[Kabar-Irian] News: Nov 8 - 21 2007
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KABAR IRIAN NEWS
Nov 8-Nov 21
TOPICS
* UN torture delegate to assess Indonesia
* Warring Papua tribes said ready to 'break arrow, make peace
* An unlikely band of DIY environmentalists
* RC/CARDI TO LAUNCH MAPPING PROGRAMME IN PAPUA, INDONESIA
* Four Papua tribes agree to ceasefire
* Case of Masoka disppearance in Papua to be re-opened
* Follow the money trail in illegal logging crimes: Indonesian activists
* Super Puma chopper crashes in Papua
* Major award for Indonesian film at APSAs
* New Zealand Foreign Minister called on to act
* KBB plans to venture into tapioca plantations
* Mining accused of complicity in rights violations
* Indonesia urged to co-operate with torture inquiry
* The West Papua Report (Nov)
* Freeport Pays Indonesia 434 Million Dollars in Tax in Third Guarter
* Rumble in the jungle
* The National Human Rights Commission is planning ....
* West Papua: Human Rights groups ask for UN access
* Media Statement
* Britain's role in the world
* PAPUA AND THE CURSE OF ITS NATURAL RESOURCES
* ASEAN human rights body told to protect members from foreign interference
* Update on Urgent Appeal
* Balibo Five inquest slams diplomacy
---
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/11/2087459.htm?section=world
UN torture delegate to assess Indonesia
Posted Sun Nov 11, 2007 1:23am AEDT
The United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, has
arrived in Indonesia to assess
conditions there.
It is the first time a holder of the post has visited Indonesia.
Mr Nowak's trip is likely to touch on some sensitive issues:
He will spend 10 days in Indonesia and will travel to several areas of the
country.
He is expected to visit Aceh, which is now trying to build peace after 30
years of conflict, and also the
province of Papua, where human rights workers say police and soldiers
regularly commit abuses.
But Mr Nowak's brief is wide - not only to stamp out torture but also
inhumane treatment.
That means he may also look at the implementation of Sharia law and the
death penalty, both of which
exist in Indonesia.
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20071110.G02
Warring Papua tribes said ready to 'break arrow, make peace
- November 10, 2007
Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika
Four Papuan tribes locked in a deadly conflict since last month expressed
their willingness to end the
violence, an official said Friday.
The violence erupted on Oct. 16 when Dani, Damal and Moni tribesmen of
Kimberly village attacked
Amungme tribesmen in Banti village. So far eight people including three
Amungme and five Dani have
been killed and some 30 others injured in sporadic clashes.
Mimika's acting regent, Atanasius Allo Rafra, said Friday the tribes were
currently refraining from
launching any new attacks.
"I have visited the two villages involved in the conflict and I have
spoken with their leaders. They informed
me that at this time both villages have agreed to drop their bows," he said.
The truce, he said, would allow the government's mediating team to
continue the peace process.
"The residents of both villages are actually looking forward to the ritual
of breaking the arrow as a sign of
peace between them," he said.
The local administration will honor the aspirations of Banti residents as
traditional custodians of the land
in this region. The Banti asked the authorities to supervise and manage
the villages in the region,
including Kimberly village, which is populated by members of several
tribes from outside the region.
The Banti tribesmen also asked the government to limit the influx of
outside tribesmen into the region.
"We will discuss this matter with other relevant institutions. I have sent
a letter to the governor of Papua
asking him to consider this matter, " Atanasius said.
The main reason for the influx of residents is the presence of PT Freeport
Indonesia, the giant copper
and gold mining company which provides the area with jobs.
"In general, the security situation in Banti and Kimberly has returned to
normal. However, security
officers will stay in this area to maintain stability," he said.
More than 500 police officers and Army soldiers have been deployed to the
area for the last three
weeks.
Amungme tribal chief Darius Natkime urged the local administration to
repatriate members of the outside
tribes, who he said had trickled into Kimberly village.
"We don't want to prolong this war. That's why half of the residents of
Kimberly must be sent back to
their homes outside this area," he said.
Natkime also said that in the last five years, the local administration
had ignored Banti's social and
development problems.
---
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10161744
International
Green.view
Now see this
Nov 19th 2007
>From Economist.com
An unlikely band of DIY environmentalists
FAR above the treetops, in Indonesia’s remote Papuan provinces, the
spotter planes are circling. They
are looking for a place to strip the forest and produce the big cash crop
of the moment: palm oil. And if
not palm oil then jatropha, cassava or sugar cane, all of which can be
used as either food or biofuel.
With the price of oil so high these crops have become known as green gold,
and they are being sought
in some of the last remaining tracts of virgin rainforest in Asia.
Few of the Papuan tribesmen who live in these forests have any idea what
the planes up above are
doing. Nor do they realise that the future of their land for ten
generations could well be determined by
the people flying them.
AP The next Scorsese?
On one side, the Indonesian government wants to become the world’s biggest
producer of palm oil and
seems ready to sign a number of multi-million hectare concessions—lasting
up to 100 years—on
Papuan land. The contracts are worth around $8.5 billion. Opposing them
are many governments around
the world, who worry about the carbon emissions such deforestation would
invite. And on another side
still is the regional Papuan government, which has its own ideas about
what should be done with the
land. In the middle of all this are the people who actually live in the
forest. Nobody seems quite certain
what they want.
In this situation, it would come as no surprise if the environmental NGOs
arrived on their flaming green
steeds to argue that locals don't want their forest cut down. That may
indeed be true. But wouldn’t it be
better if the locals could say what they wanted for themselves?
This is the idea of a new project in Papua that uses film-making to
promote civic action and local political
participation. The project is being run by the Environmental Investigation
Agency (EIA), a group best
known for its work exposing the nefarious deeds of environmental criminals
around the world.
Jago Wadley, a forest campaigner for the EIA, is training Papuans to use
cameras (both still and video)
and GPS technology to monitor activity on their land. Although the EIA
usually supports its work with
written documentation, most Papuans are illiterate; Mr Wadley thus turned
to film, and is finding it
surprisingly effective.
Back in 2002, a policeman tried to intimidate the Knassaimos people in
West Papua into giving up much
of their forest to an illegal logging operation. With the help of the EIA,
the tribe filmed the intimidation,
presented the film to the government, and ended the illegal logging. The
EIA sees this as a model for
work throughout Papua.
But what if locals actually want to sell their land? Mr Wadley says that
although the EIA obviously has
environmental goals, it is not an anti-logging organisation. “We are
anti-environmental crime,” he
explains. So even if locals wanted to sell logging concessions on their
land, he says he would help them
make their film so they'd get the best deal.
In December, the EIA hopes to bring six new community-made films to an
international climate-change
meeting in Bali. The films will examine a range of issues, including
illegal logging, forest clearance for
palm oil, conflicts between companies and communities, and the
ever-present corruption. Once almost
invisible, the Papuans could soon find the eyes of the world on them.
---
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/237687/11951297181.htm
RC/CARDI TO LAUNCH MAPPING PROGRAMME IN PAPUA, INDONESIA
15 Nov 2007 12:25:00 GMT
Source: International Rescue Committee UK
IRC
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article
or for any external internet sites.
The views expressed are the author's alone.
The IRC and the Consortium for Assistance to Refugees and Displaced in
Indonesia (CARDI) have
been awarded a grant to map more than four thousand square kilometers of
territory in Papua province
in Indonesia. The project aims to strengthen local involvement in
sustainable development and support
indigenous communities in their effort to gain more control over Papua's
rich natural resources.
Papua is one of the most resource-rich provinces of Indonesia, yet its
population, especially indigenous
Papuans, suffer some of the highest poverty rates in the country. Natural
resources are vital to Papua's
economic development but control of these resources has been a source of
continual conflict.
The IRC/CARDI project will teach communities to use maps as tools for
locating natural resources and
help them to advocate for changes in resource management policies.
"CARDI is thrilled to be entering a vast new area that presents some of
the most urgent humanitarian
and development needs in Indonesia today," said Bryan Cox, IRC/CARDI
country director.
Financial support for the mapping project is being provided by Irish Aid's
Civil Society Fund.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of
Reuters. ]
---
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=36459
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
Four Papua tribes agree to ceasefire
Posted at 22:58 on 15 November, 2007 UTC
Four Papuan tribes locked in conflict since last month have expressed
their willingness to end the
violence
The violence erupted in mid-October when Dani, Damal and Moni tribesmen
attacked Amungme
tribesmen in a nearby village.
So far eight people, including three Amungme and five Dani have been
killed and some 30 others injured
in sporadic clashes.
Mimika’s acting regent, Atanasius Allo Rafra, says the tribes have agreed
a truce
to allow a government mediating team to continue the peace process.
More than 500 police officers and Army soldiers have been deployed in the
area for the last three
weeks.
---
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=36386
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
Case of Masoka disppearance in Papua to be re-opened
Posted at 01:18 on 13 November, 2007 UTC
Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission is planning to re-open the
case of the disappearance of
Aristoteles Masoka who was the driver of the chairman of the Papuan
Presidium Council, Theys Eluay.
