[Kabar-Irian] News: Jul 2 - 5 2007
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KABAR IRIAN NEWS
July 2-5
TOPICS
* Indonesia bans US congressional delegate from visiting Papua
* INDONESIA: BAN ON U.S. CONGRESSMAN A SETBACK
* Human rights abuses...
* State of emergency declared in Papua...
* OPM says it will continue flag-raising campaign despite Indonesia
* Papuan culture under threat
* Group says abuse in Papua continues
* US congressman barred from Papua
* Papuan dancers wave Papua flag
* Elsham report - Bolakme
* Indonesian Military starts shooting - Bolakme
* Flag raising Abepura
* Jungle to church: Missionaries and the military co-operate
* Rights group tells of more Papua atrocities
* US Congressman’s ban a setback for West Papuan democracy
* Indonesia stops U.S. congressman from going to Papua
* Indonesia Struggles Against TNI Hegemony
* Indonesia's Logging Fight
* Congressman Eni Faleomavaega banned from West Papua
* Learning from Vietnam for a Peaceful Dialogue with Indonesian People
* Display of separatist flag in Papua not related to RMS flag incident
* U.S regards talks on Papuan self-determination as irrelevant
* Govt to permit US Congresswoman to visit Jakarta only
* Justice minister to probe in to the OPM flag-raising
---
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/4/apworld/20070704182811&sec=apworld
World Updates
Wednesday July 4, 2007
Indonesia bans US congressional delegate from visiting Papua
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP): Indonesia barred a U.S. congressional delegate
known for his criticism of
Jakarta's rule over Papua province from the region, fearing his presence
could spark violence, the man
said Wednesday.
Eni Faleomavaega, from the U.S. territory of American Samoa, said he had
originally been invited by
Jakarta to visit Papua as part of moves by the government to convince the
U.S. Congress that its policies
there were not as harsh as human rights group say.
But authorities canceled the trip saying he might incite demonstrations by
separatists, Faleomavaega said
from Jakarta.
"I am taking it in good faith that my safety was at risk,'' he said. "They
(Indonesia) may have overreacted
at my going, but it is difficult for me to pass judgment.''
Indonesia occupied Papua in 1963 and a low-level insurgency has simmered
ever since.
Tens of thousands of people have died in brutal military operations.
Rights groups say abuses in the
remote region continue, but most analysts say there has been an
improvement in recent years.
"There is no question that the people of (Papua) have been treated very
poorly in the past 40 or 50
years,'' said Faleomavaega, who is a non-voting delegate to the U.S. House
of Representatives, where he
heads a subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
In a related development, about 50 Papuans demanded an independence ballot
and unfurled a separatist
banner at a demonstration in the city of Yogyakarta, central Java
province, witnesses said. The
protesters dispersed peacefully after several hours.
Indonesia's foreign ministry has made conflicting statements on
Faleomavaega's visit, with one official
Tuesday saying the politician did not want to visit Papua.
Faleomavaega said he had met several Papuan leaders in the capital Jakarta
and may have a meeting
with the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono later Wednesday.
Journalists, rights workers and diplomats need special permission to visit
Papua that is frequently denied,
meaning information on the province, which occupies the western half of
the island of New Guinea, is
hard to come by.
---
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.431807507&par=
INDONESIA: BAN ON U.S. CONGRESSMAN A SETBACK SAYS RIGHTS GROUP
Jakarta, 4 July (AKI) - The decision by the Indonesian government to
prevent US Congressman Eni
Faleomavaega from travelling to Papua, will undermine efforts to promote
human rights and democracy in
the territory says TAPOL, which means political prisoner in Indonesian, a
leading English language
authority on the human rights situation in Indonesia and East Timor.
"Greater openness and freedom of movement are essential for the
achievement of peace, democracy
and improved respect for human rights in Papua," said spokesperson, Paul
Barber.
"Unfettered access to Papua for international parliamentarians, diplomats,
journalists and human rights
organisations will lead to a better understanding of the situation in the
territory and greater accuracy in
reporting. That must be to the benefit of the Indonesian government.
Restrictions on access are counter
-productive and lead to the suspicion that the government has something to
hide from the outside world,"
he added.
Peace was achieved in Aceh thanks in large part to the opening up of the
province to the international
community following the tsunami tragedy in December 2004, pointed out TAPOL.
Faleomavaega is the Representative to the US Congress of the
Pacific-Island territory of American
Samoa. He is a prominent supporter of self-determination for Papua and
has previously pushed for the
US government to review its recognition of Papua as part of Indonesia.
Papua was annexed by Indonesia with a controversial UN-sponsored
referendum in 1969. The region,
recently split into two provinces, is theater of a peaceful
pro-independence movement. The Indonesian
military is accused of grave human rights abuses.
Faleomavaega was due to arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday. The Indonesian
foreign ministry director general
for European and American affairs, Eddhi Hariyadhi, said he will not be
allowed to go to Papua because
his visit would be 'exploited by certain groups to create riots'.
"The reason given for the ban is entirely spurious and a sign of
Indonesia's uncertain commitment to
fundamental freedoms," said Barber.
The ban comes just a month after a visit to Papua by the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary-
General on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani, led to a number of
recommendations on how to
improve the human rights situation in the territory.
(Fsc/Aki)
Jul-04-07 09:20
---
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=33435
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
Human rights abuses by Indonesian security forces in Papua persist, says
Watchdog
Posted at 08:15 on 04 July, 2007 UTC
The group, Human Rights Watch, says Indonesian security forces are still
killing, torturing and raping
civilians in their efforts to curb separatism in Papua.
In a report, the group says many serious rights violations occurred during
police raids on communities
believed to be harbouring separatist leaders or when security used force
to break up gatherings.
The report alleges that in 2005 many civilians were missing or dead and
tens of thousands were
displaced from their homes after paramilitary forces burnt down houses in
at least 13 villages in their
search for separatists.
It says a culture of impunity is part of the problem in Papua where it
says in the 14 incidents it
documented, only one member of the security forces had faced prosecution.
A spokesman for Indonesia’s national police, Sisno Adiwinoto, has denied
any rights violations by police
in Papua.
Jakarta places restrictions on access to Papua for journalists, diplomats
and human rights organisations.
---
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=33359
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
State of emergency declared in Papua after Jakarta objects to a flag
raising campaign
Posted at 08:23 on 02 July, 2007 UTC
Indonesian security forces have declared a state of emergency in the
Wamena area of Papua province
in response to a Morning Star flag-raising campaign.
The flag is a symbol of West Papuan self-determination aspirations, and is
historically raised by Papuans
around July 1st.
But while the flag is officially allowed to be displayed under the Special
Autonomy law, flag raisings are
routinely suppressed by the Indonesian security forces.
Yesterday the Indonesian military, or TNI, started shooting in villages in
Bolakme when the flag was
raised.
However, the Free Papua Movement, or OPM, and its aligned group, the TPN,
intend to continue their
current flag-raising campaign until Wednesday.
A OPM/TPN spokesman, Jonah Wenda, says they are prepared to face
consequences for raising their
independence flag.
“The state of emregency has been declared by TNI and police in Wamena
because of this issue of
raising the flag and [the state of emergency will run] until fourth of
July, to stop any movement against
Indonesian rules.’”
