From editors at kabar-irian.com Mon Oct 2 23:14:19 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 14:14:19 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Sept 29- Oct 03 2006 Message-ID: <1867.61.94.95.22.1159852459.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Sept 29-Oct 3 2006 KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * Third Gathering Of Coalition For West Papua * Papuans demand release of defendant in Timika... * HEAR US, FORUM LEADERS * Australians 'relaxed and comfortable' * Illegally logged timber from the rainforests of Papua * Poll: Australians and Indonesians view each other with ignorance, suspicion * Kamoro festival showcases art, culture * Army 'saving' Papua from tribal warfare * Army must be part of Papua solution, Indonesia says * Army must be part of Papua solution, says Jakarta * Papua Opens Doors for Donors * More Papuans bound for Australia * Papuan boatload not wanted: Vanstone * Vanstone hopes Papuan boat is not coming * Australia won't support Papuan independence movement: Vanstone * Papuan asylum seekers bring political struggle to Australia * Papuan dissident warns of refugee 'exodus' to Australia --- http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0610/S00001.htm Third Gathering Of Coalition For West Papua Monday, 2 October 2006, 9:45 am Press Release: Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Groups The 3rd Annual National gathering for the Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Groups affirmed the right of the people of West Papua to Self-determination and decolonisation. The gathering called on the Australian government to suspend Security Treaty talks and military training with the Indonesian military, and to request the United Nations' Special envoy on the prevention of genocide to undertake its own investigation of West Papua. The gathering condemned the colonial abuse, exploitation and state-sponsored crimes against humanity still being committed by Indonesian forces and militia in West Papua. The gathering also condemned the massive environmental destruction resulting from the Indonesian Military's involvement in illegal logging and the mining practices exemplified by the world's largest mine Freeport McMoRan. The gathering also called for: The United Nations to resume the decolonisation process for West Papua. The Republic of Indonesia: to halt the military build up in West Papua and remove all non organic troops from the territory; to release all West Papuan political prisoners and to halt all migration to West Papua and to assist the creation of a "zone of peace. The Pacific Islands Forum: We call on the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Fiji in October to grant observer status to West Papua as the forum has to other Pacific colonies and East Timor; to seek support from the Indonesian Government for a Forum fact finding mission; and to assist in creating a framework for ongoing dialogue between the West Papua leadership and the Indonesia government. For More Information Contact: Neil. (08) 93281970 Australia West Papua Association-WA Joe. Mb. 04077 857 97 AWPA (Sydney) Andrew Johnson Mb: 04 3400 3131 --------------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE 3RD NATIONAL GATHERING of Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Groups 16-17 September 2006 --- =================^================================== I N D O L E F T - News service > > =================^================================== Papuans demand release of defendant in Timika shooting case Detik.com - September 26, 2006 Ari Saputra, Jakarta -- Dozens of West Papuans demonstrated in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday September 26 demanding that Reverend Ishak Onawame, a defendant in the shooting case near PT Freeport Indonesia be released. The demonstrators, who came from the West Papua Peoples Front for Struggle (FPRPB), arrived at the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara at around 10am. Not wasting any time, they immediately began holding speeches. "We call for him (Ishak) to be released. He is not linked with the shooting incident four years ago in Timika. Witnesses have said that the shooters were people wearing camouflage uniforms", said FPRPB chairperson Martin Cao. The protesters brought two guitars to the demonstration and accompanied by guitar music, they sang local Papuan songs. They also brought a number of large posters with the message "Release the reverend who is not guilty. He only spread the word of God". A red FPRPB flag measuring 3x2 metres was also put up. The action did not continue for long. After several minutes of giving speeches they moved off to the Central Jakarta District Court intending to attend the court hearing into the shooting case. The shooting took place in the area of PT Freeport Indonesia at Tembagapura Mile 62-63 in Timika on August 31, 2002. Two US citizens, Ricky Lynn Spier and Edwin Leon Burgen, and their Indonesian colleague FX Bambang Riwanto, were killed in the incident. Seven people have been indicted over the case, all of them West Papuans, one of which is Reverend Ishak Onawame. (djo/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 at yahoo.com --- http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=16823/overide SkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl Letters: HEAR US, FORUM LEADERS The West Papuan people need all the support from the international community they can get. On behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA ? Sydney), I am writing to you concerning the issue of West Papua. It was disappointing that concerns for the human rights situation in West Papua were not mentioned in last year?s Pacific Islands Forum communique, as it has been in previous years. I congratulate the Forum on granting observer status to Tokelau, joining New Caledonia, East Timor and French Polynesia. The granting of observer status to West Papua is one of the issues we would like to raise. I understand that at the 2005 Forum, it was decided to adopt a policy which ?establishes a new category of associate membership which governs the admission criteria and entitlements for associate membership and observer status?. We believe the time is now right for West Papua to be granted observer status at the Forum. We point out that the Melanesian people of West Papua have always been considered part of the Pacific Community. Netherlands New Guinea as West Papua was then known, was a member of the South Pacific Commission (now known as the Pacific Community) and Papuan leaders continued to participate in SPC meetings until the Dutch ceded their authority to the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) in 1962. Since last year?s Forum meeting, the human rights situation has continued to deteriorate in West Papua. West Papua people face great challenges including human rights abuses, exploitation of their natural resources (with little or no benefit to themselves), in danger of becoming a minority in their own land and a possible HIV/AIDS epidemic. The West Papuan people need all the support from the international community they can get. The Pacific Islands Forum can help the West Papuan people by: * Granting observer status to West Papua. By granting observer status, West Papuan representatives can dialogue with Indonesian representatives at the ?Post-Forum Dialogue?, to try and solve the many problems in West Papua. * Seeking support from the Indonesian government for a Forum fact finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory. * Encourage the Indonesian government to release all political prisoners as a sign of good faith to the West Papuan people. * Urge the Indonesian government to control its military and police in the territory and to remove all non-organic troops. * Encourage the Indonesian government to dialogue with the West Papuan leadership, to work towards peacefully solving the many issues of concern in the territory. * Urge the Australian government not to be involved in the training of the Indonesian military and in particular, the Indonesian special forces troops such as Kopassus. AWPA believes that by their very nature, troops such as Kopassus will always be used in conflict areas such as West Papua and such training will only increase the danger to the West Papuan people. We also urge the Forum to encourage the Australian government (as one of the best resourced countries in the region) to support the West Papuan people in the areas of health and education programmes, and to support not only West Papua but all Forum countries economically, by involving the people of these countries in a guest worker scheme. Such a scheme would be of enormous benefit to the people of the Forum countries. ?Joe Collins Secretary Australia West Papua Association Sydney Australia --- http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20511452-5001028,00.html Australians 'relaxed and comfortable' October 02, 2006 12:00 Article from: AAP DESPITE the increased focus on terrorism, rogue countries developing nuclear weapons and the impacts of global warming, Australians are confident and relaxed about world events, a national poll has found. The poll by the Lowy Institute for International Policy has found 86 per cent of Australians feel safe or very safe with what is happening around the globe. It has said that in order of rank, the top critical threats to Australia are international terrorism, the possibility of unfriendly countries becoming nuclear powers, global warming, Islamic fundamentalism and AIDS and other deadly epidemics. The war in Iraq has done nothing to lessen the terror threat, according to 84 per cent of people surveyed by the poll, while 67 per cent disagree that it will lead to the spread of democracy in the Middle East. Nearly all, 91 per cent, think the war has worsened American relations with the Muslim world. But the poll has found Australians remain relaxed and comfortable in the face of this pessimism. "This may be an era of terrorism but Australians generally feel safe or very safe," the institute's executive director Allan Gyngell has said. The poll includes similar questions asked in the institute's preceding poll from 2005, which canvassed Australian views towards other countries. "Our relationship with the United States is more complex than other relations with other countries and we see it as important to our security but we also seem to resent its influence," Mr Gyngell said. More than two-thirds of people have said the US has too much influence on Australian and foreign policy and 79 per cent have said the US is playing the role of "world policeman" more than it should be. But China poses little threat to Australia. Only 25 per cent of people have ranked "the development of China as a world power" as a possible threat, ranked it last in a list of 13 threats to Australia in the next 10 years. Australia's relationship with Indonesia has a "mixture of ignorance and suspicion" Mr Gyngell has said, since most Australians know about Indonesia only through the media. After a poll which canvassed both Australian and Indonesian attitudes, only 50 per cent of respondents from both countries said they felt warmly towards their close neighbour. Nearly half of Australians said relations were worsening, even though the Federal Government is considered to have improved relations. "Although Indonesia has been a successful democracy since 1998, most Australians think Indonesia is controlled by the military," Mr Gyngell said. Indonesians have said Australia has a tendency to interfere in their country's politics, as borne out in its perceived support for the separatist movement in the Indonesian province of Papua. The majority have said Australia wants to claim Papua as its own country. But 77 per cent of Australians and 64 per cent of Indonesians have said both countries should work together to develop a closer relationship. On climate change, the poll has found just over two-thirds of Australians are willing to take steps to address global warming, even if it results in significant costs to do so. --- http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/forests/media/pressrelease.cfm?ucidparam=20060929122642&CFID=5839930&CFTOKEN=89461401 Illegally logged timber from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea is being used during renovation work at the Houses of Parliament. Greenpeace investigators have found the timber, in the form of at least two tonnes of plywood, in the ?5million restructuring of the Press Area. The rainforest wood is protecting floors, stairs and walls while work is being carried out.[1] And this is the fourth time in as many years that Greenpeace has revealed that the Government is using illegal and unsustainable timber.[2] As recently as July, Greenpeace exposed the use of the same rainforest plywood at Admiralty Arch, the home of the Cabinet Office. Although the Government initially said they had proof that the timber was from 'legal and sustainable' sources, a subsequent internal investigation sent to Greenpeace makes it clear that this was not the case.[3] The magnificent forests of Papua New Guinea form part of the few remaining significant ancient forests on earth. They are home to many unique species of plants and animals such as the tree kangaroo and the world's largest butterfly, as well as indigenous communities that depend on the forest for their livelihood. But so-called 'robber barons' are plundering the rainforest with impunity, their crimes ranging from illegal logging to corruption, torture and rape. A recent report funded by the UK Government on logging in PNG found that illegality, environmental destruction and corruption were rife. But this remains the place where Blair is getting his timber. Belinda Fletcher, Greenpeace forests campaigner, said: "It's a disgrace that Parliament is awash with tropical plywood ripped from the world's last rainforests. While Tony Blair is busy worrying about his legacy, the world's last rainforests are being bulldozed for cheap throwaway products like plywood. "If the Government is serious about ending its role in rainforest destruction, the UK must sort out its shambolic timber policy by ensuring that only Forest Stewardship Council certified timber is used in public building projects, and by introducing a ban on the import of illegal timber. This is the only way to stop this destructive trade." Central government procurement accounts for approximately 20 per cent of all the timber used in the UK, while the broader public sector accounts for as much as 40 per cent.[4] In 2001 Tony Blair promised that the Government would only purchase legal and sustainable timber. However, a combination of weak guidelines and failed implementation has meant that the policy is failing, as the illegal plywood found at the Houses of Parliament and Admiralty Arch shows. For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255. Video and stills available, including clip reel of Papua New Guinea rainforest destruction, previous Greenpeace protests over government timber procurement and the plywood used in the House of Commons. Notes for editors: [1] Greenpeace tested two lots of tropical hardwood faced plywood being used at the Houses of Parliament, which have been confirmed as the species bintangor, sourced almost exclusively from the rainforests of PNG. Chinese mills producing the plywood found on site have confirmed to Greenpeace that the veneers used are sourced from Papua New Guinea. [2] Previous Greenpeace exposes of Government timber scandals include: * in April 2002 Greenpeace occupied the Cabinet Office at 22 Whitehall following an undercover investigation that revealed the Government was installing new doors and windows made from Sapele, sourced from companies known to be logging illegally in the rainforests of Cameroon; * in June 2003 Greenpeace occupied the new Home Office headquarters at 2 Marsham Street in Westminster after finding plywood from Indonesia's last rainforests, supplied by companies notorious for illegal logging, corruption and human rights abuses; * in July 2006 Greenpeace occupied the roof of Admiralty Arch, the home of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, in Westminster after finding plywood illegal logged from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea being used as hoardings around the site. [3] Key findings of the Cabinet Office internal investigation include: * bintangor faced plywood, manufactured in China, was used at Admiralty Arch; * recognition of "the strength of the supporting information provided by Greenpeace"; * documentation supplied by timber companies was unsatisfactory proof of compliance with Government policy; * the need for 'legal and sustainable timber' was not passed down the supply chain; * there was insufficient comprehension of timber procurement and how to audit it effectively. [4] Environmental Audit Committee, House of Commons (18th January 2006), Sustainable Timber --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillgen.asp?fileid=20061002123409&irec=0 Poll: Australians and Indonesians view each other with ignorance, suspicion SYDNEY, Australia (AP): Most Australians and Indonesians cannot name the leader of the other country, but both agree the two countries should work to forge closer ties, according to a survey published Monday. The poll, published by the independent think-tank Lowy Institute for International Policy, asked more than 2,200 Australians and Indonesians to rate their knowledge and opinion of the other country. Sixty-three percent of Australians could not name Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, while 73 percent of Indonesians could not remember the name of Australia's Prime Minister John Howard. Although 77 percent of Australians and 64 percent of Indonesians agreed with the statement that both countries should "work to develop a close relationship," the survey also uncovered differences in perceptions about the bilateral relationship. Respondents were asked to rate a series of statements on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means "strongly disagree" and 10 means "strongly agree." Asked whether Indonesia was a "dangerous source of Islamic terrorism," most Australians agreed, with an average response of 6.5. Most Indonesians disagreed, with an average response of 3.8. On the question of whether Australia "is right to worry about Indonesia as a military threat," most Australian respondents agreed, with an average response of 6.2. Indonesians were less certain, however, with an average response of 5. "While there is a degree of recognition that we need to work together, there is a degree of mistrust, suspicion on both sides," said Ivan Cook, the author of the study. The institute's executive director, Allan Gyngell, said the survey indicated "high levels of ignorance and suspicion" between the two countries. The poll of 1,007 Australians and 1,200 Indonesians was conducted between June 22 and July 6, by random telephone sample in Australia and face-to-face interviews in Indonesia. It had a margin of error of 3.1 percent in Australia and 2.8 percent in Indonesia. (***) --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061001. at 02 Kamoro festival showcases art, culture Features - October 01, 2006 Papua's Kamoro tribe celebrated its art and culture with the opening of a two-day festival Saturday by installing a Mbitoro, akin to a totem pole (see photo), to praise their ancestors in Mimika regency. The festival, held since 1998, showcases dance and music performances, traditional cooking demonstrations, as well as tribal artisans at work making the tribe's popular carvings and woven cloth and bags. An auction of some 150 Kamoro carvings is to be the highlight of the festival, which is aimed at preserving the Kamoro's cultural heritage while also serving as a forum to generate income for craftsmen and women weavers. The chairman of the festival's organizing committee, celebrated photographer and ethnologist Kal Muller, said the festival was intended to introduce the arts and culture of the Kamoro to a wider audience. The Kamoro, one of dozens of tribal groups in Papua, consists of about 18,000 members living in the southwest coastal area of Mimika regency. Mining company PT Freeport Indonesia director August Kafiar said the annual festival, the opening of which was also attended by several ambassadors, would boost the Kamoro people's pride and identity while developing their arts and culture. "I hope Kamoro's carvers, dancers and artists will continue to come up with new works that have a commercial value for the outside world. The Kamoro festival itself is becoming known for the unique carvings it displays," he said. -- JP/Markus Makur --- http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Army-saving-Papua-from-tribal-warfare/2006/10/02/1159641261109.html Army 'saving' Papua from tribal warfare October 2, 2006 - 7:59PM The military presence in Indonesia's troubled region of Papua was necessary to prevent a slide into tribal warfare, Jakarta's defence minister said, amid allegations the army has abused indigenous Papuans. Papua, a region comprising two provinces on the west half of New Guinea island, has long been under the scrutiny of Western groups critical of how Indonesia treats the ethnically distinct area. Soldiers were behind the killing of a Papuan independence leader in 2001 and some indigenous activists campaigning for a split from Indonesia have recently accused the army of genocide. "In regards to human rights violations, I think it is an old story. The media circus, particularly the satellite television, tends to recycle these images about past events," Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono told Reuters in an interview. After human rights abuses against indigenous Papuans under the autocratic rule of former president Suharto were unearthed, the Indonesian government issued a law in 2001 giving Papua a bigger share of revenue from its rich mineral and natural resources and more freedom in running its own affairs. However, some foreign groups, especially those based in Australia, have said the measures were not enough, and have intensified their campaign against the Indonesian military presence in Papua. Sudarsono, formerly a respected politics professor, said human rights groups had failed to recognise the positive role the military played in maintaining stability in Papua. The army have "the understanding about the anthropology and sociology of these cultures. They have worked very carefully with the views from within rather than imposing the view from outside in," he said. "They must be there simply to prevent the outburst of subtribal warfare. This is what human rights groups in Australia, Europe and the United States do not want to understand," he said. Papua, with a population of two million,has around 300 indigenous tribes, some still living in virtually Stone Age conditions, with different sets of languages and traditions. Tribal wars using bows and arrows killed at least three people last month, triggering a deployment of troops to the affected areas. Some reports said Indonesia would increase its military presence in Papua because of those events. However, Sudarsono dismissed the idea of new troops beefing up the 12,000 already in the region, saying there were no funds for that and there had only been regular rotation of forces. Indonesia took over Papua in 1969 under a vote by community leaders backed by the United Nations, but many rights groups consider that UN process was a sham. ? 2006 Reuters --- http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1753928.htm Last Update: Monday, October 2, 2006. 10:26pm (AEST) Army must be part of Papua solution, Indonesia says Indonesia's Defence Minister has defended the military's presence in Papua as necessary to prevent a slide into tribal warfare, amid allegations the army has abused indigenous Papuans. Papua, a region comprising two provinces on the west half of New Guinea island, has long been under the scrutiny of Western groups critical of how Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, treats the predominantly Christian and ethnically distinct area. Soldiers were behind the killing of a Papuan independence leader in 2001, and some indigenous activists campaigning for a split from Indonesia have recently accused the army of genocide - charges Indonesia denies. Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono has told Reuters in an interview that the issue of human rights violations is "an old story". "The media circus, particulary the satellite television, tends to recycle these images about past events," he said. After human rights abuses against indigenous Papuans under President Suharto were unearthed, the Indonesian Government in 2001 issued a law giving Papua a bigger share of revenue from its rich mineral and natural resources and more freedom in running its own affairs. But some foreign groups, especially those based in Australia, have said the measures are not enough, and have increased their campaign against the Indonesian military presence in Papua. Mr Sudarsono, a respected politics professor and former ambassador to the United Kingdom, says human rights groups have failed to recognise the positive role the military plays in maintaining stability in Papua. He says the army understands "the anthropology and sociology of these cultures". "They have worked very carefully with the views from within rather than imposing the view from outside in," he said. "They must be there simply to prevent the outburst of subtribal warfare. "This is what human rights groups in Australia, Europe and the United States do not want to understand." Papua, with a population of two million occupying a land area almost as large as Iraq, has around 300 indigenous tribes, with different sets of languages and traditions. Tribal wars with bows and arrows killed at least three people last month, triggering a deployment of troops to the affected areas. Some reports said Indonesia would increase its military presence in Papua due to those events. But Mr Sudarsono has dismissed the idea of new troops beefing up the 12,000 already in the region, saying there are no funds for that and there has only been regular rotation of forces. Indonesia took over the area in 1969 under a vote by community leaders backed by the United Nations. - Reuters --- http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/JAK34070.htm INTERVIEW-Army must be part of Papua solution, says Jakarta 02 Oct 2006 09:27:57 GMT Source: Reuters JAKARTA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The military presence in Indonesia's troubled region of Papua is necessary to prevent a slide into tribal warfare, Jakarta's defence minister said on Monday amid allegations the army abused indigenous Papuans. Papua, a region comprising two provinces on the west half of New Guinea island, has long been under the scrutiny of Western groups critical of how Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, treats the predominantly Christian and ethnically distinct area. Soldiers were behind the killing of a Papuan independence leader in 2001 and some indigenous activists campaigning for a split from Indonesia have recently accused the army of genocide, charges Indonesia denies. "In regards to human rights violations, I think it is an old story. The media circus, particulary the satellite television, tends to recycle these images about past events," Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono told Reuters in an interview. After human rights abuses against indigenous Papuans under the autocratic rule of President Suharto were unearthed, the Indonesian government in 2001 issued a law giving Papua a bigger share of revenue from its rich mineral and natural resources and more freedom in running its own affairs. Suharto left office in 1998. However, some foreign groups, especially those based in Australia, have said the measures were not enough and increased their campaign against the Indonesian military presence in Papua. Sudarsono, a respected politics professor, said human rights groups had failed to recognise the positive role the military played in maintaining stability in Papua. The army have "the understanding about the anthropology and sociology of these cultures. They have worked very carefully with the views from within rather than imposing the view from outside in," said Sudarsono, who was a former ambassador to the United Kingdom. "They must be there simply to prevent the outburst of subtribal warfare. This is what human rights groups in Australia, Europe and the United States do not want to understand," he said. Papua, with a population of two million occupying a land area almost as large as Iraq, has around 300 indigenous tribes, some still living in virtually Stone Age conditions, with different sets of languages and traditions. Tribal wars using bows and arrows killed at least three people last month, triggering a deployment of troops to the affected areas. Some reports said Indonesia would increase its military presence in Papua due to those events. However, Sudarsono dismissed the idea of new troops beefing up the 12,000 already in the region, saying there were no funds for that and there has only been regular rotation of forces. Jakarta took over the area in 1969 under a vote by community leaders backed by the United Nations. Many rights groups consider that U.N. process a sham. --- Australian Financial Review Friday, September 29, 2006 Papua Opens Doors for Donors Morgan Mellish Jayapura A group of 40 international donor organisations, including the Australian government and the World Bank, flew to the troubled Indonesian province of Papua this week to meet recently elected governor Barnabas Suebu. At the end of a day-long meeting outlining his vision, Mr Suebu had one simple message for the diplomats and aid workers: "If you have any trouble getting a permit from the Indonesian government to enter Papua, then come and see me." To reinforce this message, he put the phone numbers of his aides up on the screen. "If we want to build toll roads, airports and container facilities, they are very expensive," Mr Suebu said after the meeting. "That is why we require donors and they are welcome. "This is the first time we've held a meeting like this and they [the donors] are very enthusiastic." Indonesia's easternmost province - which has huge natural resources but is still one of the country's poorest - has in effect been a no-go area for most Western organisations due to a low-level but politically sensitive separatist campaign that has simmered for more than 30 years. Because of this, the Indonesian government, which has ruled the former Dutch colony with an iron fist, has been reluctant to grant access to Western organisations, including media, fearing they would encourage independence sentiments. "Donors have been staying away from Papua for two reasons," said the head of the World Bank in Indonesia, Andrew Steer. "One, operating here is difficult and projects have a much lower rate of return [than elsewhere in Indonesia]. Two, for political reasons it's been a little more tricky for them to engage." This is particularly so for the Australian government and Australian non-governmental organisations, which Jakarta has long suspected of supporting independence for Papua. These tensions only grew earlier this year after Canberra granted asylum to a group of 42 Papuan refugees who claimed there were widespread human rights abuses. As one Western diplomat put it: "You'll never hear Jakarta admit it, but most diplomats have been banned from Papua for years." At the moment, the United Nations has a small presence here and there are Catholic missionaries. All foreigners wanting to enter the province must apply to the Indonesian government for a travel permit known as a surat jalan. It took The Australian Financial Review, for example, six months to get one. Even then, movements are strictly limited. Mr Steer said that under new special autonomy laws aimed at quelling the independence movement, the Indonesian government had vastly increased revenue payments to Papua in recent years and it needed advice rather than money, which donor organisations would be happy to provide. KEY POINTS * Papua has in effect been a no-go area due to a separatist campaign. * Because of the difficulties, donors have been staying away. * Most diplomats have been banned. --- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20516449-2702,00.html More Papuans bound for Australia AAP October 03, 2006 ANOTHER group of Papuan asylum seekers will soon try to reach Australia, a leading Papuan dissident says. The statement from Edison Warom comes nearly 10 months after 43 Papuan asylum seekers arrived in Australia by boat. The asylum seekers were given temporary protection visas and all have since been granted refugee status. The decision to grant the visas rocked relations between Australia and Indonesia, which considers Papua one of its territories. Indonesia withdrew its ambassador from Australia in March but he has since returned. "I can say that there will be more people leaving but I can't confirm what day and what time," Mr Warom told ABC Radio through an interpreter. "Because, if I say, then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters ... but I will say there will be an exodus." Mr Warom said those who had made it to Australia in January had been carefully vetted over three years so their chances of gaining a temporary protection visa were high. --- http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,20516254-1702,00.html?from=public_rss Papuan boatload not wanted: Vanstone October 03, 2006 09:00am Article from: AAP IMMIGRATION Minister Amanda Vanstone says she hopes another boatload of refugees from Papua is not heading to Australia. Her comments come as a Papuan dissident today said he was organising a second group of Papuans to follow the lead of 43 others who were granted temporary protection by Australia after landing on the mainland in January. "I would hope that there isn't another boatload for a number of reasons, it is the least safe way to seek asylum in Australia,'' Senator Vanstone told ABC Radio. A diplomatic rift opened between Australia and Indonesia after the 43 protection visas were issued earlier this year. Jakarta considers Papua one of its provinces despite significant moves from some Papuans to split from Indonesia. Senator Vanstone said she expected strong cooperation from Indonesia if any fresh refugees tried to reach Australia from Papua. "We have very close cooperation with the Indonesians,'' she said. "I'm very grateful and I think if I could tell you all about it, Australians would be very grateful for the cooperation we get from Indonesia.'' The unlawful movement of people, Senator Vanstone said, was a regional issue and one every nation had a stake in. --- http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Vanstone-hopes-Papuan-boat-is-not-coming/2006/10/03/1159641294431.html Vanstone hopes Papuan boat is not coming October 3, 2006 - 8:34AM Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone says she hopes another reported boatload of refugees from Papua is not heading to Australia. Her comments come as a Papuan dissident said he was organising a second group of Papuans to follow the lead of 43 others who were granted temporary protection by Australia after landing on the mainland in January. "I would hope that there isn't another boatload for a number of reasons, it is the least safe way to seek asylum in Australia," Senator Vanstone told ABC Radio. A diplomatic rift opened between Australia and Indonesia after the 43 protection visas were issued earlier this year. Jakarta considers Papua one of its provinces despite significant moves from some Papuans to split from Indonesia. Senator Vanstone said she expected strong cooperation from Indonesia if any fresh refugees tried to reach Australia from Papua. "We have very close cooperation with the Indonesians," she said. "I'm very grateful and I think if I could tell you all about it, Australians would be very grateful for the cooperation we get from Indonesia." The unlawful movement of people, Senator Vanstone said, was a regional issue and one every nation had a stake in. ? 2006 AAP --- http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1754141.htm Australia won't support Papuan independence movement: Vanstone AM - Tuesday, 3 October , 2006 08:04:00 Reporter: Tony Eastley TONY EASTLEY: Only last week the Minister for Immigration Senator Amanda Vanstone met Chinese immigration officials to discuss border security in the Asia-Pacific region, so it's a subject dear to her heart. Amanda Vanstone joins us now. Good morning, Minister. AMANDA VANSTONE: Good morning. TONY EASTLEY: We heard Edison Waromi, the President of the West Papua National Authority tells our correspondent that he wants to send more people to Australia. Has Australia received any intelligence to that end? AMANDA VANSTONE: Well, nobody who gets access to any intelligence discusses it on air, but I do find this story a little bit depressing, even though it was one that we would expect, because we said at the time that this was an organised arrangement, and not, as you rightly say in the introduction to the program, a spontaneous flight. It was an organised arrangement, and it was clearly done to give the opportunity for people in Australia to form a base for protesting the civil issues in Indonesian West Papua. Now, we don't support a separate Indonesian West Papua and I don't think Australians want civil unrest on their northern borders. So the fact that this has given some people some hope is in fact, I think, a pretty depressing outcome. TONY EASTLEY: But what's been arranged between Australian and Indonesia since those last arrivals, the 43, which can head off further potential diplomatic stoushes between Australia and Indonesia? And have you received any information to suggest this is happening? AMANDA VANSTONE: Well, if you want to talk about what you refer to as diplomatic stoushes, I think you need to talk to Mr Downer. But from my part in the immigration portfolio, we have very close cooperation with the Indonesians. I'm very grateful, and I think if I could tell you all about it, Australians would be very grateful for the cooperation we get from Indonesia. Their minister, Mr Awaluddin, is a very competent man TONY EASTLEY: Are you confident, though, he'll tell you that more Papuans may be on their way to Australia? AMANDA VANSTONE: Look, the first loyalty of any minister is to their own nation, and that's just as true of Indonesian ministers as it is with Australian ministers. But I can say this: that we do understand that the unlawful movement of people is a regional issue, and we cooperate on it between ourselves, and with other countries in the region. TONY EASTLEY: But are you confident, Amanda Vanstone, that if there is another boatload of Papuans being arranged to come to Australia, you'll know about it first? AMANDA VANSTONE: Look, I don't think you can ever be sure of that sort of thing. I would hope that there isn't another boatload, for a number of reasons. It is the least safe way to seek asylum in Australia. I did hear last night on another program on the ABC someone saying we tried to pass a bill to send all asylum seekers to Nauru. That's not correct. We sought to pass a bill through Parliament to send all unauthorised boat arrivals to Nauru. It is the least safe way for people to come to Australia and seek asylum. TONY EASTLEY: Minister for Immigration, Senator Amanda Vanstone, thanks for joining us this morning. --- http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1754140.htm Papuan asylum seekers bring political struggle to Australia AM - Tuesday, 3 October , 2006 08:00:00 Reporter: Geoff Thompson TONY EASTLEY: A pro independence Papuan leader who helped get 43 of his people to Australia, where they were granted temporary asylum, has told AM that preparations are being made for what he calls another "exodus". Edison Waromi is the President of the West Papua National Authority, which was set up to try and unite the different pro-independence groups within the Indonesian province. He told our Indonesia Correspondent Geoff Thompson that the asylum seekers' journey to Australia was planned to bring attention to Papua's independence struggle. (Sound of drums, singing) GEOFF THOMPSON: On the edge of Jayapura, a celebration of the Papua Indonesia does not want you to see. A few years ago, a secret little gathering like this would be an occasion to raise the morning star flag of Papua's independence movement. Now a small separatist gesture is all that is there, but there is a new hope here. (Willy Mandowen speaking) "Forty two Papuans have been accepted by Australia as our neighbour," says the Papuan Customary Council's spokesman Willy Mandowen. "It's the first time in history. What's going on? It's a sign of God's blessing," he says, "that the Papuan's struggle in his plan." Australia's granting of temporary protection visas to 42 Papuans was part of a plan. But rather than being a spontaneous flight from Papua's conflicted shores, the asylum bid was organised over three years and each of the asylum seekers was carefully selected based on the likelihood of their qualifying for protection because of family histories of involvement in the independence movement. (Sound of Edison Waromi speaking) "This is a very encouraging for the Papuan people who are being pursued and intimidated," says the West Papua National Authority's President Edison Waromi. "They can just go together to the kangaroo continent, until Papua's problem, independent Papua's political status, can be resolved fairly and peacefully," he says. "Australia has a constitution that can guarantee asylum seekers so we need to direct our struggle," he says. "And when West Papua gains its independence in the future, Australia will be our closest neighbour." Edison Waromi also claims that another asylum bid, what he calls an exodus, is being prepared. (Sound of Edison Waromi speaking) "I can say that there will be more people leaving but I can't confirm what day and what time," he says, "because if I say then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters and borders of Jayapura. But I will say there will be an exodus." Edison Waromi offered no evidence to suggest that such an exodus was imminent. >From Jayapura this is Geoff Thompson reporting for AM. --- http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/03/asia/AS_GEN_Australia_Indonesia_Papua.php Papuan dissident warns of refugee 'exodus' to Australia The Associated Press Published: October 2, 2006 SYDNEY, Australia A dissident from Indonesia's restive Papua province on Tuesday predicted that an "exodus" of asylum seekers would flee to nearby Australia in the coming weeks. Edison Warom's comments came nearly 10 months after 43 Papuan asylum seekers landed on Australia's northern coast, sparking a diplomatic rift between Jakarta and Canberra. "I can say that there will be more people leaving, but I can't confirm what day and what time," Warom told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio through an interpreter. "Because, if I say, then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters ... but I will say there will be an exodus," Warom said. It was not clear whether he was speaking from Australia or Indonesia. Indonesia temporarily withdrew its ambassador from Australia in protest earlier this year after Canberra accepted the 43 Papuans, including supporters of the province's secessionist movement, as refugees. Australia's Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone criticized Warom for encouraging people to flee Papua by boat, and sought to reassure Indonesia that Canberra did not support independence for the troubled province, also known as West Papua. "We don't believe in a separate Indonesian West Papua," she told Macquarie Radio on Tuesday. "Why on earth people would want to promote unrest in West Papua? I for the life of me don't know, let alone promote people getting on shaky boats and risking their lives. I think it's just crazy." SYDNEY, Australia A dissident from Indonesia's restive Papua province on Tuesday predicted that an "exodus" of asylum seekers would flee to nearby Australia in the coming weeks. Edison Warom's comments came nearly 10 months after 43 Papuan asylum seekers landed on Australia's northern coast, sparking a diplomatic rift between Jakarta and Canberra. "I can say that there will be more people leaving, but I can't confirm what day and what time," Warom told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio through an interpreter. "Because, if I say, then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters ... but I will say there will be an exodus," Warom said. It was not clear whether he was speaking from Australia or Indonesia. Indonesia temporarily withdrew its ambassador from Australia in protest earlier this year after Canberra accepted the 43 Papuans, including supporters of the province's secessionist movement, as refugees. Australia's Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone criticized Warom for encouraging people to flee Papua by boat, and sought to reassure Indonesia that Canberra did not support independence for the troubled province, also known as West Papua. "We don't believe in a separate Indonesian West Papua," she told Macquarie Radio on Tuesday. "Why on earth people would want to promote unrest in West Papua? I for the life of me don't know, let alone promote people getting on shaky boats and risking their lives. I think it's just crazy." --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Wed Oct 4 17:47:30 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 08:47:30 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 03 -5 2006 Message-ID: <1990.61.94.95.29.1160005650.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Sept Oct 3 - 5 2006 KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * Papua cooperatives office to build markets in areas bordering PNG * Lawyer says Papuan asylum bid vindicated by court decision * Papuan refugees face closer scrutiny * Papuan activist dies in Sydney * Papuan separatists plan exodus * Papuan dissident warns of 'exodus' of refugees to Australia * Papuan dies in Australia * PM vows to look into Papuan claims * PM signals tough stance * Talk of Papuan asylum seeker influx worries Howard * Papuan independence activist dies in Australia * Equivalency test too hard for many students * The Right" should embrace West Papua * Labor supports Coalition on asylum for Papuans * Book Review: DAY OF RECKONING * Papua kampongs to get funding * Lisa grabs silver in weightlifting worlds * West Papuans make risky visit * Ayamiseba?s fate will be known this week --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=21006 Papua cooperatives office to build markets in areas bordering PNG Jayapura, Irian Jaya (ANTARA News) - Papua province`s cooperatives and small-scale enterprises office (UKM) will this year start building markets in a number of subdistricts bordering Papua New Guinea (PNG), a spokesman said. "The first market will be built in Lereh village, Kaerom district," the office`s head, Kaleb Worembai, said on Tuesday. Another market would be built in Skouw village, Jayapura District. Two more markets would be opened in Tanah Merah village in Boven Digul District and Sota village, Merauke District, he added. He said the project would be funded by his office. He expressed hope the markets would meet the need of people living in the border regiosn fot facilities to to sell their products.(*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA October 3, 2006 --- http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1754549.htm Lawyer says Papuan asylum bid vindicated by court decision The World Today - Tuesday, 3 October , 2006 12:18:00 Reporter: Gillian Bradford ELEANOR HALL: The lawyer representing many of the Papuans who've been given protection in Australia, says the public should not lose sympathy for them just because their bid to come here was highly organised. The ABC has spoken to independence leaders in the Indonesian province of Papua who have confirmed that they handpicked the 43 asylum seekers who came to Australia in January this year, knowing that they had the best chance of being granted protection. They also said there were plans for more Papuans to set off for Australia though they did not give any details. The Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone says she finds it depressing that the Papuan refugees bid to come to Australia was well organised. But Refugee Lawyer David Manne has told Gillian Bradford that nothing these people have done makes their claims for protection less genuine. DAVID MANNE: There's one simple question in all of this, and that is, did and do the 43 West Papuan refugees face a real chance of facing fundamental human rights abuse in the form of persecution if returned to West Papua, or anywhere else in Indonesia? And what is crystal clear is that on an objective assessment, based on legal criteria, the Australian Government found that all 43 West Papuan refugees faced the real chance of facing brutal human rights abuse at the hands of Indonesian authorities if returned to West Papua or anywhere else in Indonesia. That's the simple question, and the answer remains completely unaltered by any of these conspiracy theories, which are being peddled at the moment about how the West Papuan refugees are out in Australia. GILLIAN BRADFORD: Do you think some Australians though, will think they've been played for fools here, that this was planned over a long period of time, their bid to come to Australia? DAVID MANNE: Look, I'm sure Australians will once again, as they have with the 43 West Papuans, understand that a fair, just, decent and humane response is needed to people who flee in fear for their lives like the West Papuan refugees, and that if they are found to be genuine refugees, that they must be protected here. GILLIAN BRADFORD: Are you concerned now, that because this information is out there, that it was an organised bid, that that may affect the asylum chances of others who plan to come to Australia? DAVID MANNE: Look, it's crucial in all of this that we focus on the fundamental issue, and that is the protection needs of innocent, vulnerable people. It's crucial that politics not prevail over the protection needs of innocent and vulnerable people, who are refugees, such as the West Papuans. GILLIAN BRADFORD: Amanda Vanstone says she finds this story depressing, to find that it was an organised arrangement, and she would implore Papuans not to do this, because it is the most dangerous way of seeking asylum. DAVID MANNE: The issue is about whether or not people who arrive in Australia need protection from brutal human rights abuses at the hands of their governments, including the Indonesian Government. The issue is not about whether or not anyone feels depressed about their situation, but whether or not they meet the legal criteria for refugee status - that's the crucial issue - and if they do, Australia has clear cut obligations under the refugees conventions and indeed domestic law in Australia, to provide protection to such people, so that they're not facing brutal human rights abuses in the future. GILLIAN BRADFORD: Will you continue to represent any such Papuans who make their way to Australia? DAVID MANNE: If we are requested to assist people who have genuine protection needs, we will do everything we can to assist them. Nothing which has been suggested, none of the allegations or theories, or conspiracies that have been peddled recently alter the basic fact, and that is that people such as the 43 West Papuans who flee in fear for their lives and are found on an objective basis, an objective assessment, to be refugees, nothing has changed the fact that they deserve our protection. ELEANOR HALL: That's refugee lawyer David Manne, speaking to Gillian Bradford in Canberra. --- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20521643-2702,00.html Papuan refugees face closer scrutiny Dennis Shanahan and Stephen Fitzpatrick October 04, 2006 PAPUAN asylum-seekers face tougher scrutiny in Australia over fears that political activists are manipulating the system to guarantee successful applications for asylum that are damaging relations with Indonesia. The federal Government will look more closely at applications from Papuans after John Howard and Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone discussed the latest claims that more asylum-seekers from the province were on their way. Senator Vanstone warned that any new Papuan asylum-seekers might find themselves taken to Nauru for processing. She hinted of other unspecified measures to be taken if the actions of Papuan asylum- seekers were deemed to be "not in Australia's national interest". Ms Vanstone said that while not doubting the veracity of their claims, the federal Government did not want asylum-seekers risking their lives in shaky boats crossing the dangerous waters of the Torres Strait. Mr Howard said yesterday he had concerns about the latest claims that another boatload of asylum-seekers was coming from Papua because of apparent manipulation of the Australian asylum system. "I am not going to have the system manipulated by anybody," he said. "I think the revelations in The Australian newspaper a couple of weeks ago about the way in which the 43 were assembled and these latest stories mean that the Government will be looking even more closely at any possible manipulation of the system," Mr Howard said in Sydney. The Australian revealed that the first boatload of 43 Papuan asylum-seekers, who were granted asylum in Australia for fear of political repression from Indonesian authorities, were carefully vetted and selected to ensure their successful applications and create a precedent. Edison Waromi, who helped plan the audacious sea trip from Papua to Cape York last January led by independence activist Herman Wanggai, said Mr Howard was in a "dilemma" trying to please both Jakarta and his own partyroom. Mr Waromi would not comment yesterday on whether he knew of new plans to send another group of asylum-seekers by boat across the Torres Strait. The court decision to grant the 43 visas angered the Indonesian Government, which recalled the ambassador in protest, and dominated a meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Mr Howard in Batam in July. At that meeting, Mr Howard declared Australia had no intention of threatening Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua. He said Papuans were Indonesian citizens and Australia would not allow itself to be used as a base for political separatist movements. But his bill, which included offshore processing of all illegal arrivals, was pulled from the Senate when it faced defeat in August. Mr Howard spoke yesterday morning to the Immigration Minister about the manipulation of claims and reports that there were more asylum-seekers from Papua on their way. "I am prepared to defend the proper administration of the asylum system but I am not going to have the system manipulated by anybody," Mr Howard said. "We have an orderly refugee program and if people are trying to manipulate the system, it will mean ever-closer scrutiny of asylum applications in the future." Kim Beazley said the reports of more Papuan asylum-seekers coming to Australia meant foreign policy focus should be moved away from Iraq towards developing a coastguard. "What this report shows is that we have got to reorient our strategies and our policies to refocus on the Southeast Asian and South Pacific area. "We need a coastguard, we need a process which ensures that nobody makes unexpected landings on the Australian coastline. "And they can be effectively dealt with by what are very powerful and tough laws now." Indonesian politician Yudhi Krisnandi, part of a foreign affairs delegation that travelled to Australia after the asylum- seeker affair blew up earlier this year, said yesterday that Papuan independence agitators appeared to have mustered enough unity to trick Canberra. "Like it or not, Australia must admit that its actions (in awarding temporary protection visas to the 43) were not based on correct information," Mr Krisnandi said. Additional reporting: Mark Dodd --- http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20517581-1702,00.html Papuan activist dies in Sydney October 03, 2006 03:26pm Article from: AAP A PROMINENT Papuan independence activist has died in a Sydney hospital, the Free West Papua human rights group said today. Willem (Wim) Zonggonau, who spent 35 years trying to win independence for the Indonesian province of Papua, died yesterday at Royal North Shore Hospital, after a "massive cardiovascular event''. Greens Senator Bob Brown today paid tribute to Mr Zonggonau, 64, whom he said had been a great leader. "He was a fine and inspiring person,'' Senator Brown said. Mr Zonggonau was prevented from travelling to the US to protest against the conduct of the United Nations after a "sham'' referendum on the issue of independence in 1969. "If the Papuan's wishes for independence had been heard fairly and openly back then (1969) I have no doubt Wim would have been a great leader, even prime minister of West Papua,'' Senator Brown said. At the time of his death, Mr Zonggonau, who lived in Papua New Guinea, had been on a public speaking tour of Australia to highlight his concerns about a proposed new security treaty between Indonesia and Australia. "There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, however an autopsy and coroner's inquiry will be undertaken in Sydney this week,'' Free West Papua said. --- http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1754913.htm Papuan separatists plan exodus Australian Broadcasting Corporation Broadcast: 03/10/2006 Reporter: Geoff Thompson A group of Papuan separatists says they are planning another exodus of asylum seekers to Australia, to follow the 42 who were given temporary shelter earlier this year. Transcript TONY JONES: Well, the Federal Government has expressed concern about suggestions of a new exodus of refugees from the Indonesian province of Papua. Papuan dissidents say they're planning a new voyage after the success of an earlier one which led to 42 people being given temporary shelter in Australia. Indonesia correspondent Geoff Thompson gained rare access to the separatist movement in Jayapura to file this report. GEOFF THOMPSON: On the edge of Jayapura a celebration of the Papua Indonesia does not want you to see. A few years ago, a secret little gathering like this would be an occasion to raise the Morning Star flag of Papua's independence movement. Now, a small separatist gesture is all that is dared. But there is a new hope here. 42 Papuans have been accepted by Australia as our neighbour, says Papuan customary council spokesman Willy Mandowen. It's the first time in history. What's going on? It's a sign of God's blessing, he says, that the Papuan struggle is in his plan. Australia's decision to grant temporary protection to 42 Papuans was part of a plan. One carefully organised over the last three years, with the help of the West Papua national authority's Edison Waromi. EDISON WAROMI: This is very encouraging for the Papuan people who are being pursued and intimidated. They can just go together to the kangaroo continent until Papua's problem, independent Papua's political status can be resolved fairly and peacefully. GEOFF THOMPSON: The extent of human rights abuses by security forces in Papua range from claims of pervasive low level violence to allegations of genocide. FRANCESCA LAWE-DOWLS: It's still quite hard to gauge in some ways, because of the well known access problems. It's more a problem of a cultural of impunity among the security forces which leads to sporadic eruptions of violence than it is a systematic campaign to wipe out Indigenous Papuans as some groups would allege. GEOFF THOMPSON: Any thorough journalistic probing inside Papua is far from encouraged by the Indonesian Government. Permission to travel here is rarely granted, and when it is journalists' movements around the province are strictly controlled and keenly observed. Even talking to known independence supporters or human rights activists in Papua is enough to get journalists with correct permits detained by police. But Willy Mandowen hopes the wind will change by the end of this year. WILLY MANDOWEN: We think we are on the right track. Again in the past, we do it publicly but today we want to do it silently when the time comes for the right wind, we will sail. GEOFF THOMPSON: Edison Waromi warns that another boat of asylum seekers will sail some time, too. EDISON WAROMI: I can say there will be more people leaving, but I can't yet confirm what day and what time, because if I say then Jakarta will surely monitor the Southern Waters and the borders of Jayapura. But I will say there will be an exodus. GEOFF THOMPSON: In the face of these warnings Prime Minister John Howard says he's concerned about possible misuse of the refugee system by Papuan separatists. JOHN HOWARD: If people are trying to manipulate the system, then it will mean ever closer scrutiny of any asylum applications in the future. GEOFF THOMPSON: Despite the separatist claims, there's no evidence that any exodus is imminent. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillgen.asp?fileid=20061003110535&irec=9 Papuan dissident warns of 'exodus' of refugees to Australia SYDNEY, Australia (AP): A dissident from Indonesia's restive Papua province on Tuesday predicted that an "exodus" of asylum seekers would flee to Australia in the coming weeks. Edison Warom's comments came nearly 10 months after 43 Papuan asylum seekers landed on Australia's northern coast, sparking a diplomatic rift between Jakarta and Canberra. "I can say that there will be more people leaving but I can't confirm what day and what time," Warom told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio through an interpreter. Because, if I say, then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters ... but I will say there will be an exodus," Warom added. It was not clear whether he was speaking from Australia or Indonesia. Indonesia temporarily withdrew its ambassador from Australia in protest earlier this year after Canberra accepted the 42 -- and refusing one -- Papuans as refugees, including supporters of the province's secessionist movement. Australia's Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said she expected strong cooperation from Indonesia if any fresh refugees tried to reach Australia from Papua. "I would hope that there isn't another boatload for a number of reasons, it is the least safe way to seek asylum in Australia," Vanstone told the ABC. ( --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillgen.asp?fileid=20061003155527&irec=5 Papuan dies in Australia SYDNEY, Australia (AP): Willem "Wim" Zonggonau, an independence activist from Indonesia's restive Papua province, has died during a speaking tour in Australia, officials said Tuesday. He was 64.Zonggonau died Monday at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital after suffering a major heart attack, according to a statement released by the Australia-based Free West Papua group. "I was very sorry to hear of Wim's death. He was a fine and inspiring person," Greens party Sen. Bob Brown said in a statement released Tuesday. Zonggonau had spent much of the past 37 years protesting a 1969 referendum that integrated Papua - also known as West Papua - into Indonesia. Brown described Zonggonau's death as "a tragedy." "If the Papuans' wishes for independence had been heard fairly and openly back then, I have no doubt Wim would have been a great leader, even prime minister, of West Papua," Brown said. Zonggonau had been visiting Australia on a speaking tour from Papua New Guinea, where he lived in exile. Free West Papua said an autopsy and coroner's inquiry would be undertaken in Sydney this week, but that there were "no suspicious circumstances" surrounding Zonggonau's death. (**) --- http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/PM-vows-to-look-into-Papuan-claims/2006/10/03/1159641294431.html PM vows to look into Papuan claims October 3, 2006 - 8:34AM Prime Minister John Howard has vowed to look into whether Papuan dissidents are trying to manipulate Australia's asylum system. Ten months after a group of 43 boatpeople from the troubled Indonesian province arrived in Australia's northern waters, Papuan leaders say another group is on its way. Relations between Australia and Indonesia plummeted in April after Canberra granted protection visas to the boatpeople, who claimed they were fleeing persecution in Papua. Papuan dissident Edison Warom says that group had been carefully vetted over a three-year period to ensure their chances of getting a protection visa were high, and a similar group could arrive soon. "I can say that there will be more people leaving but I can't confirm what day and what time," Mr Warom told ABC Radio through an interpreter. "Because, if I say, then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters ... but I will say there will be an exodus." Mr Howard has spoken to Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone about the claims and says people will not be allowed to manipulate the process. "The government will be looking even more closely at any possible manipulation of the system," Mr Howard told reporters in Sydney. "I am prepared to and will continue to defend the proper administration of our asylum system but I am not going to have the system manipulated by anybody. "We have an orderly refugee program and if people are trying to manipulate the system then it will mean ever closer scrutiny of any asylum applications in the future." In the wake of the January arrivals, Mr Howard proposed tough new laws which would have forced all boatpeople to be sent to island detention centres while their claims were processed. But he was forced to back down after a Liberal backbench revolt, disappointing Indonesia. Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said that Mr Warom's claims did not mean the government had been right to try to change the laws. "We need a Coastguard, we need a process which ensures that nobody makes unexpected landings on the Australian coastline," Mr Beazley told reporters in Adelaide. "And they can be effectively dealt with by what are very powerful and tough laws now. But laws designed in the Australian interest, no one else's." Senator Vanstone said she hoped Mr Warom was wrong, as arriving by boat was the least safe way to seek asylum in Australia. She said she expected strong cooperation from Indonesia if any fresh refugees tried to reach Australia from Papua. "Why on earth people would want to promote unrest in West Papua I, for the life of me, don't know, let alone promote people getting on shaky boats and risking their lives," she told Macquarie radio. "I think it's just crazy." Meanwhile, a prominent Papuan independence activist has died in a Sydney hospital. Willem (Wim) Zonggonau, who spent 35 years trying to win independence for the province, died on Monday at Royal North Shore Hospital after a "massive cardiovascular event", the Free West Papua group said. ? 2006 AAP --- http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20520131-662,00.html PM signals tough stance Ben Packham October 04, 2006 12:00am Article from: Herald-Sun JOHN Howard has signalled a tougher line on Papuan asylum seekers. Amid reports that another group of Papuans is on its way, Mr Howard said the Government would look at whether Papuan activists had rorted asylum laws. Papuan activists have admitted a group of 43 boat people who arrived ten months ago were carefully selected to ensure their chances of gaining asylum were high. Relations between Australia and Indonesia plummeted in April after Canberra granted protection visas to the boatpeople, who claimed to be fleeing persecution in Papua. Mr Howard said any manipulation of immigration laws would be result in greater scrutiny of asylum claims. "I am prepared to and will continue to defend the proper administration of our asylum system," he said. "But I am not going to have the system manipulated by anybody and I believe the Australian people will have the same view." In the wake of the January arrivals, Mr Howard proposed tough new laws which would have forced all boatpeople to be sent to island detention centres while their claims were processed. But he was forced to back down after a Liberal backbench revolt, disappointing Indonesia. Papuan dissident Edison Warom said another group of asylum seekers could arrive from the troubled Indonesian province soon. "I can say that there will be more people leaving but I can't confirm what day and what time," Mr Warom told ABC Radio. "Because, if I say, then Jakarta will surely monitor the southern waters ... but I will say there will be an exodus." Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said that Mr Warom's claims did not justify moves to process all asylum seekers offshore. "They can be effectively dealt with by what are very powerful and tough laws now. But laws designed in the Australian interest, no one else's," he said --- http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1754815.htm Tuesday, October 3, 2006. 6:34pm (AEST) Forty-three Papuans were granted visas earlier this year [File photo]. Forty-three Papuans were granted visas earlier this year [File photo]. (ABC) Talk of Papuan asylum seeker influx worries Howard Prime Minister John Howard says he is concerned by suggestions by a pro-independence Papuan leader that preparations are under way for an exodus of asylum seekers from the Indonesian province to Australia. Forty-three Papuans were granted visas earlier this year, prompting diplomatic tensions between Australia and Indonesia. Edison Waromi helped the group reach Australia and says the journey was planned to bring attention to their push for independence. Mr Howard says he has discussed the issue with Immigration Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone. "I'm not going to have the system manipulated by anybody and I believe the Australian people will have the same view," he said. "We have an orderly refugee program and if people are trying to manipulate the system then it will mean very closer scrutiny of any asylum applications in the future." --- http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/03/asia/AS_GEN_Australia_Obit_Papuan_activist.php Papuan independence activist dies in Australia The Associated Press Published: October 3, 2006 SYDNEY, Australia Willem "Wim" Zonggonau, an independence activist from Indonesia's restive Papua province, has died during a speaking tour in Australia, officials said Tuesday. He was 64. Zonggonau died Monday at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital after suffering a major heart attack, according to a statement released by the Australia-based Free West Papua group. "I was very sorry to hear of Wim's death. He was a fine and inspiring person," Greens party Sen. Bob Brown said in a statement released Tuesday. Zonggonau had spent much of the past 37 years protesting a 1969 referendum that integrated Papua ? also known as West Papua ? into Indonesia. Critics say the vote was a sham, and human rights groups say at least 100,000 people have died since 1969 in continuing resistance to Jakarta's rule. Brown described Zonggonau's death as "a tragedy." "If the Papuans' wishes for independence had been heard fairly and openly back then, I have no doubt Wim would have been a great leader, even prime minister, of West Papua," Brown said. Zonggonau had been visiting Australia on a speaking tour from Papua New Guinea, where he lived in exile. The country shares a border with Indonesia's Papua province. He and a fellow independence activist, Clemens Runawery, had recently launched a petition urging Australia's Prime Minister John Howard not to continue negotiating a proposed security treaty with Indonesia. "Such a treaty should not be made ... over the heads of West Papuan people," Zonggonau said in a speech last month. "It's time now that West Papuans' voice should be heard." West Papua lies just north of Australia. Free West Papua said an autopsy and coroner's inquiry would be undertaken in Sydney this week, but that there were "no suspicious circumstances" surrounding Zonggonau's death. Zonggonau is survived by his sister, Dolly, who lives on the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and several nieces living in Papua New Guinea and Papua province. