[Kabar-Irian] News: Jul 9 -12 2007
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KABAR IRIAN NEWS
July 5-9
TOPICS
* Police quiz officials on OPM flag waving
* Government must change its approach in Papua, says forum
* Indonesian police query Papuans over raising banned flag
* NKRI Defenders Front to conduct sweeps
* Foreign intelligence agencies accused
* Flag-raising incidents an attempt
* Why the Flap Over a Maluku Flag?
* West Papuan Student Activists Targeted
* Papuan presidium council to hold congress
* Lion Air now also serving Jakarta-Jayapura route
* Government should refuse entry
* The West Papua Report - July 2007
* Flag politics and the fallacy of separatism
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20070710.H08&irec=7
Police quiz officials on OPM flag waving
JAYAPURA: Police have questioned 14 witnesses in connection with the
unfurling of a separatist Bintang
Kejora (Morning Star) flag during the opening of the Papua Customary
Community Congress here last
week.
They included two local government officials, a National Sports Committee
(KONI) official and members
of the event's organizing committee, Papua provincial police chief of
detectives Sr. Comr. Paulus
Waterpauw said Monday.
Police are also questioning the event's organizers.
Lawmakers said Monday the probe was questionable due to the fact former
president Abdurrahman "Gus
Dur" Wahid approved the use of the flag as a form of tribal identity and
the approval is yet to be revoked.
-- JP
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20070711.B07&irec=6
Government must change its approach in Papua, says forum
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A forum on Papua has called on the government of President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono to thoroughly
change its approach to the country's easternmost region.
The Forum for Papua said that it was time for the government to shift its
policy on Papua, which has been
dominated by a security approach, to one that catered more to the people's
welfare.
"The approach to Papua has to be fundamentally changed from
security-oriented to human security-
oriented, which means that the government should respect the human rights
of the people there and meet
the demands for their well-being," said forum member Tommy Legowo of the
Centre for Strategic and
International Studies in a discussion Tuesday.
The forum agreed that the security-oriented approach to Papua had resulted
in the prevalence of
insecurity among the people in the region.
"In the wake of the implementation of regional autonomy, the intimidation
of civilians continues to persist,"
forum member Zoemrotin K. Susilo said.
He said many activists who had spoken out on human rights abuses in the
region had come under threat
from security forces there.
"A number of people were subject to intimidation after they spoke to Hina
Jilani during her visit recently.
You can see that such an intimidation was not carried out in a tactical
way," she said, referring to the
visit of the special representative of the UN secretary general on human
rights defenders.
The forum also noted that another indication of Jakarta's preference for
old security methods was the
decision to increase the number of soldiers assigned to the region.
The forum said that the number of soldiers had increased in recent years
from three to five battalions.
It also warned the government against taking action against those who were
responsible for flying the
Morning Star flag of the separatist Free Papua Movement during a
conference of the Papuan Tribal
Council.
"It's just a cultural expression of their frustration with the blatant
injustices that they have suffered," forum
member Wiryono Sastrohandoyo said.
Wiryono said that the flag-waving incident was merely the pinnacle of
their frustration with the lack of
economic improvement, despite the billions of funds allocated by the
Central Government to bail Papua
out of poverty.
Economist H.S. Dillon criticized the central government for not doing
enough to ensure that the special
autonomy fund went to the needy.
"All this time, the money only goes to those who are already empowered,
migrants from other provinces.
The government should change its strategy, the money should go to the
people in the villages first," said
Dillon, of the Partnership for Governance Reform.
---
Indonesian police query Papuans over raising banned flag
RNZI Posted at 04:06 on 09 July, 2007 UTC
More Papuans are being questioned by Indonesian police in Jayapura
over a
flag-raising incident.
This
follows the arrest of eight Papuans at the end of the four-day
Papuan
Tribal Congress meeting in Jayapura
last week.
Police made the arrests after the West Papuan independence flag,
the Morning
Star, was used at the
opening ceremony by a group of traditional
dancers
from Manokwari.
A spokesperson for the international
human rights group ELSHAM,
Paula
Makabori, says the eight have been released.
Ms Makabori says the Papuan Tribal Council�s chairman Welem Bonay
and other
executive members are
now being questioned over what she describes
as a
cultural event.
�The reason is because there is a group
called Sampari during that
congress
who used the West Papuan flag in their traditional dancing. But
that is
actually cultural. This is the way the Papuans sometimes use
traditional
dancing or music or songs to
present their information to people.�
Paula Makabori
---
<jamesbalowski@yahoo.com> -----
=================^==================================
I N D O L E F T - News service > >
=================^==================================
NKRI Defenders Front to conduct sweeps for
separatist supporters in Yogyakarta
Detik.com - July 7, 2007
Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta -- The Unitary State of
the Republic of Indonesia Defenders Front (FP-NKRI)
will be conducting sweeps of people who support
separatist movements in the Central Java city of
Yogyakarta and surrounding areas. This will be done
because the TNI (Indonesian military) and the police
are no longer capable of dealing with the movements
supporting separatism in the student city.
This was conveyed by FP-NKRI chairperson Gandung
Pardiman at the Yogyakarta Regional House of
Representatives on Saturday July 7. "If the TNI and
police are no longer capable of dealing with it, we
together with members of the FP-NKRI will conduct
sweeps against those who clearly want rebellion and
support separatism", he said.
Pardiman said that the unfurling of the South Maluku
Republic (RMS) flag in front of President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono during the commemoration of
National Family Day in Ambon, Maluku, was a slap in
the face against the Indonesian state. This was
compounded by the flag raising incident of the
Morning Star in Papua. "We as supporters of the NKRI
Defenders Front were truly hurt by the incidents in
Ambon and Papua. We cannot remain silent",
threatened Pardiman.