---
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=33371
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
OPM says it will continue flag-raising campaign despite Indonesian crackdown
Posted at 22:53 on 02 July, 2007 UTC
The Free Papua Movement, the OPM, and its aligned group, the TPN, say they
will continue a Morning
Star flag-raising campaign despite an Indonesian security forces crackdown.
The Indonesian military, the TNI, and police have declared a state of
emergency in the Wamena area of
Papua province until Wednesday, forbidding the independence flag to be
raised.
While the flag is officially allowed to be displayed under the Special
Autonomy law, flag raisings are
routinely suppressed by the security forces.
Yesterday the TNI started shooting in villages in Bolakme when the flag
was raised.
However, an OPM/TPN spokesman, Jonah Wenda, says they intend to continue
their campaign, despite
other Papuans previously being jailed for raising the Morning Star.
“Philip Karma and Joseph Pakage in Jayapura, they were put in jail for
15 and 10 years, and that’s
why TNI and the police, they don’t want to let this thing happen again.
That’s why they’re put in place the
state of emergency to stop any activities for raising the flag.”
---
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E35400C2-2B65-40D7-A04B-F862D9DD9360.htm
Papuan culture under threat
By Step Vaessen in Papua province, Indonesia
Even in Papua's remote highlands the culture is not spared from external
influence
The distinct culture of Indonesia's Papua province on the western part of
the island of New Guinea is
slowly disappearing with the increasing arrival of traders from other
islands like Sulawesi and Java.
For ages, Papuans have farmed small plots in the highlands, planting
potatoes and vegetables - enough to
feed the family and make some money.
Although Indonesia has given Papua limited autonomy, many Papuans say they
suffer from
discrimination and feel their culture is being threatened.
Magda Peke is among those who feel that her tribe's culture is under threat.
Forced to wear clothes
She told Al Jazeera she is forced to wear clothes if she goes to the
market. She only wears the traditional
Papuan costume if she is close to her home.
"If we go to the town like this, Indonesian authorities are asking us
questions. They ask us who our
leaders are," she said.
"We are afraid that we will not get any help from the government if we use
our traditional dress, so we are
forced to put government clothes on.
"But before they really can change our culture they have to cut our throat
first."
The indigenous Papuans are unable to compete with the newcomers because
they can sell their imported
goods at a much lower price.
Lack of education, economic means and also
pure discrimination keep Papuans poor
Yakoba Motte has seen her coconut business collapse over the years.
"Now we are all poor. Before our life was fine but now we can't earn
anything anymore, everyone buys
their cheap goods," she said.
In Enarotali, Papuans sit on the ground selling fresh produce or goods
while shops are built behind them.
Not a single Papuan owns a shop in this area, largely due to a lack of
education, economic means and
also pure discrimination.
There are times when tensions flare up between Papuans and the newcomers,
the most recent ending in
the detention of about 10 Papuans.
"If Papuans fight among each other the security forces just stand by and
watch us kill each other. But
when Papuans fight with newcomers the security forces will always take up
arms against us," said an
eyewitness who did not want to be identified.
Limited autonomy
Indonesia reportedly banned a US legislator from visiting the province for
fear of sparking demonstrations
by separatists.
Eni Faleomavaega says he was originally invited by Indonesian officials
who wanted to prove their
policies in Papua were not violating human rights.
Indonesia has a strong military presence in Papua because of what the
government regards as a
separatist threat, and there have been accusations of human rights abuses.
However, Agus Sumule, an advisor to the Papua governor, says the situation
is improving.
"Of course it is too early to say that the human rights situation in Papua
has improved significantly, but I
can assure you that the ones who committed violations in the past can't do
that so easily anymore," he
said.
"It's becoming more open now [with the government], we have a lot of
friends from abroad working here
now."
'Dream of freedom'
Even so, foreign journalists and observers still need a special permit to
enter this territory, a sign that
Jakarta has yet to take to this new openness.
It's now up to the government to convince Papuans they are rightful
citizens of Indonesia, otherwise they
will continue to dream of independence.
For Magda Peke Indonesia will always be a different country.
"I had a dream that Indonesia will one day go back home. Then we will
finally be free."
---
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-briefs4.1jul04,1,6175628.story?coll=la-news-
a_section
WORLD IN BRIEF / INDONESIA
Group says abuse in Papua continues
>From Times Wire Reports
July 4, 2007
Indonesian security forces are still killing, torturing and raping
civilians in their efforts to curb separatism
in Papua, Human Rights Watch said today. .
The group said in a report that many serious rights violations occurred
during police raids on
communities believed to harbor separatist leaders or when security
authorities used force to break up
gatherings in Papua, a province on the western half of New Guinea island.
The report alleges that in 2005, many civilians went missing or died and
that tens of thousands had been
displaced from their homes after paramilitary forces burned down houses in
at least 13 villages in their
search for members of a separatist group.
---
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1970184.htm
US congressman barred from Papua
Last Updated 05/07/2007, 05:18:33
The US Congressman for American Samoa, Falemavaega Eni Hunkin, says he is
disappointed the
Indonesian government has prevented him from visiting the province of Papua.
Falemavaega has been lobbying for the Papua province to be recognised as
part of the Pacific region,
rather than Indonesia, for many years.
The congressman will meet with Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, and the foreign
affairs minister, Hassan Wirajuda during a visit to Jakarta.
But he says he has been told he can't visit Papua due to concerns his
presence in the region could spark
violence.
Falemavaega told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat he respects the Indonesian
government's decision, but
wants to ensure the rights of Papuans are not being ignored.
"The more important thing is to consider what the Indonesian government is
doing in dealing with the
needs of the West Papua people," he said.
"That is critical and important, as far as for me who has been following
this issue for years now, and to
see that there has been positive changes.
"The last thing I want to be is telling them what to do.
"This is a good beginning for a start for autonomy, the same way that a
sense of autonomy was given to
the leaders in Aceh."
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailgeneral.asp?fileid=20070703183153&irec=9
Papuan dancers wave Papua flag
JAKARTA (JP): A group of Papuan dancers waved Tuesday Papua flag in the
Papuan Traditional
Council conference in Papua days after a group of people danced and waved
the flag of separatist
movement Republic of South Maluku (RMS) before the President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono in Ambon,
Metro TV reported.
Papua flag of Bintang Kejora means the morning star, which is a symbol for
Papuan people who
demanded independence from Indonesia.
However, an official at the conference said that the dance was legal as
the dancers did not raise the
Bintang Kejora flag but only wave it. (***)
---
From: tribal-melanesia@yahoogroups.com
yesterday (monday) 1 july 007 12 :30 WIT in wissel meren /now named Paniai
Enarotali Eduda had held
ceremony west papua flag raised with peacefull ,at that time They /or free
west papua movement had
readed declaration demand letter to indonesia that is as :
#We had refused special outonomy who had to gived to west papua
#Jakarta as soon as to open Dialog international indonesia, as about west
papua, because we had
suffered since indonesia independent up to now.