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061003.H06&irec=5 Equivalency test too hard for many students Adisti Sukma Sawitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta For the last two months, Melati Putri, 18, has been all smiles. After the painful failure in the recent national examination, she was finally admitted in the psychology undergraduate program at Atmajaya University, Jakarta. "All I have to do is wait for the result of the equivalency test so that I can be just like all the other students here," she told The Jakarta Post. Melati is one of thousands of 12th graders who had failed the exam and studied for the equivalency test for two months. She has to pass the test so that the university can upgrade her status from temporary to permanent student. She does not know if she has passed yet. About 10 to 30 percent of the students who took it failed. The Education Ministry reported Monday that about 23 percent of about 16,600 high schools students majoring in science failed the test, whereas about 20 percent of 55,200 majoring in social studies failed. Meanwhile, only 5 percent of 136,800 junior high school students passed the tests. The Education Ministry's head of evaluation, Burhanudin Tola, however, still considers the results normal. "The tests show that when there is a will there is a way. Those who studied hard were able to pass the test while those who didn't, continue to fail," he said. Those who failed could either take the next equivalency test or repeat their final year at their regular schools. He also asked all students who took the tests to wait for the results since they might be delayed due to technical problems. The ministry has not even received the results from Papua and West Irian provinces. Nonformal schooling program director Ella Yulaelawati said that those students who failed the tests shouldn't worry too much since they could either take another equivalency test or repeat their final year. "It is common for out of school students to take the equivalency tests more than once," she said. The equivalency test is actually intended for mature-age students or street children who cannot attend regular schools who would otherwise have no hope of attending college or university. Things, of course, are different for regular school students like Melati, who has always had the dream of attending university and being among her peers. That is why passing either the equivalency tests or national exam as soon as possible is a must. "I can't imagine what would happen to me if I failed the test," she said. One thing is for sure, she would have to quit college if she fails this time. --- http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20061004-Why-The-Right-should-embrace-West-Papua.html The Right" should embrace West Papua By Ben Oquist, former Greens adviser, now political consultant ? including for West Papua The shock death in Sydney on Monday of West Papuan leader Willem (Wim) Zonggonau (pictured right) is tragic ? but it also reminds us of why West Papuans will continue to flee the province and why The Right should welcome it. Wim was on a public speaking tour of Australia with his West Papuan colleague Clemens Runawery, and had met several politicians in Canberra as well as academics and West Papuan supporters around the country. Wim was a human rights campaigner, a historian, and independence activist but at heart what he most was a democrat. He yearned, like so many West Papuans, for a free and fair vote in the province so that the people of West Papua could determine their own future. This is why we shouldn?t be surprised by Geoff Thompson?s revelations on the ABC that more West Papuan independence activists might be coming to Australia. The West Papuan independence leaders want their people to be able to determine their own future rather than having it imposed from Jakarta. Their's is a deeply human struggle ? the will to freedom. It is a principle supposedly at the heart of right wing ideology, but so often lacking in reality. Now that it has been revealed that the recently arrived 43 West Papuan refugees had planned their trip to Australia ? selecting those most likely to be persecuted ? we are no doubt set for another round of West Papuan bashing from right-wing intellectuals like Gerard Henderson (previous columns here and here). John Howard has started and Kim Beazley has cranked up his inane chant for a coast guard ? something that has the potential to help turn West Papua into a kind of death camp. But there is a reason independence leaders planned their trip to Australia. Those most likely to face persecution in West Papua are those who strive for independence. And why is it that independence activists are the most likely to be in genuine fear of persecution in their homeland? Because the only way that West Papua can be kept part of Indonesia is by force. The Indonesian military knows it can not let people freely express their beliefs and desires ? for to do so would only accelerate the move to independence. For years there has been too little attention paid to the plight of West Papuans. But globalisation is a force that even the brutality of the Indonesian police can not hold back. Communications with those inside West Papua will only get easier as technology gets smaller, lighter, and cheaper. Journalists will increasingly get in. With transparency comes freedom. Freedom leads to democracy and in West Papua democracy means independence. Wim Zonggonau was a democrat at heart. It?s a shame that so many on The Right leave their belief in democracy at the door when it comes to looking over the fence to our near neighbour. They should have spent some time with Wim Zonggonau. They would have learnt a lot. The small handful of journalists, Labor, Green and independent politicians who took the time to talk to Wim in Canberra last month will be glad they did. --- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20527090-5001561,00.html Labor supports Coalition on asylum for Papuans Cath Hart October 05, 2006 LABOR has thrown its support behind Coalition moves to ensure the asylum system is not manipulated for international political purposes. Opposition immigration spokesman Tony Burke yesterday offered support to the Government after revelations in The Australian last week that a group of 43 Papuans had manipulated the system. "The federal Government is right to say that the reason for having a refugee system is for people to flee persecution - it's not there for people to make political statements," Mr Burke told ABC radio. "The only question then should be whether or not people are genuinely fleeing persecution. "And that determination ought to be made independently, and our relationship with other countries ought not to be part of a genuine independent process determining that somebody either has a well-founded fear of persecution or they don't." The Australian revealed last week that the 43 Papuans who arrived in a dugout canoe in January, and were granted asylum on the grounds they faced repression from Indonesian authorities, had been selected to ensure their successful applications and create a precedent. The granting of asylum to 42 of the Papuans in March triggered a diplomatic crisis in which Jakarta withdrew ambassador Hamzah Thayeb in protest. Papuan activists have now signalled they are organising another boatload to make the trip to Australia. But Mr Burke said attempts by Papuan activists to establish a beachhead for independence in Australia had backfired. "There's been a lot more speeches delivered in the parliament by each side ofthe parliament against Papuan separatism as a result of the last 43 applications," he said. John Howard has vowed to closely scrutinise Papuan applications for asylum, and Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone has hinted at other measures to be taken if the actions of the Papuan asylum-seekers are deemed not to be in Australia's national interest. The Government unsuccessfully tried to amend the migration laws so all unauthorised boat arrivals were processed offshore in an effort to quell the diplomatic tensions. Victorian backbencher Petro Georgiou yesterday defended his colleagues who joined him in crossing the floor of the House of Representatives in August to vote against the legislation. But Queensland Liberal backbencher Cameron Thompson said he would raise the revival of the failed amendments with Senator Vanstone. --- http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=16850/overide SkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl Book Review: DAY OF RECKONING Patrick Matbob On January 25, 1948, a teenage Manus islander, Pondranei, visited the American army base near his village at Lugos to barter some pineapples for cigarettes. His customers were a contingent of Chinese and American army workers living at the base. However, things turned nasty for the young boy when four Chinese workers accused him of stealing cigarette. They grabbed him and tied his hands on to the rafters of one of the military Quonset huts and beat him until he lost consciousness. This form of punishment, cruel as it was, was not uncommon in the colonial days and could have gone unnoticed had it not been treated differently. However, the Australian District Officer on Manus was determined to enforce the law and started investigating the incident with the aim of bringing to justice the perpetrators. His actions however, sparked a long legal, political and cultural drama that pitted the governments of Australia, United States and China against each other. Pondranei?s case is one of four featured in a book titled Day of Reckoning by Lachlan Strahan published last year. Three of the four cases happened in the then territory of Papua and New Guinea while the fourth happened in Dutch New Guinea (West Papua). Pondranei?s case was complicated by the fact that the Chinese who had beaten him up were labourers employed by the Chinese army. They were on Manus under the Shanghai Agreement signed in 1946 between the United States and China which allowed China to buy United States army?s surplus property. Manus, in October 1944, was built by the American Army into one of the world?s greatest naval bases as a launch-pad for MacArthur?s reconquest of the Philippines. However, four years later, the US army had moved on and the United Nations had placed PNG under the trusteeship of Australia. On Manus though, Australia?s control was still not clearly visible and was enforced by four overworked Government officers and their 10 native policemen at Inrim plantation. At around the same time, another crime was committed in Lae. This time, several Filipino scouts who were members of the US Army and deployed in Lae as part of a US War Graves Registration unit were involved in a scuffle with a group of Australians. Lae, then a ?hard-drinking, hard-playing frontier town?, was celebrating the New Year at the old Hotel Cecil and the Filipino scouts had tried to gain entry to the party. However, the colonial racial rule in the territory did not allow the local people, and those of other races to mix with the white race and that led to the Filipinos being unceremoniously ejected from the party. During the scuffle that followed, an Australian miner from the goldfields was injured and died later from complications arising from the injury. The Australian government officials in Lae tried to investigate the case, and punish the culprit?believed to be one of the Filipinos?however, the case became complicated by the nationalities and jurisdiction involved. While it was clear to the Australians that they had the authority to investigate and punish the offender, the Americans believed otherwise. They argued that the Filipino scouts were members of the American army and were subject to the American military court. The author had picked these seemingly isolated incidents and woven them into an intriguing tale showing how the cases actually affected each other. The same Australian judicial and administrative officials were involved in three of the four cases covered and the account provides an insight into how their decisions were influenced by a host of events beyond their control. Race relationship between Papua New Guineans and their colonising power Australia, as well as Americans and Asians were also at stake here. Of the case in Lae, the author wrote: ?Scott?s death triggered a protracted legal and political imbroglio, which dragged in the members of three ethnic groups?Australians, Filipinos and Americans?and generated considerable tensions between Canberra, Manila and Washington. ?This messy drama was played out before the local Melanesian and Chinese communities.? While the Australians were trying to enforce their control in the territory over foreign wrongdoers, how did they deal with their own? Lachlan also answers this question in one of the cases involving two Australian government patrol officers?kiaps?and the local people in the Markham Valley. The kiaps abused their powers when, in their capacity as officers of the court, ordered some accused local people appearing before them to be indecently assaulted and to have sex in public. The dark deeds of the kiaps shocked the administration and raised serious questions about the enormous powers given to kiaps and the quality of men tasked with the responsibilities. The Australian authorities had to deal with their own in such a way that showed no bias. Yet they did not find it easy to apply the same law on the foreigners accused of committing crimes in the territory and were continuously frustrated by interference from foreign governments. The Day of Reckoning is a story of historical interest where the past is brought to life in such vivid and powerful narrative and skillfully explores the complexities of international relations. It weaves together scenes of tough diplomatic negotiations, courtroom sessions, and cultural misapprehensions that make for interesting reading. Many of the characters involved are familiar names in PNG?s history?Murray, Ward, Justice Philips, Scragg, Grimshaw, Gunter? and it is interesting to see the roles they played in these little known historical events. One wonders whether Pondranei?s trials are still remembered today by his people on Manus or if the Markham people can recall the dark deeds of the Australian kiaps. Even if they don?t, Day of Reckoning has immortalised the characters and their stories and popularised yet another fascinating piece of PNG?s history. ? Day of Reckoning is published by Pandanus Books, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20061004. at 01&irec=0 Papua kampongs to get funding Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu has earmarked Rp 100 million (US$ 10,852) in special autonomy funding to be disbursed to each of the kampongs throughout the country's easternmost province starting next year. Since Papua has 2,600 kampongs, a total of Rp 260 billion will be distributed, Suebu said at the regional conference of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in Biak over the weekend. According to the governor, the funds will be used to finance four key sectors: education, health, infrastructure and community economic empowerment. The money will be channeled through Bank Papua, which will be assigned to set up a branch office in each kampong. Each branch will have a World Bank-trained advisor to ensure the funds are disbursed effectively. "The advisor will act as a consultant for local people in managing the funds, which are aimed at the improvement of the communities' economies," Suebu said. In addition to handing out the funds, the Papuan provincial administration will build polyclinics in all 2,600 kampongs next year and supply each with a nurse, the governor said. "The nurses are expected not only to help local mothers during labor, but also to help tend the babies, including the provision of their food and keeping them healthy," he said. In the education sector, Suebu said, the local administration plans to build 10 model boarding schools with a capacity of 2,000 students each. "Activities at the schools to be built will be equal to the education level offered by the Pelita Harapan School in Jakarta. We will be able to do this because we have the money," he said. Frans Maniagasi, a member of the Jakarta-based Papuan working group, said the special autonomy development program must be realistic. "We can put our ideals high in the sky, but there must be those who can make them into reality on the ground," he said in Jayapura on Tuesday. Frans said the most important step for Suebu and his deputy governor, Alex Hasegem, was to prepare a legal instrument as a guideline in implementing special autonomy. Otherwise, he said, it would be difficult to ensure the money was spent properly. "Without any clear-cut regulations, corruption, which is currently taking place at the provincial and regional administrations, will later take place in the kampongs," he said. Meanwhile, Agus Alue Alua, chairman of the Papuan People's Assembly, urged both the regional and central governments to design an official Papuan Special Autonomy program charged with improving the welfare of the Papuan people. "The special autonomy fund, intended mainly to improve the welfare of local people, constitutes the government's response to the Papuans' call for freedom. The money should be utilized maximally to empower the people in the kampongs, and not to finance travel by government officials," he said. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20061004. at 02&irec=1 Lisa grabs silver in weightlifting worlds Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian weightlifter Raema Lisa Rumbewas made a successful lift to take home the silver medal at the 75th Men's and 17th Women's World Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Jayapura-born Lisa, who turned 26 last month, lifted 98 kilograms in the snatch event and 115 kilos in the clean and jerk event, posting a total lift of 210 kilos in the women's 53-kilo division. The silver medalist in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics was 16 kilos behind world record breaker Qiu Hongxia of China, who lifted a total of 226 kilos (98 kilos in snatch and 128 kilos in clean and jerk), the International Weighlifting Federation said on its website. Trailing in third place was Thailand's Suda Chaleephay, who lifted a total of 207 kilos (92 kilos in snatch and 115 kilos in clean and jerk). "Lisa's result is a surprise given that she was on a two-day flight before competing at the event," Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association secretary-general Alamsyah Wijaya told The Jakarta Post over the phone. He said the points collected by Lisa would benefit the country's national team as the championships also serve as the first qualifying round for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "The points earned by all of Indonesia's lifters during the championships will be totaled to decide how many slots will be given to our team, both the male and female squads, for the Olympiad," Alamsyah said. Indonesia sent six lifters to the championships: Okta Dwi Paramita, also competing in the women's 53-kilo class, Sinta Darmariani (women's 75-kilo class), Triyatno (men's 62 kilos) and Eko Yuli Irawan and Jadi Setiadi (both in men's 56 kilos). Okta finished eighth at the event after lifting a total of 191 kilos, 85 kilos in snatch and 106 kilos in the clean and jerk event. Sinta was yet to make her lift as of Tuesday evening. Earlier Monday, the national men's lifters finished in the top 10 places in their respective divisions. Triyatno lifted 130 kilos in snatch and 155 kilos in clean and jerk for a total of 285 kilos to finish ninth. Eko and Jadi finished eighth and ninth after lifting 266 kilos in total (116 kilos in snatch and 150 kilos in clean and jerk) and 265 kilos (120 kilos in snatch and 145 kilos in clean and jerk), respectively. The fifth day of the championships, which end Saturday, was marked by the breaking of four world records by Chinese lifters and the domination of the podiums by Asian teams. "These championships give us a clear map of who will be our strongest competitors in the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, next December," Alamsyah said. "The competition will certainly be stiffer as most of the world's best lifters are Asians." --- http://web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=117&cat=23&id=742698&more= Pacific Problems ANDREW MacLEOD Visiting Ketrina Yabansabra (left) and Yan Christian Warinussy By ANDREW MacLEOD Oct 04 2006 West Papuans make risky visit Just below the level of his heart, human rights lawyer Yan Christian Warinussy wears a metal tie clip decorated with a flag. On the left is a white star on a narrow vertical band of red; the rest of the flag, the part that would flap in the breeze, is a field of 13 blue and white stripes. Known as the "morning star," the flag is a symbol for West Papua. Yet for over four decades now, it has been illegal under Indonesian law to fly it. Wearing the flag is the kind of thing that could get Warinussy into a lot of trouble at home. "Systematically the law's been used to suppress the people of West Papua," he says, speaking through another member of the delegation, Denny Yomaki, a 35- year-old who once spent a year in Sooke on a Canada World Youth exchange. The third member of the delegation is Ketrina Yabansabra, a church minister. "The people of Canada should know the law's supremacy does not exist in West Papua since West Papua became part of Indonesia," says Warinussy. "People who've shown their rejection of the Indonesian occupation of West Papua were being arrested, detained, made disappeared, tortured, killed or murdered." The three West Papuans were in British Columbia for a meeting in Lake Cowichan that gathered supporters from 10 or so countries. During the 10-day visit, they gave public presentations at the University of Victoria and in downtown Victoria. They also met with members of local first nations, some of whom share similar issues but with key differences. "They're facing lawyers with ballpoints and papers," says Yomaki, who spent four months in jail after a 1989 protest. "We're facing militaries with guns and prisons." Indonesia has controlled West Papua, which shares the island of New Guinea with the independent country of Papua New Guinea, since 1963. The best estimate of how many people have been killed is about 100,000, he says. That's out of a current population of 800,000-in other words, for every eight people living in West Papua today, one has been killed. And while the Indonesian government wouldn't be pleased with Warinussy proudly wearing the West Papuan flag, they'd likely be even more angry with the willingness he and the other two members of the delegation have to talk with journalists. Travel to West Papua is severely restricted, says Yomaki, and visas for journalists can take half a year or longer to process. In mid-September, the Indonesian government deported an Australian television crew who entered on tourist visas. The Associated Press quotes Papua police chief Tommy Jacobus saying, "They admitted to being journalists who were intending to report on events here. It is best if we deport them." Asked about the risk they are taking by talking to a journalist, Yomaki says, "We're always at risk." He's willing to talk, he says, but he doesn't want his photo in the paper. He does much of his work underground and doesn't want to be recognized. Warinussy and Yabansabra, however, say they feel comfortable being photographed. "Even now when we go back we don't know if we're going to be arrested or made disappeared, but we don't get scared," says Yabansabra. "We're not scared because we've told our stories to you. It's better for us to tell our stories than to be silent." Yabansabra was part of a group of 100 women from West Papua who visited Jakarta in 1997 to tell then president B.J. Habibie about what was going on in their region. "After we visited the president, we thought the violations in West Papua would be getting less and less," she says. Instead they doubled. "Indonesian military, they're not really afraid of violating West Papuans." There are stories, she says, of women having their breasts cut off and their genitals mutilated; their have been women raped with bottles. "Today the same violation is happening, specifically in the highlands," she says. "Our babies, also, being taken away from some of our women and being thrown against trees or to the floors and killed." A 2004 report by a group of lawyers at the Yale university law school stopped just short of accusing the Indonesian government of genocide. "Since Indonesia gained control of West Papua, the West Papuan people have suffered persistent and horrible abuses at the hands of the government," they write. "The Indonesian military and security forces have engaged in widespread violence and extrajudicial killings in West Papua. They have subjected Papuan men and women to acts of torture, disappearance, rape, and sexual violence, thus causing serious bodily and mental harm." The definition of "genocide," however, rests on whether or not there was an intent to destroy the people. In this case it couldn't be said for certain, but it was a reasonable conclusion. Glenn Raynor, the executive director of the Pacific People's Partnership, was hosting the group in B.C. and accompanied them to the Monday office. Whether or not you call it a "genocide," says Raynor, the effect is the same. "It's a Melanesian country that's being transformed into an Asian country," he says. A Pacific island culture is being destroyed in the process. And what is Canada's role? Yomaki says a lot of Indonesians come here, many on government grants, to study. Also, he says, he suspects the Canadian government contributes through the United Nations Development Program to what Indonesia is doing in West Papua. Much of that money, intended as aid for people in need, gets used by the military. "We want the Canadian government to know not all the money goes to the people who need the money." A regional officer for Asia with the Rights and Democracy International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, Micheline Levesque, says the Canadian government doesn't acknowledge the problems in West Papua. Nor does the Canadian International Development Agency see it as a priority. "This is outrageous," she says. "Everyone turns a blind eye to what's happening in West Papua because they want to do business as usual." She adds, "We need more international attention to force the Indonesian government to do something." M --- http://www.news.vu/en/news/national/061004-Andy-Ayamiseba-Vanuatu-deportation-case.shtml Ayamiseba?s fate will be known this week By The ni-Vanuatu Posted Wednesday, October 4, 2006 The Vanuatu Court of Appeal will declare whether Mr. Andy Ayamiseba could remain in Vanuatu or leave the country following his deportation order from the Minister for Internal Affairs in February. The government had labelled the former Black Brothers band Manager and West Papua Activist, ?a risk to national security?. But Mr. Ayamiseba challenged the order saying he was being treated unfairly according to the Immigration Act of Vanuatu. His case was turned down when the Supreme Court ruling in April upheld the government?s deportation order. Mr. Ayamiseba refused to give in because he believed the Minister had failed to give him his right to be heard under the Immigration Act. On Wednesday 26 September, the Appeal Court of Vanuatu heard the appeal case of Mr. Ayamiseba. Mr. Ayamiseba?s lawyer Felix Laumae Kabini explains that according to the existing immigration laws of Vanuatu, his client has the right to be heard. Kabini points out that according to the principal section of the Immigration Act of the Republic, anyone who has been ordered out of the country, has the right to be heard. Kabini says that particular section of the Immigration Act was never removed when the law was amended. The Appeal Court is expected to give its judgement on 6 October. Mr. Ayamiseba originally from West Papua, has been residing in Vanuatu for several years now. He is living in Port Vila with his ni-Vanuatu wife and their four year old son. Meanwhile a community leader who wished not to be named, has described Ayamiseba?s deportation order as a contradiction to Vanuatu?s stand on the independence issues of West Papua and other colonised peoples of the Pacific. The leaders says he believes it won?t be wrong to speculate that such an order is foreign driven. ?This is because of the simple reason that it does not represent the wish of the chiefs and people of Vanuatu. ?Who is the real risk to national security, someone who is pleading for us to support the liberation and freedom of his people our own Melanesian brothers and sisters, or those people are behind the murdering of foreign business people in Port Vila? ?If the government is concerned about the security of our country and especially the economy, then it should be listening those foreign investors who are already established and are contributing in the development of our national economy. There are cases of them being threatened or even attacked and robbed by ni-Vans?. --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Sun Oct 8 20:51:41 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 11:51:41 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] Kabar: Bulan Okt 06 (minggu pertama) Message-ID: <1849.61.94.58.25.1160362301.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Kabar Irian (Papua) Minggu pertama bulan Okt 06 (termasuk berita2 dari akhir sept) Topik2 * Dua Suku Kanibal Dilaporkan Hidup di Pedalaman Papua * Jumat, Hasil Ujian Kejar Paket Diumumkan * Pengadilan Negeri Nabire Membutuhkan Gedung Permanen * Lagi, Imigrasi Jayapura Amankan Dua Warga Cina * Proposal Warga Dijawab Dengan Surat * Temuan BPKP Diminta Segera Diumumkan * Otsus Papua- Lima Tahun Berjalan, Belum Banyak Perubahan * Gereja Minta Dibentuk KPP HAM Abepura * Ratusan Pengukir dan Penari Ikuti Pesta Budaya Asmat * Pemda, DPRP, dan MRP Saling Menyalahkan * Rakyat Papua Belum Usulkan Revisi UU Otsus * Pansus Otsus DPRD Bali Belajar dari DPR Papua * Pekan Depan Eksodus Warga Papua ke Australia * Festival Danau Sentani, Paket Wisata Baru di Jayapura * Lisa Raih Perak di Kejuaraan Dunia * Melirik Potensi Energi Baru di Kabupaten Waropen * IJT Merupakan Masalah 7 Kabupaten * GKII Papua Dimekarkan 3 Wilayah * Kaimana akan dijadikan pintu gerbang di Selatan Papua * Evaluasi Sebelum Direvisi * Pendulang Liar Membobol Areal PT FI * Separatis Tetap Diwaspadai * Sem Wandik Dituntut 5 Tahun Penjara --- http://www.gatra.com/2006-10-09/artikel.php?id=98326 Dua Suku Kanibal Dilaporkan Hidup di Pedalaman Papua Jayapura, 4 Oktober 2006 13:26 Dua suku terasing primitif hidup mengembara di pedalaman daerah aliran sungai (DAS) Mamberamo, Papua, antara Kabupaten Waropen dan Kabupaten Sarmi. Tokoh Masyarakat Distrik Waropen Atas, Kabupaten Waropen Mamberamo, Marthen Awaki menuturkan kepada wartawan di Jayapura, Rabu, kedua suku itu adalah suku Sidaudate dan suku Aubea. Ciri-ciri fisik pria dengan tinggi mencapai dua meter, badan berbulu lebat, tanpa menggenakan busana. Makanan pokok mereka adalah pucuk sagu muda, daun-daunan, meramu sagu, mengonsumsi beraneka daging mentah, bahkan memangsa sesama manusia (kanibal) dan minum air mentah. Peralatan yang digunakan, antara lain kapak batu yang berfungsi untuk memotong makanan, anak panah yang terbuat dari tulang burung kasuari, dan tombak bermata pohong pinang. Di siang hari, kaum lelaki tinggal di dahan-dahan pohon memantau manusia atau hewan yang melintasi untuk dibunuh untuk kemudian dijadikan sebagai makanan, sedangkan di malam hari sebagian tetap di pohon dan lainnya turun bersama istri dan anak -anak tidur di bawah pohon-pohon besar dan rimbunan pohon sagu. Mereka hidup berpindah-pindah dari pohon ke pohon lain. Bila orang dari luar suku mereka melintasi kawasan itu, dalam radius satu kilometer mereka telah mengetahuinya, sehingga mereka bersembunyi di tempat yang tidak bisa dilewati orang luar. Marthen menjelaskan, sampai saat ini, belum satu pun misionaris yang menyebarkan ajaran agama kepada mereka. Untuk menemui mereka, harus membersihkan diri oleh para tetua-tetua adat setempat, sebab bila tidak mengikuti upacara adat itu, maka orang yang melintasi daerah itu, apalagi ingin bertemu mereka, bisa jadi makanan mereka. Kedua suku primitif itu mengembara antara Distrik Waropen Atas dan Distrik Waropen Bawah di Kabupaten Waropen yang berbatasan antara Kabupaten Sarmi. Bahkan tidak tertutup kemungkinan mereka bisa mengembara sampai sebagian wilayah Kabupaten Nabire, Puncak Jaya dan Kabupaten Tolikara. Kawasan Mamberamo-Raya telah ditetapkan menjadi kabupaten pemekaran baru bersama 10 daerah lainnya di Indonesia yang dimekarkan dan direncanakan pelantikan caretaker bupati oleh Mendagri di Jakarta, 16 Oktober mendatang. Marthen berharap, dengan pemekaran pemerintahan Kabupaten Mamberamo-Raya itu, sedikit demi sedikit, dua suku itu bisa "dijinakkan", walaupun prosesnya cukup lama dan dana yang besar pula. [TMA, Ant] --- http://www.suaramerdeka.com/cybernews/harian/0610/05/dar8.htm Daerah Kamis, 05 Oktober 2006 : 14.07 WIB Jumat, Hasil Ujian Kejar Paket Diumumkan Kabupaten Demak Terlambat Surakarta, CyberNews. Hasil ujian kejar paket A, B dan C yang digelar Agustus lalu, akan diumumkan Jumat secara nasional, kecuali Irian Jaya Barat yang terlambat mengirimkan hasil scanning komputer. Pengumuman sudah dikirimkan ke Dinas Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan di setiap provinsi, dan nantinya diumumkan melalui Dinas Pendidikan di kabupaten/kota. ''Khusus Jateng, kemungkinan Kabupaten Demak yang masih belum ada, karena data yang dikirim ke Depdiknas ternyata rusak, sehingga tidak bisa diproses bersamaan dengan kabupaten lain. Data perbaikan baru dikirimkan hari ini , kalau memungkinkan bisa selesai dan langsung dikirim, jika tidak terpaksa Jateng diumumkan tanpa Demak,'' kata Ella Yulaelawati MA PhD, Direktur Pendidikan Kesetaraan Ditjen Pendidikan Luar Biasa Depdiknas, Kamis (5/10). Ditemui di sela-sela acara validasi pendidikan kesetaraan di Hotel Sahid Kusuma Solo, dia mengatakan, angka kelulusan secara nasional, terutama untuk ujian paket C (setara SLTA) ternyata cukup menggembirakan. Jurusan IPS, peserta yang lulus sebanyak 79,7 persen dan jurusan IPA 71,82 persen. ''Untuk peserta yang berasal dari lulusan SLTA yang gagal ujian nasional (UN), yang lulus sebanyak 72,99 persen, dan peserta dari non-UN yang berasal dari kelompok belajar, yang lulus 69,07 persen. Nilai rata-rata kelulusan jurusan IPA 5,9 dan jurusan IPS 6,9. Untuk peserta Jateng, prosentase kelulusan mencapai 71,16 persen (pesertanya berjumlah 5.743 orang yang lulus 4.087) untuk jurusan IPA, dan 80,33 untuk jurusan IPS (peserta 15.823 yang lulus 12.710),'' kata Ella. Dikatakannya, ada kesimpangsiuran berita yang muncul di surat kabar, terkait dengan pengumuman hasil ujian kejar paket ini. Rencana semula, Depdiknas akan mengumumkan pada 28 September. Namun karena ada beberapa daerah yang belum menyerahkan data scanning sampai detik-detik terakhir, akhirnya pengumuman diundur 6 Oktober. ''Jadi bukan pengumumannya diundur sampai 28 Oktober sebagaimana diberitakan di media massa. Itu salah memahami. Malahan meski sudah mundur seminggu, toh masih ada yang ditinggal, seperti beberapa provinsi di luar Jawa maupun Kabupaten Demak yang mengalami kerusakan data itu,'' tandas dia. ( joko dwi hastanto/cn09 ) --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/07/Nusantar/nus04.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Pengadilan Negeri Nabire Membutuhkan Gedung Permanen [NABIRE] Pengadilan Negeri Nabire, Papua, membutuhkan Gedung Permanen yang akan digunakan sebagai ruang sidang untuk melayani masyarakat dalam menangani perkara di daerah itu. Ketua Pengadilan Negeri Nabire, Dahlan Sinaga, SH saat ditemui Pembaruan di Nabire, Sabtu (7/10). Menurut Dahlan Sinaga, gedung yang ada hanyalah bersifat darurat, karena sejak terjadinya gempa bumi pada 2 tahun silam semua perkara digelar di ruang sidang darurat. Bahkan sebelumnya untuk menggelar perkara harus dilakukan di tenda-tenda darurat. Dikatakan, gedung yang ada hanya bersifat sementara, sehingga dari sisi kelayakan dinilai belum memenuhi standar pelayanan dan juga standar kantor pemerintah. "Untuk itu pihaknya meminta instansi vertikal tingkat atas yakni Mahkamah Agung (MA) agar dapat memberi perhatian terhadap kebutuhan gedung bagi Pengadilan Negeri Nabire," ujar Sinaga. Kondisi pascagempa sampai hari ini, kata Sinaga, Pengadilan Negeri Nabire memiliki Kantor Darurat dengan delapan ruang kerja yang memanjang seperti barak. Hampir seluruh bangunannya terbuat dari kayu dan berdinding triplek. Bahkan sejumlah pintunya masih menggunakan pintu bekas bangunan lama yang rusak terkena gempa. "Kantor kami buat seadanya saja, agar aktivitas pelayanan publik tetap berjalan. Sedangkan ruang sidang yang dibantu pembangunannya oleh para hakim se Indonesia sudah dimanfaatkan sebagai ruang para hakim dan sebagiannya dimanfaatkan sebagai tempat menyimpan arsip-arsip", katanya. Untuk itu, ungkap Sinaga, Pengadilan Negeri Nabire sangat mengharapkan dukungan Mahkamah Agung agar dapat memfasilitasi pembangunan gedung sidang permanen di Kabupaten Nabire sehingga pelayanan penyelesaian perkara dapat berjalan dengan baik. [GAB/W-8] Last modified: 6/10/06 --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Utama/h.1.html Sabtu, 07 Oktober 2006 Lagi, Imigrasi Jayapura Amankan Dua Warga Cina *Diduga Gunakan Visa Wisata Untuk Buka Pratik Gigi JAYAPURA-Sepertinya, Kota Jayapura merupakan salah satu daerah sasaran kunjungan yang menjanjinkan bagi sebagian WNA (warga negara asing) asal Cina. Buktinya, dalam beberapa bulan terakhir ini, ada beberapa kasus penangkapan terhadap WNA asal Cina dengan kesalahan yang sama, yakni menyalahi izin visa. Seperti yang terjadi Sabtu (7/10) pekan kemarin, dua orang WNA asal Cina kembali ditangkap oleh aparat kepolisian sekitar pukul 11.30 WIT. Mereka ditangkap oleh aparat Polres Jayapura di pintu masuk Airport Sentani. Kedua WNA tersebut adalah Shao Xiong asal Zhejiang (34) dan Chunfeng Xu juga asal Zhejiang (35) masing-masing menggunakan passport Nomor G 1212 1450 dengan nomor visa BM 6434837 kode 211 dan passport nomor G 1573939 dengan nomor visa BM 6434 838 kode 211. Mereka ditangkap karena hendak ke Airport Sentani untuk mengecek keberangkatan mereka ke Makassar, namun ketahuan oleh polisi dari Polres Jayapura yang sedang melakukan operasi simpatik di Airport Sentani, sehingga diamankan. Usai diperiksa di Mapolres Jayapura, keduanya dibawa ke Kantor Imigrasi Klas I Jayapura dan diperiksa kembali di sana. Dari hasil pemeriksaan, mereka diduga telah melakukan penyalahgunaan visa. Visa keduanya sesungguhnya hanya berupa visa wisata, namun ternyata mereka menyalahi visa itu dengan melakukan praktik gigi illegal di Makasar dan berencana akan membuka praktik lagi di Jayapura. "Jadi mereka ke sini dalam rangka melakukan survey karena berencana hendak membuka praktik gigi," ungkap Kepala Kantor Imigrasi Klas I Jayapura Giri Haryanto, SH kepada Cenderawasih Pos kemarin. Hal ini terlihat dari pengakuan dan kelengkapan kedua WNA ini kepada petugas, di tas masing-masing terlihat berbagai macam peralatan medis untuk gigi. Mulai dari cairan obat-obatan, alat catut, contoh gigi palsu, serta alat kesehatan gigi dan sebagainya serta sejumlah uang. Meskipun menurut pengakuannya hendak kembali ke Makassar, namun ternyata barang-barang dua orang ini masih ada di Hotel Dafonsoro Jayapura. Hal ini berdasarkan hasil pemeriksaan di Hotel tersebut oleh aparat Imigrasi dan kepolisian yang dipimpin AKP Yan Piter Reba. Semua barang-barang kedua orang tersebut kemudian diamankan dan dibawa ke kantor Imigrasi Jayapura. Pengakuan keduanya, mereka tiba di Jayapura sejak tanggal 5 Oktober lalu datang dari Cina melalui Bandara Soekarno Hatta (Jakarta) pada 16 September lalu dan setelah itu ke Makassar. Pengakuan kedua WNA yang sama sekali tidak tahu Bahasa Inggeris dan Indonesia ini, di Makassar mereka sudah sempat melakukan praktik pengobatan gigi dan ke Jayapura hendak melihat situasi siapa tahu mereka bisa melakukan usaha itu di Jayapura. Sampai kemarin, kedua WNA itu masih diamankan oleh pihak Imigrasi di Kantor Imigrasi. "Kami masih amankan mereka disini, untuk pemeriksaan lebih lanjut sebab yang pasti izin masuk WNA ini adalah wisata, tapi di Makassar mereka sudah buka praktik, ini kan menyalahi izin," kata Giri Haryanto. Kata Giri Haryanto, setelah pemeriksaan lebih lanjut di Kantor Imigrasi, kedua WNA itu akan segera dideportasi (dikembalikan) ke negaranya dalam waktu yang tidak terlalu lama. "Secepatnya akan kami kembalikan ke negaranya," tandasnya. Sementara itu, Kapolres Jayapura AKBP Jacob Kalembang BA yang ditemui sebelumnya di ruang kerjanya mengakui kalau kedua WNA Cina tersebut terjaring saat pihaknya melakukan operasi Simpatik. "Yang membuat kami lakukan pemeriksaan karena ternyata mereka membawa obat dan peralatan medis yang berhubungan dengan kesehatan gigi sehingga dicurigai mereka melakukan praktek medis, sedangkan izin visa mereka adalah izin kunjungan," papar Kapolres. Cenderawasih Pos sedikit mengalami kesulitan ketika mencoba mewawancarai 2 WNA tersebut, karena mereka tidak bisa menggunakan bahasa Inggris, apalagi bahasa Indonesia. Keduanya, hanya bisa menggunakan Bahasa Cina. Namun dari penuturan Shao Xiong dapat dijelaskan kalau dia dan rekannya berada di Jayapura hanya untuk berjalan-jalan. Diketahui mereka telah berada di Jayapura sejak tanggal 5 Oktober lalu dan menginap di Hotel Dafonsoro Jayapura.(ta/mud/ade) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Utama/h.2.html Sabtu, 07 Oktober 2006 Proposal Warga Dijawab Dengan Surat *Isinya Tidak Tersesia Dana JAYAPURA-Keinginan warga yang mengaku adalah pendukung Gubernur Barnabas Suebu, SH yang pada dua pekan terakhir beramai-ramai memasukkan proposal dengan harapan akan mendapatkan bantuan dari Gubernur, rupanya akan sulit terwujud. Pasalnya, proposal warga yang dibeli dengan harga Rp 100.000 hingga Rp 150.000 tersebut hanya dijawab dengan selembar surat dari Gubernur sendiri. Intinya surat itu menyebutkan kalau Pemprov tidak tersedia dana menjawab proposal warga tersebut. Hal itu seperti diungkapkan Kabag Tata Usaha Biro Umum Setda Provinsi Papua Dra Anna Jumaenah ketika dikonfirmasi Cenderawasih Pos kemarin. Dia mengakui, kalau dalam beberapa hari terakhir ini, jumlah warga yang memasukkan proposal dan mengaku sebagai pendukung Gubernur Barnabas Suebu sudah mulai berkurang. Dan sekarang, proposal yang jumlahnya mencapai ribuan itu masih menumpuk di Bagian TU Biro Umum, diikat dan akan disimpan ditempat surat-surat. Sebab Gubernur akan sulit membaca proposal yang demikian banyak itu secara keseluruhan karena isinya semua sama dan Gubernur juga rupanya sudah menyiapkan jawabannya. "Iya memang sekarang proposal yang masuk dari warga sudah mulai berkurang begitu juga yang datang mengecek surat sudah berkurang," katanya. Meski diakuinya pada Jumat pekan lalu masih ada juga warga yang menamakan diri kelompok masyarakat nelayan yang datang mengajukan proposal dengan alasan yang sama. Tetapi warga yang proposalnya dibeli dari Ny BT kini sudah berkurang. "Masih ada dua atau tiga orang, tetapi yang jelas sudah berkurang sejak kami pasang pengumuman itu dan pembuat proposalnya sudah diamankan," katanya. Kata Anna, proposal yang dimasukkan oleh warga selama dua minggu terakhir lalu kini satu persatu mulai diterima jawabannya oleh warga yang mengajukan proposal itu. Setiap kali kalau ada yang datang mengecek proposal dan menanyakan jawabannya, maka petugas akan langsung memberikan sehelai kertas jawaban dari Gubernur. "Kalau ada yang mengecek surat, maka kami akan memberikan surat jawaban dari pak Gubernur yang isinya adalah jawaban dari proposal itu," ujarnya. Adapun isi surat dari Gubernur bernomor 900/2305/SET perihal jawaban proposal tertanggal 5 Oktober itu kata Anna adalah 'tidak tersedia dana untuk menjawab proposal dari masyarakat. Karena program tahun anggaran 2006 tidak mungkin digeser untuk program lain. Surat itu hanya terdiri dari beberapa kalimat tersebut yang intinya seperti di atas dan ditandatangani Wakil Gubernur Alex Hesegem, SE. "Jadi setiap kali ada yang datang tanyakan jawaban proposalnya, maka jawabannya adalah surat ini," imbuhnya lagi seraya menunjukan sehelai surat dari Guberenur tersebut. Kata Anna, agar keinginan masyarakat bisa terjawab, di tahun 2007 mendatang akan diturunkan dana langsung ke kampung-kampung. Namun dana itu bukan untuk perorangan, tapi ditujukan untuk kepentingan semua masyarakat di kampung.(ta) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Utama/h.5.html Sabtu, 07 Oktober 2006 Temuan BPKP Diminta Segera Diumumkan JAYAPURA-Langkah Gubernur Barnabas Suebu SH yang telah menugaskan BPKP (Badan Pemeriksaan Keuangan Pembangunan) Papua untuk melakukan pengecekan adanya dugaan penyelewengan dana APBD di lingkungan Pemprov Papua, disambut dengan baik. Hanya saja agar hasil sementara temuan BPKP yang telah mengindikasikan adanya penyelewengan anggaran tersebut tidak hanya sekedar wacana, maka Gubernur diminta agar sesegera mungkin mengumumkan hasil temuan tersebut untuk diketahui publik. "Gubernur harus segera umumkan hasil sementara temuan BPKP itu tanpa harus mengulur-ulur waktu lagi, supaya rakyat Papua ini tahu siapa itu pimpinannya yang hobinya suka mencuri (korupsi) dan memeras uang milik rakyat untuk memperkaya dirinya sendiri,"jelas Anggota Fraksi Gabungan DPRP Ir.Weynad Watori. Disamping itu katanya, pihak penyindik dalam hal ini pihak kepolisian dapat langsung mengambil langkah-langkah. Sementara proses audit tetap dilaksanakan. Politisi asli Serui yang dikenal vokal ini menegaskan, untuk menciptakan pemerintah yang bersih dan kredibel di era pemerintahan yang baru ini, maka momen penting seperti saat ini, dimana diawal pemerintahan Papua yang baru ada terjadi penyimpangan anggaran yang berindikasi kuat dilakukan oleh pejabat-pejabat daerah yang berasal dari masa pemerintahan yang lama. "Ini momen penting yang harus dimanfaatkan dengan baik sebelum dilakukan pembaharuan kabinet untuk menciptakan pemerintahan yang bersih dan bebas KKN (korupsi,kolusi dan nepotisme) guna mencapai visi dan misi menuju Papua baru,"katanya. Lanjutnya, "sehingga melalui momen ini, kita dapat mengetahui siapa-siapa saja pejabat di daerah ini yang hobbinya mencuri dan memeras uang milik rakyat ini, yang tentunya selain sudah tidak dipakai lagi tentunya juga harus mempertanggungjawabkan perbuatannya di depan proses hukum,"tambah Ketua Partai Merdeka ini. Lagi kata Watori, jika hal ini dapat dilakukankan, dimana setelah hasil audit BPKP diumumkan, pihak kepolisian dan kejaksaan mengambil langkah dalam menindaklajuti temuan penyimpangan APBD sesuai tugas dan fungsi pokok (Tupoksi), ini baru namanya langkah baru menuju Papua Baru. "Gubernur harus mengambil sikap tegas dengan sesegera mungkin mengumumkan dan melaporkan hasil temuan BPKP kepada pihak kepolisian dan kejaksaan untuk melakukan penyelidikan, sehingga temuan ini tidak hanya menjadi wacana sementara pejabat yang berindikasi kuat melakukan korupsi ini tetap memangku jabatan dan tetap hidup bebas,"tegasnya. Menurutnya, jika tidak ada tindakan hukum yang tegas bagi oknum yang bersangkutan, maka impian menjadikan Papua menuju Papua baru menjadi kabur karena orang -oarang yang hobinya mencuri dan memeras uang rakyat ini tetap memimpin Papua ini,"pungkasnya.(and) --- http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0610/07/nas02.html Otsus Papua Lima Tahun Berjalan, Belum Banyak Perubahan Jayapura-Pelaksanaan Otonomi Khusus (Otsus) di Papua sudah berusia lima tahun. Namun era Otsus ini belum memenuhi harapan semula. Sebab masyarakat tidak merasakan dampak langsung dari pelaksanaan Otsus. Akibatnya masyarakat menolak pelaksanaan Otsus dan mengembalikannya kepada pemerintah. Sikap masyarakat ini sesungguhnya merupakan wujud dari kekecewaan, karena Otsus tidak dilaksanakan secara konsisten dan konsekuen, kecuali dana Otsus sebesar dua persen dari Dana Alokasi Umum (DAU) Nasional. Rektor Universitas Cendrawasih Baltazar Kambuaya mengungkapkan implementasi UU Otsus Papua belum mampu memenuhi harapan, karena tidak memberikan perubahan yang berarti bagi masyarakat. Hal itu ditandai rendahnya indeks pembangunan manusia dan indeks kemiskinan manusia. Empat Masalah Pokok Setidaknya Kambuaya mencatat adanya empat permasalahan pokok, sehingga implementasi Otsus tidak membawa hasil seperti yang diharapkan semua pihak. Pertama, belum adanya perangkat hukum memadai di tingkat daerah, seperti peraturan daerah provinsi (Perdasi) dan peraturan daerah khusus (Perdasus). Kedua, belum adanya kesesuaian antara fungsi dan struktur yang ada. Ketiga, belum memadainya SDM, dan keempat, terbatasnya fasilitasi oleh pemerintah. Apa yang diungkapkan Kambuaya itu bukan tanpa dasar, sebab untuk melaksanakan Otsus di Papua setidaknya diperlukan 13 Perdasus dan 18 Perdasi. Namun sampai usia Otsus kelima, baru ada satu Perdasi. Tentu bukan rahasia juga kalau pembentukan MRP direalisasikan setelah Otsus berjalan empat tahun. Sebab sejak awal sangat jelas, pemerintah pusat ketika itu tidak punya niat politik membentuk MRP. Padahal, MRP butuh Peraturan Pemerintah. Ungkapan senada disampaikan Ketua MRP Agus Alua di Jayapura. Menurutnya, UU Otsus Papua merupakan solusi politik yang hendak ditempuh untuk menjawab aspirasi merdeka yang berkembang di Papua. Sebenarnya, hal ini merupakan pegangan semua pihak dalam melaksanakan UU Otsus. Langsung ke Kampung Mengenai alokasi dana Otsus ke depan, sebenarnya Gubernur Papua Barnabas Suebu sudah mencanangkan, agar mulai tahun 2007 dana Otsus langsung disampaikan ke tingkat kampung (desa). Menurut Staf Khusus Barnabas Suebu, Matias Refra, Pemda akan menyalurkan anggaran Rp 100 juta untuk setiap kampung yang seluruhnya berjumlah sekitar 2.600 kampung. Program ini bertujuan, memperbaiki kesejahteraan. Menurutnya, Pemda Papua sangat menyadari kalau ada tantangan besar, bila melihat realitas mengenai kemampuan masyarakat untuk mengelola keuangan di tingkat Kampung. jangan sampai penyimpangan hanya digeser dari birokrat ke tingkat kampung. Untuk itu, pemerintah sudah mulai mengaktifkan kembali program pendampingan dalam pengelolaan anggaran yang disalurkan ke kampung. Jadi, dana itu langsung disalurkan dari provinsi ke kampung tanpa melalui perantara birokrat. Melalui program ini masyarakat diharapkan bisa merancang sendiri kegiatan, mengawasi dan melaksanakan sendiri program yang dirancang. (daniel duka tagukawi) Copyright ? Sinar Harapan 2003 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/06/Nasional/nas08.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Gereja Minta Dibentuk KPP HAM Abepura Emi Berotabui (kanan), orangtua Yasya Echo Berotabui yang menjadi korban kasus Abepura, didampingi pengacara PBHI Johnson Panjaitan (tengah), dan Wakil Ketua Sinode Gereja Kristen Indonesia di Tanah Papua Yemima Mirino Krey, menceritakan nasib anaknya saat konferensi pers di Komnas HAM, Jakarta, Kamis (5/10). [Pembaruan/YC Kurniantoro] [Jakarta] Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Papua meminta Komnas HAM perlu segra membentuk KPP HAM guna menindak lanjuti temuan baru bahwa ada kekebalan PT Freeport Indonesia dan dugaan adanya pelanggaran HAM berat yang telah dilakukan oleh aparat kepolisian terkait dengan pristiwa kekerasan di Abepura, 16 Marer 2006 lalu. KPP Ham yang dibentuk perlu terdiri dari sejumlah orang yang memiliki keahlian, kewibawaan dan independensi kuat untuk mengungkap kasus ini. Demikian dikatakan Bruder Budi dari Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Papua ketika diterima oleh anggota Komnas HAM, Zoemroetin K dan Eni Soeprapto di kantor Komnas HAM Jakarta, Kamis (5/10). Menanggapi tuntutan tersebut Komnas HAM akan membawa permohonan dibentuknya KPP HAM Abepura dalam sidang pleno Komnas HAM. "Dalam sidang tersebut nanti dibicarakan apakah dimungkinkan dibentuk KPP HAM. Dan tentunya hal in harus dipertimbangkan secara matang," ujar Zoemroetin. [E-5] Last modified: 6/10/06 --- http://www.gatra.com/2006-10-09/artikel.php?id=98409 Ratusan Pengukir dan Penari Ikuti Pesta Budaya Asmat Asmat, 7 Oktober 2006 12:44 Sekitar 322 pengukir dan penari yang tersebar di tujuh distrik di Kabupaten Asmat mengikuti pesta Budaya Asmat yang berlangsung di Agats, ibukota Kabupaten Asmat, Papua, sejak Jumat (6/10) hingga Rabu (11/10). Pembukaan Pesta Budaya Asmat, Jumat, yang ditandai dengan pawai keliling kota Agats dengan berjalan kaki sepanjang 3km itu membawa serta hasil ukiran yang akan dilombakan dalam pesta budaya. Ketua Panitia Pesta Budaya Asmat, Erik Sarkol kepada wartawan mengatakan, pengukir yang mengikuti Pesta Budaya itu tercatat 202 orang. Mereka mengikuti empat kriteria pengukiran yakni patung besar, patung sedang dan patung kecil serta panel. Pengukir dari keempat kriteria yang menang dalam Pesta Budaya tersebut tidak akan disertakan dalam lelang yang nantinya juga akan diikuti wisatawan baik dalam negeri maupun mancanegara yang mulai membanjiri kota Agats. Sedangkan tarian tidak dilombakan melainkan hanya menjadi eksibisi. Tujuh Distrik yang ikut dalam Pesta Budaya Asmat itu yakni distrik Akad, Ats, Sait, Pantai Kasuari, Soator, Agats dan Sawaerma. Pesta Budaya itu sendiri akan diakhiri dengan lelang dari berbagai jenis ukiran yang sebelumnya ikut dalam lomba ukir-ukiran. [TMA, Ant] --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/04/Nasional/nas02.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Pemda, DPRP, dan MRP Saling Menyalahkan [JAYAPURA] Tiga komponen penyelenggaraan otonomi khusus (Otsus) Papua yakni Pemerintah Daerah Papua, Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Papua (DPRP), dan Majelis Rakyat Papua (MRP) saling menyalahkan dalam penyusunan peraturan daerah khusus (perdasus) dan peraturan daerah provinisi (perdasi) sebagai aturan turunan dari UU No 21/2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus bagi Provinsi Papua. Demikian terungkap dalam diskusi tentang penguatan penyelenggaraan pemerintahan daerah di provinsi-provinsi Papua yang diselenggarakan di Jayapura, Selasa (3/10). Pembicara tunggal dalam diskusi itu adalah Wakil Ketua MRP yang juga mantan Rektor Universitas Cendrawasih Jayapura, Frans A Wos- pakrik. Frans dan sejumlah anggota MRP lain yang hadir dalam diskusi itu menegaskan bahwa MRP tidak dalam kapasitas untuk membuat Rancangan Perdasus dan Perdasi. Menurut UU Otsus, MRP hanya bertugas memberi pertimbangan dan persetujuan tentang perdasus dan perdasi, terutama yang terkait dengan perlindungan masyarakat asli Papua. Sedangkan yang membuat perdasus dan perdasi adalah pemerintah daerah bersama DPRP. Tetapi sampai saat ini belum ada lagi perdasus dan perdasi yang dihasilkan DPRP bersama pemerintah. Sejauh ini baru ada satu perdasi yang sudah diterbitkan yaitu tentang tata cara pemilihan anggota MRP, dari 18 perdasi yang seharusnya dibuat dan 12 perdasus. Selama ini, MRP selalu dituduh sebagai lembaga yang tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa baik oleh pemerintah pusat maupun oleh pihak kepolisian dan TNI. Dicontohkan, dalam perang suku di Timika, polisi mempertanyakan peran MRP. Padahal, untuk mengatasi masalah kriminal seperti itu adalah tugas aparat kepolisian dengan mencari dan menangkap pelakunya dan mengadilinya sesuai dengan UU. Sementara perwakilan dari Pemda Papua dalam sesi diskusi mengatakan, pemerintah daerah sudah bekerja keras, siang malam dan harus rela pulang jam 02.00 dini hari untuk menyusun rancangan perdasi dan perdasus. Tetapi sampai sekarang, pihak DPRP tetap saja tutup mulut. "Saya minta perwakilan dari DPRP juga harus bicara dalam forum ini, supaya kita tidak saling menyalahkan," kata perwakilan dari Pemda itu. Frans mengingatkan, perlu adanya penataan kembali kewenangan antara Pemda Papua, DPRP dan MRP dalam menjalankan roda pemerintahan di Papua. Perlu ada kesepahaman dan komunikasi yang efektif di antara ketiga lembaga tersebut karena kalau tidak, ketiga lembaga itu akan terus berkonflik dan pada akhirnya konflik itu akan merembet ke tingkat akar rumput. Lalu pelaksanaan otsus akan terus menjadi tidak optimal. Untuk menghindari konflik itu, diusulkan supaya segera diterbitkan perdasus dan perdasi khususnya tentang kewenangan ketiga lembaga tersebut (Pemda Papua, DPRP dan MRP). Dia menyarankan supaya perlu ada wadah koordinasi dan komunikasi antar ketiga lembaga itu. Yang paling penting, pemerintah pusat jangan setengah hati menyerahkan otsus kepada masyarakat Papua. Sebaliknya Otsus itu harus diserahkan sepenuhnya kepada pemerintah dan masyarakat Papua. Sedangkan pemerintah pusat hanya bertugas memberikan supervisi dan pengawasan terhadap jalannya otsus. Secara terpisah anggota Pokja Papua Frans Maniagasi mendesak Gubernur Barnabas Suebu segera menerbitkan perdasus dan perdasi sebagai implementasi UU Otsus supaya otsus di Papua bisa berjalan dengan baik dan optimal. Lima tahun yang sudah lewat, masa percobaan yang penuh dengan kesalahan dan menyebabkan otsus tidak berjalan sama sekali, sudah berakhir. Semua itu disebabkan tidak adanya perdasus dan perdasi. Barnabas harus tetap menyelesaikan masalah status Irian Jaya Barat (Irjabar) dalam konteks otsus. Artinya, bila memang mau menempatkan Irjabar dalam bingkai otsus, maka harus ada revisi terhadap UU Otsus. Revisi itu harus dilakukan secara terbatas, setelah konsultasi publik ke masyarakat Papua. [A-21] Last modified: 4/10/06 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/03/Nasional/nas02.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Rakyat Papua Belum Usulkan Revisi UU Otsus [JAYAPURA] Revisi UU No 21/2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus Bagi Provinsi Papua (Otsus) harus datang dari masyarakat Papua. Tidak ada satu pun lembaga dalam negara ini, termasuk pemerintah pusat melakukan revisi tersebut dan sampai saat ini, belum ada usulan dari masyarakat Papua kepada Majelis Rakyat Papua (MRP) untuk merevisi UU Otsus. "Revisi itu bukan kewenangan siapa-siapa, tetapi kewenangan masyarakat Papua," kata Ketua MRP, Agus Alue Alua di Jayapura, Senin (2/10), sebelum mengikuti acara peluncuran Program Peningkatan Efektivitas Penyelenggaraan Pemerintahan di Provinsi Papua. Acara dibuka oleh Direktur Jenderal Kesatuan Bangsa dan Politik Departemen Dalam Negeri (Depdagri) Sudarsono Hardjosoekarto. Dijelaskan, MRP sebagai perwakilan kultural rakyat Papua sejauh ini mengusulkan untuk mengevaluasi UU Otsus tersebut, terutama menyangkut sejumlah pasal yang diributkan antara lain, pasal tentang pemekaran dan sejumlah pasal lainnya. Tetapi UU itu tidak bisa direvisi begitu saja. Kalau UU itu akan direvisi, tambahnya, MRP harus kembali berkonsultasi dengan rakyat Papua, apakah mereka menghendaki dengan cara konsultasi publik. Bila kemudian dalam konsultasi publik itu, rakyat Papua menghendaki revisi maka MRP akan menyampaikan keinginan masyarakat Papua itu ke DPR Papua untuk selanjutnya disampaikan ke pemerintah pusat. Yang baru ada sekarang, tambahnya, sudah ada kesepakatan informal antara DPR Papua dengan pejabat gubernur Papua Sodjuangon Situmorang (dan disetujui Gubernur Papua Barnabas Suebu) dan MRP untuk mengevaluasi UU Otsus itu secara mendalam oleh sebuah tim independen. Tim itu terdiri dari pakar hukum dan ilmu pemerintahan seperti Ryaas Rasyid, Harun Al Rasyid, Sri Soemantri, dan Satya Arinanto. "Tetapi tim ini sendiri belum terbentuk. Tetapi memang ada keinginan untuk mengumpulkan ahli-ahli itu dalam tim independen untuk mengevaluasi UU Otsus. Baru nanti semua pihak harus mendengar apa hasil penelitian mereka," ujarnya. Agus sadar bahwa semua pihak mempunyai pemahaman yang berbeda tentang UU tersebut. "Pemerintah pusat mengerti lain, militer mengerti lain, lalu MRP yang baru lahir dan anggotanya berasal dari berbagi latar belakang juga memahaminya lain. Kita minta dicerahkan supaya mempunyai pemahaman yang sama dan tidak saling curiga," ujarnya. Secara terpisah, juru bicara Gubernur Papua, Mathias Refra mengakui ada sejumlah pasal dalam UU Otsus yang sudah kadaluwarsa dan perlu direvisi. Dia mencontohkan pasal tentang pemilihan kepala daerah secara langsung. Dalam UU Otsus masih disebutkan bahwa pemilihan gubernur dilakukan oleh DPR Papua, bukan secara langsung. "Tetapi soal revisi ini saya masih dengar samar- samar," jelasnya. [GAB/ROB/A-21] Last modified: 3/10/06 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/03/Nasional/nas06.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Pansus Otsus DPRD Bali Belajar dari DPR Papua [JAYAPURA] Tim Panitia Otonomi Khusus (Pansus Otsus) DPRD Pemprov Bali melakukan kunjungan kerja ke DPRP (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Papua) untuk mendapat masukan merampungkan naskah akademis Otsus Bali. Masukan dari Papua danggap penting karena provinsi iniyang telah diberi Otsus oleh pemerintah pusat. "Kami ingin belajar banyak dari Papua. Terutama perjuangan Papua meraih otsus karena kami juga tengah berjuang supaya Bali diberi hal yang sama," ujar Ketua Pansus Otsus DPRD Pemprov Bali, Made Arimbawa SH saat bertemu anggota DPR Papua, Senin (2/10). Arimbawa menjelaskan, kunjungannya selama tiga hari bersama 30 anggota dari DPRD Pemprov Bali karena, pihaknya ingin mendapat penjelasan proses penyusunan naskah akademis sekaligus setrategi khusus dari DPR Papua sehingga sukses meraih Otsus. Sekarang ini naskah akademis Otsus Bali tengah dirancang Tim Ahli yang berasal dari kalangan akademis yakni dari Universitas Udayana (Unud), praktisi pariwisata dan unsur pers. Memenuhi permintaan dari Pansus Otsus Bali terkait Otsus, Wakil Ketua DPRP, Komarudin Watubun SH mengatakan, perjuangan Papua meraih Otsus melalui proses panjang dan perjuangan yang tidak mengenal lelah. Termasuk dalam penyusunan naskah akademis yang diserahkan kepada para pakar dari Univesitas Cendrawasih (Uncen) untuk merampungkan naskah aka- demis tersebut. Koordinator Tim Ahli Pansus Otsus Bali, Prof Dr Wayan Supartha yang mendampingi rombongan Pansus Otsus Bali berkunjung di Papua mengatakan, pihaknya bersama tujuh anggota tim ahli tengah melakukan penyusunan draf Otsus Bali berikut pokok-pokok pikirannya. Supartha mengatakan, dalam draf yang disusun ada beberapa talenta yang dinilai sangat pas untuk mem- perjuangkan Bali meraih Otsus. [137] Last modified: 3/10/06 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/03/Internas/int05.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Pekan Depan Eksodus Warga Papua ke Australia [SYDNEY] Dalam beberapa pekan mendatang diduga bakal terjadi eksodus warga Papua ke Australia. Tujuan kedatangan mereka ke Australia sama seperti yang dilakukan 43 warga Papua sebelumnya, yaitu untuk mencari suaka. Rencana kedatangan sejumlah warga Papua itu disampaikan oleh Presiden Otoritas Nasional Papua Barat (West Papua National Authority), Edison Waromi, seperti diberitakan Radio ABC, Selasa (3/10). Dia mengatakan, langkah para pencari suaka tersebut dilakukan agar mendapatkan perhatian dan dukungan dalam perjuangan kemerdekaan Papua. Dia juga tengah menyatukan perbedaan dari sejumlah kelompok pejuang kemerdekaan Papua. Pernyataan Waromi tersebut keluar setelah hampir 10 bulan lalu sebanyak 43 warga Papua mencari suaka di Australia. Kasus itu sempat menimbulkan ketegangan hubungan Indonesia dan Australia. "Saya dapat katakan bahwa akan lebih banyak warga Papua yang akan meninggalkan Papua. Tetapi saya tidak dapat memastikan hari dan waktunya. Sebab, jika saya katakan, Jakarta akan memantau secara ketat perairan selatan. Jadi, saya hanya bisa katakan kalau akan terjadi eksodus dalam beberapa pekan mendatang," kata Waromi. Dalam kasus 43 pencari suaka asal Papua, Indonesia sempat menarik sementara Duta Besar RI untuk Australia, Hamzah Thayeb sebagai bentuk protes atas izin menetap sementara yang diberikan Australia. Namun, menurut Dubes Thayeb beberapa waktu lalu, kasus 43 pencari suaka itu membuat hubungan Indonesia-Australia berada pada tingkatan yang lebih dewasa. Waromi menegaskan, para pencari suaka tersebut memilih Australia agar persoalan Papua menjadi tuntas melalui penyelesaian yang damai dan jujur. [AP/H-12] Last modified: 3/10/06 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/03/Nusantar/nus04.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Festival Danau Sentani, Paket Wisata Baru di Jayapura Langit di sekitar Pantai Yahim, Jayapura, tampak cerah. Dari arah danau terlihat beberapa perahu sedang menepi. Tak jauh di tepi pantai, ada sebuah dermaga kecil tempat pendaratan perahu motor warga Pantai Yahim dan masyarakat kampung bersandar. Mereka menyebutnya Dermaga Yahim. Beberapa bangunan di sekitar dermaga itu dimanfaatkan warga untuk berteduh atau beristirahat sejenak sebelum atau sesudah bepergian. Dekat bibir pantai, ada sebuah jembatan kayu yang sudah lapuk. Warga harus ekstra hati-hati agar tidak terjatuh ke danau. Walaupun kondisi jembatan telah rusak parah, hal itu tidak menjadi halangan warga bepergian. Dari sekitar dermaga, orang dapat menyaksikan rumah adat masyarakat Sentani. Konstruksinya sederhana. Atapnya menjulang tinggi menyerupai kerucut, tanpa dinding dan hanya terlihat tiang-tiang penyangga saja. Bentuk bangunan itu bulat dan tidak terlalu luas. Di sanalah, Yayasan Danau Sentani menggelar pembukaan Pergelaran Festival Seni Budaya Sentani Tahun 2006, pada Senin, 25 September lalu. Kepada Pembaruan, baru-baru ini, penyelenggara Festival Seni Budaya Sentani, Heronimus Taime mengatakan, seni dan budaya merupakan kekayaan daerah yang harus diselamatkan dan dilestarikan. Apalagi saat ini, arus informasi dan teknologi komunikasi yang demikian cepat dapat membawa banyak perubahan. Bukan mustahil, globalisasi membuat kehidupan masyarakat Sentani jauh tercerabut dari akar budaya. Generasi muda yang lahir pada sekitar tahun 70-an hingga tahun 90-an sudah sangat tidak memahami makna, peran, dan fungsi adat istiadat. Di sisi lain, proses pembelajaran dan pemahaman terhadap nilai-nilai budaya tersebut juga tidak diaplikasi secara baik dalam keluarga. Akibatnya, nilai-nilai luhur seni dan budaya yang sesungguhnya dapat menjadi filter terhadap nilai-nilai asing justru memudar terlindas derasnya globalisasi informasi. Untuk itu, tambahnya, agar nilai-nilai adat dan budaya, seni suku-suku di sekitar kawasan Danau Sentani tidak ikut memudar di makan zaman, festival Seni Budaya Sentani perlu diselenggarakan. Tujuan penyelenggaraan festifal adalah untuk menggali dan melestarikan nilai-nilai luhur yang masih tertinggal dan belum diangkat ke permukaan sebagai potensi lokal yang dapat memberi nilai tambah bagi masyarakat. Potensi ini harus dilihat sebagai potensi pariwisata yang harus dikembangkan sehingga Kabupaten Jayapura dapat dijadikan sebagai daerah tujuan wisata. Daya Saing Selain menggali potensi lokal, pihaknya juga berupaya meningkatkan daya saing masyarakat dan daerah melalui kreativitas seni dan budaya Sentani sehingga dapat menopang masyarakat menuju kemandirian. Kegiatan yang diselenggarakan sepekan itu untuk mencegah degradasi nilai-nilai seni dan budaya lokal akibat pengaruh globalisasi informasi dan teknologi, di samping sebagai upaya menciptakan lapangan kerja baru melalui seni dan budaya dalam rangka peningkatan pendapatan dan daya beli masyarakat Kegiatan yang dipusatkan di dermaga Pantai Yahim Sentani, itu diselenggarkan umumnya pada sore hari sejak 23-29 September 2006 dengan melibatkan kampung-kampung yang tersebar di kawasan Danau Sentani. Materi yang diperlombakan adalah lomba dayung tradisional untuk kategori perorangan, dua orang dan tujuh orang atau beregu. Selain itu, ada juga pertunjukan lagu-lagu daerah berbahasa Sentani, tari-tarian tradisional, seni ukir serta gelar masakan khas Sentani. Hanya sedikit orang yang tahu kalau di Kampung Asei, sebuah pulau kecil di tengah Danau Sentani menyimpan para seniman lukis berbakat dan potensial. Para seniman itu melukis di atas kulit kayu. Umumnya lukisan itu bermotifkan ukiran-ukiran yang memiliki makna tersendiri bagi masyarakat Sentani. Melalui momentum festival tersebut, dia bersama rekan-rekannya yang tergabung dalam Yayasan Danau Sentani (YDS) akan berupaya menampilkan potensi daerah Sentani ke publik agar dikenal. Untuk tahun-tahun selanjutnya, YDS akan bekerja sama dengan Pemerintah Kabupaten Jayapura mengemas kegiatan-kegiatan seperti ini dalam paket acara daerah yang direncanakan akan digelar setiap tahun. Festival Danau Sentani diharapkan dapat menjadi objek wisata yang menarik. Kelak bukan mustahil, festival dapat meningkatkan pendapatan bagi masyarakat. "Kita berupaya supaya mereka dapat hidup mandiri dari potensi yang dimiliki sehingga dapat mengurangi ketergantungan terhadap pemerintah," paparnya. [Pembaruan/Gabriel Maniagasi] Last modified: 3/10/06 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/03/Olahraga/or08.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Lisa Raih Perak di Kejuaraan Dunia Lisa Rumbewas [Foto: AP] [JAKARTA] Lifter putri asal Papua, Lisa Rumbewas berhasil menyumbang medali perak untuk Indonesia pada Kejuaraan Dunia Angkat Besi, di Santo Domingo, Republik Dominika, setelah mencatat total angkatan 210 kg di kelas 53 kg. Berdasarkan hasil resmi kejuaraan yang dikeluarkan di situs resmi iwf.net, Selasa (3/10), peraik perak Olimpiade 2004 Athena tersebut mencatat angkatan snatch 95 kg serta clean and jerk 115 kg. Total angkatan lifter kelahiran 10 September 1980 itu, hanya terpaut 16 kg dari lifter China, Hongxia Qiu peraih medali emas dengan total angkatan 226 kg, 98 kg angkatan snatch dan 128 kg angkatan clean and jerk. Sementara perunggu diraih lifter Thailand, Chaleephay Suda yang hanya terpaut tiga kg dari Lisa dengan total angkatan 207 kg, 92 kg angkatan snatch dan 115 kg angkatan clean and jerk. Kejuaraan Dunia Kelas 53 kg tersebut dikuasai oleh lifter asal Asia yang mampu menempatkan enam lifternya di urutan sepuluh besar. Peringkat lima dan enam masing-masing ditempati oleh lifter Thailand lainnya, yaitu Maneewan Amnuaiporn dengan total angkatan 199 kg (86 kg snatch, 113 kg clean and jerk), serta lifter Taiwan, Hsin-tzu Fang dengan total angkatan 195kg (85 kg snatch, 110 kg clean and jerk). Menurut pengamat angkat besi Hadi Wiharja, hasil kejuaraan dunia tersebut bisa dijadikan parameter untuk melihat peta kekuatan di Asia untuk melihat kekuatan lawan menjelang Asian Games XV di Doha, 1-15 Desember mendatang. "Kejuaraan dunia ini juga dijadikan sebagai babak kualifikasi Olimpiade 2008 Beijing, jadi seluruh negara peserta sudah dipastikan mengirimkan lifter terbaik dunia mereka. Hasil kejuaraan dunia ini juga sudah menggambarkan kekuatan di Asia Games Doha nanti," kata Hadi, mantan lifter yang pernah menyumbang delapan emas di ajang SEA Games. Indonesia secara keseluruhan mengirim lima lifter ke kejuaraan dunia tersebut, dua putri dan tiga putra yaitu Triyatno (62 kg), Eko Yuli Irawan (56 kg), serta Jadi Setiadi yang juga di kelas 56kg. Meski tidak berhasil meraih medali, ketiga lifter tersebut menempati peringkat sepuluh besar dunia. Triyatno yang turun pada grup B kelas 62 kg membukukan total angkatan 285 kg, masing-masing 130 kg untuk snatch dan 155 kg untuk clean & jerk. Total angkatan Triyatno tersebut masih terpauh jauh, yaitu 23 kg dari lifter China, Le Qiu yang mencatat total angkatan 309 kg (140 kg snatch, 168 kg clean and jerk). Namun untuk tingkat Asia, Triyatno menempati peringkat ketiga setelah lifter Korea Selatan, Ji Hun-Min dengan total angkatan 287 kg (132 kg snatch, 155kg clean and jerk). Sementara Eko Juli Irawan dan Jadi Setiadi yang sama-sama tampil di kelas 56 kg, masing-masing menempati peringkat delapan dan sembilan dunia, atau peringkat lima dan enam untuk kawasan Asia. Eko melakukan angkatan snatch 116 kg dan 150 kg untuk angkatan clean & jerk, sehingga pemuda kelahiran 24 Juli 1989 itu membuat total angkatan 266 kg. Sedangkan Jadi yang lahir 2 Februari 1985, pada angkatan snath membuat angkatan 120 kg dan 145 kg untuk angkatan clean & jerk, sehingga mencatat total angkatan 265 kg. Medali emas di nomor 56kg tersebut direbut lifter China, Zheng Li dengan total angkatan 280kg (128kg snatch dan 152kg angkatan clean & jerk). Indonesia masih menyisakan satu lifter putri Sinta Darmariani yang turun di kelas 75 kg putri yang masih belum bertanding. [Ant/W-11] Last modified: 2/10/06 --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/02/Nusantar/nus06.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Melirik Potensi Energi Baru di Kabupaten Waropen Untuk sebagian masyarakat Papua, sagu tidak bisa dipisahkan dari kehidupan sehari-hari. Sagu telah menjadi makanan pokok yang harus selalu ada. Di Papua, malah ada ungkapan "kalau belum makan sagu, berarti masih ada yang kurang". Pameo itu mungkin terdengar seperti guyonan. Tetapi sesungguhnya hal itu menyiratkan sagu memang tidak bisa dilepas dari keseharian masyarakat Papua. Hampir sebagian besar suku yang mendiami pesisir pantai baik di bagian utara maupun selatan Tanah Papua bergantung sagu sebagai makanan pokok. Sagu telah menjadi sumber makanan pokok yang memiliki kandungan karbohidrat tertinggi, yakni 85,9 gram per 100 gram. Kandungan karbohidrat sagu paling tinggi dibandingkan beras yang hanya mengandung 80,4 gram per 100 gram atau jagung (71,7 gram per 100 gram), ubi kayu (28,7 gram per 100 gram) dan kentang yang hanya 23,7 gram per 100gram. Meskipun potensi sumber daya sagu di Papua dinilai sangat besar, tidak dapat disangkal bahwa luas hutan sagu yang tersebar itu belum dimanfaatkan secara optimal. Diperkirakan 3,6 juta hingga 19,2 juta ton per tahun pati kering yang sesungguhnya bisa dihasilkan dari hutan sagu di Papua hilang percuma karena tidak dimanfaatkan. Kabupaten Waropen tampaknya memiliki potensi tanaman sagu yang tidak bisa diabaikan. Dari hasil penelitian Universitas Negeri Papua, pesisir Kabupaten Waropen memendam potensi yang dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai sumber makanan baru karena hampir sebagian besar wilayahnya ditumbuhi hutan sagu alami dengan luasan 225.482,15 ha. Sementara itu, hasil interpretasi Citra Landsat, diperkirakan hampir 21,29 persen dari luas hutan sagu alam di Papua seluas 1.200.000 ha, Kabupaten Waropen memiliki sedikitnya 4-5 varietas dari 27 varietas yang dijumpai di seluruh Tanah Papua. Bahkan, kerapatan varietas tingkat pohon masih lebih tinggi yang dimiliki Kabupaten Waropen, yakni sebanyak 125 batang per ha. Jumlah itu cukup tinggi dibandingkan daerah lain di Papua yang hanya mencapai 68 pohon per ha dengan tingkat variasi antara 15 - 68 batang per ha. Di sisi lain, produksi pati kering per batang untuk Kabupaten Waropen telah mencapai 76-401 kg per batang. Jumlah itu jauh lebih banyak dibanding Papua yang hanya sebesar 38-437 kg per batang. Sementara, produksi pati kering untuk luasan hutan sagu di Kabupaten Waropen tercatat sebesar 1,32 ton - 6,96 juta ton per tahun. Namun jumlah itu masih sangat kecil perbedaannya jika dibanding dengan jumlah produksi pati kering per ha per tahun yang dihasilkan di seluruh provinsi Papua yang hanya sebesar 5,16 juta ton per tahun. Potensi Kabupaten Waropen tersebut menyebabkan pemda bersama Universitas Negeri Papua, Manokwari dan Yayasan Sagu Swaka Alam, pimpinan J Abrawi - Maniagasi, belum lama ini melakukan pertemuan di Manokwari untuk membahas peluang-peluang tersebut. Direkomendasikan, hutan sagu alam di Kabupaten Waropen perlu direhabilitasi, dan dijadikan perkebunan sagu. Kelak produksi per satuan luas dapat ditingkatkan dari sebelumnya. Selain itu, pemerintah Kabupaten Waropen harus segera melakukan tindakan -tindakan agronomis, seperti melakukan penjarangan tanaman bagi pertanaman dengan kerapatan tinggi dan pengayaan dengan varietas-varietas unggul (enrichment planting). Diharapkan pula, pemerintah bersama mitra jaringannya dapat melakukan kajian-kajian tentang pemanfaatan sagu sebagai sumber energi baru. Misalnya pemanfaatan nipah sagu sebagai bahan baku etanol, atau plastik yang mudah terurai dan kajian-kajian lainnya untuk kemajuan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Tripatrit Pertemuan tripatrit itu merekomendasikan pula penanaman investasi untuk mendorong berdirinya industri-industri berbasis sagu di Kabupaten Waropen. Diharapkan, potensi pati sagu dapat dikembangkan untuk pembuatan etanol sebagai salah satu sumber bahan bakar alternatif masa depan, alias sumber energi baru. Direktur Yayasan Sagu Swaka Alam, J Abrawi - Maniagasi, kepada Pembaruan, belum lama ini di Jayapura mengatakan, selain etanol dari tebu dan singkong maka ada sagu (Metroxilon Sagu) sebagai energi alternatif. Apalagi Indonesia mempunyai 64 persen dari sagu dunia, yaitu 1.398.000 ha Sementara di Papua terdapat 1.200.000 ha sagu, nipah (Nypa Fruticans) dan lontar siwalan (Borassus Sundaicus) yang dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai sumber energi alternatif. Apalagi saat ini pemerintah sedang mengalihkan perhatian dari pemanfaatan energi migas ke upaya penemuan dan pemanfaatan energi alternatif yang bersumber dari bahan nabati (biofuel), yakni etanol dari bahan tebu dan singkong, serta energi biodiesel dari bahan kelapa sawit dan jarak. Atas dasar itu, Yayasan Sagu Swaka Alam memandang bahwa selain bahan dari tebu, singkong dan kelapa sawit sesungguhnya ada sagu dan nipah yang persebarannya di Papua cukup berlimpah. Menurut Abrawi, cadangan minyak bumi di Indonesia semakin menipis, sementara kebutuhan masyarakat akan minyak bumi dalam negeri semakin meningkat setiap tahun. Kesenjangan itu berdampak pada keterpaksaan pemerintah untuk mengimpor minyak bumi. Padahal, harga minyak bumi dunia terus meningkat dan berdampak pada pembiayaan APBN serta menghambat pertumbuhan ekonomi nasional. Untuk itu, penghematan dan pemanfaatan energi sangat ditekankan dan kebutuhan energi alternatif menjadi pilihan Indonesia untuk masa depan. Apalagi potensi sumber daya alam (SDA) Indonesia sebagai negara kepulauan terbesar di dunia dengan 17.000 pulau yang terletak di daerah khatulistiwa yang tanahnya cukup subur. Apalagi Indonesia merupakan negara biodiversity nomor tiga terbesar di dunia dengan sejumlah tumbuhan (endemik) yang dapat diolah menjadi bahan bakar nabati (biofuel). Untuk itu, Pemerintah Daerah Kabupaten Waropen sedang mengupayakan pemanfaatan SDA penghasil energi selain sagu dan nipah yang penyebarannya cukup luas di Kabupaten Waropen. Bahkan untuk kelanjutan penelitiannya Pemerintah Kabupaten Waropen sedang menggandeng Universitas Negeri Papua, Manokwari untuk kajian-kajian selanjutnya. Bupati Waropen, Ones Ramandey mengakui Kabupaten Waropen memiliki potensi yang cukup besar untuk kebutuhan energi alternatif. Hanya saja sampai saat ini, potensi itu belum dikelola secara maksimal. Untuk itu, ke depannya pihaknya akan melakukan investasi untuk peningkatan dan pemanfaatan energi alternatif dari bahan dasar sagu dan nipah. [Pembaruan/ Gabriel Maniagasi] Last modified: 2/10/06 --- Sabtu, 30 September 2006 IJT Merupakan Masalah 7 Kabupaten NABIRE ? Aspirasi Pemekaran Provinsi Irian Jaya Tengah (IJT) yang tengah terangkat ke permukaan akhir ?akhir ini merupakan masalah 7 Kabupaten bukan hanya Nabire. Untuk itu semua steke holder dapat memahami persoalan kenapa dan dasarnya apa aspirasi Pemekaran Provinsi IJT ini perlu segera direalisasikan. Hal ini demikian diungkapkan Wakil Ketua I DPRD Kabupaten Nabire Penias Piagai,S.Sos kepada Cenderawasih Pos di Kantor DPRD Kamis (28/9) kemarin. Menurut Penias, persoalan IJT ini merupakan masalah dari pada 7 Kabupaten yakni Kabupaten Nabire, Paniai, Puncak Jaya, Mimika, Waropen, Serui, Biak dan Supiori sehingga perlu ada dukungan dari semua steke holder dalam menyuarakan aspirasi tersebut. ?Sebab apabila kita tidak dimekarkan, pembangunan di daerah ini akan bengini terus, artinya dengan adanya pemekaran Provinsi dapat membuka keterisolasian daerah yang selama ini dirasakan oleh rakyat,? jelasnya. Dijelaskana, selama ini APBD Nabire hanya Rp 4 miliar dan jumlah itu tidak cukup membagun, utunglah ada Dana Alokasi Umum (DAU) dan Dana Alokasi Khusus (DAK) sehingga Nabire bisa membangun. ?Untuk itu demi membuka keterisolasian daerah sekaligus menambah APBD kita, maka IJT perlu segera direalisasikan,?terangnya. Lanjut Pigai, dari sisi aturan sudah sangat jelas bahwa IJT memiliki dasar hukum dan satu produk hukum dengan Irian Jaya Barat dan beberapa Kabupaten Kota yakni Provinsi IJB, IJT, Kabupaten Nabire, Paniai, Puncak Jaya, Mimika dan Kota Sorong, yakni dibentuk berdarkan Undang ? undang Nomor 45 tahun 1999 tentang pembentukan 2 provinsi dan beberapa Kabupaten Kota di Papua. Penias menambahkan, sebagai intelektual yang mengerti aturan dapat memberikan penjelasan kepada masyarakat agar mengetahui dasar hukum yang sebenarnya. ?Kemudian dengan pemekaran ini juga dapat membuka lapangan kerja bagi pengangguran dan membuka jabatan ? jabatan baru di Birokrasi pemerintahan maupun di legislatif,? bebernya. Tentang siapa yang akan menjadi Gubernur, menurutnya, hal itu tidak perlu dipersoalkan sebab kedaulatan penuh ada di tangan rakyat, artinya pemilihan dilakukan oleh rakyat melalui pemungutan suara.