Pardiman said that his group also regrets the use of
the symbol of the Morning Star during a
demonstration by Papuan students in Yogyakarta on
Wednesday July 4. Although Yogyakarta residents did
not react to the incident, it does not mean that
they will just stay silent and take no action.
"The tolerance of Yogyakarta residents has its
limits. We don't want Yogyakarta to be turned into a
place for supporters of separatist movements",
asserted the chairperson of the Golkar Party's
Yogyakarta regional leadership board. Pardiman added
that as the chairperson of a political party, he
associates closely with various groups and
communities from different parts of Indonesia that
are studying in Yogyakarta and knows that not all
Maluku and Papuan people support the separatist
movements.
During a meeting of FP-NKRI members on Friday night
attended by several other mass organisations, it was
agreed that the sweeps would not be carried out in a
haphazard fashion. If there is concrete evidence of
people supporting separatism the thousands of FP-
NKRI in the Yogyakarta area will arrest them and
hand them over to police. "We will also track down
student supporters of separatism through the
tertiary education campuses", said Pardiman who has
been the chairperson of FP-NKRI since 1999.
(bgs/sss)
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]
****************************************************
The INDOLEFT news service is produced by the
Institute of Liberation, Media and Social Studies
(LPMIS) and Action in Solidarity with Asia and the
Pacific.
INDOLEFT News Service
Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam VIII No. 6A
Jakarta Selatan 12820
Indonesia
E-mail: jamesbalowski@yahoo.com
****************************************************
---
=================^==================================
I N D O L E F T - News service > >
=================^==================================
Foreign intelligence agencies accused of being
behind separatist incidents
Detik.com - July 7, 2007
Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta -- Foreign intelligence
[agencies] are believed to be playing a significant
role in the recent emergence of separatist
movements. Rather, the people of Maluku and West
Papua are satisfied and do not want these movements.
"The people of Maluku are satisfied with Indonesia.
In Papua the people also don't understand
separatism. What is happening is that certain people
in these two regions are being used by foreigners
for their own interests", said the former chief of
staff of the Trikora regional military command
retired Brigadier General Rustam Kastor.
Kastor conveyed this during a discussion on the
theme of "Beneath the Shadow of Separatism" that was
held at Mario's Place on Jl. Cikini Raya in Central
Jakarta on Saturday July 7.
Similar concerns were expressed by House of
Representatives Commission I member Ali Muchtar
Ngabalin. "I am 100 percent convinced that these
[foreign] actors exist", he said. The politician
from the Star Crescent Party added that aside from
foreign interests, separatism is also a consequence
of the poor performance of the government in
bringing prosperity to these conflict areas.
The politician from the Star Crescent Party added
that aside from foreign interests, separatism is a
consequence of the government's poor performance in
bringing prosperity to these regions. "If [the
government] want's to resolve it, provide the same
treatment to the people of Papua and Ambon as the
peoples of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi",
he said. (irw/ana)
Notes:
According to Detik.com, following the signing of the
Malino peace accord in Maluku on February 12, 2002,
several hardline groups voiced their opposition to
the deal through demonstrations in the provincial
capital. They included the Maluku Front of Muslim
Defenders under Husni Putuhena, the Special Task
Force of Amar Maruf Nahi Munkar under Muhamad
Attamimi, Kastor, Ustad Bahasoan and Laskar Jihad's
Ahlussunah Wal Jamaah. In early March 2002, in an
interview broadcast on Voice of Maluku Muslim
Movement Radio -- which is run by Laskar Jihad -- it
quoted Putuhena and Kastor as saying they entirely
opposed the peace pact.
[Translated by James Balowski.]
****************************************************
The INDOLEFT news service is produced by the
Institute of Liberation, Media and Social Studies
(LPMIS) and Action in Solidarity with Asia and the
Pacific.
INDOLEFT News Service
Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam VIII No. 6A
Jakarta Selatan 12820
Indonesia
E-mail: jamesbalowski@yahoo.com
****************************************************
----
=================^==================================
I N D O L E F T - News service > >
=================^==================================
Flag-raising incidents an attempt to paint
government as weak on separatism
Detik.com - July 5, 2007
Arfi Bambani Amri, Jakarta -- Following on the heals
of the South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag-raising
incident, there have been cases of the Morning Star
flag being raised in West Papua. It seems like there
is an effort to shape public opinion that the
administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
(SBY) is week on separatism.
"There are efforts in that direction. Wanting to
give the public the impression that the SBY
administration is weak on separatism", said the
coordinator of the Commission for Missing Person and
Victims of Violence (Kontras), Usman Hamid during a
discussion with Detik.com on Thursday July 5.
Hamid is convinced that the Yudhoyono government is
aware of the real strength of RMS supporters and the
Free Papua Organisation (OPM). Currently, neither
organisation poses a real threat to the integrity of
the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
"At any rate, the people who displayed the flags of
the Morning Star and the RMS did so non-violently,
in a peaceful manner, no violent actions
materialised. It did not appear to a real threat",
said Hamid.
Meaning the police shouldn't use a violent approach
in responding to peaceful actions by the two groups.
The government could resolve the issue in a prudent
manner, which is through dialogue as was carried out
in dealing with the Free Aceh Movement in Aceh.
"The government shouldn't get caught up in these
issues of [national] disintegration. The flag
raising cases are only a minor issue. There are lots
of bigger issue that the government needs to
resolve, such as the price of cooking oil that keeps
going up", asserted Hamid. (aba/sss)
Notes:
Separately, Hamid told Tempo Magazine that he
believed that security agencies were aware that that
a protest was planned during the president's visit
but that they intentionally allowed the incident to
occur. Rumors are also circulating that an officer
from the military police corps intentionally allowed
the dancers (who were not part of the official
agenda) to enter the venue. This has raising
speculations that elements within the military or
police intentionally sought to embarrass Yudhoyono
in order to push the government give them a freer
hand in dealing with separatism.
[Translated by James Balowski.]
