
the establishment of new provinces and regencies in
Papua pending a clarification on the legal status of the plan," the MRP
chairman said.
Home Minister M.Ma`ruf said on the occasion that one of the articles in
the Law on Papua Special Autonomy stipulates that it
must be revised once in every three years.
The revision to be made by taking account of inputs from the MRP, the
Papua provincial administration, the Papua DPRD and the
West Irian Jaya provincial administration is expected to improve
conditions in Papua, the minister said. "We have six months
in 2007 to prepare the revision of this law," he added.(*)
---
Cenderawasih Pos 26 Juli 2006
TRanslated and abridged by KI
West Irian Jaya could soon be renamed West Papua
West Irian Jaya will soon be renamed West Papua. This signal was sent at
the governor 's inauguration monday the 24th. The
Head of the DPRD (provincial parliment) Jimmy Demianus Ijie stated that
within a week the body would put together a session
to discuss the name change.
The DPRD will quickly meet in full session to pass onto the central
government their suggeston for approval.
The IJB governor Bram Atururi also sent a signal when he closed the IJB
athletic tournament and refered not to IJB but to
West Papua.
---
Freeport-McMoRan Enters US$465M Credit Agreement
By Ed Welsch (via Joyo News)
WASHINGTON, July 26 (Dow Jones)--Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
Inc.said Wednesday that it entered an amended and restated US$465
million credit agreement.
The three-year agreement with a group of lenders including JPMorgan
Chase Bank may be increased up to $500 million with additional lender
commitments, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan explores for, develops, mines
and processes ore containing copper, gold and silver in Indonesia,
and smelts and refines copper concentrates in Spain and Indonesia.
---
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
July 27, 2006
-transcript-
Papua Fighters Promise Non-Violent Future
The OPM has vowed to pursue a more
peaceful future. Fighters vow non-violence.
TONY JONES: To other news now, and 40 years of guerrilla warfare
against Indonesian troops in the province of Papua appears to be
drawing to a close. The Free West Papua movement, known as the
OPM, has long promoted independence from Indonesia. This week,
OPM guerrilla commanders held an historic meeting in neighbouring
Papua New Guinea. There, they pledged to end their armed struggle
and continue their fight for Papua's independence, but through non-violent
action. PNG correspondent Steve Marshall reports.
STEVE MARSHALL: For decades, the Free West Papua movement,
or OPM, took on the might of the Indonesian army - sometimes armed
with little more than Stone Age weapons. It's estimated that 100,000
Papuans, or 10 per cent of the local population, have been killed by
Indonesian troops since Jakarta gained control of the territory in the
early 1960s. Activists and refugees claim the figure is much higher.
But now, this costly guerrilla war may be coming to an end. At a
clandestine meeting held this week in the sleepy town of Medang on
Papua New Guinea's north coast, the OPM has decided to lay down
its arms. Acting for the first time under one unified command, the
OPM's military wing announced that it will no longer attempt to achieve
independence from Indonesia through violent means. OPM commanders
and representatives risked their lives to leave the sanctuary of the
jungle and cross the border into PNG for the meeting. For security
reasons, we can't identify them.
NIKOLAUS IPO HAU, OPM REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN (TRANSLATION):
The commanders responsible for coordinating attacks on Indonesian
troops have agreed to operate together. Now, they are appealing to the
international community to support this new umbrella organisation.
STEVE MARSHALL: OPM leader Nikolaus Ipo Hau lives in exile on
the PNG side of the border, and agreed to be interviewed on camera.
He told the OPM Council had been trying for some time to bring all
the Papuan resistance groups into a single, unified organisation.
NIKOLAUS IPO HAU (TRANSLATION): This doesn't mean a surrender
and it is not a defeat for the OPM. Now, the organisation wants to be
respecting of human rights. We want to promote this. It doesn't mean
we can't fight - we will defend ourselves and if we are attacked, we
will attack - but we want to move forward with a peaceful solution.
STEVE MARSHALL: The OPM commanders agree that bows and
arrows and a few captured guns are no match for the might of the
Indonesian military. Their decision may bring an end to the sporadic
gunfighting between the two sides, but by no means to the groups
of Papuans fleeing their homeland claiming of being subjected to
human rights abuses at the hands of the Indonesian military. The
OPM's cause has always struggled to gain the world's attention.