(jon) --- Sabtu, 30 September 2006 GKII Papua Dimekarkan 3 Wilayah *Salah Satu Hasil Konwil GKII Wilayah Papua SENTANI - Setelah berlangsung selama 4 hari sejak dibuka tanggal 26 September 2006 lalu di hotel Sentani Indah. Konferensi Gereja Kemah Injil Indonesia (GKII), Jumat (29/9) kemarin, akhirnya telah menghasilan beberapa keputusan penting. Selain pemilihan pengurus baru, melalui Konferensi kali ini, GKII Wilayah Papua disefakati untuk dimekarkan menjadi tiga wilayah. Menurut Ketua Umum Badan Pengurus Pusat GKII Pdt. Paul Paksoal, M.Div bila sebelum konferensi wilayah GKII Papua ini,GKIII terbagi dalam 8 wilayah, dimana Papua masuk dalam wilayah VII. Maka dengan hasil konferensi GKII Wilayah Papua ini, jumlah wilayah pelayanan GKII menjadi 10 wilayah. "Dari hasil konferensi GKII Papua yang sah ini, GKII wilayah Papua dimekarkan menjadi 3 wilayah baru,"ungkap Paul Paksoal dalam acara jumpa pers kemarin. Dijelaskan bahwa wilayah Papua I yang diketuai Karel Maniani, STh tersebut meliputi daerah pesisir yang berpusat di Jayapura, Wilayah Papua II meliputi wilayah pegunungan tengah yang berpusat di Timika, dan Wilayah III yang meliputi daerah Paniai dan sekitarnya sampai saat ini masih dalam tahap persiapan. "Khusus untuk wilayah III, masih dalam pembinaan dan pengawasan langsung dari pengurus pusat,"jelasnya. Dukungan atas pelaksanaan dan keputusan hasil Konwil GKII Papua ke VIII ini juga didukung oleh sejumlah pimpinan/koordinator wilayah baik dari Puncak Jaya, Jayawijaya, daerah Pantai dan Paniai. Bahkan Pdt Nico Waker yang sempat ditunjuk sebagai wakil ketua I di Gereja Kemah Injil (Kingmi) Papua, secara tegas menyatakan mengundurkan diri dari pengurus gereja tersebut, dan menyatakan untuk tetap melakukan pelayanan dalam organisasi GKII kesatuan. Terkait dengan permasalahan beda pendapat dari Konwil di Nabire, Pdt Paul Paksoal menghimbau kepada warga jemaat GKII yang masih ragu-ragu untuk memastikan bahwa GKII masih tetap eksis, tidak pernah bubar dan tidak pernah dibubarkan. "Kita tetap membuka diri untuk menerima dan merangkul mereka,"ujar Paksoal yang mengaku akan menempuh jalur hukum bila terpaksa untuk menyelesaikan beda pendapat tersebut. (tri) --- FAKFAK EXPRESS Jumat, 29 September 2006 Kaimana akan dijadikan pintu gerbang di Selatan Papua Sebagai salah satu Kabupaten pemekaran termaju di IJB, letak strategi Kabupaten Kaimana yang berada di dua Propinsi (IJB dan Papua) ini sangat menjanjikan. Untuk itu Pemda Kaimana sangat menangkap peluang tersebut, sehingga Kaimana saat ini telah menjadi salah satu anggota Forum Kerjasama Pengunungan Tengah dan Selatan Papua. Tentunya konsep pengembangan khususnya di bidang infrastruktur terus menerus diupayakan Pemda Kabupaten Kaimana. Dan belum lama ini, Bupati Kaimana mengikuti pertemuan Forum Kerjasama tersebut di Timika (14-15 September) yang lalu. Bagaimanakah konsep pengembangan tersebut, sehingga tujuan menjadikan Kaimana sebagai pintu gerbang di Selatan Papua pada masa yang akan datang bisa tercapai? Berikut wawancara singkat Wartawan Radar Sorong, Anis Dasantos dengan Bupati Kaimana, Drs. Hasan Achmad, M.Si. Kaimana merupakan salah satu Kabupaten di IJB yang masuk dalam forum kerjasama tersebut, hasil apa saja yang sudah disetujui dalam pertemuan itu? Dalam pertemuan tersebut topiknya sudah dibicarakan yakni terkait dengan kebijakan, strategi dan program pembangunan infrastruktur di kawasan Pegunungan Tengah dan Selatan Papua. Berbicara menyangkut infrastruktur ini tentunya bermuara pada bagaimana membuka akses dari satu daerah ke daerah lain, dimana ada daerah tertentu yang diposisikan sebagai pintu gerbang dan ada daerah lainnya akan dijadikan sebagai daerah tujuan. Untuk itu, wilayah pantai selatan yakni Kaimana, Timika dan Merauke telah ditetapkan sebagai pintu gerbang untuk menuju ke wilayah pengunungan tengah. Ini akan berkaitan juga dengan bagaimana upaya menerobos keterisolasian selama ini baik di selatan Papua maupun di pegunungan tengah. Strategi-strategi apa yang harus diupayakan sehingga konsep tersebut tercapai? Ada tiga konsep pengembangan yakni pertama jangka pendek yaitu menyangkut pembangunan air strip atau bandara kecil di wilayah pegunungan tengah, jangka menengah yakni pengembangan pelabuhan laut, di mana akan ditetapkan mana yang menjadi pelabuhan kolektor dan pelabuhan distributor. Untuk jangka panjangnya yakni membangun akses jalan yang menghubungkan wilayah-wilayah tersebut, baik dari wilayah selatan ke pengunungan tengah maupun sebaliknya. Selain itu juga, ada strategi yang sudah disepekati secara bersama yakni bagaimana menjadikan one region one product. Untuk itu, sudah ada kata sepakat bahwa untuk mencapai hal tersebut harus didahului dengan studi kelayakan berkaitan dengan kemungkinan pembangunan jaringan jalan yang menghubungkan wilayah tersebut dengan memanfaatkan atau mengoptimalkan jalan yang sudah dibangun oleh perusahaan HPH selama ini. Dari hasil studi tersebut nantinya akan diusahakan mana yang menjadi prioritas pertama yang harus dibangun. Jika pembangunan infrastruktur tersebut tentu kaitannya dengan dana, apa sudah disepakati terkait dengan pendanaannya? Dalam pertemuan tersebut pun sudah disepakati untuk khusus ruas jalan tersebut akan ditetapkan mana yang ruas jalan Negara artinya dibiayai oleh APBN, mana yang menjadi ruas jalan propinsi yang dibiayai oleh APBD Propinsi dan begitu pula mana yang menjadi pembiayaan APBD Kabupaten. Selain itu juga bagaimana menghadirkan mitra dan mencari pola kerjasama dalam pembangunan ruas jalan tersebut, tentunya dengan memanfaatkan potensi sumber daya yang ada pada masing-masing wilayah itu. Dalam pertemuan tersebut pun sudah disepakati bahwa perlu dibangun pusat-pusat pertumbuhan ekonomi di ruas-ruas jalan tersebut, sehingga diharapkan nantinya terjadi dinamika pertumbuhan ekonomi dan perubahan sosial itu juga bisa terjadi. Bagaimana konsep pengembangan sektor pelabuhan Laut? Dalam pertemuan tersebut terkait dengan transporatsi laut, juga sudah disepakati bahwa akan dibangun titik-titik gerbang pelabuhan kolektor dan distributor. Untuk itu sudah ditentukan tiga pelabuhan pilihan untuk menjadikan menjadi pintu gerbang yakni Kaimana, Timika dan Merauke. Hal ini dikarenakan wilayah selatan tersebut yakni Kaimana, Timika dan Merauke merupakan wilayah yang terdekat jaraknya dengan daerah ditsributor seperti Surabaya, Makasar dan Jakarta. Ini dengan pertimbangan dari pada harus melalui jalur utara, karena jika melalui jalur utara maka jelas costnya akan tinggi. Sehingga dengan dibukanya pintu gerbang ini diharapkan juga bisa menekan biaya-biaya ekonomi lainnya, yang nantinya dapat dipergunakan untuk kepentingan pembangunan lainnya. Hal itu juga diharapkan dapat mempercepat perubahan pembangunan di wilayah tersebut dengan menciptakan pertumbuhan-pertumbuhan ekonomi di setiap daerah dengan memanfaatkan potensi daerah masing-masing dalam rangka untuk mempercepat pembangunan di wilayah tersebut. Berkaitan dengan pengembangan sektor Pelabuhan Udara? Hal itu juga sudah disepakati bahwa akan dibangun landasan pacu baru di beberapa daerah, ada yang sudah tercover dalam APBD Propinsi maupun Kabupaten. Selain itu juga sudah direkomendasikan peningkatan sejumlah bandara di beberapa daerah seperti Kaimana, Wamena, Merauke, dan beberapa bandara kecil di wilayah pengunungan tengah. Tentu akan dilihat mana yang bisa dijangkau dengan transporatsi darat dan mana yang bisa dijangkau transportasi udara. Ini juga dimaksudkan agar ada efektifitas dan efiensi dalam mobilisasi tersebut dan sudah ada komitmen bersama bahwa persoalan transportasi baik darat, laut maupun udara akan menjadi salah satu prioritas pengembangan dalam untuk mempercepat perubahan sosial dan pertumbuhan ekonomi di wilayah pegunungan tengah dan selatan Papua. Kapan dilakukan studi kelayakan tersebut ? Dalam waktu dekat sudah dilakukan studi kelayakan ini baik itu menyangkut ruas jalan, pelabuhan laut maupun pelabuhan udara. Prioritas pertama yakni jangka pendeknya adalah pelabuhan udara dengan mengembangkan beberapa bandara kecil di wilayah pegunungan tengah, untuk mobilisasi orang, tetapi nantinya ke depan bukan hanya orang saja tetapi juga mobilisasi produk unggulan dalam jumlah yang besar. Sehingga diharapkan mobilisasi barang dari daerah produksi menuju ke pelabuhan laut baik itu sebagai pelabuhan kolektor dan distributor ini bisa tercapai dengan secepatnya. Pada tiga Pelabuhan laut nantinya bertugas sebagai pelabuhan kolektor menghubungkan dengan pusat pemasaran baik dalam negeri maupun luar negeri. Dan terhadap studi kelayakan tersebut, saat ini Kaimana sudah mulai bahkan sudah siap untuk melakukan identifikasi tersebut, khususnya di sektor transportasi darat. Kita sudah lakukan survey, seperti ruas jalan Kaimana-Nabire, Kaimana-Wondama, Kaimana-Bintuni, dan Kaimana-Fakfak. Untuk itu secepatnya akan kita usulankan rencana defenitifnya ke pemerintah pusat maupun propinsi sehingga ditetapkan mana yang menjadi jalur pusat propinsi maupun kabupaten, tentu hal ini dimaksudkan agar pengelolaan dananya secara jelas.(** --- Evaluasi Sebelum Direvisi JAYAPURA, KOMPAS - Undang-Undang Nomor 21 Tahun 2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus Papua tidak sesuai lagi dengan perkembangan kebutuhan. Karena itu, hendaknya UU itu dievaluasi untuk kemudian direvisi. Demikian anggota Pokja Papua Frans Maniagasi dan Ketua Majelis Rakyat Papua (MRP) Agus Alue Alua di Jayapura, Selasa (3/10). "UU Otsus menyatakan bahwa revisi UU harus diusulkan oleh masyarakat Papua. Jadi oke saja kalau mau dievaluasi dulu, lalu disepakati apa yang akan direvisi Kalaupun direvisi, paling tidak harus sama dengan UU Pemerintahan Aceh," ujar Frans. Frans khawatir pemerintah pusat tidak menunggu masukan dari masyarakat Papua, tetapi langsung memasukkan draf revisi ke DPR. Menteri Dalam Negeri Moh Ma'ruf memang sudah menunjuk Dirjen Pemerintahan Umum Depdagri Sodjuangon Situmorang menjadi ketua Tim Perumus Revisi UU Otsus Papua. "Kami berharap Jakarta mendengar kami dulu sebelum mengajukan revisi ke DPR," katanya. Frans menyebut beberapa pasal yang memang harus direvisi, seperti aturan tentang pemilihan kepala daerah yang harus dilakukan secara langsung, tidak lagi lewat DPR Papua seperti yang diatur UU Otsus Papua. Sementara itu, Agus Alue Alua mengatakan, ketika bertemu Presiden Yudhoyono di Jakarta, yang dibicarakan adalah evaluasi UU Otsus Papua, bukan revisi. Karena itu, MRP mengusulkan evaluasi UU Otsus Papua dilakukan pihak independen. "Mekanisme evaluasi ada di UU Otsus Papua, dan itu harus dipenuhi, jangan main bentuk tim revisi UU. Kita harus melihat apa yang benar dan yang salah, di Papua dan Irjabar," tandasnya. Untuk pelaksanaan UU Otsus Papua, baru ada satu peraturan daerah provinsi (perdasi), yaitu Perdasi Nomor 4 Tahun 2005 tentang Tata Cara Pemilihan Anggota MRP. Pemerintah Provinsi Papua telah menyusun 16 rancangan perdasi, tetapi belum satu pun dibahas DPRP. Padahal, UU Otsus Papua mengamanatkan 18 perdasi dan 12 perdasus, termasuk soal hubungan pemerintah provinsi, DPRP, dan MRP. Wakil Ketua MRP Frans Woospakrik mengakui, pelaksanaan tugas dan wewenang pemerintah provinsi, DPRP, dan MRP belum berjalan efektif karena perdasi yang mengatur belum ada. "MRP sering dipersalahkan karena soal itu. Padahal dalam UU Otsus Papua, MRP tak punya wewenang menyusun perdasi atau perdasus. Kami hanya memberi pertimbangan," katanya. (SIE) --- Rabu, 04 Oktober 2006 (Radar Timika) Pendulang Liar Membobol Areal PT FI Merauke, Kompas - Sekitar 100 orang bersenjata pa- nah dan parang membobol pagar areal pengolahan tembaga PT Freeport Indonesia di Kabu- paten Mimika, Papua, Selasa (3/10) sore. Mereka memasuki unit pengolahan konsentrat tembaga dan menuntut PT Freeport Indonesia menghentikan produksinya. Belum diketahui apa faktor pemicu aksi pembobolan yang terjadi sekitar pukul 16.30 WIT itu. Para warga tersebut diduga bagian dari kelompok pendulang tradisional di aliran tailing PT Freeport Indonesia (FI) di Desa Banti, Distrik Tembagapura, Kabupaten Mimika. Meskipun pembobolan itu tidak menimbulkan korban, akibat kehadiran para pendulang tradisional itu suasana di areal pengolahan konsentrat tembaga sempat tegang. Hingga sekitar pukul 19.00 WIT, sebagian besar pendulang tradisional berhasil dievakuasi keluar dari areal pengolahan tersebut. Kepala Kepolisian Resor Mimika Ajun Komisaris Besar Jantje Jimmy Tuilan menjelaskan, aparat Kepolisian Sektor Tembagapura tidak bisa mencegah massa memasuki areal PT Freeport Indonesia karena keterbatasan jumlah polisi. Sedang berunding Menurut Jimmy, pihaknya belum bisa memastikan latar belakang aksi tersebut. Ia menjelaskan, dalam beberapa waktu terakhir PT Freeport Indonesia dan pemerintah daerah sedang merundingkan solusi tentang maraknya pendulang tradisional di lokasi pembuangan tailing PT Freeport Indonesia. "Saat ini telah dibentuk Forum Pemberdayaan dan Pengendalian Pendulang. Akan tetapi, ada kelompok pendulang merasa aspirasinya belum terwadahi. Pada Selasa pagi, kami menerima informasi mereka akan berunding lagi, tetapi yang terjadi para pendulang malah memasuki areal pengolahan konsentrat," kata Jimmy. Senior Corporate Communication PT Freeport Indonesia Sidarta Moersyid menyatakan, masuknya para pendulang tersebut ke areal produksi PT Freeport tidak sampai mengganggu kegiatan produksi PT Freeport. "Kasus itu telah diselesaikan secara baik-baik dan peristiwa itu tidak berdampak. Tentang informasi bahwa sejumlah karyawan dievakuasi ke Mil 68, saya belum tahu. Yang jelas, kegiatan produksi kami tidak terganggu," ungkap Sidarta. Ketua Lembaga Studi Advokasi Masyarakat (ELSAM) Papua Aloysius Renwarin mempertanyakan bagaimana massa bisa memasuki areal konsesi pertambangan PT Freeport Indonesia. Menurut dia, masuknya sekelompok massa itu bisa menimbulkan masalah baru, yang berujung pada represi aparat keamanan terhadap masyarakat dan pendulang tradisional. "Masalahnya, tidak mungkin 100 pendulang itu masuk sendiri tanpa dibantu orang tertentu. Areal pengolahan konsentrat PT Freeport Indonesia merupakan areal tertutup yang dijaga ketat dengan pagar tinggi. Jika mereka bisa masuk, pertanyaannya adalah siapa yang memasukkan mereka dan untuk apa warga dimasukkan?" tutur Renwarin. Masih dijaga Ajun Komisaris Besar Jantje Jimmy Tuilan juga menyatakan belum mengetahui bagaimana para pendulang itu bisa menerobos masuk ke areal produksi PT Freeport Indonesia. "Kami akan menyelidiki hal itu pada Rabu pagi, termasuk untuk mencari penyebab aksi tersebut. Hingga Selasa malam aparat Kepolisian Sektor Tembagapura masih berjaga untuk mengamankan lokasi itu," ucap Jimmy. (row) --- CENDRAWSIH POS Jumat, 06 Oktober 2006 Separatis Tetap Diwaspadai *TNI Kedepankan Pendekatan Kemanusiaan JAYAPURA-Panglima Komando Daerah Militer (Kodam) XVII/ Trikora Mayor Jenderal (Mayjen) TNI Zamroni mengatakan, memasuki Hari Ulang Tahun ke- 61 TNI ini, jajaran TNI di Papua, akan terus bertekad bersama-sama warga masyarakat untuk membangun daerah ini, agar kehidupan masyarakat lebih sejahtera lagi. Tentunya kata dia, tugas ini akan dapat diwujudkan dengan baik, bila masing-masing komponen yang ada di masyarakat dapat memahami dan menghayati tugasnya masing-masing. " Sebab bagi saya, modal suskesnya membangun suatu daerah, kuncinya ada pada kemauan dan kebersamaan. Sebab, tanpa dimiliknya rasa kebersamaan dan kekompakan antara rakyat, pemerintah dan TNI, maka akan menjadi kendala tersendiri dalam memajukan daerah ini," ujar Pangdam saat ditemui wartawan usai menjadi Irup pada HUT ke-61 TNI di Lapangan Mandala, Kamis (5/10) kemarin. Ditanya soal masih adanya kelompok-kelompok separatis (TPN/OPM) di daerah ini, Pangdam mengatakan, untuk mengatasi hal itu, TNI tentunya sangat mengedepankan pendekatan kemanusiaan. Karena bagaimanapun juga mereka itu adalah warga negara Indonesia, yang perlu mendapatkan pembinaan-pembinaan secara berkesinambungan. Disinggung soal masih adanya WNI (Papua) yang meminta suaka politik di PNG, menurut Pangdam, kalau permasalahanya sudah antar negara, maka bukan lagi kewenangan TNI, tapi itu sudah menjadi kewenangan dan tanggungjawab pemerintah pusat. Tapi kalau bicara soal keamanan di wilayah perbatasan, tentunya TNI sangat berkepentingan untuk menjaganya, karena ini menyangkut kepentingan keutuhan Bangsa dan Negara. " Yang jelas sampai saat ini kondisi keamanan di wilayah perbatasan masih sangat kondusif. Namun begitu, aparat keamanan yang bertugas di kawasan itu harus tetap meningkatkan kewaspadaan, karena bagaimana pun juga gangguan keamanan bisa kapan saja terjadi, dengan cara memanfaatkan celah-celah yang ada, " paparnya. Karena itu, lanjut Pangdam, meski sekarang ini jumlah kekuatan mereka (TPN/OPM) mulai lemah, tapi tetap saja bisa mengancam keutuhan NKRI. Karena itu, pendekatan kemanusiaan tetap menjadi sesuatu hal yang penting harus diutamakan, agar mereka sadar bahwa apa yang mereka perjuangankan itu, tidaklah benar. " Kalau kita amati kan, banyak saudara-saudara kita yang bertahun-tahun berjuang di hutan, tapi akhirnya mereka sadar dan kembali menjadi warga masyarakat biasa. Ini menandakan bahwa, mereka sangat sadar bahwa apa yang dilakukan itu, tidak benar. Karena itu, untuk merangkul kembali saudara-saudara kita yang masih ada di hutan, kita akan intensifkan pendekatan kemanusiaan," bebernya. Seiring semakin kondusifnya situasi keamanan di Papua, apakah ada keinginan untuk secara bertahap akan menarik pasukan anorganik di daerah ini, Pangdam mengaku belum saatnya. Alasannya, keberadaan pasukan Satgas itu masih sangat dibutuhkan di daerah ini, terlebih di daerah perbatasan. Mengapa daerah perbatasan masih perlu dijaga, menurut Pangdam, ini tidak terlepas dari kewajiban TNI untuk menjaga keutuhan NKRI. " Karena menjaga keutuhan NKRI itu merupakan hak suatu bangsa. Dimana pun negara itu berbatasan dengan negara lain, maka itu harus dijaga. Karena ini menjadi bagian hak kedaulatan," jelasnya. Sementara itu, terkait dengan perayaan HUT ke- 61 TNI itu, kemarin digelar upacara militer secara sederhana di lapangan Mandala. Meski suasananya tidak semeriah tahun-tahun sebelumnya, namun para undangan tetap mendapat suguhan menarik berupa peragaan bela diri ratusan prajurit TNI. Dalam kesempatan itu juga, Pangdam Mayjen TNI Zamroni atas nama Presiden dan Panglima TNI menyematkan bintang dan menyerahkan piagam penghargaan kepada empat perwakilan anggota TNI, atas pengabdian dan kesetiaannya dalam melaksanakan tugas sebagai prajurit TNI. Sebelumnya, Panglima TNI, Marsekal Djoko Suyanto dalam sambutannya dibacakan Pangdam XVII/Trikora, Mayjen Zamroni mengakui bahwa selaku alat negara di bidang pertahanan, TNI masih menghadapi berbagai kendala untuk menempatkan diri sebagai komponen utama yang dewasa dan matang. "Kendala ini bukan hanya berasal dari tubuh TNI sendiri, tetapi juga yang muncul akibat perkembangan lingkungan yang pesat. Kendala internal seperti adanya oknum prajurit yang dalam kehidupan kedinasan maupun diluar dinas, mengabaikan kaidah-kaidah keprajuritan dan norma hukum yang berlaku," ujarnya. Faktor internalnya, kata Panglima, sulitnya membangun kekuatan TNI yang memadai akibat keterbatasan kemampuan negara, disaat negara di sekeliling mampu melanjutkan perkembangan kualitas dan kuantitas angkatan bersenjatanya. Namun, ujar Panglima, satu hal yang membanggakan bahwa pengabdian TNI tidak pernah terputus sejak 61 tahun lalu, telah diakui oleh segenap komponen bangsa dan dikukuhkan menjadi jati diri, sebagaimana tercantum dalam UU tentang TNI, yakni sebagai Tentara Rakyat, Tentara Pejuang dan Tentara Nasional dan Tentara Profesional. Dalam setahun belakangan ini, Panglima menilai bahwa TNI telah mampu menghasilkan kinerja terbaik dalam melaksanakan tugasnya. "Kita telah berhasil kawal kebijakan negara dan keputusan politik negara, menciptakan perdamaian di Nangroe Aceh dan tugas-tugas pengamanan di perbatasan darat dengan negara tetangga, pengamanan di laut dan perairan nusantara serta menjaga keamanan di wilayah udara nasional," imbuhnya. Menghadapi berbagai ujian yang dialami bangsa Indoneia terutama bencana, TNI telah menyiapkan sikap antisipatif dengan membentuk pasukan reaksi cepat penanggulangan bencana dan menyarankan pembentukan Badan Penanggulangan Bencana di daerah. Menyadari tanggungjawab yang dipikul sebagai garda bangsa dan negara, ujar Panglima, bukanlah tugas ringan. Pihak asing akan selalu berusaha mengancam kepentigan nasional, antara lain, dalam bentuk upaya pengusaan wilayah-wilayah terluas, illegal logging, illegal fishing, teror atau cara lain melalui bidang ekonomi, politik dan sosial budaya. "Ancaman dalam negeri, diperkirakan TNI masih akan menghadapi aksi-aksi kelompok separatis, konflik horisontal dan vertikal serta bencana lain yang tidak mustahil akan muncul," imbuhnya. Turut hadir dalam upacara peringatan HUT ke-61 TNI, adalah Danlantamal X Brigjen TNI Marinir Sumantri Dipraja, SIP, Wakil Gubernur Alex Hesegem, SE, Wakapolda Papua Brigjen Pol. Max Donald dan sejumlah pejabat sipil dan TNI/Polri lainnya. (mud/bat) --- KOMPAS Sabtu, 07 Oktober 2006 Hak Asasi Manusia Bentrokan Abepura Dilaporkan ke Komnas HAM Jakarta, Kompas - Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja Di Papua atau PGGP, Kamis (5/10), melaporkan dugaan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia pascakerusuhan 16 Maret 2006 di Abepura, Papua, ke Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia di Jakarta. Komnas HAM diminta membentuk komisi pencari fakta untuk kasus itu. Ada temuan tewasnya warga sipil, Jeni Hisage, yang diduga akibat penyisiran yang dilakukan aparat kepolisian, seusai bentrokan. Anggota PGGP, Br Budi Hernawan OFM, mengungkap adanya penyerangan, penangkapan, dan penahanan sewenang-wenang oleh polisi. Banyak warga ketakutan dan lari ke hutan atau kota lain. Ada warga yang masih mengungsi ke perbatasan dengan Papua Niugini," kata Budi. Mereka berharap Komnas HAM menindaklanjuti laporan itu. PGGP, yang didampingi pengacara Johnson Panjaitan dari PBHI, juga meminta Komnas HAM memfasilitasi pertemuan dengan lembaga-lembaga negara agar kasus itu ditangani serius. Komnas HAM, yang diwakili Zumrotin K Soesilo dan Enny Soeprapto, menyatakan akan menindaklanjuti laporan itu. "Jika ada indikasi pelanggaran HAM, kami akan membuat tim ad hoc," kata Zumrotin. (JOS) --- Kamis, 05 Oktober 2006 (CEPOS) Sem Wandik Dituntut 5 Tahun Penjara *Sementara Steven Wandik Sempat Membuat Hakim Marah JAYAPURA-Tampaknya tak lama lagi, Sem Wandik (22) terdakwa Kasus Bentrok di depan Kampus Uncen Abepura 16 Maret lalu, akan segera menyusul terdakwa lain yang telah divonis penjara oleh majelis hakim Pengadilan Negeri Jayapura. Sebab dalam persidangan kemarin, Sem Wandik dituntut 5 tahun penjara potong tahanan. Oleh Jaksa Penuntut Umum (JPU) Kejaksaan Negeri Jayapura, terdakwa dinyatakan terbukti secara sah dan meyakinkan melanggar pasal 214 KUHP yakni melakukan perlawanan terhadap aparat negara yang sedang melaksanakan tugas. "Sesuai dengan fakta di dalam persidangan, berupa keterangan dari 4 saki, serta bukti-bukti petunjuk, maka kami menuntut terdakwa dengan tuntutan lima tahun penjara,"kata Jaksa Penutut Umum, Putu Soerjono, SH dalam persidangan di Pengadilan Negeri Jayapura, Rabu (4/10) kemarin. Hal-hal yang memberatkan terdakwa bahwa perbuatan terdakwa meresahkan masyarakat, membuat arus perekonomian dan pengguna jalan saat kejadian menjadi terganggu, terdakwa dalam persidangan selalu berbelit-belit, sehingga menggangu kelancaran persidangan. Sementara hal-hal yang meringankan, adalah terdakwa masih muda, sehingga masih ada waktu untuk merubah sifatnya. Hal lain yang meringankan, terdakwa juga belum pernah dihukum. Setelah pembacaan tuntutan, sidang ditunda hingga Senin (9/10) depan, dengan agenda pembelaan oleh penasehat hukum (PH), serta pembelaan dari terdakwa sendiri. Dalam kasus yang sama, yakni persidangan untuk terdakwa Steven Wandik (26), pada sidang kemarin, sempat membuat hakim dan jaksa penuntut umum (JPU), bahkan tim Penasihat hukum (PH), bingung. Mereka bingung, karena jawaban-jawaban yang diberikan terdakwa, isinya lain-lain. Seperti jawaban yang diberikan terdakwa terhadap hakim, bahwa saat kejadian terdakwa mengaku berada di tempat kejadian yakni di Depan Kampus Uncen dan melakukan pelemparan terhadap aparat keamanan, bahkan mengaku juga sempat melakukan pemukulan teradap salah satu korban yang berasal dari Intel TNI-AU, sehingga meninggal dunia. Sementara jawaban terdakwa terhadap pertanyaan panasehat hukum (PH), terdakwa mengaku bahwa dirinya saat hari kejadian sedang berada di bengkel salah satu arang tua piaraannya, di daerah Padang Bulan Abepura, dan bekerja di tempat tersebut hingga sore hari, sehingga tidak mengetahui pasti kajadian bentrok. Tak pelak, hakim sempat naik pitam. Bahkan sempat terjadi perang mulut antara hakim dengan salah satu anggota tim Penasihat Hukum (PH). Akhirnya sidang ditunda hingga Senin (9/10), dengan agenda pembacaan tuntutan oleh jaksa penuntut umum (JPU). Sekadar diketahui, bahwa kedua terdakwa yang disidangkan kemarin, merupakan terdakwa terakhir dari sekian terdakwa Kasus Bentrok di Abepura. Dalam persidangan kemarin dipimpin majelis hakim dengan Hakim Ketua Morris Ginting SH dan dibantu oleh dua hakim anggota masing-masing Lakoni SH dan Deni Sumadi SH. (cak) --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Sun Oct 8 20:52:36 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 11:52:36 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 6-9 2006 Message-ID: <1856.61.94.58.25.1160362356.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Oct 6-9 2006 KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * New doctrine needed to truly reform military * Papuans upbeat on funding plan * Critics say TNI holding onto old political culture * A WEST Papuan man who fled oppressive... * Problems in Papua * A new diplomacy over Papua * Nationalists stand up for Papuans * Pacific exodus likely * Indonesian police detain 43 for blocking road to mine * Plan to thwart Papuan activists * Struggle to Fix Years of Neglect * Papuan?s fight against deportation order in Vanuatu approaches final decision * Families of Abepura suspects lodge complaint * 47 Papuans questioned over blockade at Freeport mine * Re: Pitfalls of Papua - A new diplomacy * Jusuf's book gives RI history lesson * Activists threaten to sue military intelligence agency * Community education raises HIV/AIDS (in Papua) * Indonesia questions 40 Freeport protesters in Papua --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20061005.A04&irec=3 New doctrine needed to truly reform military Andi Widjajanto, Jakarta The process of military reform is part of the political process of democratic consolidation. Therefore, military reform is first occurring in the political realm. The main goal is to make sure that the new role of our military is in line with the universal norms of the democratic political system. As we stand today, all aspects of political standpoints for our military reform have been thoroughly debated. We have discussed the role of the military in our political system. We have reached a political consensus that we do not want any military involvement in all levels of political institutions. We want to eliminate the character of the "political army" from our military. We have also debated the implementation of the principle of civil supremacy. We adopted the concept, translated the concept directly in our laws of state defense and military, and have tried to make necessary organizational adjustment to apply it. We are in agreement that our soldiers must observe humanitarian principles. We are now aware that all military operations must be designed and employed according to the law and ethics of war. We have already tried to draft a strategic plan on how to enhance our military position. We realize that the implementation of this plan will mainly depend on the capacity of our macro economy to support it. We also share a common position in evaluating military business. We reject the direct or indirect, as well as legal or illegal involvement, of our soldiers in the business sector. We realize that soldiers' economic activities have weakened their professionalism. All of these political debates have consumed the most part of our energy for completing military reform. There have been some early gains. The revocation of the dual-function doctrine, the removal of the military from the legislature, the separation of the police from the armed forces; and the appointment of four successive civilian defense ministers were all significant achievements. Despite considerable efforts to maintain the path of military reform, we have made little progress in actually transforming our military. If military transformation entails a fundamental change in the concept, character and conduct of war fighting, then we are not so much engaged in transforming our military as we are in reforming it. Our defense strategy is still very much based on four doctrinal pillars: people's war, layered defense, joint operations and joint command, and the concept of expeditionary forces. We must start a series of academic discussions to stimulate the military impulse for doctrinal reforms. We must initiate open debate on the basic concepts of our defense doctrine. Are we going to maintain the people's war doctrine as the fundamental doctrine? Or can we modify that doctrine and formulate a new doctrine of total war or total defense? Or maybe, a doctrine of asymmetric warfare that relies on military capability to maintain a war of attrition and a prolonged war against a much stronger enemy will be more appropriate for our country? If we analyze our current military position, can we at least be truthful enough to admit that our layered defense strategy cannot be implemented since we do not have a sufficient force projection capability to employ the strategy of forward defense? If 20 to 30 heavy divisions of armed forces invade us from the north, at the current military capability, we do not have enough power to contain our enemy before they enter our territory as suggested by the layered defense strategy. To implement the layered defense strategy we also need several joint military commands. The fact is, besides our national air defense command (Kohanudnas), we do not have any other operational joint military commands. So, we can argue that instead of establishing several new units to strengthen our new territorial command (modified in 2002), we should propose the establishment of a functional-based or territorial-based joint military command. Our defense doctrine is also based on military readiness to launch joint military operations. How can we create a tradition of joint operations, if our military possesses strong single-service cultures and considerable interservice rivalries? This makes it difficult to introduce the idea of jointness, interoperability, and to create integrated military support systems. We should also embark on the issue of force deployment. Our wartime experience teaches us that most of our military campaigns rely on the employment of expeditionary forces. Throughout its history, our military has executed a wide array of expeditionary operations, such as Kawilarang's operations to crush the Andi Azis and South Maluku Republic (RMS) rebel groups, Ahmad Yani's operation against PRRI/Permesta rebels, Soeharto's infiltration operation in West Irian, and Dading Kalbuadi's operation in East Timor. However, can we now be certain that our military has sufficient capability to launch expeditionary operations by leveraging every potential strategic tool of speed, operational reach and precision. Do we have the capability of projecting joint forces characterized by coordinated combinations of force unhindered by distance and generally independent of terrain? There is a serious lack of debate in this military transformation agenda. Our military, like other militaries in the world, is often an extremely conservative, risk-averse, and highly routinized organization. We need to strengthen our capacity to have a more balanced discussion on the issue of our future armed forces between military officers, academics and certain civil society members. Our thinking on our defense and military strategy still needs to evolve. We need to transform our military so it will be ready to tackle a more complex responsibility in the 21st century. The writer is a lecturer at the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia. He can be reached at andi_widjajanto at yahoo.com. -- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20061005.A06&irec=5 Papuans upbeat on funding plan Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu's initiative to earmark Rp 100 million (US$10,865) in special autonomy funding for each kampong throughout the province starting next year is receiving an enthusiastic response from local residents. "If the funds are really to be sent directly to each kampong, I want them to be used for water procurement," Daniel Awi, a resident of Nafri kampong near Abepura, Jayapura, said Wednesday. People in the kampong were forced to walk one to two kilometers away to fetch water, Daniel said. He said the local administration had helped by providing water tanks, but they no longer worked properly because many of their pipes were broken. "Now the people want the water distributed directly to their respective houses," he said. "For me it's better to use that money to finance small-scale businesses like silk-screening and automobile workshops to enable young people here who don't have jobs to find work," said Jansen Fingkreuw, a local youth. Jansen explained there used to be a silk-screening workshop, but it went bankrupt due to the limited availability of capital. As a result, many young people who had skills in the business were left jobless, he said. Suebu's plan calls for a total of Rp 260 billion to be distributed to all 2,600 kampongs throughout Papua. The funds will be used to finance four key sectors: education, health, infrastructure and community economic development. The money will be channeled through Bank Papua, which is required to establish a branch office in each kampong with an advisor to ensure proper disbursement. The special autonomy funding was created in a 2001 law aimed at improving conditions in Papua and easing separatist tensions there. Nafri kampong, located 15 kilometers from Abepura, has 780 families with a total population of 1,973. Some of the kampongs, especially those in remote areas, have populations of less than 50. Nafri is a developed kampong equipped with asphalt roads and electricity. Most of the houses are permanently constructed with cement, although some are made of wood and have bare earthen floors. Thomas, another local unemployed man, also praised the funding plan. "I used to hear about the word 'Otsus' and a lot of money, but our lives have never changed," he said, referring to the special autonomy program. "We see a lot of luxurious cars passing by on the streets along our kampongs every day, but our lives stay like this," Jansen said, adding that the disbursement of the funds should be strictly controlled. "There is plenty of assistance for our kampong, but we don't know where it goes due to the absence of control," Jansen said. He added that trained advisors were badly needed to help the kampongs decide how to spend the money. If they were not provided, he said, the funds would be used up by kampong officials while the residents went on living in poverty. "For me it is better to use the money to build houses because in this kampong each house accommodates two to three families. When children get married, they continuing live in the house with their parents," said Rev. Flavoius Merahabia. Merahabia said if the money were really disbursed, the people would decide together what type of development to finance with it. "The people have a lot of wishes, but they all have to be negotiated first because it will not be for an individual's interest but for the group," he said. Daniel said the planned disbursement would fulfill a promise Suebu made during the campaign. "That's why many people chose him and now they're all waiting for the fulfillment (of the pledge)," he added. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20061005. at 02&irec=1 Critics say TNI holding onto old political culture Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As it observes its 61st anniversary, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is still reluctant to abandon its old political culture, politicians and analysts say. Outspoken legislators of major political factions criticized what they called the military's resistance to internal reform and its ignorance of the 2004 law on the TNI, which requires the military to withdraw from politics, cease business activities and concentrate on improving its professionalism. They cited the military's demand for voting rights for its personnel, its rejection of civilian court trials and its still- chaotic arms procurement procedures as proof. Yuddy Chrisnandi of the Golkar Party said the reform movement, which began following the downfall of former president Soeharto in May 1998, had yet to bring major changes to the military. Yuddy said it appears the TNI still does not trust local police to keep order in some traditional areas of conflict. "According to our recent survey, the military in their daily appearance and operation is still deploying members in Papua, Aceh, Poso and urban areas," he said Wednesday. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has frequently asked the military to stay out of politics. Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said that in compliance with military law, the TNI must be put under the defense ministry so that there will be no room for the military elite to appear on the political stage. "The completion of internal reforms in the military has to come from the President in his capacity as supreme commander of the TNI, and he has to give full authority to the defense minister to control the military, including arms procurement," he said. The law gives the Defense Ministry sole authority over the supply of arms for TNI Headquarters and all forces, and requires the TNI to give up all of its businesses, which have been a majore source of income for the military. Djoko said his faction would fight for a bill that transfers some trials of military personnel to the civilian court system, an idea that has faced apparent reluctance from the TNI. Sabam Sirait and Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said a main condition of reform in the TNI was improving the military's welfare. "The military budget must be covered by the state budget to make it professional, modern and deployable anytime ... to defend the country's sovereignty," said Sabam. He noted that the lowest pay of low-ranking personnel is under Rp 1 million a month. Sabam argued the government should allocate four percent to five percent of the gross domestic product for the defense budget to at least allow it to counter the military power of neighboring states, especially Singapore. Analyst Andi Widjajanto blamed stagnant reform in the military on civilians, especially the House of Representatives. "The House, which has legislative and budgetary rights and the control function, has no political courage to push for military reform," he said. He cited the defense commission's recent decision to allow the government to purchase 32 armored vehicles from France without a public tender. Andi said the House must exercise its authority to oversee defense and the military. --- http://the.standard.net.au/articles/2006/10/06/1159641495426.html A WEST Papuan man who fled oppressive Indonesian military forces in his homeland will thank south-west supporters of the West Papuan cause tonight. Herman Wainggai spent six weeks at sea with 42 other West Papuan asylum seekers before arriving at Cape York in January this year. Tonight, he is the special guest of the Australian West Papua Association south-west branch at a fund-raising benefit entertainment event at the Beach House on Pertobe Road, Warrnambool. Mr Wainggai said the event, featuring a performance by Things Of Stone And Wood front man Greg Arnold, would give him a chance to thank the many south-west people who had supported the plight of the West Papuans. He said that before fleeing his homeland he had been jailed twice by Indonesian authorities for staging non-violent protests against that country's oppressive rule of the province. After his second stint in jail _ a two-year term for his involvement in flying the West Papuan flag _ he and his 42 fellow asylum seekers decided to flee to Australia, where they were granted protection visas. Mr Wainggai said he hoped the Australian Government could be more proactive in support of West Papua. ``My dream is the Australian Government will help West Papuan people like it helped East Timor,'' he said. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaileditorial.asp?fileid=20061007.F06&irec=5 Problems in Papua Neles Tebay's article More questions for the ICG on Papua issue in The Jakarta Post on the International Crisis Group's (ICG) report in Papua was written with apparent emotional baggage, and neglecting any logical rational approach. He simply dismissed or challenged everything that the ICG's report stated, sometimes without any logical explanation. For instance, on the issue of executive positions in Papua. Comparing post-referendum conditions in 1963 with the present situation is simply preposterous. Right after 1963, it would have been hard to put any person from Papua in an executive position, due to the fact that the Dutch colonial government (which Tebay also conveniently left out of the discussion) did not provide a decent education for the people of Papua. In addition, Tebay seems to implicitly suggest that racism is the underlying issue in Papua. Without ignoring the fact that there are indeed problems in Papua, such a notion should be brought up carefully, as it does not help in the discourse of Papua at all. The ICG is well known as an objective organization and is thus legitimate. The ICG has been, in many cases, put in an adversarial position with the Indonesian government. Thus, when the ICG writes something that shines a rather brighter light on the Papua problem, it should be seen as an encouraging means toward the solution of the problems in Papua. As scholars, we should not disagree and refute some facts just for the sake of disagreeing. It degrades the very meaning of educated discourse, which should be cultivated. G. ADI KUSUMA Blacksburg, VA U.S. --- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20537193-12250,00.html A new diplomacy over Papua OPINION Paul Kelly, Editor-at-large October 07, 2006 THE Howard Government must rethink its policy towards Papua to prevent tensions or even hostilities with Indonesia and to terminate the myths that underwrite our public sympathy for Papua independence. This warning comes in a comprehensive paper from the Lowy Institute that finds the Papuan debate in Australia is characterised by "utopian thinking, dangerous demands and misguided analysis". These have the potential to damage Papua, threaten Australia-Indonesia relations and undermine Australia's security. In one of the most muscular policy papers produced by the Lowy Institute, Rodd McGibbon, an Australian National University visiting fellow and regional specialist, dismantles the falsehoods that define the so-called West Papua constituency in this country. But McGibbon has a broader objective. He warns that, over Papua, the gulf between public attitudes and Australia's core interests is dangerous and must be rectified by government. This is tied irrevocably to Australian attitudes towards Indonesia. McGibbon argues the Howard Government has been inept and has misjudged this challenge. The task involves both foreign policy and "winning the battle of ideas in Australia". His message is that "decisive steps" from both Canberra and Jakarta will be required "if a serious disruption to the Australia-Indonesian relationship is to be averted". The Lowy Institute's release of Pitfalls of Papua could hardly be better timed. It follows recent revelations in The Australian that the flight of the 43 boatpeople to Australia was a staged political operation planned over two years to exploit our refugee laws and maximise publicity for Papuan independence. Despite the failure of the Howard Government's recent refugee bill, no Australian government can sit impassive and allow this situation to keep recurring. In this context McGibbon's most potent argument is that the campaigns of the West Papua constituency in this country "make resolving the Papua issue more difficult, not less". There is one certainty: the more Australians are seen to support Papua separatism, the more Indonesian nationalism will crack down on the province and the more Australia's influence will be marginalised. "The views and proposals put forward by Australia's West Papua constituency need to be subject to critical scrutiny," McGibbon says. "This is urgently needed as West Papuan supporters and other critics of Australian policy have engaged in myth-making that is shaping the public debate. "They have also adopted political positions that are not only unrealistic but potentially dangerous. This critique of the bilateral relationship has found resonance in the Australian media and community, representing a serious failure of political leaders to mount a case for the importance of Indonesia to Australia's long-term security interests." McGibbon says that Papua touches "a deep chord among Indonesia's political leaders". Given that it constitutes 20 per cent of Indonesia's territory, there is growing anxiety about the potential for foreign-promoted separatist pressures over Papua "presaging a break-up of the state". He warns Australian activists have created "unrealistic expectations" among Papuans over international support. They exaggerate Australia's influence over Indonesia. They grasp neither Indonesian politics nor the reaction to their tactics. Such miscalculations are dangerous because no early settlement in Papua is likely. The outlook instead is for "continuing low-level conflict with the potential for a serious human rights incident that could spark international uproar and further refugee flows". The recent refugee uproar reveals how political leaders in Australia and Indonesia can be pressured into positions that threaten relations. McGibbon repeatedly warns that perceptions of Australia's interference in Papua will allow Indonesian nationalists "to take the political initiative and justify a repressive approach in countering foreign elements accused of wanting to see the break-up ofIndonesia." He sketches the West Papuan constituency as a loose group of activists with the Australian Greens and Democrats its parliamentary spearhead. The Australia West Papua Association is a focal point, drawing support from figures such as John Pilger and Scott Burchill. The University of Sydney's West Papua Project is another focus. Church activists such as John Barr and Peter Woods are prominent and there are claims about backing from the Catholic church hierarchy. However McGibbon fails to mention the extent of mainstream media support. This is the real problem. Remember that 76 per cent of Australians favour an act of self-determination in Papua, a stance that seeks the dismemberment of the Indonesian nation and that would brand Australia as an enemy. McGibbon's paper identifies seven myths that have misled Australian opinion. * Myth one: Indonesia has engaged in genocide in Papua making it a moral imperative for Australia to intervene. The trouble here is the absence of evidence. McGibbon says: "The flimsy evidence adopted by University of Sydney's West Papua Project indicates the ideologically driven nature of the genocide charge." This 2005 report by John Wing with Peter King is arguably the most influential report by the West Papua lobby. Yet "it provides no evidence whatsoever of a 'deliberate intent' to eliminate a group of people which is central to the UN definition of genocide. Instead the report discusses separate themes such as illegal logging, the spread of HIV-AIDS and human rights abuses, implying, but failing to make the case that such policy impacts have added up to genocide." After surveying the evidence, McGibbon concludes there has been "a systematic pattern of rights violations by Indonesian security forces since the 1960s" but "no evidence of genocide". Such distortions have a political aim: to intimidate Australia to press for Papuan self-determination. McGibbon refers to the argument by Deakin University's Damien Kingsbury that foreign monitors be sent to Papua to enforce the peace. This is based on misconceptions that Indonesia is highly vulnerable to outside pressure and will buckle on Papua as it buckled on East Timor. For McGibbon, the view that Australia can "impose its will over domestic developments in Indonesia" fails to understand either "the nationalist dynamics in Indonesia" or Indonesia's "resolve in defending its sovereignty". He concludes: "Southeast Asia's largest state, and the world's fourth most populous, does not accept definitions that incorporate it within Australia's 'sphere of influence'." * Myth two: That Australia's policy is dominated by a Jakarta lobby intent on appeasing Indonesia. This is an old charge beloved by our media. The failure to challenge such a distortion "reflects the impoverished state of the public debate". More seriously, the appeasement mindset "highlights the failure of political leaders to mount the case as to why the bilateral relationship is so crucial". The appeasement myth survives only because of a refusal to confront the consequences for Australia of a collapsed relationship with Jakarta. This would shift our domestic politics to the Right, demand far higher defence spending and cripple our Asian engagement. McGibbon says: "Critics of the bilateral relationship have seldom been called upon to confront the basic strategic reality that a stable, democratic Indonesia is of fundamental importance to Australian security interests. Neither has the case been effectively put to the Australian public by their leaders." * Myth three: Papua parallels the East Timor situation. It doesn't. The international situation between the two is different. Papua's incorporation into Indonesia was accepted by the main parties in a UN-sanctioned process. East Timor's annexation by Indonesia, by contrast, was condemned by the international community. The Indonesian outlook on the two provinces was different. East Timor was tiny and, in the words of former foreign minister Ali Alatas, was a "pebble in the shoe". Papua is large, resource-rich and far more important to Indonesia. Papua, unlike East Timor, is enshrined in Indonesia's nationalist history, with former president Megawati Sukarnoputri declaring that without Papua "Indonesia is not complete." Contrary to myth, the decision to offer East Timor a referendum was made by president Habibie and reflected a partial calculation that Indonesia might be better off without East Timor, a calculation that will not be made over Papua. * Myth four: Indonesia is a Javanese empire where democracy is a facade. In many ways this is the most disreputable and pernicious myth. It holds sway in our political culture as revealed in this week's Lowy Institute poll showing most Australians think Indonesia is "controlled by the military" and are neutral on whether Indonesia is "an emerging democracy". For the West Papua lobby the idea of Indonesia as a sham democracy is pivotal. It denies Indonesia's legitimacy, reinforces the notion of a repressive state and, critically, rejects the obvious solution for Papua as a province within a democratic Indonesia. McGibbon points out that John Saltford's '60s work on the Act of Free Choice claims that Papua was violently incorporated into a "centralised Javanese empire". This denies the reality of Indonesia's multi-ethnic identity. "The founding principles of Indonesia were based on a multi-ethnic creed and a deep commitment to religious and ethnic pluralism," McGibbon says. "Indonesia stood as an antidote to the racial and ethnic divisions of Dutch colonialism." McGibbon says critics, such as Peter King, from the University of Sydney, play down Indonesia's democratisation and call the political system "barely reformed". "This sweeping judgment obscures the kinds of changes that have resulted from democratisation, including far-reaching constitutional amendments and the establishment of a democratic electoral system, including direct elections for the executive," he says. The critics overlook the new constitutional court and a vibrant free media. Such omissions are crucial. They mean critics are blind to the prospects of political change within Indonesia, thereby denying "openings for addressing Papuan grievances". * Myth five: Indonesia has latent expansionist tendencies. Denial of Indonesian democracy co-exists with its alleged expansionism. The theories are rife. For instance, a figure in the West Papua lobby, Jacob Rumbiak, claims that before Papua New Guinea was independent "the Indonesian military government already had a long-standing plan to annex PNG". McGibbon attacks King's claim of "Indonesian lebensraum" as "an outrageous allusion to Nazi Germany". The truth, of course, is that the entire appeasement theory of Australia's media plays on the notion of Indonesian expansionism. The theory remains devoid of evidence, with Indonesia's borders still largely following the Dutch colonial boundaries. * Myth six: Recent evidence exposes Indonesia's manipulation of the 1969 Act of Free Choice. There is no dispute that this act was not a genuine democratic plebiscite. The facts, however, are that the originating 1962 agreement accepted the reality of Indonesian sovereignty. The 1969 process was "a face-saving device for the Dutch", who had to endure a humiliating defeat over Papua. The 1969 act authorised what most of the international community had already decided: that Papua was Indonesian. This act, therefore, was "not a conspiracy" but "an open act of realpolitik that was accepted by the main international actors". * Myth seven: As Melanesian Christians, Papuans should be separated from Indonesia. This line has been pushed by church activists. It means that Australians claiming to be multicultural would deny Indonesia's ability to be multicultural. This argument is patronising and offensive. It obscures the multi-ethnic basis of Indonesia and the commitment of successive leaders to ethnic pluralism (it was one of Suharto's obsessions and was explicit in Sukarno's nationalism). Indonesia has had a troubled history realising these multicultural ideals. Such difficulty, McGibbon says, "does not justify the crude Asian versus Melanesian dichotomy that often underpins the arguments of West Papuan supporters in Australia". He argues that the best overall solution for Papua lies in a system of special autonomy within Indonesia. This will not be achieved easily given the struggle now under way within Indonesia between advocates and opponents of special autonomy. McGibbon says the challenge for Australia is to craft a new diplomacy. This begins with directly confronting Indonesian perceptions that Australia is supporting separatism. This is a condition for "any longer-term Australian role". It demands a new series of confidence building measures with Jakarta: a bilateral security agreement with a clause that recognises Indonesian sovereignty; border security co-operation with Indonesia; further bilateral defence co-operation; and Australia's support for a Southeast Asian security community. At the same time Australian assistance to Papua should be intensified. These efforts need backing by more information in Australia about Papua, better education about Indonesian democracy and a renewed commitment to explaining the importance of Australia-Indonesian relations. Ultimately, it is a battle of ideas. The balance at present is heavily on the negative side. --- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=49558 Nationalists stand up for Papuans JONA BOLA Sunday, October 08, 2006 Iliesa Duvuloco displays placards during the Melanisian festival march in Suva yesterday+ Enlarge this image Iliesa Duvuloco displays placards during the Melanisian festival march in Suva yesterday A GROUP of Fijian nationalists waved the West Papua flag and placards as delegates to the Melanesian Festival marched through the capital city yesterday. Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party leader Iliesa Duvuloco said the group was there to raise awareness on the plight of West Papuan citizens fighting for independence from Indonesia. He said they were also members of the Melanesian group of countries but had their rights suppressed by the Indonesian government. Mr Duvuloco and four other men held placards, which read Independence for West Papua', and We do not have Independence unless West Papua is Independent'. "We just want to let the Melanesian people, especially the leaders of each delegation, know that West Papua is also part of the Melanesian family,"Mr Duvuloco said. "This is not a protest but rather an awareness to show people that we are also concerned of our fellow Melanesian brothers and sisters who are now being ruled under the Indonesian government,"he said. "There are about 1.6 million of them and they never enjoy the freedom that other Melanesians enjoy. Mr Duvuloco said all Melanesian countries should voice their support for the West Papuans. He said Melanesian countries could never say they were independent unless West Papua gained independence. The festival's public relations officer Mareta Tovata said there had been discussions for a West Papua delegation to join the festival. "We had sent out an invitation, inviting a delegate from West Papua and they had agreed to be part of the festival. "However, they couldn't put it together in the last minute and cancelled their trip,"Ms Tovata said. She said funding could have been the main problem that had stopped the group from attending the festival. --- http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20545621-953,00.html Pacific exodus likely Phil Bartsch October 09, 2006 12:00am Article from: The Courier-Mail RISING sea levels caused by global warming could force the mass exodus of millions of Pacific Islanders as "environmental refugees". Most are expected to head toward Australia, which has been urged to review its immigration program accordingly. The overhaul is a key recommendation in a report by a coalition of aid, development, church and environment non-government organisations to be released today. The report entitled Australia Responds: Helping Our Neighbours Fight Climate Change warns that climate change will threaten the Asia-Pacific region's economy and security unless governments and aid agencies prepare. It states that with one of the world's highest rates of greenhouse gas emissions per capita, Australia makes a "disproportionate contribution" to climate change and had a moral obligation to take action. "The average Australian produces more greenhouse pollution, uses more energy and has historically contributed more to the build-up in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than the average person in any other country in the region," the report says. It claims the nation's absolute emissions are comparable to Indonesia, with its 200 million people." A CSIRO study was commissioned into climate change in the Asia-Pacific region as part of the roundtable report. The study indicates: ? Temperature increases throughout the region of 0.5C to 2C by 2030 and up to 7C by 2070. ? A rise in sea levels of about 3cm to 16cm by 2030 and up to 50cm by 2070. Research in 2002 estimated there would be 2.3 million migrants from south and South-East Asia as a result of a 1m sea-level rise. World Vision chief executive Tim Costello yesterday said that with global warming increasing, environmental refugees would be inevitable and Australia was ill-prepared. "It's looming. The environmental distress will be just enormous," Mr Costello said. "And whenever there is distress ? like we've seen most recently in Iraq, Afghanistan and West Papua ? the boats start to arrive." Since 2001, citizens of Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati and Tuvalu have been able to enter New Zealand as environmental refugees displaced by climate change. --- Associated Press - October 6, 2006 FCX ________________________________ Indonesian police detain 43 for blocking road to mine Jakarta -- Indonesian police on Friday detained 43 indigenous Papuans for blocking a main road to the world's largest gold and copper mine with burning tires, an official said. The illegal miners, including two women, were picked up at dawn Friday outside the Grasberg mine operated by the New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., said local police chief Lt. Col. Jimmy Tuilan. The protest did not affect activities at the mine, he said. A similar action in February by hundreds of Papuans forced a suspension of production at the facility. They were protesting attempts by police and company security guards to stop them from mining gold from waste rock. Many Papuans living close to the mine earn their living retrieving and selling tiny amounts of gold and copper from leftovers, or tailings, a practice that is banned by Freeport because it is considered dangerous. The mine in the remote province has long had an uneasy relationship with local people, most of whom are desperately poor. Papua is also home to a separatist rebellion, complicating Freeport's security still further. --- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20533314-2702,00.html Plan to thwart Papuan activists Cath Hart October 06, 2006 A NEW plan to stop organised protests from West Papua exploiting Australia's asylum laws, could be into parliament as soon as next week. After previous laws were dumped following a moderate backlash, cabinet will again consider measures when it meets on Tuesday. The move comes after revelations in The Australian last week that Papuan activists set out to exploit tensions between Canberra and Jakarta earlier this year by organising the 43 independence supporters who successfully claimed asylum. Mr Howard yesterday hinted at the further measures despite the earlier opposition by moderates such as Judith Troeth and Petro Georgiou. "We don't have any intention of looking at that bill again. I've put that aside. And we'll deal with any other issues in accordance with the existing law," the Prime Minister said. Papuan activists have vowed to repeat the strategy - which sparked a diplomatic furore that saw Indonesia withdraw its ambassador, Hamzah Thayeb, in protest - and say they are recruiting candidates for another boat. "Cabinet is going to look at what the strategy will be," a source said yesterday. "They haven't said they will do it, they have said they are looking at all of their options." Internal Coalition tensions were inflamed on Wednesday when Mr Georgiou signalled his intention to lead another revolt, this time against plans for candidates for citizenship to be tested on their knowledge of English language and Australian values. Victorian Liberal MP Russell Broadbent said he agreed with Mr Georgiou. Senator Judith Troeth, another Victorian Liberal, described the "truly inspiring" speech as "a statement for the 21st century of what the Liberal Party should be about". Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce, who also raised concerns about the migration bill, yesterday said an English test would not be the best way to determine citizenship. "The English test is an instrument, but it might be a little bit blunt," he said. Queensland Liberal MP Cameron Thompson said Mr Georgiou lacked widespread support. "We can't pretend to people that the land just runs with milk and honey and that all you've got to do is lie there on a soft fluffy bed and all manner of good things will come to you," he said. "That's not what Australia is about, that's never been what it's about. It's the land of a fair day's work for a fair day's pay and a fair go for people who are prepared to work hard." West Australian MP Don Randall dismissed Mr Georgiou as a "one-dimensional crusader". West Australian Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey said migrants should gain competence in English because "without it they will live a very unfulfilling life". --- Australian Financial Review Wednesday, October 4, 2006 Jayapura Observed Struggle to Fix Years of Neglect By Morgan Mellish On the main road into Jayapura, a large two-storey building is being erected - the bureaucrats of Papua's provincial capital are upgrading themselves to better lodgings. For decades, Indonesia's central government neglected Papua. Now, a lot of funds are flowing into the country's second-poorest province. But not much is reaching the people. "Where the money is going is easy to answer," says Paul Sutmuller, head of the United Nations Papua development program. "Everywhere, government departments are moving into new buildings. "I'm not saying those new offices mightn't be necessary. But you could argue: Why do you start with improving your own businesses before you improve the living conditions of the people?" Over the years, huge tax revenues flowed to Jakarta from the massive Freeport copper and gold mine near Timika - up to $1 billion a year - but much of that was simply pocketed by the regime of corrupt former dictator Soeharto. The years of neglect left their mark. Nearly 40 per cent of the province's population - twice the national average - live below the poverty line. This, and widespread human rights abuses by the Indonesian security forces, are the causes of Papua's political unrest. But Jakarta's financial neglect, at least, has stopped. Following the 2000 enactment of special autonomy laws - which granted more powers and funds to the troubled province - the federal money coming in has skyrocketed. Papua's per capita revenue was under 300,000 rupiah ($44) in 1999, the year after Soeharto was ousted. But it jumped to nearly 800,000 rupiah in 2003 and is now substantially higher than that. "The statement [Jakarta] is exploiting Papua financially is very incorrect, now at least," says World Bank senior economist Wolfgang Fengler. "That has lots of implications. It means putting more money in is not the answer. If you talk to the new Governor, he's very blunt. He says, 'We don't need money, we need people who can help us use the money well'." Like the rest of Indonesia, part of Papua's problem is simply a cumbersome bureaucracy. A recent UNDP study found more than 50 per cent of local government revenues were spent on "operational expenditure". On top of this, it can take up to eight months to prepare the provincial budget, leaving only a few months to actually spend the money. "The planning and budgeting cycle takes half a year and sometimes more," says Sutmuller. "Last year, they had just four months to spend the budget." To overcome this, Papua's new Governor, Barnabas Suebu, is proposing to partly bypass district and local governments and hand money directly to the villages. Under this reform, he will distribute $15,000 to each of the province's 3805 villages. "We will deliver funds and services directly to the people," Suebu says. "We will save money at the top levels [of the bureaucracy] so services can touch the people directly." This has been welcomed by groups such as UNDP but nobody expects it to completely solve the dilemma of how to raise standards of living. Part of the problem is the area's geography. For starters, there are hardly any roads, meaning most goods are delivered by plane, vastly increasing costs. A bag of cement, for example, costs the equivalent of $8 in Jayapura, $54 in Wamena in the central highlands and a massive $180 in the even more remote township of Mulia. Part of the solution, some believe, is more foreign investment. Freeport, which accounts for about half of the province's gross domestic product, has been able to operate here profitably, although controversially, since the late 1960s. But virtually no other large Western companies have been brave enough to try. Only BP has made a significant investment. It is building a $6.6 billion liquefied natural gas project at Bintuni Bay in the province's east. But nobody expects BP to have an easy time. "[Investment] has got to be attractive to the foreign company, to the national and provincial governments and to the people who surround it," says the World Bank's country director for Indonesia, Andrew Steer. "Getting all of those right is very hard. If BP can't do it, it's certainly not for want of trying. But if the company succeeds, it will attract others of its calibre and that really matters." --- Radio New Zealand International The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa Papuan?s fight against deportation order in Vanuatu approaches final decision Posted at 07:03 on 04 October, 2006 UTC The lawyer for a Papuan activist facing deportation from Vanuatu says government lawyers are having a hard time defending the order. The Court is to rule on Papuan activist Andy Ayamiseba?s appeal case against his deportation order this Friday. In April the Supreme Court upheld the government order to deport Mr Ayamiseba after the Minister for Internal Affairs ruled him a risk to national security in February. The deportation order was made under a recent amendment to the Immigration Act, giving ministerial power to deport anyone without notice. But Mr Ayamiseba?s lawyer, Felix Laumae Kabini, says that even the Court has agreed that the Minister is still obliged to give Mr Ayamiseba a chance to answer the allegations. ?All these guys, from the state law office, the government lawyers, they?re facing a difficult time trying to explain the rationale behind the minister?s decision. The clear question which they ask is if Andy is a danger to national security, why is he staying in Vanuatu without causing any harm to the security of this country.? News Content ? Radio New Zealand International --- =================^================================== I N D O L E F T - News service > > =================^================================== Families of Abepura suspects lodge complaint with Komnas HAM Detik.com - October 5, 2006 Nograhany Widhi, Jakarta -- Feeling that there has been a miscarriage of justice, the families of the defendants in the Abepura case have lodged a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). They claim that there are three new pieces of evidence linked to the case that has already become a focus of attention in the international community. The three new pieces of evidence are contained in a 150-page report on human rights crimes and immunity at PT Freeport Indonesia, human rights violations and a violation of court justice. "We are reporting here in order that there will be peace, justice and truth. Also for the protection of the [current] generation of Papuan youths", said Yemima Krei, a representative from the Papua Indonesian Christian Church Synod at the Komnas HAM offices on Jl. Latuharhari in Jakarta on Thursday October 5. The families lodging the report with Komnas HAM were represented by Emi Bero Tabui, the mother of the Yesya Echo Merano Bero Tabui, and Sulamit, the older brother of Peter Buwinei. The two defendants are students from the Jayapura University of Science and Technology. In addition to the families of the defendants, also present was a representative from the Papua Communion of Churches and the legal attorney for the two. Aside from presenting the new evidence, the families also said there had been a distortion of the facts in the Abepura riot, which took place in front of Cendrawasih University during a protest against PT Freeport in March. Initially it was an issue of a riot between the local community and PT Freeport Indonesia that involved members of the Indonesian military and police, now it has just been turned into an issue of the killing of a police officer and an Indonesian airforce officer by Papuan students. To date some 24 people in involved in the Abepura clash have been incarcerated having being sentence to between four to 15 years in jail. Two are still being prosecuted. "And there could still be additional suspects", said Krei. (ahm/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 at yahoo.com **************************************************** --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061007.G02&irec=1 47 Papuans questioned over blockade at Freeport mine Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika Papua Police apprehended 47 traditional gold miners Friday for their alleged involvement in a blockade against work at the Freeport gold mine in Timika. The miners obstructed the road leading to the mine. Papua Police spokesman Kartono Wangsadisastra said that more than 200 people protested Thursday against Freeport's clampdown on illegal mining and demanded the company find the miners alternative employment. "The management did not want to see them so they ran after security officers with machetes, knives and other traditional weapons. They also wanted to take ore so we drove them out and confiscated their weapons," he was quoted by Reuters as saying. During the protest, the miners damaged the iron railing around a warehouse, using three barrels from inside to block off the gate. Adj. Comr. H. Silalahi, the chief of Mimika Police's general crimes unit, said Friday that police had also confiscated three machetes, a banner, four hammers and a knife from the miners. The police, he said, were questioning the miners, who had also burned tires in protest. "But we haven't named any suspects. We're only questioning them," he told The Jakarta Post. Freeport has yet to issue a statement on the protest, which did not disrupt operations at the mine. In February, a group of protesters blocked off the road to the gold mine for four days to protest the American mining giant's activities in the province. The incident escalated when scores of people attacked the Sheraton Timika Hotel, leaving two police officers suffering arrow wounds. Freeport's mining operations have been a frequent source of controversy in the country, with issues ranging from its impact on the environment and the share of revenue going to native Papuans and the Papua government to the legality of payments to the Indonesian security forces who help guard the site. Some protesters have demanded the closure of the lucrative mine, believed to have the world's third-largest copper reserves and one of the biggest gold deposits. One such protest left five security officers dead in March near the province's main university after protesters retaliated with force when police tried to break up the rally. Freeport has been operating in Timika since 1972, under a working contract signed by the government in 1967 and extended in 1991. Under the latest agreement, the company has the right to extract minerals until 2041. The company's operations cover two million hectares of land in Papua, with a concession area that stretches from an altitude of over 4,200 meters above sea level down to the Arafura coast. --- From: Re: Pitfalls of Papua - A new diplomacy http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20537193-12250,00.html Dr Rodd McGibbon's research paper, whilst informative in its naivity unfortunately demonstrates a lack of ethical thinking in those who consider themselves educationalists. Central to understanding the on-going trauma experienced by the native population under a military machinery which is renowned for human-rights abuses is the fact that severe restrictions continue to be imposed on foreign journalists from free access to the whole of West Papua. The presence of various muslim extremist groups operating in collusion with the TNI so close to Australia is a clear and present danger to every freedom-loving Australian which should focus Australian foreign policy in matters pertaining to its nearest neighbour. The events of the Bali 2002 bombing in which Australia lost so many lives should remain a central tenet of Australian foreign-policy thinking. These murderous barbarians killed your countrymen in cold blood. Ignoring the plight of West Papuans who are right on your doorstep is a dangerous path for Australia as a leading democracy to follow and Australia must demonstrate its leadership and commitment to upholding human-rights in the region by not kowtowing to a policy of appeasement where clear human rights abuses have taken place and continues. West Papuans do not risk life and limb in crossing dangerous waters to seek safe sanctuary for the fun of it. The recent report that the crossing was carefully orchestrated to take advantage of Australian asylum policy is pure claptrap and any Australian in their right mind can see through that. West Papuans are experiencing an on-going genocidal depopulation programme and it is high time the whole of Australia woke up to this fact, regardless of political sensitivities. It is only a matter of time before West Papua becomes an international issue amongst the superpowers. No disrespect is intended against Dr Rodd McGibbon and our wish is that in his position he ought reflect popular Australian thinking with regards to West Papua. Further information on JI and its activities in the region may be found at http://www.wpngnc.org/Terror-razing_the_Forest.pdf Video of terrorist training camp in West Papua may be accessed at http://www.westpapua.ca/?q=en/taxonomy/term/33 --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061007.A05 Jusuf's book gives RI history lesson World News - October 07, 2006 Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia should be able to learn from the last 20 years of global, regional and national change and adapt to current international conditions, while also taking full advantage of globalization, noted thinker Jusuf Wanandi says in his new book. The book, Global, Regional and National: Strategic Issues & Linkages, is a collection of Jusuf's articles published in The Jakarta Post since January 1984. Jusuf helped establish both the well-regarded think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and the Post. His book is divided into three parts, each of which examines relevant issues at global, regional and national levels. On global issues, Jusuf focused on lessons to be learned from changes in U.S. leadership from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush. He also stressed the importance of preparing for globalization. "Former president Soeharto thought globalization was only about exposing KKN (corruption, collision, and nepotism) to the international community. That's why he was not prepared for the consequences, which ultimately brought him down," he told participants in a book-launching seminar at the CSIS building in Jakarta on Friday. Dozens of diplomats, academicians, government officials, businesspeople and representatives of nongovernmental organizations attended the seminar and book launch. On regional issues, Jusuf stressed the need to build an East Asian community, with efforts focused on finding a balance among China, Japan, South Korea, and India in the East Asia Summit or ASEAN Plus Three. At the national level, he concluded that Indonesia still needs steady economic development, more democratic reforms, and good policies and actions to create and maintain stability, especially in Aceh and Papua. Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, one of the commentators at the seminar, praised the book's coverage of the last Cold War decade and the first post-Cold War decade. "That is the very important period that saw the end of Cold War and the rise of the U.S. as a sole power. This book tells some aspects of that period," he said. He added that the book found important connections between global and local issues. "There is a simultaneous need for us to see the linkages between global, regional, national, provincial and local levels. Jusuf's book succeeds in showing us those linkages," Juwono said. He cited the unrest in Aceh, Maluku, and Papua as examples of international influences on local problems. The Post's managing editor, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, hailed the book as consistent in its themes. He stressed its importance in helping young people learn from history. "For the younger generation ... it's like a big map of the constellations on the wall that shows the shape of the galaxy around us," he said. -- The Jakarta Post Thursday, October 5, 2006 Activists threaten to sue military intelligence agency M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Prominent human rights groups lashed out Wednesday at a statement from the military intelligence agency chief, which accused them of fomenting separatist movements in the country. Indonesian human rights monitor Imparsial and the National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) slammed a statement made in August by Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais) chief Maj. Gen. Syafril Armen. They said Syafril's claim that the two groups, along with the Papua-based Human Rights Study and Advocacy Group (Elsham), had given financial and political support to separatist movements was baseless. "We want the chief of Bais to retract the statement as it was a baseless and arguably stupid statement based on old data collected by the agency," Imparsial executive director Rachland Nashidik said. Rachland said the accusation indicated that little had changed in the agency. He said the statement harked back to methods used by the authoritarian New Order regime to intimidate opposition groups into silence. Imparsial gave the Bais chief a week to retract the statement and make an apology, or said it would file a lawsuit against the agency. At a seminar organized by the Defense Ministry in late August, Syafril delivered a speech titled "Perceptions about Internal and Transnational Threats", in which he grouped Imparsial, Kontras and Elsham under the banner of "other radical groups", which continuously attacked government policies. Syafril said the three rights groups received financial support from foreign agencies, which they used to encourage separatist movements in the country. In the speech, Syafril identified two other potential threats to the country's stability -- resurgent communist groups and radical Muslim organizations in favor of implementing sharia law. Separately, Usman Hamid of Kontras said the Bais chief as the head of an internal institution in the Indonesian Military (TNI) should not have issued such a statement because this could be construed as meddling in civilian affairs. "Bais is an institution that has no power to implement policies and only reports to the TNI chief or the Defense Ministry, so why did it not just deliver the report to the two (bodies) concerned," Usman told The Jakarta Post. He challenged Syafril to provide evidence to back up his allegations. Usman said that to prevent intelligence agencies like Bias from overstepping their authority, the government should draw up a more comprehensive law to regulate them. "Such legislation would put intelligence agencies under the control of both the executive and legislative branches of government and reduce the potential for abuse of power," he said. --- Viajoyo news UNICEF (New York) October 5, 2006 Community education raises HIV/AIDS awareness in Papua, Indonesia By Steve Nettleton PAPUA, Indonesia, 29 September 2006 -- Like many young people, 19-year-old Rifal (not his real name) never used to worry about AIDS. He saw it as a problem that only affected high-risk groups, such as intravenous drug users. His view changed in February 2006, when he discovered that he had contracted HIV. Rifal hasn't told his family or friends of his status. He fears being stigmatized. The only place he feels comfortable discussing his condition is at a clinic, supported by UNICEF and run by the Catholic Church, where he receives medical and psychological care. While HIV/AIDS affects all of Indonesia, it has hit especially hard in Papua, where the proportion of people living with AIDS relative to the total population is well over 10 times the national rate. Dispelling misconceptions To stem the tide of transmission, a UNICEF-supported programme is educating young people in Papua about the dangers of HIV. The goal of this campaign is to promote awareness in the classroom and train students to serve as peer educators. In addition to visiting older students, UNICEF is working to bring HIV/AIDS education to youths in junior high school - a critical time to dispel common misconceptions many young people hold about HIV and sexuality. Surveys show that adolescents as young as 12 are already sexually active in Papua. Health experts warn that without urgent action, the epidemic could spiral out of control in the region. Papuans helping Papuans The HIV education effort also aims to reach out to at least 10,000 young people who are no longer attending school. To that end, young people are hitting the streets, handing out booklets about AIDS awareness to their peers. They visit bars and other local hangouts, targeting at-risk youths. By involving young role models in the community, the campaign has become a local effort - with Papuans helping other Papuans to protect themselves. Rifal believes this grassroots effort is needed to contain the spread of HIV. "When young people are too drunk, they don't know they're losing their discernment," he cautions. "They can't control themselves. They don't use a condom." Information is power Another aspect of the programme trains teachers to educate students about reproductive health and HIV. They teach youths ways to avoid contracting sexually transmitted diseases - including abstinence, condom use and steering clear of illegal drugs. Sister Zita Kuswati, a Catholic nun in the regency of Sorong, has become one of the area's most tireless and outspoken advocates in the fight against AIDS. As the leader of an HIV/AIDS support group, Sister Kuswati believes information is the most powerful weapon in the fight for prevention. "Everybody is afraid of AIDS, but we really needn't be afraid of it if we know how it is transmitted," she notes. "Students should be made aware of the method of transmission, the method of prevention and how to treat the sufferer of this disease as early as possible." --- Indonesia questions 40 Freeport protesters in Papua JAKARTA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Indonesia police are questioning 40 illegal miners who held an unruly protest at the Grasberg mine in Papua province run by U.S. firm Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., a police spokesman said on Friday. Around 200 people protested on Thursday against Freeport's clampdown on illegal mining and demanded the company provide such miners another line of employment, said Papua police spokesman Kartono Wangsadisastra. "The management did not want to see them so they ran after security officers with machetes, knives and other traditional weapons. They also wanted to take ore so we drove them out and confiscated their weapons," he said. Kartono said the police had begun interrogating 40 of the protesters soon after the Thursday rally, which did not affect mine production nor leave anyone injured. There have been sporadic protests against the Grasberg mine this year, both in Papua and Jakarta. A road blockade by mostly illegal miners shut down operations for four days in February. The illegals often enter mining areas in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of 17,000 islands with huge deposits of metals as copper, gold and tin. The Freeport operation has been a frequent source of controversy in Indonesia, with issues ranging from its impact on the environment and the share of revenue going to native Papuans and the Papua government to the legality of payments to Indonesian security forces who help guard the site. Some protesters have demanded closure of the lucrative mine, believed to have the world's third-largest copper reserves and one of the biggest gold deposits. One such protest left four security officers dead in March near the province's main university after protesters retaliated with force when police tried to break up the rally. --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Wed Oct 11 18:28:15 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:28:15 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 9-12 06 Message-ID: <1277.61.94.58.14.1160612895.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Oct 9-12 2006 KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * Haze causes not just discomfort, it kills * Liberal dissenters have rarely had it so good * 'No funds, pray for rain' * Fijian nationalists call for Papuan independence * Australian think tank criticises support.... * Papua Religious Leaders present Churches' report * Government Resolved to Develop Papua * Protected species traded quite openly * 39 Harbors Marked for International Lanes for Narcotics * There?s Simply No Excuse for Being Bored on a Trip * Court of Appeal Judgement: Ayamiseba Free At Last * Two Chinese nationals to be deported from Papua --- http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/57929 Haze causes not just discomfort, it kills Chan Chee Khoon Oct 9, 06 5:12pm In 2002, Narayan Sastry a Princeton-trained demographer working at the Rand Corporation, a private think-tank in California?s Santa Monica published a paper entitled ?Forest Fires, Air Pollution, and Mortality in SE Asia? in the February 2002 issue of the journal Demography. The smog of 1997 coincided with an El Nino year which exacerbated the seasonal mid-year droughts. The land clearing and forest fires in that year burned an estimated 2% to 3% of Indonesian land area mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, but also affecting sizeable tracts in Irian Jaya, Sulawesi, Java, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Wetar as well as areas in Sarawak (West Malaysia) and Brunei. Sastry obtained daily mortality statistics from the Department of Statistics in Malaysia and correlated these with the daily API readings from the Malaysian Meteorological Bureau in order to analyse the acute mortality in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur following days of high air pollution (defined as days when PM10 exceeds 210 ug/m3). For a 15-day period in September 1997, the Air Pollution Index (API, largely based on the suspended particulates of size 10 microns and below [PM10]) in Kuching reached or exceeded 850. The highest API reading recorded was 930, and visibility was down to about 10 metres. In Peninsular Malaysia, API readings hovered in the 200-300 range during the same period. One hesitates to even imagine what the situation would have been like in the affected parts of Indonesia closer to the infernos. His salient findings were reported thus in the professional journal: "... a high air pollution day associated with the smoke haze increased the total all-cause mortality by roughly 20%. Higher mortality was apparent in two locations - Kuala Lumpur and Kuching (Sarawak) and affected mostly the elderly. "In Kuala Lumpur, non-traumatic mortality among the population aged 65-74 increased about 70% following a day of high levels of air pollution. This effect was persistent; it was not simply a moving forward of deaths by a couple of days (a harvesting effect). This finding suggests that there were real and serious health effects of the smoke haze. "One implication of these results on the short-term effects of the smoke haze in Malaysia is that the effects in Indonesia itself are likely to have been tremendous. The presence of significant mortality effects in Malaysian cities that are several hundred miles away from the main fires strongly supports this notion. Unfortunately, there are no appropriate health or mortality data for Indonesia to study this issue directly." In lay language, the immediate death rate among elderly people in Malaysia (excluding deaths due to accidents or violence) increased by 70% when API readings exceeded 210. We are rightly concerned about the possible long-term health effects of repeated annual exposures to these smogs. But we already have strongly suggestive evidence that smogs such as we experience now can kill. The writer is professor (Health & Development), School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Do you have a viewpoint you want to share? Speak up! Send your 'Letters to the Editor' to editor at malaysiakini.com. Your letter may be published in Malaysiakini, and do let us know if you wish to remain anonymous. --- http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/liberal-dissenters-have-rarely-had-it-so- good/2006/10/09/1160246068437.html Liberal dissenters have rarely had it so good Gerard Henderson October 10, 2006 IT WAS a loser's speech that just happened to be delivered by a winner. In his address at Adelaide University last Wednesday, the Liberal backbencher Petro Georgiou saw a need to defend the "traditions which lie at the heart of our party". In particular the custom that Liberal MPs exercise "their conscience on matters of principle", and that there is "respect for both the liberal and conservative strands" within the party. Members of the audience would have got the impression that all three customs are under sustained attack or have been abandoned. Yet Georgiou's own position in the party indicates this is not the case - as does that of the two Liberals who flew into Adelaide to support him, the West Australian MHR Judi Moylan and the Victorian senator Judith Troeth. All three have had significant victories in recent times. They were among a group of Liberals opposed to John Howard's intention to tighten the existing border protection legislation, following the arrival of asylum seekers from West Papua. Troeth's role was crucial to the decision of the Prime Minister to junk the legislation. On any analysis this was a victory for the liberal tradition within the Liberal Party. Then there is the matter of Liberals exercising their conscience on matters of principle. Georgiou told his audience that when he, Moylan and the Victorian MHR Russell Broadbent crossed the floor over the asylum-seeker legislation their "actions were met with public attacks from some parliamentary colleagues". Well, that's true. But it is also true that Howard publicly supported Moylan last month when she retained preselection for the safe Liberal seat of Pearce, following a challenge from someone on the right of the party. Last April Georgiou was also subjected to a preselection challenge. He won comfortably, following a public endorsement from Peter Costello. So, clearly, crossing the floor or the threat to do so does not prevent endorsement by either the Liberal Party's leader or deputy leader. In Adelaide, Georgiou looked forward and suggested that the NSW senator Marise Payne might lose preselection "because of her positions on refugees, abortion and civil liberties". This, of course, is possible. However, it should be noted that there are reports that Howard has indicated that the NSW Liberal Party Senate team should not be changed. The contemporary Liberal Party has a relatively good record in managing dissenters. Two members of the cabinet have crossed the floor and voted with the Opposition - Philip Ruddock and Amanda Vanstone - as had the recently retired Robert Hill. Certainly there were more frequent floor-crossers during the Menzies government, the most prominent of whom were Reg Wright, Ian Wood, William Wentworth and Harry Turner. But none made it to the ministry during Robert Menzies' time. It was much the same during Malcolm Fraser's government. Liberal dissenters were heard but rarely promoted. In the speech Georgiou complained "the social justice proclaimed by Menzies as one of the party's cornerstones has been forgotten by many members of the Liberal Party and has been reviled by others". Certainly there was a tolerant, accepting side to the party's founder. But there were other aspects as well. A few examples illustrate the point. As prime minister at the start of World War II, Menzies temporarily banned the Communist Party. In the early 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, he unsuccessfully attempted to ban the Communist Party. In 1960 the Coalition revamped the Crimes Act by toughening the provisions with respect to treason and sedition. In his biography of the civil libertarian activist Brian Fitzpatrick, Don Watson wrote that "there was wide opposition to the bill from the trade unions, the press, the ALP and academics". None of these groups believed social justice was a cornerstone of the Liberal Party. Today Georgiou maintains "Menzies' legacy has been distorted by some who have attacked the concept of social justice he constantly advanced". The problem with this analysis turns on the word "constantly". Sure, Menzies acted consistently with notions of social justice when he brought about a situation whereby, finally, Catholic schools received financial assistance from the Commonwealth. The same can be said about the Coalition's decision to accept some 15,000 Hungarian refugees following the Soviet Union's brutal suppression of the Hungarian Uprising in 1956. Yet Menzies' long-term attachment to the White Australia Policy cannot be explained as a commitment to social justice. Since he resumed the Liberal leadership in 1995, Howard has run a tight ship and has stressed the importance of discipline. Like all party leaders, he does not want his colleagues to cross the floor. However, like Menzies and Fraser, he has not been vindictive in pursuing those few Liberals who have opposed him on one or more issues. Georgiou made some valid policy criticisms in his Adelaide speech. For all that, his central thesis was flawed. He implies that the modern Liberal Party has diverted from the true Liberal tradition. Yet, agree with him or not, Howard is closer to Menzies than he is to Fraser - especially with respect to foreign policy and national security. To survive such a climate Georgiou is a winner, even if he presents as something else. Gerard Henderson is executive director of the Sydney Institute. --- http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=15745 'No funds, pray for rain' HAZE SITUATION STILL BAD After a fleeting respite on Saturday, shifting winds brought back the haze yesterday. The worst-hit areas were the central and southwestern parts of the peninsula, particularly Johor, Negri Sembilan and Malacca. But there's some good news - the number of hot spots in Sumatra and Kalimantan, has also been reduced. At 4pm yesterday, visibility in Malacca, Kuantan and Sepang fluctuated between 1-1.5km. Changing wind conditions and rain in central Sarawak on Saturday brought relief to the state bordering Kalimantan. According to the Department of Environment, as of 11am, six areas recorded unhealthy air pollutant index readings (see above). Moderate API readings were recorded in 36 areas, including Sri Aman (93), Kuching (81), Petra Jaya (75), Kuala Selangor (70), Seremban (60), Shah Alam (58), Kuala Lumpur (56) and Nilai (55). FUNDS RUN DRY, RAIN ONLY HOPE "We have run out of operational funds. Without funds, it is impossible for us to combat the fires. We need to buy fuel for extinguisher tools and for transportation," Agung Catur, head of the fire-fighting task force in central Kalimantan province, told the state-run Antara news agency. Governor of South Sumatra, Syahrial Oesman,admitted defeat and is hoping for rainfall to douse the forest fires. "Only the rain can put out the fires. So, let us pray and hope to Allah for an immediate rain," he was quoted as saying. NUMBERS TELL A DEADLY STORY "A high air pollution day associated with the smoke haze increased the total all-cause mortality by roughly 20%. Higher mortality was apparent in two locations - Kuala Lumpur and Kuching - and affected mostly the elderly. In Kuala Lumpur, non-traumatic mortality among the population aged 65-74 increased about 70% following a day of high levels of air pollution." - "Forest Fires, Air Pollution, and Mortality in SE Asia", based on data from the 1997 haze episode, as published in the February 2002 issue of the journal Demography. 'Make Jakarta ratify haze pact' PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should demand that its neighbour Indonesia ratify the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution 2002 immediately to tackle the recurring haze crisis in the region. Local environmentalists said action must be taken to resolve the problem which has been going on for years. "Without Indonesia, the agreement is meaningless. We should demand for Indonesia to sign the plan and they should cooperate with Asean members to work on the provisions of the plan. "If they still refuse to ratify the agreement, it means they simply do not care for their neighbours as well as their own people," said Centre for Environment, Technology and Development in Malaysia (Cetdem) executive director Gurmit Singh. The pact was signed by all 10 member countries in June 2002. At least seven nations have ratified the agreement but Indonesia, the main source of the haze has not done so. By ratifying the agreement, Indonesia would be able to take preventive action and list down the types of assistance it requires from other countries. "It is a failure on the part of its government and also Asean for failing to act together and put pressure on Indonesia," said Gurmit. He said Indonesia is not capable of coping with the fire hence an apology from Jakarta would not help the situation. "It is not logical to ask Indonesia for an apology. We should ask who started the fire, including the Malaysian companies, if it was true they had committed the act. Malaysian Nature Society executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong said the Asean Haze Technical Task Force should make its strategies and action plans public. The task force was set up when Asean member countries agreed to an Asean Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution in 1995. "Until now we do not know what kind of action has been taken and what is the task force doing about the whole problem although stakeholders like plantation owners and farmers have the right to know. "The finding should be revealed so that the public is assured that action has been taken and they know how much time is needed to solve the problem," he said. Loh believed Indonesia needs help from Malaysia while Asean companies which have a strong presence in Kalimantan should be recruited to help the Indonesian government in tackling the problem. Meanwhile in MALACCA, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam said he will raise the haze issue at the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMTGT) meeting and at the meeting of the Islamic World Malay World of which he is the president. "We are very disappointed with the haze problem recurring every year in the absence of serious preventive measures by plantation companies in Indonesia and the Indonesian government itself," he told reporters after presenting Hari Raya alms to the poor. Haze causes mounting illnesses SINGAPORE: Doctors treated mounting numbers of patients yesterday who had fallen ill from Singapore's filthiest air in nine years as Jakarta maintained it could do nothing more to stop the haze from raging fires. Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said Singapore has offered Jakarta help with cloud-seeding to induce rain and assist farmers in land clearing. "At the end of the day, it is up to the Indonesian government," he said. Singaporeans were given a reprieve in the early hours yesterday when a wind shift carried the acrid haze away from the city-state and the Pollution Standards Index plunged from a high of 150 Saturday night to 31. There was a big demand in pharmacies in Singapore for masks. Doctors said they were treating patients for coughs, asthma attacks and eye irritation. "People with existing heart or respiratory problems should reduce physical exertion and being outdoors," the National Environment Agency said. The severity of the haze this year has reminded many of the severe haze episode in 1997 and 1998, sickening large numbers of people and costing billions of dollars in lost tourism revenues. - dpa Indonesia faces obstacle to put out fires JAKARTA: Lack of funds has seriously hampered Indonesia's efforts to put out illegal cropland fires which have sent the choking haze to other parts of Southeast Asia in the past several days, local media reports said yesterday. Thick haze from illegal land-clearing fires and plantation estates had reduced visibility in some places of Borneo to only about 50m, forcing commercial airplanes to delay or cancel flights to several cities. "We have run out of operational funds. Without funds, it is impossible for us to combat the fires. We need to buy fuel for extinguisher tools and for transportation," Agung Catur, head of the fire-fighting task force in central Kalimantan province, told the state-run Antara news agency. Local authorities in south Sumatra province claimed fires raging on peat land have been difficult to extinguish because the blaze's sources were located 3m underground. Governor of South Sumatra, Syahrial Oesman, has admitted defeat and is hoping for rainfall to douse the forest fires . "Only the rain can put out the fires. So, let us pray and hope to Allah for an immediate rain," Oesman was quoted as saying by the daily Media Indonesia. Fires burning in Kalimantan, and Sumatra, also forced local authorities to shutdown schools, and were blamed partly for land, river and aircraft accidents. The annual haze phenomenon is worst during the dry season, which runs from July through October due to uncontrolled slash-and-burning practices by farmers, plantation owners and loggers. Indonesia banned the practice of open-field burning in 1999. Anyone found guilty of breaching the law faces a maximum sentence of up to 10-years imprisonment and a 10-billion rupiah (RM4 million) fine. According to a Reuters report, the town of Palangkaraya in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province on Borneo, visibility fell as low as 30 to 50m. The Antara state news agency said the air pollution index in the town was at the "dangerous" level and people were having to wear protective face masks even in their homes. Fires were also still raging in the Sebangau National Park in the province. - Reuters Haze causes not just discomfort, it kills In 2002, Narayan Sastry, a Princeton-trained demographer working at the Rand Corporation, a private think-tank in Santa Monica, California, published a paper entitled "Forest Fires, Air Pollution, and Mortality in SE Asia" in the February 2002 issue of the journal Demography. The smog of 1997 coincided with the El Nino phenomenon which exacerbated the seasonal mid-year droughts. The land clearing and forest fires that year burned an estimated 2-3% of Indonesian land area, mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan but also affecting sizeable tracts of Irian Jaya, Sulawesi, Java, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Wetar as well as parts of Sarawak and Brunei. Sastry obtained daily mortality statistics from the Department of Statistics in Malaysia and correlated these with the daily Air Pollutant Index (API) readings from the Meteorological Department, in order to analyse the acute mortality in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur following days of high air pollution. For a 15-day period in September 1997, the API in Kuching reached or exceeded 850. The highest reading recorded was 930, and visibility was down to about 10m. In Peninsular Malaysia, API readings hovered in the 200-300 range during the same period. One hesitates to even imagine what the situation would have been like in parts of Indonesia that were closer to the infernos. Sastry's salient findings were reported thus in the professional journal: "A high air pollution day associated with the smoke haze increased the total all-cause mortality by roughly 20%. Higher mortality was apparent in two locations - Kuala Lumpur and Kuching - and affected mostly the elderly. In Kuala Lumpur, non-traumatic mortality among the population aged 65-74 increased about 70% following a day of high levels of air pollution. "This effect was persistent; it was not simply a moving forward of deaths by a couple of days (a "harvesting" effect). "This finding suggests that there were real and serious health effects of the smoke haze ? one implication of these results on the short-term effects of the smoke haze in Malaysia is that the effects in Indonesia itself are likely to have been tremendous. "The presence of significant mortality effects in Malaysian cities that are several hundred miles away from the main fires strongly supports this notion. Unfortunately, there are no appropriate health or mortality data for Indonesia to study this issue directly." In plain language, the acute (immediate) death rate among elderly people (excluding deaths due to accidents or violence) increased by 70% when API readings exceeded 210. We are rightly concerned about the long-term health effects of recurrent exposures to the smog. But we already have strongly suggestive evidence that the smog such as we experience now are not merely an eyesore that causes discomfort - it kills. Chan Chee Khoon School of Social Sciences Universiti Sains Malaysia --- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=27309 Radio New Zealand International The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa Fijian nationalists call for Papuan independence Posted at 22:31 on 08 October, 2006 UTC Fiji?s Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party is calling for independence for West Papua from Indonesia rule. The call coincides with the staging of the 3rd Melanesian Arts Festival in Suva where the nationalists staged a march with placards calling for West Papuan freedom at the weekend. The president of the party and former coup convict, Iliesa Duvuloco, says thousands of West Papuans are fleeing the country because others are being killed by the brutality of Indonesia rule. The Daily Post quotes Mr Duvuloco as saying West Papuans are Melanesians and Indonesia, as an Asian country, should not rule them but give them independence. Mr Duvuloco says once the Melanesian Arts Festival winds up, they will take a petition to the Indonesian ambassador in Suva, Gurino Babang, calling on his government to give West Papuans independence. He has also called on the Fiji government and all Melanesia countries to help West Papua gain freedom. --- http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bulletins/rnzi/200610100755/australian_think_ta nk_criticises_support_by_australian_groups_for_west_papuan_self_determination or http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=27333 Australian think tank criticises support by Australian groups for West Papuan self determination Posted at 7:55am on 10 Oct 2006 An Australian think tank has criticised support by Australian groups for the West Papuan self determination movement as misguided saying it adds to the pressures in the Indonesian province. The Lowy Institute, in a report called the Pitfalls of Papua, says this support generates unrealistic expectations among Papuans. Don Wiseman reports "Author Dr Rodd McGibbon, who has recently spent six years in Jakarta working with the United Nations, and is now a visiting fellow at the Australian National University, says this backing makes three basic errors." "That is: Giving an exaggerated sense of Australia's foreign policy influence; the lack of a serious appreciation of the forces driving contemporary Indonesian politics and the promotion of a one sided account of the Papuan conflict that takes for granted Papuan ethnic claims." "He accepts there are serious deep seated issues that need repairing, such as the resentment of how state policies are applied and human rights abuses, and he sees special autonomy as the framework for tackling these." "Dr MacGibbon says Australia has to confront perceptions in Indonesia that it supports Papua separatism. He also says Australia needs to support building democratic institutions because any resolution to the conflict depends on consolidating democratic rule. And Dr MacGibbon says Australia must give more development aid to Papua." Copyright ? 2006 Radio New Zealand International --- http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=3823 October 9,2006 Papua Religious Leaders present Churches' report on alleged human rights violations JAYAPURA, Indonesia (UCAN) -- A Catholic bishop led a delegation of Christian religious leaders to submit a report on human rights violations by security officials in Indonesia's easternmost province after a March demonstration led by students. On Sept. 29, Franciscan Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar of Jayapura and other religious leaders from the Association of Churches in Papua (PGGP) presented their group's 11-page report to Albert Rumbekwan, head of the Jayapura office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM, Indonesian acronym). Jayapura, capital of Papua province, is 3,690 kilometers east of Jakarta. Reverends H. Rollom and Herman Saud, respectively general secretary and former synod president of the Christian Church of Indonesia in the Land of Papua, also were among the delegation. The other members were Reverends Wim Rumainum, Eddy P. Kanata and Andreas Ayomi, and Franciscan Brother Budi Hermawan, chairman of Jayapura diocese's justice and peace secretariat. Signed by Bishop Ladjar, Reverend Ayomi and Reverend Saud, the report cites evidence of rights violations by security personnel after students and other demonstrators clashed March 16 with security officers in front of Cendrawasi University in Abepura, just south of Jayapura. One air force and four Mobile Brigade police personnel were killed in the altercation. The demonstrators were demanding that the government close the gold and copper mine run by PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika subdistrict, southern Papua. They claimed the mine does not benefit the local community. Twenty-four Papuan students were arrested and put on trial, and three Papuan students sought asylum in neighboring Papua New Guinea. "We ask Komnas HAM to follow up on this report soon because many human rights violations have occurred since March 16. We have much proof," the bishop asserted. Reverend Saud criticized security personnel's response to the incident, saying they committed many brutal actions during random raids and searches. "State officials or public servants may not respond emotionally in handling problems, even though security officials were victimized during the incident. In a state, everything must be solved in accordance with the law," he said. He questioned how the rule of law could be implemented effectively in the country if public officials themselves do not respect the law. During the visit, the religious leaders asked Komnas HAM to set up an investigative commission to look into the initial findings in the report. Bishop Ladjar read this and the other recommendations before handing them to Rumbekwan. Other recommendations demand that the State Ministry for the Environment assess the overall social impact caused by PT Freeport Indonesia on the legal, political and social system in Papua, especially in Timika, paying attention to human rights. U.S.-based Freeport McMoran runs one of the largest gold and copper mining operations in the world in Timika. The religious leaders also asked the Supreme Court to probe some judges, public prosecutors and lawyers in Jayapura. "The central government must redress the abuses against the rights of the victims, especially the students and their families, who were tortured and whose property was destroyed," the bishop said. The report also contains a demand that the police, as upholders of the law, locate those who are missing or who have fled, including those who sought asylum in Papua New Guinea, as soon as possible. The government and the police, the religious leaders said, "must assure the students of their safety, that they can return to the campus and live their daily life as usual." They also urged donor countries to re-evaluate and restructure their financial aid to the police, observing that the financial aid received so far has not encouraged the police to uphold human rights. Rumbekwan promised the religious leaders that he would forward the report soon to the central Komnas HAM office. --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=21386 Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is resolved to speed up the development of Papua, focusing on education, healthcare, basic infrastructure and food security as well as improving human resources. "Bottom line, how the Special Autonomy could be carried out most properly to give the people the biggest benefits, by focusing on the five factors," Minister Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS said after chairing a coordinating meeting on political and legal affairs in Jakarta on Monday. He said that the idea of stepping up the development of Papua will be formulated in greater detail and drawn up in a legal regulation for maximum implementation. Not only that, Widodo said, the central government and regional administrations agreed to capacity buliding, bureaucratic reform. setting up development mechanism, including the use of special autonomy funds, all for the sake of improving social welfare. "But everything will of course be carried out in stages," in said. The meeting was attended by Minister Coordinating the Economy Budiono, Military (TNI) Chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto, Police Chief General Sutanto and Governor of Papua Barnabas Suebu. (*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA October 10, 2006 --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20061010.T02&irec=1 Protected species traded quite openly The market price of turtles varies depending on their unique features, including their rarity in the wild or their status as a protected species. At the Flora and Fauna 2006 exhibition at Lapangan Banteng, Central Jakarta, in August, a sulcata tortoise species aged 15 was offered at Rp 20 million and a 15-centimeter cherry head cost Rp 1.8 million. The cheapest were green turtles from Brazil, on sale at Rp 20,000 each, cage included. Sadly, a large number of the reptiles traded are protected by law, such as Papuan pig-nose turtles (Carettaochelys insculpta) and long-neck turtles, which range in price from Rp 75,000 to Rp 200,000, as well as green tree pythons (Morelia viridis), offered at over Rp 1 million, according to length. Sutarno, a reptile trader in Jakarta, admitted that protected animals -- local and imported -- were sold quite openly. "I just sell what collectors don't want any more, and buy from suppliers outside Jakarta," he said. Keepers of protected species are required to hold a certificate issued by the Natural Resources Conservation Center, Ministry of Forestry. "Generally, buyers don't ask about the origins and official papers for such animals," he added. According to Mahda Putra, most collectors of rare reptiles do not have official documentation because government monitoring of wild animal keepers and traders is not that tight. He acknowledged the pride among those who raise and collect such rare species. "In fact, the breeding, trading and hunting of protected animals are prohibited," he pointed out. A variety of reptiles are available at animal markets and pet shops, like the decorative fish market on Jl. Kartini and Jl. Sumenep, Central Jakarta, and dozens of animal dealers along Jl. Barito, South Jakarta. Reptile sellers can also be found in the Hanggar Teras Pancoran aquarium fish center and the Jatinegara bird market, East Jakarta. The illegal reptile trade and the emergence of reptile lovers' clubs have triggered high demand for these animals taken from their habitat, which adversely affects their future conservation. Meanwhile, the captive breeding of species threatened by extinction has not yet brought significant results. On the other hand, enforcement of legislation against illegal dealers, keepers and suppliers of rare animals remains very limited. No wonder (as revealed by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, Ministry of Forestry) Indonesia has the longest list of wildlife species nearing extinction, including 126 birds, 63 mammals and 21 reptiles. This is mainly due to the loss of their natural habitat following forest fires, illegal logging and hunting for trade. (Bambang Parlupi) --- http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2006/10/10/brk,20061010- 85730,uk.html 39 Harbors Marked for International Lanes for Narcotics Tuesday, 10 October, 2006 | 12:26 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Indonesian Police Headquarters has mapped 48 Indonesian sea lanes that the international narcotics and drugs syndicate use. The lanes extend from Aceh to Maumere and Merauke. ?There are four lanes in international waters,? said Brigadier General Indradi Thanos, the Director IV of Narcotics of the Department of Criminal Investigation at the Indonesian Police Headquarters, yesterday (10/9). The main lane, said Indradi, include the waters of the Malacca Straits, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Irian, and Ambon . ?These four international lanes still have small harbors that can be made use of by the syndicate,? he said. According to Indradi, there are at least 39 large Indonesian ports that are subject to narcotics and drugs trade, which commonly originates from overseas. The 39 harbors, he said, are open and free. Therefore, the control and security system of the ports must be improved. ?Cooperation must be established with Customs and Excises, Indonesian Police, Immigration and the Navy, ? he said. In addition to the 39 ports, according to Indradi, there are still many hidden harbors utilized by the syndicate to enter the Indonesian territory. ?There are more than 10 shortcuts in Batam,? he said. ERWIN DARYANTO | EKO ARI --- http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/business/10flier.html Frequent Flier There?s Simply No Excuse for Being Bored on a Trip By JOHN HEATON Published: October 10, 2006 FROM time to time, I hear business travelers complain about how unexciting their trips are. This is nonsense, for the most part. Business travel can be great adventure if you?re curious. Catherine Docter, via John Heaton John Heaton is an artist, entrepreneur and the host of Quinta Maconda, a 16th-century residence in Antigua, Guatemala. Maybe I inherited my inquisitiveness. My ancestors? tall ships plied the waters between Connecticut and Shanghai in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Each trip was a perilous and hopeful journey for commerce, and according to them, there was always something interesting along the way. I?ve made several trips to Asia to buy antique furniture, and while I?m there I absorb as much of the local culture as possible. I avoid large Western hotels. I go to the local outdoor markets. I buy and wear what the locals wear. I bring my video camera and interview waiters and taxi drivers. I make a point of exploring an area unknown to me. Some years ago, on my way to Bali, I made a stopover in Biak, in the Indonesia province of Irian Jaya. At the hotel, I spotted a fellow in khakis sitting at the bar, sipping a warm beer. ?Do you speak English?? I asked. He did. In fact, he had just finished guiding a National Geographic expedition through Irian Jaya and the Moluccas, and was on his way back to Vancouver. Sensing a golden opportunity, I asked if he would tell me about his journey. ?Keep the beers flowing, and I?ll fill you in,? he replied. For the next two hours, as we pored over maps, he told me tales of the archipelago and uncontacted tribes. His stories were so compelling that I decided to change my travel plans. For the next two months, I crisscrossed the islands, hardly seeing another white face. The highlight of my trip was being the only outsider to attend the funeral of an important Dani chief. What started as a business trip ended in a real adventure. Just a month before the Soviet Union disintegrated, I flew to Siberia. Cold and boring, right? Wrong. In Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic, I met up with Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, the Habsburg archduchess of Austria. She was documenting the Dalai Lama?s historic visit and the Buddhist revival in that region. Near the Mongolian border some of us rented horses and galloped across the steppes. We had a close encounter with authorities and nearly ended up being thrown into jail. But most important, we were witness to a defining moment in the history of the Soviet Union, if not also for Buddhism. I find that some business travelers are numb to the portals through which they pass, focusing only on the destination. I think they?re missing a lot. Something as mundane as an airport stopover can be fascinating. On a flight from Bali to Madras, India, I had a seven-hour wait at Changi International Airport in Singapore. Instead of sitting around like many of the other passengers, I made a room in the airport hotel my temporary headquarters and went exploring. Changi has a fabulous bookstore, a health spa, great restaurants and a permanent orchid show. It became a destination unto itself for me. That?s when it occurred to me that there is no such thing as a boring place. Only boring travelers. By John Heaton, as told to Christopher Elliott. Email: elliottc at nytimes.com --- Court of Appeal Judgement: Ayamiseba Free At Last. Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 06:46:02 +1100 Dear All, The Court of Appeal of Vanuatu has delivered the judgement on Ayamiseba's case on Friday, 06 October 2006 that: Having reached that conclusion, it is unnecessary for us to consider wether the evidence adduced was sufficient for the Minister to have formed the opinion that the activities of Mr. Ayamiseba were detrimental to national security or public order under section 17A (1) (a) It is enquiry which is unnecessary and therefore it is inappropriate for this Court to enter into any consideration of the point. The Court being satisfied that the deportation order was made without proper compliance with the statute it is therefore declared to be nulity. There is no reason that the costs should not follow the event. The formal orders of the Court are that: (a) the removal order dated 9 February 2006 made by the Minister of Immigration against Andy Ayamiseba be hereby quashed; (b) there be costs of VT 20.000 in respect of this appeal in favour of Mr. Ayamiseba Dated at PORT VILA on 06 October 2006 BY THE COURT (signed and sealed) Hon. Chief Justice V. Lunabek Hon. J. Bruce Robertson J. Hon. John. W. Von Doussa J Hon. Daniel Fatiaki J. Hon.Oliver A. Saksak J. Hon. Chistopher N. Tuohy --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=21517 Two Chinese nationals to be deported from Papua Jayapura (ANTARA News) - Two Chinese nationals who were arrested at Sentani airport here last Saturday will be deported from Papua on Thursday, local Immigration spokesman Giri Hariyanto said on Wednesday. He said the two Chinese nationals, identified as Shao Xiong and Xu Chunfeng, would be flown on Garuda Indonesia aircraft at 7 a.m. local time to Soekarno -Hatta airport in Jakarta where they took China Airlines to Beijing in the evening. "Guarded by an official from Jayapura Immigration office, Shao Xiong and Xu Chunfeng would be handed to Chinese Embassy in Jakarta by the Justice and Human Rights` Directorate General of Immigration Department," Giri Haryanto said. He added that the police in Jayapura arrested the two Chinese nationals last Saturday for conducting illegal activity of dental therapy. They were arrested after being found that they had tourist visa to enter Indonesia but engaged in activities of dental therapy without a permit from Indonesian Health Ministry. Giri Hariyanto pointed out that Jayapura Immigration office this year had so far deported 13 Chinese nationals, a Japanese national, five Australians, 20 Vietnamese nationals, four Russians, seven Malaysians, two Americans and two Filipinos. Of the 13 Chinese nationals deported from Papua, five were women. (*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA October 11, 2006 --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Thu Oct 12 19:59:42 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 10:59:42 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 12-13 06 Message-ID: <1770.61.94.58.12.1160704782.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Oct 9-12 2006 KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * C4 goes undercover to lift lid on unreported West Papua conflict * Three Malaysians arrested in Papua * Australian Senate unanimously passed Condolences (WZ) * Ayamiseba wins deportation case (Issue 1845) * Three Malaysians arrested in Jayapura * Papuan independence to be raised at Forum * Myths v realities in Papua (blog spot) * MSG moves for Papua --- http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/article/121006/c4_west_papua_documentary C4 goes undercover to lift lid on unreported West Papua conflict story picture By Zoe Smith Thursday, 12 October 2006 A Channel 4 journalist has gained exclusive access to the island of West Papua, despite a ban by the government on journalists freely accessing the territory. Evan Williams uncovered rare documentation of a bloody conflict between islanders and the Indonesian government in the documentary, West Papua: Rainforest Warriors, to be broadcast next week as part of the Unreported World series. Williams and director Siobhan Sinnerton filmed clandestinely, working undercover, and met tribal warriors who claim that thousands of islanders have been killed in a campaign that could potentially wipe out their ethnic group. Williams told Press Gazette: "We wanted to investigate the use of violence against anybody who stands up and asks for more rights, more autonomy or a better deal. The fact that it is so spectacular, so isolated and difficult to get to made it very appealing to get under the wire from the official Indonesian side." The Indonesian government has a stated policy of not wanting foreign journalists to go into Papua as they say they could be a vehicle for pro- independence sentiments. On the rare occasions that journalists are given access, there is a lengthy wait for permits and they are very closely watched and scrutinised at all times. Williams and Sinnerton entered the island as tourists using an annual festival on the island as a cover for the trip. He said: "We played the tourist most of the time to travel around the countryside and to meet people ? we had pre-arranged individuals that we wanted to meet who had personal testimony of loss and abuse. We went and saw them as much as we could on the side." West Papua, home to the world's biggest copper and gold mine, was annexed to Indonesia in 1969. Since then, thousands of Indonesians, who control most of the commerce, have received subsidies to settle on the island, resulting in tension and conflict between the two groups. In one village, buried deep in ancient forests, the journalists met inhabitants crying and wearing mud as a sign of mourning for children who had allegedly been killed by the security forces. Some mothers were so heartbroken that they had mutilated themselves by cutting off their own fingers. Williams said that the programme could have two immediate impacts. "It could make the government crack down on anyone who was working with us and also possibly anybody who is pro-independence," he said. "However, in an era of greater transparency and pro-democratic leaning inside the Indonesian government, it could also help lead to pressure on the military not to use violence as arbitrarily as they have in the past." Unreported World ? West Papua: Rainforest Warriors will be screened on Channel 4 on 20 October at 7.35pm. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillgen.asp?fileid=20061012163302&irec=1 Three Malaysians arrested in Papua JAYAPURA, Papua (Antara): The Jayapura immigration office in Papua province has arrested three Malaysian nationals for allegedly violating immigration regulations, an immigration official said Thursday. Immigration office head Giri Haryanto said that the Malaysians did not report their arrivals in the province to the immigration office after they arrived in the province from Vanimo in Papua New Guinea (PGN) on Oct 10. Giri said that the Malaysians were believed to be timber businessmen after he observed a number of pictures kept in their cameras. The Malaysians are Ding Doung Hiueng, 49, and Teo Siak Kui, 44, and Lee Uang Kai, 40. Giri, however, could not say when the Malaysians would be deported. (**) --- Australian Senate unanimously passed Condolence motion: Wim Zonggonou W: Wim Zongonou The Australian Senate unanimously passed the following motion this morning - Thursday 12 October 2006 Condolence motion: Wim Zonggonou The Senate notes the recent death of West Papuan politician Willem Zonggonou while visiting Australia. Mr Zonggonou was a member of the Papuan legislature and Indonesian upper house in the 1960s. Living in exile in Papua New Guinea he worked tirelessly for freedom and peace in West Papua. The Senate expresses its condolences to the Mr Zonggonou's family and friends, and people of West Papua for their loss. --- Ayamiseba wins deportation case (Issue 1845) Compiled by Royson Willie - Vanuatu Daily Post, updated: 2006-10-10 12:56:19 The Removal Order by the Minister of Internal Affairs, George Wells, against Mr Andy Ayamiseba on February 9 this year has been quashed by the Court of Appeal. This decision was handed down yesterday over the appeal case, which was between Andy Ayamiseba as the Appellant and the Attorney General as the First Respondent along with the Principal immigration Officer as the second respondent. Initially Ayamiseba had appealed against orders made in the Supreme Court on April 7 also this year when the Court refused to quash the removal order made against him by the Minister of Immigration, Mr George Wells. The Supreme Court had ruled at that time that the Removal Order dated 9 February 2006 was not unconstitutional and that the Order was made pursuant to section 17A of the Immigration Act. The April ruling of the Supreme Court also stated that Section 17A imposes restriction on non-citizens from enjoying the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to every person in the specific circumstances specified in subsection (1) (a) and (b) of the Act. Also the Supreme Court ruled that Article 5 (1) of the Constitution permits a law to place restriction on non-citizens from enjoying the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to an individual under that article; that Section 17A of the Immigration Act is not inconsistent or in conflict with section 17 of the Act; and that Section 17A prohibits a non-citizen caught under subsection (1) from being accorded natural justice. The appeal was made based on the basis that the finding of the judge that the constitutional rights had not been breached and that the decision by the Minister was not unreasonable, is unsustainable in fact and law. Ayamiseba was deported on board an Air Vanuatu flight departing for the Solomon Islands at 11pm on February 9. One hour before he was put on board the plane, immigration officers and police had been to Andy Ayamiseba?s home at Second Lagoon where he lives with his wife and 4-year-old son. There they served him with the removal order that was dated February 9 and signed by the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Appeal Court ruled that ?as became apparent in the course of the hearing, the Section 17A regime does not in terms ?prohibit? or ?prevent? the minister from giving notice or affording to a non-citizens the rights of natural justice, it merely empowers the minister to decide whether he needs to in the particular case?. ?It is quite wrong to say that the provision explicitly removes rights to prior notice to which a non-citizen might otherwise be entitled. ?It merely enables or empowers a minister to decide whether he needs to give notice,? the judgement stated. The ruling further stated that there is no evidence that the Minister turned his mind to whether he needed to give notice for the removal of Mr Ayamiseba. The Appeal Court then pointed out issues that the Minister ?inevitably had to weigh before he could decide that he should take the extraordinary step of denying any person a right to be heard before he exercised a power to the detriment of that person?. One of the examples used in Court of the issues that the minister did not weigh before making the order related to the obligations that Vanuatu undertook when it became a signatory on December 6, 1992 to the Convention to the Rights of the Child, since Mr Ayamiseba is in a permanent relationship in the nature of a marriage and is the father of a child who is a citizen of Vanuatu. The Court also pointed out that there was recent evidence that in his political activities (and those with who he as associated), there had been proper recognition of the rule of law in a democratic process in terms of an application for a permit to demonstrate and it did not go ahead when this was declined. ?This is a simple question of statutory interpretation. ?The Minister had to reach a rational decision on an objective analysis undertaken with integrity that there was no need for him to give notice. ?That is what the Act requires. ?There seems to have been a misapprehension that notice was unnecessary. Not so. He had to decide if, in this case, it was indeed. ?There is no evidence to suggest that this important second inquiry was undertaken at all. ?Therefore the exercise of power and the deportation which followed are unsustainable in law. ?In a case like this the jurisdiction of the Court is limited to ensuring that the processes undertaken in the issuance of the removal order are lawful. ?Having reached that conclusion, it is unnecessary for us to consider whether the evidence adduced was sufficient for the Minister to have formed the opinion that the activities of Mr Ayamiseba were detrimental to national security or public order under section 17A (1) (a). ?It is enquiry which is unnecessary and therefore it is inappropriate for this Court to enter into any consideration of the point. ?The Court being satisfied that the deportation order was made without proper compliance with the statute it is therefore declared to be a nullity.? The presiding Appeal Court Judges who heard the case were Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek, Justice Bruce Robertson, Justice John von Doussa, Justice Daniel Fatiaki, Justice Oliver Saksak, and Justice Christopher Tuohy. --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=21564 Three Malaysians arrested in Jayapura Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - The Jayapura immigration office in Indonesia`s Papua province on Wednesday night arrested three Malaysian nationals for allegedly staying illegally in the country, the office`s head, Giri Haryanto, told newsmen here Thursday. Haryanto said the three Malaysians arrived in Jayapura on Tuesday (Oct 10) via Vanimo, Papua New Guinea (PNG), but they did not report their arrival to the Jayapura Immigration Office. The Malaysians once spent the night at a hotel in Jayapura, he said, adding that they were believed to be financiers of a timber business judging by pictures kept in their cameras, like those on forest survey activities in Vanimo, PNG. The arrested Malaysians are Ding Doung Hiueng (49) holding a passport No. K 13354076, Teo Siak Kui (44) with passport No. K 13663335 and Lee Uang Kai (40) with passport No. K 15677340. Haryanto said the three Malaysians had allegedly committed immigration rule violations according to Article 20 in connection with Article 42, Article 40, Article 48, Article 53 subsidiary to Article 62 of Law No. 9/1992 on immigration. "We however cannot yet confirm the time when they will be deported to their country of origin through Jakarta`s Soekarno-Hatta airport," he said. (*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA October 12, 2006 --- http://abc.net.au/ra/pacbeat/stories/s1759388.htm Last Updated 10/10/2006 PAPUA: Papuan independence to be raised at Forum A pro-independence activist from the Indonesian province of Papua is likely to attend the Pacific islands Forum later this month. That's according to Andy Ayamiseba, one of the two members of the Free Papua Movement based in the Vanuatu capital, Port Vila. He says the Vanuatu government is likely to bring his colleague, Dr John Ondowame, to the Forum in Fiji as an official in their delegation. Presenter/Interviewer: Bruce Hill Speakers: Iliesa Duvuloco, President of the Fijian nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party HILL: Although the Forum has taken the official position that Papua is an internal matter for Indonesia alone, there's widespread sympathy for the mainly Christian Melanesian inhabitants of the province in the Pacific, especially from Melanesia. But Vanuatu has a history of getting West Papua representatives into the Forum summit as part of their delegation, which enables the Free Papua Movement the OPM, to put their case directly to Pacific leaders without technically breaking any rules. OPM representative in Vanuatu, Andy Ayamiseba, says they're just waiting for the final confirmation from Port Vila, but the same thing will happen again this year. AYAMISEBA: Normal practice is that a representative of our office always accompany the Vanuatu delegation to that meeting. As I understood, my colleague, Dr John, is now in Sydney waiting for the confirmation from the Director of Foreign Affairs, who will include him in the delegation to go to the Forum. HILL: So in fact West Papuan overseas office gets to go the Forum, but only under the cover of being part of the Vanuatu delegation? AYAMISEBA: That is correct, yes. HILL: Obviously this wouldn't impress Indonesia very much, which is a post Forum dialogue partner? AYAMISEBA: Nothing much we could do about it. We are not here to please the Indonesians. HILL: I understand that you've actually received a bit of support in Fiji at the third Melanesian Arts Festival. One of the Fijian nationalist groups, the Vanua Tako Lavo Party, staged a bit of a demonstration with placards calling for West Papuan independence. What do you think about that? AYAMISEBA: We are very appreciative. However, we already having good relation, long time relation with the Labour Party, who strongly support our cause back in the days of late prime minister [Timoci] Bavadra. What I'm saying with the Labour Party, even the Indians there they consider themselves as Melanesians. So if you are born in that place, they consider you as a local inhabitant, means you are a Melanesian from the Indian origin. Originally, our support come from the Melanesians, but however we appreciate that the Labour Party who have an Indian background as well supporting our cause. HILL: Meanwhile, at the Melanesian Arts Festival in Suva, the Fijian nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party has staged a show of support for West Papuan independence and the president of the party, IIiesa Duvuloco, has vowed to repeat the demonstration at the Forum later this month. Mr Duvuloco, the party president says Melanesian people don't support Indonesians ruling over Melanesians in Papua, and they want to get that message through to Pacific leaders. DUVULOCO: Yes, gladly we will do it. We want to repeat the same thing in as many forums as we can where international people are coming together for meetings and this kind of thing. As you know, yesterday was only the beginning and I hope this week we'll have to sign perhaps a petition of some sort, signed by the Melanesian people gathered here in Fiji now and we send it to the ambassador of Indonesia just to express our concern and our support for the independence of West Papua. HILL: Is there much support for the West Papuan independence cause in Fiji? DUVULOCO: Yes, yes. HILL: One of the West Papuan officials based in Port Vila, Andy Ayamiseba, says that while they appreciate the support from the Fijian Nationalists, they also get support from the Fiji Labour Party and Indo-Fijians and he said that they get wide spread support. DUVULOCO: Well, I think it's any kind of help, any kind of support from anybody. You know the old saying that beggars can't be choosers. Whatever the support, whatever the people. It doesn't matter what divides them, whether its race or politics or I think this about, politics about race. I think it's just a matter of decency and consciousness, international consciousness. It doesn't matter where the support they get from, whether from Australia or even from Indonesia itself. I think we should try to engage as much support they can eh? But the ultimate thing, I think the main thing if they can get their independence away from Indonesia. --- http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/letters/ The only one on Papua @ http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/letters/index.php/theaustralian/commen ts/myths_v_realities_in_papua/ Letters | Myths v realities in Papua Tuesday, October 10, 2006 PAUL Kelly ("A new diplomacy over Papua?, Inquirer, 7-8/10) takes me and other supporters of the West Papuan cause to task for perpetuating six myths that have allegedly misled Australian opinion on Papua. Let me demythologise a couple. Myth one: Indonesia has engaged in genocide in Papua. Faced with systematic human rights abuses and discrimination over 43 years at the hands of the Indonesian government and security forces, plunder of their resources and enduring poverty, Papuans are now on the brink of being overwhelmed by non-Papuan immigrants. They are convinced they face social, cultural and political extinction (think Australian Aborigines), a slow but deliberate genocide, as they put it, unless urgent remedies are found. Myth two: that Australia?s policy is dominated by a Jakarta lobby intent on appeasing Indonesia. Although the East Timor intervention was forced on a reluctant government by public opinion, the lobby remains in charge. For realists who place a high priority on understanding power relationships and avoiding crises, the lobby is strangely dense in grasping two points. First, the East Timor case shows how an Australian government supporting peace, justice and self-determination in one Indonesian province can, when push comes to shove, get the upper hand against the Jakarta elite without destroying the bilateral relationship. Second, that human rights, democracy and demilitarisation in Indonesia, whose absence in Papua threatens to create chaos and destroy Indonesia?s long-term relationship with Australia, will be best served in the long term by Jakarta?s complete disengagement from Papua. Peter King Convener, West Papua Project Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies University of Sydney --- (Sent anonymously - source unknown) MSG moves for Papua THE Melanesian Spearhead Group may consider a move to help West Papua Province gain independence from Indonesia. Although this topic was not discussed further it has been listed by Melanesian countries attending the third Melanesian arts and cultural festival in Suva, Fiji, as one of the recommendations for the MSG. This recommendation was noted at the end of a week-long symposium that covered cultural issues affecting Melanesian countries. There were also talks within the Melanesian circle to have a common regional language for communication. Several academics and researchers from various Melanesian countries on Thursday suggested for the common language to be widely spoken by all Melanesian countries. Under the topic ?Education-status of arts and language policies, this was raised and listed down as one of the many recommendations. Former Papua New Guinea ambassador to the UN, Peter Donigi who is a senior lecturer in the diplomacy program at the University of South Pacific also called for the common language for all Melanesian countries. --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Thu Oct 12 20:10:58 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:10:58 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] Kabar: Minggu Kedua Okt 06 Message-ID: <1821.61.94.58.6.1160705458.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Kabar Irian (Papua) Minggu kedua bulan Okt 06 Topik2 * Pemerintah Keerom Temukan Tambang Emas * Jangan Diputarbalikkan Menjadi Masalah Politik * Polres Siap Gelar Operasi Ketupat * Uji Coba Kondom di Papua * Dua Suku Asli Minta Program Dihentikan * Kisah Nyata Anak Papua * Marcella "Tertipu" * Wajar Seandainya Minta Dikuburkan di Papua * Giliran Tiga Warga Malaysia Ditangkap * Pemekaran di Tengah Aspirasi Papua Merdeka * IJB Sebagai Sarana Angkut Orang Papua * Barindo IJB Setuju Revisi UU Otsus * Tetap Optimis Jadi Daerah Transit * Perkembangan Sawah Percontohan Memuaskan * Pesawat PT Trigana Air Tergelincir di Mamit, Papua * Imigrasi Papua tahan 2 warga China * Pemkab Pegunungan Bintang Bekerja Sama dengan Uncen --- Part of TEMPO Group publication Pemerintah Keerom Temukan Tambang Emas Gunding Levi JAYAPURA - Bupati Keerom, Papua, Celcius Watae, mengungkapkan pihaknya menemukan daerah yang memiliki kandungan emas cukup besar. Kawasan yang memiliki kandungan emas ini terdapat di Kali Kai dan Kali Mafi, yang terletak di Distrik Senggi, Kabupaten Keerom, Papua. "Sebenarnya eksplorasi sudah dilakukan sejak 1997," kata Celcius Watae di Jayapura kemarin. Daerah yang dieksplorasi membentang dari Distrik Keureh Lereh, Kabupaten Jayapura, sampai Kesna Kundu di Distrik Senggi, Kabupaten Keerom. Berdasarkan eksplorasi awal, kawasan Kali Kai dan Kali Mafi di Senggi ternyata memiliki kandungan emas terbesar. Kandungan emas di daerah ini sudah layak dieksplorasi karena sudah mampu bertahan selama 10 tahun lebih sebagai salah satu syarat kelayakan penambangan. Celcius mengatakan besaran kandungan emas di daerah ini baru diketahui tahun depan. Begitu juga dengan perusahaan yang akan melakukan eksplorasi. Kepada perusahaan yang akan menambang emas, akan dibuat perjanjian awal dengan warga Keerom pemilik hak ulayat dan perusahaan penambang. "Kami tidak ingin masyarakat menjadi korban penambang seperti di Mimika," kata dia. Pemerintah Keerom akan berusaha sekuat tenaga agar kejadian di PT Freeport Indonesia dan warga Mimika tidak terulang di Keerom. Menurut Celcius, pembicaraan eksplorasi emas dengan masyarakat Distrik Senggi akan dilakukan pada 11 Oktober nanti. Menurut Celcius, penemuan lahan yang memiliki kandungan emas ini dipastikan bisa membantu meningkatkan pendapatan asli daerah. Selama ini pendapatan asli daerah Kabupaten Keerom hanya Rp 800 juta. Pendapatan itu bersumber dari pajak bumi dan bangunan serta jasa giro. "Ini akan sangat membantu," katanya, yang didampingi Wakil Bupati Kosasih dan Sekretaris Daerah Keerom I Wayan Sura. Selama ini kabupaten hasil pemekaran Kota Jayapura pada 2002 itu mendapat suntikan dana dari Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Kota Jayapura dan dana alokasi umum. Total bantuan hanya Rp 200 juta per tahun. "Jumlah ini sangat kurang sekali," kata Celcius. Apalagi transportasi di daerah ini menggunakan jalur udara untuk mencapai Distrik Senggi dan Distrik Web. --- CENDRAWASIH POS Rabu, 11 Oktober 2006 Jangan Diputarbalikkan Menjadi Masalah Politik *Kapolda Soal DR Willem Sanggonao yang Kabarnya Meninggal di Australia JAYAPURA-Masalah kematian seseorang adalah masalah kemanusiaan. Hendaknya jangan diputarbalikkan menjadi masalah politik. Demikian Kapolda Papua Irjen Pol. Drs. Tommy Trider Jacobus saat ditanya wartawan di ruang kerjanya tentang adanya informasi bahwa salah seorang yang vokal memperjuangkan Papua merdeka bernama DR Willem Sanggonao yang kabarnya meninggal di Australia belum lama ini dan rencananya akan dibawa ke Papua dan dimakamkan di dekat Makam Theys H Eluay di Sentani. Terkait hal ini, Kapolda lebih memilih untuk melihat masalah ini secara lebih proporsional. "Yang pertama, terkait masalah status kewarganegaraannya. Informasi yang saya terima, yang bersangkutan telah keluar dari Papua dan tinggal di PNG sejak 1969. Saya yakin dia (Willem Sangganao) sudah menjadi warga negara PNG," jelasnya. Kemudian yang kedua, lanjutnya, secara yuridis yang boleh menentukan pemakaman seseorang adalah anak, istri, cucu dari almarhum atau pihak keluarga yang masih mempunyai garis lurus secara keturunan. "Selain dari itu, saya kira tidak berhak untuk menentukan pemakaman seseorang. Misalnya sekelompok orang atau organisasi," ujar Tommy. Menurutnya, seandainya dari pihak keluarga almarhum menghendaki jenazah disemayamkan di Papua (di Sentani,red), maka dari pihak keluarga harus mengurus melalui KBRI (Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia) yang ada di PNG, sebab masalah ini sudah menjadi masalah antara dua negara. "Kemudian yang ketiga, tentang proses pemakaman itu sendiri juga ada aturannya. Misalnya, almarhum itu mau dimakamkan di Tempat Pemakamam Umum atau di Tempat Pemakamam Keluarga. Hal ini perlu diperhatikan. Kalau dimakamkan di dekat Makam Theys Eluay saya kira itu bukan Pemakaman Umum dan apakah almarhum itu ada hubungannya dengan keluarga Theys. Di sini masalahnya," tandas Kapolda. Ditegaskan, masalah kematian adalah masalah kemanusiaan. Kalau hendak dimakamkan di Papua, maka harus ada mekanisme yang harus ditempuh oleh pihak keluarga almarhum. "Jangan jadikan jenazah seseorang itu sebagai komoditi politik. Itu tidak benar. Mari kita hormati orang yang sudah meninggal itu. Biarlah dia pergi dengan tenang, agar mendapat tempat di sisi-Nya," pesannya. Ditambahkan, menyikapi masalah ini, pihaknya berharap kepada pemerintah daerah agar konsekuen dengan aturan yang ada. "Meski masalah kematian adalah masalah kematian, tetapi kita harus taati aturan yang ada. Kalau kemudian memaksakan kehendak, berarti hal itu sudah tidak betul," pungkasnya. (fud) Foto Kapolda: Irjen Pol. Drs. Tommy Trider Jacobus. --- Manokwari pos Rabu, 11 Oktober 2006 Polres Siap Gelar Operasi Ketupat Manokwari- Meski belum ada kepastian waktu tentang pelaksanaan operasi ketupat dari Polda Papua, namun Polres Manokwari lebih awal sudah siap untuk melaksanakan operasi pengamanan perayaan Idul Fitri. Antara lain melakukan operasi simpatik pada siang hari dan melakukan operasi pada malam hari ditemapt-tempat yang rawan. Kapolres Manokwari AKBP Drs Pietrus Waine, SH yang dikonfirmasi Manokwari Pos melalui Kabag Ops di ruang kerjanya, Selasa (10/10) mengatakan, untuk pelaksananaan Operasi Ketupat pihaknya masih menunggu perintah dari Polda Papua. Saat ini pihaknya sudah menerima TR dari Polda untuk pelaksanaan operasi ketupat. Namun, mengenai waktu tepatnya belum dicantumkan. "Kita baru saja menerima TR dari Polda tapi waktunya belum ditentukan, yang pasti kita sudah siap dengan personil yang ada sebanyak 425 orang,"tuturnya. Dikatakan, meski belum ada perintah dari Polda Papua, namun untuk mengamankan kota Manokwari pihaknya terus melakukan operasi simpatik pada siang hari dan melakukan razia pada malam hari. Selama bulan ramadhan operasi setiap malam dilakukan dengan melibatkan Unit kesatuan lengkap (UKL) dari berbagai fungsi. Khusus malam minggu Polres menurunkan 2 UKL. "Selama bulan ramadhan ini kita terus melakukan operasi pada malam hari sambil menunggu surat perintah dari Polda untuk operasi ketupat,"tuturnya lagi. Kabag Ops juga mengakui selama melaksanakan operasi masih terus menemukan orang-orang mabuk. Bahkan, menemukan pasangan- pasangan yang tidak resmi alias kumpul kebo dilokasi-lokasi tertutup. Bagi mereka yang kedapatan langsung digiring ke Mapolres untuk didata dan diberikan pembinaan. Namun, mereka dipulangkan sebelum pagi hari.