****************************************************
The INDOLEFT news service is produced by the
Institute of Liberation, Media and Social Studies
(LPMIS) and Action in Solidarity with Asia and the
Pacific.
INDOLEFT News Service
Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam VIII No. 6A
Jakarta Selatan 12820
Indonesia
E-mail: jamesbalowski@yahoo.com
****************************************************
---
The Straits Times (Singapore)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Why the Flap Over a Maluku Flag?
John McBeth, Senior Writer
JAKARTA - THE separatism that bedevilled Indonesia in the early
days of the republic has left an indelible mark on the national
psyche. But how to explain the near-hysteria that broke out
after a troupe of dancers unfurled the flag of the Republic of
South Maluku in front of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
during his visit to Ambon on June 29?
Aides described Dr Yudhoyono as 'livid' and say it was the
reason why he personally issued instructions forbidding US
congressman Eni Faleomavaega from visiting Papua, another
province with separatist tendencies.
Inevitably, that reinforced perceptions that Indonesia has
something to hide by restricting access to its long-neglected
easternmost territory.
But to the government, it made a lot of sense. A non-voting
Samoan who chairs the House Foreign Relations Sub-committee on
Asia and the Pacific, the congressman has been an active
proponent of Papuan independence. Dr Yudhoyono and his advisers
were clearly worried that his visit could spark embarrassing
civil unrest.
Flags other than Indonesia's red and white national flag have
always been anathema to Indonesians.
In Papua's case, former president Abdurrahman Wahid made the
decision to allow the Morning Star to fly on special occasions
in an effort to defuse some of the emotion surrounding it.
Perhaps a better solution would be for the government to permit
all of Indonesia's 33 provinces to fly their own flags. But
given the over-reaction to the Maluku incident, that is unlikely
to happen - at least not until the country gains a little more
confidence in its own unity.
It has always been difficult to understand why such a fuss has
always been made over the Maluku independence movement, which
has degenerated over the past half-century into a handful of
activists who persist in keeping the issue alive. But what they
also do is provide ammunition for hardline Islamic groups to
voice alarm over the so-called 'threat' posed by the mostly
Christian separatists.
It was only five years ago that Muslims and Christians were
locked in a bitter sectarian war that cost thousands of lives
across the once-tranquil Moluccan islands, turned the heart of
the southern city of Ambon into blackened ruins, and largely
segregated the population.
That was serious stuff. But flag-raising?
Part of the problem with the incident in Ambon is that the
image-conscious Dr Yudhoyono has a reputation for wanting all
his activities to be carefully scripted - right down to
elaborate talking points that include opening and closing
pleasantries.
To have a group of imposters suddenly materialise in front of
him waving the forbidden flag not only mortified the President
personally, but also led to a full-scale investigation into the
security lapses that allowed it to happen.
This was not the first time it happened and it probably won't be
the last. In April 2004, 40 people died and 270 were wounded in
a resurgence of violence sparked by a rally celebrating the 54th
anniversary of South Maluku's short-lived independence.
Even today, not everyone in Ambon believes there will continue
to be peace in their time, given the amount of blood that was
spilled in 1999-2003 and an underlying desire for revenge among
those who lost family members in the violence.
For all the subsequent misgivings over his visit, Mr
Faleomavaega proved to be a lot more positive than most
Indonesian officials expected after a round of engagements that
included meetings with the President, senior parliamentarians
and selected Papuan political leaders.
Indonesia's progress towards democracy has played well in the US
Congress, along with its success against the Jemaah Islamiah
terrorist network. But the congressman made it clear that unless
more was done to empower the Papuans, he would continue to call
for the territory's independence.
Interestingly, Mr Faleomavaega made no public mention of endemic
human rights abuses in Papua, the focal point of three different
reports this year by the New York-based Human Rights Watch and
the University of Sydney's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.
All three tend to regurgitate old facts and old allegations. But
the latest Human Rights Watch report, timed for Mr
Faleomavaega's visit, documented eight 'confirmed' new cases of
extra-judicial killings, most of them allegedly carried out by
the notoriously ill-disciplined Police Mobile Brigade since 2005.
The University of Sydney report, released last March, made much
of what it called a 'continuing crisis' in Mulia, the Puncak
Jaya district capital 325km south-west of Jayapura, where Free
Papua Movement (OPM) rebels killed a special forces soldier and
a retired army officer last December.
The ambush and feared reprisals led to many residents evacuating
the remote valley town - but only for a week or two. Sources who
fly into Mulia on almost a daily basis say that apart from the
heightened presence of police and military, any tension there
has long since evaporated.
They also note that when the OPM subsequently raised a Morning
Star flag on the mountain overlooking the airport, it remained
there for nearly three weeks before security forces took it down.
----
Source ?:
West Papuan Student Activists Targeted by Indonesian Security Forces and
Islamic Militias
Only days after the Indonesian Government banned U.S Congressman Eni
Faleomavega from visiting
West Papua, the Indonesian police, military and local government in
Yogyakarta have teamed up with
Islamic militias and hardline nationalist groups to crack down on West
Papuan activists.
According to local West Papuan activists, forty-five student leaders in
Yogyakarta have fled their
dormitories, left their studies and gone into hiding following statements
issued by hardline Islamic and
nationalist organisations, Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defenders Front)
and Front Anti-Komunis
Indonesia (Indonesian Anti-Communist Front). Since late last week e,
xtremist elements have been
threatening West Papuan student activists involved in recent
demonstrations protesting the Indonesian
government’s decision to ban Congressman Faleomavega from visiting West
Papua. The statements
appeared in Yogyakarta newspapers Suara Karya and Kedaulatan Rakyat on the
7th of July and were
repeated again on Indonesian TV news stations, Metro TV, SCT, RCTI and
Trans TV.
On the same day (7th July 2007) Indonesian military officer Col.