# we really hurt want free of the all intimidation that make by the
indonesia
Report by Lsaham paniai /wessel meren
---
From: tribal-melanesia@yahoogroups.com
Media release 2 July 2007
Indonesian Military starts shooting as flag raising protest start in
Bolakme, Highlands, West Papua
Indonesian soldiers were reported to be shooting their weapons in the
villages of the Bolakme region (also spelled Bolokme) in the
highlands of West Papua over the weekend. Although no-one is reported
to be shot, the objective of the Indonesian military forces was
reportedly to stop pro-independence flag raising.
(Bolakme is 6 km north of the town of Pyramid, across the Baliem
River. This area is west of Wamena the regional capital of the
highlands in West Papua.)
Sources in Bolakme report that Mr Wendanak who represents both the
traditional Lani people from the surrounding area and the OPM/TPN
(Free Papua Movement) guerrillas in Bolakme has stated an intention
to continue a flag raising campaign until 4 July 2007. The flag
involved is the Morning Star flag, a symbol of West Papuan self-
determination and Independence. Officially allowed to be displayed
under the Special Autonomy law, even peaceful flag raisings are
routinely violently suppressed by the Indonesian security forces. In
a statement released by Mr. Wendanak to the Institute of Papuan
Advocacy and Human Rights, the objectives of the OPM/TPN group were
reported to be:
- To show the Indonesian government and to the world that West Papua
people still exist & fight for full Independence;
- To protest against the UN sponsored Act of Free Choice process
which ceded West Papua to Indonesian control in 1969;
- To give a sign that they want to solve the West Papua issue in a
peaceful way;
- To ask the UN to force Indonesia government to withdraw all
military forces from West Papua immediately;
- To encourage the United Nations, United States and Dutch
governments to respond to the demands of West Papua people to renew
the Act of Free Choice, & let the West Papua people to decide their
future through a fair and just Referendum;
- To allow foreign journalists and other international organizations
to have access to West Papua;
- To appeal to the International donors to support the autonomy
(independence) project.
Matthew Jamieson, spokesperson for Institute for Papuan Advocacy &
Human Rights said today, “Sources in Bolakme state that, on 29th June
2007, Indonesian soldiers from Battalion 756 from Wamena had entered
into the Bolakme district, firing guns and intimidating local people
and the atmosphere was ‘tense’.
Matthew Jamieson also said, “The OPM group at Bolakme appears to want
to peacefully demonstrate its opposition to Indonesian occupation of
West Papua. This Bolakme area has a long history of OPM/TPN fighters.
The OPM group appears to want to express their political views
through nonviolent means. For the guerrillas and community involved
this strategy is very risky, especially given the Indonesian security
forces willingness to use violence to silence political dissent.”
Matthew Jamieson went onto say “We hold very serious concerns about
this military operation of intimidation to stop what should be a free
political process in ‘democratic’ Indonesia. We hope that the
military administration in West Papua will not seek a violent
solution to what is essentially a political problem.”
Matthew Jamieson also said that, “It is reported that in the past
month the KOPASSUS (Indonesia’s special commando force) had collected
all the chiefs in Wamena to ‘brief’ them on Indonesia's national
integrity.”
“There is limited space given by the Indonesian government for
political dissent in West Papua, when that dissent includes demands
for independence. In the highlands and remote regions, in particular,
the security forces rarely allow political protest. While the
political issue of self-determination remains unresolved in West
Papua the people will continue their protest. ”
“The troops at Bolakme are said to be under the command of Major
Bambang Purwadi, from Infantry Battalion 756. The Battalion 756 is
part of the Korem 172, which is in turn commanded by Col. Burhanuddin
Siagian. This commander Siagian has been twice indicted on crimes
against humanity charges in East Timor (now Timor-Leste) and directly
linked to the execution of civilians holding pro-independence views
and the formation of para-military militias.”
“According to a report in the Cenderawasih Pos on 12 May 2007, Col
Siagian threatened to destroy anyone who betrays Indonesia: “If I
meet anyone who has enjoyed the facilities that belong to the state,
but who still betrays the nation, I honestly will destroy him”. This
statement was reportedly made in response to demands by students and
youths for a review of the 1969 Act of Free Choice and for a new
referendum on self-determination.”
“There has been a cycle of acts of local political defiance, followed
by police & military operations, then civilian deaths, displacement
and famine which has repeatedly occurred in this Highland region and
particularly in the past 5 years. IPAHR holds grave concerns that
this cycle could be repeated in Bolakme."
“During the Christmas New Year period earlier this year, a flag
raising campaign in the Puncak Jaya region, which is adjacent and
east of Bolakme, was the scene of military operations against the
Goliat Tabuni OPM group.”
“The military operations in Puncak Jaya caused thousands of local
people to leave their homes for many months and seek safety in the
remote part of the Yamu River valley. During this period it was
reported that a number of civilians were reported killed by
Indonesian security forces and a health and famine crisis ensued
amoungst the displaced people which resulted in a number of people
dying from famine and disease.”
“Sources in West Papua say that now most of the people displaced from
the military operations in Puncak Jaya have returned home, even
though the military troops are still stationed there.
For further information contact:
Matthew Jamieson +61 (0) 4181291998
Paula Makabory +61 (0) 402547517
Matthew Jamieson Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights PO box
1805, Byron bay NSW 2481 Australia matthew@hr.minihub.org tel +61(0)
418291998
---
From: Tapol: Cendrawasih Pos, 2 July 2007: Summary only
One of the men who was convicted for unfurling the Morning Star flag
in 2006 and is now serving a ten-year sentence succeeded in unfurling
the Morning Star flag (Kejora) above the prison where he is being
held to mark the anniversary of the foundation of the OPM, Organisasi
Merdeka Papua on 1 July. Yusak Pagake kept the flag aloft for five
minutes. He explained later that he had been helped in the action by
others in the prison.
Yusak had originally planned to hold a press concerned but this was
banned.
Yusak came down from the roof when ordered to do so by prison staff.
The prison director refused to answer questions from journalists who
watched the flag raising.
Cepos reported that raising the flag is a very frequent event among
the prisoners.
Meanwhile plans to hold a rally with public speakers in Jayapura were
abandoned when the action was prohibited by the authorities. The
event had been planned by Saul Bomay, secretary-general of Revolution
Peace Council. Although this was now the era of democracy, he said,
the Papuans were prohibited from carrying out this peaceful action.
1 July was the day in 1961 when the OPM leader Seth Sumkorem declared
West Papuan independence which they regard as a de jure recognition
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 8HW, UK.
tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
tapol@gn. .org http://tapol.gn.apc.org
---
Jungle to church: Missionaries and the military co-operate in
converting the Asmat to Christianity.
Astrid de Hontheim
People often view the churches in Papua as a source of support and
protection for Papuans against abuse by the Indonesian military, as
they were in East Timor before independence. The history of Christian
conversion of the Asmat in Papua shows that this was often — but not
always — the case. Over the last fifty years, Christian missionaries
often worked together with the authorities, first the Dutch colonial
state and later the Indonesian military, to 'civilise' the Asmat.
Approximately 65,000 Asmat people live in the marshy swamps on the
south coast of Papua. In 1938, the first permanent Dutch post in the
Asmat region was established in Agats, though it shut during World
War II. The first missionary to arrive was Gerard Zegwaard of the
Catholic Sacred Heart Order in 1953. The Sacred Heart mission was
joined by evangelical missionaries (TEAM) in 1955 and the American
Crosier fathers and brothers in 1958. In addition to proselytising,
Catholic missionaries were active in the area of cultural
preservation, while the Protestant missionaries mainly focused on
medicine and linguistics.