Mr Eluay was kidnapped by members of the security forces and killed in
2001 and his driver has been
missing since then.
The Commission’s chairman says Mr Masuka’s disappearance is a crime.
In Jayapura, Mr Masuka’s father has called for his son be returned to the
family, if he is still alive.
He says if he is dead, the family needs to know where he is buried.
---
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hG5IuBrovVLTMK2_Eo-CH4QmutCg
Follow the money trail in illegal logging crimes: Indonesian activists
4 days ago
JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesian activists are urging authorities here to hunt
down illegal loggers using
anti money-laundering laws, following the shock acquittal of a
high-profile suspect who has gone on the
run.
Indonesia's abysmal record on fighting illegal logging -- no timber baron
has ever received a substantial
jail term here -- is under the spotlight ahead of the nation hosting a
global climate change conference in
December.
Adelin Lis, the head of logging company Keang Nam Development, fled from
custody earlier this month
after a court in North Sumatra found he was not guilty of illegal logging
charges due to a lack of
evidence.
Lis' company was cleared of accusations that it illegally razed prime
forest in lush North Sumatra
province, where some of Indonesia's last remaining rainforest tracts
provide refuge to elephants and
endangered tigers.
The logger had originally been nabbed when he tried to extend his passport
at the Indonesian embassy
in Beijing in 2006. He was described by the embassy as being an
"environmental destroyer".
Allegations of court officials being bribed in his case have surfaced,
although prosecutors have said
they will appeal, while police have named Lis as a suspect in a linked
money laundering case.
His lawyers have reportedly said they will present him to police -- who
say they have issued an Interpol
notice to recapture him -- if they promise not to jail him.
But in perhaps an ominous sign of the difficulties police may face,
Indonesia's Attorney General
Hendarman Supandji has dismissed efforts so far, saying: "This money
laundering comes from which
crime? This is not clear."
Derry Wanta, a member of the Indonesian Working Group on Forest Finance
(IWGFF) -- an
independent lobby group of researchers and activists -- conceded it would
be difficult to get Lis back to
court "but not impossible".
"It is written in the money laundering law that a suspect can be tried for
money laundering independent
from the prime crime," he told AFP, speaking after a meeting of the group
over bringing Lis to justice on
Thursday.
Indonesia's groundbreaking 2002 anti-money laundering law would be more
effective in catching the
illegal loggers than the conventional criminal code, said the IWGFF's
Willem Pattinasarany.
"Most of their financial transactions use bank transfers. Unusual banking
profiles can be easily traced --
ask (suspects) to prove that those suspicious transactions are not
illegal," Pattinasarany said.
"If there are two crimes indicated to be related, one of them money
laundering, we think it's best for the
money laundering crime to be processed first" because it would be a
simpler case, he said.
Still, police must carefully do their homework.
A recent case in Indonesia's timber-rich Papua province centred on a local
police chief receiving large
money transfers to his personal account; the officer was cleared, and an
appeal dismissed, for
administrative reasons.
Police said in May that they were becoming increasingly frustrated with
the number of illegal loggers
who were inexplicably being acquitted in Papua.
"There are many cases where police or prosecutors have not formed a tight
case before going ahead to
court. This had caused many cases to be dismissed for administrative
reasons," Pattinasarany told AFP.
Sadino, a legal expert with the IWGFF, also urged police to be more
careful in planning all their
indictments, as sloppy work meant "usually, the man with the chainsaw in
the forest gets the blame."
"Forestry crimes are specialty cases -- investigators should be coherent
from when they start to collect
evidence," Sadino said, adding that a single discrepancy can mean the
whole case gets thrown out.
The Indonesian government had estimated illegal logging costs the country
about four billion dollars and
some 2.8 million hectares of forest cover per year over the past decade.
---
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/11/16/super-puma-chopper-crashes-in-papua/
National
11/16/07 19:54
Super Puma chopper crashes in Papua
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - A Super Puma helicopter owned by the
Indonesian Air Force (TNI
AU) crashed at the Sentani airport in Indonesia`s eastern-most province of
Papua on Friday afternoon
while conducting a test flight.
The helicopter piloted by Maj Bambang Yuniar went down when it was flying
at an altitude of 15 feet, Col
Dedi Parmadi, commander of the Sentani air base, said.
The pilot and three crew members were chafed in the accident, he said.
The flight accident investigation committee (PPKPT) was looking into the
cause of the crash, he said.(*)
Copyright © 2007 ANTARA
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20071118.F09
Major award for Indonesian film at APSAs
Features - November 18, 2007
Cynthia Webb, Contributor, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Indonesia's filmmakers and friends at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards were
thrilled to hear the
announcement of the winner of Best Children's Feature Film:
"And the winner is,Singing on the Cloud" (Denias, Senandung di atas Awan)
directed by John De
Rantau, his first feature film."
The producers, Ari Sihasale and Nia Sihasale Zulkarnaen, a married couple,
both with a history in
acting and television worked for two and a half years on their dream of
making their first film, which has
an important message for young people - the value of education and how it
opens doors of opportunity.
Their second film, now in the planning stages, has the same theme and
tells the story of a dedicated and
inspiring teacher in a remote area of Sumatra.
With them in Australia was 19-year-old Janias Miagoni, a young man from
West Papua, on whose life
story the film is based. About 10 years ago he desperately wanted to go to
school, but the remoteness of
his home and his family situation made it almost impossible. The film
tells the story of how he achieved
his dream.
Janias has just finished senior high school at St John's College in
Darwin, with the aid of a scholarship,
and next year he will be attending the University of Melbourne to study
information technology. He now
has a laptop computer, and is looking forward to showing the film to his
family and friends back home
during the coming holidays. They have not yet seen it because there is no
electricity where they live, in
Aroanop village on Jayawijaya mountain.
Janias, (re-named Denias in the film), is played by young actor Albert
Fakdawer, who has already won
three awards in Indonesia for his performance.
Ari and Nia said: "We were concerned about how Western movies are
infiltrating Indonesia, and we are
really trying to bring our own stories such as this one to the forefront,
and also introduce Indonesians to
the cultures of our other islands.
"There are so many tribes in Indonesia. No matter what the background, it
is possible for them all to be
friends. We are all one big family."
Ari Sihasale, who comes from Ambon, heard the story of Janias from Sam
Koibur, who was Janias'
teacher.
It was a financial challenge to take the 27 crew and actors to West Papua,
seven hours from Jakarta by
plane, for the 35-day shoot. Many of the cast were tribal people of Irian
Jaya.
It was also difficult to find investors in Indonesia, as this film was not
consideredorso they produced it
themselves. However, the doubters were proved wrong, as it has received a
very good audience
response in Indonesia, especially from young people.
"We did it from the bottom of our hearts, so the message communicated to
the audience," Nia said. "The
message of the film is, struggle for what you want with all your power."
"Aside from the beautiful scenery of Papua Island, the film also has the
beauty of the young boy's spirit
to learn," the couple told the young audience at Miami High School, on the
Gold Coast, last Monday
morning.
True to their commitment to youth and education, they were there to offer
inspiration to a group of
senior high school film students. The visit will be part of an
international television broadcast, and eight of
these lucky young people were given tickets to the awards ceremony the
following evening, at the
Sheraton Mirage Hotel.
One student asked Janias how it felt to have a movie made about him.
"I am excited. I was just a barefoot kid. I never thought a film would be
made about me. Thank you for
telling my story," he added, smiling at Nia and Ari.
There has also been great sadness in his young life, when his beloved
mother died, and he began to
speak about it, but became emotional and was unable to continue. He said
she had told him, "If you
become a clever boy, you can conquer the mountains, otherwise they will
conquer you"
---
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0711/S00080.htm
Papua
Tuesday, 6 November 2007, 9:23 am
Press Release: Indonesia Human Rights Committee
Indonesia Human Rights Committee
Box 68-419,
Auckland.
New Zealand Foreign Minister called on to act on recent human rights cases
in West Papua:
The arrest and detention of Iwanggin Sabar Olif, Elsham human rights
worker in West Papua, is causing
great concern to Indonesian and international human rights groups. Mr Olif
is understood to be facing
charges in relation to an innocuous text message which he did not compose
but merely sent on to a few
others. Mr Olif was taken from Jayapura to Jakarta where he remains in
police custody.
The NZ Government offers training to both the Indonesian military and the
police - including a recent
workshop in Jayapura for the West Papua police which focused on "community
policing" and "conflict
management". But New Zealand's efforts are no match for the security
forces entrenched culture of
impunity and intolerance of dissent.
IHRC says the New Zealand Government has a responsibility to use its
leverage with the Indonesian
authorities to speak up about the intimidation and harassment of church
leaders and human rights
defenders, including Mr Olif. Letter to Foreign Minister Winston Peters
follows.
