Press Release – West Papua Media Alerts

From Joyo 1) Ojek Driver Shot to Death in Puncak Jaya 2) West Papua Decolonisation Committee established by coalition. 3) Police Name Five Suspects for Raising Morning Star Flag 4) Women and girls reduced to poverty by HIV/AIDS in Indonesia 5) Police … From Joyo

1) Ojek Driver Shot to Death in Puncak Jaya
2) West Papua Decolonisation Committee established by coalition
3) Police Name Five Suspects for Raising Morning Star Flag
4) Women and girls reduced to poverty by HIV/AIDS in Indonesia
5) Police kill 17 in West Papua, says rights group
6) Human Rights Commission calls for withdrawal of Brimob troops from Paniai
7) Demonstration Dec. 19th 2011 in The Netherlands A Free Choice, But Hugh Saw The Guns

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http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/ojek-driver-shot-to-death-in-puncak-jaya/485683

1) Ojek Driver Shot to Death in Puncak Jaya

Banjir Ambarita* | December 19, 2011

*Jayapura.* An ojek, motorcycle taxi, driver was shot to death in Puncak Jaya, Papua on Sunday afternoon allegedly by the separatist group Free Papua Organization.

The victim, Kolik, a migrant from Probolinggo, East Java, was driving behind Mulia Hospital in Kampung Usir, Mulia district when an armed group ambushed him.

The group shot him six times. One bullet hit his left cheek and went through his mouth. Another hit his right arm and went through his chest and another bullet went through his left back and traveled through his chest. He died instantly.

The assailants took his mobile phone after he died and ran away into the forest. Local people who saw Kolik took him to Mulia Hospital.

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2) West Papua Decolonisation Committee established by coalition * RNZI Posted at 17:15 on 19 December, 2011 UTC The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation has announced the establishment of the West Papua Decolonisation Committee. The coalition says the Committee will petition the United Nations Decolonisation Committee for the re-inscription of West Papua in order for it to be granted the due process of decolonisation. Membership of the Committee will consist of the coalition’s leaders and dignitaries of Vanuatu including former Presidents and Prime Ministers. Membership would be open to people with relevant expertise from other countries. The coalition’s Vice Chairman, John Ondawame, says the establishment of the Committee is their response to the ongoing violence committed by Indonesian forces in Papua. Dr Ondawame says the violence has continued despite years of pleas by Papuans for peaceful dialogue. He has called upon the people of the Pacific and the International community to support the diplomatic effort.

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http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/police-name-five-suspects-for-raising-morning-star-flag/485694

3) Police Name Five Suspects for Raising Morning Star Flag December 19, 2011*Timika, Papua.* A joint investigation conducted by the Papua police and the Mimika police named five Papuans from Timika on Monday as suspects for raising the Morning Star flag during the anniversary of the Free Papua Organization earlier this month.

Deputy chief of Papua Police, Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said the five suspects will be charged for mobilizing a crowd and treason.

“This is a law-abiding nation,” Paulus said. “They fully realized what they did by distributing letters asking people to attend a meeting which they claimed would only involve praying.”

Three of the five suspects who raised the flag in Timika Indah field were identified by their initials as IO, DO, and SO. Paulus said police were still asking for accounts from witnesses.

“We will summon five more witnesses,” he said.

The Free Papua Organization celebration in Timika Indah field ended with a clash between police and local people. The Morning Star flag was raised for five minutes on a 10-meter high tree. Two young people were also running around the tree, waving smaller flags.

Police claimed they had to forcefully take the flag down and fired warning shots when negotiations failed.

/Antara/

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http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/charity-news/women-and-girls-reduced-to-poverty-by-hiv-aids-in-indonesia

4) Women and girls reduced to poverty by HIV/AIDS in Indonesia

Dec 19, 2011 04:58 PM

Although the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is much lower in Asia than in some other regions, women and children in Indonesia are facing a growing threat from the disease.

