[Kabar-Irian] News: February 2007 Special Mulia Report
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ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF PAPUAN CHURCHES
(Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Papua)
Secretariat: Diocese Office Jayapura
Jl. Kesehatan No. 4, Dok II, Jayapura 99112
Tel. 0967 - 534993/ 533092, Fax. 0967 – 536426
Jayapura, 29 January 2007
No: 005/PGGP/07/2.7
Report on the situation in Mulia
Based on a visit by the Pastoral Team
of the Ecumenical Council of Papuan churches (PGGP)
The PGGP Pastoral Team led by Rev. Lipiyus Biniluk visited Mulia from 16
to 18 January 2007. This visit aimed to obtain a closer look and a deeper
understanding of the situation of the communities in the Mulia and
surrounding areas. People in this region experience fear as a consequence
of the armed conflict between the separatist group TPN/OPM led by Goliat
Tabuni and military and police units in December 2006.
As of 22 January, PGGP had already asked the House of Representatives of
the Province of Papua (Dewan Perwakilam Rakyat Provinsi Papua, DPRP)
through Commission F to facilitate a meeting with members of the DPRP, in
particular with the DPRP Chairman, the Governor of Papua, the Head of the
Provincial Police and the Head of Military for Trikora XVII, in order to
deal with the humanitarian problem in Mulia. However, as of the writing of
this report, there has no response.
We the priests of the religious communities can wait no longer considering
the situation of our congregations who are evacuating, suffering from
starvation, sickness and fear while the Government of the Puncak Jaya
Regency is busy preparing its Regent elections. In the light of our
priority to make Papua a Land of Peace, we herewith directly report to the
people of Papua what we have heard, seen and experienced ourselves in
order to take steps in overcoming the humanitarian emergency situation.
Therefore we recommend:
1.To the Provincial Government of Papua to immediately support the
Government of the Puncak Jaya Regency with humanitarian assistance in
order to solve the humanitarian emergency situation in the Yamo District;
2.To the Government of the Puncak Jaya Regency to take immediate steps
handling the emergency situation in particular the refugee problem in the
Yamo District;
3.To TPN/ OPM, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Indonesian Police to
guarantee the security of delivered food supplies and medical teams from
any side so that the refugees will obtain needed help in a humane way and
as quickly as possible.
4.The decrease of non-organic military troops, units of the intelligence
service and the Mobil Forces of the Police (Brimob) and the centering of
these troops in the Capital town of the Regency and District in order to
decrease fear and trauma experienced by local people and to avoid
potential conflicts with the local population so that an atmosphere of
safety can be restored as soon as possible.
5.To the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) in Papua to make an
investigation soon in order to reveal the activators of the series of
violent acts which caused deaths and loss of personal properties;
6.To all sides to quickly stop any politicization which sacrifices the
people of Puncak Jaya.
Thus we report to the people of Papua and hope for common efforts to
create Papua as a Land of Peace which is protected and blessed by the
Almighty God.
Executive Board of PGGP
Bishop Leo L. Ladjar OFM
Chairman of PGGP
Rev. Lipiyus Biniluk
Rev. Andreas Ayomi
Rev. Herman Saud
ATTACHMENT
A.Chronology of Violence
13 November 2006
Riots occur in Mulia after the distribution of direct financial help (fuel
compensation). According to witnesses the violence broke out because the
names of one part of the local population were not on the list of people
receiving monetary compensation. Another source in Puncak Jaya said that
the perpetrators of the riots were youths who some time before were
facilitated by the local political elite involved in determining criteria
for the future Regent candidates in the Puncak Jaya Regency elections for
the period of 2007 – 2012.
The riots caused the country a financial loss reaching billions of Rupiah
as governmental buildings and houses of members of the DPRD were destroyed
and burned down by the mass.
8 December 2006
Two members of the military forces, Joko Susanto (Kopassus) and Tobias
Sirken (retired military officer), are killed. The two corpses are
afterwards burned by TPN/ OPM. The occurrence of the killings coincides
with the declaration of Lukas Enembe and Drs. Henock Ibo as candidates for
Regent and vice-regent, on 8 December 2006. The same day the Morning Star
Flag is raised at the Kumibaga mountain approximately 500 meter from the
old town of Mulia. Following this incident part of the population,
especially civil servants outside Mulia, the families of officials and
other citizens leave Mulia by air transportation through Timika, Nabire
and Jayawijaya whereas others could not leave Mulia to go about their
daily activities as all the streets in and out of town were restricted or
blocked for security reasons.
24 December 2006
A bigger Morning Star Flag than before is raised at the Kumibaga mountain.
At the same time members of TPN/ OPM shout war invitations towards the
Regent candidates pairs Lukas Enembe and Drs. Henock Ibo as well as Elvis
Tabuni and Rev. Paulus Tabuni. Various letters are also circulating in the
name of Goliat Tabuni supporting the candidate pair Elieser Renmaur and
Wakerkwa. This letter is neatly typed and written in very correct
language.
27-28 December 2006
An increase of military troops in Mulia by helicopter is reported.
29 December 2006
The traditional house of the Head of the GIDI (Gereja Injili di Indonesia)
congregation Laringgen Morib, approximately three Kilometers from the old
town of Mulia, is burned.
Amongst the burned properties of Laringgen Morib are the following:
1.A suitcase filled with clothing (long and short trousers, T-Shirts,
underwear and children’s clothing)
2.A big and a small rice wok
3.Five sleeping blankets
4.One ax and one machete
5.20 aluminum zinc
6.4 Noken (traditional bags to carry crops from the garden)
7.One dozen eating plates, two dozens spoons, one dozen of drinking bowls
8.One Sony Tape recorder (value 1 Million Rupiah)
The head of another GIDI congregation Dainus Game also had property in the
burned house:
1.One guitar
5 January 2007
The members of TPN/ OPM flee when Brimob troops arrive at the flag raising
location. Afterwards the Indonesian military arrives establishing a
permanent post and raising the Red-and-White Indonesian Flag until now.