Indonesia Human Rights Committee,
Box 68-419,
Auckland
Rt Hon Winston Peters,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Parliament Buildings,
Wellington
31 October, 2007
Dear Winston Peters,
The Indonesia Human Rights Committee remains deeply concerned about
the situation of Church
workers and human rights defenders in West Papua. We appeal to you to
speak out strongly about the
accumulating evidence of harsh repression.
We cite two very recent examples and emphasise that these recent
events follow on from documented
claims of harassment of several human rights defenders including Albert
Rumbekwan, Chief of the
Indonesia National Human Rights Commission for West Papua, human rights
advocate Christian
Warinussy of Manokwari, and Father John Jongga, a Catholic Priest in the
Jayapura Diocese.
You have detailed to us the measures which New Zealand is taking to
'assist with initiatives designed
to improve human rights awareness.' Recently NZAID sponsored a training
workshop for 32 Papuan
police in conflict management and community policing. New Zealand has also
recently resumed its
defence ties with Indonesia, and is currently sponsoring the training of
an Indonesian officer at the
Defence College in Wellington. Given this close engagement with the
security forces, we believe it is
vital that New Zealand responds pro-actively - otherwise New Zealand will
be seen to condone
provocative actions in blatant breach of international human rights norms.
A West Papuan Baptist Church worker, Imanuel Murip has just been
subjected to an intense
campaign of intimidation at the hands of the security forces. The reports
we have received describe
harassment at his home and in public places and a collision with a vehicle
while he was riding his
motorbike which is believed to have been deliberately caused. Mr Murip has
also been receiving
telephone and written threats including the following:
'Today you must get ready your own coffin!' and this pinned to his
door: 'You don't have the power to
stop us! You have a big problem! You are in our hands!'
On 18 October, according to eye-witnesses, members of the
anti-terrorist squad, Detachment 88,
arrested Iwanggin Sabar Olif, a human rights activist in Jayapura. He was
subsequently moved to
Jakarta where he is reported to be being held at police headquarters and
to be being interrogated about
charges which include 'insulting the President'.
Iwanggin Sabar Olif is a respected lawyer who works for the well-known
human rights organization,
ELSHAM in West Papua. It is understood that Mr Olif was taken into custody
for having forwarded an
SMS text message to several contacts and to his brother. Moreover, since
the SMS message made
reference to the Indonesian president, press reports suggest that he may
even face the charge of
defamation of the head of state, although the crime of defamation was
removed from the Criminal Code
last December by decision of the Constitution Court.
Mr Olif did not compose the text message and we understand that the
particular message which
makes reference to the Indonesian President, has been circulating widely
in West Papua. * We
therefore suspect that Mr Olif is being targeted as other human rights
defenders have been, for his
legitimate human rights work. The events leading to his arrest also
suggest that the authorities are
intercepting SMS communications between human rights activists which is a
worrisome indication of
censorship.
This episode constitutes a violation of the right of freedom of
expression and Mr Olif's freedom to
engage in communication with friends and relatives. This arrest appears to
be intended to reinforce the
atmosphere of intimidation and fear, conveying a warning to other human
rights activists involved in
legitimate activities in West Papua.
It is essential that human rights activists and church workers are
able to work free from fear of
intimidation and arbitrary arrest. We appeal to you to follow the
developments related to the arrest of
Iwanggin Sabar Olif, especially to assure that he is not mistreated in
detention and that he is not the
victim of further injustice.
Yours sincerely,
Maire Leadbeater
For the Indonesia Human Rights Committee
Copy to Hon Phil Goff,
Minister of Defence
Copy to Keith Locke M.P.
Parliament Buildings,
Wellington.
*The wording of the message includes 'New information, be on alert,
SBY has already ordered to
eliminate the people of Papua and take control over the natural resources
of their land. The methods
used to eliminate the people of Papua are food poisoning, pay doctors, pay
food stalls, pay motorbike
taxis'
---
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=53876
DAILY EXPRESS NEWS KBB plans to venture into tapioca plantations
10 November, 2007
BUTTERWORTH: KBB Resources Bhd, a manufacturer of food products based on
flour and sago, plans
to venture into tapioca plantations to expand its product categories.
Its director Shaffie Bakar said the company was looking for opportunities
to start tapioca plantations in
Cambodia as well as Sabah and Sarawak to get the raw material for
processing into food products.
Speaking to reporters here today, Shaffie said the areas being sought
should be around 10,000
hectares and suitable for tapioca cultivation.
The company could also make use of tapioca as a flavouring for its food
products, he said.
Main Board-listed KBB has 60 percent share of the local beehoon market and
its products are also
exported to Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore, according to Shaffie.
Based at the Kuala Ketil industrial estate in Kedah, the company planned
to increase its production of
beehoon in the next three years and may consider acquiring companies
related to its business, he said.
He added that with food prices going up, beehoon was a suitable choice as
a 400-gram pack was sold
at between 75 sen and RM1 and sufficient for seven persons.
The company, which has more than 1,000 employees, posted a revenue of over
RM100 million and
profit of RM10 million last year.
Besides its factory at Kuala Ketil, the company also has factories at Sibu
in Sarawak, Semeling in
Bedong, and Jakarta and Irian Jaya, Indonesia. On Malaysia's move to
become a halal food hub,
Shaffie said KBB would take the opportunity to attract partners from the
Middle East for joint ventures in
food production.
He said that Malaysian halal certificates and food products have been well
accepted by consumers in
the Middle East.-Bernama
---
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/nov/20/mining.riotinto
Mining accused of complicity in rights violations
* Duncan Campbell
*
o Duncan Campbell
o The Guardian
o Tuesday November 20 2007
British mining corporations are "complicit" in human rights abuses while
making large profits in
developing countries, according to a report published today. The
allegations, made by the charity War
on Want, also suggest that the government has failed to call these
companies to account.
The charges are made in Fanning the Flames, a report published to coincide
with the opening of the
Mines and Money World Congress in London this week.
"The British government has championed the cause of UK mining firms across
the world," said Ruth
Tanner, senior campaigns officer at War on Want. "It is time for the
British government to take action to
stop these abuses."
Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are cited in the report. "Rio Tinto earned
$122m (£61m) from its stake in the
Grasberg gold and copper mine in West Papua, Indonesia, where local people
have suffered years of
serious human rights and environmental abuse," according to War on Want."
A spokesperson for Rio Tinto said: "We take human rights allegations
seriously regardless of whether
they relate to either managed or non-managed Rio Tinto operations. There
are many complex economic,
social and environmental matters associated with mining ... We are
satisfied that our principles and
standards are setting new benchmarks for responsible mining practices."
---
http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?NewsID=1154
Indonesia urged to co-operate with torture inquiry
Thursday, 15th November 2007. 11:37am
By: Nick Mackenzie.
INDONESIA has been urged to grant full access to the UN Special Rapporteur
on Torture during his visit
to Papua. The call came today from the Human Rights Defence Coalition there.
Indonesia urged to co-operate with torture inquiry
The visit of Prof Manfred Nowak is the third UN visit in nine months to
look at human rights issues there.
Last week a human rights lawyer was arrested by anti-terrorist police,
apparently for sending a text
message that was ‘insulting to Indonesia’s President’.
Human Rights activists in West Papua are now demanding that Indonesia
gives complete freedom to
Prof Nowak in his quest to eliminate all forms of torture. A spokesman
said: “There are serious concerns
among anti-torture groups at home and abroad about his visit to Papua
because of the controversy
surrounding Indonesia's commitment to upholding human rights.
“In conformity with its position as a member of the UN Human Rights
Council, the government should
give the fullest possible access to the UN envoy. This would ensure that
the initiative in inviting the UN
envoy is not mere lip-service but is a genuine commitment by Indonesia to
respect humanitarianism and
restore its credibility on the world stage.”
In the statement signed by members of the NGO Joint Forum in Papua, they
call on the Indonesian
authorities ‘to give the fullest access to the UN Special Rapporteur
Manfred Nowak to visit places of
conflict and detention centres and prisons and to be fully co-operative
during his visit.’
While there he is expected to inspect detention centres and prisons, where
allegations of torture have
been made. He will also meet law enforcement officers, victims and
humanitarian activists.
---
The West Papua Report
November 2007
This is the 42nd in a series of monthly reports that focus on
developments affecting Papuans. This series is produced by the
non-profit West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) drawing on media
accounts, other NGO assessments and analysis and reporting from
sources within West Papua. This report is co-published by the East
Timor and Indonesian Action Network (ETAN). Back issues are posted
online at http://etan.org/issues/wpapua/default.htm. Questions
regarding this report can be addressed to Edmund McWilliams at
edmcw at msn.com.
Summary
* A UN official has publicly reprimanded Indonesia for its refusal
to allow him into Indonesia to investigate charges that Indonesian
security forces have committed extrajudicial killings. While most
of those killings transpired in the Suharto era, impunity
associated with those crimes, many committed in West Papua,
continues.
* Human Rights NGOs continue to report tension in West Papua over
unexplained kidnappings, assaults, poisoning and killings. Human
rights advocates appear to be a particular target of these and
other forms of intimidation.
