Indonesia offers Elon Musk Papuan Island Biak for SpaceX launchpad causing rage among its residents

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Published on Wednesday, 17 March 2021 12:15

In December 2020, the Indonesian government offered SpaceX CEO Elon Musk a rocket launch site on Biak in Papua Province. But Papuans on Biak are fiercely opposed, arguing a space launchpad will drive deforestation, increase Indonesian military presence, and threaten their future on the island, The Guardian reported.

Residents of Biak Island in Papua are worried that a new SpaceX launchpad on their land will cost them their traditional hunting grounds, damaging the nature their way of life depends on. A tribal chief on the island, Manfun Sroyer, said he feared Papuans would be forced from their homes. But, if they protest, they will be arrested immediately.

This isn't the only rocket launch site that may be built on Biak. Meanwhile, media sources reported that the Indonesian Aerospace Agency LAPAN will start building a launchpad near the Saukobye Village in the Biak Utara District this year. According to local informants, LAPAN and the local Government had repeatedly organized meetings with local communities throughout the past years but never reached an agreement regarding the release and compensation of customary land for the space project. The space port shall be operational by 2024. Russia's aerospace agency, Roscosmos, also wants to develop a launchpad on the island by 2024. "In 2002, Russians wanted our land for satellite launches. We protested, and many were arrested and interrogated ... now they've brought it back, and this harassment and intimidation is still going on," Sroyer told The Guardian.

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Commemoration of International Women’s Day accompanied by repressive acts against Papuans – Malang police chief accused of racism

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Published on Sunday, 14 March 2021 09:17

Media outlets have reported repressive acts against protesters in multiple cities across Indonesia during the International Women’s Day commemoration on 8 March 2021. In the Javanese city of Malang, police officers arrested 17 protesters, among them Papuan students, after protesters had allegedly damaged a police car. The Malang Police Chief gave the order to shoot down Papuan students who had come to the police station to demand protesters' release. In Makassar, two protesters were reportedly arrested after being accused of promoting Papua-related political issues. The police dispersed a peaceful commemoration in the Papuan city of Jayapura. Nine protesters were arrested. The police in Malang and Jayapura argued that the protests were violating COVID-19 health protocols.

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Police investigates 13 palm oil investors in Papua Barat Province

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Published on Sunday, 14 March 2021 08:47

The Papua Barat Regional police has launched investigations against 13 palm oil investors holding plantation licenses in the Papua Barat Province. The companies had arranged licenses (HGU, Hak Guna Usaha) to establish oil palm plantations in the province but never launched their field operations. The investigations follow-up on a previous evaluation by the local government and the Commission for Eradication of Corruption (KPK). The assessment also revealed that more than 2,224 hectares of land were outside the concession areas.

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Jakarta deploys new troops to West Papua whilst turning a blind eye on IDPs – civil society groups try to compensate Government neglect

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Published on Thursday, 11 March 2021 09:46

Thousands of indigenous people in the Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province, have been internally displaced since ongoing military operations against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) have been launched in December 2019. People have fled their homes and sought shelter in Intan Jaya’s largest town Bilogai or other regencies like Mimika, Puncak, Paniai and Nabire.

The IDPs fled their homes in fear of being killed or tortured by security force members. Military members have reportedly killed five indigenous Papuans since January 2021, alone. Despite isolated humanitarian aid initiatives by local Governments, the Central Government continues to turn a blind eye on the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in West Papua. Civil society groups in West Papua have taken action to substitute the absence of responsible Government institutions.

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Indius Sambom sentenced to 20 months imprisonment – Lawyers say verdict not based on facts

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Published on Wednesday, 10 March 2021 08:45

Judges at the North Jakarta District Court have sentenced the Papuan defendant Indius Sambom (see photo, source: Jubi) to 20 months imprisonment for violating Article 1 of Emergency Law No 12/1951 on the illegal possession of firearms and explosives on 10 March 2021. They argued that Ivan Sambom allowed members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) to stay overnight inside his house. Previously, the public prosecutor had sought a sentence of three years for Sambom. According to Indius Sambom’s lawyer, facts at court showed that the police had neither found TPN PB members nor ammunition inside Sambom’s house during the arrest. She demanded her client to be acquitted. Indius Samabom has 14 days to appeal against the verdict.

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Two Papuan students arrested and detained in Jakarta

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Published on Wednesday, 10 March 2021 08:35

In the early morning hours of 3 March 2021, police officers entered the Papuan student dormitory in Jakarta and arrested Roland Levy, a member of the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) Central Committee and Kelvin Molama, the Secretary of the AMP Committee in Jakarta (see photo, source: Facebook). Both are currently detained at the Jakarta Police headquarters. The police investigates against both activists for involvement in alleged violence against people and property and theft using force, as regulated in Articles 170 and Article 365 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP). Human rights observers are concerned that the police try to criminalise the students for their engagement in peaceful political and human rights activities. The criminalisation should scare off other students from organising public protests about West Papua. They demand the immediate release of Kelvin Molama and Roland Levy.

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