Ten years ago, international sympathy for the OPM eroded when
they seized 26 hostages, including 7 Europeans. Two of Indonesian
hostages were killed and the remainder were eventually released
after an attack by Indonesian troops. Today, Papuan independence
activists argue new tactics must be pursued. They say that groups
such as the 43 Papuans who arrived by boat in Australia earlier this
year offer the movement its best chance of highlighting life under
Indonesian rule.
JONAH WENDA, POLITICAL ACTIVIST: Yeah, whatever they can
say about their life or their family, what's happening in human rights
violence before now and then what will happen in the future. They
can address what the information they have, they talk to the media,
to the friends, or overseas, or whatever, to support these political
solutions for West Papua.
STEVE MARSHALL: As the Papuan independence movement reached
a turning point this week, the question remains unanswered - is this a
new road to peace, or an admission of failure? Steve Marshall, Lateline.
---
Papuan fighters promise non-violent future
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1699050.htm
PM - Thursday, 27 July , 2006 18:32:00
Reporter: Steve Marshall
MARK COLVIN: Forty years of guerilla warfare against Indonesian troops in
the province of Papua could be drawing to a close.
The Free West Papua Movement, known as the OPM, is a nationalist
organisation, which has pushed for Papua's independence
since the early 1960's, when Indonesia took control of the territory.
This week, at a historic meeting in Madang in neighbouring Papua New
Guinea, OPM Guerrilla commanders promised to move to
non-violent means from now on.
Our Papua New Guinea Correspondent, Steve Marshall reports.
STEVE MARSHALL: The sleepy town of Madang on the Papua New Guinea north
coast has been an historic meeting place and safe
haven for the OPM hierarchy.
Over the past week, OPM commanders and their representatives, have risked
their lives to leave the sanctuary of the jungle
and cross the border into PNG for an historic meeting.
For decades Papuan resistance fighters have waged a disorganised guerrilla
war against Indonesian troops, the say have been
occupying their land since the 1960's.
Now for the first time those who make up the OPM military wing have agreed
to act under one unified command.
Nikolaus Ipo Hau is the chairman of the OPM revolutionary Council.
NIKOLAUS IPO HAU (translated): The commanders responsible for
co-ordinating attacks on Indonesian troops have agreed to
operate together. Now they are appealing to the international community to
support this new umbrella organisation.
STEVE MARSHALL: And with that the unification comes and historic pledge.
All eight commanders of the resistance forces have agreed to fight for an
Independent Papua through non-violent means, using
dialogue instead of bullets.
Chairman OPM Revolutionary Council, Nikolaus Ipo Hau again.
NIKOLAUS IPO HAU (translated): This doesn't mean a surrender or it is not
a defeat for the OPM, now the organisation wants to
be respecting of human rights.
We want to promote this. It doesn't mean we can't fight, we will defend
our selves and if we are attacked, we will attack,
but we want to move forward with a peaceful solution.
STEVE MARSHALL: Ten years ago, an OPM guerrilla group eroded support for
the organisation when it seized 26 hostages,
including seven Europeans. Two Indonesian hostages were killed in the drama.
The commitment to use dialogue in the drive for independence is major step
forward for the OPM, which continues to bring
together all Papuan resistance groups under the one umbrella.
The commanders agree that bows and arrows and a few captured guns are no
match for a modern Indonesian Military.
Their decision may bring an end to the sporadic gunfights between the two
sides, but by no means an end to the groups of
Papuans fleeing their homeland, claiming of being subjected to human
rights abuses at the hands of the Indonesian military.
Papuan activists, like Jonah Wenda, are adamant groups such as the 43
Papuans, who arrived by boat in Australia earlier this
year, are the best vehicle to highlight life under Indonesian rule.
JONAH WENDA: They will continue to kill and destroy and people will still
flee.
Whatever they can say about their life or their family, what's happening
in human rights violence now and then, what will
happen in the future, they can address what information they have, they
can talk to the media, to their friends or whatever,
to support this political solution for West Papua.
STEVE MARSHALL: It's estimated that 100,000 Papuans, or ten percent of the
Papuan population has been killed by Indonesian
troops since Indonesia gained control of the territory in the early 1960's.
In Madang, this Steve Marshall for PM.
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20060731.G03&irec=2
Tribes hold peace talks in Papua, no deal yet
Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika
Two tribes involved in a series of deadly clashes over the past week in
Mimika regency, Papua, have sat down for peace talks,
but no deal has yet been reached.
Ten people have died in fighting between the tribes since July 21. Four of
the dead were from the Damal tribe and six from
the Dani tribe.
The government has been criticized for being slow to step in and stop the
fighting.