Missionary activity under the Dutch
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Asmat were forced to give up traditional
rituals — those who did not co-operate were arrested — which both the
Dutch and Indonesian authorities and missionaries viewed as inspired
by 'satanic' beliefs. During this period, many Asmat felt that by
converting to Christianity, they could avoid suffering such insults,
receive more respect and be seen as modern. Some Asmat believed that
as Christians they would enjoy the same worldly goods as the
missionaries.
Dutch colonial authorities felt conversion to Christianity would
restrain violent confrontation triggered by the establishment of army
posts. Under Dutch colonial rule, in areas where the Asmat used bows
and arrows to keep away foreigners, the missionaries often proved to
be more intrepid than the Dutch soldiers. (This was also the case
under Indonesian rule.) As the group which had 'first contact',
missionaries were considered to have a 'pacifying' effect. Both
churches and the colonial administration put pressure on south coast
Papuan societies to end head-hunting, cannibalism and polygamy. Dutch
colonial police shot at canoes laden with warriors ready to set out
on a raid. In the first decade after contact, the Asmat people
remained in awe of these rifles and guns.
Asmat under Indonesian rule
Since Papua's incorporation into Indonesia in 1963, the conversion of
the Asmat to Christianity has also been affected by Indonesia's laws
relating to religion. In 1965 President Sukarno issued a decree
requiring that all Indonesian citizens belong to one of five official
religions, including Catholicism and Protestantism, a law which
continues until the present with minor alterations (see the article
by Bush in this edition). All Indonesian citizens must possess
identity cards (KTP), stating their religion.
Since 1965, people who do 'not yet have a religion' can be suspected
of being communists. This also contributed to some Papuans, though
not the Asmat, asking missionaries to convert them to Christianity.
In 1978 the Minister of Religion issued two decrees which forbade
proselytising among followers of official religions. Expatriate
missionaries were denied work permits if their work was mainly
evangelism. The use of material incentives to induce conversion — a
practice often seen to produce 'tobacco Christians' — was banned.
Despite this, missionaries among the Asmat continued to be tolerated,
in many cases actively supported, by the military. This was because
their missionary work was among so-called 'animists' — people without
an 'official religion' — and therefore complementary to the
Indonesian government's aims.
In line with Suharto's New Order policies, the military in Asmat
began 'the reform' for ten years from 1965 1975. They established
government posts in remote areas, leading to the spread of a generic
'Indonesian' way of life and progressively supplanting local customs.
Large-scale Javanese transmigration, begun under Sukarno in 1963 and
continued under Suharto, also contributed to cultural
standardisation. Papuans were resettled into villages — not
traditional social groupings — to control them more easily. This
assisted in the government's efforts to make villagers wear clothes
and placed them under the authority of a village chief (kepala desa).
In the resettlement process, hunters and gatherers were encouraged to
raise cattle, grow vegetables and become involved in the market economy.
Contacts between Papuans and other Indonesians are still sometimes
problematic, with the latter sometimes referring to Papuans as
'backward' (terbelakang) or 'not yet developed' (belum maju). At
Agats, the major Asmat urban centre, several military officers told
me during my stays in 2001 and 2004 that they were dedicated to the
Papuans' well-being. They claimed that without a religion — they do
not consider traditional beliefs to be religions — the Papuans are
unable to manage themselves without killing each other or having sex
with multiple partners. The military focus on the hygiene and
clothing of Papuans: their food (eating rice, not sago and pork) ;
the discarding of traditional ornaments and multiple wives; and
conversion to Christianity. In this context, the military see being a
Christian as humanising (the Indonesian word 'manusia' is often
used), as opposed to being 'people of the forest' (orang hutan) or
savages.
In many cases, the Indonesian government's and the missionaries' aims
coincided in their struggle against nomadism and their efforts to
bring modernity to remote areas. To help the Asmat 'modernise',
Crosier missionaries employed the Asmat in socio-economic development
projects and coaxed them into attending training courses (kuperda) to
become government-appointed village chiefs, although with limited
success. Some missionaries noticed that the traditional Asmat
practice of sharing everything could progressively be eliminated by
teaching the Asmat competitive behaviour and sport.
Particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, missionaries enforced a
number of Indonesian government orders, which coincided with their
own moral stances. They often reported men involved in head-hunting
or one night marriages (known as 'wife exchange') to Indonesian
authorities and the men were arrested. In return, the Indonesian
authorities tried to get people to go to church and mission schools.
Some young boys were taken away by the military, against their
parents' wishes, to be educated at a Sacred Heart boarding school.
From about 1964 to 1968 the Indonesian government prohibited
activities which were seen to be connected to head-hunting. Dancing,
drumming, wood carving, celebrations and the building of ritual men's
houses were forbidden. Whereas some Catholic missionaries co-operated
with the authorities, Protestant missionaries claimed in 2005 and
2006 that they had been unaware of such a prohibition in the 1960s.
Catholic missionaries also became involved in political issues. The
Ayam Revolt in 1974 and 1975 took place in the village of Ayam in the
Asmat region, where for many years there had been fierce resistance
against intense military and Christian (both Catholic and Protestant)
control. The revolt began when Asmat men were beaten by police for
refusing to fell lumber for a logging company, because they had not
been paid for previous work. Around this time, a number of Ayam
villagers, involved in an internal village conflict, killed 29 other
Asmat men, using traditional — and forbidden — head-hunting methods.
They then fled to the jungle to escape police punishment. Only when
the bishop, Alphonse Sowada, spent time persuading them, did the
villagers finally agree to go back home.
Preservation of religion and culture
After the nomination of Alphonse Sowada as bishop in 1969, Catholic
missionaries showed more tolerance of cultural practices. The Crosier
brothers, who had anthropological training and were influenced by the
more liberal philosophy of Vatican II (1962 1965), aimed to preserve
Asmat culture. They had become aware that the culture of the Asmat
could be forgotten in less than a generation. They recorded the myths
of the Asmat, publishing dozens of texts. They decorated churches
with locally-meaningful cultural objects and designs and founded
museums with Asmat collections in Agats in 1973 and in Shoreview,
Minnesota, in 1994. In 1983, the Crosiers initiated an annual art
auction, held in Agats, for primitive-art dealers. In 2003, Alphonse
Sowada depicted the Catholic missionaries' efforts as a 'culture
rescue'. The Crosiers' approach influenced the Indonesian government,
which subsequently allowed the Asmat to continue carving and to
maintain aspects of culture such as the men's houses, where the
carvings were made. Sowada also went to Jakarta to argue for the
Asmat's rights to fair salaries and ownership of their forests. While
Protestant missionaries were not interested in preserving culture,
they made the Bible available to the Asmat, translating it into four
Asmat languages.
Over the last ten years, the influence of the church has been waning.
