Workers who were rescued after a tunnel collapsed in the Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc. mine area receive treatment in a hospital in Tembagapura of Papua. Image: Tempo

Pacific Scoop:
Report – Special correspondent in Tikika, Papua

The Papua police have established an investigation into the cause of the collapsed tunnel at the Big Gossan underground training facility at the PT Freeport Indonesia mine, an official has announced.

Papua police chief Inspector-General Tito Karnavian said it was crucial to know whether negligence played a part in the May 14 accident that killed 28 workers and injured 10 others.

He said the investigation team would cooperate with related institutions, including the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s mining inspectorate and geologists. Read more »

PNG Defence Force soldiers in a training exercise. Image: Lowy Institute/PMW

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby

A 19-year-old man is receiving treatment for gunshot wounds after about five Papua New Guinea soldiers allegedly opened fire on him and two other West Papuans.

The Indonesian Consul to Papua New Guinea, Jahar Gultom, announced in a statement yesterday that the PNG Defence Force would investigate the shooting.

PNGDF soldiers apparently shot Eduard Aritahano in the leg during the early hours of Wednesday morning in Lido Village near Vanimo town in Sandaun Province. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Oktovianus Pogau in Jayapura

Victor Yeimo, chairman of the National Committee of West Papua, has been arrested along with three other activists – student Yongky Ulimpa (23), student Ely Kobak (17)  and Marten Manggaprouw (30) and had not been released late today.

“Until this afternoon, Victor Yeimo with three other activists were arrested by the police and has not been released,” said KNPB spokesman Wim Medlama when contacted by suarapapua.com.

According to Wim, the last information received after he was arrested, Yeimo had been separated from the three other activists for the next police interrogation. Read more »

West Papuan Benny Wenda and PNG student journalist Henry Yamo … “Pacific Scoop deserves praise for keeping an eye on Papua and other trouble spots in the Pacific.” Image: Del Abceded/PMC

“Journalism is in crisis in the Pacific region and this is reaching a new level of intensity,” says one editor. But independent Pacific Scoop challenges the status quo. Jane Jeffries reports for Asia-Pacific Journalism.

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Jane Jeffries

Pacific Scoop exposes New Zealand to Pacific issues and gives a fresh voice to people in the region on a wide range of topics including health, human rights, media and social justice, say journalists and media commentators.

This regional independent news website provides a strong platform for Pacific issues to be heard and debated. Mainstream media no longer report widely on Pacific issues so it plays a vital role, say the media analysts.

Pacific Scoop and its founding partner, Wellington-based Scoop Media Limited, last month announced a new $5000 internship to fund a postgraduate student journalist to report and edit for the service. Read more »

Peace negotiator Octovianus Mote … exiled from West Papua by the Indonesian government in 1999. Image: Jamie Small/PMC

A UN Commissioner says that over the last year her office has received 26 reports of alleged human rights violations in West Papua, many of which are linked to law enforcement officials. Jamie Small reports for Asia-Pacific Journalism.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Jamie Small

A prominent West Papuan journalist and activist has visited New Zealand to gather support for West Papua’s inclusion in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)  while an Indonesian government crackdown was killing and arresting Papuan demonstrators.

A former Papua regional editor of Kompas newspaper, Octovianus Mote visited in his role as chair of the five elected “peace negotiator” representatives of West Papua.

He says his visit has raised support among a solidarity group in New Zealand, but he doesn’t think the government is supportive of the cause. Read more »

Former Kompas regional editor for Papua and peace negotiator Octovianus Mote at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day lecture in Auckland. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By the Pacific Media Centre news desk

The Papua Peace Negotiator Team has condemned the deadly shootings of Papuans who marked the 50th anniversary of the transfer of administration of West Papua (previously West New Guinea) from United Nations responsibility to Indonesian rule 50 years ago.

The Indonesian government’s celebration of the integration of Papua anniversary on May 1 was overshadowed by pro-independence flags being raised across the region and reports of deadly shootings of pro-independence activists by police.

Police allegedly killed two activists and arrested six others after reporters witnessed them raising the banned Free Papua Organisation’s Morning Star flag on Jalan Raya Adibay, Biak, on Wednesday morning. Some unconfirmed reports said up to 10 people had been killed in incidents across the region of West Papua. Read more »

Indonesian military in West Papua … high alert in the Angkaisera area. Image: Pacific Scoop

Pacific Scoop:
Report – West Papua Media

Indonesian police have been accused of  torturing Yahya Bonai, a 33-year-old, non-violent Papuan activist from Menawi village in the district of Angkaisera, east of Serui on Yapen Island.

Local stringers told West Papua Media that Bonai was seized on suspicion of being connected to a fatal attack at the home of Chief Brigadier Jefri Sesa, an officer from the Angkaisera subprecinct police station at the weekend by an unidentified group of assailants (OTK), three hours before to Bonai’s arrest on Saturday.

In response to Sesa’s death, the Indonesian police directed the efforts on Bonai as a prime suspect, according to his
family. Read more »

A new Tapol report exposes the myths about political prisoners in Indonesia.
Image: Tapol/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By TAPOL

A new report by UK-based non-government organisation TAPOL challenges the Indonesian government’s repeated assertion that the country has “no political prisoners”.

The report urges President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to open up democratic space in West Papua and order the release of all those jailed for expressing their legitimate opinions and aspirations.

The 31-page report, “No political prisoners? The suppression of political protest in West Papua”, documents the cases of 40 detainees who were known to be in prison at the end of March 2013, challenging the government’s claim that there are no political prisoners in West Papua, but only criminals who have broken the law. Read more »

Jayapura … healthcare, housing, sanitation and public infrustructure neglected as concerns grow over West Papua’s “missing millions”. Image: Pacific-Tier Communications

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Ryan Dagur

When Emanuel Esema’s 15-year-old brother developed swollen limbs recently he did not even think of taking him to receive medical attention. Their home in West Papua’s Yahukimo district is remote – 800 km from the provincial capital Jayapura and at least three days on foot to the nearest clinic.

“I decided to find medicines myself in the forest,” said Esema.

His younger brother never recovered. He is among a growing number of Papuans who have died due to lack of medical services in this remote corner of the country amid a growing scandal which has put both the central and regional authorities under severe scrutiny. Read more »

Daniel Drageset’s audio interview with Paul Mambrasar on YouTube.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Daniel Drageset

The founder of a new website campaigning for political prisoners jailed by Indonesia has called for Australia and New Zealand to push for  “more respect for human rights”.

“Here in the Pacific region, Australia and New Zealand play important roles in pushing for more respect for human rights,” says human rights advocate Paul Mambrasar who set up Papuans Behind Bars.

“I think the two countries must repeatedly remind Indonesia of its obligations to do more, to respect the human rights and the rights to live, and the rights to self-expression, freedom of expression in West Papua, and do not always resort to violence.” Read more »