Residents reject construction of a military base in Tambrauw
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- Published on Thursday, 07 May 2020 03:57
The Indonesian military (TNI) is building a military base in the regency of Tambrauw, Papua Barat Province. Local residents claim that military members have pressured them to release 5 hectares of customary land for the construction of a Military District Command (KODIM) and a Military Sub-District Command (KORAMIL) in the Kwoor District. They demanded the local Government to build adequate health and education facilities instead of military facilities. The residents fear that the presence of the military in the regency will lead to cases of military violence against local residents. Especially the elder generation of indigenous Papuans in Tambrauw has still experienced the violent military operations under Indonesia’s former president Suharto, which were accompanied by gross human rights violations against the indigenous population of West Papua.
Update: Number of Covid-19 cases in Papua rise to 301
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- Published on Thursday, 07 May 2020 11:04
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in West Papua has risen from 137, as reported on 23 April, to 301 cases as of 6 May 2020. In Papua province a total of 248 cases had been reported. So far, 63 patients have recovered while 178 are been treated. Although the death toll has remained the same, seven have died from COVID-19 in Papua province, the number of cases is increasing fast. The majority of Covid-19 cases were found in Jayapura and Mimika Regency. On 5 May 2020, the Provincial Government of Papua renewed its emergency response status for 28 days, from 7 May to 4 June 2020.
In Papua Barat 53 persons have tested positive as of 7 May 2020, most of these COVID-19 cases are concentrated in the Regencies of Sorong (12), Raja Ampat (14), Teluk Bintuni (11), and Manokwari (6), and the city of Sorong (9). A total of ten have died due to the virus, most of them in Sorong city.
Govt fails to respect freedom of expression in West Papua – Police arrest students and summon church leader
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- Published on Monday, 04 May 2020 09:31
The Government continues to subject the freedom of expression in West Papua to heavy restrictions. The Papuan police severely limit the democratic space and political rights since late August 2019, when people all over Papua went to the streets to protest against racial discrimination against indigenous Papuans. Human rights defenders reported two recent incidents in which the police took action against pupils and a church leader for peacefully expressing their opinion or views.
On 2 May 2020, the police in Nabire arrested five school students and temporarily detained them at the Nabire district police station because they had painted the morning star flag with spray paint on their shirts (see intro image). It is a common practice in West Papua that senior high school students colour their school uniforms on the graduation day as a sign that they have completed their school education.
Human Rights Watch Indonesia: New Arrests for Peaceful Political Expression
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- Published on Sunday, 03 May 2020 10:27
More Than 70 Papuan, Moluccan Activists Jailed for Nonviolent Protests
The Indonesian government should immediately release at least 70 Papuan and Moluccan activists imprisoned for peacefully voicing their political views, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should adopt measures to ensure that police and prosecutors, especially in the eastern provinces, protect free expression rights in accordance with a 2018 constitutional court ruling.
From April 25 to 27, 2020, the police in Maluku arrested 23 activists, including at least two children, who allegedly participated in flag-raising ceremonies commemorating the 70th anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Republic of South Moluccas (Republik Maluku Selatan, RMS) in 1950. The police indicated that seven of the activists will be charged with treason under article 106 of the criminal code, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
New IPAC Report available: COVID-19 and Conflict in West Papua
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- Published on Wednesday, 29 April 2020 07:39
The Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict has published a new short briefing report with the title “COVID-19 and Conflict in West Papua”. The report was released on 13 April 2020 and describes the dispute over COVID-19 policies between local Governments in West Papua and the central Government against the background of the aggravating armed conflict in Indonesia’s eastern-most provinces.
Trade Minister revokes timber licensing for wood export – Papuan Forest under threat
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- Published on Tuesday, 28 April 2020 09:20
In February 2020, the Indonesian Trade Minister, Agus Suparmanto, signed ministerial regulation No. 15/2020 regarding provisions on the export of industrial forestry products. The new regulation revokes former ministerial regulation No. 84/2016, and with it the legal requirement to verify any timber for export through a verification certificate (V-legal) which proves that the wood was not logged illegally. It will enter into force on 27 May 2020. The trade ministry intends to simplify the verification process for small-scale and middle-size timber producers in order to increase the timber export. This change in policy will have a strong impact on regions that are home to the last primary rain forests in Indonesia, like West Papua. Environmental groups fear that the regulation will accelerate illegal logging and timber trade.
Seventh update on trials and detentions after anti-racism riots in West Papua
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- Published on Monday, 27 April 2020 10:41
This article provides an overview of trials related to Papua-wide anti-racism protests between late August and late September 2019 as well as the subsequent wave of criminalisation against human rights defenders and political activists. The International Coalition for Papua summarised earlier stages of the legal proceedings and detentions in previous articles (first update, second update, third update, fourth update, fifth update, sixth update). The following article covers recent developments in relation to the riots throughout April 2020.
Update on the situation of seven Papuan political detainees in Kalimantan
The trial against the seven defendants Fery Kombo, Alexander Gobay, Hengki Hilapok, Buchtar Tabuni, Irwanus Uropmabin, Stevanus Itlay and Agus Kossay at the Balikpapan District Court is still ongoing. The trial was temporarily interrupted due to the growing number of Corona infections in Indonesia and re-launched on 13 April 2020. The judges decided that the trial process should continue through teleconference sessions. An online court session on 20 April 2020 was stopped because of technical difficulties and rescheduled on 22 April 2020 with the examination of witnesses and experts.
Police operation in Maybrat Regency accompanied by arrests and torture
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- Published on Sunday, 26 April 2020 07:30
Police forces conducted a large-scale operation between 15 and 23 April 2020 in the regency of Maybrat, Papua Barat Province. According to news outlet Suarapapua.com, mobile brigade police officers (Brimob) searched houses and carried out arrests in multiple villages. They particularly targeted members and facilities of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB). A local lawmaker in Maybrat regency stated that the raid was carried out in response to the killing of a police officer of the Papua Barat Regional Police (Polda Papua Barat). The perpetrator allegedly seized the officer’s firearm and ammunition. After the raid, military members reportedly collected information from residents in Maybrat’s largest town Kumerkek. The police raid resulted the internal displacement of indigneous villagers. The internally displaced persons originate from eight villages, namely, Aisa, Aikrer, Sawim, Aitrem, Sahbuku, Wakom, Sasior Frabuku and Sasior Nafe.
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