Nationally, only around 0.2% of the population is infected. However, this represents a doubling in the numbers of people living with the disease in just a few years. In 2005, there were 170,000 people infected with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia; this had risen to 300,000 in 2009.

Up until recently, most infections occurred in specific regions, such as Papua and West Papua, or among high-risk populations, such as sex workers, drug users and men having sex with men. However, the epidemic is now spreading geographically and to different sectors of society. In 2004, HIV cases had been reported in 16 provinces; in 2009, the disease was present in 32 of Indonesia’s 33 provinces. And there has been an increase in the number of infections among women and children. In 2009, females represented a quarter of all those living with HIV/AIDS, compared to 21% in 2006.

A new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – ‘The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Asia’ – highlights the vulnerability of Indonesia’s women when HIV/AIDS enters their lives. Women frequently have to shoulder the financial burden of a household if their partners can no longer work. And if they’re widowed, over two-thirds will be denied inheritance rights.

Since 2004, Indonesia has had a social security programme which provides health insurance and death benefits. However, the International Labour Organization estimates around half the population is not yet covered, leaving many financially vulnerable. In the report’s study, Indonesian families affected by HIV/AIDS were 38% more likely to live below the international poverty line of 1.25 dollars per person per day. Many families spoke of having to sell assets in order to pay medical costs. And girls of affected families are more likely to be taken out of school, not only to save money, but also so the youngsters can help care for sick family members.

To add to all their financial concerns, Indonesian women living with the HIV/AIDS also face widespread discrimination. It is a common perception that a woman must have been ‘bad’ in some way in order to have the disease. Increased awareness about HIV/AIDS will hopefully help to counter such attitudes. And Indonesia’s parliament has voted to introduce universal health coverage by 2014. But until then, many of the country’s women and girls affected by HIV/AIDS face a real struggle in their day to day lives.

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http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201112/3393640.htm?desktop

5) Police kill 17 in West Papua, says rights group

Last Updated: 21 hours 34 minutes ago

A human rights group says at least 17 people died last week after police using helicopters fired on houses in the Indonesian province of West Papua.

Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat reports more than 20,000 people are said to now be homeless after security forces torched the dwellings in the Paniai regency.

The head of Jayapura-based non-government body Elsham said a number of those dead are said to be members of the Free Papua Movement or OPM.

Ferry Marisan said: “According to our reports – our volunteer reports from Paniai – about 10 people there are members of the OPM and the rest members of the local community, not members of the OPM.”

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6) Human Rights Commission calls for withdrawal of Brimob troops from Paniai

JUBI, 17 December 2011

Human Rights Commission urges police chief to withdraw his troops from Paniai

The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has urged the chief of police to immediately withdraw his Brimob troops from the district of Paniai and not to send any more troops there.

This request is made in a letter signed by the deputy head of Komnas HAM, M. Ridha Saleh, which is a follow-up of the complaint made by the chairman f the Regional Traditional Council (DAD) in Paniai several days ago. He said that the complaint was made because of two recent incidents involving members of the police force. One was shooting in the vicinity of the copper-and-gold mine in Degheuwo which led to the death of a civilian and the other relates to the situation following the dispatch of 150 additional Brimob troops who arrived in Enarotali on 11-14 November 2011

In the second place, the Brimob post which was set up in the midst of several kampungs. should be removed.

Thirdly, to immediately conduct an investigation into what caused the death of Mateus Tenouye. Fourthly, to restore a conducive situation so as to enable the people in the district of Paniai to go about their daily activities.

And fifthly, to speedily hold dialogue with all parties involved in conflicts and to help the community to resolve problems that have occurred in the district of Paniai.

‘This request is in accordance with the authority rested in Komnas HAM according to Article 89, para (3) of Law on Human Rights 39/1999,’ the letter said. Copies of the letter have been sent to the chairman of Komnas HAM, the chief of police in Papua based in Jayapura and to the Paniai chief of police in Madi.

Komnas HAM very much hopes that the situation of the people in Paniai will be more conducive, bearing in mind that all people have the right to live in peace and tranquillity and to be protected against threats of fear, in accordance with article 15, para (30) of Law 39/1999.

