Attorney General establishes special team to settle 13 cases of gross human rights violations
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- Published on Wednesday, 06 January 2021 07:33
The Attorney General’s office has formed a special team to accelerate the legal processing of 13 alleged gross human rights violations in Indonesia. Its establishment followed President Jokowi’s instruction to accelerate the settlement of past human rights violations during a meeting on 10 December 2020, the International Human Rights Day. The team consists of 18 Attorney General staffers who should identify legal shortcomings for each of the cases and overcome the long-lasting discord between the Attorney General’s office and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). Komnas HAM has carried out investigations into all 13 cases. However, the claims were never processed by the Attorney General’s office, arguing that the case files were incomplete.
KNPB activist arrested and detained – LBH Papua condemn procedural violations
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- Published on Wednesday, 06 January 2021 07:09
Police officers arrested the chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) local branch in Intan Jaya, Nataniel Tipagau (see photo), on 4 January 2021 in front of the Yapis University Campus in Jayapura. According to the Papuan Police Chief, Paulus Waterpauw, the police was already looking for Nataniel Tipagau since January 2020 for alleged violation of Article 1(1) of the Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on illegal use, possession or distribution of firearms (see police letter below). The Papuan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) raised concerns over allegations of various procedural violations during his arrest and detention. LBH Papua will provide legal support for Tipagau but could not meet him during detention.
Nataniel Tipagau was arrested around 5.00 pm, as he was walking with relatives to an ATM. Plainclothes officers reportedly jumped out of a black civilian vehicle and dragged Nataniel Tipagau into the car. The officers did not show a warrant at the time of arrest. Shortly after the arrest, rumours about the alleged enforced disappearance of Nataniel Tipagau spread on social media because the police did not inform the relatives in writing about the arrest. Moreover, LBH Papua lawyers were prevented from meeting Nataniel Tipagau during his detention at the Papuan Regional Police (Polda Papua) headquarters.
Human Rights Update West Papua - 4th Quarter 2020
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- Published on Thursday, 07 January 2021 11:09
Statistical data on extra-judicial killings and torture do not show significant changes throughout the fourth quarter of 2020. Both figures remain high. The majority of extra-judicial killings in West Papua are related to security force raids in the central highlands. The armed conflict entails a new pattern of violations, namely enforced disappearances, which exclusively occur with military incursions.
Human rights defenders have estimated that the armed conflicts in the regencies of Mimika, Intan Jaya and Nduga have resulted in the internal displacement of at least 60,000 persons. The vast majority of them are indigenous Papuans. The local and central government continue to neglect the humanitarian crisis in Papua's central highlands. Hence most IDPs do not have access to food, healthcare, education and other humanitarian services. At the same time, the ongoing security force operations prevent them from returning home.
Security force members torture indigenous Papuan on New Year’s Eve
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- Published on Friday, 01 January 2021 07:40
The ICP has received credible information about the torture of 22-year-old Petrus Tebai in the village of Mauwa, Dogiyai regency, on New Year’s Eve. Petrus Tebai was inside his house as he heard people arguing in one of the neighbouring huts. Around midnight, he went out to look where the sound was coming from, as a group of security force members intercepted Petrus Tebai and allegedly beat him up until he lost consciousness. The informants stated that Mr Tebai also sustained a bullet injury as one of the officers released a shot at him.
Security forces and right-wing groups prevent peaceful ‘Trikora’ demonstration in Jakarta
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- Published on Saturday, 26 December 2020 09:16
Joint security forces and multiple right-wing groups have prevented Papuan students from holding a peaceful demonstration in commemoration of Jakarta's Trikora speech. On 19 December 1961, Indonesia’s first president Soekarno held the Trikora Speech. He expressed Indonesia’s claims regarding the former Dutch colony of Nederlands Nieuw Guinea; today commonly referred to as West Papua. Supporters of the Indonesian Peoples’ Front for West Papua (FRI WP) and the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) met in central Jakarta on 19 December 2020, around 12.30 pm, and began to walk towards the presidential palace.
Update on law enforcement process in multiple cases of human rights violations in Intan Jaya
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- Published on Thursday, 24 December 2020 04:10
The Commander of the Army Military Police, Dodik Widjanarko, has promised to settle multiple human rights violations related to ongoing military operations in the Papuan highland regency of Intan Jaya. During a press conference held in Jakarta on 23 December 2020, he informed the public about the current status of law enforcement operations in four cases of human rights violations in Intan Jaya. The military police have launched investigations into (1) the arson of government health facilities in the Hitadipa district on 19 September 2020, (2) the shooting of catholic catechist Agustinus Duwitau on 7 October 2020, (3) the enforced disappearance of Luther Zanambani and Apinus Zanambani on 21 April 2020 and (4) the torture and extra-judicial execution of Rev. Yeremia Zanambani on 21 September 2020. Widjanarko emphasised that all military law enforcement institutions will settle the cases following legal provisions and applicable procedures. He promised that the military would ensure full transparency in all law enforcement processes.
New report details numerous violations by PT Freeport Indonesia in West Papua
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- Published on Thursday, 17 December 2020 11:56
Indigenous tribes such as the Kamoro and the Amungme have been claiming their communities have been afflicted with poverty, violence and mostly environmental degradation since the Grasberg mine operated by PT Freeport Indonesia began its activities 48 years ago. Turning the spotlight again on this critical issue, the ICP, together with the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Initiative Action for Ecology and Peoples' Emancipation (AEER), the Center for Study, Documentation and Advocacy on Peoples' Rights (PUSAKA), Friends of the Earth Papua (WALHI Papua), the Lokataru Law and Human Rights Office, INTERPRT, TAPOL, VIVAT International, Westpapua-Netzwerk (WPN), Geneva for Human Rights (GHR), and Franciscans International (FI) has launched today a new special report called "PT Freeport Indonesia and its tail of violations in Papua: human, labour and environmental rights". The 27-page publication covers detailed aspects of different human rights violations involving the Freeport-McMoRan's Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia, during the last years.
Military Base in Tambrauw inaugurated without consent of indigenous land rights holders
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- Published on Tuesday, 15 December 2020 08:31
The local government in Tambrauw has inaugurated the new military district command headquarters (KODIM) in the regency. By doing that, it has ignored ongoing protests by indigenous land rights holders as well as multiple cases of military violence and intimidation against local communities. These have occurred in Tambrauw since the establishment of the new KODIM and a sub-district military command (KORAMIL) in the Kwoor district. A delegation of the Tambrauw Government inaugurated the new KODIM in an official ceremony at the 181 Praja Vira Tama military district command in the city of Sorong on 14 December 2020 (see photo below, source: Jubi).
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