( --- KOMPAS Kamis, 12 Oktober 2006 Uji Coba Kondom di Papua Perempuan Juga berhak Melindungi Dirinya dari AIDS Jakarta, Kompas - Dengan makin tingginya kasus HIV/AIDS di Indonesia dan lemahnya posisi tawar perempuan di Indonesia, kini ada kondom khusus untuk perempuan sehingga perempuan bisa melindungi dirinya dari infeksi penyakit. Kondom perempuan tengah diujicoba pada perempuan di Papua. "Kenapa Papua, karena lebih dari 43 persen kasus terinfeksi HIV terjadi pada perempuan. Bukan hanya penjaja seks, tetapi juga ibu rumah tangga," kata Sekretaris Komisi Penanggulangan AIDS (KPA) Nasional, Nafsiah Mboi di Jakarta, Rabu (11/10). Menurut Nafsiah Mboi, sejak tahun 1996-2004 ternyata tidak ada perubahan perilaku pemakaian kondom karena laki-laki pada umumnya enggan menggunakan kondom. Karena itu kini perempuan harus mengambil keputusan untuk melindungi dirinya dengan menggunakan kondom perempuan apalagi jika pasangannya memiliki perilaku seks berisiko tinggi atau sering berganti-ganti pasangan. Kelebihan dari kondom perempuan ini adalah bentuknya yang elastis dan fleksibel sehingga dapat dengan mudah mengikuti kontur vagina. Dengan memakai kondom perempuan, menurut Nafsiah, bisa meningkatkan gairah pemakai dan pasangannya. Hanya saja bentuknya "kurang manis". Dari segi bentuk, kondom perempuan ini berbentuk silinder dengan panjang sekitar 17 cm dan diameter 7 cm dimana kedua ujungnya yang satu terbuka dan yang satu tertutup. Di dalam kondom tersebut terdapat cincin yang terbuat dari polyretan yang berguna untuk menempelkan kondom di dalam vagina. Jika pemakaiannya tepat, kondom akan menutupi dinding vagina dan mulut rahim, sehingga sperma tidak bisa masuk. Bagi yang mempunyai gaya hidup berganti-ganti pasangan pada saat berhubungan seksual, menggunakan kondom adalah salah satu solusi agar terhindar dari HIV/AIDS atau Penyakit Menular Seksual (PMS). Kalau dulu keputusan menggunakan kondom ada di tangan laki-laki, kini dengan adanya kondom perempuan maka perempuan pun berhak mengambil keputusan untuk melindungi dirinya. Di beberapa negara seperti Uganda, Zimbabwe, dan Thailand, kondom perempuan mendapat sambutan menggembirakan dan hasilnya bisa mengurangi tingkat kenaikan jumlah penderita AIDS 10 persen. Di Papua, selama dua minggu pada masa uji coba mendapat sambutan yang menggembirakan karena tingginya permintaan akan kebutuhan kondom perempuan.(LOK --- KOMPAS Kamis, 12 Oktober 2006 Dana Kemitraan Dua Suku Asli Minta Program Dihentikan Timika, Kompas - Lembaga Musyawarah Adat Amungme dan Lembaga Musyawarah Adat Kamoro meminta PT Freeport Indonesia menghentikan dana kemitraan atau dana satu persen. Dana itu dinilai gagal menyejahterakan masyarakat dan sebaliknya menimbulkan berbagai masalah sosial dan konflik di Kabupaten Mimika, Papua. Hal itu disampaikan Ketua Badan Musyawarah (Bamus) Lembaga Pengembangan Masyarakat Amungme dan Kamoro (LPMAK), Andreas Anggaibak, Rabu (11/10) di Timika. Itu hasil kesepakatan antara LPMAK dan Lembaga Musyawarah Adat Suku Amungme (Lemasa) dan Lembaga Musyawarah Adat Suku Kamoro (Lemasko) di Timika, Rabu. Rapat pembahasan dan evaluasi dana kemitraan itu diikuti sejumlah tokoh Lemasa dan Lemasko, antara lain tokoh masyarakat dan juga Ketua DPRD Mimika Yopie Kilangan dan Sekretaris Eksekutif LPMAK John Nakiaya. Dana itu dikucurkan PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) sejak tahun 1996 untuk memberdayakan masyarakat pemegang hak ulayat tanah di areal kerja PTFI. Besar dana setiap tahun senilai satu persen dari pendapatan kotor PTFI. "Sejak dana dikucurkan, kami mendapat tantangan, ancaman, dan tak pernah merasa aman. Sejak ada dana, telah terjadi tujuh perang di Kwamki Lama. Itu terjadi karena semua mengejar dana itu. Jika tidak diberi uang, mereka membuat kekacauan. Akibatnya, dua suku ini merasa tidak aman," ujar Anggaibak. Dia meminta kucuran dana itu harus dihentikan sampai ada pembicaraan baru antara Lemasa, Lemasko, dan LPMAK dengan pemerintah dan PTFI. Anggaibak menjelaskan, sebenarnya LPMAK harus menyetujui rencana pengucuran dana satu persen tahun 2007 pada 30 Juni 2006. Namun, dia menyatakan tidak akan menandatanganinya sampai ada persetujuan dari Lemasa dan Lemasko. "Mekanisme pencairan (dan penggunaan) dana itu harus diubah agar bisa menaikkan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Dalam satu-dua hari ini kami rapat lagi, membahas hasil evaluasi itu," kata Anggaibak. Dia mengakui dampak penghentian dana pasti ada. Kontroversi Menurut dia, antara 1996 dan tahun 2006 jumlah dana mencapai Rp 1,6 triliun. Tahun 1996, nilainya Rp 25 miliar, tahun 2005 Rp Rp 393 miliar. Selama kurun waktu itu, penggunaan dana satu persen selalu diatur oleh PTFI. Dana tersebut selama ini digunakan antara lain untuk membiayai penyelenggaraan pelayanan kesehatan gratis di Rumah Sakit Mitra Masyarakat Timika, RS di Banti, dan RS di Tembagapura, dan beasiswa bagi masyarakat asli Papua. (Row --- http://www.suaramerdeka.com/harian/0610/12/bud01.htm Kamis, 12 Oktober 2006 BUDAYA Line "Denias: Senandung di Atas Awan" Kisah Nyata Anak Papua SEJAUH mana tekad seorang anak Papua dalam menuntut ilmu sebagai upaya untuk memperbaiki kehidupan dan masa depannya? Dalam film Denias: Senandung di Atas Awan arahan John De Rantau, perjuangan untuk mendapatkan hak pendidikan itu dikisahkan secara mengharukan. Berbeda dari kebanyakan film Indonesia yang kerap mengangkat tema drama cinta remaja dan horor, Denias yang akan diputar secara serentak mulai 19 Oktober mendatang mengajukan tema pendidikan dengan balutan drama kisah nyata anak-anak Papua. Dalam preview perdana di Jakarta, kemarin, film yang menurut sutradaranya adalah film pertama dengan media 35 mm yang dibuat di Papua, sejak awal memang berangkat dari semangat idealisme. Membutuhkan proses keseluruhan selama tiga tahun, setahun di antaranya untuk riset dan masa syuting mulai 20 Mei hingga 1 Juni 2006, film ini mengambil setting di Wamena dan Timika. Sebagai kisah nyata yang menggambarkan dengan apik bagaimana kehidupan asli masyarakat Papua dan keindahan alamnya, Denias mengemban pesan mulia. ''Betapapun tidak ada mimpi yang tidak bisa diwujudkan,'' ujar De Rantau. Sebagai sutradara yang turut terlibat dalam pembuatan film Ijinkan Aku Menciummu Sekali Saja dan Mencari Madonna yang juga ber-setting Papua, dia yakin filmnya mendapat sambutan positif. Ari Sihasale selaku produser dan pemain menyebutkan, kisah nyata film tersebut berangkat dari pengalaman adik kelasnya yang harus berjalan jauh selama empat hari untuk mencari sekolah dari desanya yang terpencil. Semangat untuk mendapatkan pendidikan dengan balutan alam Papua nan indah inilah yang dicoba untuk disajikannya. ''Ada yang lebih indah dari sekadar pemandangan alam Papua yang menakjubkan, yaitu semangat meraih pendidikan dari masyarakat setempat,'' katanya. Nia Sihasale Zulkarnaen sebagai executive producer mengamini pendapat suaminya itu. Menurut dia, pesan tentang arti penting untuk mendapatkan pendidikan menjadi tema utama Denias. Anak Petani Film tersebut juga dilakoni peraih Piala Citra 2005 Marcella Zalianty, Mathias Muchus, dan bintang asli provinsi paling timur Indonesia seperti Albert Fakdawer dan Michael Jakarimilena. Kisah berpusat pada Denias (Albert Fakdawer), anak petani di pedalaman Arwanop yang mempunyai mimpi meraih pendidikan setinggi Gunung Jayawijaya. Sepeninggal Mama Denias (Audry Papilaja) dan pulangnya Pak Guru (Mathias Muchus) ke tanah Jawa, dan kawan bermainnya, Maleo (Ari Sahasale), di benak Denias hanya ada satu tekad. Yakni meraih pendidikan di balik gunung yang konon kata Maleo, yang sebenarnya adalah anggota Komando Pasukan Khusus, penuh dengan fasilitas. Maka ditempuh lah perjalanan heroik membelah gunung, sungai, hutan, dan rawa untuk menuju kota. Setelah empat hari dilalui, akhirnya sampailah dia di rumah salah seorang sanak saudaranya. Namun di kota, dia tidak mempunyai seorang kawanpun kecuali gelandangan bernama Enos (Minus Karoba). Bersama Enos lah, Denias berniat masuk ke sekolah fasilitas. Hingga akhirnya, setelah melalui proses drama yang mengaharukan, atas bantuan Ibu Sam (Marcella Zalianty), dan Ibu Asrama (Nia Sihasale Zulkarnaen), Denias dan Enos dapat duduk di bangku sekolah dasar. Semangat pantang menyerah Denias, yang sekarang telah mendapatkan beasiswa dari PT Freeport untuk kuliah di Darwin, Australia, itulah yang digambarkan dengan menawan oleh John De Rantau. (Benny Benke-45) --- http://www.suaramerdeka.com/harian/0610/12/bud02.htm Kamis, 12 Oktober 2006 BUDAYA Marcella "Tertipu" JAKARTA-Siapa bilang orang Papua kurang terdidik dan tidak baik. Nyatanya, Marcella Zalianty yang berada di Wamena selama dua pekan, mengaku bahwa orang Papua baik dan ramah. Kendati demikian, dia mengalami kejadian yang menggelikan berkaitan dengan hitung-hitungan uang. Putri artis senior Tety Liz Indrati ini "tertipu" oleh akal-akalan orang Papua. Berawal dari keinginan untuk jalan-jalan, Marcella bersama empat temannya berencana naik becak. Setelah tawar menawar terjadi kesepakatan dengan harga Rp 4.000. Seusai turun dari becak, ia harus membayar lebih dari Rp 4.000 karena yang dihitung ternyata per kepala. "Siapa bilang mereka bohong tapi mana ada naik becak dihitung per kepala," ujarnya terkekeh. Kesan menarik lainnya adalah ia jarang mandi karena air di sana berwarna cokelat. Selain itu dia juga terkesan saat bertemu tokoh asli Denias serta Pak Sam. "Dari situ aku mencoba memahami dan mengeksplorasi tokoh yang aku mainkan. Aku juga mencoba belajar menyatu dengan alam," terangnya. Sepulang dari Papua, artis terbaik FFI 2005 ini sekarang mengaku lebih menghargai apa yang dia telah miliki. Dia membandingkan dengan keadaan di Papua yang masih banyak kekurangan dan serba minim fasilitas, baik kesehatan maupun pendidikan. (kl-45) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Utama/h.4.html Jumat, 13 Oktober 2006 Wajar Seandainya Minta Dikuburkan di Papua *Watori Minta Meninggalnya Pak Wim Tidak Dipolemikkan JAYAPURA-Meninggalnya Dr.Willem Songgonao di Canberra (Australia) dan sekarang kabarnya sedang disemayamkan di PNG, yang kemudian berhembus kabar akan dimakamkan di Jayapura, ternyata juga mengundang perhatian dari Gedung DPRP (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Papua). Anggota Fraksi Gabungan DPR Papua, Ir.Weynad Watori, mengharapkan agar meninggalnya Wim-sapaan akrab Willem Songgonao, tidak dipolitisir dan tidak dipolemikkan. "Sebagaimana orang lain yang sudah meninggal, almarhum tinggal dimakamkan (dikuburkan), kenapa harus terus dipolemikkan,''kata Weynad Watori kepada Cenderawasih Pos, Kamis (12/10) kemarin. Ditambahkan, soal akan dikuburkan dimana, mestinya juga terserah keluarga, termasuk jika harus dimakamkan di Papua. Yang penting, adalah dengan cara-cara yang sesuai dengan aturan yang ada. ''Apalagi almarhum ini adalah salah satu tokoh Papua dan orang asli Papua yang wajar saja jika jasadnya dimakamkan di tanah leluhurnya Papua, yang penting kan caranya saja,''lanjut Watori. Tentang informasi bahwa Pak Wim-panggilan akrab Willem Songgonau-semasa hidupnya dikenal vokal memperjungkan kemerdekaan Papua Barat. Informasi itu katanya, omong kosong---jika dikaitkan dengan keberadaan UU Otsus. ''Itu semua omong kosong, kenapa karena kompensasi dari tuntutan rakyat Papua minta Merdeka atau lepas dari NKRI sudah ada jawabannya yakni UU.No.21 Tahun 2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus (Otsus) bagi Provinsi Papua. UU Otsus itu telah menjamin makna kemerdekaan itu. Oleh sebab itu, tidak sewajarkan kita terus mempolemikkan masalah ini terus-menerus,"tandasnya serius. Watori juga menyinggung soal kekhawatiran aparat kepolisian yang katanya akan ada aksi-aksi dari orang Papua (Terkait Kemungkinan Adanya Pemakaman di Papua) yang dapat mengganggu kondisi keamanan dan ketertiban di daerah ini. Menurutnya, kekhawatiran itu sangatlah berlebihan dan tidak mendasar. "Orang Papua itu tahu aturan dan tahu adat istiadat. Tidak mungkin mereka akan melakukan hal-hal seperti yang dipikirkan oleh bapak-bapak aparat penegak hukum itu,''ungkapnya. Sebaiknya, lanjut Watori, semua pihak bisa berpikir dingin. Jika perlu, masing-masing pihak sesuai kewenangannya, mempersiapkan kelancaran rencana pemakaman tokoh Papua ini (jika Memang mau Dimakamkan di Papua), mulai dari pengurusan keimigrasian soal status kewarganegaraan sampai agenda lainnya. Sekadar informasi bahwa semasa hidupnya, kabarnya Pak Wim Songgonao ini dikenal selalu mengkampanyekan HAM (Hak Azasi Manusia), ahli sejarah, dan aktivis kemerdekaan, tapi dia adalah seorang demokrat.(and) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Utama/h.5.html Jumat, 13 Oktober 2006 Giliran Tiga Warga Malaysia Ditangkap *Masuk dari PNG Tanpa Izin Tinggal JAYAPURA-Masuknya orang asing secara ilegal ke Jayapura, akhir-akhir ini sepertinya meningkat. Baru saja, Kamis (12/10) kemarin, kantor Imigrasi Kelas I Jayapura mendeportasi (memulangkan) dua WNA asal China, lantaran melanggar izin visa, giliran Rabu (11/10) malam sekitar pukul 10.00 WIT, petugas Imigrasi menangkap tiga WNA asal Malaysia. Tiga WNA masing-masing bernama, Ding Doung Hiueng (49), dengan nomor paspor K 13354076, Teo Siok Kui (44) nomor paspor K 13663335 dan Lee Ung Koi (40) nomor paspor K15677340, ditangkap di Hotel Yasmin, karena melakukan pelanggaran izin tinggal (illegal stay). Kepala Imigrasi Kelas I Jayapura Giri Hariyanto, SH saat ditemui Cenderawasih Pos, mengatakan, sebelum ditangkap, ketiga WNA asal Malaysia itu, sudah berada di Jayapura selama dua hari,meski kedatangannya di Jayapura hanya untuk melihat-melihat dan keperluan Jayapura. " Dia kita tangkap, karena masuk wilayah negara lain (Indonesia), tidak memiliki izin tinggal (illegal stay). Dari hasil pemeriksaan, visa yang dia miliki hanya visa kunjungan ke negara Papua New Guinew (PNG). Karena itu, kedatangannya ke Jayapura jelas-jelas melanggar Undang-undang keimigrasian, khususnya izin tinggal," ujar Giri Hariyanto, kemarin. Menurut Giri, setiap WNA yang masuk wilayah Indonesia, harus melapor ke kantor imigrasi setempat, untuk mendapatkan izin tinggal. Ini, juga dimaksudkan sebagai bentuk pengawasan setiap WNA yang masuk ke wilayah NKRI. Karena, jika WNA itu tidak melaporkan diri, maka jelas-jelas mereka menyalahi aturan, dan yang bersangkutan bisa diamankan (dikarantina). Untuk kepentingan apa tiga WNA asal Malaysia itu berada di Jayapura, berdasarkan pengakuan mereka saat menjalani pemeriksaan petugas, mereka datang ke Jayapura melalui perbatasan Wutung- Skouw. Sebelum mereka datang ke Jayapura, ketiganya sudah 1 bulan berada di Vanimo, Port Moresby, PNG, guna kepentingan penjajakan usaha logging (perkayuan). Di Vanimo, ketiganya bertemu seorang warga PNG bernama, Francis Tobias (45), dan diajak jalan-jalan ke Wutung untuk melihat- lihat keramaian pasar di perbatasan. Setelah itu, mereka kembali diajak jalan-jalan ke Kota Jayapura. Ketiganya mau saja mengikuti ajakan warga PNG itu, karena mereka informasikan bahwa di kota Jayapura suasananya lebih ramai dibandingkan Port Moresby. Sesampainya di Kota Jayapura, ketiga WNA itu langsung menginap di Hotel Yasmin, sementara temannya tinggal di Hamadi. Keberadaan tiga WNA itu, sebenarnya sudah dipantau petugas sejak mereka masuk ke Wutung. Saat masuk, mereka hanya sebatas mencatat nama di pos pelintas batas. Tapi, kenyataannya hingga sore hari, ketiganya belum juga kembali. Sejak saat itulah, petugas Imigrasi terus melakukan pengawasan dan pemantuan, hingga akhirnya berhasil ditangkap di Hotel Yasmin. Sementara itu, temannya warga PNG, Francis Tobias (45) Rabu malamnya juga berhasil diamankan, karena keberadaanya di Kota Jayapura tidak memiliki izin tinggal. Setelah dilakukan pemeriksaan di kantor Imigrasi, Kamis pagi kemarin, ia langsung dideportasi ke negara PNG. " Untuk tiga WNA asal Malaysia, kita terus lakukan pendalaman pemeriksaan. Kita belum tahu, kapan ketiganya kita deportasi, karena mereka mengaku kehabisa bekal. Tapi, menurut pengakuannya, mereka di Vanimo punya teman yang akan memberikan modal uang. Kalau benar, maka secepatnya mereka akan segera ke Port Moresby sesuai izin visa yang dia miliki," terangnya.(mud) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/manok%20pos/manok%201.html Jumat, 13 Oktober 2006 Peringatan HUT IJB ke-7 Pemekaran di Tengah Aspirasi Papua Merdeka Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat (IJB) yang sejak 24 Juli 2006 memiliki pemerintahan yang definitive menyusul pelantikan Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur semakin semakin mantap untuk pelaksanakan pembangunan. Tak terasa, meski dirasakan baru betul-betul beroperasional sejak pembukaan selubung papan nama 6 Februari 2003 lalu, tapi Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat, Kamis 12 Oktober kemarin memperingati hari ulang tahunya yang ke-7. Bagaimana sebetulnya perjuangan Prov IJB hingga sekarang ini ? Laporan Laode Mursidin Bagi pemerintahan Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat,ada dua momen yang sangat penting terkait pembentukan daerah beribukota di Manokwari ini. Pertama, adalah peringatan Reaktivisasi yang setiap tahun diperingati pada 6 Februari dan HUT IJB setiap 12 Oktober. Mengapa harus ada dua peringatan. Peringatan HUT Reaktivisasi berdasarkan dimulainya kembali pemerintahan sejak Provinsi IJB terbentuk berdasakan UU Nomor 45 tahun 1999. Pada 6 Februari tersebut, Abraham O Atururi bersama-sama tokoh masyarakat, tokoh adat serta ratusan bahkan ribuan warga melakukan konvoi keliling kota Manokwari untuk sebagai respon atas dikeluarkannya Inpres Nomor 1 tahun 2003 tentang Percepatan Pemekaran Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat, tertanggal 27 Januari 2003. Konvoi keliling kota dengan melibatkan ratusan kendaraan termasuk di dalamnya ikut Bupati Manokwari Drs Dominggus Mandacan berlangsung aman dan lancar, sekaligus menjawab keraguan dari aparat keamanan. Dari konvoi keliling kota, acara selanjutnya adalah dipusatkan di halaman eks kantor Pembantu Gubernur Irian Jaya Wilayah II, di Jalan Siliwangi. Di tempat bersejarah ini, pada 6 Februari atau sehari setelah peringatan HUT Pekabaran Injil, 5 Februari, dilakukan pembukaan selubung papan nama Kantor Gubernur IJB. Bekas kantor Pembantu Gubernur Irian Jaya Wilayah II ini pun disulap menjadi kantor Gubernur Irian Jaya Barat. Sedangkan HUT Provinsi IJB diperingati berdasarkan dikeluarkannya UU Nomor 45 tahun 1999 serta pelantikan Abraham O Atururi sebagai penjabat gubernur. Atururi yang menjadi inspektur upacara peringatan HUT IJB ke-7, di halaman kantor gubernur, kemarin menceritakan secara singkat kejadian pelantikan dirinya sebagai Pjt Gubernur IJB dan sejumlah gubernur, bupati/walikota daerah pemekaran pada 12 Oktober. Dimana pelantikan sejumlah penjabat gubernur dan bupati/walikota tersebut berlangsung dalam suasana ketegangan. Pagi hari itu, 12 Oktober 1999, beberapa penjabat gubernur, bupati/walikota dari daerah yang baru dimekarkan termasuk, Abraham O Atururi (Pjt Gubernur IJB),Drs Herman Monim (Pjt Gubernur Irian Jaya Tengah),termasuk juga Pjt Walikota Sorong JA Jumame dan lainnya dilantik oleh Mendagri Faisal Tanjung. Namun, di tengah pelantikan suasana di luar kantor Depdagri cukup tegang karena munculnya kelompok masyarakat kontra pemekaran. Suasana makin tegang ketika pelantikan berakhir. Dari luar gedung Depdagri terdengar suara riuh. Dan ternyata, suara tersebut lanjut Bram adalah berasal dari masyarakat Papua yang dengan tegas menolak pemekaran Provinsi IJB dan Prov IJT serta pelantikan pjt gubernurnya. ??Ada berteriak dari atas seng,?? tutur Bram menceritakan kejadian 7 tahun silam,saat dirinya dilantik sebagai Pjt Gubernur IJB. Kelompok warga memaksakan diri masuk ke halaman kantor Depdagri dan melakukan aksi demonstrasi menolak pemekaran di tanah Papua. Melihat kondisi yang kurang nyaman, beberapa pejabat langsung mengamankan diri. Namun, Bram Atururi bersama istri serta JA Jumame bersama istri tak beranjak dan menyaksikan warga berunjuk rasa. ??Saat itu yang mereka teriakkan hanya kata- kata ??Papua Merdeka,Papua Merdeka??, dan lantai satu kantor Depdagri mengalami kerusakan,?? ungkapnya. Setelah itu, keberadaan Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat selama 3 tahun seakan tenggelam tak terdengar lagi. Namun, tiba-tiba, Presiden Megawati mengeluarkan Inpres Nomor 1 Tahun 2003, tertanggal 27 Januari 2003 tentang Percepatan Pemekaran Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat. Diterbitkannya Inpres tersebut tak terlepas dari perjuangan Tim 315. Berdasarkan Inpres tersebut,AO Atururi yang didukung Bupati Manokwari Drs Dominggus Mandacan serta tokoh masyarakat kembali menghidupkan Provinsi IJB dan hingga seperti sekarang ini. Pada awal pembentukan reaktivisasi tahun 2003, AO Atururi menjalankan roda pemerintahan dengan modal nekat, bantuan hanya datang dari Depdagri dan pinjaman dari Bupati Manokwari. Selanjutnya mulai 2004 sudah mendapat DAU (dana alokasi umum) sebesar Rp 101 M. Tahun 2005, DAU yang diterima mengalami peningkatan, tahun 2006 lebih besar lagi hingga mencapai Rp 500 M. Dikatakan Gubernur kehadiran Provinsi IJB ini harus dapat dirasakan manfaatknya oleh masyarakat. Menurutnya, pemekaran adalah hanyalah sebagai sarana angkut untuk menuju tujuan yang diharapkan. Dengan pelantikan dirinya sebagai gubernur dan Drs Rahim Katjong sebagai Wakil Gubernur lanjut Bram merupakan peralihan dari fase perjuangan menuju pembangunan. ??Lima tahun ke depan harus ada hal yang nyata kita lakukan. Seperti pembangunan sarana, prasarana dan infrastruktur jalan,?? imbuhnya. (*) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/manok%20pos/manok%202.html Jumat, 13 Oktober 2006 IJB Sebagai Sarana Angkut Orang Papua HUT IJB ke-7 Diperingati Sederhana MANOKWARI-Bertepatan dengan peringatan HUT Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat (IJB) ke-7, Kamis (12/10) kemarin,Gubernur AO Atururi menyerahkan surat keterangan (SK) pensiun kepada 6 orang pegawai negeri sipil (PNS) di lingkungan Prov IJB.Salah satu dari ke-6 orang tersebut adalah Drs Rahimin Katjong yang kini menjabat Wakil Gubernur Prov IJB. Selain itu juga diserahkan SK kenaikan pangkat kepada 3 PNS. Gubernur menyampaikan ucapan terima kasih kepada PNS yang sudah menyelesaikan pengabdiannya.Menurut dia, seorang PNS adalah abdi negara dan abdi masyarakat yang ditugaskan negara untuk memberikan pelayanan. ??Saya mau ajak semua pegawai untuk bekerja melayani masyarakat dengan baik. Berikan sesuatu yang berharga,?? tandasnya. Dalam sambutannya Gubernur berharap kehadiran Provinsi IJB akan menjadi sarana angkut untuk mengangkat masyarakat di Tanah Papua ini lebih baik. Yang perlu ditingkatkan adalah semangat membangun,disiplin,serta pembinaan sumberdaya manusia (SDM). ??Saya selalu katakan,masyarakat Papua yang sedikit ini harus bisa lebih baik baik.Jangan sudah sedikit, tapi miskin pula,?? tukasnya. Enam PNS yang memasuki usian pensiun,yakni, Drs Rahimin Katjong, Musa Kultji, Ir La Ija Thalib, Yoppy Leleleuli, Maria Besubun, Muh Nur Kipuw. Sedangkan 3 PNS yang berbahagia atas kenaikan pangkat, yakni, Mathius Wihyawarin, Markus Waran dan Harun Djitmau. Penyerahan SK pensiun dan kenaikan pangkat dilakukan bersamaan. Peringatan HUT Prov IJB ke-7,kemarin digelar secara sederhana. Upacara peringatah dihadiri, anggota DPD-RI utusan Prov IJB, Ishak Mandacan SH, Ketua DPRD IJB, Dandim,Kapolres,Wakil Bupati Manokwari serta tamu undangan lainnya. Usai penyerahan SK pensiun dan kenaikan pangkat serta sambutan gubernur, tak ada kegiatan lain. Baru pada malam hari, diadakan malam resepsi yang berlangsung cukup meriah. Halaman kantor gubernur penuh sesak dengan warga yang ingin menyaksikan dari dekat Trio Ambisi,musisi dari Jakarta. Masyarakat tampak terhibur dengan lantunan lagu-lagu persembahan Trio Ambisi. (lm) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/manok%20pos/manok%207.html Jumat, 13 Oktober 2006 Barindo IJB Setuju Revisi UU Otsus Manokwari ? Meskipun Presiden Dr Sosilo Bambang Yudhoyono bakal menolak usulan pembentukan Majelis Rakyat Papua berikut di tanah Papua, namun Barindo Irian Jaya Barat tetap akan mengusulkan agar Undang-undang Nomor 21 tahun 2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus Provinsi Papua direvisi kembali. ?Barisan Indonesia tetap akan mengusulkan agar UU Otsus Provinsi Papua di revisi kembali, sehingga dapat mengakomodir semua kepentingan masyarakat asli Papua di Tanah Papua tanpa terkecuali,? ujar Edison Parairaway, SH, Ketua DDP Barindo Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat, kepada Manokwari pos Kamis (12/10). Menurut Edison, revisi UU Otsus, merupakan hal yang sangat penting dan mendesak bagi pembangunan masyarakat asli Papua. ?Barindo Irian Jaya Barat memandang penting merevisi Otsus karena dengan demikian akan mencairkan ketegangan politik yang terjadi selama ini di tanah Papua,? katanya. Dia menjelaskan, Barindo sebagai salah satu organisasi masyarakat (Ormas) yang masuk ke Papua, dimana pada tanggal 26 Juli lalu di Jayapura berlangsung pelantikan pengurus DPD Barindo Papua dan seterusnya membentuk Barindo Irian Jaya Barat yang deklarasinya rencana dilangsungkan pada bulan depan memiliki peran penting dalam memberikan masukan kepada kepada Presiden SBY dan wakil Presiden Yusuf Kalla soal masalah pembangunan di tanah Papua. Katanya, selain soal revisi Undang-undang Otsus Provinsi Papua, pihaknya akan memberikan masukan terkait soal masalah krusial lainnya yang terjadi di tanah Papua dan menghambat pembangunan selama ini. ?Kami juga kalau mendapatkan informasi dan fakta- fakta terkait pelanggaran hukum baik soal KKN maupun pelanggaran HAM akan dilaporkan juga sesuai saluran kami ke Presiden,? ujarnya. Karena itu, dirinya berharap masyarakat dapat mendukung kehadiran Barindo Irian Jaya Barat dalam melansanakan misinya kedepan. Bakal ditolaknya proposal pembentukan MRP di tanah Papua berikutnya, oleh Presiden SBY, dikatakan oleh ketua Barindo Papua, Jan P. Manderias kepada wartawan pekan lalu dalam konjunganya ke Manokwari. ?Presiden ketika mengadakan pertemuan dengan pengurus Barindo Papua, beliau menyatakan rakyat Papua hanya memiliki satu MRP dan satu kesatuan sosial ekonomi dalam pembangunanya ke depan,? ujar Yan. (cr-17) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Yahukimo/Yahukimo1.html Tetap Optimis Jadi Daerah Transit *Persoalannya Tinggal Keseriusan Membangun Bandara dan Pelabuhan Log Pon YAHUKIMO-Bupati Yahukimo, Ones Pahabol SE, MM, kembali menyampaikan rasa optimisnya tentang Yahukimo sebagai tempat transit penumpang dan barang untuk kabupaten-kabupaten pegunungan yang lainnya, seperti Jayawijaya, Puncak Jaya, Pegunungan Bintang dan Tolikara. Pasalnya, dengan melihat potensi yang ada, Yahukimo memiliki potensi untuk itu. Yang mana, kata Bupati Ones Pahabol, Yahukimo bisa dilalui lewat tranportasi laut adanya Kali Brasa dengan pelabuhan Log Pon dan transportasi udara dengan dibangunnya Bandar Udara (Bandara) di Dekai. Persoalannya, adalah tentang keseriusan pemerintah untuk membangun Pelabuhan Log Pon dan Bandara Dekai. ??Yang pasti, sesuai dengan impian kami sejak awal bahwa kedepan Yahukimo harus menjadi daerah transit barang dan penumpang untuk teman-teman kami yang ada di pegunungan yakni Jayawijaya, Puncak Jaya, Tolikara dan Pegubungan Bintang,??kata Bupati Ones Pahabol. Dan impian itu, kata Ones Pahabol, bukan sesuatu yang mengada-ada. Karena Yahukimo memang merupakan tempat yang strategis di antara kabupaten-kabupaten lain di pegunungan. Persoalannya sekarang adalah tinggal bagaimana tingkat keseriusan dan kesungguhan pemerintah. ??Tentunya kami juga masih berharap perhatian dan keseriusan Pemerintah Provinsi dan Pusat, untuk mendukung program ini, khususnya untuk pembangunan Pelabuhan Log Pon dan Bandara di Dekai,??ungkap Ones Pahabol. Dikatakan, Pelabuhan Log Pon dan Bandara ini merupakan benang merah yang harus dipecahkan. Karena dengan Pelabuhan Log Pon, kapal-kapal berkapasitas 200?300-an ton, bisa melakukan bongkar muat. Selain itu juga punya akses yang cukup yakni dari Timika, Merauke atau bahkan dari Nabire. Sementara Bandaranya juga demikian. Dengan ditingkatkannya Bandara Dekai, maka akan menjadi Bandara strategis untuk transit penumpang dan barang dari kabupaten-kabupten pegunungan. ??Dengan demikian, maka akan mempecepat roda pembangunan di daerah pegunungan dan secara otomatis pula akan membuat grafik kemiskinan (Ketertinggalan) menjadi menurun,??katanya. Sebab, jika arus barang mulai lancar baik itu melalui transportasi laut maupun udara, maka secara otomatis pula akan membuat harga barang-barang lebih murah. Dicontohkan seperti harga semen. Jika di Oksibil saat ini harga semen satu sak bisa mencapai Rp 1 juta lebih, maka kedepan bisa turun menjadi Rp 400?Rp 500 ribu/sak. Itu jika kedepan dikirim dari Dekai (Yahukimo). Contoh lain, jika Wamena?Sentani untuk penerbangan membutuhkan waktu kurang lebih 1 jam, sementara Yahukimo/Dekai?Wamena hanya dengan 30 menit, maka sudah pasti secara ekonomis akan mempengaruhi harga pula. Jika dari Sentani, Semen seharga Rp 350 ribu/sak, maka dari Dekai bisa hanya Rp 250 ribu/sak. Belum lagi, Bandara Dekai yang punya potensi untuk transit penumpang pesawat dari Timika, Jayapura atau Biak. ??Dengan demikian, maka kedepan akan ada perubahan-perubahan, akan ada kemudahan-kemudahan yang akan didapat masyarakat kita di pegunungan. Karenanya pembangunan Bandara dan Pelabuhan Log Pon akan menjadi pemutus benang merah tingkat kesulitan yang ada selama ini,??paparnya. Setelah Pelabuhan Log Pon dan Bandara, kemudian kedepan baru dibuka tranportasi darat. Sehingga secara perlahan aka nada akses yakni jalan darat antar distrik atau kabupaten. Sekadar diketahui, untuk sekarang ini saja, Pelabuhan Log Pon sudah bisa difungsikan dengan hadirnya kapal-kapal dari Timika dan Merauke. Sehingga stok barang-barang di Yahukimo sudah melimpah, harganya juga lebih murah jika dibandingkan dengan Wamena. Untuk meningkatkan fungsinya, saat ini Pemkab Yahukimo telah membuat jalan yang lebar. Juga sudah dibuka lahan yang akan dibangun pergudangan. Demikian halnya Bandara, saat ini juga sudah diperlebar dan diperpanjang. Diharapkan tahun ini peningkatan Bandara ini sudah selesai. Dan tahun depan bisa ditingkatkan lagi. (jko) --- http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/Yahukimo/Yahukimo2.html Selasa, 03 Oktober 2006 Perkembangan Sawah Percontohan Memuaskan YAHUKIMO-Keinginan Bupati Yahukimo, Ones Pahabol SE, MM, untuk menjadikan Yahukimo sebagai lumbung beras bagi daerah pegunungan, tampaknya bukan sesuatu yang muluk-muluk. Pasalnya sawah percontohan yang telah dibuka sejak beberapa bulan terakhir ini, sudah menunjukkan perkembangan yang membanggakan. Sawah yang telah ditaburi benih padi sekitar tiga bulan lalu, saat ini hampir siap panen. Bupati Yahukimo, Ones Pahabol SE, MM, sawah percontohan yang telah dibuka beberapa waktu lalu, perkembangannya cukup bagus. Karenanya, bupati optimis pada tahun 2007, 2008, 2009, bukan tidak mungkin Yahukimo akan menjadi lumbung beras. ??Itu sudah menjadi cita-cita kami. Jika itu terjadi, maka kebutuan beras untuk kabupaten-kabupaten pegunungan lain akan kami suplai. Kami akan menawarkan beras ke sana,??ungkapnya. Ditambahkan, potensi dikembangkannya persawahan di Yahukimo sangat besar. Saat ini saja setidaknya sudah dibuka lahan persawahan seluas 150?200 hektar. Dan tahun depan akan disesuaikan, dari hasil evaluasi sawah percontohan nantinya. ??Untuk sawah percontohan, sebentar lagi sudah bisa dipanen padinya,??ujarnya bangga. Selain tanaman padi, juga akan digali potensi-potensi lain yang ada di Yahukimo, dalam rangka membangun sosial ekonomi masyarakat. Membangun sosial ekonomi masyarakat, kata bupati, sangat penting. Pasalnya, pembangunan apa saja akan berjalan baik, jika ekonomi masyarakat baik. Bupati mengumpamakan, orang akan sehat jika ekonominya baik. Sebagai contoh adalah orang yang sedang sakit. Dia akan sembuh, jika bisa berobat ke dokter dan bisa menebus resep (Membeli Obat). Dan dia akan mengalami kesulitan hidup, jika tak punya uang. ??Demikian halnya untuk bersekolah, orang akan bersekolah jika punya biaya. Untuk itu, ekonomi itu merupakan hal yang mendesak untuk diperhatikan. Hanya dengan ekonomi yang mapan dan baik, mereka akan melaksanakan kegiatan-kegiatan (Aktivitas) lainnya. Untuk itu, tingkat ekonomi masyarakat harus diperbaiki, sehingga pembangunan yang lainnya akan jalan,??pungkasnya. (jko) --- http://www.antara.co.id/seenws/?id=44174 Pesawat PT Trigana Air Tergelincir di Mamit, Papua Jayapura (ANTARA News) - Pesawat terbang jenis Twin Otter milik PT Trigana Air Services yang terbang dari Mulia, ibukota Kabupaten Puncak Jaya, menuju Wamena, ibukota Kabupaten Jayawijaya, Papua, ketika singgah di lapangan terbang Kampung Mamit, Kabupaten Tolikara, Selasa, tergelincir dan sayapnya patah. Sayap pesawat patah, tetapi pilot dan empat mekanik selamat, kata Kepala Dinas Perhubungan Provinsi Papua, Soleman Wairo di Jayapura, Selasa. Pukul 14.00 WIT, pesawat kecil milik PT Trigana Air Services itu mendarat di lapangan terbang Kampung Mamit, dan tergelincir lantaran terjadi hujan di wilayah Kabupaten Tolikara. Dia mengatakan, cuaca di wilayah Kabupaten Jayawijaya, Puncak Jaya dan Tolikara selalu tidak menentu, sehingga sering menyulitkan penerbangan, baik pesawat berukuran besar maupun kecil. Sementara itu, salah seorang staf Kantor PT Trigana Air Services, Anton, di Bandara Sentani, Jayapura, ketika dihubungi ANTARA News per telepon membenarkan bahwa pesawat jenis Twin Otter maskapainya tergelincir. "Benar bahwa pesawat kami mengalami kerusakan, tetapi pilot Kapten Trihari bersama empat orang mekanik selamat. Sebuah pesawat milik perusahaan ini sudah menjemput mereka dari Mamit ke Sentani," katanya. Dia menyatakan, pesawat itu mengalami kerusakan mesin, tetapi ia membantah kalau sayap pesawat jenis Twin Otter itu patah ketika mendarat di Bandara Mamit. Kini, lanjutnya, Kapten Trihari bersama para mekanik itu sedang istirahat di kediaman mereka. (*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA 10 Oktober 2006 22:15 --- http://www.bisnis.com/servlet/page?_pageid=196&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30&p_topik=W21&p_prev=477390 Hukum / Kriminal Selasa, 10/10/2006 12:12WIB Imigrasi Papua tahan 2 warga China JAYAPURA (Antara): Kantor Imigrasi Kelas I Jayapura, Papua, menahan dua warga negara China masing-masing Shao Xiong, 34, dan Xu Chunfeng, 35, karena melanggar UU Nomor 9/ 1992 tentang Keimigrasian. Kepala Kantor Imigrasi setempat, Giri Hariyanto, mengatakan bahwa Shao Xiong yang dilahirkan di Zhejiang, 7 November 1972 dengan Nomor Paspor G112121450 yang dikeluarkan di Zhejiang, 27 Mei 2005 berlaku sampai 26 Mei 2010 dengan Visa B211 Nomor BM6434837 diberikan di Hongkong tertanggal 10 Agustus 2006 berlaku selama 60 hari. Sedangkan Xu Chunfeng dilahirkan di Zhejiang tanggal 8 Juli 1971 dengan Nomor Paspor G15373937 yang dikeluarkan di Zhejiang, 7 Februari 2006 berlaku sampai 7 Februari 2011 dengan Visa B211 Nomor BM6434838 diberikan di Hong Kong 10 Agustus 2006 selama 60 hari. Menurut Giri, Shao Xiong tiba di Bandara Soekarno-Hatta 6 Juli 2006, sedangkan Xu Chunfeng tiba di Bandara Soekarno-Hatta, 16 September 2006. Sebelum tiba di Jayapura dua pekan lalu, katanya hari ini, kedua WN China itu melakukan survei kerja sama dengan para pengelola klinik pengobatan gigi di Jakarta, Kupang, Denpasar, Ende dan Makassar. Menurut Giri, kedua WN China itu ditangkap aparat Polres Jayapura dalam Operasi Simpatik, Sabtu pekan lalu pukul 12.00 WIT di Sentani, Kabupaten Jayapura ketika melakukan aktivitas pengobatan gigi secara ilegal. Setelah diperiksa ditemukan kedua WN tersebut memiliki visa masuk sebagai satawan, namun kegiatannya melakukan praktek pengobatan gigi tanpa perizinan dari Departemen Kesehatan. Mereka saat itu langsung diserahkan kepada Kantor Imigrasi Kelas I Jayapura untuk dilakukan pemeriksaan identitas mereka. Pejabat Kantor Imigrasi Kelas I Jayapura, Jejen Zaenudin yang memeriksa kedua WN dengan penerjemah bahasa Hakian, anak bahasa Mandarin, Elisa Ariyanti (WNI), Shao Xiong sudah lima kali datang ke Indonesia melakukan praktek pengobatan gigi. Sedangkan Xu Chunfeng baru tiga kali datang ke Indonesia atas ajakan temannya Shao melakukan kegiatan yang sama. Dalam pemeriksaan, kedua WN China yang hanya berpendidikan Sekolah Menengah Pertama di Zhejiang itu mengaku kegiatannya mengadakan survei kerja sama dengan para pengelola klinik-klinik pengobatan gigi selama dua minggu dan selanjutnya berencana berangkat ke Makassar. Pengalaman pengobatan gigi yang pernah dipelajari turun temurun dari para tetua di negeri Tirai Bambu itu. (ln) --- http://www.suarapembaruan.com/News/2006/10/10/Nusantar/nus06.htm SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Pemkab Pegunungan Bintang Bekerja Sama dengan Uncen [JAYAPURA] Pemerintah Kabupaten (Pemkab) Pegunungan Bintang, Provinsi Papua, menandatangani naskah kerja sama dengan Universitas Cenderawasih (Uncen) Jayapura dalam rangka peningkatan sumber daya aparatur dan pemberdayaan masyarakat. Pemkab Pegunungan Bintang diwakili Wakil Bupati Theodorus Sitokdana. Sedangkan Uncen diwakili Rektor Prof. Dr Berth Kambuaya MBA. Penandatanganan berlangsung Senin, (9/10) siang, di ruang Rektorat Uncen di Waena, Jayapura. Hadir dalam penandatanganan naskah kerja sama tersebut, antara lain unsur Pembantu Rektor III Uncen Drs Paul Hommers MSi, PR IV Drs Arifin Wasaraka, dan sejumlah pimpinan fakultas di lingkungan Uncen. Wakil Bupati Pegunungan Bintang Theodorus Sitokdana, dalam sambutannya mengatakan, kerja sama ini dimaksudkan untuk meningkatkan kualitas aparatur pemerintah, khususnya di lingkungan Pemkab Pegunungan Bintang. Para aparatur dipersiapkan untuk belajar ilmu pemerintahan di Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik (FISIP) Uncen melalui sejumlah program studinya. Sitokdana mengharapkan bukan saja aparaturnya yang dapat belajar di Uncen tetapi masyarakat luas, khususnya generasi mudanya agar mendapat kesempatan yang lebih baik untuk mengenyam pendidikan di sana. Sementara itu, Rektor Uncen Berth Kambuaya, dalam kesempatan yang sama menyambut positif keinginan Pemkab Pegunungan Bintang untuk menjalin kerja sama dalam rangka peningkatan kualitas. Rektor menyatakan, pihaknya siap untuk melakukan kerja sama tersebut. Apalagi dengan dorongan dan motivasi meningkatkan kualitas SDM masyarakat. Khususnya aparatur pemerintahan yang saat ini sedang memikul tanggung jawab besar, yakni mengelola kewenangan daerah terkait adanya pemekaran wilayah sebagai konsekuensi dari penerapan Undang-Undang Nomor 21 Tahun 2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus bagi Provinsi Papua. Kambuaya mengungkapkan, sesungguhnya kerja sama seperti ini bukan hanya dengan Pemkab Pegunungan Bintang. Pihaknya juga menjalin kerja sama dengan Pemkab Boven Digoel. Di masa mendatang pihaknya akan menerima tawaran kerja sama dengan Pemkab Sarmi. [GAB/W-8] Last modified: 10/10/06 --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Tue Oct 17 04:16:28 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 19:16:28 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 13-17 06 Message-ID: <1731.61.94.58.11.1161080188.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Oct 14-17 2006 KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * Two Chinese citizens deported from Papua * Jail sought for Papua murder of Americans, Indonesian * Prosecutors demand 20 years jail term * Two wounded by gunfire * Papua trials continue without defendants * Police kill one in Papua as mob attacks over govt aid * Revisiting economic group that is BIMP-Eaga * Mulia city calm again after Friday's clash * Nafsiah Mboi-Walinono: A determined fighter of HIV/AIDS * Fiji question politician over Papua comment --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061013.G09&irec=8 Two Chinese citizens deported from Papua JAYAPURA, Papua: The Jayapura Immigration Office deported two Chinese citizens Thursday for misusing their visas. The two were put on a Garuda Indonesia flight from Sentani airport to Jakarta, before being flown back to China. Jayapura Immigration Office head Giri Haryanto said the two were arrested in Jayapura on Monday for illegally working as dentists. "They violated regulations by working on dentures for patients without any permits from the Justice and Human Rights Ministry," Giri said. He said their activities violated Article 62 of the 1992 Immigration Law. He said the two arrived in Jayapura on Oct. 6 and then traveled to a number of cities, including Jakarta, Makassar, Ende, Kupang and Denpasar, before returning to Jayapura. "They entered the country using a ordinary visa, which did not allow them to engage in dentistry work here," he said. Meanwhile, three Malaysian citizens were arrested in Jayapura on Thursday for illegally entering Indonesia through Vanimo, Papua New Guinea, Giri said. The three are being detained at the Jayapura Immigration Office awaiting deportation. He said the three were suspected of involvement in illegal logging. -- JP --- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101300405.html Jail sought for Papua murder of Americans, Indonesian Reuters Friday, October 13, 2006; 8:11 AM JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian prosecutors demanded on Friday jail terms for seven men for the 2002 murder of two Americans and an Indonesian in Papua province near a mine run by a unit of U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Ties between Indonesia and the United States were strained by the incident and only improved after they agreed to collaborate in solving the case, which had initially sparked suspicions the Indonesian military was involved. Prosecutors wanted the court to punish leading defendant Antonius Wamang with a 20-year jail term for manslaughter and premeditated murder including recruiting men for the ambush of cars carrying the victims. "He has been proved of firing at the cars with an M-16 rifle... killing three people at the scene," prosecutor Anita Asterida told the court. Prosecutors have said in earlier sessions that Wamang thought white cars passing through the mining area carried troops and decided to open fire. In fact, the two vehicles were transporting Americans and Indonesians who worked for a Freeport-run school. Four people were injured. In a subsequent session, the prosecution demanded Agustinus Anggaibak and Yulianus Deikme, two men who allegedly helped Wamang prepare the ambush, get 15 years in jail. The prosecutors also asked the court to hand eight-year jail terms to four other defendants for giving assistance to the attacking band. Under Indonesian law, a prosecution sentencing demand serves as a strong recommendation for the court, but judges have the right to ignore the advice when considering their verdict. Prosecutors have said Wamang and other gunmen were near Freeport's Grasberg mine in late August 2002, under orders from Papuan separatist commander Kelly Kwalik to attack Indonesian soldiers who were part of the mine's security detail. The mine has been a lightning rod for controversy. Critics object to payments for security made to Indonesia's military, while some Papuans complain the company does not do enough to help impoverished locals, and some non-governmental organizations say it harms the environment. Wamang was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in 2004 on two counts of murder over the killings. --- http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/13/asia/AS_GEN_Indonesia_US_Teacher_Slayings.php Prosecutors demand 20 years jail term for suspect in US teacher killings in Indonesia The Associated Press Published: October 13, 2006 JAKARTA, Indonesia Indonesian prosecutors Friday demanded seven men on trial for the murders of two American teachers at a U.S. gold mine in Papua province serve between 8 and 20 years in jail, the suspects' lawyer said. The men, all alleged members of Papua's rebel movement, walked out of the court before the sentence recommendations were read out in protest at what they have always maintained is an unfair trial, said attorney Johnson Panjaitan. Prosecutors demanded the alleged ringleader in the killings ? 30-year-old Antonius Wamang ? serve 20 years for premeditated murder, said Panjaitan. Three of the others should serve 15 years, while the final three should serve eight, prosecutors said, according to Panjaitan. The men are accused of opening fire on a vehicle carrying Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Oregon in 2002 with the mistaken belief that it was carrying soldiers hired to guard the mine. An Indonesian teacher traveling in the convoy was also killed in the ambush on an isolated road leading to the mine, owned by New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine Inc. Panjaitan said the men were convinced they could not get a fair trial in Jakarta and were demanding to be tried in Papua. "Since the beginning we have said this trial is a sham," he said. Under Indonesian law, judges are free to ignore prosecutor demands when sentencing. Lawyers will respond to the sentence recommendations at the next hearing. Prosecutors allege the men were members of a small rebel army fighting for a separate state in the resource-rich eastern province. The mine has long been held by separatists as a symbol of Jakarta-rule over the province. The attack initially complicated ties between Jakarta and Washington amid suspicions that Indonesian security forces were involved. The FBI, which was involved in the arrests of the men last year, has unearthed no evidence to back up those suspicions. JAKARTA, Indonesia Indonesian prosecutors Friday demanded seven men on trial for the murders of two American teachers at a U.S. gold mine in Papua province serve between 8 and 20 years in jail, the suspects' lawyer said. The men, all alleged members of Papua's rebel movement, walked out of the court before the sentence recommendations were read out in protest at what they have always maintained is an unfair trial, said attorney Johnson Panjaitan. Prosecutors demanded the alleged ringleader in the killings ? 30-year-old Antonius Wamang ? serve 20 years for premeditated murder, said Panjaitan. Three of the others should serve 15 years, while the final three should serve eight, prosecutors said, according to Panjaitan. The men are accused of opening fire on a vehicle carrying Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Oregon in 2002 with the mistaken belief that it was carrying soldiers hired to guard the mine. An Indonesian teacher traveling in the convoy was also killed in the ambush on an isolated road leading to the mine, owned by New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine Inc. Panjaitan said the men were convinced they could not get a fair trial in Jakarta and were demanding to be tried in Papua. "Since the beginning we have said this trial is a sham," he said. Under Indonesian law, judges are free to ignore prosecutor demands when sentencing. Lawyers will respond to the sentence recommendations at the next hearing. Prosecutors allege the men were members of a small rebel army fighting for a separate state in the resource-rich eastern province. The mine has long been held by separatists as a symbol of Jakarta-rule over the province. The attack initially complicated ties between Jakarta and Washington amid suspicions that Indonesian security forces were involved. The FBI, which was involved in the arrests of the men last year, has unearthed no evidence to back up those suspicions. --- http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/13/asia/AS_GEN_Indonesia_Papua_Violence.php Two wounded by gunfire after mob sets fire to local government office in Papua The Associated Press Published: October 13, 2006 JAKARTA, Indonesia An angry mob, apparently upset after not receiving welfare payments from local administrators, set fire to a government building and a post office in Papua on Friday, a police official said. Two people were wounded by gunfire, but it was unclear if the shots were fired by police or civilians. The buildings were seriously damaged in the blaze. Parts of the town of Mulia, 3,300 kilometers (2,050 miles) east of Jakarta in Central Papua, were sealed off while investigators searched the crime scene, provincial police spokesman Kartono Wangsadisatra said. A crowd of about 1,000 people went on a rampage after seeing that others had been paid a quarterly social security payment while they had not, Wangsadisatra said. No arrests were immediately reported and no additional details were available. Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province comprising the western half of the island of New Guinea, is plagued by high unemployment and is also home to a separatist movement that launches periodic attacks on Indonesian security forces, which have been accused of human rights abuses. JAKARTA, Indonesia An angry mob, apparently upset after not receiving welfare payments from local administrators, set fire to a government building and a post office in Papua on Friday, a police official said. Two people were wounded by gunfire, but it was unclear if the shots were fired by police or civilians. The buildings were seriously damaged in the blaze. Parts of the town of Mulia, 3,300 kilometers (2,050 miles) east of Jakarta in Central Papua, were sealed off while investigators searched the crime scene, provincial police spokesman Kartono Wangsadisatra said. A crowd of about 1,000 people went on a rampage after seeing that others had been paid a quarterly social security payment while they had not, Wangsadisatra said. No arrests were immediately reported and no additional details were available. Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province comprising the western half of the island of New Guinea, is plagued by high unemployment and is also home to a separatist movement that launches periodic attacks on Indonesian security forces, which have been accused of human rights abuses. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061014.A05 Papua trials continue without defendants National News - October 14, 2006 The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Timika Relatives of seven Papuans on trial for the 2002 killings of two Americans and one Indonesian demanded a fair trial in Papua on Friday as the defendants continued to boycott the session in a Jakarta court. The country's ties with the United States were strained by the incident and only improved after they agreed to collaborate in solving the case, which had initially sparked suspicions the Indonesian military was involved. During the Friday trial at the Central Jakarta District Court, prosecutors read out charges against the defendants, demanding jail sentences for the men of between eight and 20 years. "They have intentionally and together performed the murders," prosecutor Anita Asterida said quoted by tempointeraktif.com. Prosecutors sought 20 years' jail for Antonius Wamang for planning the murders and 15 years for Agustinus Angaibak and Yulianus Deikme for their involvement. They demanded eight years' jail for each of four other defendants -- Rev. Ishak Onawame, Esau Onawame, Hardi Sugumol and Yarius Kiwak -- for assisting the men. Six of the defendants arrived at the court for the trial but refused to sit in the dock. Speaking from the visitors section, one of the defendants, Rev. Ishak Onawame, asked the judges to consider customary law, religion and "modernity" when trying the case, saying that Papua's 253 tribes had long relied on customary law. "As evidence, we're still using customary law. In modern law, right becomes wrong, and wrong becomes right," he was quoted by Antara news agency. Ishak accused the judges, led by Andriani Nurdin, of understanding the killing only from its "packaging", not its content. "The panel of judges should know the content first, not only the wrapping. Don't open the package first and you make a wrong decision," he said without elaborating. The accused then left the trial before it ended because one of their number, Hardi, was sick. "We only want to stand trial if Hardi is present," Ishak said before departing under police guard. The prosecutor showed a letter from a doctor to the panel of judges, explaining Hardi's absence. The seven defendants are protesting their trial in Jakarta and have boycotted previous sessions. The men are accused of shooting dead three PT Freeport Indonesia employees when they ambushed their car convoy near the company's Grassberg gold and copper mine in 2002. The trial is scheduled to continue on Oct. 31 when judges will read out their verdicts. In Timika, demonstrators staged a peaceful protest outside the district office, after marching from Rev. Ishak's house carrying posters and singing. At the building, which was tightly guarded by police, the protesters led by Ishak's son, Damaris, prayed for 30 minutes to ask the trial proceed in accordance with the law. After the prayer, a protester, Vinsen Oniyoma, said in a speech the seven defendants were innocent. He said the trial was politically motivated and urged the men be released. If they were not, there would be more protests to demand the closure of PT Freeport's Grassberg gold mine, he said. "We seek truth and justice in accordance with the country's laws. We want the Papua Police, council and governor to look into this issue. Papuans are poor and have suffered enough," Damaris said. Damaris said the arrest of the seven was unlawful and urged the government to allow his aging father to return home. Timika district office head Arifin told the protesters their demands would be delivered to judges at the Jakarta court. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061014.G01 Police kill one in Papua as mob attacks over govt aid National News - October 14, 2006 Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura After being denied government assistance, dozens of Papuans went on a rampage Friday, burning government offices and clashing with police officers. Police opened fire on the mob after they set fire to a post office and the Puncak Jaya regency council building in Mulia city at about 1 p.m. One person was killed and four others injured. The deceased has been identified as Lirius Tabuni. The violence began after dozens of people were denied Rp 300,000 cash payments from the government. The money was being distributed to offset the financial impact of fuel price increases. According to officials, the people in question were not eligible for the money because they did not possess official cash assistance cards. The situation quickly deteriorated, as they attacked the Mulia post office and dozens of nearby private residences. The mob then moved to the regency council building, which they burned to the ground. Police officers deployed to the scene opened fire to regain control of the situation. Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Max Donald Aer said the rampaging mob left officers no choice but open fire before any more damage was done. "The residents who did not possess the cards entitling them to the cash assistance went on the attack," he said. There were no immediate reports of arrests in the case. He said police had taken control of the situation and calm had returned to Mulia. However, a platoon from the Papua Police's paramilitary Brimob unit has been deployed in the city to ensure there is no repeat of the violence. Asked about the residents who did not have the cards entitling them to cash assistance, the marketing manager of postal company PT Pos Indonesia's Jayapura branch, Yohanes Untung, said the cards were issued on the authority of local statistics bureaus responsible for registering poor families. He said the postal company was only responsible for delivering the cash to those people already in possession of cards. In Puncak Jaya regency, 22,286 residents are eligible for the cash assistance, amounting to more than Rp 6.6 billion (US$726,717) in total. This was just the latest violent incident since the government began distributing the cash assistance earlier this year. In May, five people were injured in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, when a large crowd of people attempted to force their way into the city's post office. In Bandung regency, five people were arrested after dozens of residents vandalized a village administrative office during a dispute over the assistance. --- http://business.inq7.net/money/features/view_article.php?article_id=26837 Revisiting economic group that is BIMP-Eaga By Allan Nawal Inquirer Last updated 11:31pm (Mla time) 10/15/2006 Published on page B2-1 of the October 16, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer MANADO, INDONESIA -- When the Asian financial crisis struck in 1997, the fledgling sub-regional economic cooperation between Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines (BIMP) started to falter. It had been barely three years since talks aimed at accelerating the growth of the four countries? least developed areas were initiated. Under the East Asian Growth Area (Eaga) concept, the provinces of Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Malacca Islands, West Papua in Indonesia, Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, would foster closer trade and investment relationships. Former President Fidel V. Ramos, whose administration vigorously pushed the idea of closer ties with the four Southeast Asian neighbors, had projected that the Eaga concept would result in economic growth for Mindanao. For Ramos, economic growth in Mindanao would also become an effective tool against the Muslim insurgency that has been dogging the Manila government for more than three decades. Then the currency crisis hit and BIMP Eaga was placed on the back burner. ?Nagkanya kanya muna (They went their separate ways),? was how Efren Abu, the current Philippine special envoy to the BIMP-Eaga, described how members of the sub-regional cooperation behaved at the onset of the financial crisis. Abu says by that time, nobody was talking anymore about BIMP-Eaga, once hailed as the answer to the woes of the least developed areas of Southeast Asia. ?During the time of President Joseph Estrada, it was totally forgotten,? he said. When President Macapagal-Arroyo came to power in 2001, the idea of revitalizing the Eaga concept surfaced. The Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) based in Davao City started to pick up the pieces of what was left of the Eaga concept. Networking with authorities in the three other members of the growth polygon, Medco started to organize trade missions. By this time, businessmen from General Santos City, who have previously started talks with their counterparts in Indonesia, were making a bold decision. Mini successes One group, led by fishing tycoon Doming Teng, trained its sights on Bitung, an hour and a half trip by car from here. Bitung, strategically located in the rich fishing grounds of Indonesia, looked the most promising place for a tuna cannery plant. ?We exchanged visits several times with our Indonesian partners, practically the output of what we have been doing before in the Eaga,? Teng says. Three years ago, the partnership materialized and PT Sinar Pure Foods International was born. With $7.7 million in capital, Teng?s Signal Marine Ventures and its Indonesian partners took over the ailing Pure Foods facilities inside a 4.5-hectare area in Raya Madidir. Infusing more that $1 million in additional capital to revive the former Pure Foods business, SMV and its Indonesian partners bought additional machinery and improved existing ones, such as a fishmeal factory, an ice plant and a cold storage facility. PT Sinar?s throughput capacity was raised to 140 metric tons a day although production was only currently at 35-40 MT a day. ?We still have problems with fish supply but we are trying to address that,? Teng says. PT Sinar markets its canned tuna products to Europe (55 percent), the United States (43 percent) and Japan (2 percent). Last year, PT Sinar?s revenues were $20 million, making it the second biggest tuna exporting company in Indonesia. ?We are currently developing our Middle East market,? he says. Teng says his group?s vision was not only to provide world-class products to consumers but also to generate livelihood and employment under the Eaga concept. On the Indonesian side, PT Sinar?s business has generated 1,000 jobs at the factory alone. There is also the effect of its activities on other industries such as empty cans producers. ?For local fishermen, we also help them by buying their catch,? he says. But what about the Philippine side? Teng says about 80 percent of PT Sinar?s raw materials come from General Santos City. ?Filipino fishermen contribute to the majority of our fish supply. When the financial crisis hit Asia in 1997, the fishing industry in General Santos City was heavily affected. Even in the following years, it hardly recovered,? Teng says. Marfin Tan of the General Santos fishing industry association said PT Sinar?s business in Bitung has assured the security and continuity of the fishing sector. Teng says PT Sinar also imports some of its packaging supplies from Mindanao. ?We still lack supplies for packaging materials and spare parts and this causes cost-leaks because they are sourced elsewhere,? he says. Teng says it would be better if investments in these areas would be made, not only to help PT Sinar lower the cost, but also to help generate livelihood. A few meters away from PT Sinar, tuna canning company PT Samudra Sentosa stands on a 3.3-hectare area. Like PT Sinar, the Filipino owners of PT Samudra came to Bitung about three years ago under the BIMP-Eaga concept. Taking over the existing facilities of a company producing canned vegetables such as asparagus, the General Santos-based Damalerio Group of Companies infused more capital to establish a tuna canning plant. ?We are 100 percent Filipino-owned,? Gary Damalerio, PT Samudra?s operations officer, says. Like PT Sinar, Damalerio?s company exports its produce to the United States. ?We are also trying to source more fish because we cannot maximize our capacity because of under supply,? he says. Currently, PT Samudra gets half of its supply from General Santos City. ?We want to see an increase in the future. Our fishermen do not have the capability right now because of lack of fishing boats,? he explains. Reviving talks The apparent success of the two companies under the Eaga concept has encouraged government officials to revive talks on economic cooperation. Abu says upcoming talks?including the one scheduled at the sidelines of the Asean summit in Cebu this year?between Eaga players would center on ?doable? things such as trading linkages. ?This is a good start,? he comments. Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez says he wanted the success of the big businesses replicated, but he wants small and medium enterprise (SMEs) in his province to get into the game. ?The backbone of every economy is the SME sector. We want to tap their potential to improve our local economy,? he says. Dominguez accompanied the largest delegation of Mindanao businessmen to Indonesia last Sept. 21. The group included the Labrador couple, whose Cassea?s company produces herbal-based beauty products. But Christian Widmann, project manager of the German Technical Cooperation, says that while the idea of SMEs being involved in the BIMP-Eaga effort was laudable, it was equally important to bring in more big players. GTZ is an agency funded by the German government that provides technical support. It started providing technical assistance to the BIMP-Eaga concept in January 2005. ?I am not a big fan of say San Miguel, but we need to have somebody lead the efforts,? Widmann says. Widmann says although there have been previous talks between BIMP-Eaga players, much still needs to be done to ensure the success of the idea. He says one of these was for the major players to have a roadmap or common goal and to find ways and means to achieve that goal. ?There should also be more commitment on the side of the governments involved,? he says. Widmann says the problem that GTZ sees now in the economic cooperation effort was that people making the decisions were not the ones actually implementing them. ?It should be localized,? he says. Dominguez could not agree more. He says if the success of the economic cooperation was to be ensured, local government units should be more involved and committed to the success of BIMP-Eaga. Copyright 2006 Inquirer. All rights reserved. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061016.G02&irec=1 Mulia city calm again after Friday's clash Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura The security situation in Mulia City, the capital of Puncak Jaya regency in Papua, is slowly returning to normal after several people were injured in a clash Friday between a mob who were denied government assistance and the police. Dozens of residents went on a rampage and burned government offices after they did not receive promised cash aid amounting to Rp 300,000 (US$31.5) for each person in compensation for the hike in fuel prices. The police opened fire on the mob after they set fire to a post office and the Puncak Jaya regency council building in Mulia city at about 1 p.m. One man was killed and four others injured, although the local regent claimed that the man did not die as a result of gunfire. "The situation is already secure... people are already going about their routine daily activities," acting Puncak Jaya regent Henock Ibo told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. However, a number of police officers are still stationed in strategic areas, Ibo said, adding that the Papua Police had deployed one platoon of elite mobile brigade personnel to help safeguard Puncak Jaya. Ibo explained that the people were angry as they were denied the cash aid proposed by the Puncak Jaya regental administration to the central government. Ibo said the central government did not approve the disbursement of cash aid to all the people listed in the proposal from the regency administration. "The central government may consider that those who were dropped from the list failed to meet the 14 requirements it sets," Ibo said. Commenting on the one fatality, Ibo said that the death was not caused by the police gunfire, but was alcohol related. "The victim joined the mob marching from the post office to the local legislative council building. He fell to the ground at the council building due to the alcohol he had consumed and died instantly," Ibo said. Meanwhile, two of the four injured people had been evacuated to Jayapura for medical treatment, Ibo said. Another one was still receiving treatment at Mulia General Hospital. Three police officers were also injured after being hit by rocks thrown by the mob, Ibo said. In addition to setting fire to the local legislative council building, the mob also set fire to a numbers of houses along the street where they marched. Sporadic looting also took place, he said. Ibo further said that the Papua Police assisted by the Puncak Jaya Police were currently trying to find the mastermind behind the riot. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20061016.W01&irec=1 Nafsiah Mboi-Walinono: A determined fighter of HIV/AIDS Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta She took the job as secretary of the National AIDS Commission (KPA) in August with a daunting challenge -- to fight the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. As of June this year, as many as 10,859 people in Indonesia have been identified as HIV positive and 1,507 have died of the disease. To make things worse, an estimate revealed that the number of people with HIV positive reached between 110,000 and 130,000 in 2002. However, Nafsiah Mboi-Walinono is undeterred. She is optimistic that the nation will be able to tackle and control the epidemic. "The government has shown a strong commitment. I get support from Cabinet ministers, foreign partners and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Insya Allah (God willing), together we can tackle this problem," Nafsiah told The Jakarta Post at her office. Nafsiah is not a new figure in HIV/AIDS-related issues. She served as a senior consultant for the commission and pioneered in 2004 the Sentani Commitment with which the government renewed its commitment to tackling the disease. Born in Sengkang, South Sulawesi, on July 14, 1940, Nafsiah finished her studies in Epidemiology in the Netherlands, Public Health in Belgium and International Health in Boston, U.S. Her education abroad has helped Nafsiah win trust from the international community to chair the UN Committee on The Rights of the Child from 1997-1999. She is the first Asian to take the post. Between 1999 and 2002, Nafsiah was director of Gender and Women's Health at the WHO in Geneva. Although Nafsiah is saddened that some state officers are still ill-informed about HIV/AIDS, she appreciates the increasing awareness of the public. The situation today is much better, she said. At the end of 1980s, a person suspected with HIV/AIDS might face being berated harshly by his or her anxious neighbors. Now, a person can say before the public that he or she is positive with HIV/AIDS. Recently, there was a meeting in Puncak, West Java, attended by 81 people living with AIDS from 26 provinces. They were people who had announced to the public that they lived with HIV/AIDS. "The press has also made some changes. It used to describe people with AIDS as people to be isolated. Now, it underlines it is the virus that should be kept away not the patient," she said. Nafsiah said that many Indonesians were still not informed about HIV/AIDS because they thought that the disease was always linked to sexual behavior -- prostitution or adultery. This opinion makes people unwilling to deal with HIV-infected people. Even a minister, she said, did not want to talk about the disease, which had become one of the main global issues in the past 18 years. "In fact, the biggest infection is through the use of shared needles among injecting-drug users. This is a challenge for us. We have to inform the public quickly that this disease can be controlled," she said. Nafsiah, the wife of former East Nusa Tenggara governor Ben Mboi, suggested that if the nation wants to confront the epidemic it must prevent new infection among injecting-drug users (IDUs), which according to the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) number as many as 570,000 people. The AIDS Commission, she said, aims at limiting the rate of new infection to 70-80 percent of drug users and 60-70 percent of people with casual sex behavior. "That's our top priority. If we can get that, Insya Allah we can control the epidemic," she said, adding that epidemic in Papua is also a major concern. Three approaches will be taken to meet the target. They are community empowerment through NGOs, the enforcement of the health system and supervision of prisons. Nearly 95 prisons need intensive supervision in a move to prevent new infection among injecting-drug users. Nafsiah, the grandmother of four, said that it was almost impossible for injecting-drug users to immediately stop their habit. That is why as part of the move to prevent new infection among drug users the AIDS Commission provided sterile needles for them free of charge. It is unfortunate that currently not all drug users have access to free sterile needles. For the time being only drug users in areas in Jakarta, West Java and East Java can get free needles. According to Nafsiah, her office has included the supply of sterile needles in its 2007-2010 Action Plan. "We will provide sterile needles for Java, Bali and South Sulawesi. If possible we will cover 80 percent of drug users," she said. As for "moderate" drug users, Nafsiah substituted drug injection with methadone, a synthetic narcotic that can be used orally once a day. If the doze is enough, the "craving" can disappear. Apart from supplying drug users with either sterile needles or methadone, the commission also gives medical treatment for their HIV/AIDS or hepatitis -- if they've got the diseases. Another method to prevent infection is the use of condoms. The commission provides condoms in brothels. The condoms are given to the operator of the prostitution house, who then sells them to the client. However, observation through the years show that men do not like using condoms. Now, the commission is promoting the use of condoms among women. While campaigning for the use of condoms, the commission sometimes faces opposition from certain groups in society, who assume the campaign as an approval for adultery. Responding to such an opinion, Nafsiah simply said that today the nation has only two options -- either enforcing religious values or promoting the use of condoms. She said that people could ignore someone's irreverent life. But, we should not bar them from using condoms. According to her, about 10 million men in Indonesia paid for sex in 2002. "If all of them return to religious values -- and avoid casual sex -- the problem will be settled. I will retire early," she said laughing. There is a daunting challenge ahead. But Nafsiah said that by working hand in hand, this nation will succeed in preventing more infections. "There are many things that we can do with cooperation. I believe in teamwork. We can fulfill each other's dreams," she said. --- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=27530 Radio New Zealand International The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa Fiji question politician over Papua comment Posted at 01:46 on 17 October, 2006 UTC Fiji police have questioned the leader of the Nationalist Tako Lavo Party and former coup convict, Iliesa Duvuloco, about his demonstration calling for a free West Papua. Mr Duvuloco staged his demonstration during the recent Melanesian Arts Festival in Suva where he called on participants to support freedom for West Papua from Indonesian rule. The Daily Post quotes Mr Duvuloco as saying that following a complaint police wanted information in the caution interview to enable them to decide whether to lay charges against him. He says if he is jailed for supporting the good cause of freedom for his West Papuan brothers and sisters, he is willing to pay that price. Mr Duvuloco has also called on the Fiji government to play a proactive role in helping West Papua gain its independence. --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Tue Oct 24 05:55:17 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 20:55:17 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 18-24 06 Message-ID: <3709.61.94.58.7.1161690917.squirrel@www.teuton.org> KABAR IRIAN NEWS TOPICS * Illegally Logged Wood On Sale At Local Stores * NZ Hardwood Imports Driving People From Homes * Biakker can say a lot in just a few words * PM Urged To Ensure West Papua Is On The Agenda * Freeport sees 3Q earnings boosted by gold, copper prices * Indonesian air force to install more radars * Papua yet to benefit from special autonomy, say analysts * Recipients of the 2006 D.I.C.K NZ Awards * Foreign Policy: Born Again Jakarta Lobby * German author still pines for her jungle home By Mike Swanson * Media peace awards made * Bird flu infected provinces in Indonesia drop to 14: official * Earthquake measuring 5.3 on Richter Scale hits Jayapura * Hopes West Papua on Forum agenda * West Papua not granted observer status * Indonesian Province Infected With Bird Flu Down To 14 * 516 pig-nosed turtles released back to their natural habitat * Prosecutors demand 20 years jail term * Ships with rice from Vietnam scheduled to arrive in Papua soon --- http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0610/S00197.htm llegally Logged Wood On Sale At Local Stores Wednesday, 18 October 2006, 9:26 am Press Release: Greenpeace New Zealand Illegally Logged Wood On Sale At Local Stores Auckland - 18th October 2006 -- Kwila decking and outdoor furniture is on sale at a store near you ? but they cost the earth, Greenpeace warned today. Kwila imported into New Zealand is nearly all from illegal logging in Papua ? Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. "If people are thinking of relaxing over the summer on some nice rich red kwila timber outdoor furniture, they should first spare a thought for the communities and creatures of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia whose forests are being destroyed to get the timber," said Greenpeace Forests Campaigner Grant Rosoman. "There are alternatives to illegal wood products. NZ consumers can choose to buy outdoor furniture with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) green label, or ask for 'Ecotimber' from community management forestry operations in the Pacific. At the bare minimum consumers should ask for proof of legality when they are buying any product made of wood," explained Grant Rosoman. Greenpeace calls on the New Zealand government to immediately stop the imports of illegal wood products such as kwila decking or outdoor furniture, and to adopt border controls that prevent illegal wood coming into New Zealand. "How is it that this government can turn a blind eye to these illegal imports ? further fuelling forest loss in PNG and Indonesia? If it was illegal cars or electronic gear the government would act but in this case with wood they are sitting on their hands," said Rosoman. According to Ministry of Forestry statistics the imports of wooden furniture have increased four fold in recent years to a value of over $150 million annually. With much of the forests of Asia Pacific already logged or cleared, the remaining large area where illegal logging is now focused is on the island of New Guinea, which also happens to be the source of much of New Zealand's imported tropical wood, such as kwila. "Kwila is becoming increasing threatened by a rapacious logging industry, to a point that the Indonesian government is proposing to list kwila on Appendix 3 of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)," said Rosoman. The World Bank recently reported 70% and 70-80% illegal logging rates for PNG and Indonesia respectively, as well as illegal logging of public forests costing US$15 billion annually in lost revenue, assets and tax evasion. For more information on the recent World Bank report http://www.worldbank.org/fleg For more information on remaining intact forests go to www.intactfore --- http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=341975&catid=0 NZ Hardwood Imports Driving People From Homes 8:03 am, 18 Oct 2006 Environmental campaigners say people in Indonesia's Papua province are being driven from their land by the military to make way for illegal logging of Kwila. The hardwood is commonly used in New Zealand for flooring, decking and outdoor furniture. Reverend Socratez Yoman, from the Fellowship of Baptist Churches in Indonesia, says there have been dozens of arrests recently in the area. And Greenpeace claims that almost all of the Kwila imported to New Zealand comes from illegally logged forest. It is urging consumers to clearly question the origin of any timber they are buying to ensure it comes from legal sources. MAF is currently developing a policy on illegal logging, including draft regulations. ? NewsRoom 2006 --- http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/studien/bericht-72277.html Biakker can say a lot in just a few words 18.10.2006 ?On the other side of the river close to us away from here going backwards?. This intriguing answer from an East Indonesian to the question where the houses in his village used to stand, made the Dutch linguist Wilco van den Heuvel devote extra attention to references to people and objects in his description of the Biak language. This Austronesian language is threatened with extinction. The striking answer from the Biakker is explained by the fact that in the Biak language some word types contain much more information than in languages such as Dutch. For example definite and indefinite articles often refer not just to an object (for example the houses the Biakker was talking about) but also to the location or movement of the object or of a person. And hence the (literally translated) answer given: 'On the other side of the river close to us away from here going backwards'. Additionally the context in which Biak is spoken has a considerable influence on the language. Van den Heuvel discovered, for example, that on the island Biak, the component for 'behind' is used for downstream. Yet in another context that refers to a movement in a westerly direction. Jokes and prayers The context in which Biak is spoken not only has a considerable influence on the type of language that is used but also the type of language that is studied. According to Van den Heuvel the language can therefore best be studied in the environment where it is spoken. He spent a total of 12 months on Biak, where he lived in two different villages. There he used audiocassettes or videotapes to record stories, jokes, sermons, songs, prayers, speeches and other spoken texts. These texts were written down by Van den Heuvel and his language assistants and then translated and analysed. The speakers were then questioned about any gaps in the analysis. Van den Heuvel?s study is the first scientific language description of the Biak grammar, with attention for phonetics, sentence structure and word structure. Additionally the study is a valuable source of information for those who are interested in the historical relationships between Biak and other Austronesian languages and historical (trade) contacts between Biakkers and speakers of other languages in the region. With his linguistic description Van den Heuvel has saved a language threatened with extinction for posterity. About 70,000 residents of a group of islands off the coast of Papua (former Irian Jaya) still speak the language. That is a lot compared with other languages in the region, yet most of the speakers are aged 50 or over. Young people scarcely speak Biak and only have a passive knowledge of the language. The population is increasingly switching to a Malay dialect or, to a lesser extent, Indonesian. In remote villages, Biak is still the main language and even the children speak it fluently. Van den Heuvel carried out his research under the auspices of the Areal Studies in Eastern Indonesia programme. That programme is part of the Spinoza research Lexicon and Syntax of professor Pieter Muysken, Spinoza laureate in 1998. Van den Heuvel?s research was sponsored by NWO. Kim van den Wijngaard | Quelle: alphagalileo Weitere Informationen: www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/NWOA_6TZJ7F_Eng --- http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0610/S00402.htm PM Urged To Ensure West Papua Is On The Agenda Thursday, 19 October 2006, 10:19 am Press Release: Indonesia Human Rights Committee Indonesia Human Rights Committee Box 68 419, Auckland 18 October, 2006 Media Release: NGOs urge Prime Minister to ensure that West Papua is on the Pacific Island Forum agenda. Over 30 aid and development and advocacy organizations, have joined together to lobby the Prime Minister about West Papua on the eve of her departure for the Pacific Islands Forum. The groups which include OXFAM, Council for International Development, Pax Christi and Christian World Service are appealing to the Prime Minister to take a pro-active role to ensure that the Pacific leaders deliberate on the ongoing human rights violations in West Papua. "We believe that Helen Clark has a particular responsibility to ensure that discussion on Indonesian controlled West Papua does not slip below the radar. The West Papuan people have placed their faith in New Zealand's ability to take a principled stand without being diverted by possible controversy or the fear of offending Indonesia," said Maire Leadbeater for the Indonesia Human Rights Committee which coordinated the signatures. The appeal advocates that the Forum grant West Papuan representatives observer status in view of the new policy to make the Forum inclusive of all countries in the region. West Papua is part of the Pacific region in terms of its geography, its history and its culture. The letter cites recent grave examples of security force violence against civilians as well as the ongoing impunity of the military and police for past abuses. "In the case of West Papua human rights abuses are not just about direct killing of civilians but also about 'indirect' threats from an out of control epidemic of HIV/AIDs, dire poverty, food shortages and outbreaks of deadly diseases. There are also major environmental threats from illegal logging and the shocking impact of the miles of toxic waste from the Freeport McMoran gold mine.' The Indonesia Human Rights Committee has also written individually to all of the 16 Pacific leaders who will be attending the Forum calling for them to advocate a process of peaceful dialogue between West Papua and Indonesia and to seek Indonesian support for a Forum fact-finding mission to West Papua. This appeal also calls on the Forum leaders to support the campaign for a Review of the UN role in West Papua at the time of the 1969 'Act of Free Choice'. --- http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5550455&nav=menu209_1 Freeport sees 3Q earnings boosted by gold, copper prices NEW ORLEANS -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc., whose precious-metals mine in Indonesia is one of the world's largest, more than doubled its third -quarter earnings as gold and copper prices rose sharply, the company reported Tuesday. For the quarter ending Sept. 30, Freeport-McMoRan earned $350.7 million, or $1.67 per share, on revenue of $1.64 billion. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had forecast earnings of $1.59 per share on sales of $1.31 billion. In the same period a year ago, the company earned $165.8 million, or 86 cents per share, on revenue of $983.3 million. Freeport-McMoRan said gold prices averaged $608.79 per ounce during the quarter, compared with $445.57 per ounce a year ago, and copper prices averaged $3.43 per pound, compared with the year-ago price of $1.73 per pound. Sales totaled 323.6 million pounds of copper and 478,000 ounces of gold, compared with 346.3 million pounds of copper and 475,000 ounces of gold during the third quarter of 2005. The company forecast 2006 sales of 1.2 billion pounds of copper and 1.7 million ounces of gold, including 415 million pounds of copper and 470,000 ounces of gold projected for the fourth quarter. Most of that will be produced at the company's Grasberg mine, a mountain of copper and gold in Irian Jaya, the western half of the island of New Guinea. In trading Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange, Freeport-McMoRan closed unchanged at $57.99 a share. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $43.10 to $72.20. ___ On the Net: Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc.: http://www.fcx.com --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=22003 Indonesian air force to install more radars Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) will install more radars in several parts of the country to monitor the movement of airplanes crossing the Indonesian air territory more effectively, an official said. "Next year we will install a new radar in Merauke, Papua, and replace old radar in Tanjung Pinang, Riau, with a new one," Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Herman Suyitno said here on Thursday. In addition, one more radar would also be installed in Saumlaki, Maluku, or Morotai, Papua, he said. The TNI AU would call a tender for the installation of a new radar in Merauke, he said adding many parties had expressed interest in taking part in such tender. The installation of a new radar in Tanjung Pinang to replace the old one had almost been completed, he said. He also said the TNI AU had no plan to buy warplanes until 2009 except to increase the number of Sukhoi jet fighters to 10 from four. Indonesia and Russia signed a US$192 million countertrade deal in 2003, under which Indonesia would receive Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 jet fighters and Mi-35 helicopters from Russia. Russia in turn would receive some 30 agricultural commodities and manufacturing products of equal value. The commodities include textile, coffee, rubber, cacao, black pepper, electrical appliances and fishery products. (*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA October 19, 2006 --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061019.H05&irec=4 Papua yet to benefit from special autonomy, say analysts Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Four years on, the special autonomy that costs more than Rp 5 trillion (about US$555 million) annually, has brought about little progress in Indonesia's eastern-most territory, analysts say. They assert that the special autonomy status granted in 2001 has failed as an instrument to accelerate development in the 420,540-square-kilometer territory which is three times the size of Java and has a population of only about 4.5 million. Ferdinando Ibo Ikin, a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) from Papua, says that most of the Papuans still live below the poverty line. "The fund should be audited. Jakarta and the provincial administration implementing the special autonomy should be held accountable," he said in a discussion here Tuesday. This year, Papua received Rp 5.6 trillion, he said, but the only progress it has made is the local direct elections while the people have been largely deprived of public services, such as health and welfare, transportation and education. Ferdinando warned that this condition could sow the seeds of hatred among the people against the government and encourage the support of anti-government movements. "We should not blame Australia or other countries if they accept Papuan asylum seekers but we must introspect as to why they do not feel at home or why they sympathize with secessionists," he said. The Indonesian government has been dealing with smoldering, low-intensity, disorganized armed separatist rebellions spearheaded by the Free Papua Organization (OPM) since the 1960s. Ferdinando admitted he was ashamed by what he saw as Papuan politicians' inability to fight for Papuans' well-being, leaving them in backwardness and poverty. "I often feel as if I am crying out in the desert when speaking out about my home province," he said. Agus Sumule, a political analyst from Cendrawasih University in the Papua capital of Jayapura, blamed the corrupt local elite for the failure of the special autonomy. The bigger chunk of the autonomy funds have been spent to finance the costly bureaucracy and embezzled by the corrupt local political elite, he said. "The top-down autonomy system has made the two governors (of Papua and West Irian Jaya), provincial legislatures and the Papuan People's Council (MR) quite powerful and the distribution of the autonomy funds depend on them, making regents and mayors like beggars," he said. "Regents and mayors propose big budgets to finance their development programs but governors will not grant them because the bigger chunk of the fund is used to finance their corrupt administration." He called on the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to audit the government and legislatures at all levels to let the people know where the huge funds have been going to. Director General of Regional Development Affairs at the Home Ministry, Syamsul Arief Rivai, acknowledged that the uneven distribution of population in the vast territory combined with the fact that the autonomy is focused on the provincial level have made the special autonomy ineffective. "The two provincial governments and regency and municipal administrations have different visions and programs in carrying out development programs," he said. Administration at all levels should have the same vision and programs to improve the province's human development index and they should identify common fundamental problems that have made the province lag behind other provinces. To improve public services, he said, the provincial governments should give priority to the development of road networks connecting urban centers and rural areas. "The development of roads, irrigation systems, school buildings and hospitals are vital in providing public services and improving the people's well- being," he said, adding that the development program should focus on the indigenous people living in remote areas. --- http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0610/S00213.htm Recipients of the 2006 D.I.C.K NZ Awards Thursday, 19 October 2006, 10:10 am Press Release: No WARP From: No WARP! (Network Opposed to Weapons and Related Production) 18 October 2006 Recipients of the 2006 D.I.C.K NZ Awards and the 'Guided Missiles and Misguided Men' Awards for Government Politicians The recipients of this year's D.I.C.K (Destructive Industry Connected to Killing) NZ and 'Guided Missiles and Misguided Men' Awards were announced tonight at Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum, in Wellington. The 2006 Supreme D.I.C.K NZ Award went to Rakon Ltd, with Right Hemisphere and Apex Global Healthcare / Apex Distribution Ltd each receiving a D.I.C.K NZ Award. Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control, Minister of Defence and Minister of Trade Phil Goff, Prime Minister Helen Clark, and Minister of Economic Development and Minister for Industry and Regional Development Trevor Mallard each received a 'Guided Missiles and Misguided Men' Award. The recipients of this year's Awards were selected on the basis of the number of nominations received for each. A formatted document with the 2006 D.I.C.K NZ Award recipients is available on the No WARP! (Network Opposed to Weapons and Related Production) web site at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nowarp.htm * Background to the Awards Since 1998, the Defence Industry Committee of New Zealand has presented Awards for Excellence at the annual get-together of the NZ Defence Industry Association, the lobby group for companies that profit from bloodshed and war. The criteria for their awards are a mystery - are they for the company whose products have caused the most death and destruction? the company which has had the biggest public subsidy for private profit? the company which has contracts with the most oppressive governments and armed forces around the world? There is no mystery about the D.I.C.K NZ Awards. They recognise the reality of the business of the NZ 'defence' industry. First held in 2001, the D.I.C.K NZ Awards returned last year and they are now an annual event. ADVERTISEMENT And there is no mystery about the 'Guided Missiles and Misguided Men' Awards for Government Politicians either - they are awarded to those who by their words and/or actions support bloodshed and war. The name for these Awards is from a statement by Martin Luther King, Jr: "we have guided missiles and misguided men"". * 2006 D.I.C.K NZ Award Recipients - Supreme D.I.C.K NZ Award: Rakon Ltd - Auckland, New Zealand. Rakon was, until May of this year, a privately owned company which manufactures quartz crystal oscillators used in Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems, and in products such as cellphones, navigation systems ... and 'smart' bombs. In 2005, Rakon was the winner of the NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) Export Awards. They have received government corporate welfare including a $183,000 Technology New Zealand grant in 1996, and a $351,000 Technology New Zealand grant in 2003/04. Last year the NZ Herald revealed that Rakon's crystal oscillators were being supplied to US company Rockwell Collins, for use in their navigation products for precision-guided missile and munitions systems. Rockwell Collins's precision-guided munitions products are outfitted in 90 percent of all US Department of Defense guided tactical weapons, including Joint Direct Attack Munitions, Standoff Land Attack Missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and the Small Diameter Bomb. In response to the publicity about this, Rakon put out a media release that said: "the company respected the commercial confidentiality of its contracts with customers, and was not privy to the end-use systems, equipment or applications developed by its customers"[1]. Rakon was awarded a 2005 D.I.C.K. NZ Award in because of their exports to Rockwell Collins, and because their media release revealed "either a startling level of irresponsibility or of duplicity". In May this year, Rakon was recognized as one of the Top Preferred Suppliers for 2006 by Rockwell Collins for performance in meeting delivery schedules and product quality. Also in May, the NZ Herald exposed the contents of Rakon's media release as a complete lie - Rakon had in fact been working closely with Rockwell Collins for the past ten years. Furthermore, Rakon's 2005/06 business plan (written before the original Herald expose) states that "Rakon aims to dominate "the lucrative and expanding guided munitions and military positioning market" within five years"[2]. It was further revealed that Rakon's exports to Rockwell Collins had not been subject to the strategic goods export permit system, which is supposed to cover all military and weapons related exports. In June, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control Phil Goff announced that he did not consider Rakon's crystal oscillators, exported for military use, to be covered by the Strategic Goods List and therefore they do not require an export permit. Rakon was nominated for a D.I.C.K NZ Award for their continued supply of weapons components to Rockwell Collins, and for their duplicity and lies about their contribution to death and destruction. More than double the number of all other 2006 D.I.C.K Award nominations combined were for Rakon, and they are thus the recipient of the 2006 Supreme D.I.C.K Award. - Right Hemisphere - Fremont, USA; Auckland, New Zealand; and Munich, Germany. Right Hemisphere is a venture-backed enterprise software company with corporate headquarters in California that describes itself as a leading provider of product graphics management software. Their customers include nine of the top 10 US aerospace and defense companies (listed in the number 1 spot on Right Hemisphere's web site, as though that were something to be proud of), and the US army and navy. Right Hemisphere received an MT2 Top 100 award from US magazine Military Training Technology in 2004 for making a significant impact on the military training industry; and is a finalist in the 2006 NZTE Export Awards. They are a major a recipient of corporate welfare - in September 2006, the government announced that they had given an interest-free loan of up to US$8 million (around NZ$12.2 million) to Right Hemisphere in return for 50% of the loan's proceeds being spent in NZ, 66.66% of Right Hemisphere's worldwide software development expenditure being spent in NZ, and their working for three years to establish a virtual cluster centered on 3D communications and digital content, involving universities, other research institutions and interested firms. Treasury was opposed to the loan, saying that they considered it had "a low probability of resulting in net benefit to NZ."[3] They estimated the foregone interest to be worth $3 million of taxpayers' money annually. Prior to receiving the loan, Right Hemisphere had received $1.2 million in government grants[4]. Right Hemisphere was nominated for a D.I.C.K NZ Award for their involvement with some of the worst US weapons producers and US armed forces, and their eagerness to secure taxpayers' money for their privately owned company. - Apex Global Healthcare / Apex Distribution Ltd - Auckland, New Zealand Apex Global Healthcare produces high-strength sunscreens, lip balms, insect repellents, combination sunscreen and insect repellent, and camouflage paint military use, and it is the exclusive supplier of insect repellents to New Zealand's armed forces. If you go to the Apex Distribution Ltd web site, you too can order Armed Forces Lip Balm, with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, which comes in camouflage packaging. In May 2006, Apex announced it was in the process of selecting a Malaysian firm to manufacture its products for an order from the Malaysian military expected to be worth about $5 million to $10 million in the first year. The Malaysian military will then sell Apex products to the armed forces of Indonesia, South Korea and Brunei. [5] "Apex director Hugh Price said the $5 million to $10 million estimate was conservative, and the Asian and Middle Eastern military market offered huge potential. The company had recently made all of its products alcohol-free to make them more attractive to Muslim countries." [6] Apex was nominated for a D.I.C.K Award because of their willingness to sell their wares in particular to the Indonesian armed forces who are engaged in a brutal military occupation of West Papua.[7] * 'Guided Missiles and Misguided Men' Award Recipients - Phil Goff, Minister of Defence, Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control, and Minister of Trade Phil Goff was nominated for four reasons: firstly, the blatant conflict of interest inherent in his three portfolios - defence, disarmament and arms control, and trade. Secondly, in his role as Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control, he has responsibility for the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs and Trade Disarmament Division, which screens applications for the export of military and military related (strategic) goods - but who evidently do not apply the criteria "derived from the Government?s desire to make responsible decisions regarding the export of strategic goods."[8] The basic questions when making a decision about strategic goods exports include: Is there evidence that the country is involved in the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction? Is the country involved in any conflict? Could the export of the goods in question prejudice New Zealand's relationship with a third country? What is the human rights record of the recipient country? Is there a possibility that the goods could be used in, or contribute to, the abuse of human rights? What is the country's record in International Humanitarian Law/Law of Armed Conflict? Yet there appears to be no limitation at all on the export of strategic goods to, for example, the US government who clearly are a cause for concern in relation to the questions above. Thirdly, in his roles as Minister for Trade and Minister for Trade Negotiations, he is one of the ministers responsible for NZTE who actively promote and support military and weapons related production and exports. Fourthly, in his role as Minister of Defence, he has continued the NZ army base maintenance and supply contracts with Serco Project Engineering Ltd (SPEL). SPEL is a joint venture of Projeng Pty Ltd (Australia) and Serco Group Plc (Britain). Serco Group Plc, together with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and Lockheed Martin manage Britain's nuclear weapons establishments including AWE Aldermaston and AWE Burghfield - which design, test, manufacture and 'refurbish' nuclear warheads. The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act, also known as the nuclear-free legislation, prohibits any NZ citizen or a servant or agent of the Crown from aiding or abetting ... "any person to manufacture, acquire, possess, or have control over any nuclear explosive device" (Section 5b) - giving contracts to companies involved in the production or deployment of nuclear weapons is at the very least a breach of the spirit of the Act, and is considered by some to be an actual breach of that legislation. - Helen Clark, Prime Minister Helen Clark was nominated for her government's willingness to provide public money to companies involved in military and weapons related production and export; in particular her enthusiastic announcement of the US$8 million interest-free loan to Right Hemisphere at their office in Auckland on 7 September 2006. She was also nominated for her government's continuation of contracts with companies involved in the production and deployment of nuclear weapons overseas, SPEL (referred to above) being but one example of this. - Trevor Mallard, Minister of Economic Development and Minister for Industry and Regional Development Trevor Mallard was nominated for his willingness to provide public money to companies involved in military and weapons related production and export, including apparently pushing through the Right Hemisphere loan despite Treasury's advice; and as one of the ministers responsible for NZTE who actively promote and support military and weapons related exports. In particular, he was the nominated for the statement in his report to the Cabinet Policy Committee on the interest-free loan to Right Hemisphere: "the recommendations in this paper have no human rights implications." [9] Try telling that to the people whose loved ones have been blown apart by the products of Right Hemisphere's customers. [1] http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nw240805.htm [2] 'The Rakon files: NZ company's weapons role', Phil Taylor, 27 May 2006 [3] To Cabinet Policy Committee, Amended appropriation: Strategic Investment Fund, Trevor Mallard, 26 June 2006 [4] 'IT firm gets free loan plus grants', Colin Espiner, 25 September 2006 [5] Forsyth Barr Research, Morning Report, 4 May 2006 [6] 'Apex turns to Asian markets'. Andrew Janes. 4 May 2006 [7] West Papua: the forgotten Pacific country - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/wpapua.htm [8] New Zealand Strategic Goods List : Administration of Export Controls, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, accessed 6 October 2006 [9] To Cabinet Policy Committee, Amended appropriation: Strategic Investment Fund, Trevor Mallard, 26 June 2006 <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> No WARP! Network Opposed to Weapons and Related Production c/o Peace Movement Aotearoa, PO Box 9314, Wellington 6141 Aotearoa New Zealand. Tel +64 4 382 8129, fax 382 8173, email nowarp at xtra.co.nz www.converge.org.nz/pma/nowarp.htm --- http://www.newmatilda.com/home/articledetailmagazine.asp? ArticleID=1870&HomepageID=165 Foreign Policy: Born Again Jakarta Lobby By: Damien Kingsbury Wednesday 18 October 2006 The relationship between Australia and Indonesia is the most testing of Australia?s foreign relations, and one which has consistently been mishandled. Responding to bilateral fallout over the issue of Papua, Rodd McGibbon?s recently published Lowy Institute paper ?Pitfalls of Papua? proposes that good relations, narrowly conceived, between Australia and Indonesia are above all other considerations. A similar policy of ?good bilateral relations above all else,? with the previous Suharto regime, was promoted by what was known as the ?Jakarta Lobby.? Yet that policy failed to produce stable diplomatic relations. Advertisement McGibbon?s paper represents the Jakarta Lobby reborn. The paper largely restates what is already known about Papua, condescends towards concerns over human rights abuses, caricatures both the West Papua resistance movement and its external supporters, and proposes policy recommendations that warm up Suharto-era leftovers. ?Pitfalls of Papua? is beset with internal contradictions. The larger contradiction is that McGibbon promotes ?realism.? McGibbon says that Australian critics of the current policy propose that Australia ?impose itself in a ?peace-making? role [which] demonstrates a troubling lack of realism.? The key tenet of this ?realism? is that the internal affairs of States are irrelevant to their international relations, and that international relations are conducted in an environment in which the only rules are those which are able to be imposed or agreed between individual States. In keeping with this ?realism,? McGibbon proposes that Australia ?boost security cooperation on border security with Indonesia? and work with Indonesia to ?manage the Australian-Indonesian border, including discussion of managing the cross-border impact of Papua.? The problem, it seems, is not that Papuans have reason to flee their home, but how they can be stopped from doing so. McGibbon then makes the error of discussing the situation in Papua, which he acknowledges is deeply problematic. By acknowledging Papua?s problems, McGibbon undoes the logic of ?realist? bilateral relations: he cannot acknowledge human rights abuses in Papua and at the same time ignore them. Interestingly, although Australia?s security interests are promoted as paramount, nowhere in his paper does McGibbon say what they are. He emphatically insists on that which remains unstated. A particular flaw in ?Pitfalls of Papua? refers to the prospect of a negotiated resolution to the Papua conflict. McGibbon notes the success in securing a resolution to the conflict in Aceh. However, he suggests there would be little political will for such a settlement in Papua. He also says that a modified version of such an agreement is the best hope of resolving the Papua conflict, and that attempts have been made by Indonesia?s Vice- President Jusuf Kalla to initiate just such a dialogue, as well as saying it is ?a key priority for the [Australian] Government.? McGibbon claims, however, that there is no united Papuan leadership with which to negotiate. Papuan activists note that most of their leaders have been killed, exiled or otherwise silenced, and the Indonesian Government has employed a policy of divide and rule. McGibbon seems unaware that there is now movement in Papuan political society towards a common position: to be able to negotiate with Jakarta. Thanks to Bill Leak This change is illustrated by the Free West Papua Movement, or OPM, declaring an end to their armed struggle ? news of which McGibbon regards as ?isolated reports.? Indeed, OPM leaders were interviewed on ABC television saying this, and issued a media statement to this effect. >From this point, McGibbon?s assessment slips into ridicule. He refers to activists? comments about their first-hand experiences on the PNG-Papua border, describing a report by activist Nick Chesterfield as a ?bizarre account replete with cloak and dagger anecdotes.? Chesterfield is well known as a spokesman for the Free West Papua Campaign and is one of very few outsiders to have worked with West Papuan refugees along the PNG border, where he has received corroborated first-hand accounts of cross-border raids by the Indonesian military (TNI), as well as reports of Indonesian military intelligence activities. Chesterfield?s field reports are not so much ?bizarre? as is McGibbon?s denial of documented TNI activity against West Papuan refugees. By comparison, McGibbon has not visited this region or spoken to refugees there, even though, as a pro-Jakarta researcher, he has had surprisingly easy access to a province cut off to other researchers and journalists. Of personal concern to this critic is McGibbon?s serious misrepresentation of an article by me, ?The Trouble with the Territory?s Future,? published in The Weekend Australian, 15-16 April 2006. The article outlined a possible negotiated political settlement as a means of resolving Papua?s conflict that, if achieved, might be monitored by European Union or US aid agencies. McGibbon claims the article advocated Australia lead ?international efforts to formulate and enforce a peace agreement,? even though the article explicitly rejected Australia?s involvement. McGibbon ridicules the idea that Australia could play such a role in Papua because it would alienate the Indonesian Government, yet, as previously mentioned, he also suggests Australia do just this. A key belief of the old Jakarta Lobby was that widespread public opposition to a policy of appeasement over East Timor ? an opposition that sat consistently around 75 per cent according to public opinion polls ? reflected a lack of knowledge by ordinary Australians. McGibbon repeats this view about a lack of public knowledge, regarding a poll earlier this year at the time of the Papuan boat people crisis that showed 76 per cent of Australians supported independence for West Papua. McGibbon?s suggestion is that the Government counter such views with a ?public information campaign,? which might also be viewed as propaganda. The Australian population was ultimately correct about the iniquities of East Timor and the Australian Government eventually bowed to popular pressure in 1999. Contrary popular opinion might be uncomfortable for self-assured elites, but the Australian people are often able to see that which is obvious, even if it does not suit elite agendas. If there is value in McGibbon?s paper, it is that he confirms that the Jakarta Lobby remains alive and well. In his new position, moving from the ANU to the Office of National Assessments, McGibbon looks ready to repeat the Jakarta Lobby?s past policy mistakes. About the author Associate Professor Damien Kingsbury is Director of the Masters in International and Community Development at Deakin University, and has written and edited a number of books on Indonesian politics. --- http://rawstory.com/news/2006/German_author_still_pines_for_her_j_10172006.ht ml German author still pines for her jungle home By Mike Swanson dpa German Press Agency Published: Tuesday October 17, 2006 Berlin- Sabine Kuegler cannot forget the tropical rainforests of Indonesia where she spent a large part of her childhood among a tribe untouched by modern civilization. Writing from a child's perspective, Kuegler lovingly portrayed her experiences in Jungle Child, a book that became a runaway bestseller in Germany last year. Now she has written a sequel. After spending 15 years in Europe she returned to the Fayu tribe that she grew up with in West Papua and described life there from the point of view of a grown woman. In her new account, The Call of the Jungle, the 33-year-old German once again conjures up a wonderful world in which she meets her old friends and experiences the breathtaking landscapes of the jungle. But this time she contrasts that idyll with the outside world and comes to the conclusion that the Fayu's way of life is in danger from the progress of civilization that cannot be stopped. Powerful business interests are exploiting the jungle's mineral resources, she says, and corrupt government officials in the capital Jakarta ruthlessly stifle any resistance. "Where Jungle Child was the story of a delightful, exotic childhood, this new book is the story of the Fayu's struggle for survival and also of Sabine Kuegler's struggle to find her place in the world," says Ute Koerner, Kuegler's literary agent. It is a far cry from the romantic story of a 5-year-old girl who was taken to Indonesia by her missionary and linguist parents to live in a spot that could only be reached by air or by river boat. Jungle Child topped the German best-seller lists for much of last year, selling more than one-half million copies before being translated into 23 languages. The sequel follows on from her experiences that began in 1980 when Kuegler's family became the first whites to make contact with the belligerent Fayu tribe, who lived a stone age-like existence, eating grubs and hunting with a bow and arrow. Blonde-haired Sabine was immediately captivated by the jungle. She made friends with the Fayu children, shared their meals of roasted insects and swam with them in a crocodile-infested river. She was 17 when she returned to Europe by herself to study for her school- leaving exams. Unable to cope with the massive cultural upheaval, she rushed into two marriages and had four children before settling down - up to a point. "I'm always looking for protection here," she said during a tour of Germany to promote her new book. "In West Papua there was always this tremendous feeling of security." When she went back to her old childhood haunts earlier this year she was overcome by a feeling of joy. "I felt safe for the first time in a long time. I feel I'm in good hands there because the Papua culture is a group culture." After her first book appeared, human rights groups in Germany accused her of idealizing jungle existence and liberally using cliches to describe her memories of the tribe she lived with. The Call of the Jungle is more mature and reflective in portraying the changes that have taken place in the life of her old friends and the problems which now confront them. "It is a life that might appear idyllic when observed from the outside, but when you are in the middle of it the picture is quite different," the author says. Kuegler pulls no punches when she describes undernourishment, the high child mortality rate and the poor medical care afforded to the Fayu in their once secluded world. During her return she also spoke with witnesses who described human rights violations carried out by people bent on exploiting the jungle's vast mineral wealth. Her portrayal of the troubles facing the Fayu, which were largely ignored in her first book, have surprised critics this time round. "We get the impression she's done a 180 degree turnaround," says Ulrich Delius, an Asian affairs experts at the Society for Threatened Peoples in the German city of Goettingen. Kuegler says she wants to capitalize on the popularity of her first work to draw attention to the problems in what she still considers to be her homeland. "It's my duty now to fight for these people. I've become a part of their lives again, even if I'm not physically present there. My culture and my heart are Papuan, but my life is in Germany. "If nothing happens soon, then the Fayu don't have a chance." ? 2006 dpa German Press Agency --- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20618294-1702,00.html Media peace awards made October 20, 2006 THE United Nations Association of Australia presented its 28th annual Media Peace Awards in Melbourne tonight as part of its charter to promote tolerance and diversity through balanced news reporting. Melbourne's Age journalist Mark Forbes won the best print award for Cry Freedom: Papua's Plea to the World, while his Fairfax colleague, Paul McGeough of The Sydney Morning Herald won the best feature award for Death and Democracy - The Uncertainty of Life since 9/11. Meri Fatin, of RTR FM 92.1, won the best radio award for West Papua in Brief and Ten's newsman Max Futcher won the best news - television for Dili. Other awardees include: Best television: current affairs - Philippa McDonald, Kate Gunn and David Leland, ABC TV Asia Pacific Focus - Karen Refugees. Best television: documentary - David O'Shea, Rowan Tucker-Evans, Cathy Carey, Martin Butler, SBS TV Dateline - The Spanish Inquisition. Best Photojournalism: Stephen Dupont, The Bulletin - Taliban Burning: US Forces Burn Taliban for Psychological Warfare. Promotion of Aboriginal Reconciliation: Russell Skelton, The Sunday Age and The Age - The Murder Capital of Australia. Promotion of Multicultural Issues: Erin O'Dwyer, The Sun-Herald Sunday Extra - The Family Ties that Bind. Promotion of Positive Images of the Older Person: Jocelyn Nettlefold, David Pyefinch & 7.30 Report crew, ABC TV - Refugee Welcome. Increasing Awareness and Understanding of Women's Rights and Issues: Elizabeth Tadic, SBS TV Dateline, - Women for Justice - Umoja Trilogy - Where Women Rule. Increasing Awareness and Understanding of Children's Rights and Issues: Insight team (Jenny Brockie, Antoinette Currah, Drew Ambrose, Andrew Middlemost, Stephen Harrop and Allan Hogan), of SBS TV Insight - Thirteen. --- http://english.people.com.cn/200610/21/eng20061021_314056.html Bird flu infected provinces in Indonesia drop to 14: official The number of bird-flu infected provinces in Indonesia dropped by 14 from 30, a official said Saturday. These 14 provinces have declared free from avian influenza (AI) virus in the past six months, Antara news agency quoted Bayu Krisnamurthi, executive officer of the National Commission of the Bird Flu Control and AI Pandemic Alertness, as saying. The AI-free provinces included South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, West Sumatera, West Nusa Tenggara, and West Sulawesi. Bird flu cases were also not found in South Sumatera, Bangka Belitung, Riau, Jambi, East Kalimantan, Riau Islands and West Irian Jaya. Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said that such development was encouraging in an effort to prevent the AI virus from affecting people. "The problem is poultry. If we can control AI infection on poultry, the virus will not infect human beings," the minister said. Between July 2005 and October 17, 2006, there were 72 cases of bird flu infections in Indonesia, and the virus has so far killed 55 affected people. The case fatality rate (CFR) of the avian influenza virus reached 76.39 percent, she added. To deal with the fatal disease, the Indonesian government has provided Oseltamivir or Tamiflu to a number of hospitals across the country. Source: Xinhua --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=22106 Earthquake measuring 5.3 on Richter Scale hits Jayapura Jayapura (ANTARA News) - An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted Jayapura city and Jayapura regency, Papua province at 14.39 local time on Friday, but no casualties have been reported so far. The head of operational section of the Papua Office of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), E.Kayadu, said here Friday that epicenter of the quake is located at 2.7 southern latitude and 140.53 eastern longitude some 38 km southwest of Jayapura at a depth of 78 km. The sudden shaking of the earth`s surface prompted people, civil servants in various government institutions and employees of private companies in Jayapura, capital of Papua province, and Sentani, capital of Jayapura regency to rush for safer places. The quake has severely damaged part of houses in Sentani and about Rp50 million is needed for the rehabilitation of those houses.(*) Copyright ? 2006 ANTARA October 21, 2006 --- http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=106105 Hopes West Papua on Forum agenda 23/10/2006 10:44:03 The Greens hope the plight of West Papua will not be forgotten in all the controversy at this week's Pacific Islands Forum. Prime Minister Helen Clark arrives in Fiji this afternoon, and believes it could be the most contentious meeting in years. Green MP Keith Locke says the West Papuan problem has been on the agenda in past years, but slipped off last year. He says it would make a huge difference to West Papuans if the forum recognised their needs, and stated its support for West Papua to have real autonomy. Keith Locke says Vanuatu has indicated it will bring the issue up and he hopes New Zealand will support having that discussion. He says the West Papuan people have been suffering under Indonesian rule and their plight should be addressed at the forum. He was in West Papua recently and says people there really want Pacific leaders to take an interest. Mr Locke says the forum is a golden opportunity to do that. --- (anyonymous contributer) West Papua was not granted observer status but unlike last year it was mentioned in the Communique. Note. Wallis and Futuna, the United Nations, Commonwealth Secretariat and Asian Development Bank were invited to become Forum observers. ---------------------------------------------------- Papua 31. Leaders welcomed the establishment by the sovereign authority, Indonesia, of the Papuan Peoples Assembly (MRT) and the moves towards the full implementation of the 2001 special autonomy law and the development of Papua. Leaders expressed concern about reports of violence in Papua and called on all parties to protect and uphold the human rights of all residents in Papua and to work to address the root causes of such conflicts by peaceful means. They also urged the Indonesian authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious crimes in the Province of Papua. Associate Members and Observers 30. Leaders approved the application of New Caledonia and French Polynesia for associate membership of the Forum. They invited Wallis and Futuna, the United Nations, Commonwealth Secretariat and Asian Development Bank to become Forum observers. Leaders deferred further consideration of applications by American Samoa and Guam until outstanding issues were resolved. ----------------------------------- http://www.forumsec.org/index.cfm? go=main.resources&cmd=forumview&uid=newsroom001&cid=431&catuuid=F082D999- CF43-E090-B761BA94E58BDAFA THIRTY-SEVENTH PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM NADI, FIJI 24?25 OCTOBER 2006 FORUM COMMUNIQUE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT The Thirty-Seventh Pacific Islands Forum was held in Fiji, from 24-25 October 2006 and was attended by Heads of State and Government of Australia, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. New Caledonia and French Polynesia also attended the formal session as Associate members and Timor- Leste and Tokelau as observers. The Forum Retreat was held at Denarau, Nadi, Fiji 2. Leaders expressed their deep appreciation to the Government and People of Fiji for hosting the 2006 meeting and for the warm and generous manner in which they have been welcomed and for the arrangements made for the meetings. They also thanked the Prime Minister of Fiji for assuming the role of the chairmanship of the 37th Pacific Islands Forum at short notice. They commended the firm commitment of the Government of Fiji to the continuing process of promoting national unity, and called on all parties to continue to observe democracy and the rule of law. 3. Leaders extended their sympathies to the Government and people of Tonga on the recent passing of His Majesty, King Taufa?ahau Tupou IV of Tonga. Pacific Plan 4. Leaders welcomed the considerable progress made in implementing the Pacific Plan, noting that there were many significant initiatives gaining momentum under the Plan and that support from regional organisations and development partners had been a strong and positive feature to date. Leaders also noted the key challenges that need to be overcome in order for the Plan to be effectively implemented. Paramount was that of fully translating the regional initiatives being developed into plans and follow-up actions at the national level. Leaders agreed on a number of key commitments in order to move the Plan forward in the next twelve months. Prior ity areas for attention under the Pacific Plan are listed at Annex A. 5. Leaders called for efforts to intensify regional cooperation in relation to energy, transport and ICT. Leaders considered these focal areas to be particular priorities for strengthening regionalism which will deliver significant impacts to communities as well as strengthening intergovernmental processes in support of sustainable development, economic growth, good governance and security. They called on CROP agencies and member countries to develop detailed frameworks for intensifying regional cooperation including initial action steps for 2007, with a progress report to Leaders at the 2007 Forum. 6. Leaders recognised the detrimental impact on people and countries in the region of increased oil prices particularly in small island economies. They affirmed the importance of assured long-term energy security to the future prosperity of the region. They welcomed proposals to explore the possibilities for bulk petroleum purchasing and for exploitation of renewable energy resources. They called on SOPAC to convene a meeting of regional Energy Ministers as a matter of priority, to discuss the energy challenges facing the region, to take stock of work in train, and to assess the scope for strengthening regional cooperation in this sector, including in respect of alternative and renewable energy sources. 7. Leaders also recognised the importance of transport links to trade and economic growth as well as to the movement of people. They favoured a holistic approach to transport and transport security issues in the region. They called on the Secretariat to examine the scope for intensifying regional cooperation to ensure safe effective transport options building on the regional transport principles, including focusing on enhancing shipping services for Smaller Island States. 8. Leaders agreed that effective regional ICT would have significant beneficial impacts on private sector development and education in the region. They saw particular advantages for rural populations in accessing modern digital technology. They called for greater efforts to deliver these benefits to the grassroots level. Leaders welcomed the outcomes of the Meeting of Communications Ministers in New Zealand in March, which set out a stepladder approach to ICT development. They called for further work building on the outcomes of the Meeting. 9. Leaders emphasised the need to advance the various trade negotiations in which the region is engaged and for members to speedily conclude the domestic arrangements required for them to trade under the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA). Leaders reaffirmed the importance of the completion of the PACER impact study and gap analysis as reaffirmed at the 2006 Forum Trade Ministers Meeting, in order for Trade Ministers to consider the implications at their next meeting prior to the next Forum Leaders? Meeting. Labour Mobility 10. Leaders discussed the labour mobility scheme and recalled their decision the previous year to continue to consider the issue of labour mobility in the context of member countries? immigration policies. They agreed to continue to explore opportunities for developing labour mobility schemes that would benefit Forum Island Countries. 11. Leaders were briefed on an announcement to be made in New Zealand on 25 October 2006 on seasonal labour mobility. Leaders welcomed this development and looked forward to further details. 12. Leaders also welcomed the progress on the establishment of the Australia -Pacific Technical College, including the announcement by Australia, that the College headquarters would be located in Suva, Fiji with a network of training centers in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu. They noted the College?s focus on skills training in the automotive, construction and electrical, manufacturing trades, health and community services and hospitality and tourism fields would make a significant contribution to developing a skilled and competitive Pacific workforce. Leaders also welcomed Australia?s generous scholarships package to ensure equitable access to the training programmes of the College for smaller and more isolated Pacific communities. Regional Fisheries: Strategic Issues 13. Leaders noted the continued progress on their directive to seek greater sustainable returns from fisheries and to establish ministerial oversight of regional fisheries matters. They welcomed in particular the development of the FFA Ecosystem Approach to fisheries management; the template for model fisheries management legislation; the regional fisheries compliance strategy; and the Sustainable Development Framework for Pacific Fisheries. They also noted the status of the negotiation of a possible Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the EU; and the adoption of the Vessel Day Scheme by the parties to the Palau Arrangement. Deep Sea Bottom Trawling 14. Forum Leaders reiterated their concerns regarding the destructive fishing practices on seamounts in the Western Tropical Pacific Island Area (WTPIA) and in other areas of high seas in the WTPIA and adopted the Declaration on Deep Sea Bottom Trawling to Protect Biodiversity in the High Seas (attached as Annex B) to manage this method of fishing to protect biodiversity in the high seas. Climate Variability and Change, Sea Level Rise and Extreme Weather Events 15. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change 2006-2015 and noted that development of initiatives under the Framework is identified as a priority for action under the Pacific Plan, along with mainstreaming climate change into national sustainable development strategies. Leaders urged the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme to give priority to its work in translating the Framework into on-the-ground progress. Funding for Sustainable Development 16. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the sustainable management of natural resources and the use of locally managed and protected areas as a mechanism to enhance and contribute to the sustainable development of Members and as such to the implementation of the Pacific Plan. They welcomed the commitments made by Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (the Micronesia Challenge) as well as the substantial commitments made by Fiji and Kiribati. They encouraged Members to consider similar, substantial and specific commitments to the conservation and sustainable management of marine and terrestrial resources. Leaders also welcomed SPREP?s Island Life Campaign and the development of a Global Island Partnership to focus international attention towards national action for the conservation and sustainable use of island biodiversity. 17. They called on the international community to support members? efforts in determining the value of conservation to sustainable development and livelihoods; to match financial commitments already made to conservation and sustainable livelihoods in Forum member countries; and to assist in the development and resourcing of realistic financial plans in support of the conservation and sustainable use of their natural resources. Leaders tasked the Forum Secretariat to work with relevant CROP agencies, international organisations and NGOs to identify the value of conservation to the region?s sustainable development, and report on the progress of this initiative and steps taken to finance conservation commitments to the 2007 Forum Officials Committee and Leaders Meeting. Pacific Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS 18. Leaders noted the progress made in the implementation of the Regional Strategy on HIV and AIDS and re-affirmed their commitment to the achievement of the objectives of the Regional Strategy at all appropriate levels in their governments. Pacific Regional Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Project 19. Leaders welcomed the development of the Pacific Regional Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Project that builds in a sustainable way the capacity of Pacific Island Countries and Territories to deal with the potential threat of another pandemic and to prepare the response to other emerging diseases, in line with the International Health Regulations and regional guidelines and strategies. Leaders noted the ongoing need for commitment, at the highest political level, for the implementation of the project and International Health Regulations. Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) 20. Leaders acknowledged the strong contribution RAMSI has made to the restoration of security, governance and rehabilitation of the economy of the Solomon Islands; and agreed that given the many challenges which still lie ahead, it is important that RAMSI continue, in close consultation with the Government of Solomon Islands and the Pacific Islands Forum, its work as an integrated broad ranging mission and should be fully supported in its efforts by all regional partners. 21. Leaders agreed to establish a taskforce to expeditiously review RAMSI, to report back to Foreign Ministers who will make recommendations to Leaders, and agreed that in the meantime: (a) RAMSI will continue in its current form; and (b) that a consultation mechanism between the Government of Solomon Islands, RAMSI, and the Pacific Islands Forum be established, chaired by the representative of the Forum Chair and involving senior representatives of the Forum Troika of past, present and incoming chairs. 22. The Leaders further agreed that: (a) pursuant to this consultation mechanism, there should be quarterly consultations; (b) the consultative group will not be involved in operational decisions, but would act as a high level reference group and discuss the broad policy directions of RAMSI and progress achieved; and (c) the consultative group will report quarterly to Forum Leaders. Pacific Regional Assistance To Nauru 23. Leaders welcomed the achievements of the Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru since their last meeting. They reiterated their support for Nauru through its policy of good governance under the Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru framework, including supporting Nauru?s National Sustainable Development Strategy. Counter-terrorism 24. Leaders noted that a response to a terrorist incident in the region might include requests for external assistance and that a Regional Cooperation for Counter-Terrorism Assistance and Response model to facilitate such requests would be developed for consideration by the 2007 Forum Regional Security Committee and Leaders? Meeting. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty 25. Leaders encouraged Members, development partners, and all those other countries which have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). They noted that this year marks the tenth anniversary of the Treaty?s opening for signature and affirmed the importance of entry into force of the CTBT as a practical step and an effective measure towards nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. Leaders also encouraged Members who have agreed to host monitoring stations under the global verification regime to ensure that national arrangements required for setting up and operating the stations are established and maintained. Shipment of Radioactive Materials 26. Leaders reiterated their concerns about the risks of economic loss in an incident involving the shipment of radioactive materials through the Pacific, and restated their view that in the event of losses directly attributable to such an incident, there is an imperative on the shipping states not to leave the countries suffering those losses unsupported. Radioactive Contaminants in the Republic of the Marshall Islands 27. Leaders recognised the special circumstances pertaining to the continued presence of radioactive contaminants in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and reaffirmed the existence of a special responsibility by the United States of America towards the people of the Marshall Islands, who have been, and continue to be, adversely affected as a direct result of nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States during its administration of the islands under the UN Trusteeship mandate. They reiterated their call on the United States to live up to its full obligations on the provision of adequate and fair compensation and commitment to its responsibility for the safe resettlement of displaced populations, including the full and final restoration to economic productivity of all affected areas. They also noted the continuing dialogue between the Governments of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United States, including the U.S. Congress, Senate and Administration, and agreed to submit a letter to the United States Government urging it to meet its obligations as presented in the Marshall Islands' Changed Circumstance Petition to the United States. Leaders encouraged members to lend support to the Marshall Islands on this issue at the United Nations General Assembly and other international fora and to continue to assist by raising the issue with Members of the U.S. Congress. Regional Institutional Framework Review 28. Leaders considered the Regional Institutional Framework Review and agreed to establish a Taskforce to work through the issues that have been identified and report back to Leaders at their 2007 meeting. They also agreed that the time for the transition period should be left open. Leaders tasked the Forum Secretariat to proceed with an exercise aimed at refining its core priorities and to progress the recommendations relating to the establishment of regional offices or the placement of staff members in each member country. Post-Forum Dialogue Review 29. Leaders considered the Review of the Post-Forum Dialogue. They endorsed the recommendations of the review for implementation at the 2007 Post-Forum Dialogue subject to further discussions. Leaders noted that six Forum members have established diplomatic relations with Taiwan/Republic of China. They tasked the Forum Secretariat to undertake further work to ensure that the consultative relationship with all members? partners is at an appropriate level. Associate Members and Observers 30. Leaders approved the application of New Caledonia and French Polynesia for associate membership of the Forum. They invited Wallis and Futuna, the United Nations, Commonwealth Secretariat and Asian Development Bank to become Forum observers. Leaders deferred further consideration of applications by American Samoa and Guam until outstanding issues were resolved. Papua 31. Leaders welcomed the establishment by the sovereign authority, Indonesia, of the Papuan Peoples Assembly (MRT) and the moves towards the full implementation of the 2001 special autonomy law and the development of Papua. Leaders expressed concern about reports of violence in Papua and called on all parties to protect and uphold the human rights of all residents in Papua and to work to address the root causes of such conflicts by peaceful means. They also urged the Indonesian authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious crimes in the Province of Papua. North Korea 32. Leaders welcomed the unanimous United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 of 14 October 2006, which strongly condemned North Korea?s nuclear test, demanded that North Korea submit to the discipline of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty and eliminate its nuclear and Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes and imposed a range of wide-ranging sanctions. Forum members noted the Resolution reflected the international community?s determination that North Korea not be allowed to threaten international security. Leaders noted that North Korea was the only party placing conditions on reconvening the six-party talks, the most effective mechanism to resolve the nuclear issue, and a process to which the other five parties have committed in good faith. Forum members called on North Korea to return immediately and without delay to these talks and implement immediately the obligations it agreed to under the September 2005 Joint Statement. Results of the Smaller Island States Leaders? Summit 33. Leaders noted the outcomes of the Smaller Island States Leaders? Summit. Results of the Pacific ACP Leaders? Meeting 34. Leaders noted the outcomes of the Pacific ACP (PACP) Leaders? meeting. Appreciation 35. Leaders commended the outgoing Chair, Right Hon Grand Chief, Sir Michael T. Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, and his Government for their leadership of the Forum over the past year. Position of Secretary General 36. Leaders unanimously agreed to reappoint Mr Greg Urwin as Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat for a further term of three years. Venue 37. Leaders welcomed the Government of Tonga?s offer to host the 2007 Forum and noted the Government of Niue?s offer to host the 2008 Forum. Nadi, Fiji 24 October 2006 Annex A NADI DECISIONS ON THE PACIFIC PLAN In order to advance the Pacific Plan over the next twelve months, Leaders: Economic Growth ? Affirmed the importance of long-term energy security to the future prosperity of the region, requiring intensified regional engagement and endorsed the convening of a meeting of regional Energy Ministers and officials as soon as possible and before the Fifteenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (scheduled for April 2007); ? Task ed the Secretariat to prioritise its role in energy issues and called on SOPAC to provide leadership on the implementation of the Pacific Regional Energy Policy; ? Agreed that efforts be intensified in regional economic integration, including implementation of the PICTA and PACER, that more directly address the objectives of the Pacific Plan, and reaffirmed the importance of the completion of the PACER impact study and gap analysis as reaffirmed at the 2006 Forum Trade Ministers Meeting, in order for Trade Ministers to consider the implications at their next meeting prior to the next Forum Leaders? Meeting; ? Reaffirmed the need to coordinate intensified regional trade and economic initiatives with other regional priorities such as trade in services, including labour mobility, public health and other social/cultural benefits; ? Agreed that consideration be given to the establishment of an effective regional dispute resolution mechanism to deal with differences that may arise out of regional trade and economic agreements; ? In recognising the importance of the work underway in the ICT sector; and in particular, the establishment of the ICT Taskforce, urged the Taskforce to maintain and, if possible, enhance the momentum of its work, and supported the proposal to establish a Pacific Regional ICT Resource Center; ? Affirmed the importance of intensified regional action to ensure effective transportation within the region focusing on the needs of SIS members, including in respect of shipping services. Sustainable Development ? Requested regional organisations and development partners to assist countries improve access to and effectiveness of international financing under Multilateral Environment Agreements; ? Recommended that water, sanitation and hygiene challenges facing the region be directly addressed under the Pacific Plan through the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Sustainable Water Management; ? Expressed support for the regional initiatives being reported on in natural resource management and the environment, education and training and public health; Good Governance ? Agreed that regional support for good governance initiatives, including those promoted by the Forum Economic Ministers, be encouraged and intensified over the next twelve months; ? Agreed that greater attention be given to encouraging participatory democracy (Pacific Plan Initiative 12.6) and implementing international conventions on human rights (Pacific Plan Initiative 12.5) as essential tools to underpin improvements in institutional governance; Security ? Supported the recommendations of the Forum Regional Security Committee and other regional bodies working to enhance regional safety and security, including a focus on broader political and human security issues and the need to match them with national efforts; Implementation/Partnerships ? Agreed that aid effectiveness be made an integral part of the Pacific Plan and of the necessary national planning requirements under it; ? Committed their governments to take responsibility for implementing and reporting on the Pacific Plan, and to ensure that national policies and mechanisms on regionalism are in place by the 2007 Forum meeting; ? Directed that regional policy frameworks or action plans are mainstreamed at the national level under National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDS) or similar processes, and that regional organisations and development partners, work within such a framework; ? Committed their governments to pursuing national interests in ways that complement or support the overall interest of the region as well; ? Agreed that the Pacific Plan reports focus more on outcomes and benefits to member countries; and ? Reaffirmed that their intention to develop the Pacific Plan as a ?springboard? for debating and negotiating the region?s long term future be continued in an open and inclusive manner. Annex B DECLARATION ON DEEP-SEA BOTTOM TRAWLING TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY IN THE HIGH SEAS RECALLING the decision of the 36th Pacific Islands Forum leaders in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in October 2005 to develop an appropriate legal framework to manage deep-sea bottom trawling to protect biodiversity in the high seas; FURTHER RECALLING the 4th Pacific Community Conference in Palau in November 2005 that agreed with respect to deep-sea bottom trawling and high seas seamounts that SPC should work with FFA and other partners to develop an appropriate management framework for consideration by members; RECALLING the Pacific Islands Regional Oceans Policy endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum leaders in 2002 which aims to ensure the future sustainable use of our oceans and its resources by Pacific Island communities and partners, and the need to establish high-level leadership on oceans issues; RECOGNISING the critical importance of marine resources to the Pacific Island peoples; SERIOUSLY CONCERNED about the sustainability of fish stocks and the effects of destructive fishing practices on the marine environment, including high seas bottom trawling that has adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems; CONSCIOUS of the need to avoid adverse impacts on the marine environment, preserve biodiversity, maintain the integrity of marine ecosystems and minimize the risk of long-term or irreversible effects of fishing operations; NOTING that it is in the mutual interest of all fishing nations active in the region, and the Pacific Islands, to protect and preserve the marine environment; FURTHER NOTING the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction in the ?Western Tropical Pacific Island Area? should be based on the precautionary and ecosystem approaches using the best available science RECALLING the United Nations General Assembly resolution 59/25 which called upon States, either by themselves or through regional fisheries management organizations or arrangements, where these are competent to do so, to take action urgently, and consider on a case-by-case basis and on a scientific basis, including the application of the precautionary approach, the interim prohibition of destructive fishing practices, including bottom trawling that has adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems, including seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold water corals located beyond national jurisdiction, until such time as appropriate conservation and management measures have been adopted in accordance with international law; (2004 UNGA Resolution 59/25) RECALLING the relevant provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and in particular Articles 117, 118, 119, 192, 194(5), 197 and 206; FURTHER RECALLING the relevant provisions of the United Nations Agreement to Implement the relevant provisions of the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention relating to straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks, and in particular Articles 5 and 6; WELCOMING the ongoing discussions to establish a South Pacific Regional Fishing Management Organisation (RFMO), and supportive of efforts to cooperate to establish interim targeted protection mechanisms for vulnerable marine ecosystems; COMMITS the members of the Pacific Islands Forum to urgently take actions consistent with international law to prevent destructive fishing practices on seamounts in the Western Tropical Pacific Islands Area (WTPIA) and to prevent destructive fishing practices in other areas of high seas in the WTPIA until an appropriate environmental impact assessment has been carried out, effective conservation and management measures are implemented to protect affected ecosystems, and effective monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement measures are in place to measure to ensure that the measures are properly implemented and adhered to; CALLS UPON members of the Pacific Islands Forum to advocate for an interim prohibition on destructive fishing practices, including bottom trawling in areas beyond national jurisdiction where there is no RMFO under negotiation until appropriate conservation and measurement measures are in place; and to advance international efforts to institute an immediate interim prohibition on destructive fishing practices including bottom trawling in these areas. CALLS UPON members of the Pacific Islands Forum to advocate for interim conservation and management measures in areas where they are negotiating an RFMO by 31 July 2007. In the absence of such interi m measures, calls upon states to advocate for an interim prohibition on destructive fishing practices, including bottom trawling beginning on 1 August 2007 until such measures are in place. DETERMINES, to this end, to convene a meeting of regional fisheries management experts and legal advisers to contribute to the development of model legislation to guide the domestic implementation of this commitment. RECOMMENDS that consideration is also given to the use of other options to give greater international effect to the intent of this Declaration including; 1. the possible inclusion of the high seas areas in the tropical Pacific within the area covered by the proposed South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation or another RFMO with the necessary competence; 2. the possible development of a separate arrangement for the WTPIA area including relevant areas of the high seas and the Pacific Island countries and territories? EEZs in the form of a convention to address the impacts of destructive fishing practices; 3. where the science supports, to investigate the potential to use multiple use Marine Protected Areas in the WTPIA to prevent destructive fishing practices in the high seas enclosures beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. CALLS on the international community to support, and cooperate in, the implementation of this commitment to sustainable fisheries and, in particular urges flag states whose vessels operate in the WTPIA to promptly implement measures to ensure their vessels and nationals do not engage in destructive fishing practices in the WTPIA. --- http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005266009 Indonesian Province Infected With Bird Flu Down To 14 October 23, 2006 5:28 a.m. EST Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Jakarta, Indonesia (AHN) - Indonesia's National Commission of the Bird Flu Control and AI Pandemic Alertness has said that the number of bird-flu infected provinces in the country has dropped to 14 from the previous 30. Commission official Bayu Krisnamurthi said that 14 provinces have been declared from avian influenza (AI) virus in the past six months. He identifies the AI-free provinces as South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, West Sumatera, West Nusa Tenggara, and West Sulawesi. Bird flu cases were also not found in South Sumatera, Bangka Belitung, Riau, Jambi, East Kalimantan, Riau Islands and West Irian Jaya. Indonesia's Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said the positive development should encourage the government in preventing the virus to affect people. He said, "The problem is poultry. If we can control AI infection on poultry, the virus will not infect human beings." Between July 2005 and October 17, 2006, there were 72 cases of bird flu infections in Indonesia, and the virus has so far killed 55 affected people --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061014.G04&irec=3 516 pig-nosed turtles released back to their natural habitat Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika The Papua Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) has returned 516 pig-nosed turtles (Carettochelys Insulpta) to their natural habitat in the Mawati River in Papua after the Cikananga and Yogyakarta animal protection centers took care of them for four years. The animals were released on the border between the Lorenz National Park and giant copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia's contract work area. Their return was aimed at helping to replenish the protected turtles' stocks and educate people about the importance of animal conservation, Residents of Fanamo and Omawita villages turned out, delighted to see the native animals come back to their natural habitat. Poaching has drastically reduced the population of the turtles in the Mawati River. The turtles live in murky salt water in river delta areas, such as in mangrove forests, and in shallow, clear fresh water in the upper reaches of the river, such as in low lying forests. The marine animal, which can grow up to 50 cm long, is protected under a 1990 law on conservation and a 1999 government regulation on forest and animal protection. Pig-nosed turtles can be found only in Papua and Australia. Thousands of them have been captured in smuggling attempts around the country. Around 1,000 turtles were seized by BKSDA's Jakarta office at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in 2003, before they could be sent overseas. The confiscated turtles were eventually taken care of by the Animal Protection Center in Sukabumi, West Java. In March 2003, the East Java BKSDA confiscated as many as 7,000 pig-nosed turtles in Surabaya's Tanjung Perak Port. They were later sent to the Yogyakarta Animal Protection Center in January 2005. The two animal protection centers train and rehabilitate the animals before releasing them back into their natural habitat. >From the centers, the animals were sent to Papua through the translocation program, which involves medical tests, scrutiny by the Forestry Ministry and Quarantine Office, and document arrangements. The translocation process was conducted at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in Jakarta on Aug. 29, involving 2,632 pig-nosed turtles from Yogyakarta and 230 turtles from Sukabumi. A temporary station has been set up in Porsite, Timika, to help the animals recover from their 20-hour journey from Jakarta. It will also assist them in adjusting to their new diet and living conditions. The head of the Papua BKSDA's Timika Conservation Zone, Prianto S., said his office would continually monitor the progress of the pig-nosed turtles in the Mawati River. The office is also working to protect the turtles from smugglers. "We will regularly coordinate with related agencies and the police to combat poaching of Papua's endemic animal species," Prianto said. --- http://english.pravda.ru/news/hotspots/13-10-2006/85047-teacher-0 10/13/2006 18:28 Prosecutors demand 20 years jail term for suspect in US teacher killings in Indonesia Indonesian prosecutors Friday demanded seven men on trial for the murders of two American teachers at a U.S. gold mine in Papua province serve between 8 and 20 years in jail, the suspects' lawyer said. The men, all alleged members of Papua's rebel movement, walked out of the court before the sentence recommendations were read out in protest at what they have always maintained is an unfair trial, said attorney Johnson Panjaitan. Prosecutors demanded the alleged ringleader in the killings 30-year-old Antonius Wamang serve 20 years for premeditated murder, said Panjaitan. Three of the others should serve 15 years, while the final three should serve eight, prosecutors said, according to Panjaitan. The men are accused of opening fire on a vehicle carrying Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Oregon in 2002 with the mistaken belief that it was carrying soldiers hired to guard the mine. An Indonesian teacher traveling in the convoy was also killed in the ambush on an isolated road leading to the mine, owned by New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine Inc. Panjaitan said the men were convinced they could not get a fair trial in Jakarta and were demanding to be tried in Papua. "Since the beginning we have said this trial is a sham," he said. Under Indonesian law, judges are free to ignore prosecutor demands when sentencing, reports AP. Lawyers will respond to the sentence recommendations at the next hearing. Prosecutors allege the men were members of a small rebel army fighting for a separate state in the resource-rich eastern province. The mine has long been held by separatists as a symbol of Jakarta-rule over the province. The attack initially complicated ties between Jakarta and Washington amid suspicions that Indonesian security forces were involved. The FBI, which was involved in the arrests of the men last year, has unearthed no evidence to back up those suspicions. --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=22041 Ships with rice from Vietnam scheduled to arrive in Papua soon Jayapura (ANTARA News) - Ships carrying 240,000 tons of rice from Vietnam are expected to arrive in Papua province at the end of October, in the beginning of November 2006 or early in 2007, the head of the Papua Logistics Board (Bulog) Edy Busran said here Thursday. Of the 240,000 tons of rice imported by Bulog, 12,000 tons will be kept in the warehouses of the Logistics Depot (Dolog) in Sorong, Jayapura and Biak Numfor. The Vietnamese rice will be unloaded at Sorong port on October 30 and at Biak Numfor port on November 1. The Vietnamese rice arrived at Jayapura port on March 3, 2006. The Central Government has set the price of imported rice in Papua at Rp4,950 per kg. In Jayapura city and regency, imported rice is sold at Rp4,850/kg, lower than the price set by the government as in Jayapura the staple food can be transported by land. The 12,000 tons of rice from Vietnam for Sorong will be allocated for the town of Sorong, Raja Ampat, South Sorong, Fakfak, Kaimana, Bintuni Bay, in Mimika regency. The imported rice which had entered Biak will be allocated to Biak, Supiori, Waropen, Yapen, Nabire, Paniai and Puncak Jaya. The commodity is kept in Dolog warehouses in Jayapura and will be allocated to Jayapura city, Jayapura regency, Keerom, Sarmi, Jayawijaya, Tolikara, Yahukimo and Bintang mountain regency. The Papua Bulog will shortly distribute 3,000 tons of local rise from Surabaya and Makassar in this Indonesian easternmost province. Bulog now has 15,000 tons of rice stock in Dolog warehouses in Biak and Sorong.