The head of the Justice, Peace and Integrity Office of the Papuan Taberncale Church (JPIC Kingmi Papua), Mr. Yones Douw, has been subjected to acts of intimidation. Two members of the military special force division ‘Kopassus’ belonging to the Maleo regiment came to his house in the Papuan town of Nabire on 7 December 2019 asking questions about his work and plans to commemorate the global Human Rights Day. Yones Douw understood the unannounced visit as an attempt of intimidation. The military members also asked questions about his children.
Previously, the military members had asked a group of children in the neighborhood about the address of Mr. Douw’s house. The military members entered the yard in front of his house. When Yones Douw asked them about the purpose of the visit, the Kopassus members replied that they came to invite Mr. Douw to a meeting for the election of the new chairperson of the Key-diaspora community in Nabire. Thereupon, the military members asked questions about the network of human rights defenders in Nabire and whether Mr. Douw had plans to organise a public assembly on the Human Rights Day, which is commemorated worldwide on 10 December. Yones Douw responded that he would register the demonstration with the local police as it is required by Indonesian law if he intends to make a demonstration.
One of the military members approached a group of children from the neighborhood who had been playing in the yard with his children. The military members allegedly asked the kids which of them were Yones Douw’s children and how many children he has. The other member asked Mr. Douw to share his mobile phone number before both of them left the yard.