Though talks have so far failed to reach a settlement, Elminus Mom, chief
of the Damal tribe, said he was prepared to end the
violence.
"We are still waiting for a decision from the families of the victims from
the Dani tribe. We're still in negotiations, under
the sponsorship of the Mimika regency administration," Elminus said.
While waiting for the results of the talks, the Damal tribe held a
traditional funeral for one of its members killed Sunday.
The body of the deceased was incinerated, which the Damal believe frees
the soul to move into the next life. If this
traditional ceremony is not performed, they believe the soul will remain
trapped on earth, disturbing family members.
There have been conflicting reports about how the clashes in Mimika began.
Most say the fighting began July 21, when Yohanes
Kogoya from the Damal tribe was killed by arrows while attending the
funeral of Nugi, the son of the Bhintuka village head,
who was from the Dani tribe.
Nugi reportedly drowned in a river, but the Dani blame the Damal for the
death.
Fighting later broke out in the area of Kwamki Lama, not far from the
massive gold and copper mine operated by PT Freeport
Indonesia.
The situation around Kwamki Lama was calm Sunday, and residents were able
to attend to their daily business.
Two companies from the Mimika Police and paramilitary police unit Brimob
have been deployed to Kwamki Lama to prevent the
violence from escalating.
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=17375
Tribal war resumes in Kwamki Lama, Papua
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - A tribal war again broke out in Kwamki
Lama, Timika sub-district, Mimika district, Papua
Province, Monday morning, causing injury to a number of tribesmen on both
sides.
Mimika District Police Jimmy Tuilan told ANTARA via phone the war between
the Dani and Damal tribes resumed in Kwamki Lama
after a lull of several days.
A new death on the part of the Elminus Moom group had triggered Monday`s
flare-up of hostilities, he said.
A member of the Elminus Moom group was hospitalized for arrow wounds.
While being treated at the hospital, he developed
symptoms of malaria and succumbed to the disease.
Due to the new death, a peace process between the warring tribes, Dani and
Damal, was disturbed, the police officer said.
To lessen the impact of the tribal war, the police has herded the fighting
warriors to another location , namely an old
Freeport road lying quite a distance from public places such as markets.
"Despite the conflict local people are going about their daily actvities
normally. Women continue their activities in the
Kwamki Lama market," Tuilan said.
The police had deployed four units of their personnel around the tribal
war zone to prevent it from widening or moving to
another place.
"We do our best to keep the conflict away from public places so it will
not disturb the local people`s routine activities,"
Tuilan said.
The fighting had broken out for the first time on July 23, 2006, after a
child from the Kogoya family had died while swimming
in SP2 River under supervision of a relative.
The child`s parents blamed the relative for the death and later attacked
him. The attack then was retaliated by the other
group and later grew into a tribal war which killed nine persons and
injured tens of others.
Tuilan said he had approached tribal chiefs and religious leaders to help
stop the fighting between the two Papua tribes
which were actually still related to each other. (*)
---
http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2006-07-31T051414Z_01_JAK269085_RTRUKOC_0_UK-
ENERGY-INDONESIA-BP.xml
BP and partners to ink gas project loans
Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:14 AM BST140
JAKARTA (Reuters) - BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and its partners
are expected to sign a deal on $2.6 billion (1.4
billion pounds) worth of loans to finance Indonesia's Tangguh liquefied
natural gas (LNG) project, the head of the country's
oil and gas watchdog said on Monday.
Energy giant BP, which operates the project in the remote eastern
Indonesian province of Papua, said last year it was
confident of getting $3.4 billion from several foreign financial
institutions.
"There's a plan tomorrow (Tuesday) to sign on $2.6 billion loans for the
Tangguh project by BP, as operator, and its
partners," BPMIGAS chief Kardaya Warnika told reporters, but did not say
why the amount was lower than initially projected.
However, Warnika said BP was still awaiting a formal decision from the
Indonesian government on the price of LNG due to be
supplied by Tangguh to China's number-three oil company CNOOC Group.
Last month Warnika said the government had agreed to raise the price of
LNG sold from Tangguh to China's CNOOC to an oil-
equivalent of $38 a barrel versus the previous $25 level
In response to Warnika's comments that a deal had been reached on the
price, CNOOC said last month that it was still in talks
with Indonesia and expected an agreement in late July.
Warnika said the project would get loans from the Asian Development Bank
(ADB), Japan Bank for International Co-operation
(JABIC), a Chinese bank consortium, and commercial banks in Europe and Asia.
