Papuan Govt recommends withdrawal of 35 palm oil licenses
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 19 August 2021 08:37
The Papuan provincial government, in cooperation with an expert team of the Commission for Eradication of Corruption (KPK), assessed 62 palm oil licenses in the Papua Province over the past two years. The expert team found irregularities among most of the examined licenses, covering violations such as overlapping concession areas, approval of concessions without clear location maps, and field operations carried out outside concession areas without valid licenses. In response to the findings, the local government in Papua Province has suggested withdrawing 35 palm oil licenses with a total land area of 522,397 hectares. Nineteen other licenses with minor irregularities could be dealt with through correctional measures.
Security forces crack-down on peaceful protests for release of Victor Yeimo – 49 protesters arrested, 19 tortured, one shot
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 17 August 2021 09:13
The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and multiple solidarity groups have organised a series of peaceful protests in the Papua province and other parts of Indonesia. The protesters demanded the unconditional and immediate release of Victor Yeimo, human rights activist and international KNPB spokesperson. The protests in Jayapura, Dekai, Yahukimo Regency and Ambon (Maluku Province) were forcefully dispersed by security forces. In total, 49 protesters were arrested. Nineteen protesters were reportedly tortured during arrest and police detention. Further protests were held in Malang and Surabaya (Java Timur Province) without notable incidents.
Call for Solidarity Action: Free Victor Yeimo
- Details
- Published on Saturday, 14 August 2021 06:52
Solidarity greetings to all!
We are sharing this urgent request for solidarity for the Free Victor Yeimo campaign. Our friends from West Papua are preparing for a national action next week and are asking for our support through the following:
1. Sign the following petitions from Amnesty International
AI Australia: https://bit.ly/free-vy-1
AI Indonesia: https://bit.ly/free-vy-2
2. Send a text message to authorities: "SEGERA BEBASKAN VICTOR YEIMO! KORBAN SISTEMIK RASISME, SEKARANG MENJADI TAWANAN. BERIKAN AKSES KESEHATAN, PENGACARA HUKUM, DAN KELUARGA SEKARANG JUGA!"
[Release Victor Yeimo immediately! He is a victim of systemic racism and was imprisoned for calling it out. Allow him access to legal, medical, and family support immediately!]
Update on prosecution of Papuan human rights activist - Victor Yeimo’s health worsened during detention
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 11 August 2021 07:28
Multiple observers have expressed concerns regarding the health of Papuan human rights activist Victor Yeimo. Mr Yeimo was arrested on 9 May 2021 and charged with various criminal charges, among others treason, conspiracy and incitement. He has been detained at the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Jayapura for more than three months. Human rights lawyer and director of the Papuan Association of Human Rights Lawyers for Papua (PAHAM Papua), Gustaf Kawer, visited Victor Yeimo on 9 August 2021 during detention. Kawer said Mr Yeimo’s health has continuously deteriorated since his imprisonment at the Brimob headquarters. Mr Yeimo lost weight. He feels pain in the chest and reportedly vomited blood. Health workers of the Bhayangkara police hospital had allegedly paid occasional visits to Mr Yeimo but only conducted general health check-ups and provided him with medication against gastric pain.
Chairperson of journalist association in Jayapura intimidated
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 11 August 2021 07:14
The Chairperson of the Association of Independent Journalists (AJI) in Jayapura, Lucky Ireeuw, was reportedly subjected to acts of intimidation on 8 August 2021. According to local media outlets, Mr Ireeuw and his family parked their car on 7 August at the roadside in Hamadi and took a boat to the island of Engros-Tobati. The family was forced to stay overnight at the island because of a sudden change of weather. When they returned to their car on the following day, unknown perpetrators had smashed a side window (see photo, source: Jubi). In contrast to usual cases of criminal theft, no valuables were removed from the car. Moreover, other vehicles which were parked next to Ireeuw’s car remained unharmed. Both findings support the assumption that the act was meant as intimidation against Lucky Ireeuw, who also works as chief editor for the Papuan news outlet Cenderawasih Post.
Protests for release of Victor Yeimo – 14 students arrested and temporarily detained
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 11 August 2021 06:57
On 10 August 2021, Papuan students launched a peaceful protest in front of the Cenderawasih University auditorium in Jayapura. The protesters demanded the immediate release of Papuan human rights activist and international spokesperson of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Victor Yeimo. Police officers dispersed the protest around 8.00 am and reportedly arrested 14 students (see table below). The students were detained at the Jayapura Municipality police station (see photo, source: Jubi). All were released in the late afternoon at 5.20 pm after lawyers of the Association of Human Rights Lawyers for Papua (PAHAM Papua), and the Papuan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) had provided legal support to the protesters.
Event Notice: Pacific Education and Advocacy Festival
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 11 August 2021 06:40
National, regional and international civil society organisations working in the Pacific region will hold an online event. The participants will have the opportunity to learn about the struggles in the Pacific region from the perspective of indigenous peoples, human rights defenders, environmental activists, women and other groups. The event with the title “Pacific Education and Advocacy Festival” will be coordinated by the Pacific Council of Churches (PCC), the Fiji Council of Social Services, Pasefika Fono, Rize of the Morning Star, and the Papuan Customary Council (DAP).
The Guardian: Merauke Police chief alleged of torture was trained in Australia funded law enforcement facility
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 05 August 2021 10:09
The Guardian has revealed possible connections between the unlawful detention and torture of 14 Papuan activists in Merauke (see photo, source: Jubi) and the Indonesian police training facility Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) in Semarang, Java Tengah Province. The police education centre is partly funded and run by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to teach best practice counter-terrorism and counter-people smuggling techniques to Indonesia’s national police (Polri).
More Articles...
- Nationalist organisation reports Bali Legal Aid Institute and four Papuan students to police
- The Oneibo Shooting – Another example of widespread impunity among security forces in West Papua
- Police officer opens fire at Papuan villager – Angry mob burn down Nimboran police station
- New YLBHI research on police misconduct in Indonesia
- Police officer opens fire at indigenous villager in Sorong Selatan
- Military members arrest 12 Papuans in Skofro – 9 arrestees alleged of affiliation with the TPN PB
- Torture of Papuan man in Nabire again captured on video – Security force violence is rampant in West Papua
- Two military members torture disabled Papuan in Merauke – Video goes viral on social media
- Paham Papua calls upon military to be transparent about prosecution of perpetrators
- Trial against 2 AMP members in Jakarta – Activists sentenced to 5 months imprisonment