Most expatriate missionaries have left. Four Asmat pastors share the
leadership of Protestant churches, but there are no Asmat priests,
and people complain that Indonesian priests do not behave like the
American priests did. Only a minority of Asmat regularly attend
church and Asmat people increasingly prefer to marry in a traditional
Asmat wedding ritual than the Christian one. In coastal areas, two
families converted to Islam in 2004. Nevertheless, discussions with
the Asmat people indicate that they are now generally happy with the
presence of churches scattered in the Asmat territory, indicating
both the Asmat people and the church have changed.
Astrid de Hontheim (asdehont@ulb.ac.be) is writing a PhD about
missionaries among the Asmat at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and
the Université de Provence.
---
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=48309&sid=14349646&con_type=1
Rights group tells of more Papua atrocities
Adhityani Arga
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Indonesian security forces are still killing, torturing and raping
civilians during operations to curb
separatism in Papua, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.
Independence activists in Papua - which is made up of two provinces on the
western half of New Guinea
island - have waged a campaign for more than 30 years to break away from
Indonesia, while a low-level
armed rebellion has also simmered for decades.
The rights group says that many serious rights violations occurred during
police raids on communities
believed to be harboring separatist leaders or when security used force to
break up gatherings.
But national police spokesman Sisno Adiwinoto denied any rights violations
by officers in Papua.
"Anyone found to have violated human rights will face the law," he said.
"The Indonesian police ensures
human rights are upheld in each of its operations; we don't violate them."
The report alleges that in 2005 many civilians were missing or dead and
tens of thousands were
displaced from their homes after paramilitary forces burned down houses in
at least 13 villages during
searches for separatists.
Women and children in displaced shelters and close to military posts were
most vulnerable to sexual
assault, it says. One woman alleged that she and a group of other women
displaced by a crackdown on
separatist groups were assaulted and later raped at gunpoint near a
temporary shelter.
"While Indonesian security forces have improved their practices in some
important respects in the
provinces of Papua and West Papua, the situation remains of serious
concern, particularly in the
highlands," the report says.
"We found that both army troops and police units ... continue to engage in
indiscriminate village
`sweeping' operations in pursuit of suspected militants, using excessive,
often brutal, and at times lethal
force against civilians."
The report says a "culture of impunity" is part of the problem. In 14
incidents it documented, only one
security forces member was prosecuted.
Jakarta took over Papua from Dutch rule in 1963.
In 1969 its rule was formalized in a vote by community leaders widely
criticized as political theater.
Jakarta restricts access to Papua for journalists, diplomats and human
rights organizations.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said he wants to end conflict in
Papua and speed
development in the resource-rich area.
REUTERS
---
TAPOL press release
US Congressman’s ban a setback for West Papuan democracy
3 July 2007 The decision, announced yesterday, by the Indonesian
government to prevent US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega from
travelling to
West Papua, will undermine efforts to promote human rights and
democracy in
the territory says TAPOL, the UK-based human rights organisation.
“Greater openness and freedom of movement are essential for the
achievement
of peace, democracy and improved respect for human rights in West
Papua,”
said spokesperson, Paul Barber.
“Unfettered access to West Papua for international parliamentarians,
diplomats, journalists and human rights organisations will lead to
a better
understanding of the situation in the territory and greater
accuracy in
reporting. That must be to the benefit of the Indonesian
government.
Restrictions on access are counter-productive and lead to the
suspicion
that the government has something to hide from the outside world,”
he added.
Peace was achieved in Aceh thanks in large part to the opening up
of the
province to the international community following the tsunami
tragedy in
December 2004, pointed out TAPOL.
Faleomavaega is the Representative to the US Congress of the
Pacific-Island
territory of American Samoa. He is a prominent supporter of
self-determination for West Papua. He was due to arrive in Jakarta
today.
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry director general for European and
American
affairs, Eddhi Hariyadhi, said he will not be allowed to go to Papua
because his visit would be ‘exploited by certain groups to create
riots’.
“The reason given for the ban is entirely spurious and a sign of
Indonesia’s uncertain commitment to fundamental freedoms,” said
Barber.
Ironically, the ban comes just a month after a visit to West Papua
by the
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Human Rights
Defenders, Hina Jilani, led to a number of constructive
recommendations on
how to improve the human rights situation in the territory.
ENDS
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
41 Cherry Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2AX
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: http://tapol.gn.apc.org
Working for peace, human rights and democracy in Indonesia,
1973-2004
---
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3341232
By Muklis Ali
Jul 3, 2007
Indonesia stops U.S. congressman from going to Papua
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has barred a U.S. congressman who has been a
critic of Jakarta's
policies in Papua from visiting the area, but has denied the move is to
cover up alleged human rights
abuses in the remote region.
Eni Faleomavaega, the Democrat congressman for American Samoa, has
previously pushed for the U.S.
government to review its recognition of Papua as part of Indonesia.
"We need to know first what he is looking for," Foreign Minister Hassan
Wirajuda told reporters on
Tuesday.
"If he wants to meet the local government, we can certainly help to
arrange it here in Jakarta during his
short stay," added Wirajuda. The congressman was due to arrive in Jakarta
on Tuesday, according to
media reports.
Papuan independence activists have waged a campaign for more than 30 years
to break away from
Indonesia, and a low-level armed rebellion has also simmered for decades.
"With or without his visit everyone can now access information on recent
developments in Indonesia,
including Papua," Wirajuda said.
"Our embassy in Washington and parliament members have been in
consultation (with U.S. lawmakers),"
he added.
Papua, two provinces on the west half of New Guinea island, has long been
under the scrutiny of
Western groups critical of how Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim
country, treats the mainly
Christian and ethnically distinct area.
A foreign ministry official, Eddhi Hariyadhi, was quoted in the Jakarta
Post newspaper as saying it was
not the right time for Faleomavaega to go to Papua because it could
provoke violence.
Last month a visit by U.N. envoy Hina Jilani was greeted by protests in
several cities over alleged rights
abuses.
Indonesia has denied any systematic violations in Papua, although human
rights groups have alleged
security services in the area have routinely abused their powers.
Jakarta also restricts access to Papua for journalists, diplomats and
human rights organizations.
---
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=370257&rel_no=1
Indonesia Struggles Against TNI Hegemony
Military repression continues despite commitment to reform
Benjamin Terrall (bterrall)
Published 2007-07-04 13:42 (KST)
Although Indonesia's government has committed to reforming the Indonesian
military (TNI) territorial
command structure, which allows the armed forces to maintain units down to
the village level throughout
the country, this apparatus has actually been reinforced in the name of
"counterterrorism."
In late May, Indonesian Marines killed four farmers in a land dispute.
Bambang Widodo Umar, a lecturer
at the University of Indonesia, argued in the Jakarta Post that the
shootings show "TNI structural reform is
not working. Conflicts between the military and civilians are happening
everywhere. The TNI should not
be involved in everything. Let law enforcement institutions, such as the
police and the courts, be
responsible for law enforcement."
But an Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) statement "on the occasion of
the International Day in
Support of Victims of Torture," which took place on June 26, indicates
that Indonesian police also lean
toward excessive force with a zeal that recalls U.S. military practices at
Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. In
discussing cases in which Indonesian police beat suspects to death, the
Hong Kong-based AHRC wrote,
"It is hard for victims of torture to find ways of obtaining redress,
including compensation, reinstatement
and punishment of the perpetrators. The conclusion one may inevitably
draw, is that Indonesia is a state
which allows its agents to torture persons and denies the victim the right
to seek redress for such a
crime."
