Indonesian Government plans to establish new plantations in Papua Province
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- Published on Monday, 19 October 2020 11:50
According to the news outlet Mongabay, the Indonesian government is planning to establish new large-scale agricultural plantations across the country. The plans are threatening Indonesia’s last untouched tropical rain forests. Observers fear that the project will also result in the disenfranchisement of indigenous peoples and small farmers.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) announced on 23 September 2020 that the government’s "food estate program" would be expanded to the provinces of North and South Sumatra in the west of the country as well as East Nusa Tenggara and Papua in the east. However, Jokowi underlined that the government would focus on the plantations in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra first, before expanding the program to the other regions. The food estate program follows the objective to secure national food supplies and end Indonesia's dependence on imported food crops.
Update on armed conflict in Intan Jaya – Government plans exploitation of gold reserves while residents face displacement and education crisis
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- Published on Monday, 19 October 2020 03:42
The armed conflict in Intan Jaya has significantly aggravated since December 2020. Shootings in January and February 2020 resulted in multiple civilian fatalities while at least 15 villages were reportedly affected by internal displacement. The recent killing of a Papuan Pastor, the armed assault on a Catholic catechist and the attack on an investigation team seconded by the central government illustrate that the armed conflict in Intan Jaya has never been more serious. In the midstof the humanitarian crisis, the Indonesian Minister of State-owned Enterprises, Mr Erick Thorir, announced in late September 2020 that he is planning to endorse the Indonesian mining company PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTAM) to exploit large gold resources under the Wabu Mountain in the Intan Jaya Regency.
Three Papuans shot down as police disperses unrest in Keerom
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- Published on Monday, 19 October 2020 03:06
On 2 October 2020 local police in the Papuan town of Arso in Keerom Regency forcefully dispersed a protest. Shortly before the riot, the results of a civil servant recruitment test was announced and triggered anger among a crowd of residents leading to a spontaneous protest. About 250 protesters complained that the percentage of indigenous Papuans in the recruitment process was below 80% as promoted by the Papuan Governor, Lukas Enembe.
The police officers dispersed the crowd with tear gas and firearms as the protesters were throwing stones at the regent’s office. Witnesses stated that the situation went out of control when the police officers released multiple warning shots. One government office was set on fire during the incident (see photo, source: Jubi). Three protesters sustained bullet injuries during the crowd control operation while police members allegedly beat three other protesters.
PAHAM Papua Media Release - Stop the transfer and processing of defendants outside of Papua with the argument Papua is not safe
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- Published on Tuesday, 13 October 2020 09:13
PAHAM Papua has released the following statement on 12 October 2020 (originally in Bahasa Indonesia):
The transfer of defendants for trial outside of Papua with the argument that the security situation in Papua is not conducive is a judicial policy that contradicts the current security policy in Papua. The security in Papua is currently maintained by more than 13,000 military personnel with complete combat facilities (Imparsial research 2011). This number excludes thousands of members of the national police, which also fulfil their security duties in Timika. We estimate that more than 15,000 security force members are currently deployed in Papua. Again, this number does not include thousands of military members who are being mobilised and will be seconded to Papua; part of them will be deployed to Timika.
Human Rights Update West Papua - 3rd Quarter 2020
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- Published on Wednesday, 14 October 2020 14:27
In the third quarter of 2020, several human rights indicators show a considerable deterioration of the situation, notably the significant increase in the number of extra-judicial killings (EJK) and the number of victims of torture and ill-treatment. The number of political arrests has risen sharply, mainly due to the increase in public demonstrations.
Six of the reported EJKs took place during security force operations in the regencies Mimika, Intan Jaya and Nduga, which have become the hotspots of armed conflict. Military and police representatives have repeatedly justified such killings by publicly claiming that the victims were members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) without providing any evidence. Those killings are then neither further investigated, nor are the cases transferred to the police or military internal investigation units.
Pacific Islands Forum reaffirms support for open and constructive dialogue on the human rights situation in West Papua
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- Published on Monday, 12 October 2020 10:46
Through a press release on 8 October 2020, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the Honourable Kausea Natano, has reaffirmed the importance of open and constructive dialogue on the human rights situation in West Papua. Following the intervention of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu in the general debate of the 75th Session of the General Assembly of the UN, in which he brought up the human rights situation in West Papua, the Pacific Islands Forum is requesting an update on the consultations with the Government of Indonesia concerning the invitation for a UN mission to West Papua. The press release reads as follows:
Military member sentenced to 1 year 10 months for killing four Papuans in 2019
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- Published on Friday, 09 October 2020 10:37
A military court has sentenced first sergeant Fajar to one year and ten months imprisonment for his involvement in the death of four Papuans in 2019. Sergeant Fajar was actively involved in the forceful dispersal of political supporters during a protest in the village of Basim, district of Fayit in Asmath regency, on 27 May 2019. The violent dispersal resulted in the killing of four indigenous Papuans. A fifth victim, John Tatai, remained handicapped for life as a result of the bullet injuries sustained during the incident (see intro image). Human rights observers assessed the sentence as disproportionately low. The sentence fails to bring justice for the victims and is a further example of the lack of accountability for perpetrators among the police and military.
The Head of the Papuan Representative Office of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Frits Ramandey, declared in an interview with media outlet Wartaplus that Komnas HAM's duty is not to comment on the sentence but to ensure that cases of human rights violations are being processed through national human rights mechanisms. He explained that Komnas HAM would ensure that the perpetrator serves his sentence. Komnas HAM considers the case as closed once the verdict has been shared with the victims’ relatives.
Press release by the Civil Society Coalition against Food Estate in Papua: Stop Food Estate Plans in Papua
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- Published on Friday, 09 October 2020 10:32
Ten civil society organizations (CSOs), which are members of the Civil Society Coalition Against Food Estate in Papua, strongly reject President Jokowi’s plan to develop a food estate with an area of 2,052,551 hectares. This area consists of 1,304,574 ha of a mixture of protected forest, production forest, permanent production forest and conversion forest, and an area of 734,377 ha for other purposes (APL).
Some members of the Civil Society Coalition are Papua-based CSOs, like Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI), Papua KPCK Synode of GKI in Tanah Papua, Association of Human Rights Advocates (PAHAM) Papua, Limited Association for the Study and Empowerment of Indigenous Peoples (pt.PPMA ) Papua, SKP Merauke Archdiocese, Papua People's Network (JERAT), Yayasan Pusaka Bentala Rakyat, Papuan Franciscan SKPKC, Papua KIPRa and Papuan Voices. The Coalition's National Board expressed their rejection in a press release on Monday 28 Setember 2020.
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