"This planned loan signing shows Indonesia is still attractive for
investment," he said, but gave no specific details on the
breakdown of the lending.
BP officials could not be reached for immediate comment.
Tangguh, in Papua at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago, is due
to produce 7.6 million tonnes of LNG a year from
two trains, with output expected from the fourth quarter of 2008.
Indonesia, Asia Pacific's only OPEC member but far richer in gas than in
oil, has been pushing since January to raise the
price in the long-term Tangguh contract, agreed in 2002 with a ceiling at
the equivalent of $25 a barrel oil.
CNOOC (0883.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), which has a 17 percent stake in
Tangguh, has contracted to lift 2.6 million tonnes
per year (tpy) -- about a third of its capacity -- over 25 years to a new
terminal in eastern Fujian province.
BP's partners in Tangguh include several Japanese firms such as Mitsubishi
Corp. (8058.T: Quote, NEWS, Research), INPEX
(1605.T: Quote, NEWS, Research), Sumitomo Corp. (8053.T: Quote, NEWS,
Research) and Kanematsu Corp. (8020.T: Quote, NEWS,
Research).
For Indonesia, the world's biggest supplier of the super-cooled gas, the
Tangguh project will help offset declining output
from other LNG facilities and provide much-needed revenue.
The overall project is expected to cost around $5.5 billion including
associated upstream development, construction of the
two LNG trains and marine infrastructure to bring gas from an offshore field.
Tangguh will take gas from the Wiriagar, Muturi and Berau blocks, which
together have combined reserves of 14.4 trillion
cubic feet (tcf). BP is the operator of the three blocks.
The project, 3,000 km (1,880 miles) east of Jakarta, already has LNG
supply contracts with China, Mexico and South Korea.
---
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0607/S00533.htm
Two more Papuans jailed over Freeport mine protest
Monday, 31 July 2006, 4:31 am
Press Release: Radio New Zealand International
Two more Papuans jailed over Freeport mine protest
A court in Indonesia’s province of Papua has jailed two people for taking
part in the violent protests against a US-run mine.
Hundreds of protesters clashed with security officers in March near
Papua’s capital Jayapura over the mine run by US giant
Freeport-McMoran, leaving six people dead.
The Jayapura district court found Selpius Bobi guilty of inciting others
to commit violence during the melee and sentenced
him to five years in prison.
The court also sentenced Elias Tamaka to six years in jail for resisting
authorities by using force during the clash.
Lawyers for the pair say they will appeal against the ruling.
On Monday, the same court jailed 11 people over the protests.
One was sentenced to six years in jail while 10 others were given five
years in prison each.
An appeal will also be lodged against the sentences.
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=17146
President starts two-day visit to Papua
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)
and First Lady Mme. Ani Yudhoyono arrived at Wamena
airport in the central mountainous region of Papua Province on Thursday
morning aboard Indonesian Air Force plane Hercules C
-130 for a two-day visit up to Friday.
The President and his entourage accompanied by newly-installed Papua
Governor Barnabas Saebu were greeted by traditional
dances of Baliem Valley.
Upon his arrival, Yudhoyono later inspected a command post of Yahukimo
food resilience, which is located in the airport.
The Head of State and the entourage later visited Megapura State Junior
High School in Jayawijaya District.
In a dialogue with students of the junior high school, the President
encouraged them to study seriously to be able to compete
with their collogues in other provinces of the country.
Yudhoyono believed that Papua`s students were also capable of making
national and international achievements. The President
cited the recent achievement of Rudolf Bonai, a Papua student, who won
"First Step To Nobel Prize" in an international
chemistry contest.
"I am sure all Papua students could be like Bonai, as long as you work
hard, study seriously, and read a lot," Yudhoyono told
the students.
>From the school, the Presidential entourage left for Kurima, Yahukimo
District. They are also scheduled to fly to Pasema
village by helicopter for cassava grand harvesting when the weather is
improving. Wamena was cloudy and covered by fog when
the President arrived.
Yahukimo had been hit by famine early this year which left several local
inhabitants dead.
On Friday (28/7), President Yudhoyono and his entourage will fly back to
Jayapura, capital of Indonesia`s eastern most
province of Papua.
On Saturday (29/7), the Head fo State will leave for Kendari, capital of
Southeast Sulawesi, to officially open the National
Qur`an Recital Constest (MTQ). (*)
COPYRIGHT © 2006 ANTARA
July 27, 2006
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=17244
Fine weather permits President Yudhoyono attending potato grand harvest
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Fine weather at the middle mountaineous
area of Papua on Friday permited President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono to attend a grand harvest of "Pattipi-Solosa" sweet
potato in Pasema, Yahukimo district.