* The West Papua Advocacy Team and the East Timor and Indonesia
Action Network have written to Secretary Rice about the detention
of a human rights lawyer, reportedly under a Suharto-era law that
was ten months ago declared unconstitutional. The two organizations
also express concern about the unit that carried out the detention,
a US-funded element repeatedly accused of human rights abuse. The
US-based NGOs also call attention to continuing pressure on other
Papuan human rights defenders.
* A Papuan religious leader explains in compelling terms the basis
of Papuans' deeply rooted objection to the destruction of their
forests for profit.
* Papuan Governor Barnebus Suebu has been honored by Time magazine
as an environmental "hero" for his opposition to the Indonesian
Government's efforts to destroy Papuan forests in the name of
development.
* Pacific regional NGO's attending the 17-nation "Pacific Forum"
have called on participating governments to take action in defense
of Papuans including pressing for a review of the "Act of Free
Choice," the UN monitored non-plebiscite widely acknowledged to
have been a fraudulent act of self determination through which the
Indonesian Government justified its coercive annexation of West
Papua.
* Many Papuans oppose plan by the central government and Russia to
place a spaceport on Biak island. End Summary.
--------------------------
*UN Official Raps Indonesia For Blocking Access to Investigate
Extrajudicial Killings
UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings Philip Alston has
expressed frustration over the lack of response from Indonesia
among other countries who have refused to answer questions about
charges of extrajudicial killings. Indonesia has refused his
repeated requests for access in order to explore the charges.
Alston noted to international media on October 28 that Indonesia
and several other states "are failing the basic test of
accountability." He added that, "if a country has problems of
extrajudicial executions and doesn't let (me) in, that should be of
concern to the General Assembly and Human Rights Council..."
Indonesia is a member of the Human Rights Council and of the
Security Council and in November will assume the presidency of the
latter body. Alston noted that Indonesia's failure to cooperate
with his office in this regard was "especially serious for (a)
Human Rights Council member ... because the council members are
supposed to have said, 'We promise to cooperate fully with the
council' as part of being elected."
Indonesian and international human rights organizations have
accused Indonesia of extrajudicial killings in recent decades.
While most of the killings transpired during the Suharto
dictatorship, the accused perpetrators, usually Indonesian security
and intelligence personnel, continued to enjoy impunity from
prosecution under "democratic" regimes, including that of current
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Many of these extrajudicial killings, as acknowledged by the US
State Department's annual human rights reporting have been
committed in West Papua.
*West Papuan Human Rights Organizations Uniformly Note Growing
Pressure
Kontras Papua (The Commission for Disappearances and Victims of
Violence) and the Catholic Church's Office for Justice and Peace,
among others have noted to counterparts an increased atmosphere of
fear and suspicion, notably in the Jayapura and Timika areas.
Tensions are also high in Wamena. Much of this relates to
unconfirmed reports of killings , kidnappings and poisoning. Human
rights defenders have also been the target of threatening and
provocative anonymous text messages. The head of the Papuan branch
of the National Human Rights Commission has been the victim of such
threats for several months and has also faced physical
intimidation.
This November updating reflects a continuous and some claim growing
atmosphere of intimidation focused on human rights advocates. The
latest surge in intimidation appears to have begun immediately
following the visit of the UN Secretary General's Special
Representative Hina Jilani who met with many of those now facing
the most serious pressure.
*WPAT and ETAN Urge US Government Action In Papuan Detention Case
and Curbing of US-Funded Purported Anti-Terror Unit
WPAT and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network have jointly
urged US action to prevent further injustice targeting, among
others, Papuan Human Rights Lawyer Iwanggin Sabar Olif. Olif lkwas
detained on October 18, reportedly on charges of "insulting the
President," a law that was ruled unconstitutional by Indonesian
courts in December 2006. The letter notes that this detention
transpired in the context of a broader campaign of intimidation
against human rights activists and religious leaders in West Papua.
The two NGO's also reiterated concern about "Team 88" a US-funded
special police unit widely accused of abusive techniques, including
kidnapping and torture that was involved in this particular
detention.
*Papuan Defense of Their Forests Reflects Their Fundamental
Importance in Papuan Life
The Jakarta Post, October 26, 2007 published an article entitled
"Native Papuans fight against deforestation." The author, Catholic
Priest Neles Tebay, describes why Papuans have so strongly resisted
the destruction of their forests by timber firms and those seeking
to develop oil palm plantations. Without referencing the often
illegal nature of these operations, Father Tebay explains Papuans
more basic objections to this destructive exploitation. Excerpts
follow:
"Why do indigenous Papuans courageously reject deforestation? Is
the rejection a reflection of what the central government calls
"Papuan separatism"? Is it a manifestation of being anti-government
or anti-development, the accusations made by the central government
in Jakarta for more than four decades? Is it sign of not wanting to
better their future?
The reasons behind the rejection are related to their culture.
Their rejection is rooted in and guided by the life-giving values
of local culture. Papuans never see their virgin forests simply as
a sea of trees that can be cut down in order to make millions of
dollars.
The forest, for indigenous Papuans from all tribes, has
multi-dimensional meanings. Indeed, Papuans never consider the
forest as an enemy that has to be eradicated from the surface of
the earth. Rather, it is first and foremost a member of the
community.
Papuan community is composed not only of living people, but also
the dead, the spirits and nature. That's why each community, both
as a tribe and a community within a tribe, always has its own
forest within a clearly defined territory. So, culturally speaking,
a Papuan can never be separated from the forest.
It would also be a mistake if Papuan forest was seen as a isolated
thing from the Papuans themselves, because the forest and the
people form one community. For Papuans, a forest can mean a living
pharmacy that provides all the necessary natural medicines. In
times of need, Papuans go to the forest to collect natural
medicine. The forest is also considered a food store or a living
supermarket, for it provides vegetables, fruits, fish and animals.
People used to get the necessary materials for houses, traditional
boats, firewood and fences in their own forest.
It is a Papuan's belief that their ancestors and deceased members
of the community reside in the forest. They are the guardians of
the forest, including plants and animals, owned by the community.
The forest, for Papuans, is a living temple, chapel or mosque,
where people come and pray. It is the place where all rituals are
conducted by a community or individually. Papuans go into their
ancestral forest if they want to communicate with the ancestors or
the dead.
The deeper sense of forest is expressed in the Papuan saying "Hutan
adalah mama" (the forest is our mother). The forest is respected as
a mother who tirelessly cares for, protects and sustains all of the
members of the community, including the animals. Papuans cannot
imagine life without the forest. Emphasizing the deeper meaning of
forest, they say "Hutan kita, hidup kita" (our forest, our lives).
It is for the sake of life that every Papuan is educated from
childhood the importance of maintaining a correct relationship with
the forest. We can now understand that deforestation, for Papuans,
means destroying a living pharmacy, damaging the living
supermarket, destroying the place of worship, expelling the
ancestors and the dead and committing adultery against the mother
forest.
The central government should respect Papuan culture, including the
cultural understanding of forest, and utilize it to protect the
Papua's forests. By doing so, the government and Papuans could
jointly prevent Papua's forests from being lost to deforestation.
Otherwise there will be war between Papuans preserving Papua's
forests and the central government proposing deforestation."
*Papuan Governor Receives International Recognition for His Efforts
to Protect Papuan Forests
Time Magazine, in its October 29 edition, has named Papuan Governor
Barnebus Suebu a "hero" of the environment. Suebu joins the ranks
of such international leaders as Nobel laureate Al Gore and Prince
Charles who have also been so honored. The award recognizes Suebu's
efforts to stop the Indonesian central
government from destructive "development" of Papuan forests through
devastating logging operations and development of oil palm
plantations which entails the elimination of vast stretches of
forest.
Notwithstanding Suebu's efforts, Indonesian agencies, notably
security agencies, continue to operate or protect illegal logging
and other destructive exploitation of Papuan resources.
*Concern over West Papua Voiced at Pacific Forum
At a meeting of 17 Pacific Nations at the "Pacific Forum" in Tonga
October 12-15, representatives of civil society organizations
(CSO's), invited to the Forum by Pacific nation governments issued
a communiqué addressed to Pacific nation leaders. The Appeal
commended Forum Leaders for their "continuous support ... to the
issue of political self-determination in the Pacific region and in
other parts of the world." The CSO's, referring to the "Pacific
Plan" under discussion at the Forum, noted, however, that the
"Plan" needed to focus more directly on a number of issues, not the
least of which was West Papua. The CSO's urged Pacific leaders to:
-- Request the review of the 1969 UN Act of Free Choice for West
Papua and the re-listing of West Papua (and French Polynesia) on
the agenda of the UN Decolonization Committee;
-- Maintain support to West Papua by granting it observer status in
the Forum and encourage continuing dialogue between the Indonesian
government and West Papuan leaders on the issue of self-rule;
-- Commission a fact-finding mission to assess the human rights
violations in West Papua;
-- Promote cultural exchanges between West Papua and the rest of
the Pacific region, including its inclusion in the Pacific Arts
Festival and the South Pacific Games.
