An Australian funded Detachment 88/ Brimob unit near the shooting site, Mulia, in 2010. Photo: West Papua Media

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Arientha Primanita, Farouk Arnaz and Ismira Lutfia

Soldiers may be deployed in West Papua to assist the police in the search for the gunmen responsible for Sunday’s attack on a commercial airplane, as the president demands swift justice.

The attack left a journalist dead and has raised fears that pro-independence rebels are becoming more brazen and could threaten a fragile peace in the province.

“This must be solved quickly,” presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said on Monday. “Those responsible should be brought to justice.
This is totally unacceptable.” Read more »

Last October, police arrested West Papuans who were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country's independence from Dutch rule. Photo: Al Jazeera

Pacific Scoop:
Analysis – By Jennifer Robinson in London

Thousands have taken part in rallies across West Papua and in Australia to mark the UN Secretary-General’s visit to Indonesia, calling on Ban Ki-moon to revisit United Nations mistakes that led to the denial of West Papuans’ right to self-determination and to assist in resolving ongoing human rights abuses in Papua.

UN peacekeeping was at the top of the agenda of the UNSG’s visit to Indonesia on Tuesday. West Papua was not, but many argue that it should be.

After all, West Papuans are asking that the UN revisit its first – and flawed – administration of a post-conflict society. Observers hailed the success of the UN administration of East Timor and its successful transition to independence. Read more »

Forkorus Yaboisembut (left) and three other defendants in the Jayapura District Court. Photo: HRW/AFP

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

The Indonesian government should drop the politically motivated treason charges against five Papuan activists who have been convicted over a peaceful protest and order their release,  says a global human rights group.

Human Rights Watch branded the court judgment as “unjust convictions, while those responsible for the violence go unpunished”.

The District Court in Jayapura, the provincial capital of the West Papuan region, convicted the five men and sentenced them to three years in prison for statements made at a peaceful Papuan People’s Congress in October 2011. The demonstration was brutally suppressed by the authorities, leaving at least three people dead. Read more »

Dandhy Dwi Laksono’s documentary on the Freeport strike miners. Video: Watchdoc

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Ika Krismantari in Jakarta

The voices of local workers in the world’s largest gold and copper mine controlled by the US-based mining giant Freeport McMoRan in West Papua can be heard loud and clear in a new documentary that chronicles the biggest strike in the company’s history.

Alkinemokiye is the latest feature documentary from filmmaker Dandhy Dwi Laksono. It captures the fight of 8000 workers for increased wages in what is believed to be the longest and most widely joined strike since the mining company began operations in Indonesia in 1967.

It is estimated that more than a third of Freeport’s 22,000 local workers joined the strike, which lasted from September to December last year. Read more »

Minister for Law and Human Rights Amir Syamsuddin speaking in Jayapura. Photo: Bintang Papua

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By a special correspondent in Jayapura

Demands that have been made by a number of Papuan groups for the unconditional release of West Papuan political prisoners who are now being held in prisons across the country have led to a response from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

However, they would not be granted complete release. The government is prepared to respond if prisoners request clemency or ask for their sentences to be reduced.

The Minister for Law and Human Rights, Amir Syamsuddin, said this when officiating at a ceremony  at the  Governor’s office in Jayapura on Monday. Read more »

West Papuan miners at Freeport's Grasberg mine during last year's strike. Photo: AFP

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Rangga D. Fadillah

The US-owned Freeport Indonesia company has temporarily halted operations at the giant Grasberg gold and copper mine in Timika, West Papua, following clashes between union workers and employees who did not join last year’s strike.

“We are experiencing work interruptions in connection with our efforts to resume normal operations at the mine,” company spokesperson Ramdani Sirait said in a press statement.

“Certainly, returning workers have engaged in acts of violence and intimidation against non-striking workers and supervisory personnel,” he said. Read more »

Vote counting at the last East Timorese elections in 2007. Photo: PMC archive

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Karlis Salna

Police in East Timor are on high alert after two offices connected to the administration of upcoming elections were hit with firebombs.

The attack in the capital Dili this week comes just weeks out from presidential elections which will be held on March 17.

A number of bombs were thrown at the National Commission for Elections building and office of the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration. A United Nations vehicle was also damaged in the attack. Read more »

Protesters angry about the Indonesian government’s failure to revoke a mining permit burned down the Bima district head’s office in West Nusa Tenggara, Papua. Photo: Rinby / Antara

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Banjir Ambarita in Jayapura

Two district head candidates in Puncak Papua have been named suspects by the police in Indonesia-ruled West Papua for allegedly inciting a political feud that has killed at least 30 people.

Supporters of Elvis Tabuni, the speaker of the Puncak Papua Legislative Council, and Simon Alom, who led the transitional administration when the district was established, have engaged in clashes since July over an election dispute.

Thirteen people were killed in the first clash, while the others died in the sporadic outbreaks of violence that have followed. Read more »

The "president" of West Papua, Forkorus Yaboisembut, at Jayapura District Court. Photo: Jakarta Globe / Antara

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By a special West Papua Media correspondent in Jayapura

Extraordinary scenes occurred at Abepura prison in West Papua on Saturday night when heavily armed police stormed the cells of non-violent Papuan leaders currently on trial for treason.

The heavy handed security sweep was carried out between 9-10 pm and involved three truckloads of armed Dalmas anti-riot paramilitary police; two truckloads of Brimob police, and a detachment of fully armed prison anti-riot officers.

The cells of several West Papuan political prisoners were turned over in the sweep, and all prisoners possessions were removed, including pens, paper, files, books, letters, plates, drinking glasses, cutlery knives, guitars, and music tapes, including lawyer-client privileged communications and defence notes. Read more »

The first Airbus Military C295 development aircraft fitted with an airbone early warning and command (AEW&C) rotodome. Photo: Key.aero

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By a special correspondent in Singapore

Indonesia has signed a $325 million contract with Airbus Military for nine C295 transport planes to be used for defence, logistical and humanitarian purposes.

The first plane will be sent to the country – which is waging a repressive military campaign in West Papua – this year, with the remainder scheduled for delivery by 2014.

“This is a proud moment for our country as well as for the Indonesian aerospace industry,” said Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, at the signing of the deal at the Singapore Airshow. Read more »