The president was originally scheduled to attend the occasion on the
previous day but unfavorable weather conditions
prevented him from flying from Jawawijaya district town of Wamena to Pasema.
Accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, the newly-elected Papua Governor
Barnabas Suebu and a number of cabinet ministers,
Yudhoyono flew on a military Super Puma helicopter from Wamena to Pasema
at 8.45 a.m. local time on Friday.
It took about 20 minutes for the president and his entourage to arrive in
Pasema.
There, the president would observe the yield of sweet potato grand harvest
with the local people of Pasema in Yahukimo
district to mark the end of food scarcity at the middle mountaineous areas
in the province.
Sweet potatoes have turned into main variety in agricultural sector in
remote Yahukimo where 83 people were killed by famine
in December last year.
After the grand harvest, Yudhoyono would hold a dialog with the local
people from various remote villages in the mountains,
hills and valleys.
In Wamena on Thursday, the president said the central government and the
Papua provincial administration would intensify and
speed up development in Papaua`s remote areas, especially in its
mountaineous regions, to prevent the occurrence of food
scarcities on the scale of a famine that happened in Yahukimo district
last year.
"We are here to strengthen our commitment to seriously accelerating
development in less-developed areas in Papua, notably in
remote areas," the head of state said during a visit to Kurima subdistrict.
He added that the government did not want Yahukimo to endure food scarcity
anymore. "Therefore, we should prioritize
development acceleration in isolated areas in Papua," he said.
In Kurima, Yudhoyono officially closed the famine relief command post to
mark the end of the provision of emergency
assistance for malnourished people in Yahukimo district.
On the occasion, the president noted that although the famine relief
command post had been closed, logistics assistance for
local people suffering food shortages would continue to be provided by the
provincial and district administrations in
cooperation with the central government.
After closing the command post, Yudhoyono and his entourage returned to
Wamena where he would hold a gathering with local
community figures, religious and tribal leaders. (*)
COPYRIGHT © 2006 ANTARA
July 28, 2006
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaileditorial.asp?fileid=20060731.E03&irec=2
Papua autonomy law should be left as is
Neles Tebay, Rome
While the Papuan people had hoped their welfare would improve through the
implementation of the 2001 Special Autonomy Law for
Papua province, the central government plans to revise the law, to
legitimize the establishment of West Irian Jaya province.
The government's plan was revealed through a statement made by Home
Minister M. Ma'ruf (Suara Pembaruan, July 24) in
Manokwari, after having installed the new governor for the province of
West Irian Jaya, the establishment of which has no
legal basis.
The minister's announcement surprised many parties. They may well ask: Why
does the government want to revise the Papua
Autonomy Law without having even implemented it first in Papua province?
First of all, it must be underlined that the revision of the Papua
Autonomy Law has absolutely nothing to do with the welfare
of the indigenous Papuans.
In fact, the law has not been fully implemented because the government has
no genuine commitment to improving the Papuan
peoples' welfare through the effective implementation of the law.
Otherwise, the government should have been consistent in implementing the
autonomy law. And the government should have not
produced policies that contravene the law.
That's why it does not make sense when the home minister cited poverty
reduction and improvement in the welfare and economic
life of the people, including education and health care, as the objectives
to be achieved through the revision of the law.
Second, the government's intention to revise the Papua Autonomy Law is
linked to the existence of the controversial province
of West Irian Jaya.
The Papua Autonomy Law, for the government, has been the obstacle to the
establishment of the West Irian Jaya Province.
Despite the rejection by the Papua Peoples' Assembly (MRP) and the Papua
Legislative Council (DPRP), the government has
imposed its own policy and maintained the province of West Irian Jaya in
violation of the Papua Autonomy Law.
Perhaps the minister has now realized that the province of West Irian Jaya
still has no legal basis even though its new
governor has been installed. It raises the question: Can the installation
of a new governor for a province which has no legal
foundation still be categorized as legal?
The government, then, needs a legal foundation for the existence of the
province. That is why, the government wants to revise
the Papua Autonomy Law, simply to provide legal justification for the
existence of the controversial province of West Irian
Jaya.
Thirdly, the government needs to be reminded again that the Papua Autonomy
Law cannot be implemented due to the government's
decision to maintain the illegal province of West Irian Jaya.