*Plans For Russian Spaceport in West Papua Ignores Local Protest
Indonesian and Russian officials have reached agreement to
construct a spaceport on Biak Island in West Papua. The project,
scheduled for completion in 2010 when a Russian satellite is to be
launched from the site, has drawn protests from ordinary Papuans
and from the Biak Customary Council (Dewan Adat Biak).
The project to be developed at Frans Kaisepo Airport will entail
significant expansion and technical development at that location.
Such construction will likely lead to additional migration into the
area, a prospect worrying to Papuans who face increasing
marginalization as a consequence of migration to West Papua from
other parts of Indonesia by people with greater skills and higher
education.
More generally, the major project has been cited by Papuans as one
more example of the central governments failure to adequately
consult with local officials and civil society leaders regarding
matters of fundamental importance to Papuans.
---
Freeport Pays Indonesia 434 Million Dollars in Tax in Third Guarter
Agence France Presse
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
JAKARTA: Mining giant Freeport Indonesia announced Monday that it
paid
the Indonesian government 434 million dollars in taxes, royalties
and
dividends in the third quarter of this year.
Freeport said it had paid a total of 1.4 billion dollars to the
Indonesian government in the first nine months of this year, up
from 1.1
billion dollars in the same period last year.
The company said the amount fluctated due to changes in sales,
commodity
prices and metal production levels.
Freeport said it had paid a total of 6.5 billion dollars to Jakarta
from
1992 to 2007, in line with fulfilling its financial obligations
under a
1991 contract with the Indonesian government.
The company is believed to be the country's largest taxpayer.
Freeport Indonesia is 81 percent owned by US-based Freeport
McMoRan. The
remaining stakes are shared equally between the Indonesian
government
and company Indocopper Investama.
Freeport operates a huge gold and copper mine in Indonesia's
easternmost
Papua province.
Environmentalists have accused the mine of polluting the World
Heritage-listed Lorenz National Park and dumping copper-rich ore
around
the edge of its operations.
The firm has disputed the claims.
In August, the government said it was planning on seeking higher
royalties from the company as the purity level of gold mined in the
last
few years had improved.
---
http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=318010
The Bulletin
Rumble in the jungle
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
As local resistance to the Indonesian military grows in West Papua,
a
Bulletin journalist risks death to alert the outside world.
Occasionally journalists do things that could get them killed -
just to get
the story. David Bradbury did exactly this in 1977 to obtain for
The
Bulletin an exclusive on the secret war between the pro-
independence Free
Papua Movement (OPM) and the Indonesian military in West Papua.
RELATED LINKS
? Bradbury's images from West Papua
? More Living Memory
? Have your say
Bradbury was aware of the dangers. Two years before, in 1975, five
Australian television journalists had been killed in East Timor
while
covering the Indonesian invasion and takeover of that state. A
provincial
commissioner in Papua New Guinea warned Bradbury that this could be
his fate
if he strayed too close to the PNG-West Papua border: "The Indos
shoot first
and ask questions later".
He went anyhow, because no journalist had met or interviewed the
rebels and
reported their story.
His adventure, told in a cover story for the magazine, reads like
something
straight from a novel by Graham Greene or Evelyn Waugh. Bradbury
had heard
of the rebellion only by accident, while visiting his brother, a
patrol
officer on the island of New Ireland. He met a former West Papuan
guerilla
who claimed he could put him in touch with the OPM leader Yacob
Prai, a
former law student now leading the armed resistance to the
Indonesians.
According to the informant, Prai and the OPM sometimes operated out
of
sanctuaries on the PNG side of the border in the north-west of the
country.
So Bradbury, posing as an anthropology student, flies to Vanimo,
the largest
border town in the PNG north-west. Journalists are banned from the
area -
only months before, another journalist posing as a butterfly
collector had
been bundled back on the plane when he arrived. "He didn't know
there were
no butterflies in the area," writes Bradbury.
His OPM contact in Vanimo agrees to send a message to Prai, but
warns
Bradbury it might take a week to reach him. Bradbury decides to
divert any
suspicions by first flying to Jayapura, the Indonesian capital of
West
Papua, then to Bougainville before returning to Vanimo.
He then sets off south to the town of Bewani for the rendezvous
with Prai.
There he is told to walk some miles south to another village and
await
contact. On his way through the jungle he meets a man called
Kungru, who
shadows him to the village. When Bradbury arrives, it emerges that
Kungru is
chief of the village. Bradbury at first suspects the surly Kungru
is spying
on him for the provincial authorities, who are in league with the
Indonesians. In fact, the chief is an OPM supporter, who has been
charged
with bringing Bradbury to Prai.
The meeting takes place and Bradbury gets his story of a nascent
guerilla
war. The rebels are poorly armed and supplied. By this stage,
however,
Bradbury has malaria and it is the rebels who supply him with the
shot of
chloroquine that saves him.
Bradbury is helped back to Vanimo, where his cover has been blown.
The
authorities deport him, but with the help of an Australian tourist
he
manages to smuggle out his rolls of film - images from which you
see on
these pages.
---
Kompas, 10 November 2007
The National Human Rights Commission is planning to re-open the
case of the
disappearance of Aristoteles Masoka, the chauffeur of Theys Hiyo
Eluay,
the chairman of the Papuan Presidium Council, even though case of
Theys
himself has been closed.
Ifdhal Kasim, the chairman of Komnas HAM, told the press that they
would be
reviewing the documents of the Theys case and the trial that was
held in
this connection.
'A disappearance is a crime. The Commission has received a
complaint from
the family of Aristoteles. Moreover, Aristoteles was a key witness
of the
mysterious killing of the Papuan leader,' said Ifdhal.
He said the Commission regards it as its responsible to investigate
this
disappearance.
In Jayapura, the father of Aristoteles, Yonas Masoka, called for
his son be
returned to the family, if he is still alive. 'If he is dead, then
we need
to know where he was buried. We would then be able to collect his
remains
and give him a proper burial. The security forces were responsible
for the
kidnap and murder of Theys, which means that the state is
indirectly
responsible for the whereabouts of our son.'
He also said that his son's disappearance had never been handled by
the
courts. 'The murder of Theys was dealt with in a court of law but
the case
of our son has never been dealt with,' he said
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 8HW, UK.
tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
tapol at gn.apc.org http://tapol.gn.apc.org
---
From: matthew jamieson <matthew at hr.minihub.org>
To: matthew at hr.minihub.org
Subject: West Papua: Human Rights groups ask for UN access
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:36:23 +1100
X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.752.2)
Press Release
(Translation from Indonesian)
The Human Rights Defence Coalition in Papua urges the Government to
give full access to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture during his
visit to Papua
During the past nine months,Indonesia has been visited by three UN
human rights experts, Hina Jilani, the special representative of the
UN Secretary-General for Human Rights Defenders in June, Louise
Arbour, head of the UN Human Rights Council, and Professor Manfred
Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.
Professor Manfred Nowak is visiting Indonesia from 10 - 25 November.
According to his mandate, he is visiting Indonesia in order to help
eliminate all forms of torture that still occur in Indonesia. The
visit is part of Indonesia's commitment as a member of the UN Human
Rights Council, in particular regarding its willingness to comply
with various procedures laid down by the Human Rights Council. The
types of torture to be investigation by Professor Nowak have been
defined under the UN Convention Against Torture adopted by the UN
General Assembly on 10 December 1948 [this is when the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights was adopted] which was ratified by
Indonesia in 1998.
Professor Nowak will visit a number of detention centres and prisons
where torture has occurred. He will also meet law enforcement
officers, victims and humanitarian activists.
There are serious concerns among anti-torture groups at home and
abroad about his visit to Papua because of the controversy
surrounding Indonesia's commitment to upholding human rights. In
conformity with its position as a member of the UN Human Rights
Council, the government should give the fullest possible access to
the UN envoy. This would ensure that the initiative in inviting the
UN envoy is not mere lip-service but is a genuine commitment by
Indonesia to respect humanitarianism and restore its credibility on
the world stage.
We therefore call upon the Indonesian Government and institutions
concerned with law enforcement and the defence of human rights:
1. to give the fullest access to the UN Special Rapporteur Manfred
Nowak to visit places of conflict and detention centres and prisons
2. to be fully cooperative during the visit of the UN Special
Rapporteur to Indonesia
For further information, please contact Brother Septer Manufandu at
the Secretariat of the NGO Joint Forum in Papua, phone:0967 573511.