A 2004 law mandated the government's taking over TNI businesses, but that
process is moving slowly at
best. In February, Human Rights Watch said Jakarta's foot-dragging on the
issue "undermines civilian
control over the TNI and fuels human rights abuses."
The Jakarta Post reports, "Almost 70 percent of TNI's annual budget is
derived from its diversified
business activities. This year's defense budget is set at 32 trillion
rupees (US$3.63 billion) or 4.5 percent
of the state budget." But though the government initially identified 1,500
businesses that could be
classified as military properties, a subsequent estimate only identified
six military businesses as profitable
enough to qualify for takeover.
Thanks to the East Timor and Indonesia Human Rights Network (ETAN), and
its allies in the U.S.
Congress, several provisions in the United States' new Foreign Operations
Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2764)
require reporting on progress in human rights, accountability and military
reform in Indonesia, and justice
for East Timor, prior to release of some military assistance funds to
Jakarta. Though not as tough as past
legislation, ETAN helped the bill advance. The new language, at least,
puts on the public record a dissent
from the Bush Administration's policy of blanket support for the TNI.
"Military reform in Indonesia remains stalled and human rights
accountability lacking," said John M.
Miller, national coordinator of ETAN. "The Bush administration's policy of
nearly unrestricted military
assistance to Indonesia has clearly failed.
"The House appropriations bill highlights many of the most needed reforms.
In contrast, the Bush
administration appears to have no real strategy to promote basic reform of
the Indonesian military," Miller
added. "Jakarta's failure to pursue effective reform underscores the need
for the U.S. to use the only real
leverage it has to press for change -- strong and binding restrictions on
military assistance."
Miller pointed out, "Historically, the Indonesian military's worst abuses
took place when the U.S. was most
engaged. Only after Congress began restricting military assistance was the
ground laid for Suharto's fall
and East Timor's independence."
A new report from the Center for Public Integrity's International
Consortium of Investigative Journalists
(ICIJ), based on more than a year of research, concluded that Indonesia is
one of the largest recipients
of post- 9/11 military training and assistance programs.
The report also makes clear why TNI spokesman Sagom Tamboen recently
commented to The Australian
about possible limits on U.S. military aid in the appropriations bill: "If
in fact the restrictions are put in
place, we believe that the government will have other options … anyway,
we're accustomed to limitations."
The ICIJ found that, through fiscal year 2005, Indonesia was the largest
recipient of Regional Defense
Counterterrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP) training. As the ICIJ wrote,
"Operating since 2002 with
budgets of $20 million to $25 million per year, the CTFP appears in many
ways nearly identical to the
U.S. government's long-standing IMET program, which also trains foreign
military officers. In fact, many
of the courses offered under CTFP are virtually the same as those offered
under IMET."
(Congress has become highly critical of ongoing Pentagon efforts to
receive a blank check to fund
foreign militaries, including Indonesia's, without any of the conditions
which pertain to military aid
programs overseen by the State Department.)
The ICIJ notes, "from 2002 to 2004, the same Indonesian forces that were
prohibited from receiving
anything beyond the most vanilla of IMET courses on human rights were
simultaneously receiving
tutelage on 'Intelligence in Combating Terrorism' and 'Student Military
Police Prep' under CTFP,
according to Defense Department documents obtained by ICIJ under a Freedom
of Information Act
request. In fact, in 2002 and 2003 Indonesia pulled in close to $4 million
in CTFP funding, making the
troubled Southeast Asian nation the No. 1 recipient of such funds."
The ICIJ also found that a U.S. military program for Jakarta dedicated to
"securing strategic sea lanes"
cost more than $18 million.
In its 2007 country report on Indonesia, Amnesty International wrote, "The
majority of human rights
violations by the security forces were not investigated, and impunity for
past violations persisted. The
Attorney General's Office (AGO) failed to act on two cases in which the
National Human Rights
Commission (Komnas HAM) had submitted evidence in 2004 that crimes against
humanity had been
committed by the security forces."
Ed McWilliams, Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta from
1996 to 1999, and now an
independent human rights advocate, told me, "In a real sense the
post-Suharto democratic transition
never transpired in West Papua, where the military and police continue to
employ terror, torture and
extrajudicial killing to enforce Jakarta's rule. While TNI impunity for
abuses and corruption remain a
problem throughout the archipelago, it is particularly acute in West
Papua. While the Suharto dictatorship
is gone, its hallmarks of repression and abuse live on in West Papua."
Col. Burhanuddin Siagian last month responded to West Papuan calls for
self-determination by
threatening to "destroy" anyone who "betrays" Indonesia. Two indictments
issued in 2003 state that
Siagian made speeches threatening to kill East Timorese independence
supporters and was responsible
for the deaths of seven men in April 1999.
McWilliams commented, "Of the many dark scenarios posed for West Papua's
future perhaps the most
dire is the threat of communal conflict as erupted a few years ago in the
Maluku's and Poso. As in those
neighboring areas, the TNI in West Papua is fueling sectarian strife by
recruiting largely Muslim migrants
to form paramilitaries loyal to Jakarta's rule. It is also creating Papuan
militias along the lines of those it
created to devastating effect in East Timor. As in the past throughout the
archipelago, the TNI aims to
generate communal tensions in West Papua as a justification for
maintaining its presence and for
continuing to exploit the region's vast natural resources."
But dissidents throughout Indonesia continue to struggle against military
hegemony. One example is the
weekly protest in Jakarta by survivors and family members of victims of
TNI atrocities (including the
Tanjung Priok shootings of 1984, the Lampung killings of "militants" in
1989 and the May 1998 shooting of
students) who are demanding an end to impunity for "security" forces.
Anti-militarist activism within Indonesia alone cannot turn the tide. Ed
McWilliams argues, "The fate of
real military reform and possibly the success of the democratic transition
in Indonesia depends very
much on the U.S. Congress's willingness to insist on real reform,
especially to push for genuine civilian
control of the military and an end to TNI impunity. Democrats, now in
control of both houses, must
understand that an unreformed TNI, one that supports and has helped create
fundamentalist Islamic
militias inside Indonesia, cannot be a credible partner in the so-called
'war on terror.' The U.S. Congress
should heed the voices of human rights defenders in Indonesia and refuse
to bankroll TNI criminality,
abuses and impunity."
©2007 OhmyNews
---
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118342316130456058.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Indonesia's Logging Fight
Smugglers Defy Crackdown
To Feed Demand in China
By TOM WRIGHT
July 3, 2007; Page A5
SURABAYA, Indonesia -- China's insatiable appetite for lumber and the
resurgence of smuggling rings in
Indonesia have undermined the Indonesian government's efforts to crack
down on illegal timber exports
from one of the world's biggest remaining tropical forests.
Two years ago, the government took aim at the illegal logging in its
rainforests, which are among the most
extensive -- and most rapidly disappearing -- anywhere. Illegal timber
shipments from the huge province
of Papua to China nearly stopped, environmentalists say. Following the
clampdown, the flow of smuggled
logs from Papua -- about 600,000 cubic meters of timber a month in 2003 --
dried to a trickle. Total illegal
Indonesian timber shipments fell to three million cubic meters in 2006
from 10 million cubic meters in
2003, according to some estimates.