Burhanuddin Siagian currently serving
in West Papua, was quoted in the West Papua daily, the Cendrawashi Pos as
saying “For the sake of
the NKRI [The Unitary Republic of Indonesia] we are not afraid of human
rights. It is the TNI’s duty to
destroy any group wanting to separate from Indonesia, irrespective of what
methods they are using to
struggle.” Col. Siagian was indicted by East Timor’s serious crimes units
for the murder of seven East
Timorese men in April 1999. Col Siagian has never been brought to justice.
West Papuan leader Mr. Jonah Wenda from the West Papua National Coalition
for Liberation who has
been in communication with the students said that “intelligent, local
government and national security
forces – TNI and police – want to arrest and kill those who support the
movement of West Papua.”
One of the students in hiding, who spoke to the Institute for Papuan
Advocacy and Human Rights on the
condition of anonymity, said that “the Indonesian constitution guarantees
our right to freedom of
expression. Why is the DPRD [local government], military and police who
should be protecting our rights,
saying they will hunt us down and crush us? What we want is simply for the
central government to allow
Congressman Eni Faleomavega to visit West Papua so he can see the
situation with his own eyes. What
is the central government hiding?”
IPAHR urges the Indonesian government to guarantee the students safety and
uphold their right to
freedom of expression.
“These students were conducting peaceful protests. In a democratic country
they should not be harassed
and intimidated by the government, security forces and their militia
proxies simply for peacefully
expressing a political opinion” said Paula Makabory from the Institute for
Papuan Advocacy and Human
Rights.
For more information or interviews contact:
Jonah Wenda: +62 852 4452 5489
Paula Makabory: +61 (0)402 547 517
---
Editors note: The Papuan Presidium Council refered to below should not be
confused with the PDP
headed by Thom Beanal.
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/7/10/papuan-presidium-council-to-hold-congress/
National
07/10/07 18:27
Papuan presidium council to hold congress
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s Papuan Presidium Council
(DPMPI) is preparing to hold
its first ever congress in August in an effort to maintain the land of
Papua in the framework of the
Indonesian Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic (NKRI), its spokesman
Heemskercke Bonay said
here on Tuesday.
"DPMPI is planning to stage the first ever congress after it was set up a
year ago in Jayapura,"
Heemskercke, one of the DPMPI initiators, said adding that various
preparations had been made for the
meeting.
The oldest daughter of the former first governor of the then West Irian
(now Papua) Eliezer Yan Bonay
said the purpose of was to maintain to soil of Papua in the NKRI, in
addition to telling the whole people of
Indonesia that the former fighters from Papua for NKRI remained united for
one Indonesia.
She said the congress would be a precious momentum for the continuity and
perpetuity of Papuans spirit
for unity in the framework of NKRI.
Heems, as she was popularly called, noted that all members of DPMPI, its
cadres and sympathizers had
a determination to perpetuating the spirit of nationalism on May 1, 1963
which marked the return of the
then Irian Barat into the administration of Indonesia. (*)
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/7/9/lion-air-now-also-serving-jakarta-jayapura-route/
National
07/09/07 01:50
Lion Air now also serving Jakarta-Jayapura route
Jakarta (ANTARA News) -- One of Indonesia`s private airline company, Lion
Air, is now also serving the
Jakarta- Jayapura route via Makassar by its 737-900 ER.
"This new air route covered by Lion Air is expected to boost economic
growth in Papua, which now still
relying on air transportation," Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said when
dedicating Lion Air`s new
Jakarta-Jayapura service at Sentani airport in Jayapura on Saturday.
He said that vast investment would be needed to boost the economic
development in Papua -- roughly
three times the size of Java island -- for which trustworthy and reliable
investor are needed, both local
and foreign.
Papua is known as the most expensive province in Indonesia because of its
lack of roads, and therefore
is still relying on relatively expensive air transportation, Barnabas
said, while adding that the total number
of 430 airfields in Papua are still wide open to more flights services.
In this context, he said, the government will in the long run extend
Sentani airport`s runway from 2,150
meters to 2,500 meters, and build roads to isolated and remote areas in
the province.
He said the more the airline companies flying to and within Papua, the
easier it would be to reach the far
away areas. This, in turn, he added, would boost the economic growth of
the remote places, and
encourage investors to invest in the province which is rich in natural
resources, Barnabas said.
Lion Air would be the second low-cost airline company flying to Jayapura
after Batavia air. Six airlines
stationed in Sentani airport are ready to fly to different destinations.
Spokeswman for Lion Air Hasyim said the company has placed an order with
Boeing in the United States
for a hundred 747-400s for delivery until 2010. One of the aircrafts being
ordered arrives in Indonesia
every month, including this month. (*)
Copyright © 2007 ANTARA
---
=================^==================================
I N D O L E F T - News service > >
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Government should refuse entry to foreign rights
monitors if necessary
Detik.com - July 10, 2007
Ken Yunita, Jakarta -- The government is being asked
to be on guard against the arrival in Indonesia of
human rights representatives from foreign
institutions. This is related to the reemergence of
separatist movements in various parts of the
country.
“We must be on guard against those who arrive. Such
as the US Congressperson [Eni Faleomavaega] the
other day”, said the governor of the National
Resilience Institute (Lemhannas), Muladi, after
joining Vice President Jusuf Kalla in receiving the
Lemhannas class of XV graduates at the Vice
Presidential Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan in
Central Jakarta on Tuesday July 10.
If necessary explained Muladi, it would be better
for the government to refuse entry guests who could
have a bad influence on Indonesia. “We don’t need to
be courteous if it will cause us confusion. If
necessary just refuse [them entry]”, he said in an
outburst of emotion.
In relation to the illegal cakalele dancers that
unfurled the South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag during
a commemoration of National Family Day on June 29,
Muladi said that there is no need to be concerned
about the RMS. “I don’t think the RMS is of any
significance”, he said.