Jayapura, 14 November 2007
J. Septer Manufandu Br. Yohanes Budi
Hermawan O.F.M
Executive Secretary FOKER LSM Director SKP
Jayapura
Alosius Renwarin, SH Pdt. Dora Balubun, STh
Director Elsham Papua Coordinator, KPKC
Sinode GKI
Matius Murib Leonard Imbiri
Kontras Papua General Secretary DAP
Peneas Lokbere Paskalis Letsoin, SH
Chair of the Victims' Community Director LBH
Papua
Elias Weah
Secretary-General FNMPP
Secretariat of NGO Foker Papua :
Translation by TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 8HW, UK.
tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
tapol at gn.apc.org http://tapol.gn.apc.org
---
West Papua People’ Representative Office
Headquarter: P.O. Box 1571, Port Vila, Rep. of Vanuatu, ph.+768 75832/40808
Email: awulkeweng at yahoo.com, morningstar at vanuatu.co.vu
West Papua National Coalition for Liberation
Media Statement
19th
November 2007
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) has called on the
President of Indonesia,
Dr. Haji Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to enter into peace talks aimed at
resolving the long standing
problems of human rights abuses and related problems in West Papua.
On 12th October 2007, Secretary General of the WPNCL, Dr. Otto Ondawame,
wrote directly to
President Yudhoyono, as well as presented a letter of request for dialogue
to the Indonesian delegates
to Pacific Islands Forum Dialogue Partner Meeting on 18th October this
year in Tonga.
The WPNCL was established at a meeting of leaders of West Papuan political
and social groups in
September 2007. It is the sole and legitimate representatives of the
people of West Papua and gives a
single voice to the shared aspirations of the people of West Papua.
Since 1998, Indonesia has undergone a process of transition from
authoritarianism and militarism to
democracy and, for the most part, peace. However, West Papua has been
largely excluded from that
process. The Secretary-General of the WPNCL, Dr. Otto Ondawame said the
WPNCL now seeks to
bring democracy, justice, peace and freedom to the people of West Papua.
‘As a part of Indonesia,’ Dr. Ondawame said, ‘our beloved land of West
Papua has had neither peace
nor freedom. The attempt by the Government of Indonesia to resolve this
problem by establishing
Special Autonomy for West Papua has failed, being too little, inadequately
applied, and effectively
dismantled. For these obvious reasons, the Special autonomy has been
rejected by the people of West
Papua and demanded for new just and democratic referendum’.
‘There continues to be human rights abuses by the TNI and police,
including the murder, torture and
disappearance of West Papuan political activists, and the regular
intimidation of ordinary West Papuan
people. There are also the continuing problems of very low levels of
development, the illegal expropriation
of many West Papuan people from their hereditary lands, the lack of
adequate compensation, and the
destruction of the West Papuan natural environment,’ Dr.Ondawame said.
‘When the people of West Papua have attempted to express concern over
these legitimate issues, they
have been beaten, arrested and tortured, and often murdered and
disappeared, Dr. Ondawame said. ‘It
is time for the people of West Papua and Indonesia to work out a better
way to address these problems’
To this end, the WPNCL has formally invited President Yudhoyono, or a
delegation on his behalf, to
enter into meaningful dialogue to seek a resolution to these and related
issues.
For further information, contact:
Dr. Otto Ondawame, Tel: +678 23614, +678 75832 (Mb).
Paula Makabory, +61(0)402547517; Fax: +61(0)395435843
Octovianus
Mote
+1
203
5203055
---
http://ukwatch.net/blog/jamiesw/britain_039_s_role_in_the_world
Britain's role in the world
Posted November 14th, 2007 by JamieSW
Tagged:
* arms trade
* foreign policy
* Indonesia
* West Papua
300px-Flag_of_West_Papua.svg.png
There was an interesting discussion yesterday in the House of Lords about
the West Papuan problem,
specifically the genocidal Indonesian occupation of West Papua which has
thus far enjoyed the full
support of the British government. The exchange, between several Lords and
Foreign Office Minister
Lord Malloch-Brown, reveals a lot about the sincerity of Britain’s
purported commitment to human rights,
democracy and freedom.
Asked by Lord Harries of Pentregarth “[w]hether the United Kingdom has a
responsibility to raise the
case of West Papua in the United Nations Security Council”, Malloch-Brown
replied,
“My Lords, we do not plan to raise Papua in the United Nations
Security Council. We respect
Indonesia’s territorial integrity and do not support Papuan independence.
We believe that full
implementation of existing special autonomy legislation is the best way to
proceed towards a sustainable
resolution to the internal differences and the long-term stability of
Papua. The best way to resolve the
complex issues in Papua is through promoting peaceful dialogue between
Papuan groups and the
Indonesian Government.”
The exchange continued:
“Lord Harries of Pentregarth : My Lords, I thank the Minister for his
reply. However, does he agree
that the British Government’s attitude in 1968-69, as now revealed under
the 30-year rule through the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office telegrams, could only be described as
brutal realism? Commercial
links with Indonesia were allowed to stifle totally the legitimate claims
of the indigenous West Papuan
people to independence. We therefore have a particular responsibility to
let the voice of these people,
who are suffering massive human rights abuses, at least be heard in the
councils of the UN.
Lord Malloch-Brown : My Lords, the noble Lord refers to the time of
the so-called Act of Free Choice
when 1,000 pre-designated or selected Papuan representatives made a
decision on behalf of the
Papuan people. There has subsequently been much dispute whether they made
that decision objectively
and freely of their own will. Nevertheless, it was endorsed by the United
Nations at the time and since
then there has been no international doubt that Papua is part of Indonesia.
Lord Archer of Sandwell: My Lords, there is no legal or procedural
impediment to raising the question
either at the General Assembly or in the Security Council under Article 35
of the charter. Is it the
Government’s position that genocide should continue while the
international community looks on? If so,
what has become of the ethical foreign policy?
Lord Malloch-Brown : My Lords, the noble and learned Lord raises two
separate points. First, while
we are concerned by continuing human rights abuses in Papua—we have
highlighted them in this year’s
Foreign Office and government human rights report and raised them through
our embassy in
Jakarta—we nevertheless believe that they are of a relatively small kind
and do not in any way constitute
the level of gravity that has just been implied. Secondly, because we do
not accept that Papua should be
independent, we would not consider it appropriate to raise the issue in
the Security Council or General
Assembly.
Lord Avebury : My Lords, does the Minister agree that the so-called
Act of Free Choice was nothing
of the kind? If that is so, is it not at least worth asking the
Indonesians to consider the similar case of
Aceh, where there has been a free election for an autonomous government of
the territory? Might that
not be the best way forward, rather than total independence?
Lord Malloch-Brown: My Lords, the noble Lord makes a very good point.
Aceh offers us hope that
Indonesia is now trying to deal with these issues within a framework of
autonomy and self-government
within that. Indeed, the Act of 2001 offers such arrangements for Papua.
We are disappointed that, due
to political disputes between the Government and local Papuan groups, the
implementation of that special
autonomy arrangement has not gone further at this stage.
Lord Campbell of Alloway: My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that,
sitting here, it is very difficult to
discern from the answers that have been given what is the attitude of Her
Majesty’s Government?
Lord Malloch-Brown: My Lords, I think that the noble Lord
misunderstands. I look at this as one of the
clearest answers by a Minister: that the Government do not accept that
Papua has a claim to
independence and believe that it is part of Indonesia. The noble Lord will
accept that that is an unusually
clear statement by a government Minister
” [my emph.]
This is a disgraceful performance. Referring to the 1969 “Act of Free
Choice”, Malloch-Brown describes
how there “has subsequently been much dispute whether they made that
decision objectively and freely
of their own will”. These weasel words are sheer fabrication – whatever
“dispute” that has existed has
been totally contrived. There was never any doubt about the fraudulence of
the “referendum” in 1969 –
even the British government recently conceded that in 1969 “a thousand
hand-picked Papuans were
largely coerced into declaring for Indonesia”. This was hardly a recent
revelation – as the Foreign Office
noted at the time,
“Privately, however, we recognise that the people of West Irian (West
Papua) have no desire to be
ruled by the Indonesians who are of an alien (Javanese) race, and that the
process of consultation did
not allow a genuinely free choice to be made”. (PRO: FCO 24/449 (FWD1/4).
FCO briefing on West
Irian prepared for the UK delegation to the UNGA, 10 September 1969)
George Monbiot describes what happened in blunter terms:
“1,022 men [or a fraction of 1% of West Papua’s population of 800,000]
were selected by Indonesian
soldiers, taught the words “I want Indonesia”, then lined up at gunpoint.
One man who refused to say his
lines was shot. Others were threatened with being dropped out of
helicopters. This rigorous democratic
exercise resulted in a unanimous vote for Indonesian rule”.
Certainly, it was a far cry from the act of self-determination involving
all adult West Papuan men and
women promised in the 1962 ‘New York Agreement‘, that ‘temporarily’ handed
control of West Papua to
Indonesia. After raping and torturing its way through the West Papuan
population, killing an estimated
30,000 people in six years, Indonesia finally got round to organising the
farcical “act of self-
determination” described above in 1969.