Not far from the burned house Gumi Morib (34) is killed at 2pm by Brimob
undergoing an operation against those responsible for the flag raising.
The victim is buried according to Lani tradition by his family on 6
January at 2 pm in the village of Terewarak, Dondopaga, approximately 50
meters from the location of the shooting.
6 – 7 January
The Lani people in the Yami Regency begin to evacuate. They leave from two
GIDI areas to three other areas on the other side of the Yamo river. After
a two days of heavy walking on foot, one part of the group reaches the
village Kiyage. Two bridges of the Yamo river which connect the Yamo
District with the Capital of Puncak Jaya Regency are destroyed by the
refugees as they were afraid of military operations or of being chased by
the military or supporters of Goliat Tabuni. The refugees leave all their
livestock behind.
Table 1
The service areas of the GIDI Church and the evacuated congregations
No
Church
GIDI Service Area
Number of congregation members
Evacuation destination
GIDI Service Area
1.
GIDI Dokome
II
300
Yokolobi
I
2.
GIDI Nowome
II
480
GIDI Yambuni
I
3.
GIDI Imilineri
II
350
GIDI Tiolome and Kota Baru
I
4.
GIDI Kalome
III
150
Putbakak, Ilabraui and to GIDI Area IV
IV & V
5.
GIDI Bereleme
III
567
Putbakak, Ilabraui and to GIDI Area IV
IV & V
6.
GIDI Purbalo
III
GIDI Wundu
V
7.
GIDI Igunikime
III
250
GIDI Temu
V
8.
GIDI Talilome
Mulia
90
Kota Mulia
Mulia
TOTAL
2.187
A total number of 2.400 refugees originate from Area II and III fleeing
to the areas I, IV and V:
Yamo Area I: 1.118 people
Yamo Area IV: 1.152 people
Yamo Area V: 680 people
Total number of these three areas: 2.950 people.
Adding the number of the population receiving the refugees, we count 5.137
people suffering from hunger. Within this number the people fleeing to
Kiyage have not yet been included, remembering that the whole GIDI
congregation in Yamo consists of 5.361 people. One group of refugees
fleeing to the city of Mulia are accommodated by families and another
group stays at the GIDI complex in the old town of Mulia.
Pastors visiting Mulia and witnessing the circumstances report that the
situation of the congregation in Yambuni needs particular attention as
seven to eight families stay together in one traditional house (honai),
and in former kiosks or pig stalls without proper food. The pastors are
asking for logistical support in order to help the refugees. They also
suffer from sicknesses such as malaria, scabies and swollen spleens.
Access is difficult to those refugees who live in areas where the bridges
to the city have been destroyed and people there suffer from fear and
trauma towards Goliat Tabuni’s group and the Indonesian Military who
control certain locations, in particular the streets from the District to
the city of Mulia.
Refugees in Ilabraui live with five to six families in one traditional
house (honai) without proper food. Refugees from Igunikime who are
accommodated in Temu experience difficulties with the local inhabitants
(Wano clan) due to different traditions. After the refugees had received a
part of a potato field they were asked to go back to their place of origin
or search for edible ferns in the forest as there was not enough food.
Four refugees have already died due to a lack of food and medicine:
No.
Name
Sex
Age
1.
Tanno Telenggen
M
50
2.
Laya Morib
M
30
3.
Mitiles Morib
M
20
4.
Walia Wonda
M
41
Volunteers and members of the medical aid team of the Health Department
already requested that the Department send medicine and health personnel
to the refugee areas. This however has not been approved yet due to the
experience of the year 2004 when the security forces found medicine in
Guragi/ Tingginambut which they suspected was given to OPM/ TPN instead of
to the health center.
B.Response of the Puncak Jaya Regent Government
1.The Puncak Jaya Government attended a Ceremony of Prayer asking for
peace and urging the refugees of the community to come back to their
villages. The ceremony was organised by the Head of the GIDI congregation
in Mulia, Rev. Dainus Game, and attended by approximately 1.000 people.
The Regent Frans Kristantus and his Secretary Henock Ibo, the Head of the
Puncak Jaya Police Yakobus Marzuki, officials of the local government and
PGGP were amongst those attending the ceremony and giving directions and
peace appeals to members of the congregation and other people living in
the area.
2.The Secretary of the Puncak Jaya government promised six tons of rice
and medicine from Wamena to overcome the crises in the refugee areas in
the Yamo District. He also asked the church for security guarantees for
these services and hoped the church would aid in developing communications
with the group of Goliat Tabuni.
3.The Secretary of the Puncak Jaya government asked the church to support
the reconstruction of the bridges which was destroyed by TPN/ OPM in the
Tingginambut region in the year 2004 as the government has already spent
Rp. 50.000.000 per bridge.
C.Closing Remarks
1.The conflict starting in August 2004 has isolated the region around
Mulia as two main bridges in the Tingginambut Region were destroyed
hampering the transport of supplies from Wamena.
2.War appeals and letters indicate a politicization of the masses leading
to the sacrifice of the general population.
3.The high presence of Indonesian military, Brimob and units of the
intelligence service working against the activities of TPN/ OPM might turn
into a conflict with the general population who does not speak the
Indonesian language fluently.
4.The attention and staff of the local government at this time is focused
on the Regent elections. That is why a strong push from the Governor is
needed. Otherwise the process in the field will be delayed and not
completed.
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