The crackdown had an immediate effect on timber prices in China, which
accounts for almost half the
global demand for tropical wood. In Shanghai, prices for merbau -- a rare
hardwood found mainly in
Southeast Asia -- doubled in six months to $500 per square meter,
environmental groups say.
But illicit trade in Indonesian wood is booming again as Indonesian
loggers and Malaysian middlemen
find new ways to feed China's demand. The revival of large-scale smuggling
highlights the problems
facing Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in stemming what the
United Nations says is the
fastest deforestation rate in the world.
Mr. Yudhoyono has come under political pressure from international bodies
such as the U.N. and World
Bank to protect Indonesia's forests. One reason: Indonesia's forest
destruction, often by fires to clear
land for plantations, has made the nation the world's third-largest
emitter of greenhouse gases behind the
U.S. and China, according to a joint British government and World Bank
study earlier this year.
Indonesia has long been one of the biggest suppliers of wood to global
markets, with some environmental
groups estimating an area the size of Belgium being harvested every year,
most of it illicitly. Along with
Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia is one of just a
few countries with still-
unexploited rainforests, but it has lost huge swaths of its reserves in
the past 30 years.
[Stolen Forests]
A U.N. report in February found that all lowland forests on Indonesia's
Borneo and Sumatra islands -- an
important habitat for the endangered orangutan and other animals -- could
be lost by 2022 at current
logging rates of 2.8 million hectares a year.
The World Bank believes the illicit global trade in timber costs
governments about $15 billion a year in lost
revenue and taxes. Indonesia's government estimates it loses about $4
billion annually.
Realizing the costs, Jakarta in 2001 banned all export of raw logs. After
coming to power in 2004, Mr.
Yudhoyono tightened the export ban to include all rough-sawn timber. The
next year, as part of the
crackdown, 1,500 police raiders seized 400,000 cubic meters of timber in
Papua, an amount equal to
almost 3% of the annual global trade in tropical logs. They also arrested
186 suspected illegal loggers and
smugglers.
In 2005, the president vowed to go after the financiers of illegal logging
and their protectors in the local
government, military and police. Today, only semiprocessed wood can be
exported legally.
But, with the crackdown faltering, Mr. Yudhoyono's standing with
environmentalists is sinking. Many
groups are pushing Western consumers to boycott products made from
Indonesian timber. They
complain that Jakarta isn't doing enough to save remaining forests from
both illegal logging and from the
rapid legal clearing of land for agriculture and palm-oil plantations.
Krystof Obidzinski, of the Indonesia-
based Center for International Forestry Research, contends that more than
70% of logs going to
Indonesia's timber-processing industry have been illegally felled.
Pressure on Papua's forests, in particular, is likely to increase in
coming years, with projects on the
drawing board to plant enormous plantations for palm oil, which is used to
produce biodiesel. Seeking to
exploit the rising global demand for alternative energy, China National
Offshore Oil Corp. said in January
it was ready to invest $5.5 billion to develop plantations and biodiesel
factories in Kalimantan and Papua.
Mr. Yudhoyono's attempts to get a grip on the situation face opposition
from a powerful nexus of local
government officials, police and military personnel who are involved in
the illegal trade. The lack of
effective legal sanctions is also hampering his efforts.
For example, Indonesia's courts -- judged among the most corrupt in the
world by Berlin-based
Transparency International -- have convicted only 13 people arrested in
the 2005 Papua crackdown, all
of them low-level operators. The suspected ringleaders -- including a
police officer accused of
involvement in the affair -- were acquitted.
The smuggling networks have since found new routes for getting tropical
hardwoods out of the country.
"After a dramatic reduction in timber smuggling from Indonesia in 2005,
illicit timber is flowing out of the
country again in increasing amounts," says Julian Newman, who works for
the Environmental
Investigation Agency, a nongovernmental organization based in the United
Kingdom.
One method used by illegal exporters is to ship logs to neighboring
Malaysia, where they are given false
certificates of origin as Malaysian wood. They are then processed in
Malaysian factories,
environmentalists say. Another method is to take the logs to Surabaya,
Indonesia's second-largest city,
where they are roughly sawn up and hidden in containers for shipping to
China and India.
Smugglers often falsely mark the exports as finished wood products, which
can be legally exported under
Indonesian law, says Atong Sukirman, an official with the customs
enforcement unit at the Surabaya port.
"Illegal exports are hard to detect," he says.
In December, customs officials impounded 10 containers of 61 merbau logs,
a haul worth hundreds of
thousands of dollars. A local company had been trying to smuggle the logs
out to China in containers
falsely marked as flooring, according to customs officials. Police are
investigating the company and have
arrested a senior Surabaya port customs official, who is suspected of
involvement in the smuggling ring.
But campaigners say a few high-profile busts won't help unless Indonesian
courts are willing to hand
down heavy sentences to those involved in illegal logging.
At its end, China's failure to crack down on the trade, despite an
agreement in 2002 to work with
Indonesia to tackle the problem, is straining relations between the two
nations. Trade Minister Mari Elka
Pangestu wants China to turn back illegal logs and timber at its ports but
hasn't threatened any sanctions.
Meanwhile, China's huge demand means merbau is likely to be wiped out
within the next 30 years,
environmental group Greenpeace warned in a report in April.
Write to Tom Wright at tom.wright@dowjones.com
---
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Press release July 5th 2007
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega banned from West Papua
The banning of US American Samoan Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, from
visiting West Papua, strengthens the suspicions of the international
community that Indonesia has something to hide in its territory of West
Papua.
Joe Collins of AWPA said �we are continuously told that Indonesia
is a
democratic country and human rights abuses are a thing of the past, yet by
banning Congressman Faleomavaega it only confirms to the world that
democracy does not apply to West Papua�.
In the Samoa Observer dated 3rd July 2007, Congressman Eni has criticised
both Australia and New Zealand for leaving the Papua issue up to Indonesia.
The Australian government hopes the issue of West Papua will go away Collins
said, but in fact it will become a major foreign policy issue for Australia
in the future.
Australia and the international community should be encouraging the
Indonesian government to sit down and talk with the West Papuan leadership
to solve the many issues of concern in West Papua.
Dialogue with Jakarta is what the West Papuan leadership is asking for.
Info. Joe Collins (Mob. + 61. 2. 04077 857 97)
---
Learning from Vietnam for a Peaceful Dialogue with Indonesian People
David Chan
Every time Papuan raise their national flag, the reactions from the
Indonesian mass media is always hostile. Such reactions influence their main
audience i.e. the Indonesian people.
Raising the Morning Star flag is a pieceful expression of political view.
But we seem to ignore the root cause of these hostile reactions.
Besides receiving negative news coverage from Indonesian mass media, most of
the Indonesian people, actually, have got very little knowledge about the
background history of how West Papua was coerced (the official term is
"integrated") into the Republic of Indonesia.
This can be seen from the official history textbook taught in 3rd grade of
Indonesian high schools. There are only five pages explaining very
subjective description about Papua's "integration" into Indonesia.
So, it is not surprising if most of the Indonesian people see Papuan's
demand for self determination as a betrayal to them, unity of the state.