Komnas HAM also calls upon all people to do everything possible to safeguard a conducive situation for people living in Paniai.

‘The chief of police needs to re-evaluate the policy of sending additional Brimob troops to Papua, particularly to Paniai. His troops must be withdrawn because the people there are very upset, especially because of the attack on Eduda several days ago which has only intensified these fears and are having a significant impact because people are unable to organise activities in preparation for Christmas Day which is fast approaching.’

At the present time, there are hundreds of Brimob troops and police in Eduda, which is the headquarters of TPN/OPM, after managing to occupy the area.

Calls for the withdrawal of these troops have also be made by others, especially since, in the past couple of days, operations in the area have intensified in an attempt to hunt down the group of John Magai Yogi, who recently moved into the forest.

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7) Demonstration Dec. 19th 2011 in The Netherlands

After 50 years of Soekarno’s Trikora announcement on December 19th 1961 a demonstration was held in front of the Indonesian embassy in The Hague, the Netherland. After the 2 hours demonstration the following message was delivered at the Indonesian embassy in the Netherlands.

Free West Papua Campaign 50 years TRIKORA The Hague, 19 December 2011

On 19 December 1961 President Soekarno made his statement regarding the so-called liberation of West Irian, from the hands of the Dutch, but for West Papua people it was a call for an invasion of West Papua. We have never asked to be occupied by the Indonesian State and its security forces, Indonesia acted against International Law.

West Papua is still suffering under the Indonesian occupation and its military oppression. We express our utmost concern and condemnation of the current situation in West Papua, in particular the on-going gross and barbaric human rights violation in the region of Paniai, which are perpetrated by members of the Indonesian army and police, in total impunity. Nothing has changed since 19 December 1961.

The Indonesian occupation of West Papua is illegal; we reject the Indonesian special autonomy and the UP4B

• We urge the Indonesian government to release all political prisoners in West Papua
• We urge the Indonesian government to end all military operations in West Papua
• We urge the Indonesian government to retreat all TNI-Polri personnel on West Papua
• We urge the Indonesian government to recognise our right of self determination

We will continue our campaign in the Netherlands to restore the history and to regain our alienable right to determine our own political future.

Free West Papua Campaign (NL) and the West Papuan community in the Netherlands. ———————————-

From Joyo The Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) Monday, December 19, 2011

A Free Choice, But Hugh Saw The Guns*

Alan Howe

LEGENDARY reporter Hugh Lunn, then an Asia correspondent for Reuters, witnessed the cruel farce of the Act of Free Choice in 1969.

“There were 400 journalists covering East Timor – there were two (in Papua), myself and a Dutchman. There were no photographers. I took pictures and sent them out by hand.”

Lunn described soldiers in civilian clothes walking among villagers choosing their “representatives”.

“The crowd were the most solemn, angry people I’ve ever seen,” recalled Lunn yesterday. “But they didn’t have any guns.”

Three young men and a teenager emerged with signs written in Indonesian calling for one man, one vote. Lunn spoke to them, but they were whisked away by armed soldiers.

Later, he was told they were criminals and were in jail. Others were bashed in full view. Some were thrown over the top of army trucks and driven away.

As Lunn moved about, cowed locals would slip notes into his hand pleading for help for their country. Others made silent hand signals as if hand-cuffed, or shooting themselves in the head.

A blood-soaked letter in Lunn’s room spoke of dissenters being murdered. Other notes were passed to him in shells given by fearful locals.

UN staff refused to comment on the violence and intimidation.

As Lunn boarded a lifeboat to go to the ship that would take him back to Jakarta, a Papuan youth lent on Lunn’s arm. “Are we going to be our own country?” he asked.

“I said: ‘You’ve got no hope’.” Lunn told him that he would soon be an Indonesian. The boy burst in to tears.

Lunn taught the small group of Papuans on the boat to sing We Shall Overcome, knowing they’d need it.

Some day.

ENDS

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