What about Jokowi’s promise to open access for foreign journalists to West Papua?
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- Published on Monday, 10 May 2021 12:40
On 10 May 2015, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) declared during a visit to the Merauke Regency, Papua Province, that the government will open access for foreign journalists to the provinces Papua and Papua Barat. Jokowi explained during the interview that the Clearing House procedure would be abolished, and foreign journalists covering events in West Papua would no longer need special permission differing from the permission for other parts of Indonesia.
Five years after Jokowi’s promise, it is not clear to what extent President Jokowi’s commitment in 2015 was implemented. Human rights organisations criticise that the statement was never enforced through government regulation. Such regulation should guarantee that foreign journalists can cover news events freely in West Papua without intimidation, limitations or being escorted by security force members during media coverage.
SAFEnet suspects internet disruptions in West Papua are deliberate
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- Published on Sunday, 09 May 2021 12:22
The South-East Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) affirms that the internet disruptions seem to co-relate with security-related incidents in West Papua over the past year. The internet in the regencies Jayapura and Sarmi has been dysfunctional since 30 April as the violent conflict in the central highlands gained new tension after the West Papua National Liberation Army killed the Papuan Intelligence Chief. Vice President of Corporate Communications of telecommunications company PT Telkom, Pujo Pramono, declared that the disconnection of a submarine cable was responsible for the disruption. The connection will be fully recovered in the first week of June 2021, said Pramono.
Further armed clashes cause more internal displacement in Puncak Regency
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- Published on Thursday, 06 May 2021 06:27
Local informants in the Puncak Regency have confirmed further armed clashes between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). The firefights occurred near Puncak’s largest town Kimak, in the Ilaga District. Around 7.00 PM, TPN PB fighters reportedly attacked the district police headquarters in Kimak. According to the media outlet Jubi, two police officers were injured during the clashes. People living in the surrounding villages fled their homes in the early morning hours of the following day.
What’s wrong with the education and healthcare system in West Papua? A case study in Yalimo provides insights
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- Published on Wednesday, 05 May 2021 13:35
NGOs and other observers keep criticising the Government for the low education and healthcare standards which continue to exist in West Papua. Mainly, the Papua Province falls far behind national standards in terms of availability, accessibility, quality and adequacy of healthcare and education services. Despite considerably large special autonomy funds allocated to the provincial and local governments in West Papua, the education and health situation has hardly improved over the past decade.
A recent visit by the Papuan parliamentarian to the Yalimo area brings insights into the failures in the education and healthcare system in West Papua. The visit took place between 5 and 10 March 2021. The term Yalimo refers to the area claimed by the Yali (see photo, source: UEM), an ethnic group in the central Papuan highlands. Today, the area spreads over the Papuan regencies Yahukimo and Yalimo.
Police press charges against Papuan student for social media post
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- Published on Wednesday, 05 May 2021 13:04
The Jayapura police have charged Papuan student Ferry Pakage for posting a video on social media. Police officers arrested Ferry Pakage and a friend named Gerius Wenda in the town of Sentani, Papua Province, on 23 February 2021. Ferry was charged with Article 28(2) on hate speech (SARA) of the Electronic Information and Transaction Act for posting a video showing a group of Papuan university students demanding to burn an Indonesian flag. The criminal investigators submitted the case to the public prosecutor’s office in Jayapura on 23 April 2021.
Papuan man arrested for alleged weapon trade – Lawyers rise allegation of torture against police
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- Published on Wednesday, 05 May 2021 12:53
The Association of Human Rights Lawyers for Papua (PAHAM Papua) has criticised the police for disregarding international human rights standards and criminal procedures during the arrest and detention of Papuan suspect Peniel Kogoya in the town of Nabire on 19 April 2021. According to PAHAM Papua director Gustaf Kawer, the police officers allegedly arrested Peniel Kogoya without showing a warrant and later tortured him during police detention to force a confession. The police accuse Peniel Kogoya of supplying the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) with firearms.
First effects of Govt’s terrorist label for Papuan armed groups - Papuan student organisation in Bali stigmatised as terrorists
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- Published on Monday, 03 May 2021 11:53
On 29 April 2021, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Prof. Mahfud MD, announced during a press conference that from now on, the armed separatist groups in West Papua will be categorised as terrorists. A few days after the Government move, Papuan students in Bali said they found at least ten posters near student dormitories and universities in Bali’s main city Denpasar, stigmatising the Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) as a terrorist group. Papuan students understand the campaign as an act of intimidation against them.
Indigenous communities demand the stop of construction of military command and immediate withdrawal of military in Tambrauw
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- Published on Monday, 03 May 2021 11:31
The Indonesian government will continue building the KODIM 1810 military district command in Kowoor, Tambrauw Regency, despite the many protests against it. This was announced by members of the local parliament on 17 April 2021. With this action, the government is ignoring the many voices against the expansion of military facilities. The first reactions against the military base took place over a year ago, and since then, there have been multiple cases of military violence against indigenous community members in Tambrauw. The most recent case was documented on 9 April 2021, as two members of the Pamrahwan Yonif RK 763 military post tortured a Papuan man in the village of Wayo. Indigenous land rights in Tambrauw have claimed that their land was handed over to the military without their free, prior, informed consent (FPIC).
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