Conversely continued Muladi, Aceh and West Papua
represent two regions that the government must
continue to pay attention to. “The RMS doesn’t have
a strong human resource base. Aceh and Papua
meanwhile, they have a strong human resource base,
are rich in natural resources, and have
international connections”, he said. (bal/sss)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
****************************************************
The INDOLEFT news service is produced by the
Institute of Liberation, Media and Social Studies
(LPMIS) and Action in Solidarity with Asia and the
Pacific.
INDOLEFT News Service
Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam VIII No. 6A
Jakarta Selatan 12820
Indonesia
E-mail: jamesbalowski@yahoo.com
****************************************************
---
The West Papua Report - July 2007
This is the 38th in a series of monthly reports that focus on
developments affecting Papuans. This reporting series is produced by
the West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) drawing on media accounts, other
NGO assessments and analysis and reporting from sources within West
Papua. The West Papua Advocacy Team is a non-profit
organization. Questions regarding this report can be addressed to
Edmund McWilliams at edmcw@msn.com
Summary: The US House of Representatives has called for cuts in US
assistance to the Indonesian military (TNI) and has insisted on
genuine reform within the TNI. A UN human rights official has
expressed concern about the human rights enviornment in West
Papua. Her visit prompted Papuans to demonstrate peacefully in
suppor to UN action to protect fundamental Papuan rights. In the
wake of the UN visit, security forces have cracked down on human
rights defenders. A prominent Papuan political prisoner/prisoner of
conscience has been beaten in prison following his revalation of
criminal behavior by guards. Thirty Papuan, Indonesian and
international human rights organizations have written to President
Yudhoyono calling for removal of a TNI official indicted by the
UN-supported Dili special crimes unit who, as a senior commander in
West Papua, has threatened to "destroy" Papuans who press for their
rights. End Summary.
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega Barred from Visiting West Papua
As the July edition of the West Papua Report was being finalized for
publication we learned that the Indonesian Government has reneged on
its invitation to Congressman Eni Faleomavaega to visit West
Papua. An Indonesian spokesperson claimed the visit was canceled
over fear that it could provoke riots. The Indonesian government has
offered no evidence for this purported concern. In fact Papuans were
preparing a warm welcome for this consistent champion of human rights
in West Papua.
For over one year the Indonesian government has engaged in a massive
international propaganda campaign aimed at convincing critics that
its policies in West Papua are benign. Its refusal to allow
Congressman Faleomavaega to see the situation for himself speaks
volumes about the mendacity of the Indonesian propaganda campaign and
about the urgent need for the international community to address the
plight of Papuans.
U.S. Congress Demands Indonesian Military Accountability for Human
Rights Crimes in West Papua and Elsewhere
On June 22, the U.S. House of Representatives renewed its past
statements of concern about human right abuse and corruption in the
Indonesian military (TNI). Specifically, it inserted requirements
into legislation funding U.S. assistance to the Indonesian military
that demand military reform and accountability. Several provisions
in the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2764) require
reporting on progress in these areas prior to the release of certain
military assistance funds. The provisions include reporting on the
impact of U.S. assistance on Indonesian security forces and any
connections between US assistance and human rights violations by these
forces.
The bill would cut the administration's request for Foreign Military
Finance (FMF) funds nearly in half from $15.7 million to $8 million
and would delay the release of $2 million of those funds until the
State Department reports on: "steps taken by the Government of
Indonesia" to prosecute and punish, "in a manner proportional to the
crime," members of the Armed Forces who have been credibly alleged to
have committed gross violations of human rights; cooperation with
"civilian judicial authorities and international efforts to resolve
cases of gross violations of human rights in East Timor and
elsewhere"; and military reforms "to increase the transparency and
accountability of their operations and financial management."
In addition to reflecting the Congress's exasperation with the
continued failure of the Indonesian military to end corruption,
submit to civilian direction and end human rights abuses, the
Congress also renewed expressions of concern about developments in
West Papua. Among these, the legislation would delay provision of
International Military Education and Training (IMET) until the
Secretary of State reports on steps taken by Indonesia to "to deny
promotion to and to remove from service military officers indicted
for serious crimes." This provision reflects growing concern in
Congress and elsewhere that Jakarta continues to promote those
indicted for war crimes. For example, Colonel Burhanuddin Siagian,
regional military commander in West Papua, recently threatened to
"destroy" any Papuans seeking their political rights. He has been
twice indicted for crimes against humanity by the UN-supported
serious crimes court in East Timor. The congressional initiative
also renewed calls for West Papua to be opened to unimpeded travel by
U.N. and diplomatic personnel, journalists, researchers and
non-governmental organization personnel.
The Senate has yet to take up its version of the Foreign Operations
Appropriations Bill. Before becoming law, any differences between the
House and Senate bills must be reconciled.
UN Human Rights Official Visits West Papua And Expresses Concern Over
Human Rights There
A June 12 UN report described the visit earlier in June of the
Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of
human rights defenders, Hina Jilani. The report, issued by the
Secretary General's office, noted that the purpose of the June 5-7
visit was to assess the situation of human rights defenders in the
light of the principles set forth in the Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1998.
During the mission, the Special Representative visited Jayapura in
West Papua. The visit was important and welcome as Jakarta has
heretofore often blocked visits by UN and other human rights-focus
people to West Papua.
In general, the Special Representative observed that prospects for
the promotion of human rights had been considerably improved in the
recent past. She also however observed shortcomings including a lack
of interagency cooperation and coordination among institutions
created to address human rights concerns. She also described
resistance to changing attitudes and institutional culture which has
made it difficult for these institutions to make a full commitment to
eliminate impunity for human rights violations. She observed that
there was "even less commitment to removing impunity for past
abuses." In this context, she said she was mindful of the several
cases she has communicated to the government in the past six years on
which there is still no progress.