As the government recognizes West Irian Jaya province, the province of
Papua as cited in the Papua Autonomy Law no longer
exists. The whole content of the law, then, cannot be implemented any more
in Papua province.
How can the government execute the law while the Papua province where the
law should be implemented does not exist due to the
establishment of the controversial province of West Irian Jaya?
As the Papua Autonomy Law cannot be implemented in either province, the
law is no longer a realistic or feasible solution to
the problems in Papua.
The Papuan people, then, might call for independence due to the
government's failure to implement the law. They may receive
more support from the international community.
So, another purpose of revising the law is to prevent the international
community from supporting the Papuans' call for
independence.
Fourth, the proposal to revise the law reflects the government's inability
to implement its own law.
The Papuan people know from experience that the government produces laws
easily. Yet, it is not easy to enforce them.
The failure to implement the Papua Autonomy Law is just one example of this.
The government formed the autonomous province of Papua (West Irian as it
was called) and autonomous regencies through Law No.
12/1969. However, this law has never been implemented.
In 2001, the government issued the Special Autonomy Law for Papua. But the
government has deliberately postponed its
implementation. And surprisingly, the government feels no guilt about not
enforcing it.
And now, the government wants to revise the Papua Autonomy Law to provide
the legal basis for West Irian Jaya province.
It is possible that the government might revise the revised version of the
Papua Autonomy Law in the future, in order to
accommodate the establishment of the province of Central Irian Jaya, which
was postponed.
So the law will be revised every time the government wants to establish a
new province in the land of Papua.
The government is busy revising the law and thereby forgets its
implementation.
The Papuans know that there is no guarantee that a revised Papua Autonomy
Law will be consistently implemented by the
government. The revision of the law will not automatically change the
government's attitude.
As a result, the Papuans continue to pay the price and lose all trust in
anything from the government.
Therefore, if the government has already realized that the Papua Autonomy
Law has not worked, then, the solution should not
be the revision of the law or producing more presidential instructions,
but the evaluation of the law's implementation.
The time has now come for the government and the indigenous Papuans to
conduct a joint evaluation in order to find ways to
implement fully, effectively, and consistently the Papua Autonomy Law.
This joint evaluation should be the main agenda in the dialog between the
government and the indigenous Papuans.
The writer is a Catholic Priest who has recently finished his doctoral
degree at the Pontifical University of Urbaniana in
Rome.
---
http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=23651
PAPUA: Indonesian Court Sentences Mine Protestors
Friday: July 28, 2006
(RadAus PacBeat) - A court in the Indonesian Province of Papua has
sentenced ten people over their roles in violent protests
against the giant US-run Freeport gold mine.
Two of the protestors, Selpius Bobi and Elias Tamaka, were found guilty of
inciting others to commit violence and resisting
authorities during the protests and sentenced to five and six years jail.
Four policemen and one airforce serviceman died
during the clash.
On March 16 last year, hundreds of protestors clashed with police and
security officers at the Freeport mine in Abepura, over
compensation and pollution produced by the mine.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacbeat/stories/s1699655.htm
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillgen.asp?fileid=20060731105032&irec=4
Police interrogating men detained at facility of U.S. mine in Papua
JAKARTA (AP): Police on Monday questioned three Indonesian men detained in
a restricted zone of U.S. mining giant Freeport in
the easternmost Papua region, a spokesman said.
An Islamic teacher and two Freeport employees detained Thursday are
believed to have been in possession of bomb-making
instructions, National Police deputy chief spokesman Brig. Gen. Anton
Bachrul Alam said.
They are being questioned about "why they entered the protected area and
why they had that kind of documents," Bachrul Alam
said without elaborating.
Freeport spokesman Sidharta Moersjid said the company was carrying out
internal inquiries, but declined to provide details.
Members of the southeast Asian terror network Jamaah Islamiyah have said
during their trials they wanted to attack Western
interests, including U.S. embassies and businesses.
Freeport, one of the largest gold mines in the world is operated by New
Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine
Inc. It has been blamed by environmental groups for pollution and local
opponents for unfairly exploiting Indonesia'snatural
resources. (***
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillbus.asp?fileid=20060731154359
Indonesian shares raise on gains in PGN, bank blue chips
JAKARTA (AP): Indonesia shares rose Monday, led by gains in gas
distributor Gas Negara and most blue chip banks amid hopes
for a lower interest rate outlook.
The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite index ended up 14.239 points, or 1.1
percent at 1,351.693. Gainers led decliners 68 to
40, with 71 stocks unchanged.
