[Kabar-Irian] News: May 4-5 2006
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May 4-5 2006
KABAR IRIAN NEWS
TOPICS
* Freeport-McMoRan Approves Extra Dividend
* Environmental groups slam Indonesia's Freeport mine
* Environmentalist say Indon mine damage worst than thought
* Shareholders join with West Papuans and Bougainvilleans to address Rio
Tinto's AGM
* Papua protesters to seek access to Rio Tinto AGM
* Shareholders join Rio protest
* Papua church denies supporting separatism
* Papuans confront Freeport
* Asylum-seekers given Australian protection (extra details)
* Partition is unacceptable to Papuans
* Timika ambush suspects await trial
* Response by TAPOL to Australia's Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone
* Two persons on wanted list for Abepura case arrested
* Ministers to meet over Papua row
* Separatists do not represent all Papuans
* INDONESIA: Supporters of anti-pornography bill demonstrate in Indonesian
capital
* AUSTRALIA/INDONESIA: Ministers To Meet Over Papua Row
* Miner 'can't influence Indonesia'
* Protestors target Rio Tinto over West Papua mining activities
---
Freeport-McMoRan Approves Extra Dividend
NEW ORLEANS, May 2 (AP) - Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.,
a copper, silver and gold producer mainly in Indonesia, said Tuesday its
board approved a supplemental dividend of 75 cents, payable June 30 to
shareholders of record on June 15.
The dividend is in addition to the company's regular dividend of $1.25
a year, or 31.25 cents a quarter.
The company said it has approved six such supplemental dividends since
the fourth quarter of 2004, totaling $3 per share.
Freeport-McMoRan added it will pay out potential dividends in the
future based on the company's financial position and copper and gold
prices, among other factors. Based on about 189 million shares
outstanding, the company said the supplemental dividend payment will
be about $142 million.
"The outlook for our business is positive, enabling us to continue to
reduce debt while providing significant cash returns to shareholders,"
said Richard C. Adkerson, president and chief executive, in a
statement.
The company's shares slipped 54 cents to $65.83 in afternoon trading
on the New York Stock Exchange.
--
Environmental groups slam Indonesia's Freeport mine
JAKARTA, May 3 (AFP) -- Environmental damage caused by Freeport's
huge gold and copper mine in Indonesia's remote Papua province is much
worse than previously thought, an environmental watchdog said
Wednesday.
Walhi/Friends of the Earth Indonesia accused the Freeport mine, a
joint venture of mining giants Freeport-McMoRan and Rio Tinto, of
ignoring government orders to amend its dangerous waste management
practices.
"The law is not enforced by the ministry of the environment due to the
joint venture's pervasive financial and political influence, to the
degree that a Freeport-Rio Tinto proposal for circumventing water
quality standards seems to be under consideration," the group alleged
in a report.
Walhi said its report is based on unpublished company and government
documents from 2002 to 2006.
Walhi mine campaigner Torry Kuswardono said the group found that the
Freeport mine was polluting the World Heritage-listed Lorenz National
Park.
The ground water was affected by mine drainage, which is highly acidic
and carries a high level of copper -- toxic to people and fish, he
told a press conference.
A significant proportion of it is washed up and down the coast, he said.
"That's a very significant impact the company has to answer for. The
national park is one of the conservation jewels of the planet," he
told AFP.
Kuswardono said Freeport is also damaging the environment by dumping
copper-rich ore around the edges of the mine, exposing its toxic
elements to air and ground water.
"If the company processes the waste rock as ore, as other mines in the
world would do, they will extract much copper and there won't be such
environment problems," he said.
"What the company does is wasteful but very cost-effective. Their
profit increases when they mine the purest-grade ore but the
efficiency in mineral extraction terms is very low," he said.
Walhi urged the government immediately to enforce its environmental
laws and suspend Freeport's operations until its alleged breaches are
remedied.
It also urged the government to review tax and royalty arrangements to
improve benefits for affected communities.
Freeport spokesman Sidharta Mursjid said he had not studied Walhi's
report but the company's recent environmental risk assessment was
"consistent with that anticipated by the government's environmental
impact analysis."
"As a mining company, we are committed to minimizing the impact of our
company's operation on the environment," he told AFP.
Freeport-McMoRan has repeatedly come under criticism for its
environmental practices at the mine. A violent mass protest in the
Papuan capital Jayapura demanding closure of the mine left six people
dead last month.
Indonesia's environment ministry threatened Freeport Indonesia, a
local unit of the company, with a lawsuit in March unless it cleans up
its act, after a two-week investigation found that it failed to comply
with several government standards.
Over three billion tons of tailings and up to four billion tons of
waste rock will be generated throughout the life of Freeport's
operations, expected to end in around 2040, Walhi said.
Freeport releases the equivalent of 53,000 tons of copper annually
into a nearby river, it said.
This rate of heavy metal pollution is more than a million times worse
than that achievable with standard mining industry pollution
prevention practices, it said.
---
Environmentalist say Indon mine damage worst than thought
By Rob Taylor, South East Asia Correspondent
JAKARTA, May 3 (AAP) -- The giant Freeport gold mine blamed for a slew
of environmental and social catastrophes in Papua is causing far
greater damage to the environment than previously thought, green
activists claimed today.
A study of reports submitted to Indonesian authorities by the US owner
of the world's biggest gold mine showed the company, Freeport-McMoRan,
had significantly understated the potential risk to surrounding
forests and rivers, they said.
The study, prepared by the Indonesian environment watchdog Walhi, said
Freeport had violated regulations covering the disposal of rock waste.
This had caused landslides and leakage of toxic wastes into the waters
of Wanagon lake.
As well, a dam built to contain waste slurry from the huge mine, which
stretches from Papua's glacier-capped highlands to the coast, was not
strong enough and toxic acids were leaking.
Slurry containing heavy metal copper waste had been released into
estuaries along the Ajkwa river at twice the legal limit, Walhi said,
contaminating around 230 square kilometres of river lowlands with
sediment.
Heavy metal-laden tailings were also entering the local food chain,
contaminating up to 90 per cent of crabs, fish and shellfish living in
the estuary and posing a risk to people living off food stocks found
in the river.
Thirty-five per cent of local species had disappeared, the watchdog said.
The report is the latest to accuse the Freeport mine, which generates
up to 700,000 tons of waste tailings each day, of causing serious
environmental destruction in the fragile province, where scientists
recently discovered reserves of rare animals once thought extinct.
In March, hundreds of demonstrators rioted in the provincial capital
Jayapura in protest at environmental damage caused by the mine.
Mobs killed five members of the Indonesian security forces, triggering
a crackdown by police and the military.
The riots prompted Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to
order an investigation into the activities of the Freeport, which is
the biggest sole contributor to his government's tax coffers.
Yudhoyono said he was also concerned by claims the multibillion-dollar
profits from the mine were being skimmed.
He promised to ensure Freeport's annual community development
programs, estimated at 400 billion rupiah ($A57.5 million), were used
properly.
But Yudhoyono also warned local people against turning their anger
against Freeport into a de-facto campaign for Papuan independence.
Walhi said the mine should cease operations altogether until
environmental problems were fixed and those responsible for violations
were brought to justice.
"The government must also sample (the mine) periodically and precisely
instead of relying on company reports," the watchdog said.
Demonstrators and activist shareholders would raise the report's
concerns at tomorrow's annual general meeting in Melbourne of miner
Rio Tinto, which invested $US1.7 billion ($A2.24 billion) in Freeport
in 1995 and which still claims a share of profits, a spokesman told
AAP.
Several Papuan separatists recently given visas to stay in Australia,
despite Indonesian government protests, would attend the meeting, he
said.
---
Shareholders join with West Papuans and Bougainvilleans to address Rio
Tinto's AGM
MEDIA ALERT:
Mineral Policy Institute
www.mpi.org.au
Embargoes until: 6am Thursday 4th May 2006,
Melbourne, Australia
Shareholders join with West Papuans and Bougainvilleans to address Rio
Tinto's AGM
Indonesian Environment Forum (WALHI) yesterday launched a damning
environmental report on the Rio Tinto joint venture at the Freeport Mine,
ahead of shareholder concerns and protests to be held outside the company's
Annual General Meeting today.
Based on information never before made public, the report by Indonesia's
largest environmental NGO exposes Freeport McMoran's failure to comply
with government orders to amend its polluting practices, despite years of
official findings that the company is in breach of relevant regulations.
WALHI has called for the halt of the Freeport Mine until it can comply with
relevant Indonesian Laws, and the prosecution of existing breaches.
Due to systematic repression by security forces funded by Freeport,
Indigenous people affected by the operation are limited in their capacity
to speak out publicly about the mine's negative impact upon their
livelihood.