Despite the obviously fraudulent process (one U.S. embassy telegram (.pdf)
described it as “unfolding
like a Greek tragedy, the conclusion preordained”), the international
community – including Britain –
accepted the Indonesian conquest of West Papua as legitimate. The reasons
why were explained
accurately in an internal 1968 Foreign Office memo:
“The strength of the Indonesian position lies in the fact that
they
must know that, even if there are
protests about the way they go through the motions of consultation, no
other power is likely to conceive it
as being in their interests to intervene
I cannot imagine the US,
Japanese, Dutch, or Australian
Governments putting at risk their economic and political relations with
Indonesia on a matter of principle
involving a relatively small number of very primitive people.”
Or, as Lord Harries put it last year,
“A number of powerful countries have strong economic ties to
Indonesia, not least in the arms trade,
and will be only too anxious not to make a fuss about this matter, as they
were anxious not to make a
fuss about it at the time of the so-called “Act of Free Choice” in 1969.
We are, of course, one of those
countries.”
Since then, an estimated 100,000 West Papuans have been killed in what a
Yale Law School study
(.pdf) describes as a genocide. The British government has continued to
sell arms to Indonesia – over
£393 million worth between 1997 and 2005 alone. Noam Chomsky often quotes
Thomas Carothers,
director of the Carnegie Endowment Program on Law and Democracy and a
former official in the
Reagan administration, to the effect that there exists a “strong line of
continuity” in U.S. foreign policy,
specifically that:
“Where democracy appears to fit in well with US security and economic
interests, the United States
promotes democracy. Where democracy clashes with other significant
interests, it is downplayed or
even ignored.”
The British government’s continued support for Indonesian oppression in
West Papua demonstrates that
the principle is equally applicable over here.
---
http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0711/17/opi01.html
Sinar Harapan, 21 November 2007
Translated by TAPOL
PAPUA AND THE CURSE OF ITS NATURAL RESOURCES
by Arief Oka, an economist
Are natural resources like oil and copper a blessing or a curse?
Experiences around the world over the past 500 years show that natural
resources are more frequently a curse.
The Spanish conquistadors destroyed the Aztec and Maya civilisations in
Latin America in their determination to grab control of its gold. Europeans
who emigrated to North America in search of animal hides and fertile soil
to till destroyed the Indian tribes who inhabited the land.
Various Muslim groups are killing each other to exploit oil in the Middle
East. Vicious conflicts are underway in the continent of Africa to gain
control of the valuable natural resources there.
If it is true that countries with abundant natural resources are cursed,
then Papua is the place in Indonesia which has suffered by far the most
because of this curse. By rights, per capita income of the roughly two
million Papuan natives and the 700,000 migrants should be the highest in
Indonesia from their rich natural resources. Are the inhabitants enjoying
the benefits from these natural resources which are being exploited in the
land where they live? Clearly they are not.
The primary beneficiaries of Papua's riches are the Indonesian government
in Jakarta, the foreign multinationals who have been granted concessions to
exploit copper (Freeport) and oil (BP), and non Papuan inhabitants who are
illegally exporting timber and various other natural resources.
Unless there is a radical change in policy, it is not difficult to predict
what future awaits the Papuans. The rape of Papuan resources will proceed
at an intensified rate, as a result of which, one of the richest
biological and cultural territories in the world will be totally destroyed
in less than a century.
The native Papuans will become nothing more than a footnote in history.
Javanese, Buginese, Chinese and other 'foreigners' who have colonised
Papua will start killing each other to gain control of the 100,000 hectares
of remaining forest to transform them into palm oil plantations.
Four measures needed
Experiences from other parts of the world show that there is only one way
to transform Papuans riches from the curse which they now are into a
blessing. Four measures would need to be taken:
First, to declare a 50-year moratorium which could be renewed with regard
to new explorations to exploit natural resources on a major scale.
The Freeport and BP projects are producing far more profits than what the
Papuans would need to live for the next 50 years.
Second, to halt the influx of new migrants. There are already enough people
in Papua to protect the natural resources and sell other natural resources
on a continuing basis . In this way, Papua would become by far the richest
and best National Park in Indonesia.
In fact, Papua can become the largest nature reserve and cultural centre.
This is a dream of which to be proud, a dream never equaled by other
countries. The mission of the Indonesian people and nation could be to
protect this territory from unrestrained exploration. This would also
include halting missionaries from whatever sect and allowing the Papuans
and non Papuans to adhere to whatever beliefs they like without external
interference.
Third, to set up a Trust Fund which would receive 100 percent of the taxes,
royalties and other revenues from the existing concessionaires. Such a move
has been taken successfully taken by Norway and other countries. The Trust
Fund should be managed by Indonesians of the finest character and
commitment who are capable of protecting Papua for humanity and not just
for the interests of the Indonesian nation. The trustees should be
tasked with raising funds and investing the funds wisely with various
international asset boards which have been globally successful. The
trustees would also be charged with supporting social and cultural
developments of the Papuan people, starting with a voluntary scheme of free
education for all up to tertiary level. The Trust Fund would also be
charged with funding security forces to protect Papua from intrusions for
unlicensed natural resource exploitation.
Fourth, to get rid of the two provincial structures which are at present
competing with each other to exploit the natural resources in their
regions, and replace this with a single government structure for Papua and
West Papua. As is the case in other regions of Indonesia, that government
would be responsible for regulating those economic activities not based on
the exploitation of natural resources in accordance with the laws in force
throughout Indonesia.
With such a regional government, the Papuan people would be as free as are
Indonesians in other parts of the country to pursue various
activities that are not reliant on the exploitation of the natural
resources or that involve the removal of the native Papuans.
Business ventures that are able to provide jobs for Papuan people wishing
to live in a modern economic environment, without being surrounded by mega
projects that are run by outsiders.
Tourism and eco-friendly sectors would be able to support a lifestyle that
is on a par with other Indonesian citizens. Exploitation of natural
resources on a small scale and at a low intensity would still be possible
but Papuan people should not be under any obligation to become part of the
modern economy. They are the human and cultural resource of inestimable
value along with pre-modern tribal people in all parts of the globe so
many of whom have become extinct. They should be left to become part of
the modern world in accordance with their own wishes.
Is such a vision feasible? Would Indonesia have the political will to do
something that so many other countries have been unable to do?
Perhaps not. There is greed and nationalism and unrestrained religious
conflict. Even so, there is still an opportunity in Papua. Protecting this
region should be easier than protecting some parts of Kalimantan and part
of Brazilian Amazon and equatorial Africa. Shedding tears for mankind
because of the theft by other people of Papua's natural resources would
continue along with other ferocious acts of colonisation occurring
throughout the world.
This is not just about the fate of the Papuan people, who are cursed with
living among abundant natural resources. This is a crime being perpetrated
by man against man that is happening before our very eyes.
---
Jakarta Post
November 21, 2007
ASEAN human rights body told to protect members from foreign interference
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailgeneral.asp?fileid=20071121110908
<http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailgeneral.asp?fileid=20071121110908&irec=
4> &irec=4
SINGAPORE (AP): A human rights body to be set up by Southeast Asian nations
should not intervene in domestic human rights problems, but instead protect
countries from foreign meddling, according to confidential recommendations
by the region's diplomats.
The recommendations were made in a report seen by The Associated Press on
Wednesday. It was commissioned by the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, whose leaders adopted Tuesday a landmark charter, which among other
things calls for setting up a human rights agency.
The report's mandate was to list out the agency's powers and duties.
Its recommendations confirm that the human rights agency would be a
toothless body with no power to rein in blatant violators such as Myanmar.
The report's contents reveal the extent of ASEAN's reluctance to hold any of
its members accountable - or to shame them - for outright human rights
violations such as the Myanmar junta's recent crackdown on pro-democracy
protesters in September that killed at least 15 people.
The international community has condemned the junta for its refusal to
restore democracy and release Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the
opposition leader who has been under house arrest for 12 of the last 18
years. ASEAN has also been criticized for not doing enough to pressure
Myanmar's military leaders.
The human rights body, to be comprised of representatives from ASEAN
countries, should draft a "long-term roadmap" for the promotion of human
rights, according to the report prepared by a task force, led by Singapore.
Such a body should also have "respect for national independence,
sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all
ASEAN member states," it said.
The task force recommended that the human rights body should uphold ASEAN's
bedrock policy forbidding member countries from interfering in one another's
domestic affairs - an edict Myanmar has often invoked to parry criticisms.
The report also says the rights body should oppose attempts by foreign
countries to interfere in any Southeast Asian country's human rights
problems.
The agency should "be faithful to ASEAN and its common interests and oppose
external influence attempting to interfere in the human rights issues of any
ASEAN member state," the task force said.
The body should conduct consultations and a public campaign on rights
promotion and consider drafting an ASEAN declaration on human rights, it
said.
The establishment of a human rights body had been the most contentious issue
in the drafting of the ASEAN Charter because of strong opposition from
Myanmar.
A Myanmar diplomat, Thaung Tun, said that his country wants the human rights
body to become a "consultative mechanism" and that it should not "shame and
blame" any ASEAN nation.