Bank Mandiri, the nation's largest bank by assets, gained 1.2 percent to
Rp 1,760, the second largest Bank Central Asia, rose
3.7 percent to Rp 4,175 and Bank Rakyat Indonesia, the fourth largest,
ended up 0.6 percent at Rp 4,275.
Gas distributor PT Gas Negara advanced 3.5 percent to Rp 11,800 on growing
expectations the government will sell a 5.31
percent stake in the company at premium.
Bellwether Telekomunikasi Indonesia added 0.7 percent to Rp 7,450 after
its American Depository Receipts in New York rose 4.4
percent on expectations it would report solid first-half earnings.
Telkom is expected to announce its first-half earnings later Monday or
Tuesday.
On the downside, Indosat, the nation's second-largest telecommunication
company by subscribers and assets, dropped 1.2
percent to Rp 4,275 on profit-taking following recent gains on bargain
hunting.
The local currency, the rupiah also ended slightly higher, tracking the
dollar's weakness versus other major rivals. The
dollar closed at Rp 9,065, down from Friday's close of Rp 9,093. (***)
---
http://www.thenational.com.pg/073106/w3.htm
Painting ones identity
Artist Taba Silau urges Papua New Guineans to think about what is
happening to their culture. MALUM NALU writes.
Taba Silau, 49, now the director of the Madang Visitors Bureau in the
resort town of Madang continues to be one of the
country's leading artists.
He, however, only exhibits sporadically.
In 1975, he was awarded a scholarship to the National Arts School in Port
Moresby after completing Grades 11 and 12 at
Kerevat National High School outside Rabaul.
There, he organised the school's first art club and presented his first
solo exhibition in 1976.
Disliking the restrictions of school regulations, he resigned from the
school in 1977, struggling for the next seven years to
survive as a freelance artist until 1984, when he was appointed to the
post of Madang cultural officer, working at the Madang
Museum and Cultural Centre.
Here, he painted two murals that portrayed the legendary history and
cultural revitalisation of the peoples of Madang
province.
Silau remained in the post until the late 1980s, when a severe illness
forced him to stop working.
When he recovered, he returned to painting, exhibiting a striking
collection of his work at the Papua New Guinea National
Museum and Art Gallery in 1994.
With great expressive power, Silau's imagery focuses on two primary
themes: first the legends and exploits of the traditional
peoples and heroes of Madang, which are the foundation of traditional
knowledge and world view; second, bitter commentary on
what he calls "the confusions caused by modernisation and capitalism"
instigated by colonialism.
Silau was the first Papua New Guinean artist to use the figure of the
urban beggar to symbolise the breakdown of traditional
social life.
Similarly, his bleak images of Irian Jaya criticise the national
government for foreign policies that he believes abandons
ancient ties to "Melanesian brothers" facing genocide in Indonesia.
These paintings and their associated poems thus symbolise wider political
issues that engage the problem of what values are
central to the core constructs of Melanesian cultural identity.
In his quest to motivate Papua New Guineans to think about what is
happening to their culture, Silau does not shirk the role
of social critic.
In his early painting Silau employed a somber palette, ranging from
traditional earth tones to bitter citric yellow.
Moreover, the faces of his figures have exaggerated features with brooding
staring eyes.
However, there can also be a lyrical pathos, even sweetness, to images
depicting traditional subjects.
Recently, Silau's paintings suggest that his colours are also brighter and
that a once-heavy paint texture has lightened to
suggest a new transparency of form.
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=17211
Minister asks Police to probe suspected wood smuggling to China
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Forestry Minister MS Kaban said he had urged
National Police Chief Gen. Susanto to investigate the
suspected smuggling of 21,000 cubic meters of Merbau wood from Irian Jaya
to China aboard the MV Glory King.
Speaking to the press here on Thursday, MS Kaban said he had also asked
the police and the justice and human rights ministry
to ban Ting-Ting Hong, a Malaysian national, from leaving Indonesia to
facilitate the legal process against the illegal
logger who was also a big-time wood smuggler.
"It is much better for the Justice and Human Rigths Ministry to
immediately issue a ban that can be used to prevent him from
leaving Indonesia in his bid to avoid the law," he said.
MV Glory King, which was carrying a Rp50 billion smuggled Merbau wood, was
captured by water police in Adi island waters,
West Irian Jaya, for having no legal document. That vessel was already
towed to Kaimana port in Fak Fak.
