Make West Papua Safe Campaign - Stop funding military repression in Papua, plead TAPOL speakers

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Published on Sunday, 29 November 2020 05:45

This article has originally been published by Asia Pacific Report on 25 November 2020

Read full article on Asia Pacific Report website here

For more information, visit Make West Papua Safe website

Campaigners at a TAPOL-hosted global webinar have called on the people of Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and other countries to stop funding military training for Indonesian security forces who are “killing innocent West Papuans”.

Rosa Moiwend, a member of the War Resisters International, said West Papuans wanted to live peacefully without any oppression by the military – this was the hope of the indigenous Melanesian people.

“If your government is actually behind this scenario, I think the main thing you have to do is to go and talk to your government, Parliament members and question them about your tax money,” she said.

“Where does your tax money go? Does it go to pay [for] the war or is the tax money used for the purpose of human lives?”

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Illegal logging in the Tambrauw Regency – NGOs demand Govt to take action against PT. Multi Wijaya Wahana

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Published on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 09:07

A coalition of NGOs in the Sorong Regency demand local government and law enforcement institutions to immediately investigate allegations of illegal logging which have reportedly been committed by the company PT. Multi Wijaya Wahana (PT. MWW) in the regency of Tambrauw. According to Charles Tawaru, the director of Papua Forest Watch (PFW), the NGOs found illegal logging practices during investigations between 2018 and 2019, which the company uses until today. The NGOs demand that PT. MWW’s logging concessions shall immediately be withdrawn if investigations confirm the allegations of illegal logging practices. PT. MWW’s logging concession had been extended twice in 2013 and 2018 ignoring strong indications for the violation of multiple laws and local regulations.

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Petition for the rejection of more special autonomy funds signed by 520,261 supporters – Pro-Government groups react with criminalisation campaign

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Published on Thursday, 26 November 2020 11:14

On 4 July 2020, a solidarity group consisting of a few movement organisations and student groups launched a petition (Petisi Rakyat Papua, PRP) against the prolongation of special autonomy funding (Otsus II) for the provinces of Papua and Papua Barat. Meanwhile, 102 organisations have joined the ‘Peoples’ Solidarity for West Papua’ (see photo on top). On 26 November 2020, the spokesperson of the solidarity group, Victor Yeimo, published a video message on social media according to which the petition was already signed by 520,261 people in and outside of  West Papua.

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Military police investigate alleged burning of Government facilities in Intan Jaya

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Published on Tuesday, 24 November 2020 09:37

The military police are investigating allegations on the deliberate arson of a public health facility during a military operation in the Hitadipa District on 19 September 2020. The operation also resulted in the execution of Rev Yeremia Zanambani. The investigation had been launched after multiple investigation teams had reported the arson to various government institutions and representatives. Currently, eight army members, namely Capt. SA, Second Lt. KT, Second Sgt. MFA, First Sgt. S, Second Sgt. ISF, Second Cpl. DP, First Pvt. MI and Second Pvt. MH. Dodik are under investigation concerning the fire which destroyed multiple buildings. The local health department had built the houses as accommodation for medical staffs.

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Lethal shooting in Puncak Regency –Three more dead bodies discovered

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Published on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 17:08

Only three days after security force members allegedly shot dead seventeen-year-old Atanius Murib and injured seventeen-year-old Manus Murib with bullets, three more bodies were found at the Limbaga Mountain, Gome District. The civil servant Akis Alom, 34, and two pupils named Wapenus Tabuni, 17, [see photo below] and twelve-year-old Warius Murib [see photo on top] had been missing since 20 November 2020, the same day as security force members opened fire at Manus Murib and Atanius Murib. The three indigenous Papuans were on their way from the Agandugume District to Ilaga, the largest town in the Puncak Regency, where Wapenus and Warius went to school. Relatives assumed that they passed the Limbaga Mountain around 12.00 pm, approximately 60 to 90 minutes after the previous shooting.

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Treason trial against three Papuans from Maybrat in Sorong District Court

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Published on Monday, 23 November 2020 04:54

On 15 September 2020, the panel of judges launched another political trial in the Sorong District Court. The Papuan defendants: Marten Muuk, Simon Sasior and Yakobus Assem have been charged with three indictments, among them the Articles 110 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on criminal conspiracy and Article 106 KUHP on treason, the latter carrying a maximum penalty of live imprisonment. The three Papuans were arrested during a police raid in the regency of Maybrat, Papua Barat Province. The arrest occurred on 23 April 2020 in the Tigihmana Village of the Aifat District.

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Papuan musician reportedly tortured for singing pro-independence songs

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Published on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 09:35

The Papuan musician, Kris Douw, was allegedly tortured by military members at the Kodim Military Complex in the Papuan town of Nabire on 21 November 2020. The New Zealand-based media outlets Asia Pacific Report and Evening Report published news articles in reaction to social media posts on the case by the Free West Papua Campaign. The posts contain a short narrative and photographs of Kris Douw’s injuries (see photo on top, source: Free West Papua Campaign). He sustained multiple bruises in his face and body, including several broken teeth.

The incident reportedly occurred around 8.00 am. According to information received, military special force members beat up Kris Douw for writing and publishing a song and a video which promote Papuan political independence and the armed struggle by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB).

Security force members allegedly shoot dead high school student in Puncak - second student injured by bullets

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Published on Sunday, 22 November 2020 13:40

The armed conflict in West Papua’s central highlands continues to deteriorate, costing the lives of innocent civilians. The latest extra-judicial killing was reported from the Papuan regency of Puncak. According to the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Desk of the Papuan Tabernacle Church (JPIC Kingmi Papua) and the Papuan Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (ELSHAM Papua), the two students were on their way from the town of Ilaga to their home village in the district of Agundugume on 20 November 2020. When the minors reached the Limbaga Mountain in the Gome District, they were intercepted by a group of fully armed security force members who reportedly tried to execute both minors. Seventeen-year-old Manus Murib sustained three bullet injuries as he escaped the execution while his friend, Atanius Murib, also 17, was killed on the spot.

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