The Special Representative was particularly concerned by developments
in West Papua on which the June 12 report focused:
"The Special Representative is deeply concerned by the testimonies
that she has heard indicating the continuing activities of the
police, the military and other security and intelligence agencies
that are aimed at harassment and intimidation of defenders or to
restrict their access to victims and to sites of human rights violations."
"She found this trend more pronounced in the Province of West Papua.
She has heard credible reports of incidents that involve arbitrary
detention, torture, harassment through surveillance, interference
with the freedom of movement and in defenders' efforts to monitor and
investigate human rights violations. She was also informed of cases
where human rights defenders were threatened with prosecution by
members of the police and the military. It was alleged that when
defenders have attempted to register their complaints, this has been
denied and the defenders threatened. She is also concerned about
complaints that defenders working for the preservation of the
environment and the right over land and natural resources frequently
receive threats from private actors with powerful economic interest,
but are granted no protection by the police. She is particularly
disturbed by allegations that when defenders expose abuse of
authority or other forms of human rights violations committed by the
security apparatus, they are labeled as separatists in order to
undermine their credibility. The Special Representative believes that
this trend places human rights defenders at greater risk and must be
discouraged by the concerned authorities."
"The concerns of the Special Representative regarding the situation
of human rights defenders in West Papua persist despite the assurance
to her by the Military Commander and the Chief of police in Papua
that there was no institutional policy to target defenders. She has
recommended improvement in the mechanisms in order to ensure more
credible oversight and accountability of police, the military and the
intelligence apparatus. She has also recommended the creation of
special complaint cells for registering and redressing incidents of
harm or threats to human rights defenders."
The Special Representative will present her report on this mission to
the United Nations Human Rights Council, and will make detailed
recommendations for the consideration of the government. She called
for a sustained dialogue with the Indonesian government, and
expressed hope that there would be "more uniform progress on the
protection of human rights defenders in all parts of the country".
Papuans Rally to Win UN Support for Political Rights
An Agence France Press report noted that Hundreds of people rallied
June 8 in West Papua, to urge the United Nations to press Jakarta to
overturn a 1969 referendum that Jakarta has used to justify its
annexation of West Papua. The rally transpired during a visit by UN
envoy Hina Jilani (see separate reports above regarding the UN
official's visit). The demonstrators call on the UN to reconsider
the 1969 "Act of Free Choice" in which 1,022 Papuans, chosen by the
Indonesian Government and operating under military pressure "voted
unanimously" for annexation. Independent international observers,
including UN monitors from the period, have labeled the act a sham
and a fraud as do recently declassified US and UN documents.
"We urge the United Nations to accept the Papuan people's aspiration
to review the Act of Free Choice," rally organizer Jek Wanggai told
AFP by phone. "The United Nations must register Papuan areas as
colonized zones and organize an immediate referendum vote," Wanggai
said. According to the AFP report, Wanggai said about 900 people
took part in the rally in Manokwari, located 500 miles from the
provincial capital Jayapura, where UN Special Representative Jilani
was meeting with officials. Wanggai called on her to meet
representatives of his movement while in West Papua. "We no longer
believe in the corrupt Indonesian justice system and hope an
international court will deal with human rights violations in Papua," he
said.
Wanggai's comments and actions place him in danger. A senior
Indonesian military official in West Papua who was indicted by the
UN-supported Special Crimes Unit publicly threatened to "destroy"
Papuans who spoke out for their rights, including political
rights (see separate report in June edition of the West Papua
Report). Following report documents security force pressure on
Papuans in wake of UN official's visit.
Papuans Face Threats and Intimidation in Wake of UN Official's Visit
On June 28 the Asian Human Rights Commission issued and "urgent
appeal" on behalf of Papuan human rights defenders who were targeted
by the Indonesian security forces and intelligence units in the wake
of a visit by a UN human rights official to West Papua (see above).
In its appeal, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said it
has received "credible" information of ongoing attacks,
intimidation, surveillance and threats, including death threats,
against human rights defenders from West Papua that occurred in
mid-June 2007, following their meeting with Ms. Hina Jilani, the UN
Special Representative to the Secretary General on Human Rights
Defenders." The appeal stated that members of the Indonesian
military (TNI) appeared to be targeting people who met with Ms.
Hina Jilani during her visit. The appeal added that although a
formal letter has been issued to the chief of the national police
and the regional military commander of Papua province, no action had
been taken by the authorities and that the defenders continue to
feel threatened while conducting their work.
The appeal cited the following cases:
The first case reported involves two persons: Frederika Korain,
Priest Perinus Kogoya. They all work for the Peace and Justice
Commission for the Diocese of Jayapura (SKP Jayapura). They attended
a public hearing with Ms. Hina Jilani in Jakarta on June 7, 2007.
They returned to Jayapura on June 8, 2007. Sentani airport, where
their plane landed, was being heavily guarded by the police, military
and intelligence services, as Ms. Hina Jilani was scheduled to visit
Papua. As their vehicle departed Sentani airport they were rammed by
a vehicle bearing a police license plate. As a result of the crash,
the SKP car was damaged and the passengers were in shock. The SKP
driver attempted to stop the car that had hit them, at which point
two men got out of the car and stated that they were intelligence
commanders for the military regional command. The police, who saw the
entire incident, allowed them to leave the scene of accident without
being questioned. Local groups believe that this incident was no
accident, but was for the direct purpose of intimidating the two
defenders, notably as they had been being followed by the same car
since they had left the airport.
The second case involves Yan Christian Warinussy, the Executive
Director of the Institute of Research, Analysis and Development for
Legal Aid (LP3BH) in Manokwari, who has reported that he is under
surveillance both at his home and office. On June 8, 2007, Mr.
Warinussy met with Ms. Hina Jilani in Jayap ura, and he came back to
Manokwari on June 9, 2007. Beginning that evening he was surveiled
from a vehicle both at home and at his office. Mr. Warinussy
requested protection from Peace Brigade International (PBI) and asked
them to accompany him from Friday June 15, 2007 onwards.