However recent news that Rio Tinto is considering reopening the Panguna
mine, whose social and environmental disasters sparked a civil war, have
been met with calls for caution. The International Representative for
Bouganville, Moses Havini, has called for radical changes to the destructive
environmental and social practices of Rio Tinto and other mining companies
operating in the region.
Mr Havini is concerned that the essential commitments and necessary
discussions with local people are not taking place.
"Mining companies must radically change their terms of agreement with
traditional landowners in the Pacific region. Firstly, further independent
environmental impact studies must be carried out before any decisions are
made regarding mining in Panguna. Secondly, the traditional landowners
should be given a fair share of any mining venture, and their right to free,
prior and informed consent for any developments respected. Thirdly, mining
companies in the Pacific must not pump their tailings any more into the
river systems or into the seas," Mr Havini said.
Ethical Shareholders, such as John Poppins, are concerned that Rio Tinto is
failing to meet even its own policy commitments.
"We want assurance our company does not seek exemptions to applicable
legislation and that they will immediately comply with the relevant national
laws, as well as the company's own publicly stated commitments," Mr Poppins
said.
Executive Director of the Mineral Policy Institute, Techa Beaumont condemned
Rio Tinto for continuing with the same irresponsible conduct that sparked a
tragic 10 year civil war on the island of Bougainville.
"Shareholders as well as members of the Australian public are seeking a firm
indication from Rio Tinto that it will stop the vandalism and unjust
dispossession of peoples from their land and resources- actions that are
have caused bloodshed and conflict surrounding it's projects."
"The Australian government needs to take action to ensure no Australian
company can breach or buy their way around the applicable laws and
standards, and must prevent mining projects such as Freeport and Panguna
from having devastating and destabilizing impacts on the peoples of our
region." Ms Beaumont said.
For further information contact
Techa Beaumont, Executive Director, Mineral Policy Institute 0409 318 406
Moses Havini, International Representative of the Bougainville Autonomous
Government: 0409226428
Tommy Clarke, Free West Papua Campaign: 0422 545 763
Advanced copies of the English version copy of the WALHI environment report
released today are available from the Mineral Policy Institute, or contact
Torry from WALHI on +62 811 383 370
Press kits will be available on the day.
---
Papua protesters to seek access to Rio Tinto AGM
CANBERRA, May 3 (AAP) - Protesters concerned about alleged corruption
and human rights abuses at the giant Freeport mine in Indonesia's
Papua province plan to stage an action outside the annual general
meeting in Melbourne tomorrow of the mine's major shareholder Rio
Tinto.
They say some shareholders have given their proxy votes to Papuan and
environmental activists, allowing them to attend the meeting.
Several Papuan separatists recently given visas to stay in Australia,
despite Indonesian government protests, are expected to attend the
meeting.
Protest group the Minerals Policy Institute (MPI) alleges the Freeport
mine is engaging in similar irresponsible conduct to that at the Rio
Tinto-owned mine in Bougainville, which led to a 10-year civil war.
"Rio Tinto has provided funds that entrench the activities of military
forces that have documented links to gross human rights violations,"
MPI executive director Techa Beaumont said in a statement.
"Rio Tinto cannot evade responsibility for the impacts of this
operation and must address the concerns of the nearby communities and
halt the operations if it cannot comply with the law."
Rio Tinto has invested $2.2 billion in the mine.
---
Shareholders join Rio protest
http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,19022917-31037,00.html
From: AAP
May 04, 2006
SHAREHOLDERS have joined protesters outside the annual general meeting of
mining giant Rio Tinto in Melbourne, concerned
about the company's mining practices in Papua New Guinea.
Organised by the Mineral Policy Institute (MPI) and Free West Papua
campaign, the protest – outside the Sofitel hotel in busy
Collins Street – was against alleged corruption and human rights abuses at
the giant Freeport mine in Indonesia's Papua
province.
MPI said the Freeport mine was engaging in similar irresponsible conduct
to that at the Rio Tinto-owned mine in Bougainville,
which led to a 10-year civil war.
It follows the release of a report by the Indonesian Environment Forum
which alleged that Rio Tinto was releasing copper
tailings from its Freeport mine into a nearby river.
Shareholder John Poppins said he was concerned about the report and was
there to support the protest as well as voice his
opinion at the AGM.
"I have a growing level of concern as I grow older in the way in which my
dividends are earned, and the impacts on the other
people, particularly in countries where the law is not as strong as it is
here," Mr Poppins said.
Mr Poppins said he was concerned about the report which was released this
week by the Indonesian Environment Forum.
"Deeply, yes. It seems in my youth I invested all my savings in the bad
guys," he said.
"There are really only two alternatives: you can sell in disgust or you
can hold on to the shares and start to question the
company."
Some shareholders had given their proxy votes to Papuan and environmental
activists, allowing them to attend the meeting.
Herman Wanggai, one of the Papuan asylum seekers recently given visas to
stay in Australia, was at the protest and said there
was one thing he wanted to ask at the AGM.
"The question I ask is why are we suffering for the rich resources?" Mr
Arumisore said.
Moses Havini, who described himself as the international representative
for Bougainville, said Rio Tinto should be held
accountable for what it was doing to the environment in Papua.
"There seems to be two rules: one for Rio Tinto in other countries; and
the other one is in other countries such as
Bougainville and Papua New Guinea where it is fine to pump mine tailings
directly into the water systems and the sea," Mr
Havini said.
Rio Tinto has invested $2.2 billion in the mine.
---
Papua church denies supporting separatism
(abridged translation)
(Cenderawasih Pos, May 1, 2006)
Chairman of Indonesian Christian Church synods in Papua Rev. Corinus
Berotabui dismissed on Sunday allegations that the
church was supporting separatist movement in the province. Berotabui said
the church fought injustice, poverty and defend
human’s dignity and basic rights. “We, along with leaders of other
religions, will staunchly voice our concerns, which
sometimes are interpreted as supporting separatism,” he said.
---
Papuans confront Freeport
(TAPOL Bulletin 182, April 2006)
During the past few months, the giant US mining corporation,
Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc, has been the target of protest
and
opposition on a scale not seen before. Actions have occurred in
several
parts of West Papua as well as in Jakarta and other cities. Some
groups are
calling for the company to stop its operations while others are
pressing
for a re-negotiation of the Contract of Work originally agreed with
the
Indonesian government in 1967. There are no signs as yet that either
of
these demands will be met.
On the basis of the initial contract signed in 1967 (re-negotiated
in
1991), Freeport has been exploiting West Papua's copper and gold
reserves,
which rank among the largest in the world, for nearly 40 years.
The people of West Papua have never been involved in any of the
agreements
with the company and have hardly benefited from its operations. On
the
contrary, they have been forced to surrender ancestral lands, and
have
suffered human rights abuses from the military in charge of
security.
Tailings spewed daily from the mine have caused immense
environmental
damage to Freeport's concession area of 230 square kilometres (90
square
miles).
The British mining giant, Rio Tinto, was formerly a shareholder in
Freeport
McMoran. It retains a joint venture interest, which in 2005
generated US$
232 million of earnings for the company (see box on page 3).
The latest eruption of West Papuan anger with the company has been
spurred
by two recent events. Firstly, the publication on 27 December of a
front
page article in the New York Times called The Cost of Gold The
Hidden
Payroll: Below a Mountain of Wealth, a River of Waste. This drew
attention
to the huge profits made by the company and to the massive sums paid
to the
military for security protection. [See TAPOL Bulletin, No 181,
December 2005]
Secondly, the forcible expulsion from the mining area in February of
local
people prospecting for gold in the waste left behind by the
company. The
ensuing clashes with the police forced the company to suspend
operations
for three days.
These incidents have helped draw attention to the contrast between,
on the
one hand, a hugely profitable company last year paying over $1
billion to
the Indonesian government (see box on page 3) and lining the
pockets of
its shareholders and, on the other hand, a desperately poor
population who
have had no say in the unbridled exploitation of what they
rightfully see
as their own natural resources.
Last year, while the World Bank revealed 38 per cent of Papuans were
living
in poverty, Freeport McMoran paid its two top executives a fortune.
The
company's chairman, 'Jim-Bob' Moffett, and its president and chief
executive Richard Adkerson together cashed in stock options of more
than
$130 million in the previous six months, according to the US
Securities and
Exchange Commission. This came on top of compensation packages of
$77.3
million in 2005. Adkerson "defended their 2005 compensation
packages as a
reflection of 'an unusual year' during which the company's copper
and gold
production increased sharply. It was, he said, 'just a matter of
personal
financial prudence'". [The Financial Times, 11 April 2006]
Abepura fatalities
Papuan anger over Freeport erupted first in Timika, the town near
Tembagapura where the mining operations are based, and then, a few
days
later, in Jayapura, the capital of of West Papua.