In the meantime, Papua New Guinea consul in Jayapura was reported to have
strongly rejected issueing a recommendation for
Ting-Ting Hong and MV Glory King.
The forestry ministry, MS Kaban added, hoped that the police and the
attorney general would be able to form a team in charge
of uncovering this case.
Earlier, the navy and the water police had captured some vessels
attempting to smuggle wood to Malaysia and China.
Besides confiscating MV Barvery Falcon nabbed for smuggling of about
14,229.82 cubic meters of Merbau wood to China as well
as processing the captain of Ngo Van Toan vessel who happened to be a
Vietnamese, the security force also succeeded in
seizing MV Myrna Rijeka for smuggling 15.500 cubic meter of Merbau wood.(*)
COPYRIGHT © 2006 ANTARA
July 27, 2006
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http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20060729.G01
Death toll in Papuan tribal war rises to 10
National News - July 29, 2006
Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika
Two people were killed and 37 others were injured when two warring tribes
in Papua's Mimika regency continued a traditional
battle on Friday, bringing the total death toll in the week-long battle to
10 people.
Hundreds of tribesmen from the Dani and Damal peoples in Kwamki Lama
hamlet began attacking each other at three different
locations starting from daybreak until late in the afternoon. The
tribesmen used arrows, bows, spears and blades.
Two houses were also set on fire by the warring tribes and tensions are
high in the affected areas.
Trade activity in the hamlet has halted, with most small shops closed and
the violence has also shut down two elementary
schools and a junior high school in the area, with students sent home last
Saturday.
A housewife, Korinda Wenda, said Friday the two warring tribes should stop
fighting and find a peaceful solution to the
dispute.
"The clash only makes people here afraid. I hope the two tribes can sit
down together and solve the problem, so no more
people become victims," she said.
There are conflicting stories about the source of the violence. Villagers
said they believe fighting first began Friday last
week when Yohanes Kogoya from the Damal tribe was fatally wounded by
arrows when he was attending the funeral of the Bhintuka
village chief's son, Nugi, of the Dani tribe.
Nugi reportedly drowned in a local river, but the Dani blame the Damal for
the death.
Fighting soon broke out in the Kwamki Lama area, not far from a large gold
and copper mine operated by PT Freeport Indonesia.
Two companies from Mimika Police and paramilitary unit Brimob have been
deployed in Kwamki Lama area to prevent the violence
from escalating.
A negotiation process began to stop the clash between the two rival tribes
produced no results Friday.
Mimika regent Klement Tinal, Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Jantje
Jimmy Tuilan and Mimika Military commander Lt. Col.
Gustav A. and Brimob commander Comr. Abubakar Tertusi are involved in the
negotiations, which are scheduled to resume
Saturday (today).
A community figure in Mimika, Rev. Addiel Tinal, earlier said leaders of
both tribes had attempted to calm their members to
no avail.
"We've tried to talk some sense into them, but it seems difficult for them
to accept peace because they are still emotional
about the incident," Tinal said.
Skirmishes are common among the province's tribes and can be triggered by
murders, adultery, the theft of livestock and
internal power struggles.
In 2004, four people were killed and 123 injured following clashes between
the Damal and Nduga. Peace was only agreed after
the death toll from both sides had become equal -- two from each side.
Though tribal wars are generally aimed at killing and defeating an enemy,
there are unwritten codes of honor that are shared
and followed by all tribes. Women cannot fight wars and it is forbidden
for men to rape or physically abuse women and
children during a war. Looting during a war is also forbidden, as is
killing women, children and the elderly.
A tribal war can last months, even years, and generally ends when the
number of casualties is equal on both sides.
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20060729.H09
Three arrested at Freeport mine
National News - July 29, 2006
JAKARTA: Police here said Friday they were investigating three people
arrested for entering the mining area of PT Freeport
Indonesia in Timika, Papua.
Deputy National Police chief Comr. Gen. Adang Daradjatun said Papua Police
detained the three men for trespassing on the
Freeport compound Thursday afternoon.
"The mining area has its own rules about people entering. The three were
arrested for breaking those rules," he said.
National Police spokesman Comr. Gen. Bambang Kuncoko added that people
visiting the site must follow standard procedures,
such as reporting to security, handing over their ID cards, and explaining
their purpose, including whom they want to meet.
Local police, backed up by an antiterror squad, were still questioning the
men, he added.
The involvement of the antiterror squad raised questions over whether the
men were terror suspects.
Adang said so far there was no evidence to support that presumption.
--(JP/07)
---
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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