ASEAN's members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (**)
---
UPDATE ON URGENT ACTION UPDATE ON URGENT ACTION UPDATE ON URGENT ACTION
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ? URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME
Update on Urgent Appeal
21 November 2007
[RE: UP-130-2007: INDONESIA: Continuing threat on the head of the Human
Rights Commission in Papua; soldier threatens to kill a priest;
UA-209-2007: INDONESIA: Human rights activists from West Papua targeted
following meetings with UN Human Rights Defenders Special Representative]
------------------------------------------------------
UP-156-2007: INDONESIA: Army Special Forces threaten social workers to find
out Father Johanes Djonga's whereabouts in Papua
INDONESIA: Freedom of expression; threats on human rights defenders
------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information
regarding the continuing threats of social workers by the Army Special
Forces in Papua since September 2007 to get location of Father Johanes
Djonga working for human rights. The AHRC has earlier raised the alarm
about the army's threats against the Father Djonga but threats are still
made to his friends and social workers who are known as the leaders of
villages. The AHRC is concerned about the government's inaction against
these repeated threats by the army.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
As described in our previous appeal, Father Johanes Djonga, a Catholic
priest, has been receiving threats and intimidation from army in Waris
District, Papua since August of this year. Army Special Forces (Kopassus)
of Waris District accused him of being provocative and claimed that he was
betraying the Indonesian government
(<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2597/>UP-130-2007). Please
also see previous case citing threats against human rights defenders in
Papua (<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2465/>UA-209-2007)
It is reported that due to the precarious condition in his parish
community, Waris District, Father Djonga went hiding following numerous
threats since August 2007. However in his absence, various threats are
reported to have been addressed to the people, such as colleagues and
friends, who had been working closely for human rights with him.
On 2 October 2007, Pius Amo, a student of Waena Pastoral Institute in
Jayapura, was yelled at by Lieutenant Agus, Military Commander of Waris
District, "You! You are Father Djonga men!" Though there was no physical
attack against Pius Amo, it is reported that Pius is psychologically
affected by the encounter and scared at the sight of military officers
since the incident because the situation is not stable.
On October 26, First Lieutenant Usman, Commander of the Army Special Forces
(Kopassus) of Waris District, Papua province, threatened Gaspar May, Chief
of Banda tribe, and Theodorus Meho, a well known figure who were also one
of the Father's colleagues in Waris District. When they were attending a
ceremony, Usman said that they would vanish as a result of their
relationship with Father Djonga.
It is also reported that on October 28, Usman and some military personnel
tried to forcefully intoxicate a few men in an attempt to get information
on whereabouts of Father Djonga in Waris District.
The people of Waris District have asked Father Djonga not to come back
because the situation is still unsafe. People in the Waris District are
becoming increasingly scared due to the threats from the Kopasus, who keep
asking for the whereabouts of Father Djonga. The continuing threats to
Father Djonga are strongly believed to be as a result of his involvement in
human rights work. Few months back, he submitted a report to the governor
of Papua and the military commander in the city of Jayapura which
criticized the military action in the borders of Waris and Papua New Guinea.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please immediately write to the concerned authorities listed below
demanding a fair and impartial investigation into the continuous threats
and intimidations against human rights activist in Papua. Please urge them
to ensure that such intimidation act shall be halted and those responsible
shall be brought to justice. The integrity of the Father Djonga must be
ensured.
Suggested letter:
Dear __________,
INDONESIA: Army Special Forces threaten social workers to get Father
Johanes Djonga's whereabouts in Papua
Name of persons receiving threats:
1. Father Johanes Djongak, a Catholic priest, Papua
2. Gaspar May, Chief of Banda tribe, Papua
3. Theodorus Meho, a social worker, Papua
4. Pius Amo, a student of Waena Pastoral Institute in Jayapura city, Papua
5. Some villagers of Waris District were traumatized by the continuing
intimidation by the army
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. First Lieutenant Usman, Commander of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus)
in Waris district, Papua
2. Other army personnel
3. Lieutenant Agus, Military Commander of Waris District (Danramil)
Date of incident: Since August 2007 to now
Place of incident: Waris District, Papua
I am gravely concerned by the continuing intimidation and threats committed
by the Commander of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) in Waris district,
Papua province, First Lieutenant Usman, and the soldiers under his command
towards Father Johanes Djonga, directly and indirectly.
Recently the intimidation has transformed into indirect threats subjected
on those who are close with Father Djonga, such as the servants in his
parish community and few local villager of Waris District. Due to the
unsafe condition experienced by him, Father Djonga went hiding following
numerous threats.
As a member of UN Human Rights Council and signatory party to the
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Indonesian government has a
responsibility to guarantee the safety of human rights defenders. In
particular it must uphold its obligation to international standards
specifically article 12.2 of the Declaration, which says, "The State shall
take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by competent
authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others,
against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse
discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of
his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present
Declaration."
I am informed that regardless of the above-mentioned facts, the Indonesian
military continues to attack and intimidate human rights defenders with
impunity. This is ensured by the authorities' failure to investigate such
incidents and to punish those found to be responsible. Attacks on human
rights defenders should be seen as attempts to also silence the victims
they represent and amount to further attacks on human rights themselves.
In light of the above, I strongly urge you to order an immediate and
thorough investigation into these threats made by the army personnel
against the social workers without delay. The concerned authorities must
exhaust all means to afford protection for them and to ensure their safety.
If found that the allegations are true, appropriate charges and
disciplinary action must be imposed upon them promptly.
I strongly urge the Indonesian authorities to ensure that all attacks,
threats and acts of intimidation cease and all other barriers to the work
of human rights defenders are immediately halted. The government must
ensure that the afore-mentioned cases are at once and impartially
investigated and that all persons found responsible are brought to justice,
with adequate reparation being provided to the victims. The worsening human
rights situation in the province must be addressed without delay.
I trust that you immediate take action on this serious matter.
-----------------------
Yours sincerely,
----------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President
Republic of Indonesia
Presidential Palace
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara
Jakarta Pusat 10010
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 384 5627 ext 1003
Fax: + 62 21 231 4138 / 345 2685 / 345 7782
2. Mr. Hendarman Supandji
Attorney General
Kejaksaan Agung RI
Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 1
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 722 1337 / 739 7602
Fax: + 62 21 725 0213
3. Gen. Sutanto
Chief of National Police
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 721 8012
Fax: +62 21 720 7277
4. Gen. Djoko Santoso
Commander in Chief of Indonesian Army Force
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara No. 2
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 381 1745
Fax: +62 21 381 1089
5. Mr. Ifdhal Kasim
Chairperson
National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5230
Fax: +62 21 315 1042 / 392 5227
6. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General on the situation of human
rights defenders
Room 1-040, OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 906 8670
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (<mailto:ua at ahrchk.org>ua at ahrchk.org)
Asian Human Rights Commission
19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building,
998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367
---
http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=326625
Balibo Five inquest slams diplomacy
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The deliberate slaying of the Balibo Five shows up Australia's paralysed
diplomacy in the face of
Indonesia's military. By Clinton Fernandes.
There is no statute of limitations on murder. Nor, it appears, on those
trying to cover it up. Last week, a
coronial inquest finally did what the leading lights of Australian
diplomacy could not do: establish the
truth of the murders of five journalists at Balibo in East Timor, 32 years
ago.
The coroner found that Brian Peters, Greg Shackleton, Gary Cunningham,
Tony Stewart and Malcolm
Rennie clearly identified themselves as Australians and as journalists.
They were unarmed and dressed
in civilian clothes. They had their hands raised in the universally
recognised gesture of surrender. They
were shot and/or stabbed to death in a deliberate act. The Indonesian
military tactical commander gave
the order to kill as part of a plan that emanated from the highest levels.
Their corpses were dressed in
uniforms, guns placed beside them and photographs taken in an attempt to
portray them as legitimate
targets.
Australian diplomats, academics and media commentators who make up the
Jakarta Lobby claimed they
were pursuing a pragmatic, hard-headed and tough-minded strategy of better
relations with the
Indonesian military. But they were thoroughly compromised by Indonesia's
strategists, who made a
mockery of their supposed expertise in foreign policy. Indonesian
brutalities could not be concealed
from the Australian public, nor could a good relationship with Indonesia
be conducted in the face of
sustained public condemnation. Indeed, the only people the Jakarta Lobby
was tough-minded towards
were the families of the victims, not their Indonesian counterparts.
As the Australian public learns more about Indonesia, they will discover
that military personnel who
committed atrocities in East Timor were promoted and posted to West Papua.
They will learn the black
West Papuans are subjected to a racist, oppressive military presence that
would be condemned were a
European power to act similarly. Our diplomats will try to be tough-minded
about this - towards
concerned Australians, not their Indonesian counterparts. The latter know
the unspoken truth about
Australia's diplomats: they are not the lions of Gallipoli but the lambs
of Canberra.
Clinton Fernandes is a senior lecturer in strategic studies at the
University of NSW.
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