In Timika, on 14 March, angry crowds attacked the hotel where
Freeport
officials were staying and damaged the building though there were no
casualties. Among those staying at the Hotel Sheraton were members
of the
Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), who were hoping to visit the mine as
part
of an investigation but were compelled by circumstances to abandon
their
mission.
Two days later, in Abepura, about 20 kilometres from Jayapura,
clashes
between Papuans and the security forces outside Cenderawasih
University had
fatal consequences. After members of Brimob, the notorious
riot-control
brigade of the Indonesian Police Force, had failed to persuade
students to
remove a roadblock, they resorted to force. Stone-throwing students
responded by cornering several members of Brimob. In the clashes
which
ensued, three policemen were killed. A fourth man, from the
Indonesian air
force, who happened to be in the campus complex, also died. The
death toll
later rose to five as a wounded police officers died in hospital.
The air
force officer was reportedly from air force intelligence.
An unknown number of civilians were also injured, including
children. A
Papuan student, Dany Hisage, died as a result of grievous injuries
inflicted on him in police custody.
Arbitrary reprisals
Following the killing of the Brimob officers, the police launched
'sweeping operations' (house-to-house searches and patrols searching
the
streets) in and around Jayapura during which a number of student
dormitories were badly damaged. Vehicles were stopped and searched
and
Papuan passengers were dragged out, kicked and beaten. Students
from the
Central Highlands appeared to be targeted in revenge attacks
reminiscent of
those that took place in Abepura in December 2000 when three
students were
killed and dozens more were tortured in police custody [See 'Abepura
killers escape justice' TAPOL Bulletin, no. 180, p. 16].
A total of 57 people, mostly students, were arrested. Hundreds of
others
fled to the surrounding hills to find sanctuary. By the end of March
around
200 students were thought to be still in hiding without food or
access to
medical care.
Two journalists' organisations, the ICTJ (Association of Television
Journalists) and AJI (Alliance of Independence Journalists) issued a
joint
statement complaining that several of their members had been
mal-treated by
the security forces while they were covering the events as they
unfolded,
and demanded an apology and compensation from the police for
equipment
destroyed and for medical costs.
Financial markets worried
The troubles surrounding Freeport have attracted much comment around
the
world. According to the leading financial news agency, Dow Jones,
'business
circles are expressing concern over the effects of the mine's future
on the
tight metals market as it churns out a massive 9,000 ounces of gold
and
1,000 tons of copper a day'. [Dow Jones, 17 March 2006] As for the
government in Jakarta, the same report quotes President Susilo
Bambang
Yudhoyono as describing the demands for the company's operations to
close
down as being 'unrealistic', adding that his government would study
the
company's community programmes 'to see if the funds could be
distributed
more evenly'. One of the President's reasons for refusing to close
down
the company was the 'harmful effect' it would have on the national
economy.
The President's reaction was predictable bearing in mind that the
company
is Indonesia's largest taxpayer. Faced with the escalating crisis,
he
ordered a team of top-level
officials to visit West Papua. They included Admiral Djoko Suyanto,
the
commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, General Sutanto, the
national chief
of police, Syamsir Siregar, head of the state intelligence agency,
BIN and
Air Marshal Widodo, A.S., Minister Co-ordinator for Political and
Security
Affairs.
Although Jakarta initially insisted that additional police would not
be
sent because those on the spot were deemed to be sufficient, within
a week
came an announcement that 600 additional Brimob troops would be sent
to
West Papua. The Brimob troops already in Jayapura had been withdrawn
to
barracks.
Ban on foreign media still in place
Five weeks before the protests against Freeport took place,
Indonesia's
Defence Minister, Juwono Sudarsono, the first non-military man to
occupy
the post since the 1950s, defended restrictions on foreign media
access to
West Papua. He was quoted as saying that the presence of the foreign
media,
NGOs and churches 'might create conflict there by encouraging
Papuans to
campaign on issues of human rights. We feel that our unity and
cohesion are
being threatened by the presence of foreign intrusion'. [Reuters, 6
February 2006]
A report in the Australian daily The Age, suggested that a visit by
one of
its journalists to Jayapura was the first time a foreign journalist
had
been able to gain access for nearly two years.
The fact that the statement about media access to West Papua was
made not
by the information and communications minister but by the defence
minister
only reinforces the suspicion that the decision to keep out prying
foreign
journalists is one taken by the military. With the foreign media and
other
foreigners kept largely at bay, the defence minister can hardly
blame
foreign intrusion for the protests against Freeport.
UN genocide expert kept out
The special adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the prevention of
genocide, Juan Mendez, has said that West Papua is an area of
concern in
which the indigenous population is in danger of extinction [Voice of
America, 27 January 2006]. He expressed frustration that the
Indonesian
government is preventing human rights observers from monitoring the
'worrying' situation amid reports of abuses there. He said that the
UN was
willing to step in and mediate a solution to the long-running
tensions.
'It's very worrying and there's evidence about violence that has
continued
there since 1963. It's important that we look closely at the
conflict now
and make sure it's not getting out of hand. We certainly have it
under our
inquiry but it's hard to assess the situation on the ground to know
what's
going on in West Papua,' he said.
Chris Ballard of the Australian National University in Canberra, who
is
recognised as one of Australia's foremost experts on West Papua is
also
being kept out. He said that he has not been able to visit West
Papua since
2001. [Sydney Morning Herald,1 March, 2006]
TAPOL raises problem with President Yudhoyono
In a letter to the Indonesian President sent on the day after the
tragic
events in Abepura, TAPOL called for the removal of arbitrary
restrictions
on access to West Papua for all journalists, whether Indonesian or
foreign,
for the immediate establishment of an independent commission to
investigate
the causes of the events in mid-March, for the commission to report
within
one month, for its findings to be made public, and for all those now
under
arrest to be allowed access to a lawyer and either charged or
released.
Fourteen to be charged
Following the bloody incident in Abepura, 14 people are being held
by the
police as suspects. They include: Selpius Bobii who chairs the West
Papua
Referendum Front , Moses Totoba, a teacher, Ferry Pakage, a parking
attendant, and Musa Asol, a security officer. The other suspects are
all
students: Benius Baker, Alex Wayangkaw,
Thomas Okayo, Elkana Lokobal, Elias Tanaka, Matius Patrius Alangior
and
Obaya Papua. They are facing a number of charges, including murder
and
subversion. An unknown number of others wanted by the police are
still in
hiding.
Lawyers were initially appointed by the state without regard to the
wishes
of the detainees but now arrangements have been made for a local NGO
to
assist. There is concern that those detained will be forced to sign
a
confession including a statement that they have not been tortured.
There
have been reports of torture against two of the detainees.
Freeport and Rio Tinto at a glance
Freeport signed its first Contract of Work with Indonesia in 1967.
This
was before the so-called Act of Free Choice in August 1969, which
led to
West Papua's incorporation into Indonesia. The contract was to
explore and
exploit the area of Mount Ertsberg. It was Indonesia's first
contract with
a foreign company after General Suharto seized power
In December 1991, after the discovery of more copper and gold
reserves at
Mount Grasberg, the company signed a new Contract of Work massively
increasing its exploration area. The new Contract of Work was for a
period
of 30 years with two possible 10-year extensions.
The Grasberg mine is operated by a local subsidiary known as PT
Freeport
Indonesia., which is owned 90.64% by Freeport McMoran and 9.36% by
the
Indonesian government.
Its concession covers an area of 230 square kilometres or 90 square
miles.
Between 1992 and 2003, the company paid over US$2.3 billion in taxes
and
royalties to Jakarta. In 2005, the amount paid to the government
rose to
US$1.2 billion [Freeport McMoran Annual reports 2003, p. 12 and
2005, p. 17].
Sales totalled 1.46 billion pounds of copper and a record 2.8
million
ounces of gold in 2005, compared with sales of 1.0 billion pounds of
copper
and 1.4 million ounces of gold in 2004 [Freeport McMoran Annual
report
2005, p. 3]
Until 2004, Rio Tinto owned a 13.1 shareholding in Freeport-McMoran.
Its
shares were sold in March of that year for US$ 882 million.
Rio Tinto retained a 40 per cent joint venture interest in reserves
mined
as a consequence of expansions and developments at the Grasberg mine
since
1998.
In 2005, Rio Tinto's share of the 40 per cent joint venture amounted
to
109,600 tonnes of copper and 670,000 oz. of gold.
Rio Tinto's earnings from the joint venture in 2005 increased by US$
200
million to US$ 232.
See also TAPOL Occasional Reports No 16, 'Freeport and the Tribal
People'
published in 1991.
---
Asylum-seekers given Australian protection
(TAPOL Bulletin 182, April 2006)
On 13 January this year, a group of forty-three West Papuans set out
from
their homeland in a traditional dug-out canoe to make the hazardous
journey
to Australia to seek asylum. Two months later 42 members of the
group were
granted permission to remain in Australia on temporary protection
visas.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a Papuan was being feted
for
having won last year's John Humphrey Freedom Award.
