NTB Regional Police allegedly forced a student to make false video statement about West Papua
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 30 June 2020 01:27
A video published on YouTube has revealed a further case of media manipulation in the context of West Papua. The video was published on 25 June 2020 and shows the statement of a boy introducing himself as Bertus from Wamena, who studies in the city of Mataram, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat province. In the video message, Bertus encourages all Papuans to love the Unitary State of Indonesia (Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, NKRI). The video was shared by the Public Relations Department of the Nusa Tenggara Barat Regional Police (Polda NTB) on Instagram to promote the Indonesian unitary state doctrine and counter media information in support of political self-determination for West Papua.
Ninth update on trials and detentions after anti-racism riots in West Papua
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 28 June 2020 10:44
This article provides an overview of the trials related to Papua-wide anti-racism protests between late August and late September 2019 as well as the subsequent wave of criminalisation against human rights defenders and political activists. The International Coalition for Papua summarised earlier stages of the legal proceedings and detentions in previous articles (first update, second update, third update, fourth update, fifth update, sixth update, seventh update, eight update. The following text covers the developments throughout June 2020 concerning the riots.
The seven Papuan activists tried in Kalimantan were sentenced to ten and eleven months imprisonment. International human rights observers, as well as Papuan civil society members, raised serious concerns regarding the trial after the public prosecutor had sought sentences of up to 17 years imprisonment for the defendants. Meanwhile, the majority of trials concerning the anti-racism protests have been closed and the defendants were released. Several court cases against protesters who were during unrests in the towns of Oksibil, Wamena, Sorong and Waena continue.
#MakeWestPapuaSafe aims to stop foreign government support for Indonesian police
- Details
- Published on Monday, 29 June 2020 12:05
The Make West Papua Safe (MWPS) Campaign was launched in December 2018 with the aim to stop, or at least review, foreign government support to the Indonesian police and military, which the activists supporting the campaign believe to be creating more effective human rights abusers. Successive reports by the International Coalition for Papua, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Tapol, and their Papuan partners, all establish that the Indonesian security forces have become an obstacle to peace with justice in West Papua. Instead of protecting West Papuans – who ostensibly are Indonesian citizens with the same constitutional rights to freedom of speech as people in Java – the Indonesian police and military kill, jail, torture and beat ordinary Papuans, often for no other reason than being black and identifying as Papuan (Amnesty International Indonesia 2018).
Sign ETAN's Petition: Free West Papua Political Prisoners
- Details
- Published on Monday, 29 June 2020 10:55
The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) is calling for the immediate release of political prisoners in Indonesia. Sign the petition HERE.
Recently, Indonesian prosecutors demanded sentences of five to 17 years for seven high-profile West Papuan political prisoners detained in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan (Borneo). These activists were arrested during a wave of protest triggered by recorded incidents of racist police violence last year. Tens of thousands joined an uprising against racism and for self-determination for West Papua.
Press Release - #PapuanLivesMatter: West Papua Network and United Evangelical Mission urge the Indonesian government to end racism against indigenous Papuans
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 25 June 2020 06:24
(Wuppertal, 23rd of June 2020). In the wake of the anti-racism demonstrations in the USA after the death of George Floyd caused by police violence and the current worldwide attention to this issue, the West Papua Network (WPN) and the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) express their concern about the continuing racism against indigenous Papuans and draw attention to the importance of the #PapuanLivesMatter campaign. The West Papua Network and the UEM call on the Indonesian government to take effective measures against racism in West Papua and to promote and protect the human rights of Papuans.
#MakeWestPapuaSafe Campaign organizes webinar about Balikpapan 7 with Sarah Thompson
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 25 June 2020 10:23
On 15 June 2020, the case of the seven anti-racism activists on trial for treason was discussed in a webinar organised by the #makewestpapuasafe. The panellists were Benny Giay (Moderator KINGMI Papua), Gustaf Kawer (lawyer for the Balikpapan 7 and director of PAHAM Papua), Usman Hamid (director and founder of Amnesty International Indonesia), Jacob Rumbiak (spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua), Sarah Thompson (Black Lives Matter organiser and West Papua solidarity activist), and Jason MacLeod (civil resistance lecturer).
Pusaka Press Release: Urging the State and Corporations to Protect and Respect Environmental Human Rights Defenders in Papua
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 23 June 2020 11:22
The Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation has documented the situation in Papua from April 2020 to the present, June 2020, and has uncovered cases of violence, arrests, destruction of property, internal displacement, intimidation and death threats experienced by indigenous peoples and Environmental Human Rights Defenders, namely: the Moskona indigenous people in the Regency of Teluk Bintuni (April 2020), Aifat indigenous people in Maybrat Regency (April May 2020), Environmental Human Rights Defenders in Kampung Ikana, Kais Darat, South Sorong Regency (June 2020), and in Kali Kao, Jair District, Boven Digoel Regency (June 2020), Papua Province. Some cases involve recurring violence against Environmental Human Rights Defenders.
Update on trial against 23 defendants in Fakfak arrested during 1st December Commemorations and accused of treason and criminal conspiracy
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 23 June 2020 10:38
Multiple trials against 23 indigenous Papuans are ongoing at the Fakfak District Court since 18 June 2020. The defendants have been accused of committing crimes against state security. They are tried under various indictments, among them Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on treason, Article 110 KUHP on criminal conspiracy, Article 160 KUHP on incitement and Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on the possession or use of stabbing, striking and slashing weapons (see table below). The 23 defendants are represented in court by the Manokwari Institute for Research Study and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH Manokwari), the Kaki Abu Legal Aid Institute in Sorong (LBH Kakia ABU), ELSHAM Papua as well as two additional local law offices.
More Articles...
- TAPOL regrets Court sentencing of ‘Balikpapan Seven’ political prisoners
- Update on trial against ‘Balikpapan 7’ – Judges sentence Papuan activists to ten and eleven months imprisonment
- Corona prevention policies increase violence – Security force members leave three indigenous Papuans injured in Paniai
- Police officers arrest four students during peaceful assembly in support of Balikpapan 7
- Papuan Parliament, MRP and religious leaders criticise injustice and demand release of ‘Balikpapan 7’
- Series of attacks against human rights defenders advocating for human rights in West Papua
- Theo Hesegem's views on the #BlackLivesMatter #PapuanLivesMatter Campaign
- Statement by Papua's religious leaders on the trial against 7 Papuan defendants at the Balikpapan District Court
- Yones Douw talks about the #BlackLivesMatter Campaign in West Papua
- Update: Trial on internet blockage in West Papua – Administrative Court rules President and Minister acted unlawfully