The third case concerns Mr. Albert Rumbekwan, the head of the
National Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham) in Papua Province. On
June 11, 2007, Albert received a text message "You who are reporting
about the human rights situation in Papua are trying to destroy the
people. You want evidence of people being killed, I will kill your
tribe, your family and your children will become only bones to show
that there is only a zone of peace in Papua." On June 14, 2007, Mr.
Albert Rumbekwan received five more text messages from the same
number, again containing death threats. AT around 8am on the same
day, unidentified persons parked three cars some 20 meters from Mr.
Albert Rumbekwan's office. The perpetrators were shouting, allegedly
to get Mr. Albert Rumbekwan to come outside and see them, but he
ignored them, as a result of which they remained in the area and
monitored his offices until around 4pm. These telephonic threats have
continued as have surveillance.
The Commission for Disappeared Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras) has already issued complaint letters concerning the three
afore-mentioned cases to the Chief of Police for the Province of
Papua (Kapolda Papua), Regional Military Commander of Trikora, chief
of National Police (Kapolri), Foreign Affairs Minister of Indonesia,
and the Head of Komnas HAM in Jakarta. However, no effective action
has yet been taken to investigate these incidents.
Papuan Prisoner of Conscience Beaten for Revealing Guards' Criminality
Reliable reporting from inside West Papua indicates that in June,
Filep Karma, recognized by Amnesty International and other human
rights organizations as a "political prisoner" and prisoner of
conscience" in June was attacked by guards as a consequence of his
reporting of criminality by local guards.
On the 12th June 2007, TOP TV (Papuan Local TV), Cenderawasih Post
and Papua Post (newspapers) published Filep Karma's report about
violence and extortion which is being committed by Indonesian prison
officers. Included in the report, he reported that the prison
officers receive bribes and also have stolen the prison's tools and
equipment which were used by prisoners for training and practical
activities. He reported that the prison officers took them and used
them as their personal belongings.
In addition, he reported about a list of names of the prisoners who
have bribed the prison officers and who are now enjoying freedom
outside the prison.
As a result of Filep Karma's report which was published by the
media, two prison officers dragged him by the collar of his
shirt. As a result of their action his shirt was torn , his feet
were injured and his back bone and his coccyx (tailbone) which was
injured when he was arrested in 2004 are now very painful again.
Until the publication of Filep Karma's report, he had twice
weekly health checks. Prison authorities ended this practice
following publication of the report sourced to Karma.
International Groups Expose Criminal Past of TNI Officer Now Issuing
Threats against Papuans
On June 28 30 Papuan, Indonesian and international human rights
organizations called attention to the the presence in West Papua of a
senior Indonesian army officer indicted on crimes against humanity
charges in East Timor (now Timor-Leste). The groups underscored that
the officer's presence in West Papua endangers human rights defenders
and political activists and is a sign of the Indonesian government's
lack of commitment to justice and accountability.
In an open letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia
(see http://tapol.gn.apc.org/news/files/let070628.htm), the
organizations called for Col. Burhanuddin Siagian, commander of the
Jayapura sub-regional military command (Korem 172) in Papua, to be
withdrawn immediately and suspended from active duty. They urged the
Indonesian government to review all evidence against Col. Siagian and
other high-level East Timor suspects to determine whether proceedings
should be commenced and to extradite to East Timor those indicted by
Dili's Special Panel for Serious Crimes.
A June 28 Tapol media release quoted Paula Makaboury as stating "It
is shocking that a government supposedly committed to military reform
and fighting impunity would appoint an indicted officer to a
sensitive senior post in Papua." said Paula Makabory, the exiled
coordinator of the International Human Rights Campaign for the Papuan
rights group, ELSHAM. "Papuans will continue to have their rights
trampled on until the civilian authorities exert control over
military behavior and ensure accountability for past abuses," she added.
As reported in the June issue of the West Papua Report, Siagian
publicly threatened to "destroy" anyone who "betrays" Indonesia. His
threat was targeted at those Papuans demanding their political
rights. His statements ominously echoed statements he made when
serving as Maliana as military commander of the Bobonaro district of
East Timor in 1999. Two indictments issued in 2003 state that he
made speeches threatening to kill East Timorese independence
supporters and was responsible for the deaths of
seven men in April 1999 (See
http://jsmp.minihub.org/indictmentspdf/Cailacoindnannexeng07feb03) and
http://jsmp.minihub.org/indictmentspdf/Maliana_Burhanuddin22_7_03.pdf).
The organizations in their letter underscored that Papuans who
campaign peacefully are not betraying Indonesia as alleged by Col.
Siagian, but simply asserting their right to express their political
views. They called upon President Yudhoyono to show his commitment
to freedom of expression and support this right.
The organizations concluded their letter as follows: "We are
dismayed by Indonesia's lack of respect for the rule of law and its
apparent determination to perpetuate a cycle of impunity that
encourages military personnel to believe they will escape justice for
past and future violations of human rights," said Matthew Jamieson
Secretary of the Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights in
Australia. "Indonesia has failed to keep its obligations under
international law and Indonesian domestic law to prosecute Col
Siagian for his alleged crimes."
Indonesian Government in West Papua Replicating Infamous East Timor Strategy
Reliable accounts from West Papua report Indonesian agents are
suborning Papuans along the lines of efforts in East Timor a decade
ago aimed at creating pro-Jakarta elements in support of a propaganda
campaign. As with militia and pro-Jakarta Timorese, those recruited
will wear T-shirts printed with pro-integration logo's. More
ominously, Indonesian security officials will train these recruits to
"defend" Indonesia against "separatists." Similar militias in East
Timor and Aceh were employed by the military and police to terrorize
local critics of Jakarta. It is not clear whether these Papuan
militias will be armed, although in the past, the Indonesian military
has armed migrant-based units, raising communal tensions.