The asylum-seeking group included 36 adults and seven children.
Their boat
was adorned with a banner bearing the message: 'Save West Papua
people soul
from genocide and terrorist from military government of Indonesia.
Also we
West Papuan need Freedom Peace Justice in our Home Land'
It is a wonder that their flimsy craft was able to survive the
perilous
waters. They departed from a point on the south coast of West Papua,
near
Merauke, and travelled about 250 kms across the Torres Strait. They
arrived
five days later at Weipa, halfway down the west side of Cape York
peninsula. Several of those on board have been involved in
pro-independence
actions for a number of years.
Leading the group was Herman Wanggai who has been in the forefront
of the
pro-independence struggle in West Papua for almost ten years. He
was
arrested in 2002 for taking part in a flag-raising ceremony and
spent two
years in prison. His uncle, Thomas Wanggai, also actively involved
in the
Papuan struggle, died in an Indonesian prison in 1996. He too had
been
arrested for flag-raising.
As soon as the asylum bid became public, the Indonesian government
insisted
that the Papuans had nothing to fear if they returned home. It
warned the
authorities in Canberra that the granting of asylum would have a
damaging
impact on relations between the two countries. But as one Australian
commentator pointed out, the asylum bid was a huge embarrassment for
the
Indonesian government.
After reaching Cape York, the most northerly point of Australia, on
18
January the refugees were taken to the remote Christmas Island, to
be
interviewed by immigration officials. A government spokesperson
said that
the Indonesian President 'had been told that they would be dealt
with in
accordance with Australia's domestic laws and its international
obligations'.
An immigration source was quoted as saying: 'Some of what has come
out of
the interviews has been absolutely heart-wrenching' [The Age, 29
January
2006]. The testimony included accounts of vicious beatings while
being
held in prison and attacks on villages and livestock in retaliation
for
people agitating for independence.
On 23 March, it was announced that 42 members of the group had been
granted
temporary protection visas, which will allow them to remain in
Australia
for three years. The application from the 43rd member of the group
is still
under consideration.
The successful applicants were re-located to Melbourne to live in
the
local community.
The case of the asylum seekers and the consequent diplomatic rift
with
Indonesia has become a major political issue in Australia. It has
generated
welcome media attention to the human rights situation in West Papua.
Regrettably, however, the Indonesian government has seen fit to
devote more
time to remonstrating with Australia than it has to addressing the
problems
highlighted by the refugees.
At the beginning of April, reports emerged of more Papuans
attempting to
flee to Australia with the unconfirmed arrival on an uninhabited
island of
a family of six. Meanwhile, both countries are taking steps to
deter
future refugees. The Indonesian navy is stepping up its
surveillance of
the area and in Jakarta, Papuans are finding it difficult, if not
impossible, to obtain visas to visit Australia. President Yudhoyono
visited Merauke on 4 April in an apparent attempt to reassure local
people
that they have no reason to leave home.
Young Papuan killed in Waghete
While the asylum bid was underway, a young Papuan named Mozes Douw
was shot
dead by Kostrad troops on 20 January in an incident near the town of
Waghete in the Central Highlands. This incident shows how a minor
problem
involving Papuans can end tragically when soldiers in the locality
intervene.
Two days before Mozes Douw was killed, a group of Papuans had been
asked to
help shift a heavily-laden truck which had become bogged down in mud
in a
village 10 kms from Waghete. The men were advised to ask for a
Collection
Permission Letter so they could get paid for the work. After they
had been
given the document, two members of Kostrad standing nearby suddenly
grabbed
the letter, tore it up and threw it away. When the Papuans objected,
a
scuffle ensued and Petrus Pekey was shot and wounded. He was rushed
to
hospital in Enarotali for treatment.
Back at the scene of the incident, the Kostrad troops went on
firing their
weapons at passers-by. Among those who were hit was Mozes Douw who
was on
his way to school. He sustained severe injuries in his left shoulder
and
spine and died later in hospital. A third man, Yunike Kotouki, was
also
injured.
The troops who were responsible for this tragedy have been
identified in a
chronology of the incident written by ELSHAM as being from KOSTRAD
Timsus
YONIF 753 ARVITA (Arga Vira Tama) Nabire.
Papuan lawyer receives international award
In July last year, a Papuan human rights lawyer, Yan Christian
Warinussy,
was given the 2005 John Humphrey Freedom Award 'for his dedication
to human
rights in the face of extreme adversity, intimidation and threats
to his
personal safety'.
Named after a Canadian law professor, who prepared the first draft
of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the award includes a
US$25,000 grant
as well as a tour of Canadian cities aimed at raising public
awareness of
the recipient's work on behalf of human rights.
Speaking at a meeting in Victoria, Canada in November 2005, Wayne
MacKay, a
member of the John Humphrey Freedom Award international jury, said
that Mr
Warinussy has distinguished himself by his frontline role as a
defence
lawyer to those in West Papua's remote regions who would otherwise
have no
legal representation. In the past year, he has served as an
independent
human rights adviser on the resettlement of West Papuans affected
by the
British Petroleum natural gas facility in Bintuni Bay.
He began working as a lawyer and human rights advocate in 1989 after
finishing law school. In 1994 he co-founded The Institute for
Research,
Analysis and Development of Legal Aid (LP3PH), the first and, to
this day,
the only legal aid organisation in Manokwari. It works mainly with
local
communities to defend them against military persecution and human
rights
violations.
Source:Tok Blong Pasifik, Volume 4, Issue 1, Winter 2006.
---
Partition is unacceptable to Papuans
Despite strong opposition from the majority of Papuans, the central
government has gone ahead with the election of a governor in West
Irian
Jaya, a new province created without legal sanction. The views of
the
Papuan Peoples Assembly have been ignored, the unity of Papua has
been
threatened, and special autonomy has become virtually defunct.
On 11 March this year, despite widespread opposition in Papua to the
existence of West Irian Jaya, the government went ahead with the
election
of a governor of the new province. The creation of the province is
in clear
violation of the Special Autonomy law, introduced in 2001, according
to
which any move towards partition should have the agreement of the
Majelis
Rakyat Papua (MRP), the Papuan People's Assembly. Moreover, as the
result
of manoeuvres by the government, the very existence of the MRP has
been
thrown into doubt.
The creation of the new province came about through the reactivation
of Law
No 45 of 1999. This mandated the division of Papua into three
provinces:
Irian Jaya, Central Irian Jaya and West Irian Jaya. Whereas the
creation of
Central Irian Jaya was abandoned after fatal clashes broke out in
Timika in
August 2003, the establishment of West Irian Jaya was announced in
November
2003. Asked for an opinion, Indonesia's Constitutional Court said
that
while partition was unlawful, it could not challenge the de facto
existence
of the new province.
Although the province was still in legal limbo, the Minister of the
Interior, former army general Muh. Ma'aruf, announced at very short
notice
that an election for governor would take place on 11 March, despite
his
earlier assurance to the MRP and the Papuan parliament, the DPRP,
that this
would not happen until its legal status had been reconciled with
Special
Autonomy.
With Manokwari as its capital, a provincial parliament was elected
in April
2004 while a caretaker governor started to develop its physical and
political infrastructure. Clearly those with an interest in carving
off
part of West Papua were in a hurry and were making sure their
efforts would
not be thwarted.
West Irian Jaya has a high number of migrants from Indonesia,
bordering on
half the population. It is estimated that within a year or two,
Papuans
will be in the minority. This explains why there was a relatively
high
turnout when the gubernatorial election took place on 11 March. The
province incorporates a significant share of Papua's natural
resources,
including the natural gas reserves now being exploited by BP at
Bintuni
Bay. Indonesian businessmen, including Vice-President Jusuf Kalla,
are also
eyeing the province for investments to cater for the ever expanding
population there.
MRP's views ignored
The establishment of the MRP was an integral part of the Special
Autonomy
law which specifies that the body must be consulted on issues of the
governance of West Papua. The MRP has 42 members, all of whom are
Papuans.
The membership is divided equally between representatives of the
churches,
women and tribal groups.
The central government set up the MRP with much delay and
hesitation. And
it soon became clear that many politicians in Jakarta feared that
this body
might fuel Papuan aspirations for independence.
What most politicians failed to understand was that Papuan
willingness to
accept special autonomy was a compromise which some were prepared to
make
in the interests of reducing tensions in West Papua. Those accepting
special autonomy were in effect shelving their long-held demand for
independence. Far from acknowledging this move, by proceeding with
the
partition of West Papua, the central government risked alienating
those
whose support it had gained.