(*) From editors at kabar-irian.com Tue Oct 24 18:09:46 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:09:46 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] Kabar: Minggu K3 Okt 06 Message-ID: <1543.61.94.58.5.1161734986.squirrel@www.teuton.org> Kabar Irian (Papua) Minggu k3 bulan Okt 06 Topik2 * Lima Otak Kerusuhan Timika Jadi Tersangka * PEMDA Menata Kembali Otonomi Khusus Papua * Massa Marah, Kantor Bupati dan Gedung DPRD Dibakar * Kompleks Lingkaran Abepura, Terbakar * Puncak Jaya Rusuh * NAMA-NAMA KORBA * Masyarakat Aru Minta Gabung ke Papua * Suwae-Wamebu Pimpin Pemerintahan Kabupaten Jayapura * Berkunjung ke Kampung Muslim Suku Dani * Tahanan Kasus Bentrok di Abe Didapati Sedang Sakit * BIN Lobi Kongres AS * Di Wilayah Korem 171/PVT Ada 2 Perusahaan Raksasa * Wagub Papua Alex Hesegem: Carikan Alternatif Terbaik... * Wujud Rasisme Indonesia Terhadap Orang Papua! * Uang Akan Banyak Dilempar ke Desa * Dicurigai, Kerusuhan di Mulia Digerakkan * PNG Baru Pulangkan 8 Nelayan Papua * Kasus Abepura, Ketua Komnas HAM Tolak Jadi Saksi --- http://www.suaramerdeka.com/cybernews/harian/0610/17/nas9.htm Lima Otak Kerusuhan Timika Jadi Tersangka Jayapura, CyberNews. Direktur Serse dan Kriminal Polda Papua, Kombes Pol.Drs. Paulus Waterpauw, mengungkapkan pihaknya telah menangkap sembilan orang yang diduga sebagai otak perang antar suku di Kampung Kwamki Lama, Kabupaten Mimika, Papua di Timika, yang lima orang di antaranya ditetapkan sebagai tersangka dan mereka telah ditahan Mapolda Papua di APO, Jayapura. "Dari sembilan orang yang dimintai keterangan dalam kasus perang antar suku di Kwamki Lama belum lama ini, lima orang resmi dijadikan tersangka," kata Waterpauw kepada ANTARA di ruang kerjanya, Selasa (17/10) pagi. Kelima orang yang dijadikan tersangka dan ditahan dalam kaitan kasus perang antar suku Pegunungan Tengah di Kwamki Lama, sekitar 10 kilometer dari Kota Timika, adalah pimpinan Kelompok Atas yaitu Negro Wanimbo, Kelompok Bawah yaitu Yahuan Kogoya dan Aser Muribm sementara pimpinan Kelompok Tengah yaitu Elminus Mom dan David Wanimbo. Sedangkan empat orang yang dimintai keterangan sebagai saksi yaitu Erni Yokmal, Yun Wandikbo, Arun Murib dan Nemo Tabuni. Dikatakannya walaupun kelompok yang bertikai di Kwamki Lama itu telah mengadakan upacara perdamaian secara adat menurut versi mereka, hal itu tidak bisa menjadi jaminan memelihara perdamaian. Karena itu, harus ditetapkan hukum positif agar ke depan, masyarakat sadar tidak gampang saling membunuh satu sama lainnya. "Pemerintah menghargai hukum adat. Tetapi hukum adat tidak ada jaminan hukum yang pasti, maka diterapkan hukum positif, sehingga menjadi pendidikan dan pemahaman bagi masyarakat untuk tidak bertikai menyengsarakan orang lain maupun menganggu ketertiban dalam pembangunan secara menyeluruh di daerah itu," kata Waterpauw. Kombes Waterpauw menyayangkan kurang proaktifnya pejabat Pemkab Mimika, karena mereka kurang serius menangani persoalan pertikaian antar suku Pegunungan Tengah di Kwamki Lama yang menelan korban jiwa manusia dan kehilangan harta benda. Kelompok yang bertikai dalam perang suku di Kampung Kwamki Lama sejak 2006 yaitu Kelompok Suku Dani dan Kelompok Suku Damal. ( ant/cn05 ) --- Jumat, 13 Oktober 2006 Pemerintah Daerah Menata Kembali Otonomi Khusus Papua Susie Berindra Status otonomi khusus Papua sudah berjalan selama lima tahun. Masyarakat asli Papua yang perlu disejahterakan menjadi salah satu alasan utama dalam pemberian otonomi khusus itu. Apakah selama lima tahun ini sudah terlihat hasilnya? Data dari Kementerian Negara Percepatan Pembangunan Daerah Tertinggal mungkin bisa dijadikan gambaran. Provinsi Papua yang mempunyai 2.179 desa, 82,43 persen di antaranya termasuk kategori desa tertinggal. Desa yang paling banyak tertinggal ada di Kabupaten Yahukimo dan Kabupaten Pegunungan Bintang. Begitu pula dengan data keluarga prasejahtera dan sejahtera I yang jumlahnya hampir separuh lebih (271.278) dari seluruh jumlah keluarga di Papua (441.987) (Lihat Tabel). Dalam menentukan kategori desa tertinggal, Kementerian Negara PPDT menggunakan variabel jalan utama desa, lapangan usaha mayoritas penduduk, fasilitas pendidikan, fasilitas kesehatan, tenaga kesehatan, sarana komunikasi, dan persentase rumah tangga pengguna listrik. Ini menjadi terlihat ironis ketika melihat angka dana otsus dan dana alokasi umum (DAU) yang dikucurkan pemerintah ke seluruh wilayah Provinsi Papua. Dari tahun pertama, sejak Undang-Undang Nomor 21 Tahun 2001 tentang Otonomi Khusus Papua disahkan, dana otsus yang diterima terus meningkat setiap tahunnya. Bahkan, tahun depan sudah mencapai sekitar Rp 3,3 triliun. Lalu ke mana dana otsus yang seharusnya untuk kesejahteraan masyarakat Papua? Hingga kini pertanyaan itu belum bisa dijawab. Pertanggungjawaban dana otsus tidak pernah ada kejelasan. Alasan inilah yang kemudian mendorong masyarakat Papua berbondong-bondong akan mengembalikan status otsus ke pemerintah. Ketua Majelis Rakyat Papua Agus Alue Alua masih berharap Papua bisa lebih baik dengan status otsusnya. Salah satunya dengan pengelolaan dana otsus yang lebih baik. "Mulai tahun 2007 nanti, kami arahkan dana otsus untuk kesejahteraan orang asli Papua, dari kampung sampai kota. Selama lima tahun ini, dana otsus sudah lari tidak jelas ke mana," kata Agus Alue Alua. Tahun depan, mungkin Provinsi Papua akan mendapatkan dana otsus sebesar Rp 3,3 triliun. Agus mengharapkan MRP, DPRP, dan Gubernur Papua duduk bersama menyusun perencanaan pengelolaan dana otsus. Dengan demikian, kalau dana merata untuk semua masyarakat Papua, aspirasi politik untuk merdeka bisa diminimalisasi. Ketidakjelasan penggunaan dana otsus itu juga diakui oleh Gubernur Papua Barnabas Suebu. Selama ini, sebagian besar dana otsus malah digunakan untuk membiayai birokrasi pemerintahan. Rancangan Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah tahun 2006 yang diteliti oleh tim Universitas Negeri Papua menyebutkan, 36 persen atau 491 miliar dari seluruh dana otsus digunakan untuk menunjang kegiatan aparatur. Padahal, seharusnya belanja aparatur ini diambil dari dana yang bersumber DAU. UU Otsus Papua mengamanatkan, dana otsus digunakan untuk bidang pendidikan dan kesehatan. Akan tetapi, RAPBD 2006 menganggarkan dana otsus untuk pendidikan hanya 12,2 persen dan kesehatan sebesar 9,74 persen. Ekonomi kerakyatan yang mendapat sorotan dalam UU Otsus Papua pun hanya memperoleh 7,6 persen dari dana otsus. Inilah yang menjadi penyebab kesejahteraan masyarakat Papua masih jauh dari yang diimpikan. Barnabas, yang terpilih secara langsung dalam pilkada Maret 2006, menjanjikan suatu perubahan. Pengelolaan dana otsus akan diubah. Mulai tahun 2007, Barnabas menjanjikan bahwa sebagian besar dana otsus akan diberikan langsung kepada rakyat. Juru bicara Gubernur Papua Mathias Refra mengungkapkan, dana otsus akan langsung diberikan ke kampung (desa), tanpa melalui bupati/wali kota. Setiap kampung akan mendapatkan Rp 100 juta selama satu tahun. Bila di Papua ada 2.179 kampung, dana yang akan dialokasikan sebesar Rp 217,9 miliar. Dikhawatirkan, dana otsus langsung ke kampung ini malah akan memindahkan ketidakjelasan dana ke kampung. Mathias mengatakan, sebelumnya dana otsus yang disalurkan berupa proyek-proyek diberikan ke kepala dinas di tingkat provinsi dan kabupaten/kota. Yang terjadi kemudian, proyek untuk infrastruktur kampung, misalnya, tetap saja uangnya dipegang oleh kepala dinas yang ada di kota. "Kali ini, dana langsung ke kepala desa, untuk apa itu terserah kampung. Akan tetapi, kami juga akan melakukan pendampingan untuk mereka. Uang itu juga tidak langsung diberikan semuanya. Separuh dulu diberikan kemudian diminta pertanggungjawabannya. Kalau beres ya diberikan lagi separuhnya," ujarnya. Semua rencana yang baik bisa saja disusun. Sayangnya, tidak mudah untuk dilaksanakan. Anggota Pokja Papua Frans Maniagasi menginginkan apa yang telah direncanakan oleh pemerintah daerah Papua, harus disiapkan secara matang. "Oke- oke saja dana otsus langsung ke kampung, tetapi kepala desa juga harus dipersiapkan. Dan, jangan lupa setiap desa mempunyai karakteristik tersendiri, ada yang punya ondoafi (dewan adat) sehingga perlakuan pun harus berbeda," ungkapnya. Frans juga mengingatkan agar kesalahan Barnabas pada kepemimpinan yang lalu tidak terulang lagi. Dulu juga ada program turun ke desa, kemudian muncul Hotel Marouw di Biak yang diharapkan bisa menjadi tempat tujuan wisata. Sayangnya, kata Frans, sekarang ini, hotel itu malah menjadi bangunan tua. Itu baru satu masalah tentang dana otsus yang sudah diatur dalam UU Otsus Papua. Salah satu lainnya yang masih belum berjalan adalah hubungan tiga lembaga yang menjadi penyelenggara pemerintahan, yaitu MRP, DPRP dan Gubernur Papua. Bahkan, belum ada perangkat peraturan untuk itu. Selama lima tahun dijalankan, UU Otsus Papua baru menurunkan satu peraturan daerah provinsi, yaitu Peraturan Daerah Provinsi Papua nomor 4 Tahun 2005 tentang Tata Cara Pemilihan Anggota MRP. Padahal, UU Otsus Papua mengamanahkan adanya 18 perda provinsi dan 12 perda khusus. Mungkin ini juga bisa menjadi alasan sehingga dana otsus tidak dapat dikelola dengan baik. Wakil Ketua MRP Frans Woospakrik mengatakan, masing- masing lembaga mempunyai kewenangan berbeda, tetapi tetap saja harus ada satu aturan yang mengatur hubungan ketiganya. Dengan demikian, diharapkan koordinasi dan komunikasi di antara ketiganya bisa berjalan secara efektif. Untuk itu, Departemen Dalam Negeri juga telah mempunyai program pengembangan kapasitas (capacity building) untuk ketiga lembaga itu. "Pemerintah pusat pun harus memercayakan seutuhnya kepada kami untuk melaksanakan rumah tangganya secara utuh. Kami akan membuat semua aturan dan akan mengimplementasikan secara sungguh-sungguh, asalkan pemerintah percaya," ujarnya. Tanpa perangkat aturan (perdasi dan perdasus), pelaksanaan otsus Papua tentu saja tidak bisa dievaluasi. Kalau ukuran itu tidak dibuat dari sekarang, bagaimana nanti melihat evaluasi pelaksanaan otsus? Memang, masih banyak pekerjaan rumah yang harus dikerjakan oleh Papua. Masih banyak masalah yang memerlukan solusi di sana. Kabar keberhasilan dari Papua masih terus ditunggu. --- Harian KOMENTAR 14 October 2006 Gara-gara tidak puas pembagian BLT Massa Marah, Kantor Bupati dan Gedung DPRD Dibakar Pembagian Bantuan Langsung Tunai (BLT) di Puncak Jaya (Papua) berakibat fatal. Gara-gara masyarakat merasa tidak puas, buntutnya pecah kerusuhan. Massa yang marah kemudian melakukan pembakaran terhadap Gedung DPRD dan Kantor Bupati setempat, pukul 11.00 WIT, Jumat (13/10) kemarin. Tak hanya itu, massa yang emosional dan marah, juga merusak dan mengamuk di sepanjang jalan menuju Bandara Puncak Jaya. Polisi tak kuasa mencegahnya. "Sebab jumlah aparat kepolisian tidak seimbang dibandingkan dengan jumlah massa," ungkap Kabidpenum Mabes Polri Kombes Pol Bambang Kuncoko kepada wartawan di Mabes Polri, kemarin. Kerusuhan ini awalnya dipicu oleh 300 warga yang tidak puas dengan pembagian BLT. Sebagian besar warga mengaku belum pernah menerima jatah BLT dan tidak tercantum dalam daftar penerima BLT, padahal mereka berhak menerimanya. Bambang Kuncoko mengaku belum tahu jumlah korban, baik di pihak warga maupun aparat kepolisian. Hanya saat ini gedung DPRD sudah dijaga ketat aparat. "Jumlah anggota polisi yang menjaga tidak berimbang. Massa jumlahnya banyak sekali, belum ada laporan persis apakah kerusuhan sudah selesai atau belum," kata Bambang Kuncoko. Wakapolda Papua, Brigjen Pol Max D Aer menambahkan, dari laporan yang diterima, terungkap insiden itu berawal dari pembagian dana Bantuan Langsung Tunai (BLT) yang dibagikan kepada sekitar 300 masyarakat. Namun beberapa saat kemudian, mereka mengamuk dan mencoba membakar kantor bupati setempat. Awalnya hal itu dapat diatasi oleh aparat keamanan. Akan tetapi, jelas Wakapolda, beberapa saat kemudian massa yang jumlahnya sudah mencapai ribuan orang berhasil membakar gedung wakil rakyat tersebut. Sedangkan dua masyarakat dilaporkan terluka setelah kena tembakan. Menurut Wakapolda, sampai kemarin malam, situasi di wilayah itu sudah kembali tenang, termasuk massa yang kembali ke kawasan kota lama yang berjarak sekitar tiga kilometer dari lokasi. Melalui para tokoh agama, pihaknya telah meminta masyarakat untuk menyampaikan aspirasinya tanpa harus melakukan tindakan anarkis. Pihak keamanan juga akan menyelidiki apakah peristiwa itu murni atau ada yang menunggangi (provokator). Polda Papua, dikabarkan hari ini (14/10), akan mengirimkan satu peleton anggota Brimob. (dtc/zal) --- CENDRAWASIH POS Sabtu, 14 Oktober 2006 Kompleks Lingkaran Abepura, Terbakar *15 Unit Ruko, Puluhan Kamar Kos Ludes JAYAPURA-Lagi-lagi kebakaran melanda Kota Jayapura. Jika sebulan lalu (13 September) pasar Sentral Hamadi yang hangus, maka Jumat (13/10) kemarin giliran satu deret Ruko (Ruma Toko) di sebelah selatan Lingkaran Abepura, ludes terbakar. Meski tidak ada korban jiwa, namun dalam peristiwa tersebut kerugian materil diperkirakan mencapai ratusan juta. Sedikitnya 15 unit ruko dan puluhan kamar kos hangus terbakar. Data awal dari pihak kepolisan Polsekta Abepura menyebutkan, latar belakang terjadinya kebakaran tersebut, diduga dari api kompor masak milik salah satu rumah makan padang yaitu Rumah Makan Samudra. Dimana kompor itu meledak saat digunakan untuk memasak, ledakan tersebut selanjutnya menyebabkan api, lalu api tersebut cepat merembet mengenai minyak tanah dari kompor itu. Akibatnya api terus membesar dan mengenai dinding di dapur warung makan. Selanjutnya hanya dalam waktu sekejap mata, api itu sudah menjalar ke gedung-gedung ruko yang berdekatan dengan rumah makan tersebut, hingga membesar dan menghanguskan semua ruko, serta beberapa rumah kos yang ada di bagian belakang. Dari data dihimpun dari Polsekta Abepura, menyebutkan jumlah ruko yang ikut terbakar, kurang lebih 15 unit. Terdiri dari rumah makan, toko, serta Konter HP, dan penjahit pakaian, serta rumah-rumah kos diperkirakan belasan kamar. Tekait dengan musibah kebaran ini, polisi sudah memanggil empat orang saksi untuk dimintai keterangannya. Mereka masing- masing adalah pemilik rumah makan, serta pelayan di rumah makan yang diduga melihat komfor tersebut, meledak sehingga menyebakan kebakaran. " Kami baru panggil 4 orang saksi, dan saksi tersebut kemungkinan akan terus bertambah lagi, dan kami masih terus melakukan penyelidikan lanjuti,"kata Kapolresta Jayapura, AKBP, Robert Djoenso, didampingi Kapolsekta Abepura, AKP, Dominggus Rumaropen, S,sos di Abepura. Ketua RW 05/Kelurahan Hedam, Simon Rumkabu, mengatakan, rumah kos yang terbakat tersebut miliki 6 orang, dengan jumlah kamar sekitar 40. Dimana setiap kamar dihuni 2 orang, sehingga diperkirakan penghuni seluruh rumah kos berjumlah 60 orang lebih, yang terdiri dari mahasiswi dan kariawan-kariawati swasta. Peristiwa itu terjadi sekitar pukul 15.00 WIT menarik perhatian warga yang ada di wilayah Abepura. Bahkan Lingkaran Abepura yang dijadikan tempat perputaran angkutan kota (angkot) jurusan Kotaraja-Abepura, jurusan Entrop-Abepura, jurusan Abepura- Waena terpaksa ditutup. Pasalnya, selain karena jalan raya dipenuhi oleh masyarakat yang tumpah ruah menyaksikan kebakaran itu, jarak antara jalan raya dengan ruko yang terbar itu cukup dekat. Hanya sekitar 2 - 3 meter dari jalan raya. Hal ini yang membuat pihak kepolisian menutup Jalan Gerilyawan, termasuk di jalan di depan Mapolsekta Abepura ikut ditutup, dan baru dibuka sekitar pukul 18.00 WIT. Untuk mencegah kemacetan kendaraan dialihkan lewat jalan baru Kotaraja dan yang menuju Waena langsung jalur depan Kantor Pos Abepura. Dari pantauan Cenderawasih Pos, akibat musibah kebakaran itu, tidak semua harta benda atau barang-barang ikut diselamatkan. Bahkan sebagian penghuni kos-kosan yang sebagian besarnya berkerja di KFC Saga Mall Abepura, Toko Sumber Makmur dan sejumlah toko lainnya yang ada di wilayah Abepura langsung histeris melihat peristiwa tersebut. Tak hanya itu, saking kagetnya melihat kamar kos-kosannya sementara dilahap api ada yang pingsan. "Saya tinggal dimana lagi, tidak ada tempat tinggal dan barang yang selamat," kata salah seorang perempuan yang mengenakan kaos biru sambil memeluk temannya. Masih dari pantauan Cenderawasih Pos, lagi-lagi mobil pemadam kebarakan terlambat datang ke tempat kejadian. Mobil pemdam itu baru tiba setelah api sudah mau padam, alias bagunan tersebut sudah hampir habis dilahap api. Parahnya lagi, pemadam yang baru tiba setelah kebarakan sudah berlangsung sekitar 1,5 jam itu hanya sebentar bisa berfungsi, kemudian macet dan air yang dibawa tidak bisa semuanya bisa dialirkan, dan awalnya itu hanya satu mobil. Bahkan, mobil kebakaran yang datang terlambat itu diteriaki oleh ribuan massa yang hadir menyaksikan kebaran itu. "Huuu, huuu....., pulang saja," teriak ribuan orang yang melihat mobil yang datang terlambat itu. Sementara itu, Kepala Dinas Ketertiban dan Keteteraman Kota Jayapura Terry Levin saat dikonfirmasi dengan keterlambatan itu, ia tidak memberikan komentar terlalu jauh, namun raut mukanya juga sedikit agak kecewa karena kerterlambatan mobil tersebut. "Bagaimana bisa datang cepat kalau berada di APO Jayapura," ujarnya singkat. Disinggung soal mobil pemadam yang terbatas dan terkesan sudah tua, Terry juga menjawabnya dengan singkat. "Sudah tahu baru tanya lagi, tanya saja pada rumput yang bergoyang," ujarnya singkat lagi. Wakil Ketua Komisi B Muhammad Darwis Massi, SE juga mengaku cukup menyangkan dengan pemadam kebarakan yang sering kali terlambat datang ke lokasi kejadian setiap kali terjadi kebakaran. "Setiap kali terjadi kebakaran pasti mobil kebakaran yang bermasalah tersebut, sudah terbatas jumlahnya dan tua, juga lambat datang di lokasi. Ini yang perlu menjadi perhatian serius Pemerintah Kota Jayapura," tegasnya via telepon seluler kemarin. Anggota Dewan dari PKS Kota Jayapura ini juga mempertanyakan anggaran pengadaan mobil kebakaran sebesar Rp 2 miliar yang terkesan lambat direalisasikan. Termasuk penempatan mobil kebaran yang dipusatkan hanya di Jayapura. "Mestinya mobil pemadam kebakaran ini ditambah dan itu anggaranya sudah ada. Kemudian untuk wilayah Abepura dan Kotaraja juga harus ada supaya kalau ada kebakaran bisa cepat tertangani," tandas Massi.(cak/it ---- CENDRAWASIH POS Sabtu, 14 Oktober 2006 Puncak Jaya Rusuh *Kantor DPRD Hangus, Kantor Bupati dan 40-an Bangunan Dirusak JAYAPURA-Kerusuhan yang disertai pengrusakan, Jumat (13/10) kemarin terjadi di ibukota Kabupaten Puncak Jaya, Mulia. Kantor DPRD hangus dibakar, kantor bupati serta perkantoran pemerinta lainnya dirusak. Bahkan puluhan bangunan milik swasta dan masyarakat ikut jadi korban. Amuk massa itu terjadi diduga akibat pembagian dana kompensasi Bahan Bakar Minyak (BBM) berupa dana Bantuan Langsung Tunai (BLT) yang tidak merata, sehingga memicu kecemburuan, karena masih banyak warga yang belum terima dana tersebut. Kerusuhan itu mulai terjadi sekitar pukul 10.30 WIT. Kantor DPRD Puncak Jaya hangus terbakar. Berikutnya kantor bupati, sejumlah kantor dinas, kantor distrik, kantor pos, rumah dinas, rumah warga, hingga rumah makan dan lain-lainnya, mengalami rusak berat. Bukan hanya itu, kerusuhan ini juga mengakibatkan 3 anggota polisi mengalami luka-luka, 4 warga mengalami luka tembak, dua warga lagi luka-luka serta seorang PNS tewas-tetapi kematiannya diduga kuat akibat over dosis. Dari data yang diperoleh dari Polda Papua menyebutkan, tiga anggota polisi yang mengalami luka-luka itu adalah AKP Slamet Haryono (Luka di Kaki Kanan Akibat Lemparan Batu), Ipda Hans Fairaaf (Luka di Kaki Kanan Akibat Lemparan Batu) dan Bripda Yusuf Toding (Luka di Kaki Kiri Akibat Lemparan Batu). Sedangkan warga yang mengalami luka-luka antara lain, Mondip Tabuni (Luka Tembak), Lele Telenggen (Luka Tembak), Eterina Telenggen (Luka Tembak di Kaki Kanan), Yondiron Wanimbo (Luka Tembak) dan Mekiton Wenda (Terkena Lemparan Batu dari Massa). Adapun warga yang meninggal adalah Libius Tabuni (PNS). Saat kejadian, ia diduga dalam keadaan mabuk obat Dextro Metropam dan ikut bergabung dengan massa lari naik tanjakan, sehingga diduga akibat over dosis ia meninggal saat berada di tengah massa. Kepala Bidang Hubungan Masayarakat (Kabidhumas) Polda Papua, Kombes Pol. Drs. Kartono Wangsadisastra saat ditanya wartawan menjelaskan, penyebab kerusuhan diduga gara-gara pembagian dana BLT. ''Dimana masih ada masyarakat yang belum kebagian, sehingga memicu kecemburuan. Mungkin akibat hal itu ada yang merasa kecewa atau bagaimana, sehingga terjadilah kerusuhan itu," katanya. Terkait warga yang meninggal itu, ia menegaskan bahwa yang bersangkutan bukan karena terkena tembakan aparat, tetapi diduga kuat akibat over dosis obat. "Diduga karena kondisinya sudah dalam keadaan mabuk, sehingga di tengah kondisi yang panas dan mungkin saling berdesak-desakan, sehingga ia jatuh dan terinjak-injak warga yang lainnya," tuturnya. Kerusuhan yang terjadi secara spontan itu diduga bermula dari lapangan GIDI Mulia, yang mana massa yang tidak puas dengan pembagian dana kompensasi BMM atau BLT itu saling lempar antar masyarakat sendiri yang kemudian berbuntut pada pengrusakan kantor DPRD, kantor pemerintah dan rumah-rumah warga serta sejumlah toko. Menurut Kabidhumas, meski aparat Polres Persiapan Puncak Jaya melakukan antisipasi terhadap aksi kebrutalan massa yang diperkirakan mencapai ribuan orang itu, namun aksi tersebut susah dibendung. ''Saking banyaknya massa dan sudah beringas, maka aparat kuwalahan dan nanti setelah sekitar pukul 15.00 WIT, situasi baru mulai terkendali,''paparnya. Terkait jumlah kerugian material, belum bisa dipastikan, karena masih dalam pendataan. Namun data awal menyebutkan bahwa kasus kerusuhan ini mengakibatkan kerugian sekitar Rp 30 miliar. Sementara terkait dugaan adanya provokator dalam aksi kerusuhan tersebut, polisi masih melakukan penyelidikan lebih lanjut. Termasuk mengumpulkan beberapa barang bukti. Sementara untuk mengantisipasi hal-hal yang tidak diinginkan, Polda Papua akan mengirimkan tim dan sejumlah pasukan ke Puncak Jaya untuk memback up Polres Persiapan Puncak Jaya dalam pemulihan situasi di Mulia Puncak Jaya. Kabarnya, hingga tadi malam kondisinya sudah kondusif, meskipun juga menjadi sepi.(fu --- CENDRAWASIH POS Sabtu, 14 Oktober 2006 NAMA-NAMA KORBAN *POLISI 1. AKP Slamet Haryono (Luka di Kaki Kanan Akibat Lemparan Batu). 2. Ipda Hans Fairaaf (Luka di Kaki Kanan Akibat Lemparan Batu). 3. Bripda Yusuf Toding (Luka di Kaki Kiri Akibat Lemparan Batu). WARGA 1. Mondip Tabuni (Luka Tembak). 2. Lele Telenggen (Luka Tembak). 3. Eterina Telenggen (Luka Tembak di Kaki Kanan). 4. Yondiron Wanimbo (Luka Tembak) 5. Mekiton Wenda (Terkena Lemparan Batu dari Massa). 6. Libius Tabuni/PNS (Meninggal Diduga Akibat Overdosis) Dextro Metropam BANGUNAN YANG DIRUSAK 1. Kantor DPRD Puncak Jaya (Hangus Dibakar). 2. Kantor Bupati (Rusak Berat dan Dibakar, Namun Berhasil Dipadamkan). 3. Kantor Dinas Pendidikan dan Pengajaran. 4. Kantor Dinas Pekerjaan Umum. 5. Kantor Dinas Pendapatan Daerah. 6. Kantor Statistik (Dibakar, Namun Berhasil Dipadamkan). 7. Mes Keuangan Pemda Puncak Jaya. 8. Kantor Distrik Mulia (Rusak Berat). 9. Rumah Kadistrik Mulia (Rusak Berat). 10. Kantor Pos Mulia (Rusak Berat). 11. Puskesmas Mulia (Rusak Ringan). 12. Seluruh Kios-Kios di sepanjang Jalan di Pasar Inpres Mulia. 13. Rumah Makan Parahyangan. 14. Rumah Makan Mutiara. 15. Rumah Makan Puja Salera. 16. Perumahan Dinas Kesehatan (Rumah Dokter). 17. Perumahan DPRD sebanyak 17 Unit. 18. APMS ACP Mulia. 19. APMS ACP Bustomi. 20. SD Inpres Mulia. 21. Perumahan di sepanjang Jalan Papua, baik sebelah kanan maupun kiri. 22. Kantor PDIP. 23. Sekretariat Golkar. 24. Rumah Tingkat Yohanes Paliling. 25. Konter HP (Dirusak dan dijarah). 26. Bengkel Ardi. 27. Kios Padang. 28. Mobil Dinas PU (Kaca Hancur). 29. Rumah Kasubag Anggaran. 30. Rumah Kasubag Pemerintahan. 31. Rumah Kabid Kepangkatan. 32. Rumah Dinas Kepala BKD.(*) --- http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0610/14/sh11.html Masyarakat Aru Minta Gabung ke Papua Jayapura-Masyarakat yang berdomisili di Kabupaten Kepulauan Aru, Provinsi Maluku, saat ini telah menyatakan sikap untuk bergabung dengan masyarakat di Provinsi Papua dalam satu wilayah pemerintahan definitif. Ketua Forum Perjuangan Masyarakat Kepulauan Aru Masuk ke Papua, Victor Pekpekay kepada wartawan di Jayapura, Jumat (13/10), mengatakan keinginan bergabung dengan Papua sudah lama diperjuangkan. Namun itu tidak pernah ditindaklanjuti kepada pemerintah pusat, dan kini saatnya masyarakat Kabupaten Kepulauan Aru bangkit dan ingin bergabung dengan saudaranya yang ada di Papua. "Secara administratif Kepulauan Aru merupakan daerah otonom yang dimekarkan menjadi sebuah kabupaten definitif melalui No 40 Tahun 2003 dengan memiliki tiga kecamatan dan 119 desa, dengan jumlah penduduk sebanyak 75.059 jiwa," ujarnya. Komitmen masyarakat Aru bergabung dengan Papua dilandasi kesamaan kultur sosial budaya, seperti sosiologi dan antropologi, kesamaan ciri, seperti penduduk asli banyak berkulit hitam dan berambut keriting. Selain itu, masyarakat Kepulauan Aru selama bersama Provinsi Maluku, merasa kehilangan identitas diri dan mendapat ketidakadilan dalam porsi jabatan stategis dalam pemerintahan. (ant) --- Suwae-Wamebu Pimpin Pemerintahan Kabupaten Jayapura (ANTARA) Jayapura, 14 Oktober 2006 12:54 Pasangan bupati dan wakil bupati terpilih Jayapura, Papua periode 2006-2011, Habel Melkias Suwae dan Zadrak Wamebu, secara resmi menakodai pelaksanaan roda pemerintah di Kabupaten Jayapura, lima tahun kedepan. Bupati Habel Suwae, kepada wartawan di Jayapura, Sabtu (14/10), mengatakan bahwa dia dan wakilnya kini resmi sebagai pemenang pilkada sekaligus menduduki jabatan kursi nomor satu dan dua di Kabupaten Jayapura. Dikatakan, dirinya dan wakilnya telah memenangkan gugutan empat kandidat lainnya di Pengadilan Negeri (PN) Jayapura pada Rabu (11/10), sehingga keluar sabagai pemenang dengan meraih suara terbanyak pada pilkada bupati Jayapura 8 September lalu. "Saya dan Zadrak Wamebu sekarang sudah siap untuk dilantik menjadi Bupati dan Wakil Bupati Jayapura periode kedua, karena masih dipercayakan rakyat untuk membangun Kabupaten ini lima tahun kedepan," tegas Suwae. Konseptor program pemberdayaan distrik dan kampung itu, optimis setelah dilantik nanti, dirinya bersama wakilnya akan bekerja dengan sungguh-sungguh untuk mengembangkan dan melanjutkan program pembangunan yang sudah dilaksanakan lima tahun sebelumnya untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat di daerah ini. Program pemberdayaan distrik dan kampung yang dikerjakannya selama lima tahun pertama memimpin Kabupaten Jayapura, sudah banyak dirasakan masyarakat, terutama di kampung-kampung terpencil. Keberhasilan program pembangunan tersebut bukan semata-mata kinerja bupati sendiri, tetapi didukung seluruh masyarakat di kabupaten Jayapura. Alokasi dana pemberdayaan distrik sebesar Rp 1,2 miliar untuk setiap distrik itu akan terus ditingkat dalam kepemimpinannya yang baru bersama wakilnya Zadrak Wamebu. Suwae berharap, seluruh masyarakat kabupaten Jayapura mendukung semua program yang akan dicanangkan untuk dilaksanakan dalam lima tahun kedepan, termasuk program pemberdayaan distrik. Khusus program pemberdayaan distrik ini akan dipoles lebih baik lagi dengan menaikan alokasi dana sehingga mampu menjawab kesejahteraan masyarakat. Suwae dan Wamebu berkomitmen membangun Kabupaten Jayapura yang maju dan mandiri lebih baik dari lima tahun yang lalu dan lebih memberdayakan masyarakatnya melalui alokasi dana Otonomi Khusus Papua. [EL, Ant] --- Jawa Pos Group Publication Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Berkunjung ke Kampung Muslim Suku Dani di Walesi, Papua Sahur Makan Hipere, Buka Tetap Hipere DJOKO SETYANTO, Jayawijaya Masyarakat muslim Suku Dani yang tinggal di Kampung Walesi, Distrik Wamena, Kabupaten Jayawijaya, Papua, mengisi Ramadan ini dengan sederhana. Mereka sudah menghindari menu babi. Gantinya ubi jalar dan air putih. PULUHAN tahun di bawah pangkuan republik ini. Kabupaten Jayawijaya tetap terbelakang. Kampung Walesi yang masuk Distrik Wamena Kota sebetulnya hanya berjarak sekitar 10 kilometer dari pusat kota. Tapi, karena hanya terhubung dengan jalan tanah, dengan naik sepeda motor, Cenderawasih Post (Grup Indo Pos) butuh sekitar 45 menit untuk sampai di. sana. Suasana Ramadan mulai terasa begitu Cenderawasih Post sampai di masjid kampung tersebut. Sore menjelang magrib itu, anak-anak dan orang dewasa Suku Dani yang berkausbeberapa di antaranya mengenakan baju koko dan berkopiah hajitampak berjalan kaki menuju masjid. Untuk ukuran Walesi, masjid yang diberi nama Masjid Al-Aqsa tersebut lumayan besar. Bahkan, di sekitar masjid ada asrama yang ditempati sekitar 50 siswa-siswi (santri). Lingkungan masjid dikelilingi pagar kayu. Anak-anak yang baru datang tampak mengambil air wudhu dari tempat yang berbentuk mirip kolam ikan. Karena rendahnya posisi pancuran kolam itu, anak-anak berambut keriting dan berkulit hitam itu hampir berjongkok saat berwudhu. Seperti umumnya masjid, menjelang saat berbuka, disediakan pula makanan berbuka. Jika umumnya masjid di Jawa menyiapkan kurma, kue-kue, atau kolak, masjid di Walesi hanya menyediakan hipere (ubi jalar) atau nasi. Selain disiapkan oleh anak-anak asrama, sebagian penganan tersebut dibawa warga sekitar masjid. Minumnya teh manis "Makanan pokok kami memang hipere. Karena itu, buka puasanya juga hipere," ungkap H Aipon Asso, salah seorang kepala suku di saria yang sudah berhaji pada 1990. Dia mengaku, Kampung Walesi merupakan salah satu kampung yang dihuni warga muslim suku Dani dari Lembah Baliem (Papua). Seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya, kata dia, bulan suci Ramadan ini diisi berbagai amal ibadah oleh warga kampungnya. Hanya, kata Aipon, meski sebagian besar warga Walesi adalah pemeluk Islam, banyak wargayang tak menjalankan puasa. Mereka yang tak berpuasa umumnya adalah kaum ibu. "Ibu-ibu itu umumnya bekerja di kebun," jelasnya. Menurut dia, saat sahur, ibu-ibu tersebut sebetulnya" berniat berpuasa dan ikut sahilr. Namun, jika sudah bekerja di ladang, banyak yang mengaku kecapaian. "Kalau mereka kuat, ya bisa menuntaskan puasa sehari penuh. Tapi, kalau tidak kuat, mereka membatalkan puasa," katanya. Seperti umumnya masyarakat di Kabupaten Jayawijaya, warga Wamena dan Walesi sangat miskin. Meski mereka tinggal di tanah yang sangat subur dan luas. Untuk berbuka puasa atau makan sahur, umumnya keluarga hanya makan ubi jalar yang direbus atau dibakar serta minum air putih. Baru kalau ada gula, mereka membuat teh atau kopi. Mereka jarang makan daging. Termasuk, makan daging babi, kebiasaan orang Papua yang kini dilarang setelah mereka muslim. Ceramah salat tarawih atau subuh juga tak seperti umumnya di tempat lain. Jika yang membuat jadwal ceramah di masjid-masjid lain adalah panitia amal bulan Ramadan, di Walesi, pengisi ceramah dijadwalkan oleh PHBI (Panitia Hari Besar Islam) Kabupaten Jayawijaya. "Kami di sini tinggal mengikuti," katanya. Di tengah tekanan kemiskinan seperti itu, kata Aipon, masyarakat muslim di Walesi yang merasa mampu juga membayar zakat fitrah. "Kami membayarnya tidak dengan beras karena makanan pokok kami memang hipere. Itu kami lakukan sejak beberapa tahun lalu," ujarnya. Dia menyatakan, perkembangan Islam di Walesi lumayan bagus. Jumlah penduduk asli yang muslim di Walesi saat ini sekitar 960 jiwa. Mereka tinggal secara berkelompok dan terpisah-pisah di honay-honay (rumah masyarakat Wamena) di sana. "Hubungan kami dengan saudara saudara kami yang beragama Kristiani berjalan baik. Dan, itu berlangsung sejak lama," ungkapnya. Selain di Walesi, penduduk suku Dani (salah satu suku besar di Jayawijaya) yang beragama muslim dan .mendiami Kota Wamena saat ini sekitar 5.000 orang. "Mereka tersebar di beberapa tempat seperti di Kampung Walesi sini, Kampung Megapura, Hitigima, dan Kampung Araboda (Distrik Asologaima)," jelasnya. Hanya, meski sudah banyak yang beragama Islam, mereka masih sulit dipisahkan dari adat istiadat serta budayanya. Misalnya, soal mengonsumsi daging babi dan acara adat bakar batu dalam suatu pesta. Namun, dari tahun ke tahun, perkembangannya menggembirakan. Rambu-rambu Islam mulai dipahami. Misalnya, dalam penyelenggaraan pesta adat, meski ada bakar batu, biasanya daging babi hanya diperuntukkan bagi yang nonmuslim. "Tapi, bakar batunya dikerjakan bersama-sama, "jelasnya. Menurut Aipon, orang Lembah Baliem memang tidak bisa dipisahkan dari babi. Sebab, babi identik dengan harta kekayaan dan pangkat tiap-tiap kian seorang yang ditokohkan. "Semakin banyak babi yang dimiliki, orang itu semakin terhormat. Dia sangat disegani dan dihormati sanak saudara dan kerabatnya," jelasnya. Sebagai warga muslim, sedikit demi sedikit mereka mulai memahami serta mengerti aturan yang diajarkan Islam. Namun, dalam praktik sehari-hari, hal itu tidak mudah. "Mengubah pola hidup masyarakat yang sudah terbiasa dengan adat dan kebiasaan turuntemurun ke pola yang baru sesuai ajaran Islam harus pelan-pelan," katanya. Disinggung tentang anak-anak asrama, umumnya mereka konsekuen menjalankan puasa. Kebutuhan sahur dan buka puasa disediakan orang-orang asrama. "Mereka sangat membutuhkan uluran tangan umat muslim lainnya. Kalau tidak ada bantuan, mereka sahur dan buka seadanya," ujarnya. Aipon mengaku bangga terhadap anak-anak asrama. Sebab, dari hari ke hari, mereka menunjukkan perkembangan yang cukup pesat. Misalnya, sudah banyak yang pandai membaca dan menulis Arab (Alquran), menunaikan salat lima waktu, dan ibadah lainnya. "Kami sangat bersyukur, berkat bimbingan Pak Anwar, Pak Arsyad, dan Pak Sumadi, mereka sekarang makin pintar," jelasnya. (Dibantu Joko Suhendro) --- CENDRAWASIH pOST Jumat, 20 Oktober 2006 Tahanan Kasus Bentrok di Abe Didapati Sedang Sakit *LP Membantah Tak Perhatikan Kesehatan Mereka JAYAPURA-Seiring dengan adanya laporan dari tokoh agama yang tergabung dalam PGGP (Persatuan gereja-gereja Papua) ke Komnas HAM Papua bahwa para terdakwa Kasus Bentrok di Abepura yang jumlah mencapai 15 orang, sedang sakit, maka Kamis (19/10) kemarin, Komnas HAM menindaklanjutinya dengan membesuk mereka di Lembaga Masyarakat Abepura. Dari hasil kunujungannya itu, Komnas HAM Papua memang melihat bahwa para terdakwa tersebut umumnya memang mengalami penurunan kesehatan. "Salah satu point yang kami cek dalam pertemuan tadi (kemarin)terhadap para tahanan Bentrok Abe adalah mengenai kondisi kesehatan para tahan tersebut dan memang mereka rata-rata mengalami kesakitan,"kata Ketua Komnas HAM Papua, Alber Rumbekwan kepada wartawan usai menemui para tahanan Bentrok di Abepura tersebut. Menurut Rumbekwan, selama ini kesehatan para tahanan Bentrok Abepura, kurang diperhatikan, sehingga kesehatan mereka menurun. ''Hal itu, bisa dikategarikan pelanggaran HAM,''tandasnya. Secara terpisah Kekapala Lembaga Pemasyarakatan Abepura, Johon Yarangga, membantah kalau pihak LP tidak memperhatikan kesehatan para tahanan itu. Menurutnya, semua tahanan termasuk para terdakwa Kasus Bentrok di Abepura, semua diperhatikan kesehatannya. ''Tidak benar bila kesehatan para tahanan Bentrok Abepura itu kurang diperhatikan. Selama ini, upaya-upaya pelanyanan kesehatan selalu diberikan baik kepada tahanan maupun narapidana, termasuk tahanan Kasus Abe itu,''ujarnya. Bahkan jika ada yang membutuhkan perawatan, juga dibawa ke rumah sakit untuk mendapatkan perawatan. ''Menyangkut tahanan yang mempunyai status tahanan jaksa maupun hakim, kami selalu berkordinasi dengan pihak-pihak tersebut dalam melakukan pertolongan medis. Dan bila memerlukan pertolongan cepat, maka kami biasa mengantar ke UGD di Rumah Sakit terdekat,"lanjutnya. Meski demikian bukan berarti tak ada masalah. Adalah soal fasilitas kesehatan yang ada di LP. Menurut Johan Yarangga, Lapas Abepura kurang memiliki fasilitas kesehatan, semisal soal perawat atau dokter, lalu sarana dan prasarana yang sangat minim. "Walaupun begitu, kami selalu berusaha untuk memberikan pelanyanan medis kepada semua narapidana yang merasa sakit. Caranya, kami menjalin kerja sama dengan pihak rumah sakit,"pungkasnya.(cak --- CENDRAWASIH POS Sabtu,21 Oktober 2006 BIN Lobi Kongres AS *Untuk Diskusikan Masalah Papua, Aceh dan Soal Munir JAKARTA-Lobi Badan Intelejen Negara (BIN) mengalir sampai ke Kongres Amerika Serikat (AS). Badan yang kini dipimpin Syamsir Siregar tersebut telah mendekati Kongres AS untuk mendiskusikan soal Munir, hubungan kerja sama militer Indonesia-AS, masalah Aceh, dan Papua. "Keterangan ini semakin jelas dari kunjungan kami ke Kongres AS," kata Koordinator Badan Pekerja Kontras, Usman Hamid, yang saat ini sedang berada di AS mendampingi Suciwati melalui email. Sebelum berangkat ke AS, Usman memang sudah pernah mengatakan bahwa dirinya pernah mendengar jikalau BIN melobi Kongres AS soal Munir. "Ternyata ini benar," lanjutnya. Makanya salah satu tujuan mereka bertemu Kongres untuk meng-counter informasi yang didapatkan Kongres jikalau keterangan yang disampaikan BIN soal Munir tidak benar. Keterangan adanya lobi BIN itu didapatkan Usman saat dia bersama Suciwati mendatangi satu per satu perwakilan anggota Kongres AS baik dari kalangan demokrat dan republikan di Washington D.C Rabu lalu. Saat itu yang mereka temui adalah Mc Dermott, Patrick Kennedy, Wolf, dan Kirk. Dalam lobinya itu, BIN bukan hanya untuk kasus tewasnya Munir, tapi juga soal Papua dan Aceh. Alih-alih lobi BIN itu berhasil, menurut mereka, sejumlah anggota Kongres AS masih terus mempertanyakan kasus ini dan menyayangkan belum adanya respon atas surat yang pernah dikirim kepada Presiden SBY. Pada 9 November 2005, 68 anggota Kongres AS memang mengirimkan surat kepada Presiden SBY mempertanyakan keseriusan pemerintah dalam menuntaskan kasus Munir. Tak berhenti di sini, pada Kamis lalu, giliran Suciwati mendatangi gedung parlemen AS. Di sana dia menemui kalangan senator, antara lain Jonah Blank dan Tim Rieser. "Seperti di Kongres, kalangan senator juga membenarkan kehadiran perwakilan BIN pasca pemulihan hubungan militer AS-Indonesia," lanjut Usman. Sejumlah kebijakan luar negeri AS, termasuk kebijakan ekonomi, kerja sama keamanan militer dengan Indonesia memerlukan dukungan anggota Kongres AS. Lobi yang dilakukan Usman dan Suciwati pada Kongres dan senat AS pada gilirannya memang bisa berdampak pada sikap AS terhadap Indonesia. Kamis lalu itu mereka juga berkunjung ke State Department AS. Kemarin mereka kembali ke New York untuk mengadakan pertemuan dengan Pelapor Khusus PBB untuk Extra Judicial Executions Philips Alston. Dia juga dikenal sebagai profesor hukum dan HAM di Universitas New York. Harapannya, seperti yang sudah dilakukan Hina Jilani (Perwakilan Khusus Sekjen PBB) dan Leandro Despouy (pelapor khusus pembela HAM), Philips Alston juga menulis surat pada pemerintah Indonesia tentang kasus Munir. "Lebih dari itu supaya Indonesia mengundang dua pejabat PBB itu sekaligus untuk membantu pengusutan kasus Munir," lanjutnya. Di Jakarta, Kapolri Jenderal Pol Sutanto mengatakan jika tanpa ada tekanan sekalipun pihaknya akan tetap menuntaskan kasus ini. "Ini perhatian kita, tanpa perlu desakan kita akan tuntaskan. Masa kita biarkan kejahatan? Pembunuhan lagi, tapi ini butuh pembuktian," katanya. (naz) --- MANOKWARI POS Jumat, 20 Oktober 2006 Di Wilayah Korem 171/PVT Ada 2 Perusahaan Raksasa Danrem: Ada Atau Tidak Ada Pilkada Korem Tetap Siap MANOKWARI-Wilayah tugas Korem 171/Praja Vira Tama (PVT) yang berpusat di Sorong cakup luas, selain meliputi Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat,sebagian lokasi tugasnya berada di Provinsi Papua,yakni Kodim Timika. Namun, Danrem 171/PVT, Kolonel Inf Suyatno kepada Manokwari Pos disela-sela kunjungan kerjanya di Manokwari kemarin menyatakan, hingga saat ini belum ada rencana pengembangan satuan territorial setingkat Kodam, Korem ataupun Kodim. ''Belum ada rencana ke arah itu,'' tukasnya menjawab pertanyaan. Kondisi keamantan di wilayah Korem 171/PVT terkhusus lagi di Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat lanjut Danrem cukup kondisif. Menurutnya hal ini dapat terwujud berkat kerjasama antar semua komponen masyarakat untuk menjaga keamanan dan ketertiban. ''Situasi Provinsi Irian Jaya Barat sangat kondusif.Kami tetap meminta dukungan kepada masyarakat untuk selalu menjaga keamanan dan ketertiban yang sudah tercipta ini,'' tukas Danrem yang datang ke Manokwari dalam rangka serahterima jabatan Dandim 1703/Manokwari. Selain cakupan wilayah Korem 171/PVT yang dulunya berpusat di Manokwari ini cukup luas juga terdapat dua perusahaan tambang raksasa,yakni Freeport dan BP Indonesia dengan LNG Tangguh di Kabupaten Teluk Bintuni. Dua perusahaan raksasa ini menjadi tugas aparat kemanan bersama semua komponen untuk menjaganya. ''Dua objek vital ini harus kita jaga karena dapat memberi manfaat bagi masyarakat secara luas,'' paparnya lagi. Kalau sampai saat ini belum ada rencana pendirian satuan territorial,namun lanjut Danrem, jajaran TNI-AD tetap melalukan penambahan-penambahan pada komponen sarana penunjang, seperti perbaikan sarana serta penambahan pasukan. ''Kalau menambahan sarana itu tetap berjalan. Kita tetap terus menata diri,'' tukasnya. Disinggung mengenai situasi kamtibmas menjelang pelaksanaan Pilkada Walikota-Wawalikota Sorong yang rencananya akan digelar 16 November, dengan enteng dijawab Danrem bahwa ada atau tidaknya Pilkada jajarannya terus siap. Pilkada ini pun diharapkan dapat berlangsung aman dan lancar, semua komponen masyarakat dapat bersikap dewasa. ''Ada atau tidak ada Pilkada kita tetap siap.Tidak ada keistimewaan (Pilkada),'' tandasnya.(lm --- SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY Wagub Papua Alex Hesegem: Carikan Alternatif Terbaik dalam Penyaluran SLT [JAKARTA] Wakil Gubernur Papua Alex Hesegem meminta Pemerintah Kabupaten Puncak Jaya dan Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) agar menyelesaikan masalah yang terjadi di Mulia akibat penyaluran dana subsidi langsung tunai (SLT) secara arif dan bijaksana. Masyarakat harus diajak berdialog dan dicarikan alternatif terbaik, sehingga mereka merasa tidak dirugikan. Ciptakanlah keadilan bagi kesejahteraan rakyat setempat. Harapan itu disampaikan Wagub Papua, Alex Hesegem, dalam percakapan dengan Pembaruan melalui telepon dari Jayapura, Sabtu (14/10) pagi, terkait dengan kerusuhan yang terjadi akibat pembagian SLT di Kabupaten Puncak Jaya, Jumat (13/10). Kejadian itu menyebabkan Libius Tabuni, salah seorang pegawai negeri sipil yang bekerja di kantor bupati setempat meninggal. Sedangkan empat warga lainnya, yaitu Mendip Tabuni, Lele Telengen, Eterina Welengen,Yondirom Wanimbo menderita luka-luka akibat kena tembakan polisi. Dalam insiden itu tiga polisi mengalami luka-luka terkena lemparan batu, yakni AKP Slamet Haryono, Ipda Hans Fairaaf, dan Bribda Yusus Toding. Sedangkan seorang warga sipil, yakni Mekiton Wenda. Dalam kasus itu, Wagub Hesegem menegaskan, untuk masa mendatang, penyaluran dana SLT harus benar-benar diperuntukkan bagi mereka yang membutuhkan. Dengan demikian, tidak menimbulkan konflik dan mengorbankan rakyat. "Saya minta untuk ke depan, Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) Papua dan Pemkab Puncak Jaya maupun kabupaten-kabupaten lainnya melakukan pendataan yang teliti dan detail sehingga benar-benar memperoleh data akurat tentang masyarakat yang layak menerima SLT," ujarnya. Wagub minta kerusuhan yang terjadi akibat pembagian SLT itu diselesaikan sampai tuntas agar tidak menimbulkan konflik berkelanjutan. "Layanilah masyarakat dengan baik dan penuh cinta kasih dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan mereka," tandasnya. Situasi Kondusif Sementara itu, dari Mulia, dilaporkan jam malam di Kota Mulia mulai diberlakukan, terkait pembagian dana kompensasi bahan bakar minyak (BBM) berupa SLT. Akibatnya kerusuhan itu, kantor DPRD Kabupaten Puncak Jaya dibakar massa hingga rata dengan tanah. Bahkan massa juga merusak kantor Bupati, Dinas Pendidikan dan Pengajaran, Dinas Pekerjaan Umum, Dinas Pendapatan Daerah, Statistik, Mes Keuangan Pemda, Kantor Distrik Mulia, Rumah Kepala Distrik, Rumah Kasubag Anggaran, Kasubag Pemerintahan, Kabid Kepangkatan, Kantor Pos Mulia, Rumah makan dan kios-kios di sepanjang Pasar Mulia, Perumahan Dinas Kesehatan, Kantor Golkar, PDI Perjuangan, SD Inpres Mulia, dan 17 Unit Perumahan DPRD. Kerusuhan berawal dari ribuan warga yang saling berebut untuk mengambil dana SLT. Banyak di antara mereka tidak mempunyai kartu SLT kemudian ditolak. Akibatnya, massa yang tidak punya kartu SLT membuat keonaran dan suasana tidak terkendali dan kerusuhan pun terjadi. Sementara itu, Kepala Bidang Hubungan Masyarakat (Kabid Humas) Kepolisian Daerah (Polda) Papua, Kombes Pol Drs Kartono yang dihubungi Pembaruan, Sabtu pagi, mengatakan, suasana di Mulia sudah kembali kondusif. Polda Papua, katanya, Sabtu pagi mengirimkan tim dan sejumlah pasukan setingkat satu SPP dari Brimob yang dipimpin Karo Ops Polda Papua Kombes Sumeka, untuk membantu Polres Persiapan Puncak Jaya dalam mengamankan situasi. Ditambahkan, kerugian akibat kerusuhan masih didata. Namun, data awal diperkirakan sekitar Rp 30 miliar. Ulah Provokator Manajer Pemasaran PT Pos Jayapura Yohanes Unggul yang dihubungi Sabtu pagi ini menegaskan, masyarakat yang tidak menerima kartu SLT bukan tanggung jawab pihaknya. "Tugas kami hanya untuk membayar," ujarnya. Namun, kejadian itu diakibatkan kelelahan masyarakat yang menunggu pembagian. "Selain kelelahan dipicu lagi dengan ulah provokator untuk mengacaukan pembagian SLT," tegasnya. Berbeda dengan pembagian SLT yang dilakukan di Jayawijaya dengan jumlah penerima 65.000 orang berlangsung lancar. Begitu juga di daerah lain Papua berjalan baik dan aman-aman saja. Berdasarkan data dari Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) alokasi kartu dana SLT di Puncak Jaya sebanyak 22.286 orang. Sebenarnya pembagian bisa berlangsung lancar bila dibandingkan dengan Jayawijaya. Pendataan Sementara itu, Kepala BPS Papua, J A Djarot Soetanto, saat dihubungi Pembaruan, Sabtu pagi ini di Jayapura, mengatakan SLT kini memasuki tahap penyaluran I, II III dan IV. Walaupun penyaluran tahap I dan II diakui masih ada sebagian kecil keluarga miskin yang belum menerima haknya. Namun, BPS tetap mengambil inisiatif untuk melanjutkan penyaluran. Diungkapkan, penyaluran mengalami kendala pada pendataan. Di samping itu, masalah faktor letak geografis dan cuaca masih menjadi kendala bagi BPS dalam melakukan penyaluran. Dikatakan, kejadian Mulia disebabkan petugas pendataan di wilayahnya tidak sepenuhnya melakukan pendataan dengan benar. Akibatnya, terjadi salah pendataan hingga menghambat proses penyaluran bahkan menimbulkan insiden seperti itu. "Namun demikian hal itu telah diambil hikmahnya sehingga ke depan, masalah kesalahan dalam mendata dapat diminimalisasi," ujarnya. [ROB/GAB/W-8] Last modified: 13/10/06 --- *Peradilan Antonius Wamang Cs : Wujud Rasisme Indonesia Terhadap Orang Papua!* * * *Oleh : Everistus Kayep* * * PROSES PERADILAN Antonius Wamang, Agustinus Anggaibak, Joni Kasamol, Julianus Deikme, Pdt Ishak Onawame, Hardi Tsugumol, Esau Onawame dan Jairus Kibak (Antonius Wamang Cs) di Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Pusat merupakan sebuah kejahatan kemanusiaan karena proses peradilan tersebut bernuansa Rasisme. Secara kasat mata, orang akan menilai proses peradilan terhadap 7 warga sipil Papua yang dituduh sebagai pelaku penembakan 2 warga Negara AS, Ricky Lynn Spier asal Littleton Colo, dan Leon Edwin Burgon asal Sun River Ore serta 1 warga Negara Indonesia, FX Bambang Riwanto, di Mile 62-63 Tembagapura pada 31 Agustus 2002 itu sebagai proses yang wajar dalam penyelesaian kasus tersebut secara kredibel dan transparan dalam rangka Penegakan Hukum di Indonesia. Kenyataannya, Proses Peradilan tersebut dibaluti pandangan Rasisme. Rasisme dalam kasus ini memenuhi apa yang oleh George M. Fredericks dikategorikan sebagai Rasisme Biologis. Rasisme Biologis adalah cara pandang dan tindakan diskriminatif yang berkaitan dengan identifikasi terhadap etnis atau suku bangsa tertentu sebagai "*yang lain*" atau "*the others*" hanya karena perbedaan ciri-ciri fisik. Rasisme model ini adalah sebuah pandangan kuno dan lapuk yang menganggap bahwa investasi berharga yang dimiliki setiap manusia adalah warna kulit, rambut, asal suku bangsa dan umumnya - RAS tertentu. Pandangan Rasisme Biologis inilah yang menjadi basis obyektif dijadikannya Antonius Wamang Cs sebagai kambing hitam dalam kasus penembakan di Mile 62-63 untuk mencairkan hubungan ekonomi, politik dan teristimewa hubungan militer, antara AS dan Indonesia dari kebekuan karena berbagai pelanggaran HAM yang terjadi di Indonesia, antara lain dalam kasus-kasus Tanjung Priok, Timor Leste menjelang dan pasca jajak pendapat, dan yang terutama adalah penembakan 2 warga negara AS di Mile 62-63 Tembagapura pada tahun 2002. Dalam perkembangan sejarahnya, Pandangan Rasisme Biologis biasanya digunakan oleh Bangsa-Bangsa berkulit terang (biasanya disebut kulit putih) untuk menindas Bangsa-Bangsa berkulit gelap (biasanya disebut kulit hitam). Penindasan yang merupakan penyangkalan terbuka terhadap kemanusiaan ini dikembangbiakkan secara vulgar pada zaman kolonialisme dan masih terus berkembang dengan suburnya pada zaman modern ini. Untuk membedah pandangan Rasisme Biologis yang membaluti proses peradilan Antonius Wamang Cs, kita dapat menggunakan klasifikasi jenis rasisme ini menurut Dr. Nicolaus Gregorio Faraclas. Menurut Dr. Faraclas, Rasisme (Biologis) terbagi menjadi Rasisme Legal, Rasisme Institusional dan Rasisme Personal yang tidak hanya berlaku pada jaman penjajahan, tetapi masih terus berkembang dengan subur di jaman modern ini. Masih menurut Dr. Faraclas, Rasisme Legal, Institusional dan Personal biasanya menemui lahan suburnya dalam sebuah negara dimana Orang Kulit Putih (Terang) dan Orang Kulit Gelap (Hitam) hidup berdampingan bersama dengan status kewarganegaraan yang sama. Rasisme Legal beroperasi di wilayah Hukum, Undang-Undang dan Peraturan-Peraturan, artinya bahwa Hukum, Undang-Undang dan Peraturan-Peraturan yang berlaku dalam sebuah negara tertentu biasanya diarahkan oleh kelompok ras pengendali kekuasaan untuk merugikan kelompok ras tertentu. Kelompok ras yang dirugikan ini adalah mereka yang tidak punya akses yang memadai dalam sistem kekuasaan legal. Mereka biasanya dianggap rendah dan dalam banyak kasus, mereka adalah yang berkulit gelap (kulit hitam). Rasisme Institusional beroperasi di tingkatan Institusi atau Lembaga, artinya bahwa lembaga-lembaga resmi yang menjalankan Hukum, Undang-Undang dan Peraturan-Peraturan dalam sebuah negara semuanya dikendalikan oleh kelompok ras tertentu sehingga dalam setiap kasus, pasti merugikan ras lain. Sedangkan Rasisme Personal lebih mengarah pada tataran individu atau orang per orang, artinya bahwa rasisme dipraktekkan secara langsung, dimana Orang Kulit Terang menganggap rendah Orang Kulit Gelap, hanya karena mereka memiliki ciri-ciri fisik yang berbeda. Rasime tipe ini biasanya dipraktekkan secara perorangan. Dengan menggunakan "Alat Teropong" diatas, marilah kita mencoba meneropong proses peradilan Antonius Wamang Cs yang dituduh sebagai pelaku penembakan di Mile 62-63. Sebelumnya, agar tidak membingungkan, kita perlu menempatkan Antonius Wamang Cs dalam posisi yang mewakili Ras Kulit Gelap (Hitam), sedangkan Pimpinan Rezim saat ini (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Cs), Kepolisian Republik Indonesia (Jenderal Sutanto Cs), Hakim Ketua (Andriani Nurdin Cs), Jaksa Penuntut Umum (Anita Asterida Cs) dan Agen FBI (Paul Ryan Myears Cs) perlu ditempatkan dalam posisi yang mewakili Ras Kulit Terang (Putih). (* Bersambung*) --- Jumat, 20 Oktober 2006 (CEPOS) Uang Akan Banyak Dilempar ke Desa *Hasil Musrencbang, Pembangunan di Papua Konsentrasi Pada 4 Hal JAYAPURA-Jika selama pelaksanaan Musyawarah Perencanaan Pembangunan (Musrenbang) Provinsi Papua berlangsung secara tertutup, maka di akhir kegiatan yang berlangsung tiga hari itu, Kamis (19/10) kemarin, Gubernur Papua Barnabas Suebu, membeberkan hasil-hasilnya. Menurut Gubernur Suebu, dari Musrencbang tersebut, telah disepakati bahwa pelaksanaan pembangunan di tahun 2007 nanti, Pemerintah Provinsi Papua bersama Pemerintah Kota dan Kabupaten, akan konsentrasi pada empat point penting. ?Ada 4 agenda penting yang merupakan hasil Musrencbang yang akan kita laksanakan pada tahun 2007 nanti,? kata gubernur kepada wartawan di Sasana Krida Kantor Gubernur Papua, Dok II. Empat agenda penting tersebut antara lain, pertama terciptanya good government di Papua yang dicapai melalui reformasi birokrasi, reformasi anggaran belanja, pengembangan sistem baru dalam anggaran belanja dan jasa, serta peningkatan capacity pada titik lemah mulai dari tingkat provinsi, kabupaten/kota, hingga distrik. ?Dengan demikian diharapkan pemerintahan yang ada nanti akan semakin cerdas melayani rakyat dengan sebaik-baiknya,? ujarnya. Agenda kedua adalah perbaikan kesejahteraan rakyat yang difokuskan pada perbaikan kesejahteraan rakyat di kampung-kampung melalui program perbaikan makanan dan gizi rakyat, perbaikan dan peningkatan mutu kesehatan dan pendidikan. Untuk menuju kea rah tersebut akan diadakan program pengembangan ekonomi rakyat melalui perumahan dan infrastruktur. ?Untuk program ini, kami akan sediakan uang sebesar Rp 100 juta dalam bentuk block grand yang langsung diserahkan ke kampung- kampung,? ungkapnya. Hanya saja block grand ini, bisa dilakukan ketika rakyat sudah siap untuk merencanakan hingga mengelola anggaran melalui suatu kegiatan, bukan dalam bentuk proyek. Dengan dana itu, rakyat akan melaksaakannya sendiri, mempertanggungjawabkan sendiri dan dapat dipertanggungjawabkan. Terkait dengan kemampuan pengelolaan ini, pemerintah saat ini menyiapkan tenaga pendamping melalui program pendampingan. ?Di sini rakyat akan dilatih, dibimbing dan didampingi sehingga mereka bisa mengelola dana secara benar, bertanggung jawab dan dapat dipertanggungjawabkan,? ujarnya. Sesuai rencana, dana block grand ini akan terus diturunkan dari tahun ke tahun hingga 5 tahun, sehingga total dana yang akan turun nanti mencapai Rp 2,9 triliun. Dana yang cukup besar tersebut, nantinya beredar di masyarakat dan akan merangsang pertumbuhan ekonomi di daerah pedesaan atau kampong itu. ?Inilah yang disebut dengan pembangunan kewilayahan,? imbuhnya. Tak hanya itu, dengan tetap menfokuskan pada pembangunan rakyat di kampung-kampung, juga akan dilaksanakan program dalam bentuk sektor, baik itu melalui sektor pendidikan, kesehatan, pertanian, perkebunan maupun lainnya. Semua sektor itu akan digerakkan langsung dengan tetap berkoordinasi dengan sektor yang ada di tingkat kabupaten dan kota. ?Dengan demikian, program tersebut akan turun dan bertemu dengan program yang ada di bawah secara spasial,? jelasnya. Hanya saja diingatkan agar agar tetap ada kordinasi mulai dari tingkat kampung, distrik, kabupaten/kota hingga provinsi. Sementara agenda ketiga adalah gubernur dan bupati sepakat untuk menjadikan Papua sebagai tanah damai, tertib, masyarakatnya taat pada hukum dan menghormati Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM). ?Namun dari itu semua, perlu ada sistem yaitu contoh, low invetmen, kesadaran masyarakat serta karakter hidup tertib,? katanya. Agenda keempat adalah percepatan pembangunan infrastruktur melalui pembangunan sarana dan prasarana transportasi, baik laut, udara maupun darat secara terintegrasi. Untuk kepentingan tersebut, ada tambahan dana sekitar Rp 1 triliun yang ditujukan untuk peningkatan pembangunan bandar udara, pelabuhan atau dermaga, serta ruas jalan darat untuk mewujudkan trans Papua. ?Dengan begitu, strategi untuk membuka keterisolasian wilayah akan tercapai,? ungkapnya. Dengan adanya infrastruktur ini,maka dengan sendirinya akan merangsang pertumbuhan ekonomi di daerah tersebut, karena ada akses untuk kesana. Untuk infrastruktur ini pula, juga direncanakan akan dibangun suatu studi untuk perkeretaapian yang akan dimulai pada tahun anggaran 2007 mendatang. ??Infrastruktur lainnya adalah ketersediaan air bersih di daerah-daerah yang kesulitan air bersih,??ujarnya. Tak hanya itu, ditekankan pula tentang program energi dalam jangak panjang, dimana listrik di Papua selalu tersedia cukup dengan harga yang murah melalui pengembangan biodisel dan listrik tenaga air. Yang unik dari musyawarah tersebut adalah antara Pemprov dan kabupaten kota tidak lagi membicarakan bagaimana membagi?bagi ?kue?, tetapi bagaimana dengan yang ada, pelayanan akan lebih besar diarahkan ke tingkat bawah. ?Semua bupati secara spontan mendukung hal ini. Kita sepakat bahwa anggaran berpihak pada rakyat,? tegasnya. Kalau sudah demikian, lanjut gubernur, apa yang disebutnya piramida terbalik bisa terwujud. Yaitu suasana dimana semua sistem pelayanan, pembangunan, hingga anggaran yang ada lebih banyak dinikmati oleh masyarakat di tingkat bawah dalam rangka mewujudkan masyarakat Papua yang adil makmur dan sejahtera di dalam Papua Baru. Gubernur Minta Maaf Sementara itu terkait dengan kekecewaan wartawan pada saat pembukaan Musrencbang yang tidak diperbolehkan meliput, Gubernur Suebu menyampaikan permohonan maafnya. Ia mengatakan bahwa ada hal-hal tertentu yang tidak boleh diliput langsung oleh wartawan, sehingga berlangsung tertutup. Hal ini dilakukan karena dikhawatirkan akan dipahami lain, sehingga penulisannya juga akan diterjemahkan lain. ?Jadi bukan sengaja menutup-nutupi, tetapi karena memang ada hal-hal tertentu yang tidak boleh diliput langsung oleh wartawan dan mungkin begitu gaya saya,? katanya. Kendati ada beberapa wartawan yang keberatan, namun dengan penjelasan yang lugas dan tegas, akhirnya semua wartawan bisa memahami.(ta) --- Sabtu,21 Oktober 2006 (CEPOS) Dicurigai, Kerusuhan di Mulia Digerakkan JAYAPURA-Wakapolda Papua, Brigjen Pol. Drs. Max Donald Aer, menegaskan bahwa kasus kerusuhan yang terjadi di Mulia, Kabupaten Puncak Jaya, Jumat (13/10) lalu kemungkinan ada aktor intelektualnya "Kasus yang terjadi seminggu lalu itu, patut kita duga ada penggeraknya, karena sumber penyebabnya di lokasi kota lama, tetapi kemudian masa bergerak menuju ke kota baru dan langsung melakukan pembakaran. Ini indikasi yang sedang kita dalami," kata Brigjen Pol. Drs. Max Donald Aer saat ditanya wartawan, Jumat (20/10) kemarin. Dikatakan, untuk mengungkap kasus ini pihaknya berangkat dari data yang diperoleh dari TKP (Tempat Kejadian Perkara), dari saksi-saksi yang diperiksa dan kemudian dikembangkan. ''Kita akan terus dalami, apakah betul karena spontanitas atau ada pihak yang sengaja memprovokasi atau menggerakkannya," tandas Wakapolda. Menurutnya, dugaan-dugaan atau pendapat yang berkembang akan ditampung dan akan dijadikan bahan untuk pengembangan penyelidikan. "Yang jelas kita serap semua masukan yang ada dan akan kita jadikan bahan dalam pengembangan penyelidikan," tegas Max Donald Aer. Terkait upaya penegakan hukum dalam kasus ini, tim penyidik setidaknya telah melakuka pemeriksaan terhadap sekitar 10 orang, tetapi belum ada yang jadi tersangka. "Semuanya belum ada yang ditahan, mereka baru sebatas saksi. Jika ada keterangan baru yang menguatkan, maka bisa saja di antara mereka ada yang jadi tersangka," paparnya. Ditanya soal kendala mengapa hingga seminggu belum ada yang jadi tersangka, pihaknya menyatakan kalau kondisi daerah yang bergunung-gunung dan berbukit-bukit, sangat menyulitkan aparat dalam mengungkap kasus ini. Apalagi kejadian itu bersifat massal. "Kejadiannya bersifat massal dan kondisi daerahnya seperti itu. Jadi kendala yang dihadapi kita bisa maklumi. Sebab massa cukup banyak, sementara kondidi daerah cukup sulit. Kalau di tempat sini mungkin banyak handicam yang bisa merekam, seperti yang dipunyai wartawan, tapi disana terbatas dan ketika itu persiapannya juga mungkin juga nggak sempat," ujar Wakapolda. Dengan adanya kasus kerusuhan ini ada hal yang menjadi atensinya kedepan, yaitu tentang masalah minuman keras. "Informasi yang saya dengar, di sana (Puncak Jaya) banyak peredaran minuman keras. Saksi mata yang sudah diperiksa juga menyatakan, kerusuhan itu bermula dari massa yang dalam kondisi dipengaruhi minuman keras," paparnya. Selain di Puncak Jaya, di Polres-Polres lain juga akan diingatkan untuk lebih waspada terhadap peredaran minuman keras. "Sebab Miras yang masuk ke Puncak Jaya adalah melalui udara. Karena itu Polres yang ada bandaranya seperti Jayapura (Sentani), Timika, Nabire dan Wamena harus benar-benar mengawasi masalah Miras itu. Kalau 4 bandara ini saling kerjasama, saya yakin, masalah peredaran Miras ini bisa diantisipasi," tegasnya. (fud) --- http://www.gatra.com/2006-10-23/versi_cetak.php?id=98874 NASIONAL Pelanggaran Batas Negara PNG Baru Pulangkan 8 Nelayan Papua Jayapura, 23 Oktober 2006 08:22 Baru delapan dari 16 nelayan RI asal Jayapura, Papua, yang ditangkap polisi Papua Nugini (PNG) dipulangkan pekan lalu setelah ditahan di penjara Vanimo, ibukota Provinsi Sandaun. Kepala Kantor Badan Urusan Perbatasan Setwilda Provinsi Papua, Philips Marey mengatakan, di Jayapura, Minggu (22/10), ke-16 nelayan asal Jayapura itu beberapa waktu lalu ditangkap polisi PNG di perairan perbatasan RI (Jayapura)-PNG saat sedang mencari ikan. Dikatakan, karena nelayan tersebut menangkap ikan sampai memasuki perairan negara tetangga itu sehingga akhirnya mereka ditangkap dan dibawa ke Vanimo. Ke-16 nelayan itu pada umumnya bertempat tinggal di Jayapura dan disidangkan di Pengadilan Vonimo, PNG dan ditahan di penjara, jelas Marey. Menurutnya, delapan orang nelayan yang sudah dipulangkan pemerintah PNG ke Jayapura karena keluarganya telah membayar denda kepada pemerintah negara tetangga itu. Sementara enam orang nelayan lainnya kini masih berada di dalam tahanan di Vanimo karena keluarganya belum membayar denda kepada pemerintah PNG, ujar Marey tanpa menyebutkan berarpa besar denda bagi setiap nelayan yang dituhkan pengadilan Vanimo. Ia mengakui, nelayan-nelayan RI asal Jayapura sering mencari ikan hingga memasuki perairan PNG, karena tidak ada tanda yang terpasang di perairan laut kedua negara. Hal ini yang membuat para nelayan itu tidak sadar mencari ikan hingga memasuki perairan negara tetangga itu, tamnah Marey. Dikatakan, tanda yang ada di pesisir pantai perbatasan RI-PNG hanya sebuah tugu yang dubangun di antara Kampung Skouw (Jayapura) dengan Kampung Wutung (Vanimo) yang dilengkapi dengan mercusuar. Dengan demikian kalau pada siang hari lampu mercu suar yang ada di perbatasan itu tidak kelihatan membuat para nelayan melewati perbatasan ke negara tetangga itu, kata Marey, Ia menilai, untuk mengantisipasi agar ke depan tidak terjadi lagi kasus serupa, maka perlu diadakan sosialisasi oleh instansi terkait di Jayapura kepada para nelayan RI agar tidak melakukan pelanggaran yang sama. [EL, Ant] --- http://www.suaramerdeka.com/cybernews/harian/0610/22/nas9.htm Kasus Abepura, Ketua Komnas HAM Tolak Jadi Saksi Jayapura, CyberNews. Ketua Komnas HAM Perwakilan Provinsi Papua, Alberth Rumbekwan menolak menjadi saksi dalam kasus Abepura berdarah 16 Maret 2006 yang dilaporkan tim gabungan pengacara kepada Reskrim Polda Papua. Rumbekwan dalam keterangan pers di Jayapura, Minggu (22/10) menolak pemanggilan dirinya menjadi saksi kasus kerusuhan Abepura Berdarah oleh tim pengacara kerusuhan itu yang beranggotakan Direktur Lembaga Hukum (LBH) Jayapura, Paskalis Letsoin, Koordinator KONTRAS Papua, Pieter Ell dan beberapa anggota lainnya seperti Latifah Anum Siregar, Adolof Waramory, Iwan K.Niode, Rahman Ramli, Johanes H.Maturbongs dan Sihar Tobing. Menurut Rumbekwan, kasus Abepura Berdarah di depan Kampus Universitas Cenderawasih (Uncen) itu menelan korban jiwa dua anggota Brimob Polda Papua, satu anggota Dalmas Polresta Jayapura dan satu anggota inteljen TNI-AU atas nama Agus Supriadi meninggal dunia dianiaya kelompok sipil dan 49 orang penduduk sipil menderita luka luka berat dan luka ringan. "Saya tidak akan memenuhi pemanggilan polisi atas pelaporan sesama tim pengacara Abepura karena harus meminta izin dari Komnas HAM Pusat. Kalau sudah ada izin, saya akan datang ke Polda menjadi saksi atas pengaduan sesama pengacara dalam kasus ini, tetapi kalau belum ada, maka saya tolak menjadi saksi," tegas Rumbekwan. Rumbekwan pada kesempatan itu menjelaskan, kedelapan anggota tim pengacara pembela korban kasus Abepura menerima kuasa dari salah satu korban kasus Abepura, Aris Mandowen. Surat kuasa tersebut dibuat di atas kertas kop surat Kepolisian RI Daerah Papua Resort Persiapan Sarmi, beralamat di Jl.Bhayangkara Nomor 1 Sarmi. "Dari kop surat itu patut dipertanyakan, ada apa para pengacara menggunakan kop surat dari polisi. Jangan-jangan mereka melakukan pembohongan kepada publik dan dicurigai mereka bekerjasama dengan oknum pejabat polisi untuk membuat perkara ini menjadi kabur," ujar Rumbekwan. Dia menambahkan, bila aparat di Polda Papua meneruskan persoalan ini, maka Komnas HAM Perwakilan Provinsi Papua melakukan upaya hukum lain. ( ant/cn09 ) --- From editors at kabar-irian.com Mon Oct 30 16:07:16 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:07:16 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 25-31 06 Message-ID: <1631.61.94.95.30.1162249636.squirrel@www.teuton.org> KABAR IRIAN NEWS October 25-31 2006 TOPICS * West Papua - still calling for its freedom * Press release: The Forum Failed to address key Demand * Fourm Supports Continuing Papua Colonisation * AWPA (Sydney) is shocked... * World Cup for Minorities * Call for Forum mission to Indonesia's Papua province * The forgotten people * Boat Arrivals * Indonesia: Praises for govt's handling of unrest * It's not always the fittest who survive * China signs MOU with Indonesia to diversify energy supply * Muslims to create peaceful zone in Papua --- http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5049 West Papua - still calling for its freedom By Andrew Johnson - posted Thursday, 26 October 2006 West Papuans have good reason, a desire for freedom, to risk coming to our Commonwealth to seek refugee status. They have good reason, to stop the genocide of their people, to call for the United Nations and world to acknowledge that they are refugees forced to flee their beloved West Papua - West New Guinea which is still calling for its freedom. Amanda Vanstone and anyone trying to gag the call for freedom should be ashamed of themselves and perhaps charged as accomplices to criminal theft and murder. Especially here in the Commonwealth of Australia we should understand that colonial claims to foreign nations involve theft of resources and the mass murder of the Indigenous people and their rights. Colonisation can be almost benign as when European diseases probably wiped out 90 per cent of our own Indigenous population before some settlers and arrogant officials nearly completed the task. Or colonisation can be brutal vicious affairs involving aerial bombing and naval shelling of townships such as reportedly happen in West Papua during the 1960s and 1970s as local people were ?cleared? from the areas desired for mines and settler townships. Or colonisation can involve allowing jihadist militia the freedom to terrify the people and burn townships to the ground which we began hearing of in May 2003. In any event, colonisation is the brutal act of a colonial power raping the resources or people of another region such as the Australian Pacific nation of West Papua. Some Australians seem to believe Jakarta's Government or US corporate business partners are better able to ?manage? West Papua, and that Papua should never be allowed into the hands of the West Papuan people. I do not. Unlike other parts of Melanesia, the West Papuan people had been adapting western concepts to their needs since 1865 and it was the West Papuan people themselves who decided in the 1930s to create a single unified Pan-Papuan identity which would then allow them to create a West Papuan government to protect their various cultural assets from external powers. Some 800 communities speaking 300 languages agreed and in early 1961 they elected a national parliament, and it was that parliament which selected the nation's new titled of ?West Papua? and its ?Morning Star? flag. Why would I have more faith in a West Papua Government than in PNG? Because West Papua is the product of a hundred years' work by the people to produce something they wanted; where as PNG is a state which the Australian Government wanted and took tens years to bless the people of Eastern Papua with. Without any regard for the social effects of dumping a European business, political and government model on a group of Melanesian cultures, is it any wonder that PNG has serious problems? During World War II people saw Nazi Germany try to colonise Europe and Africa while imperial Japan sought to colonise Asia and the Pacific with its own puppet rulers and governments to rule these provinces. The people who created the United Nations sought to put an end to such war and gave the concept of ?decolonisation? substance by writing it into the United Nations Charter. It took 15 years, but in November 1960 the UN passed two General Assembly resolutions to end the colonial era, 1514 established an absolute requirement that any colony be allowed ?self-determination? without any delay, while 1541 defined what ?self-determination? meant and how to determine if a territory is a colony when the administrating power attempts to deny the colonial status of that territory. The case of West Papua is even more simple, Indonesia has already signed the 1962 New York Agreement in which it agreed West New Guinea was a colony and that it required ?self-determination?. Although the New York Agreement contract specified that an act of self-determination was to take place before or by the end of 1969, that event never took place. Instead an event historically titled the ?Act of Free Choice? took place, organised by the Indonesian military, and commented on by the United Nations in UN GA Resolution 2504; it was not self-determination. The United Nations, and Australia and Indonesia as members of the UN, have a moral obligation to resume the UN decolonisation process as per 1514 and 1541 and allow West Papua to have an act of self-determination as Indonesia had already agreed to in the New York Agreement. Until self-determination happens, West Papuans should certainly be planning to seek refuge here in our Commonwealth section of the Australian continent. Refugees are meant to be fleeing long-term persecution, and unlike economic migrants they are meant to tell the outside world of the problems they are fleeing from so that we can help end the abuse affecting our region. Not only are West Papuans entitled to free speech, but they are morally required to tell us and the world why they are here. It is a shame that PNG, in understandable fear of Indonesia, has refused to give refugee status to the tens of thousands of West Papuan survivors waiting to go home once the Indonesian military leaves West Papua. It is a shame that the UN has been allowed to pretend that there is no problem and that West Papua is not a colony. Will Australians call on our government to ask the UN to resume its decolonisation obligations, or will we turn our back on our neighbours in fear of Indonesian colonial rule. I hope Australians will stand up to the challenge. Andrew Johnson is a human rights advocate for West Papua. He has been researching West Papua's history and those exploiting it for the last several years. Creative Commons License --- From: John Ondawame Press Release 25th October 2006 The Forum Failed to address key Demand More than 200 delegates from 16 countries in Pacific attended 37th Pacific Islands Forum in Nadi, Fiji, which was started from 23rd October to 29th October 2006 and discussed various issue that affected Pacific development. In this opportunity, leaders approved the application of New Caledonia and French Polynesia for associated membership of the Forum and the issue of West Papua was also raised by Prime Minister of Vanuatu, the Right Hon. Ham Lini, which got positive respond from the participants. ?On behalf of the OPM and West Papua Representative People ?s Office in Vanuatu, we would like to congratulate Prime Minister of the Government of Vanuatu, the Right Hon. Ham, for raising the issue of West Papua once again at the 37th Pacific Islands Forum-meeting in Nadi, Fiji today, and congratulated all members of PIF, particularly Prime Minister of New Zeeland, the Right Hon. Helen Clark, for their unanimous support for the issue of West Papua once again at leaders retreated. However, we were disappointed because the Forum did not address the key demand, granting Observer status to West Papua, said Dr. Otto Ondawame, representative of the West Papua People?s Representative Office who also attended the meeting. The issue of West Papua on the sport light again despite there is still unfinished business. In a careful formulation, the leaders said: ?welcome the establishment of the Papuan Peoples Assembly (MRP), expressed concern about reports of violence in Papua, called on all parties to protect and uphold the human rights of all residents, work to address the root cause of the conflict by peaceful means and then urged the Indonesian authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious crimes in the province of Papua?. Despite this steadily progress, a Fijian support group criticized the Forum decision. According to the leader of Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party, Mr. Iliesa Duvuloco, ?This is a shameful decision because the leaders failed to address those key issues that concerned the Papuans ? an independent West Papua, Grant Observer Status and send fact finding mission to West Papua. Why the Forum gives opportunity to Kanaky (New Caledonia) and France Polynesia as associated members and observers status of the PIF to East Timor, Tokelau, but not to West Papua? Further information, please contact: John Ondawame (678 23614), Andy Ayamiseba (678 4080). Alternatively: Rex Rumakiek (679) 9344436 and Ileisa Dovoloco, (679) 9978186 (see photo below) --- http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0610/S00504.htm Fourm Supports Continuing Papua Colonisation Wednesday, 25 October 2006, 10:08 am Press Release: Australia West Papua Association Media Release Australia West Papua Association-WA The Australia West Papua Association-WA is surprised and disappointed that the THIRTY-SEVENTH PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM supports the continuing colonisation of West Papua by Indonesia through the 2001 Special Autonomy Law. A West Papuan majority rejected the Indonesian autonomy policy during a peaceful mass demonstration as recently as August 12, 2005. The Indonesian government did not take into account the desires and needs of the West Papuans when drafting the Law, nor has it implemented its own proposals for the improvement of the West Papuan's living standards. It is also regrettable that the Forum's concern about reports of violence seems not to make the connection between violence and the continuing colonial exploitation of West Papua by various corporations and the Indonesian army who are the instigators of continuing human rights abuses and supression of the West Papuan people. It is positive that the Forum urges the Indonesian authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious crimes in West Papua, but the failure of the first test case in the new Human Rights Court in Makassar to bring those responsible to justice would suggest a more fundamental approach to Indonesia is needed. The recent national gathering of the Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Groups called on the Pacific Island Forum to seek support from the Indonesian Government for a Forum fact finding mission ; and to assist in creating a framework for ongoing dialogue between the West Papua leadership and the Indonesia governme --- From: D. M E D I A R E L E A S E 25 October 2006 The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) AWPA (Sydney) is shocked that a communique of the Pacific Islands Forum endorses colonial subjugation of West Papua and disregards West Papua's heroic rejection of the Special Autonomy package on 12th August 2005. AWPA (Sydney) asks the United Nations members at the Pacific Islands Forum to respect UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 by supporting West Papua's right to Self-determination and Decolonisation. Joe Collins said "Given the Forum's talk of cooperation and enhancing social well-being that it is greatly disappointing the Forum has refused observer status for the people of West Papua at this gathering". (Info. Joe Collins Mob. 04 0778 5797) (Colonisation Info. A Johnson Mb 04 3400 3131) -- http://www.aftenposten.no/english/sports/article1508756.ece Normark to lead Sami team Soccer trainer Ivar Morten Normark has been named coach of the Sami team in the World Cup for minorities and indigenous peoples. The team has accepted a spot in the first VIVA World Cup for nations not affiliated with world football federation FIFA. Six teams will compete in the event to be staged in Hyeres, France, where Occitan is spoken. The participants will be: Group A: Monaco, Southern Cameroons, Samiland (Sami), and Group B: Rom, Occitania, West Papua and the event will take place from 19-25 November. Normark lost his job as head coach of Norwegian top division club Troms? after the team seemed doomed to relegation, and was previously fired from the head coaching position for Aalesund after they were relegated from the top division last season. "He knows the team leaders, the assistant trainer and most of the players, this makes things less complicated for us," Leif Isak Nilut, head of the Sami Football Federation, told NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting). --- http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bulletins/rnzi/200610261753/call_for_forum_mission_to_indonesias_papua_province Call for Forum mission to Indonesia's Papua province Posted at 5:53pm on 26 Oct 2006 There's a call for the Pacific Islands Forum to send a fact finding mission to Indonesia's Papua province. In the communique at this week's summit, Pacific leaders welcomed progress towards autonomy in Papua but raised concerns at violence and called for the root causes of conflict to be addressed by peaceful means. Fiji's Nationalist Vanua Lavo Tako party has been backing the self- determination movement and its leader, Iliesa Duvuloco, says they are happy Papua has not been ignored, but wanted a stronger statement. He says a mission compromised of Forum leaders could determine the truth of reports about military brutality. "A team to go there to assess, locally, on the spot, on the ground the actual - you know they can interview the people, the nation, or the West Papuan leaders and the people about what exactly is happening, rather than receiving all the conflicting information, you know." Copyright ? 