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaileditorial.asp?fileid=20070711.E02&irec=1
Flag politics and the fallacy of separatism
Aboeprijadi Santoso, Jakarta
State responses and the row over flag incidents in Maluku and Papua
suggest little has been learned from
Indonesia's rich experience with conflicts in East Timor and Aceh.
Some 60 years ago Ibu Soed, one of Indonesia's most respected nationalists
who composed the popular
song Berkibarlah Benderaku (Fly My Flag), captured the significance that
could emanate from the
symbolism of a flag for an independence struggle and its meaning for
nationhood. Her lyrics went: "Fly,
fly my flag, the symbol of holiness, heroism and courage." (Berkibarlah
benderaku, lambang suci, gagah
perwira ....)
A flag can even be intimately linked to blood, another powerful symbol of
common cause, since only by
political struggle, including physical fighting, can the ideal of
nationhood be achieved -- as was the case
with Indonesia and many other nations. Thus a flag can represent powerful
national identities and
aspirations.
However, not every use of a flag can be assumed to have such profound
significance. For flag
symbolism to be able to have such powerful meaning, it obviously has to
inspire a common cause. A flag,
in short, is an instrument of collective imagining.
In other words, some idea of nationhood has to be rooted first in the
collective consciousness of the
group that feels symbolically represented by the flag. But the symbol can
only be effectively used,
exercised and manipulated as long as the group is able to provide some
real infrastructure of nationhood,
i.e. political leadership, organization, networks and resources.
It's doubtful, though, that these aspects can be inferred from the simple
flag flying attempt before the
presidential entourage that happened in Ambon recently.
The so-called RMS (South Maluku Republic) has long ago ceased to exist as
an effective political body,
both in Maluku and in the Netherlands, where a few thousand of its
supporters have lived since the early
1950s.
A half century on, thanks to the Dutch's false promise, the RMS legacy in
Holland has been transformed
from political diaspora to settled, peaceful, law-abiding migrants.
Meanwhile there is little evidence that the
FKM, Forum of Maluku's Sovereignty, reportedly associated with the RMS,
has taken root in Maluku.
Quite the opposite has been the case with Papua and Aceh, as past
incidents, war and violence
demonstrated. Typically in both places the rebel movements rejected being
marked as "separatists",
denying that they legitimately originated from or have ever been part of
the republic against which they
rebelled.
The groups' ethnic perspective was further strengthened as both their
hymns and flags were partly
associated with religious sentiments; Christian-inspired lyrics and the
Bintang Kejora flag for Papua and
the Islamic crescent and the adzan (call for prayer) for Aceh.
Yet in both cases the flag symbolism did not always lead to panic
responses and the blame game among
the authorities, as with the RMS's Benang Raja flag incident recently.
It's important to remember that the
flag issue was once resolved by then president Abdurrachman "Gus Dur"
Wahid's instruction in 2000 to
consider the flag a cultural symbol devoid of any political implications.
This is why in Papua -- and the current authorities should have been aware
of this -- the local customary
council MRP (Papuan People's Council) and the local parliament have since
been allowed to use the
Bintang Kejora symbol.
In the case of Aceh, it's instructive to recall how the dangerous
stand-off between the central military
leaders and GAM (Free Aceh Movement) on the matter of GAM flag raising was
resolved in late-1999.
The issue came to a head as GAM planned to commemorate its anniversary on
Dec. 4. As the date drew
closer and president Wahid rejected a military emergency suggested by then
military chief Gen.
Wiranto, the Army top brass was evidently in a panic and threatened to
prohibit the GAM flag raising.
A behind the scenes dialog bore fruit as GAM commander the late Abdullah
Syafei's message urging the
public not to raise the flag was responded to with a reconciliatory call
by the then local troika, governor
Mahmud Syamsuddin, local military chief Col. Syarifuddin Tippe and local
police chief Manggaberani,
who allowed the raising of the GAM flag except at government offices.
Without this, blood would have spilled in Pidie, North and East Aceh,
where many people, this writer
recalls, celebrated the day with GAM flags. Thus, although Jakarta lost
the political battle, compromise
and dialog at some level were clearly possible.
Nationalist hardliners might argue it was precisely such tolerance and
implied weakness that led to the
Aceh war. Nonsense. In fact, that compromise contributed to a better
climate and led to the first dialog
between the government and GAM in early 2000.
Needless to say the case of Maluku, and Papua for that matter, is very
different from that of Aceh. But
state-sponsored nationalism -- sometimes termed "black nationalism" --
tends to aggressively swallow
growing nationalism in the regions of the periphery -- this has been
demonstrated by the cases of Serbs
versus Bosnia and Croats, Russia versus Chechnya, but also Indonesia
versus Papua, Aceh and East
Timor. Now one symptom is already visible, as following the Maluku
incident one retired general in an
exaggerated fashion warned that "Kalimantan and Sulawesi are ready to quit
the republic".
However, most worrying with Maluku, perhaps, is not an emerging local
nationalism, but the rise of the
RMS myth that may easily be manipulated by local interests by linking it
to religious rivalry and
sectarianism in the region.
It has been demonstrated that the bloody conflict in Ambon and Central
Sulawesi in recent years has
been aggravated by associating the RMS with one religious group allegedly
supporting separatism. The
historic truth, though, is that the RMS was from its very inception a
Dutch patronized aspiration supported
by both Christians and Muslims.
Just two days after the flag incident, one local paper, Harian Fajar,
complained that the incident was
handled softly compared to other cases. One political party, the PKS, even
compared, with deep regret,
the incomparable case of Abu Dujana's arrest and the "relaxed" hunting of
alleged RMS supporters.
Some hardliners apparently want "to maintain the full integration of the
unitary state" with panic and
warning myths rather than by winning hearts and minds with a human face.
The author is a journalist with Radio Netherlands.
============================================================================
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian/Papua News since 1994") www.kabar-irian.info -
www.kabar-irian.com
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