The fraudulent Act of Free Choice
Most Papuans have never lost sight of the fraudulent way in which
their
homeland was incorporated into the Indonesian Republic, by means of
the
so-called Act of Free Choice in 1969. Under strong pressure from
the
military, 1,022 handpicked persons voted unanimously in favour of
integration. They had no other choice. This occurred when General
Suharto
was in power and the military exerted a dominant role in affairs of
state.
[See TAPOL Bulletin, No 181, December 2005 for a devastating
exposure of
the Act of Free Choice as a sham by the Dutch historian, Professor
Pieter
Drooglever.]
Although Special Autonomy represented a major concession by the
Papuans,
politicians in Jakarta soon began to suspect that this governing
structure
would undermine Indonesia's territorial integrity and lead
ultimately to
Papua's secession.
The attitude of the Indonesian President did not help matters.
While
campaigning for election as president in 2004, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono
committed himself to implementing Special Autonomy. This accounts
for the
big support his candidacy enjoyed in West Papua. But he
subsequently threw
his political weight behind the existence of the West Irian Jaya
province,
declaring in a speech in August 2005 that its legal basis was Law No
32,
2004, the Indonesian law on regional autonomy.
Disenchantment with Special Autonomy
It was not long before disenchantment with special autonomy set in
among
Papuans. Anger ran so deep that in February last year, the Dewan
Adat
Papua, the Papuan Tribal Council, announced that if implementation
did not
proceed satisfactorily within six months, they would 'hand back' the
Special Autonomy Law. This is what happened in Jayapura on 12 August
2005
at a large demonstration in front of the provincial legislative
assembly.
Secretary of the Council, Leonard Imbiri, said, before the
demonstration
took place, that it was not aimed at pushing for independence, but
was a
protest at the failure of the government to improve the conditions
of the
Papuan people since the law was enacted.
In Jakarta, Papuans demonstrated in front of the state palace and
demanded
that the government investigate alleged irregularities overseen by
the then
governor, J.P.Salossa. (Salossa died of a heart attack earlier this
year.)
According to Alof S.T. Rumayoni, director of the Bangun Nusa Irian
Foundation, the provincial government has been allocated funds
totalling
Rp1.7 trillion (US$174 million) for development in Papua since 2001,
but
has built nothing. Another member of the Foundation, Abdul Warwey,
said he
had strong evidence of irregularities by the governor. 'The evidence
includes bank accounts of some Papuan officials which, he said,
'were
suspicious because the amounts of the money in these accounts was
staggering.' [The Jakarta Post, 11 August, 2005]
Criticism of how Special Autonomy had worked since its introduction
in
2001 was the focus of speeches by Revd Sofyan Yoman, President of
the
Alliance of Baptist Churches in West Papua, during his visit to the
UK in
July last year.
In May, shortly before his visit to the UK, he described the law on
special
autonomy as a cover for policies which perpetuate the sufferings of
his
people. He told his audiences that he was convinced that money
allocated
for special autonomy had been used to fund military operations.
Powers of the MRP
By virtue of the Special Autonomy Law and an accompanying Government
Regulation 54, the MRP has wide-ranging powers, including: checking
that
candidates for governor and deputy governor are eligible as
indigenous
Papuans; granting approval for provincial regulations implementing
special
autonomy provisions; granting approval for contracts between Jakarta
or the
provincial government and third parties for work affecting
indigenous
rights; and 'any planned pemekaran setting up new provinces in
Papua'.
Certainly the most impressive action undertaken by the MRP was to
conduct a
popular consultation in the area of West Irian Jaya province. From
19
January to 3 February this year, the MRP held meetings with
indigenous
women's groups, customary leaders, youth groups, religious leaders
and
district government throughout the province. While acknowledging
that there
was some support among Papuans for the existence of the province,
its
three-volume report on the consultation demonstrates widespread
opposition
to the creation of the province. The overwhelming majority of the
groups
rejected pemekaran on the grounds that it was not carried out in
accordance
with the Special Autonomy Law.
These convincing conclusions led to a counter-move by the West Irian
Jaya
government rejecting the consultations and accusing the MRP of
over-stepping its mandate. Against a growing coalition between
opponents of
the consultation and the central government, the MRP has striven to
contain
the harmful effects of partition which has in effect become a fait
accompli. In a letter to the central government on 14 February, the
Chairman of the MRP, Agus Alue Alua presented a series of
recommendations.
These included holding a comprehensive dialogue with the MRP acting
on
behalf of the Papuan people, ensuring that any partition would
safeguard
Papua's cultural and economic unity, and establishing a mechanism to
oversee and coordinate the governance of Papua as a single economic
and
cultural unit, all of which should be codified in a legal
instrument. [See
Papua: The Danger of Shutting Down Dialogue, published by the
International
Crisis Group on 23 March 2006.]
The clearly expressed wishes of the Papuan people have been ignored
by
Jakarta. This is a situation that is bound to intensify opposition
among
Papuans against Indonesia.
An Australian academic renowned for his knowledge of Papuan affairs,
Richard Chauvel, was quoted in March this year as saying: 'The core
problem
for Indonesia in Papua is governance. How do you rule a place by
means
other than military ones with a population that basically doesn't
want to
be part of Indonesia?' [The Age, 26 March 2006] The recent events
surrounding the creation of West Irian Jaya province can only deepen
Papua's sense of alienation from Jakarta.
---
Timika ambush suspects await trial (old with some new)
Eight people are awaiting trial in Jakarta on charges of involvement
in an
ambush which led to the deaths of two US teachers and one Indonesian
teacher in August 2002. The men were arrested in Timika as the
result of an
entrapment involving the FBI.
The city of Timika is close to the copper-and-gold mine run by
Freeport-McMoran and it is where many of the foreign and domestic
personnel employed by the mine are accommodated. The three men who
were
killed during the ambush on 31 August 2002 were all teachers: two
Americans, Rickey Lynn Spier, aged 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and
71-year-old Leon Edwin Burgon, of Sun River, Oregon, and an
Indonesian,
Bambang Riswanto.
The three men were employed at an international school for children
of
those working at the mine. Twelve other people were injured,
including
children. Rickey Spier's wife, Patsy, was among the injured and has
since
tirelessly campaigned for justice for the victims It is thanks to
her
persistent efforts that international attention had been so heavily
focused
on the case.
Shortly after the ambush, the Indonesian police as well as the human
rights
organisation, ELSHAM, conducted investigations which concluded that
the
military had been involved in the killings. There were suspicions at
the
time that the Indonesian military was warning Freeport that their
security
operations in Timika might not continue without a hike in payment
for
protection. However, the police were subsequently forced to retract
their
findings, while ELSHAM faced threats and even a lawsuit if they
insisted on
pursuing the matter.
As Indonesia's leading English-language newspaper, The Jakarta Post,
recently wrote: 'There has never been a satisfactory answer to
certain
questions raised by human rights organisations in Papua. Why were
security
personnel in a normally tightly guarded area near the world's
biggest
copper and gold mine absent during the attack, which lasted at least
30
minutes? Why did some of the survivors remember the shooters wearing
military uniforms?' [The Jakarta Post, 18 January 2006]
Given the impunity which members of the Indonesian armed forces have
enjoyed for so many years, such questions are entirely reasonable.
US authorities get involved
Following the controversy surrounding the ambush, the case lay
dormant for
some time. Indonesia's failure to produce results was one of the
factors
that delayed the restoration of military relations between
Washington and
Jakarta that were severed in 1999 following the Indonesian army's
murderous
rampage in East Timor.
In 2004, a Papuan named Antonius Wamang, was indicted by a US grand
jury on
two counts of murder and eight counts of attempted murder in
connection
with the ambush. At the time, Wamang was still at large and there
was no
sign that he would be apprehended.
As pressure grew in the US for the restoration of military ties with
Indonesia, the FBI became involved in securing the detention of
possible
suspects. On 11 January this year, during what can only be described
as an
entrapment, twelve persons were arrested.
The detentions occurred when twelve men were enticed into visiting
Hotel
Amole 2 in Timika. FBI agents were present at the time but have
since
claimed that they were not involved in the arrests. No one doubts
that they
played a critical role in securing the detentions.
Indeed, the national police spokesman Brigadier General Anton
Bachrul Alam,
admitted that FBI agents had assisted in securing the arrests by
providing
information on the whereabouts of the men. FBI involvement had been
crucial, he said, because of their more sophisticated technology in
criminal investigations, but he said that they would not take part
in
interrogating the men.
A case of entrapment
The arrests were condemned by Paula Makabori of the Papuan NGO,
ELSHAM. She
said the FBI agent in Timika had told the men that they would be
taken to
the US but after they had gathered at the hotel, they were taken to
a
vehicle which drove them to the local police headquarters. From
there, they
were flown to Jayapura and then to Jakarta.