They still do not know how in 1969 their government violated the political
rights of Papuan people.
Also, many do not know how Papuan have suffered since that forced
integration. Several sources said that 100,00 casualties have been killed,
around 10% of the native population.
Learning from Vietnam
The US won in many battle fronts around the world except in Vietnam. The
official figure released by Vietnam government in 1995 revealed that 5.1
million people died whereas the US troops suffered approximately 60,000
personnel. So, the US won in Vietnam but they lost in their own land.
American mass media showed how American troops used napalm and chemical
weapons in their campaign over North Vietnam. These sparked anti-war
demonstrations. Such cruel actions could not be tolerated by American people
who had seen the devastation caused by their atomic bombs in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
Papuan - Indonesian Public Dialogue
Efforts must be done to encourage Papuan intelectuals to interact more
frequently with Indonesian mass media. They need to explain the background
history and issues of human rights violations conducted by the Indonesian
government and the military in West Papua. More and more articles are needed
to explaing these issues in Indonesian mass media so that they can create
Indonesian public awareness on the Papuan cause. It is not easy to penetrate
into the main stream view of Indonesian mass media over West Papua. But we
have to be optimistic in encouraging peaceful dialogue between Papuan and
Indonesian intelectuals in Indonesia's media. The only ones who can
effectively press the Indonesian government and Indonesian military are
Indonesian people themselves.
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/7/4/display-of-separatist-flag-in-papua-not-related-to-rms-flag-
incident/
National
07/04/07 23:21
Display of separatist flag in Papua not related to RMS flag incident
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The display of the separatist Papua Free
Organization`s flag had no relation
with the unferling of the banned Republic of South Maluku (RMS)`s flag on
June 29, 2007, an official has
said.
"The meeting of the Papuan Customary Council (DAP) had been scheduled
earlier and the activity
should have received a permit from the local police," Secretary to the
Coordinating Minister for Political,
Legal and Security Affairs, Lt Gen Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo said here
Wednesday.
On the possibility of hoisting the separatist flag during the planned
visit of US Senator Eni Faleomavaega
to Papua, Agustadi said the government had prohibited her sojourn to
Indonesia`s easternmost province.
On July 1, political prisoners from Abepura jail displayed the separatist
flag in the framework of the
organization`s anniverasry.
The display of the flag on top of the jail did not last long as security
officers immediately ceased the
action.
The flag was displayed by Yusak Pakage, a political prisoner who also
hoisted the separatist flag on
December 1, 2005, along with his pal Filep Karma.
Cosmos Yual, a political prisoner involved in the bloody incident in front
of Cendrawasih University in
Abepura, Jayapura, on March 16, 2006, also appeared in the flag flying
action.(*)
Copyright © 2007 ANTARA
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/7/4/us-regards-talks-on-papuan-self-determination-as-irrelevant/
National
07/04/07 23:19
U.S regards talks on Papuan self-determination as irrelevant
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The US Congress no longer regarded the talks on
Papuan independence as
relevant under the unitary state of Indonesia.
That was one of the crucial points in a statement of US Congressman Eni
Faleomavaega during his
courtesy call on Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Agung
Laksono who then had a closed
door meeting with Chairman of the House`s Commission I, Theo L. Sambuaga,
and some other House
members, here on Wednesday.
After the meeting with Eni who happened to be Chairman of the Asia Pacific
Sub-committee of the US
Congress, Andreas H Pareira of the House`s Commission I said that the US
perception on Papua had
changed.
"This could be seen in Eni`s belief that the most important point was that
the confession of the US
congressman that he had ever discussed Papua`s self-determination on
account of the Indonesian
government`s lack of attention to Papua," Andreas Pareira said.
In a closed door meeting, Eni Faleomavaega admitted that some time in the
past the congressman had
even tried to secede Papua from Indonesia. But now, the US Congress
supported the Indonesian
government in granting a special autonomy to Papua. It was then seen as a
step forward that should be
maintained.
"In the future, Eni added, this development should be maintained in a bid
to change the life of people and
the economy," Andreas said.
Eni Faleomavaega also said that democracy is a process and not something
final.
Andreas also told his visiting guest that democracy was part of a process,
in which further steps must be
taken. Hence he asked him to voice out economic democracy in his capacity
as US congressman after
being active in the past to raise the issue on political democracy.
This matter, according to him, was likely accepted by Eni Faleomavaega who
said that Papuans should
not only become spectators of the exploitation of their natural resources
or only received the fees.
"But, when grilled about profound talks on the process of renegotiations
on PT Freeport investment in
Papua, Mr. Eni was trying to avoid the issue," Andreas said.(*)
Copyright © 2007 ANTARA
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/7/3/govt-to-permit-us-congresswoman-to-visit-jakarta-only/
National
07/03/07 18:44
Govt to permit US Congresswoman to visit Jakarta only
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said here on
Tuesday the government had
only issued a permit for US Congress member from the Democratic Party Enny
Valio Marpega to visit
Jakarta to discuss developments on people`s conditions in Papua.
"The agreement we have reached is only for Enny Valio Marpega to visit
Jakarta," he said after a limited
cabinet meeting.
He said the government`s decision was made not because the government was
barring her from Papua
but because the government would accommodate her need to meet with Papua
regional leaders in
Jakarta.
"It was not made with the intention of forbidding her to visit Papua but
of meeting her needs. For example,
if she needs to talk with Papua regional leaders we can arrange a schedule
for it in a relatively short time
in Jakarta," he said.
The minister said he believed the limitations would not tarnish the
government`s image because
explanations that had been given by the government and other institutions
about conditions in Papua were
already good and had changed views held so far about the region.
"This is a dynamic process of consultations with various parties so Enny
will have a better understanding
about the situation in Indonesia, including in Papua," he said.
Enny Valio is chairperson of the US Congress`s Sub-Commission for the Asia
Pacific that has so far
been quite outspoken about Papua.(*)
Copyright © 2007 ANTARA
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/7/3/justice-minister-to-probe-in-to-the-opm-flag-raising/
National
07/03/07 02:00
Justice minister to probe in to the OPM flag-raising
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalatta
said that his side would
make a better coordination with the security authorities in Papua in a bid
to settle the case of OPM flag-
raising by convicts in Abepura prison.
"Not only in prison, but outside prison, the raising of the separatist
flag is not allowed. We are
coordinating efforts with the security officials to probe into the
incident," the minister told the press here
on Monday when asked about the raising of the Rising Star (bintang kejora)
flag in the Abepura prison.
Certainly his side will take action against the perpetrators.
Commenting on how the flag found its way into the prison, Andi said that
raising the flag outside and
inside prison is forbidden.
On July 1, separatists of the Free Papuan Movement who are held in Abepura
prison of Jayapura,
Papua, either for political or criminal offenses, on Sunday raised the
rising stars (bintang kejora) flag in
the framework of commemorating the separatist movement day.
The raising of the rising stars flag on the roof of the prison did not
last long, because the prison security
officials immediately stopped the action.
The raising of the flag was conducted by Yusak Pakaga, a criminal convict
who raised the flag on
December 1, 2006 in front of the University of Cendrawasih (Uncen),
Abepura, Jayapura.(*)
Copyright © 2007 ANTARA
---
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