2006 Radio New Zealand International --- http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/the-forgotten-people/2006/10/26/1161749256708.html The forgotten people October 27, 2006 They are the too-hard cases ? asylum seekers shipped off to Christmas Island or living in limbo on the mainland. Andra Jackson traces their stories. THE doors of the high security Baxter detention centre in South Australia may have closed for the last time on asylum seekers, but this doesn?t mean their claims have been recognised or their futures settled. For one man at least, the end of the line was not Baxter. His dark journey continued to a psychiatric hospital and then community detention. The 33-year-old Bangladeshi fled to Australia by boat at the height of the asylum seeker arrivals. Now Australia?s longest serving detainee, he has been waiting seven years for his status to be resolved ? at least six of those years spent under lock and key and a period in a psychiatric ward. His transfer to a "residential determination" ? community-based detention ? in South Australia still leaves him in a precarious position, according to refugee workers in a Red Cross-provided house. He has no right to work and no right to stay in Australia. "He is in limbo," one refugee worker said. The stateless man ? the subject of a failed deportation attempt by the Immigration Department last year ? is part of the unfi nished story of Australia?s "boat people" era, which at its height fi ve years ago involved 4137 asylum seekers taking this perilous route to Australia. He is one of 19 asylum seekers who, according to Immigration Department figures supplied last week, arrived in Australia by boat and remain in various forms of detention. He is among the "too-hard" cases that remain hidden from public glare, or in the case of newer arrivals, no longer kept in mainland detention centres. They are instead sent to Christmas Island, or if they failed to reach Australian shores, to Nauru. As the Immigration Department acknowledges on its website: "Historically, the Australian examples of people smuggling, which attract most media attention, have been by boat. However, the majority of smuggling into Australia and other countries occurs by air." Under a push led by Liberal backbenchers last year over the prolonged stay in detention of asylum seekers ? mostly boat arrivals ? long-term detainees in Baxter found themselves suddenly handed a bus fare to Adelaide and shown the door. It was a process hastened by recommendations by the Commonwealth Ombudsman who was charged with reporting on the cases of all detainees held for more than two years. Most were given temporary protection visas or, in the much-publicised case of stateless Peter Qasim who was detained for more than six years, put on return pending visas. While the department retains the option of "removing" them if a country can be found that will accept them, people in this category can at least start to get on with their lives. Qasim has thrown himself into study. The Immigration Department has since slowly been clearing up the backlog of "too-hard" cases. But it still has not cleared all the asylum claims stemming from what it terms unauthorised boat arrivals. In a sign that asylum-seeking boat arrivals understood that the department was under a political imperative to deplete their ranks, a number of escapees decided it was the right time to hand themselves in. Three longterm escapees from Port Hedland and Woomera ? the Woomera detainees having escaped when protesters pulled over part of a fence during a demonstration on March 30, 2002 ? have handed themselves in over the past year, leaving the department with the dilemma of how to respond to their claims. Two remain in Sydney?s Villawood detention centre seven months after turning themselves in and two have been placed in community detention in NSW. Another group "left behind" when detention centres were emptied were those suffering the psychological impact of long-term detention ? three "broken" asylum seekers now in community detention but with their visa status unresolved. Others are new arrivals whose presence in Australian detention centres would be a reminder that the issue of desperate people who take to the seas in a bid to fi nd sanctuary in Australia has not gone away. They are kept on Christmas Island. There is no offi cial acknowledgement that another three asylum seekers were able to breach Australia?s security, arriving by boat just two weeks ago, according to Western Australia refugee advocate Kaye Bernard. The two middle-aged Vietnamese men and the Indonesian captain of their boat have joined, on Christmas Island, a group of asylum seekers from West Timor, East Timor and Palestine who arrived by boat. The two Vietnamese men who were accorded United Nations refugee agency refugee status after escaping from Vietnam in the 1970s, have been living in refugee camps along the Thai border. After waiting more than 30 years in the queue ? the Government?s offshore humanitarian program ? they decided to jump the queue and get to Australia by any means. While the number of people who seek asylum after fl ying into Australia on either false or short-term visas does not seem to have changed over time, The Age has noticed what may be another trend indicating the increasing desperation of asylum seekers to find a country to take them in ? a return to stowing away or jumping ship. Refugee advocates cited present detainee cases that included three Tanzanians, two Moroccans, a number of other Africans including a man from Zimbawe who is in a psychiatric ward. Pamela Curr, co-ordinator of the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, said in one case of three Angolans stowaways, one died on board ship and the crew initially threatened to throw the other two overboard. The refugee community was also preparing for increased pressure for sanctuary in Australia from the Iraqis, she said. The number of Iraqi refugees has been underestimated ? with 6 million worldwide. They are now building up in Jordan, Turkey and Syria where they are awaiting UNHCR assessment. The Immigration Department was asked on Tuesday for information on its own fi gure of 19 remaining boat arrivals in detention. Over three days it failed to adequately supply the information. The information in this report has been compiled form refugee advocate sources and present and former detainees. IN VILLAWOOD DETENTION CENTRE 1. A 32-year-old man from Afghanistan. Arrived by boat in 2000. A member of the Hazara minority, he fl ed after his brother was taken by the Taliban. Initially detained in Woomera detention centre, escaped in 2002; turned himself in seven months ago. Department will not consider granting him a temporary protection visa until Kabul confirms his identity. 2. A 30-year-old Afghan man, also a Hazara. The Immigration Department is also waiting for his identity to be confi rmed by authorities in Kabul. 3. A 43-year-old man from China. Arrived August 1992 and was placed in Port Hedland detention centre. Released on a bridging visa in 1995 while application was appealed. When that visa expired, he was taken back into custody on February 3, 2003, and placed in Villawood detention centre. COMMUNITY BASED DETENTION IN NSW 4. A man who fled Iran after his family were harassed and he was shot. Sent to Woomera, he escaped in 2002. He handed himself in 10 months ago. He was moved from Villawood to a psychiatric hospital. Has been granted a temporary protection visa pending ASIO clearance. 5. An Iranian man, arrived by boat in 2000, and placed in Curtin detention centre. Went on a hunger strike to protest against the conditions, and was admitted to hospital. Escaped from hospital and eventually surrendered to immigration officials three months ago. In community detention in the Blue Mountains. 6. "Said", an Iranian longterm detainee who was transferred from Baxter to Glenside psychiatric hosptial and later to a private psychiatric hospital in Brisbane. Now in community detention. COMMUNITY BASED DETENTION IN SA 7. A 33-year-old Bangladeshi man not recognised by that country. Held in detention for six years. Diagnosed as suffering a major depressive illness, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Removed to psychiatric hospital until the Immigration Department tried unsuccessfully to deport him last year. He still has no visa status. 8. Mustafa Ridwan, 23. A Muslim from Alor in West Timor, he says that he, two brothers and a nephew fl ed Indonesia last year because they did not want to be enlisted in anti-Christian campaigns. They claim they had been pressured into carrying out attacks against Christians in their village. COMMUNITY BASED DETENTION ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND 9. Mahmud Ridwan, 30, claims to have faced religious pressure. 10. Jamal, an 18-year-old West Timorese man who is Mahmud?s nephew. Claims to be fl eeing religious pressure. 11. Farida Ridwan, 25, wife of Mahmud. 12. Byrant Ridwan, 3, from West Timor, son of Mahmud. 13. Taufaq Ridwan, 2, from West Timor, son of Mahmud. 14. Manuel, an East Timorese man from Maliana, aged 40, who travelled to West Papua and undertook the crossing to Australia from there by canoe. Unable to speak English. 15. Yusef, a Palestinian man who travelled by boat to the Torres Strait and was picked up by immigration officials on March 17. 16. A Vietnamese man, one of the most recent boat arrivals. Granted UNHCR refugee status in the 1970s. He had reportedly been living in a refugee camp near the Thai border since then. 17. A Vietnamese man, also with UNHCR refugee status, who spent more than 30 years living in a refugee camp near the Thai border. 18. An Indonesian man, captain of the boat that brought the two Vietnamese men to Australia. IN BRISBANE 19. An Iraqi man, Mohammad Faisal, spent four years on Nauru, was accepted as a refugee but refused a visa on security grounds. He became suicidal and was evacuated several weeks ago to a Brisbane psychiatric hospital. --- http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/boat-arrivals-drop/2006/10/22/1161455608882.html Andra Jackson October 23, 2006 THE number of asylum seekers in detention who have arrived in Australia by boat has dwindled but the legacy of the Federal Government's response to them is still a concern, refugee advocates say. Only 19 asylum seekers who arrived by boat are in detention, compared with 327 about nine years ago. The Government detention centre at Baxter, South Australia, now stands mostly deserted with about 44 detainees, including some who arrived by boat. At the start of Refugee Week yesterday, the Refugee Council of Australia's president John Gibson said: "The fact that numbers have dwindled doesn't make mandatory detention any less reprehensible." Mr Gibson said the council was still concerned with the continuation of offshore processing on Nauru. The co-ordinator of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Pamela Curr, said about five detainees too mentally ill to stay in detention centres were in psychiatric hospitals and two were in a hotel or flat. This year, the Government, through the Immigration Department, tried to give almost 4000 people on temporary protection visas permanency, but another 1400 were on temporary protection or humanitarian visas with reduced rights and an uncertain future, Ms Curr said. Of concern to refugee groups are the 57 children who are held in places such as community accommodation, sometimes under guard. Overall, there are 628 detainees, including people who have arrived by boat, in immigration detention around Australia including 75 in residential housing. A quarter are illegal fishermen (mainly Indonesian) while the rest are held for visa violations, including some who have criminal convictions. This was similar to the number of detainees in June 1997, but then almost half the asylum seekers who arrived by boat, were fleeing from unstable Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. At its height, the number of boat arrivals reached 4137 in 2000-01, but dropped to zero in 2004-05. The Government took this as proof its tougher border control stance and its 2001 Pacific solution were acting as a deterrent. But in the 12 months to June there was a resurgence ? 56 refugees took to boats, with 50 making it to the mainland and six pulling ashore at excised islands off Australia. They included asylum seekers from West Papua and Burma, showing policies did not deter them from undertaking the risky voyage and that refugees came from new source countries. At the same time, Australia's offshore humanitarian refugee program has undergone a big shift from 2001 when the largest grouping of the 7640 placed came mainly from Africa and the former Yugoslavia. An Immigration Department spokeswoman said the past year marked a shift in visa grants to the Middle East and Asia. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that over the past five years, the world's refugee population had fallen by a third to 8.4 million and was the lowest since 1980. "One reason for this is that a total of 1.1 million refugees went home voluntarily in 2005, including 752,000 to Afghanistan and 70,000 to Liberia. Another reason is that only 136,000 new refugees fled to neighbouring states in 2005," a UNHCR report said. --- http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&idsub=122&id=6307&t=Indonesia% 3A+Praises+for+govt's+handling+of+unrest World: Asia Indonesia: Praises for govt's handling of unrest On Tuesday, Muslim vigilantes attacked police, resulting in a conflict in which a young Muslim was killed. Thursday, October 26, 2006 by Adrian Morgan Poso in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, has been the scene of Muslim and Christian sectarian conflict which was at its worst between the end of 1998 and May 2002. During that period, 1,000 people were killed. We presented an analysis of the background of the conflict, and also noted how sporadic incidents of violence have continued since. There have been peaks in violence, such as at the end of Ramadan in 2005, and again this year. On Tuesday, Muslim vigilantes attacked police, resulting in a conflict in which a young Muslim was killed. The Eklesia church in Gebangrejo village in Poso had survived a bomb attack on September 30 but before 1 am on Tuesday, this church was subjected to an arson attack. The roof was demolished, and the interior gutted. The building had been attacked by twenty individuals on motorcycles, who had thrown molotov cocktails and improvised explosive devices to cause the blaze. Associated Press via the International Herald Tribune reports that earlier today, two houses which were rented by police officers were set alight. Rudy Sufahriadi, the police officer in charge of Poso, reported that all national troops staying in private residences had been moved to barracks for their safety. Muslim leaders have demanded that troops be withdrawn from Poso regency, or else they will paralyze the local administration and economy. Today, Antara News reports, the head of the 7th or Wirabuana Military Command, Major General Arief Budi Sampurno, said that there would be no withdrawals of its personnel from Poso. He said that their number may even be increased. Sampurno was speaking after a meeting with security officials and religious figures. These included the head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), Syamsir Siregar, as well as several high-ranking officials from the military (TNI) and the Police Headquarters. He claimed that the general situation in Poso remained peaceful. He said: "There are no obvious signs of unrest." He blamed any movements of dissent upon people who "are not satisfied because local security has been tightened." Sampurno added that next month, a platoon of army engineers would be arriving to assist in the rebuilding of 1,000 homes which were damaged in earlier violence. Yesterday. AKI reported on an interview with Adnan Arsal, a Muslim leader, who claimed that police were biased towards Christians. Arsal's group Komite Perjuangan Muslim Poso ( KPMP or Committee for the Islamic Struggle in Poso) had been involved in the massacres of Christians on Poso in the 1998-2002 conflict. He had also supported the executions of three Christians, who were shot by firing squad on September 20 for their alleged role in the violence. Today, AKI writes of an interview it held with the founder and leader of the now-disbanded militant group Laskar Jihad (army of holy battle). This individual, Jafar Umar Thalib (pictured), had sent his Laskar Jihad militias to Poso in August 2001, significantly increasing the conflict's casualties. He had also been responsible for much of the violence of the Moluccan War, which took the lives of 9,000 people and will be described below. 45-year old Thalib said to AKI that "The government is on the right path and the situation is under control." He said there was no need to reinstate Laskar Jihad, which had voluntarily disbanded in October 2002. He said: "The decision to disband Laskar Jihad in 2002 came about not because of external pressure but through our belief that the government's good faith and efforts were helping to end the conflict." Jafar Umar Thalib is an enigmatic character, but despite his history of helping to propagate was and conflict, he is widely respected in the Indonesian Muslim community. He has been arrested and imprisoned on several occasions, but not once has he received any conviction for his activities. Thalib was born in Malang in East Java province in 1961. He is of Yemeni and Madurese parentage. For the most part, his early life had been spent as a teacher of Arabic and Islamic sciences in pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) which were funded by the Al-Irsyad Foundation. Al-Irsyad is made up mainly of Indonesians of Arabic origin, like Thalib. The religious outlook of the pesantren schools they sponsor is, like Thalib's, of the Wahhabist persuasion. Thalib had studied in Saudi Arabia, where Wahhabist fundamentalism began and still flourishes. Already a supporter of extreme and fundamental Islamism, Jafar Umar Thalib had gone to Afghanistan in 1988 to become a Mujahideen against the Soviets. He went here after he had been studying at the Maududi Institute in Lahore, Pakistan, which had been funded by the extremist Sayyid Abul a'la Maududi (1903 - 1979). Maududi's Islamism gave rise to the Jamaat-e-Islami parties in Pakistan and Bangladesh, which wish to destroy democratic laws and establish sharia rule in both countries. Jafar Umar Thalib had been taking advanced Islamic studies at the Maududi Institute but dropped out, and moved to Afghanistan. Like many "mujahideen" who fought in Afghanistan at this time, Thalib claims that he met Osama bin Laden during his stay in the country. Thalib returned to Indonesia in 1989, where he helped to run the Al-Irsyad network of pesantren. Thalib, like the Wahhabists, bin Laden, the followers of Maududi and most of the Al-Irsyad, believes that nations should be under sharia rule. Certain figures in the Indonesian political establishment feel similarly. Thalib is said to have links to figures in the army. When he established Laskar Jihad, he is reputed to have done so with the backing of politicians. It appears that Thalib's "connections" have allowed him to never receive any punishments for the horrific atrocities carried out by his militias. Unlike the Jemaah Islamiyah and other militant groups, Thalib believes in Indonesia as a political entity, and his aim to establish sharia is framed within national terms, rather than as a pan-southeast Asian Caliphate. One major obstacle to the establishment of Sharia is the fact that Indonesia, which has the highest number of Muslims of all nations, is still only 85% Muslim. In Sulawesi and the Moluccas (Malaku), a large portion of the Christian population live. In Central Sulawesi and many of the Moluccas, the populations are split almost evenly between Muslims and Christians. The Moluccas were formerly the only regions where the valuable spices of nutmeg and cloves were to be found growing on a commercial scale, and from the 16th century onwards, Dutch, Portugese and English traders made inroads to these islands, and they bequeathed much of their own religious traditions to these islands. The Dutch, who controlled the Moluccas and neighboring West Papua until the 1940s, had trained and educated many Moluccan natives, particularly from one island, Ambon. Indonesia came into being in 1949 under Sukharno, and as the Dutch had virtually abandoned their colonies the Moluccas became incorporated into the Indonesian archipelago. In 1969, the UN gave West Papua (Irian Jaya) to Indonesia. On Ambon, there had long been hopes for independence from Indonesia. Under Suharto, who ruled for 21 years from 1967, discussion of religious and ethnic differences was firmly suppressed. When Suharto was forced to resign in 1998, the desires for independence resurfaced in places like Ambon. Under Suharto, the ethnic and religious divisions had been avoided on the island, via a process known as "Pela Gandung", which encouraged alliances between villages of different faiths. This system had been employed in the rest of Indonesia and incorporated within the political system under the title "Pancasila", encouraging pluralism. The removal of Suharto from power in May 1998 unleashed the hopes of separatist movements, such as the OPM in Irian Jaya, and in the Moluccas, the FKM movement, led by Dr Alex Manuputty which aimed to establish South-Moluccas Independence (RMS). In Java, this period saw the birth of extremist Islamist groups, such as the Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defender's Front), which was founded in August 1998 by an Arab-Indonesian, Habib Rizieq Shihab (aka Muhammad Rizieq). Another Islamist group was founded in this year, the Forum Komunikasi Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah or FKAWJ. This Sunni hardline organization aimed to promote "true Islamic values" and rejects democracy. One its main members was Jafar Umar Thalib. The FKAWJ rejects popular Muslim groups (Muhammadiya and Nahdlatul Ulama), as their tolerance of democracy and other faiths makes them heretical. It also does not allow women positions of power. Thalib believes that its duties to women are "to educate them and then marry them to pious men who are capable of preventing them from falling into sin. Men's role is to supervise women and ensure that their behaviour is properly Islamic." Thalib has three wives, all wearing black shrouds, hijabs (headscarfs) and niqabs (face-veils). He now has 14 children by his wives. Ramadan came to an end in January 1999, and with it came the stability of Ambon in the Moluccas, under their system of "Pela Gandung". It has been argued that this outbreak of sectarian conflict had been instigated by the military, who hoped that the weak government of Halibi would collapse under such conflict, and could be used as an excuse to introduce martial law. Laskar Jihad was officially founded on January 30 2000 in Yogyakarta (some say 1999) as the paramilitary division of the FKAWJ. Thalib claimed that the LJ was formed after it was learned that in Malaku province (the Moluccas), there were plans by Protestant Christians to form a Christian state, independent of Indonesia. This was, as Thalib perceived it, to include North Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Papua (Irian Jaya). Thalib claimed that the Christian separatists intended to wage war on the Muslims and drive them out in a process of "ethnic cleansing". While Laskar Jihad was being formed, in January 2000, an Acehnese Islamist called Al-Chaidar organised a large Muslim rally in National Monument Park, Jakarta, where he called for a holy war against the Christians in Ambon. Al-Chadair has also been implicated in anti-Christian riots which took place on Lombok (adjoining Bali) on January 17, 2000. FKAWJ announced that the Christians of Malaku were "kafir harbi" or "warlike infidels", and it was Islamically justifiable to kill them. It also said that 2000 would be the "Year of Jihad". Thalib set up Laskar Jihad and claimed that the government of Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid ("Gus Dur", who was president from 1999 to 2001 and head of the Nahdlatul Ulama from 1984 to 1999) was "unable or unwilling to protect the Islamic community. If the state can't protect us then we must do it ourselves." Wahid was the first ever elected president, but his moderate version of Islam was viewed by Thalib as heretical. Thalib said of his government: "It is positioned to oppress Muslim interests and protect those of the infidels." On April 26, 2000, Thalib and his lieutenants bragged that they had a special relationship with the head of the TNI, Admiral Widodo. (Widodo was charged to carry out the investigation into the Poso conflict at the end of last year. This was challenged by Gus Dur). Laskar Jihad, whose members wear distinctive white robes like those of karate practitioners, became involved in a mass campaign of attack against the Christians of the Moluccas, and are said to have forcibly converted 3,928 Christians on six islands. During their first year they attracted numerous new recruits, and were helped in this aim by their publication of a magazine called "Salafy". They were particularly active on Ambon in the Moluccas, but they also had groups established in Papua. One trait of the Indonesian government under Suharto had been to enforce a policy called euphemistically "transmigration". Part of the reason for the first outbreak of sectarian violence in the Moluccas had happened as a result of Suharto's policies of "transmigration", where untold Muslim immgrants had been forced onto the Moluccan communities. Many Christians (and Muslims) had been "transmigrated" to West Papua from islands such as Flores in East Nusa Tenherra province. Laskar Jihad also went to Central Sulawesi. In August 2001, Thalib sent a large force of Laskar Jihad to Poso. But the most intense operations of Laskar Jihad were focused on Ambon, and against the Christians who until then had lived in harmony with their Muslim neighbours. By April 2002, things had reached the worst point in ethnic relations on Ambon. Dr Alex Manuputty, head of the FKM, one of the independence groups, lived on this island. Manuputty and his followers threatened to hoist banned flags on Thursday, 25 April 2002, to commemorate a battle for independence which happened on that day, 52 years earlier. Such a trivial action was regarded by both the government and Laskar Jihad as a treasonous act. Before the innocuous raising of flags could be made, Manaputty was arrested on April 17, 2002, for "promoting separatism". He was later charged with treason, and on 28 January 2003, he and his deputy Semmy Waeleruny were given three-year jail sentences. On Friday, April 26, after evening prayers, Jafar Umar Thalib addressed a gathering of 5,000 Muslims outside the Al-Fatah Mosque in Ambon, urging them to fight a holy war against the Christians. He said: "From today, we will no longer talk about reconciliation. Our... focus now must be preparing for war - ready your guns, spears and daggers." On Sunday 28, militia of Laskar Jihad, also accompanied by what appeared to be members of the army, entered the small village of Soya on Ambon. I have seen a video of shat ensued, produced by Islamists, and we even had it linked from Western Resistance. 21 people died, with small children and women hacked at with machetes and decapitated, and men beaten to death with staves, beheaded, and burned alive in their homes. The video showed men being beaten to death, and members of the Laskar Jihad and apparent military holding up severed heads. Children in hospital were shown with machete wounds to their faces and arms. Following this atrocity, Thalib was arrested on May 4, 2002, at the town of Surabaya, the capital of East Java. He was then taken to Jakarta to remain in custody until Thursday July 25 2002on bail. Thalib had been charged with inciting the Soya massacre, and also insulting President Megawati Sukarnoputri. On 30 January, 2003, Jafar Umar Thalib was acquitted. Early in October 2002, before his trial, Laskar Jihad was voluntarily disbanded. It is gone, but is still a presence which could be reactivated. Thalib at one stage had been involved in the stoning to death of an alleged rapist in 2001. Magazine reports had said that he had cast the first stone. Though arrested for this act, he was never prosecuted. He fancies himself as an Islamic intellectual, but his main role is as an agitator and as a fighter. In 2002 in Jakarta, he was engaged in a public debate with Nurcholish Madjid, one of Indonesia's leading Islamic scholars. He was not able to match Madjid's intellectual strength. In January this year, Thalib and hundreds of his former Laskar Jihad fighters were brought to the Al-Fatah mosque in Ambon. Here they were given a lecture by imam and author Luqman Ba'abduh. The imam told them over a period of two days about the Khawarij, also called the Kharjites, a Salafist group which emerged in 657 AD in the western part of North Africa. Members of this group slaughtered early associates of Mohammed, such as Umar bin Khattab, Usman bin Affan and Ali bin Abi Thalib. Their actions have been used by modern-day Salafists and others to justify acts of terrorism. Ironically, after the events of 9/11, Jafar Umar Thalib had condemned his former mentor, Osama bin Laden, along with Al-Qaeda, as a "khawarij". --- http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1933971,00.html It's not always the fittest who survive Benedict Allen's Into the Abyss suggests that even explorers are unaware of their motivations, says Rebecca Seal Sunday October 29, 2006 The Observer Into the Abyss by Benedict Allen Buy Into the Abyss at the Guardian bookshop Into the Abyss: Explorers on the Edge of Survival by Benedict Allen Faber ?17.99, pp255 For many of us, it's all but impossible to understand the drive that some people have to traipse about in the world's most remote and inhospitable places. Benedict Allen started exploring when he was just 22 and from this latest book, you get the impression that, although he's been doing it for more than two decades, even he doesn't entirely understand what forces him or any other explorer consciously and frequently to put themselves in danger of death. His intention here is to understand not the why but rather the how of survival. Into the Abyss is really a rumination on the nature of survival, and not simply that of explorers such as Shackleton or Amundsen. Allen is just as interested in how people manage to live in extreme environments that explorers merely visit. On one of his first major expeditions Allen found himself on a trek through West Papua, fleeing a tribe at war with the tribesmen guiding him. Once he returned to safety, he wrote himself a 'how to survive' list for future expeditions, of which the first item was 'remember the importance of having a way out'. This book is the culmination of years of thinking about this list, which has travelled with him on all his treks, and while it's not a how-to manual for explorers, it is a fascinating collection of ideas about how we manage when life gets extreme. It is riddled with information - from the history of the Chukchi people in Siberia to excerpts from other explorers' diaries, Geoffrey Moorhouse and Chris Bonnington among them, to the pack behaviour of dogs and the second law of thermodynamics. There is also an account of his last 'adventure' as he tried to cross the Bering Straits between Siberia and Alaska, single- handed and with nothing except a dog team: no radio, GPS or even a camera. His description of the journey is extremely evocative but also very wry, perhaps unusually for a man who confesses to unswerving self-belief. Allen is perfectly aware of the ludicrousness of this particular trip - nobody is on record as having succeeded and, as Arctic temperatures rise year on year, the ice he wants to cross is less and less likely to support his weight. On the first part of the trek, he travels with two local guides and his translator, Ivan, who quickly and aggressively succumbs to the local habit of using vodka as a survival tool. Once he's alone and with no communication equipment, Allen is completely dependent on his dogs, a pack he has borrowed from a Chukchi man who has kept his A-listers for himself, sending Allen out into the ice-blasted tundra with the B -team. It is here that Allen's survival list seems at odds with his own behaviour, which is one of the things that makes this book so interesting. Why, if you can see the importance of having a way out, wouldn't you attach a sealskin canoe to your sledge to stop you from sinking if the ice breaks? Why would you travel with no means of communication in a terrain you haven't even slightly explored and which changes every day? Why would you manage to lose your dogs when trying to find a better view of the ice fields? Time and again, Allen is confronted with reasons not to continue yet ploughs on regardless, even when he gets frostbite in all his fingers. This is the paradox that runs through the book - Allen doesn't seem to know why he is doing what he is doing and he is as scared as any of the rest of us would be by the prospect of polar bears in the ice or of being trapped in a snow storm. And although he is concentrating on not revisiting past mistakes, and on following the rules in his list, he does seem to manage to make a lot of new and inventive mistakes. Fortunately, he writes his confusion beautifully, so even though, in the end, you're not much clearer on how humans survive extremes, you are at least clear, that, like Allen, we seem to have an enormous capacity to do so. --- http://www.mineweb.net/int_beat/344903.htm International Beat China signs MOU with Indonesia to diversify energy supply By: Dorothy Kosich Posted: '30-OCT-06 08:00' GMT ? Mineweb 1997-2006 RENO, NV (Mineweb.com) --China and Indonesia Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding to expand bilateral cooperation in the energy and mineral sectors. Indonesian President Susilo Yudhoyono and Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju attended the signing ceremony in Shanghai at the second Sino-Indonesia energy forum. Earlier this year, China and Indonesia agreed that Indonesia?s Tangguh gas field will provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) yearly to southeastern China?s Fujian Province from 2009 to 2034. Indonesia is the world?s largest exporter of LNG. A Chinese commitment to purchase gas supplies could generate $50 million to $80 billion in revenues over the long run, according to industry experts. The China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) has drafted framework agreements to purchase LNG from three foreign energy suppliers to diversify China?s energy supply and relieve its heavy dependence on coal and oil, particularly oil from the Middle East. China also hopes to find a replacement for the 70% of the coal mined energy now being consumed by the nation. CNOOC plans to build as many as seven LNG terminals in six provinces and municipalities. The Tangguh natural gas field lies in Bintuni Bay in the province of West Irian Jaya. It is being developed by a consortium of international companies, including BP, CNOOC and Mitsubishi. Production is planned to begin in the second half of 2008. Natural gas from the field will be liquefied and transported to customers in China, Japan, and South Korea. Huang said that ?win-win economic cooperation is the foundation? of the partnership between Indonesia and China. However, the contents of the agreement were not made public. --- http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=22172 Muslims to create peaceful zone in Papua Jayapura (ANTARA News) - Muslims in Indonesia`s easternmost porvince of Papua are committed to turning the province into a peaceful zone, local Muslim figures said here on Tuesday. After performing Idul Fitri prayer at Jayapura Grand Mosque here, Hi Ridwan and Hi Udin said the Muslims in Papua, especially in capital Jayapura, were committed to maintainig religious harmony in the province. The made the statement in a bid to uphold a declaration made by the leaders of five major religions in Papua to make the province a peaceful zone in the country. Both Hi Ridwan and Hi Udin also called on the Muslims and the people in other parts across the country not to be easily provoked by irresponsible parties or groups who intentionally create disorder in the community. "If ever a party or a group of people who dare to create chaos in Papua, the Muslims here will arrest them and bring them to court to undergo existing legal process in the country," Ridwan and Udin noted. The prayer that started at 7 a.m. local time was led by Adrus Al-Hamid, chief of provincial religious affairs ministry office. Meanwhile in his sermon, Moh Habib, the dean of Jayapura Al-Fatah State Islamic College, called on the Muslims in the city to coexist in perfect harmony with people of other faiths. (*) From editors at kabar-irian.com Tue Oct 31 16:50:28 2006 From: editors at kabar-irian.com (Admin-Editors Kabar-Irian) Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 08:50:28 +0900 (EIT) Subject: [Kabar-Irian] News: Oct 27 - Nov 1 06 Message-ID: <1536.61.94.95.29.1162338628.squirrel@www.teuton.org> KABAR IRIAN NEWS Oct 27-Nov 1 TOPICS * Anger in Papua over murder trial, presence of Freeport * Papua People's Assembly members plan New Zealand study tour * ADB Proposes $4 Billion in Assistance for Indonesia in 2006-2009 * Australia West Papua Association shock * Indonesians: Mine Killings Trial Unfair * 7 Indonesians accused in murder of Americans in Papua... * Refusal to plea * Ivan Kolev arrives in Jayapura to coach Persipura soccer club * 'Denias': Papuan child's quest for education * Government plans new approach to transmigration program * Remote Papua schools struggle to get by on bare minimum Admin note: The Jakarta Post as innaccessible until today. Thus we have many articles today from the JP. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061031.G06&irec=5 Anger in Papua over murder trial, presence of Freeport Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika Hundreds of people rallied in Timika, Papua, on Monday in opposition to the trial in Jakarta of seven Papuans charged with the 2002 murders of two American teachers and an Indonesian colleague employed by PT Freeport Indonesia. Protesters blocked off access for several hours to Freeport's operational area starting at around 1 p.m. The area was eventually cleared at 5 p.m. after the police provided trucks to transport the protesters home. Earlier in the day, demonstrators gathered in front of the Timika District Court to demand the unconditional release of the seven defendants. Damaris Onawatme and Vincen Onayame, who organized the rally, said the demonstrators had earlier sent a message to the Central Jakarta District Court, where the seven Papuans are being tried, through the Timika District Court, demanding the release of the defendants. The organizers said the demonstrators arrived at the court Monday expecting to receive a response to their message. "We came here for an answer to our earlier conveyed demand," Onawatme said. The demonstrators were met by court official Jhoni Kondolele, who said their demand had been forwarded to Jakarta but there had yet to be a response. >From the court the demonstrators marched to the Freeport compound, handing out leaflets along the way about the deadly 2002 shooting. The leaflets also outlined the demands of the demonstrators, including the release of the seven defendants, the closure of the Freeport mine and the withdrawal of soldiers and police officers from Papua. Onayame said as long as Freeport continued to operate in Papua, it would remain a source of conflict. "We will not hesitate to demand that the Indonesian government launch a fair investigation of the 2002 shooting. The incident took place in Freeport's compound. The Papuan people, who own the country's largest stock of natural resources, have been treated unfairly by the U.S. and Indonesia," he said. Onayame accused Freeport, which is based in the U.S., of exploiting Papua's natural resources while failing to improve the lives of Papuans. "Moreover, the working contract awarded to Freeport does not benefit the people of Timika," he added. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061031.G02&irec=1 Papua People's Assembly members plan New Zealand study tour Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura The Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) will leave for New Zealand in December to conduct a comparative study on the programs used to empower that country's indigenous Maori population. The New Zealand government programs will be used as a model for the indigenous Papuans empowerment agenda, as stipulated in the 2001 law on Papua's special autonomy. The trip to New Zealand will be the MRP's first overseas visit since it was established on Oct. 31, 2005. MRP Vice Speaker Frans A. Wospakrik told The Jakarta Post on Sunday, during an event commemorating the assembly's first anniversary in Sentani, Jayapura, the assembly had chosen New Zealand due to that country's success in empowering the Maori community in all aspects of life. "The Maori people have been given a place, they are respected and given opportunities like any other citizens. The government also recognizes their customs and traditions," said Wospakrik. Besides meeting with government officials, the MRP members will also meet with members of the Maori community to learn about their culture and how government programs have enabled their communities to develop. "The MRP will also examine Maori social interaction in the wider society and their traditional values, and the regulations used by the government to assure their respect and progress," said Wospakrik. He said the MRP wished the whole of Indonesia could respect the existing tribal groups in Papua and help ensure their inclusion in the nation's progress. "A nation consisting of many ethnic minorities should protect and empower the smaller groups, just like it does the larger ones," he said. Wospakrik warned that without protection the native tribes in Papua could one day disappear, and that large economic gaps would have the potential to cause social problems. He cited as an example the tension between the Dayak tribe and migrants in West Kalimantan. "We don't want this to happen in Papua. We want everyone to live side by side, and for indigenous Papuans to be respected and given an equal role as a part of this great nation," he said. Meanwhile, Frans Maniagasi, from the Papua Working Group, said the trip to New Zealand was unnecessary at the moment. He said there were more pressing issues to settle, especially with regard to indigenous rights. "There are important tasks which have not been resolved, such as the special regional regulations determining the rights of native Papuans, which is especially important when the MRP is a cultural institution that is tasked to fight for the rights of Papuans," he said Monday. Frans added that the MRP should assess its performance over the past year instead of wasting time with trivial activities. --- http://www.acnnewswire.net/press/en/33795/ASIAN-DEVELOPMENT-BANK.html ADB Proposes $4 Billion in Assistance for Indonesia in 2006-2009 Jakarta, Oct 31, 2006 (ACN Newswire) - Asian Development Bank's (ASX: ATB) new assistance strategy for Indonesia in 2006-2009 will provide about $4 billion in loans and grants in support of the country's reform program and its efforts to grow the economy to benefit the poor. "ADB's new strategy in Indonesia illustrates our confidence in the country's future," says ADB Vice-President C. Lawrence Greenwood. "The Government is on the right track with its reform program and ADB stands ready to offer its full support." The four-year plan proposes $3.82 billion in loans and about $47.6 million in grants. ADB's assistance over the four-year period will be focused on infrastructure development, improving the financial sector, supporting decentralization, accelerating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and environmental protection. "This strategy is designed to support the Government's efforts to address development constraints with realism and determination," adds Mr. Greenwood. "A key impediment to equitable economic growth and development is corruption, and this program focuses on that issue in all loans and grants." The plan proposes extensive resources toward strengthening governance and preventing corruption through the training of local and national government officials, and the strengthening of government institutions. ADB's comprehensive anti-corruption policy will also be enforced in all loan and grant disbursements under the program. In 2005, ADB resumed private sector operations in Indonesia and these will be continued under the new program in the years ahead. In August, ADB signed a $350 million private sector loan to help develop the Tangguh Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Irian Jaya Barat province. Indonesia enjoyed rapid economic growth and a decline in poverty in the early 1990s until the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which exposed serious governance problems in the country. Since the crisis, a focus on debt reduction has lessened spending on economic and social development. The Government's Medium-Term Development Plan, which ADB supports, seeks to address these problems and increase the country's economic growth, create jobs, and improve progress toward the achievement of the MDGs. "Indonesia is at a critical stage in its pursuit of poverty reduction and economic growth," says Rajat M. Nag, Director General of ADB's Southeast Asia Department. "Bold vision, pragmatism, and a commitment to continuous reform should lead to high economic growth by 2009." About ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 64 members - 46 from the region. In 2005, it approved loans and grants for projects totaling $6.95 billion, and technical assistance amounting to $198.8 million. Contact Ayun Sundari Email: asundari at adb.org Tel:+ 62 21 251 2721 Jason Rush Email: jrush at adb.org Tel:+632 632 6480; Mobile: +63 920 938 6490 --- http://www.news.vu/en/news/RegionalNews/061030-Australia-West-Papua- Association-shock.shtml Australia West Papua Association shock By Vanuatu Independent Posted Monday, October 30, 2006 The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA), Sydney, is shocked that a communique of the Pacific Islands Forum endorses colonial subjugation of West Papua and disregards West Papua's heroic rejection of the Special Autonomy package on 12th August 2005, says the AWPA. AWPA asks the United Nations members at the Pacific Islands Forum to respect UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 by supporting West Papua's right to Self -determination and Decolonisation. AWPA's Joe Colins said "Given the Forum's talk of cooperation and enhancing social well-being, it is greatly disappointing the Forum has refused observer status for the people of West Papua at this gathering". --- http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4299918.html Oct. 31, 2006, 11:53AM Indonesians: Mine Killings Trial Unfair By IRWAN FIRDAUS Associated Press Writer ? 2006 The Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia ? Seven men accused of killing two American teachers at a U.S.-owned gold mine in Papua province refused to enter a plea Tuesday as their trial wrapped up because they believed the proceedings were unfair, their lawyer said. Because no plea was entered, Judge Andriani Nurdin said she would issue a verdict Nov. 7. The defendants have remained silent throughout the course of their five-month trial and regularly walked out in protest. Prosecutors alleged the men _ all indigenous Papuans _ were members of a small rebel army fighting for a separate state in the resource-rich province. They are accused of shooting Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colo., and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Ore., in 2002 as their car headed down a road toward the mine owned by Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold Inc. and Gold Mine Inc. Johnson Panjaitan, a lawyer for the defendants, said his clients refused to enter the plea because they had routinely been denied access to attorneys and that the judges were biased against them. "They do not believe the trial was fair," Panjaitan said. Officials at the Central Jakarta District Court were not immediately available for comment. The hearing in the heavily guarded court was interrupted several times by rowdy Papuan protesters. Prosecutors have demanded that the alleged ringleader _ Antonius Wamang _ serve 20 years in prison and that the others serve eight to 15 years. Wamang, who was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in 2004 for the murders, admitted to shooting at the teachers' convoy, saying he believed it was carrying soldiers paid by the New Orleans-based company to guard the mine, Panjaitan said. Wamang also acknowledged being a member of the Papuan separatist movement, which has long seen the mine as a symbol of Jakarta-rule over the province, the lawyer said. But the other six, accused of providing logistics for the attack, maintain they were ordinary civilians, he said. Some Papuan activists have alleged that the Indonesian army, which has a history of rights abuses in the province, ordered the 2002 attack to make sure Freeport would continue to pay soldiers to protect the mine. The military has denied that and the FBI, which took part in the arrests of the seven men last year, found no evidence backing up those suspicions. --- http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/31/asia/AS_GEN_Indonesia_US_Teacher_Sl ayings.php 7 Indonesians accused in murder of Americans in Papua call trial a sham The Associated Press Published: October 31, 2006 JAKARTA, Indonesia Seven men accused of killing two American teachers at a U.S.-owned gold mine in Papua province refused to enter a plea Tuesday as their trial wrapped up because they believed the proceedings were unfair, their lawyer said. Because no plea was entered, Judge Andriani Nurdin said she would issue a verdict Nov. 7. The defendants have remained silent throughout the course of their five-month trial and regularly walked out in protest. Prosecutors alleged the men ? all indigenous Papuans ? were members of a small rebel army fighting for a separate state in the resource-rich province. They are accused of shooting Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Oregon, in 2002 as their car headed down a road toward the mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine Inc. Johnson Panjaitan, a lawyer for the defendants, said his clients refused to enter the plea because they had routinely been denied access to attorneys and that the judges were biased against them. "They do not believe the trial was fair," Panjaitan said. Officials at the Central Jakarta District Court were not immediately available for comment. The hearing in the heavily guarded court was interrupted several times by rowdy Papuan protesters. Prosecutors have demanded that the alleged ringleader ? Antonius Wamang ? serve 20 years in prison and that the others serve eight to 15 years. Wamang, who was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in 2004 for the murders, admitted to shooting at the teachers' convoy, saying he believed it was carrying soldiers paid by the New Orleans-based company to guard the mine, Panjaitan said. Wamang also acknowledged being a member of the Papuan separatist movement, which has long seen the mine as a symbol of Jakarta-rule over the province, the lawyer said. But the other six, accused of providing logistics for the attack, maintain they were ordinary civilians, he said. Some Papuan activists have alleged that the Indonesian army, which has a history of rights abuses in the province, ordered the 2002 attack to make sure Freeport would continue to pay soldiers to protect the mine. The military has denied that and the FBI, which took part in the arrests of the seven men last year, found no evidence backing up those suspicions. --- AP JAKARTA, Indonesia Seven men accused of killing two American teachers at a U.S.-owned gold mine in Papua province refused to enter a plea Tuesday as their trial wrapped up because they believed the proceedings were unfair, their lawyer said. Because no plea was entered, Judge Andriani Nurdin said she would issue a verdict Nov. 7. The defendants have remained silent throughout the course of their five-month trial and regularly walked out in protest. Prosecutors alleged the men ? all indigenous Papuans ? were members of a small rebel army fighting for a separate state in the resource-rich province. They are accused of shooting Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Oregon, in 2002 as their car headed down a road toward the mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine Inc. Johnson Panjaitan, a lawyer for the defendants, said his clients refused to enter the plea because they had routinely been denied access to attorneys and that the judges were biased against them. "They do not believe the trial was fair," Panjaitan said. Officials at the Central Jakarta District Court were not immediately available for comment. The hearing in the heavily guarded court was interrupted several times by rowdy Papuan protesters. Prosecutors have demanded that the alleged ringleader ? Antonius Wamang ? serve 20 years in prison and that the others serve eight to 15 years. Wamang, who was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in 2004 for the murders, admitted to shooting at the teachers' convoy, saying he believed it was carrying soldiers paid by the New Orleans-based company to guard the mine, Panjaitan said. Wamang also acknowledged being a member of the Papuan separatist movement, which has long seen the mine as a symbol of Jakarta-rule over the province, the lawyer said. But the other six, accused of providing logistics for the attack, maintain they were ordinary civilians, he said. Some Papuan activists have alleged that the Indonesian army, which has a history of rights abuses in the province, ordered the 2002 attack to make sure Freeport would continue to pay soldiers to protect the mine. The military has denied that and the FBI, which took part in the arrests of the seven men last year, found no evidence backing up those suspicions. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061030.T01 Ivan Kolev arrives in Jayapura to coach Persipura soccer club Sports News - October 30, 2006 Former Bulgarian national team coach Ivan Kolev is the new coach of Persipura soccer club in Jayapura, Papua. Kolev, who arrived at Sentani Airport in Jayapura on Sunday, along with his wife Valentina Kolev, received a traditional welcome dance from the club's officials. "It's a surprise for me to have a warm welcome from the club," Kolev told reporters following his arrival. "Hopefully, I can do my best for the club in near future," he added. Persipura's welcome committee chairman Benhur Tomy Mano said that Kolev had received special treatment different to that of previous coaches, as the club wants the best from Kolev, who also once trained Myanmar's national soccer team. "This is the first time we did the welcome dance since we hope for the best result from the best thing we could deliver," Mano told reporters. Mano added that the club hoped that Kolev could repeat the team's success last year, when it topped the Indonesian Soccer League under coach Rahmad Darmawan. Persipura finished second in the Copa Dji Sam Soe national championship this year. Kolev is expected start selecting players for the team from Nov. 1. -- JP/Nethy Dharma Somba --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061029.P01 'Denias': Papuan child's quest for education Features - October 29, 2006 'Denias': Papuan child's quest for education Director John de Rantau's first feature film shows a boy's determination to find a proper school, despite his unfavorable background. In Papua, where the film is set, school is something akin to a luxury, and not to be taken for granted as we see in a metropolis. Denias: Senandung Di Atas Awan (Denias: Song Above the Clouds), tells the story of a rural Papuan child who goes all out in pursuit of his quest for education. Denias (admirably played by Albert Fakdawer), has promised his mother to continue his schooling because it is the only way he can be strong, that even "mountains will be afraid of him". He is a clever boy who is liked by his teachers and has a very strong will to continue his studies. Even so, he faces so many obstacles over which he has no control: The only teacher (Muchus) in his village leaves, the school hut collapses in an earthquake, his father (Michael J.) would rather he stay home and help with the chores. Going to a school in the city is also out of question, as only children of village chiefs can go there. Denias opens in the montane surroundings of a Papuan village, showing adolescent boys going through a koteka ceremony. A running text appears, like in a documentary, saying that after the ceremony men and women of the village must live in separate quarters. Denias then appears among a group of women that includes his mother, who says that he should try hard to stay in school. This mother-son conversation establishes the initial connection between Denias and his wish for an education. This scene also marks a contrast in the film between the female world that favors education and the male world -- shown a little later through Denias' father and his group -- which is indifferent about it. Later, after a family tragedy, the female realm subsides into a symbolic form of chants (performed by contemporary singer Ubiet of Krakatau) that descends from the sky and acts as guidance for the boy. The indifference of his father towards education and the importance it holds for Denias creates a distance between father and son. So the boy finds role models outside his family. He attaches himself to his teacher and later to Maleo (Sihasale), a soldier who stands in for the village teacher. Denias' character has clearly been created to evoke an emotional response in the viewer: He is clever as well as a skilled hunter, but he is also left by his loved ones -- yet he maintains his passion in trying to find alternative sources of knowledge and affection. He is, of course, an ordinary boy who likes soccer and fights with his mates, especially Noel (Ryan Wanobi), the village chief's son, but this conflict is given an almost noble cause as a protest against class discrimination in Papuan society. The help Denias receives to overcome his situation comes mostly from non- Papuans such as his Javanese teacher, the soldier Maleo, classmate Angel (Pearce) and his teacher Sam (Zalianty). Apart from Enos (amusingly played by Minus Karoba), a mischievous homeless boy he meets in the city, and his mother, the Papuans in this film are represented as favoring indigenous hierarchy and discrimination by resisting modernity -- that is, education -- and equality. The non-Papuan standpoint is perhaps summarized by Sam, who says that Papua develops very slowly not only because of outsiders' unfairness, but because the Papuans themselves made it difficult for their own people. The relationship between tradition and modernity in the debate on Papuans' right to education as presented in this film would have been more defined if the majority y of non-Papuan characters were not so one-dimensional in their saintliness. Not only are the non-Papuan characters almost too simplistic, but the non- Papuan actors also fail to breathe life into their characters. Zalianty basically reprises her role as Mel in Hanung Bramantyo's Brownies (2005), this time mouthing concerns about access to schooling, while Sihasale muddles the dramatic potential of his otherwise schizophrenic role as an altruistic soldier. Next to Fakdawer and Karoba's well-delivered performance, they fail to amplify the underlying conflict and emotion that make Denias very moving -- even without the help of Dian HP's dramatic musical scores. The film decidedly maintains its focus to show that modern education brings about a more orderly life. Denias learns about nationhood and longs to be part of it, as opposed to the tribalism and its hierarchy he experiences in his village. His desire for a school uniform, a militaristic salute he makes to a homemade Indonesian map and his being part of a flag hoisting ceremony represents an idealized relationship between modernity and nationalism. The contrast between the natural, vast, mountainous forests that Denias has left behind and the organized dorm-school-city he has moved to also supports this idealized viewpoint. The overall tone is the naive, yet moving optimism of its main characters. Denias is a sympathetic tale about a rural Papuan child's odyssey for education, a reminder that to some people in some parts of the world school is indeed a luxury. Denias opens this week in cinemas. An English-subtitled version will be screened at the upcoming Jakarta International Film Festival 2006. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061027.H06 Government plans new approach to transmigration program National News - October 27, 2006 ---------------------------------------------------------------- This is part 1 of 3 articles written by The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat on the government's changing transmigration policies. ---------------------------------------------------------------- What might Lampung look like now if thousands of Javanese families had not been resettled to the province in the 1950s and after? Thanks to the transmigrants, the province has developed into a modern area experiencing rapid economic development, with agribusiness, fishing, palm oil plantations and rubber estates as its backbone. Lampung is a classic example of how the controversial government-sponsored transmigration program has transformed regions from unproductive land into economic centers, as has happened in many coastal stretches and remote areas of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. Many of the areas were uninhabited until farmers were brought in from densely populated Java and Bali. The government has spent a lot of money to finance the program in an effort to redistribute the population from overcrowded Java to sparsely populated islands. Data released by the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry shows that the government has resettled more than 2.5 million families from Java since Indonesia became independent in 1945. In 2006, it spent Rp 30 million (US$3,280) for each family to be resettled under the transmigration program. The money is used for everything from the recruitment process to the provision of agricultural tools in the migrants' new homes. Not all resettlements are successful, however. According to official statistics, a total of 367 resettlement areas across the country have experienced serious problems. Most of the transmigrants have returned to their home villages because they have conflicts with the local residents over land ownership. The figures show that the rate of failure ranges from 30 to 90 percent in various recipient regencies. "Yes, many transmigrants have returned to their home villages because they did not feel at home in remote areas, in conflict with locals over the land status," Director General for Transmigrant Recruitment, Training and Placement Diyah Paramawartiningsih told The Jakarta Post here recently. In the past, thousands of families were resettled by the Dutch colonial administration to be employed as forced laborers in export-oriented rubber and palm oil plantations in North Sumatra. During the New Order era (1965-1998), the program caused social and political problems, but people did not dare to raise the issue with Soeharto's authoritarian regime. Nowadays, accusations come from outside Java, where critics say that the transmigration program "exports" social problems from Java. Some have gone as far as demanding that the program be terminated because the resettlers cannot lift the target regions out of poverty. Most transmigrants are uneducated and don't integrate well with locals. Ironically, the best and brightest of the local residents stream to Java for better opportunities. Javanese transmigrants were forced to leave Aceh at the height of the bloody conflict between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and government troops in the 1990s. The eviction was in apparent revenge for the Javanese-dominated government's iron-fisted rule in the province. The Acehnese accused the hard -working migrants of stealing their natural wealth. The presence of transmigrants in Papua has also been blamed for the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in Merauke and Mimika. Many women from resettlement areas in the province have worked as prostitutes and allegedly transmitted the virus after acquiring it from Thai fishermen. In Gorontalo, locals were involved in clashes recently with transmigrants. Thousands of hectares of paddy rice ready for harvest were destroyed by locals who claimed their communally owned land had been given to the settlers unlawfully. More than 7,000 of the 15,000 Javanese families resettled by the government in a one-million-hectare peat moss area in Central Kalimantan in the 90s have returned home after they found the land was not suitable for farming. Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno said during his visit to a failed resettlement program in Laikan village, South Sulawesi, that the program must be reviewed to make it more attractive to transmigrants and investors. "The government plans to develop integrated townships in resettlement areas to attract domestic and foreign investors to the least-developed regions, as we have done in Lampung, Jambi, Riau, West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Bengkulu," he said. A number of Malaysian businesspeople have invested in palm oil estates in Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, Sulawesi and East and West Kalimantan, where townships have developed markets for palm oil farmers and suppliers. "The townships developed in Jambi, Riau and East Kalimantan have also had good infrastructure, such as road networks and transportation, as well as social facilities like hospitals, clinics, houses of worship and school buildings," said the minister. --- http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061027.G03 Remote Papua schools struggle to get by on bare minimum National News - October 27, 2006 Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika Papua has applied the new competemce-based curriculum (KBK) since 2004, in which students are trained to develop their individual skills and potential. However, the KBK has only been implemented in schools in urban areas, as the harsh terrain of Papua's hinterland makes it accessible only by sea and air, cutting schools off from vital outside support. It is a major impediment for teachers in remote areas, while students do not have the facilities to support the new curriculum. This has been a major cause for concern. Most, if not all, elementary schools are unable to apply the curriculum, but instead have to stick to the old one dating back to 1994. One of the schools that requires serious attention is St. Agustinus Catholic Development Education Foundation (YPPK) elementary school in Fanamo village, in East Mimika district. School principal Yohanes Narpinaha told The Jakarta Post that only he and one other teacher teach the 235 pupils there. The school only has four classrooms in which lessons are conducted throughout the morning and afternoon, including lessons carried out in the principal's office and teacher's staff room. Narpinaha said that he had dedicated 15 years of his life to teaching students in Omawita and Fanamo villages. However, development in remote areas is slow. Due to the lack of facilities and teaching staff, many children do not attend school and instead join their parents to hunt or go fishing. "The problem faced by most elementary schools in remote areas is the lack of supporting facilities," he said. Narpinaha said that he and the other teacher only teach students to read, write and count. They use the school's old textbooks, therefore it is impossible to apply the new curriculum. The children also do not wear school uniforms. "We teach all subjects from first to sixth grade, and as a consequence the percentage of students who pass the final exams is far below the required standard," he said. Narpinaha said he had to collect his monthly salary of Rp 1 million (US$110.00) in Timika city by speedboat which would cost him Rp 250,000 for a round trip. But if he uses a rowboat the trip would take a whole day. Narpinaha's salary is barely enough to support a family of five children, especially when the cost of basic necessities is very high in Timika. "Last year, only three of the students in sixth grade passed the exams. This was not the teachers' fault, but due to the lack of facilities and the lack of support from parents for their children's education," he said. On top of that, no one from the local education office has visited this year to observe the real condition of schools in Fanamo village. The school had submitted a proposal to the office to request for additional classrooms but has not received an official reply. Head of the Mimika Education Office, Ausilius You, explained that schools in remote areas were not required to apply the KBK curriculum. According to You, his office planned to implement a different curriculum which would be applicable to schools in remote areas of Timika. He said that the government was still considering four critical issues -- the lack of school facilities, limited teaching staff, underqualified teachers and student absenteeism as well as teachers' welfare. He said the education office planned to develop school facilities and infrastructure in outlying areas, such as elementary schools in Geselema, Alama and Kadunjaya. The government has also built elementary and junior high schools under one roof in districts where they do not have junior high schools, in which elementary school students from remote areas could enroll immediately after graduation. "We are also going to build high schools in remote areas, such as the Kokonao state high school in West Mimika and the Mapuru Jaya high school in East Mimika, which are easily accessible from the districts and villages, so that students need not continue their studies in Timika city," he said. You acknowledged that schools in remote areas lacked supporting facilities, as well as teachers' housing. His office is making efforts to build houses for teachers, which are urgently needed by teachers in remote areas. ---