The twelve arrested men were: Antonius Wamang, Revd Ishak Onawame,
Hardi
Sugomol, Agustinus Anggaibak, Viktus Wamang, Markus Kalabetme,
Yohanes
Kasamol, Germanus Magal, Diminikus Mom, Zairus Kiwak, Esau Onowame
and
Velli Dekme. Four were later released and the other eight are under
interrogation in preparation for trial, either as suspects or
witnesses.
Hailing the arrests, the commander of the Trikora military command
in
Jayapura was quick to insist that they proved 'the TNI was not
involved in
the shootings'.
Defence lawyer takes issue with FBI
The Indonesian human rights organisation, PBHI, is acting for the
men now
detained in Jakarta. One of the PBHI lawyers, Johnson Panjaitan
complained
that two FBI agents had secretly interrogated one of his clients.
They went
to the detention room shortly after he had left, and interrogated
Agustinus
Anggaibak. According to Johnson, Agustinus was interrogated by the
agent
for four hours. 'I wonder how they got involved. They weren't
respecting
our legal procedures,' he said. [The Jakarta Post, 20 January 2006]
---
Australia's Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone, has used the
columns of
a major Australian newspaper to discredit and malign the people of
West
Papua. [The Weekend Australian, 29 April]
She condemns Papuan 'separatism' as a 'racist, toxic cause that, if
encouraged would result in chaos, death and suffering on Australia's
doorstep'. She has failed to notice that chaos, death and suffering
is
happening in West Papua almost daily. The 42 West Papuan refugees
who have
recently been granted temporary visas to remain in Australia have
spelt out
what it was that drove them to make their perilous sea voyage to
Australia.
She should pause for a moment and reflect on how West Papua became a
part
of Indonesia in the first place. The so-called Act of Free Choice in
August
1969 has been widely acknowledged as fraudulent, with just over one
thousand people deciding under duress from the Indonesian military
to
unanimously 'vote' in favour of being a part of Indonesia.
Underlying West
Papuan resentment is their longing for a legitimate act of
self-determination. However, their focus for the past few years has
been to
make West Papua a Land of Peace and to call for demilitarisation.
Theirs is
a nationalist struggle; to dismiss it as 'separatism' is to ignore
the fact
that what is at stake is their historic right to take over control
of their
homeland.
She accused the West Papuans of being racist and alleges that their
movement is 'nothing more than hostility to people from other parts
of
Indonesia'. I would challenge her to produce a single statement or
article
in which Papuan leaders declare their hostility to Indonesian
people. What
they do condemn is the the Indonesian military and police who
currently
play such a dominant role in West Papua. Last year, the commander in
chief
of Indonesia's armed forces, General Endriartono, announced that
three
additional battalions would be sent to West Papua, as well as a
newly
established battalion of KOSTRAD troops, which are Indonesia's
best-equipped and most highly trained combat forces. This decision
is now
being implemented. West Papua is a highly attractive posting for
members of
the Indonesian armed forces with Indonesian officers and men having
plenty
of opportunities to rake in the money from Freeport, the mining
company
that is exploiting West Papua's gold and copper.
Just take a look at the resolutions adopted in June 2000 by the
Papua
Congress which have since provided the guidelines for the Papuan
movement. They warn in one resolution that the high presence of the
military is a danger 'to Papuans and non-Papuans alike'. In other
words,
they recognise that the Indonesians now settled in West Papua are
equally
under threat. This brings us to the growing presence of Indonesians
in West
Papua, as the result of government-sponsored transmigration as well
as
spontaneous migration from other parts of Indonesia. This policy is
on the
brink of making Papuans a minority in their own homeland. Yet,
there have
been no calls by Papuan leaders for Indonesian transmigrants to be
expelled.
Of course, the Papuan people consist of many tribes and clans, with
a vast
range of local languages. One could say the same about Indonesia but
this
does not detract from them seeing themselves as having a national
identity,
around which their struggle for independence was focused in the
decades
before August 1945.
It would appear that, in making this spiteful and slanderous attack
on the
West Papuan nationalist movement, Ms Vanstone is trying to make
amends for
the disruption in Australia's relations with Indonesia caused by her
own
decision to grant 42 asylum-seeking West Papuans temporary
permission to
remain in Australia. Confronted by an angry riposte from the
Indonesian
government, she introduced a new policy designed to deter West
Papuans from
entering the migration zone so as to seek protection under the UN
refugees
convention. Her government has now established a system whereby West
Papuans on the high seas can be intercepted and directed away from
Australian territory. She hopes to build a cordon sanitaire around
Australia against an encroaching a 'flood' of Papuans. The venom of
her
article surely places her firmly in the ranks of racists.
She may also have been dismayed by a results of a poll made public
on 15
April which found that the more than three-quarters of Australians
support
independence for West Papua. This surely only goes to show that Ms
Vanstone
is clearly out of step with the vast majority of Australians.
---
Two persons on wanted list for Abepura case arrested:
Cendrawasih Pos , late April 2006
[Slightly abridged]
14 people from Abepura case still on DPO list (list of wanted
persons)
JAYAPURA- The police have arrested another person on the DPO list
relating
to the clashes with the police [on 16 March]. This follows the
earlier
arrest by the Abepura police of Ricky Jitmau (20) in Kotaraja Dalam.
The
latest person to be arrested is Aris Mandowen (23).
This unemployed man was arrested on Saturday, 29 April, at 6pm, at
the home
of a friend.
"He wanted to surrender to a friend who is a member of the police
force,
but that policeman reported this to the Sarmi police, who confirmed
that
the said person is indeed on the DPO list. So he was taken into
custody
immediately, to prevent him from getting away.' said the Director of
Criminal Investigation, Drs Paulus Waterpauw, speaking to
journalists
yesterday. He said the arrested man was then taken to police
headquarters
to be dealt with as required by the law.
'He was taken by boat to Jayapura from Sarmi yesterday morning, and
was
immediately stripped and interrogated.'
The interrogation provided a clear indication that the person in
question
was involved in the clash in front of Cendrawaih University on 16
March.
The police officer said that the person in question has now been
named a
suspect and has been officially placed under arrest..
The officer said they would examine whether the person was involved
in the
clash that result in the deaths of 4 Brimob members and another
member of
the Armed Forces. He said the information suggested that the person
was
involved in the killing of TNI member Serda Agung, said the officer.
He said that of the nineteen persons on the DPO list, two have now
been
arrested, while clarifications had been obtained regarding three
others.
This means that there are still 14 persons on the list.
Police forces in various places are still hunting for others, and
hoped
that members of the public would help tracking down the others on
the DPO
list by giving information about their whereabouts.
---
Music as a potent source of cultural resistance
http://www.insideindonesia.org/edit78/../index.htm
Apr-Jun 2004
(KI editor note: Kumeseri is also known as Sampari. Biak and Serui
dialects use different terms)
Singing for life
Music is still a potent source of cultural resistance in West Papua
Alex Rayfiel
Just before he was murdered on 24 April 1984 by Kopassus -
Indonesia's
notorious special forces - renowned West Papuan musician and
anthropologist, Arnold Ap wrote his last song. Arnold Ap, leader of
the
cultural music group Mambesak, was living on borrowed time. He knew
that
the military wanted to kill him. Sitting beside an old portable tape
recorder in his prison cell, guitar in hand, Ap lovingly recorded
'The
Mystery of Life'.
Then he wrapped up the cassette, stuffed it into an envelope with
words of
consolation and sent it to his wife, who had fled to a refugee camp
in
Papua New Guinea. 'The only thing I desire and am waiting for', Ap
sung in
the closing words of the song, 'is nothing else but freedom'. Like
his
music and life, the words came from the heart and gave voice to a
desire
that was at once personal and political, particular to his
situation, but
shared by all West Papuans.
West Papua has been occupied by the Indonesian military since the
early
sixties, and the movement for self-determination for West Papua has
been a
long and bitter one. Arnold Ap, together with fellow musician Eddie
Mofu,
was imprisoned by the Indonesian military for suspected sympathies
with the
Papuan Independence Movement (OPM).
In West Papua, music, song and dance are weapons. Mofu and Ap's real
crime
was singing and dancing the traditional songs of their people,
promoting
pride in Papuan culture. Their lyrics and tunes celebrate the
mystery and
natural beauty of Papua, retell traditional legends, impart
knowledge and
wisdom, lament, laugh, rage, speak about the ordinariness of daily
life,
and the struggles and joys of relationships.
The lyrics of one of Mambesak's songs, 'Awin Sup Ine', sung in the
Biak
language, tells of the West Papuan people's connection to their
homeland:
At twilight, the rays of the sun paint beautiful skyscapes, stirring
the
eye and heart. At these times, one cannot help but recall sweet
moments
from the past and feel again the bonds of love that bind one to the
land.
'Nanen Babe', a song from Sarmi on the north coast of Papua, has
layers of
meaning:
The Morning Star appears in the east and will soon be followed by
the sun.
The beauty of the sky brings back memories of home.
The last star in the inky darkness before the dawn, the light that
guides
fisherman safely home
Little wonder the Morning Star has became a symbol of freedom, a
representation of independence, and of a longing to be at home in
one's own
land. The song also invokes the creation story of Kumeseri - the
Morning
Star - in the Biak language. Legend has it that Manarmakeri, a
humble
village man, caught Kumeseri as the heavenly light descended to
earth to
drink palm wine. Manarmakeri struck a bargain with the star,
receiving the
gift of peace and renewal in return for letting Kumeseri go.
Refusing to
keep the gift for his tribe alone, Manarmakeri left West Papua on a
journey
to garner support for a new age of freedom, peace, and justice. For
Jakob
Rumbiak, a West Papuan friend who endured ten years in Indonesia's
dungeons, once sharing a cell with Xanana Gusmao and now living in
Melbourne, the story continues to have fresh meaning. 'Maybe
Manarmakeri
came to Australia?' he asks. 'Maybe he wants you to join him to help
free
West Papua?'
When Arnold Ap first began his work, however, many failed to
understand his
true purpose. 'Maybe you think what I am doing is stupid', he once
said,
'but it is what I think I should do for my people before I die'. Yet
Arnold
Ap knew something of the animating spirit of Papua that shaped and
inspired
his people. Mambesak's simple underlying truth was that 'we are
Melanesians
and this is our land'; a powerful message now taken up by rising
West
Papuan music and cultural sensation, Black Paradise.
Black paradise
Nearly twenty years have passed since Ap and Mofu's murder, yet
music and
the legacy of Arnold Ap retains its potency in the troubled
territory. In
West Papua I met some of the new generation of musicians to follow
in the
legacy of Mambesak. Ferry Marisan, works for the Institute for the
Study
and Advocacy of Human Rights (Elsham) in West Papua, a widely
respected
human rights organisation. His job is to investigate and monitor
human
rights violations. Marisan, a graduate in anthropology from the
University
of Cendrawasih, is also the leader of the West Papuan cultural music
group,
Black Paradise.
When I first met him, Marisan was wearing a t-shirt with a picture
of
Arnold Ap sitting down with guitar in hand, singing, with the words
'Spirit
of Mambesak' emblazoned across the top. 'Arnold Ap's motto', says
Ferry
Marisan, was 'to sing for life. Yesterday, today and tomorrow'.' He
adds,
'The people of West Papua dearly loved Arnold Clemens Ap. He helped
transform our consciousness from the tribal to the national.'
Black Paradise is continuing what Mambesak began. Most of the
members of
the group are also human rights activists who work for Elsham. The
work of
defending human rights cannot be separated from their music.
Recently a few
band members travelled to Timika, the frontier town located in the
shadow
of a gargantuan copper and gold mine. Freeport McMoRan, the
controversial
mining corporation that owns the mine and has worked closely with
the
military, has also caused massive environmental damage and created
enormous
social unrest. While in Timika investigating human rights
violations, the
singer-activists also collected songs. One such song, 'Akai Mbipae'
recounts the suffering of the indigenous Amungme as a result of the
mine.
A mother is weeping because people, especially Freeport, have
destroyed the
environment.
Black Paradise has a simple message. 'We are here to show that West
Papuan
culture is still alive,' says Marisan. 'We are a distinct and
separate
people. We want the Indonesian government to stop the violence and
let us
be.' Not all the music is overtly political, however. 'Aye Nanawe',
one of
the band's signature tunes, is a sexy, funny and upbeat hip-swinging
number
about one of songwriters most popular themes: unrequited love.
Yet whatever the theme of the lyrics, Black Paradise's music affirms
the
dignity and identity of the Papuan people. 'We the young generation
of
Papua have to care for our culture' says Marisan. 'West Papuan
culture
could be dead within 10 years if the people do not find ways to
protect,
promote and revive their indigenous traditions.' With the
deteriorating
political situation and increasing repression by the military and
government this need is becoming increasingly urgent.
Recently the band travelled to Australia for the Morning Star
Concert for
West Papua, a showcase of Australian talent organised by Melbourne
musician
David Bridie. The concert put the spotlight on what was happening a
few
short miles from Australian shores. Having tasted success in
Australia,
Black Paradise is now formulating plans it would not have dreamed of
just
over a year ago. A CD has been recorded on Bridie's label Blunt,
which the
band hopes to follow up with a video compact disc. They also plan to
conduct a speaking and music tour around West Papua, start up a
recording
studio and opening a centre to preserve and promote indigenous
culture.
A dangerous job
Writing, uncovering, cultivating and promoting Papuan music and
culture are
still dangerous activities. Two years ago, ex-Mambesak member Sam
Kapissa,
cultural activist, respected elder, and mentor to Black Paradise,
was found
dead. Kapissa was one of the victims of a mysterious spate of
poisonings of
prominent West Papuan civil society leaders. Although it has never
been
proven, West Papuans believe the Indonesian military were behind his
death.
Marisan has honoured Sam Kapissa and Arnold Ap by writing a moving
tribute
in their native Biak language. The song, entitled 'Mambruk ma
Manyouri',
tells the story of the two men, both of them from Biak Numfor, who
are
represented as the Mambruk and Nuri birds. Marisan says, 'Arnold
Clemens Ap
and Sam Kapissa were two leaders who strove to unite the Papuan
people,
through their creations in song, dance and music. But the
powers-that-be
viewed their struggle as a political one that endangered the
country, so in
the end, they were killed.'
Although people in West Papua are still afraid to sell Mambesak
recordings
in the market, the music is everywhere. Scratchy songs are handed
down from
parents to children. Weather beaten copies are carried in on foot to
remote
highland villages, where women sell sweet potatoes and garden
produce just
to afford the batteries to play the tapes on ancient cassette
players. And
when Black Paradise gears up for one of their cultural performances
people
stream in, eager to soak up the sounds of Mambesak, and dance to the
rhythm
of their land.
In West Papua music is all around. Every evening the jungle erupts
in a
cacophony of insects backed up by a syncopating base line of frogs;
and
every morning, when the air is still, you hear the sound of music.
Ukulele,
guitar, snakeskin drums, and the distinct four-part soaring
harmonies of
the Melanesian Pacific work their way in to the hearts of the people
of
West Papua, weaving stories, and strengthening the courage of a
people
determined to be free.
Soon the music of Black Paradise will be circulating throughout West
Papua
and around the world. Their first CD is a powerful affirmation that
in the
land of the Morning Star the spirit of Arnold Ap and Mambesak lives
on.
Alex Rayfield
(<mailto:info at freewestpapua.com>info at freewestpapua.com) is a
researcher and activist with the Australian West Papua Association.
---
Ministers to meet over Papua row
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/ministers-to-meet-over-papua-row/2006/05/03/1146335808963.html
Ministers to meet over Papua row
May 4, 2006
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan
Wirajuda, are likely to meet within a fortnight in
the next step towards easing tension over West Papuan asylum seekers.
Arrangements are being made for the ministers to meet in a third country
in Asia.
If the meeting goes well, Prime Minister John Howard and Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono are likely to have
talks, possibly in Canada, which both leaders will visit later this month.
Relations have been seriously strained by Australia's decision to give
protection visas to 42 West Papuans. Indonesia reacted
by calling its ambassador, Hamzah Thayeb, back to Jakarta. He has not
returned.
Meanwhile, Indonesian consul-general Wahid Supriyadi yesterday held a
private meeting with representatives of Australian
churches.
They included a representative of the Uniting Church, which was accused by
Mr Thayeb of fomenting unrest in West Papua.
The Victorian Council of Churches' general secretary, Maureen Postma,
said: "It was an opportunity to share and discuss
issues between Indonesia and Australian churches. Obviously West Papua and
Indonesia were discussed."
MICHELLE GRATTAN, ANDRA JACKSON
---
Separatists do not represent all Papuans
http://afr.com/articles/2006/05/04/1146335833453.html
Separatists do not represent all Papuans
May 04
I appreciate Brian Toohey's attempt to write a history of Papua ("West
Papua's long search for identity" and "We must stand
up to Indonesia", April 29-30) but it should also mention the
decolonisation process of Papua, which is a vital part of
Papua's integration with Indonesia.
The whole process since 1945 to restore Papua into the fold of the
Republic of Indonesia should be understood in the context
of a delayed "transfer of sovereignty" of the former Dutch colony. Since
Papua was an integral part of the Netherlands
Indies, hence, legally and in fact, it must also be a part of the
successor entity to the Netherlands Indies, which is the
Unitary Republic of Indonesia. This is in accordance with international
law, particularly the principle of uti possidetis
juris, and the indivisibility of former colonial territories. The process
of integration of Papua into the Unitary Republic
of Indonesia was final and irrevocable.
Papua is an inseparable part of Indonesia and the only way to move forward
is to ensure that the country's hard-earned
democracy works for all Indonesians, including the native Papuans, so that
they all enjoy the fruits of development and
participate in improving their welfare. It is for precisely these reasons
that the Indonesian government introduced "special
autonomy" to the Papuan people. As with all major new initiatives, much
still needs to be done, but that it is the best
solution for a peaceful, modern and civilised life within the Republic of
Indonesia, there is no doubt.
As regards human rights, the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is
working hard to address this. As an investigative
journalist, Toohey can be assured that should he have clear evidence of
abuses they will be investigated further.
We should also bear in mind that the separatists in Papua do not represent
all the Papuan people as they claim, and that just
recently the vast majority of Papuans exercised their political rights by
electing their provincial governors.
Dino Kusnadi, First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia,
Yarralumla, ACT.
---
INDONESIA: Supporters of anti-pornography bill demonstrate in Indonesian
capital
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=44869
Supporters demand immediate adoption of law that would ban poetry,
drawing, writing, photos or film 'which expose the
movement of certain body parts which are sensual'
South China Morning Post
Thursday, May 4, 2006
Jakarta --- Around 1,000 supporters of a proposed anti-pornography bill
that would ban kissing and sensual dancing in public
rallied in the Indonesian capital on Thursday to demand the immediate
adoption of the law.
The protesters, dressed in black, and some driving motorbikes, gathered at
Jakarta's main downtown roundabout, about a week
after the same number of people demonstrated against the bill.
The proposed law has sparked anger across the sprawling nation of 220
million people where 90 per cent are Muslims, mostly
moderate. It is pitting supporters of free speech against a growing group
of orthodox Muslims who want Shariah, or Islamic
law, in Indonesia.
If adopted in its current form, it would ban poetry, drawing, writing,
photos or film "which expose the movement of certain
body parts which are sensual." Violators could face a maximum prison term
of up to 15 years and penalties of up to one
billion rupiah (about HK$880,527) including a five-year prison term for
kissing on the lips in public.
It also could prohibit dancing and partial nudity in several provinces,
such as Bali, where tourists are drawn to the resort
island's beaches and nightlife, and Papua, where women dance topless in
local traditions.
Thursday's demonstrators called on leaders to impose the law sooner to
prevent "public displays of women's sensuality."
"We support the bill because it could protect the moral of the people,"
said Mr Sarkawi, a protest organiser who uses only
one name.
Although most of the nation's Muslims are moderate, some Islamic-based
political parties say globalisation is chipping away
at the country's moral fibre and have dusted off an anti-pornography bill
that was originally drafted in 1999.
It is currently being considered by a special parliamentary committee.
Date Posted: 5/4/2006
---
AUSTRALIA/INDONESIA: Ministers To Meet Over Papua Row
http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=21788
AUSTRALIA/INDONESIA: Ministers To Meet Over Papua Row
Thursday: May 4, 2006
(PacNews/The Age) – Australia’s Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his
Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, are likely
to meet within a fortnight in the next step towards easing tension over
West Papuan asylum seekers.
Arrangements are being made for the ministers to meet in a third country
in Asia, The Age reports.
If the meeting goes well, Prime Minister John Howard and Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono are likely to have
talks, possibly in Canada, which both leaders will visit later this month.
Relations have been seriously strained by Australia's decision to give
protection visas to 42 West Papuans. Indonesia reacted
by calling its ambassador, Hamzah Thayeb, back to Jakarta. He has not
returned.
---
Miner 'can't influence Indonesia'
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19027218-643,00.html
Miner 'can't influence Indonesia'
Andrew Trounson
May 05, 2006
MINING giant Rio Tinto said it was not in a position to influence the
Indonesian Government after a West Papua independence
activist used its annual general meeting to call on the company to stand
up for the rights of the province's indigenous
people.
"Please, please, please don't forget West Papua rights," Herman Wainggai,
32, told the meeting to widespread applause.
Rio has a 40 per cent stake in the provinces's giant Grasberg copper mine,
which has become a focus of indigenous discontent
with Indonesian rule and what independence activists see as unfair
exploitation of their natural resources.
Mr Wainggai is one of 43 asylum-seekers who fled to Australia in January.
Australia's decision to grant them visas sparked a diplomatic row with
Jakarta. Mr Wainggai is a nephew of Thomas Wainggai,
one of the founders of the province's independence movement, who died in
prison in Jakarta in 1996.
Earlier, Mr Wainggai had accused Jakarta of only being interested in
exploiting West Papua's natural resources and using its
military to repress the indigenous population.
"Indonesia just needs West Papua land, it doesn't need West Papua people,"
Mr Wainggai told The Australian.
Thanking Mr Wainggai for his "passionate and sincere" words, Rio chairman
Paul Skinner told the meeting there were some
things "that are beyond our scope".
"We really aren't in a position to influence the policy of the Indonesian
Government vis-a-vis any part of the country," he
said.
Mr Skinner said that as a company the best Rio could do was contribute to
the development of the country.
Between 1992 and 2004, Grasberg generated $US2.6 billion in income for
Jakarta and accounted for 2 per cent of Indonesia's
gross domestic product. Over that time the mine has contributed $US152
million to a community fund.
The mine's operator, US-based Freeport, has long been criticised for the
pollution of local rivers and for helping to fund
the Indonesian military.
---
Protestors target Rio Tinto over West Papua mining activities
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1631102.htm
PM - Thursday, 4 May , 2006 18:46:00
Reporter: Neal Woolrich
MARK COLVIN: It's been a year of record profits and soaring share prices
for Australian resource companies, but for some,
controversy is never far away.
The world's third biggest miner Rio Tinto was marked by demonstrations at
its Annual General Meeting today. Protestors say
human rights abuses and environmental destruction are rife at a West
Papuan mine in which Rio has an interest.
And trouble may be looming on another front as analysts tip that the
resources bubble is set to burst.
Neal Woolrich reports.
NEAL WOOLRICH: As the global resources business continues to boom Rio
Tinto keeps cashing in. Its share price has doubled in
a year on the back of a string of record profits.
But critics say the company is failing its environmental and human rights
obligations at the Freeport Mine in West Papua.
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle says the Indigenous population is being
intimidated by Indonesian security guards employed at the
mine.
KERRY NETTLE: People are aware of the clashes that have gone on around the
Freeport Mine for many years and in particular
most recently. And with each of those clashes there have been claims and
allegations put forward about the involvement of
Indonesian security in inciting that activity and the protest activity
that we've seen in the area.
NEAL WOOLRICH: Kerry Nettle was among a small group of protestors at Rio's
annual general meeting in Melbourne today.
And rather than celebrating the company's financial performance it spent
considerable time defending the Freeport investment.
Rio says several independent audits of the mine confirm that environmental
and social procedures are "best practice".
But Freeport might be the least of Rio's worries as experts speculate that
the resources bubble is about to burst.
Rio's Chief Executive Officer Leigh Clifford disagrees and says Asian
economics continue to power ahead.
LEIGH CLIFFORD: And you're seeing it manifested in the market. There is
strong demand for all the metals we produce. Iron ore
is a classic example. Steel prices have started to lift. Demand for iron
ore is very, very strong and supply is rising a
little more slowly than people would have anticipated.
NEAL WOOLRICH: But there are some dark clouds on the horizon. Rio's costs
were up by five per cent last year and the company
expects the phenomenal growth in China will ease.
But prices remain strong. Leigh Clifford says spot prices for iron ore on
the markets are now above the contract prices that
Rio Tinto secured last year.
LEIGH CLIFFORD: Frankly, we are flat out meeting our long term
obligations. As I said to you, the market is very, very tight.
The spot prices that Paul referred to mainly refer to sales out of India,
so we are meeting our long term customers and I can
assure you the long term customers, they're screaming for it.
NEAL WOOLRICH: Resources analyst Carlo Caiani isn't so confident.
CARLO CAIANI: Demand will slacken slightly by the end of this year, and
next year we believe that we're not as confident in
the world economy as other people. We think that the risk profiles are
actually getting worse and things are getting riskier.
And we definitely believe that demand is going to slow. And we believe the
supply is going to come on pretty furiously by the
end of this year and next year.
NEAL WOOLRICH: And that will push global resource prices sharply lower.
Carlo Caiani says the Chinese Government is trying to move away from
capital intensive industries like steel production and
cut their reliance on commodities.
CARLO CAIANI: They want to become a more sophisticated society. In
manufacturing they want to get into the production of
higher value, higher quality, more intellectual property products. They
don't just want to do more toys and more low to
mid-value products. They want to move up a step in manufacturing.
So, there's more an emphasis on moving up a step as a sophisticated
society rather than just an emphasis on production.
MARK COLVIN: Resources analyst Carlo Caiani speaking to Neal Woolrich.
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