Disappointment over court ruling in Poumako Case – military court sentences perpetrator to eight months

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Published on Tuesday, 20 March 2018 02:08

The Human Rights Lawyers Association for Papua (PAHAM Papua) published a press release on the 20 March in which the lawyers expressed their disappointment over the court ruling in the Poumako case. The trial was processed at the III-19 Military Court in Jayapura. Chief Brigadier Yusuf Salasar was sentenced to eight months imprisonment which will be reduced by the period of detention. The military prosecutors had demanded a sentence of 15 months imprisonment. PAHAM Papua assessed both,  the court ruling and the demanded sentence by the military prosecutor as disproportionately low. The defendant was charged with the articles 351 (2), (3), which sets a maximum penalty of five, respectively seven years imprisonment.

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Parliament members in the Netherlands concerned about situation of indigenous peoples in West Papua

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Published on Tuesday, 27 February 2018 00:55

Members of the lower house of the Dutch bicameral parliament expressed their concern about the situation in West Papua and spoke of a "repression of the indigenous population of West Papua in Indonesia". The SGP (Reformed Political Party) asked questions on West Papua to Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra on 7 February 2018. Other political parties, such as the VVD, CDA, D66, ChristenUnie, PVV, GroenLinks, SP and the PvdA supported the inquiry.

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Joint oral statement regarding situation of malnutrition in West Papua at the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council

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Published on Monday, 19 March 2018 01:19

Franciscans International, VIVAT International, International Coalition for Papua and West Papua Netzwerk, Geneva for Human Rights and Dominicans for Justice and Peace have delivered a joint statement on 2 March 2018 at the 37th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The statement was delivered in response to severe cases of malnutrition which have repeatedly occured in remote areas of West Papua throughout the past three years.

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visits Indonesia

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Published on Monday, 26 February 2018 22:09

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, visited Indonesia from 5 to 7 February 2018. At the end of this trip, he gave a press conference in which he expressed his concerns regarding various human rights issues in Indonesia, among other things, about the human rights situation in West Papua: "I am also concerned about the reports of excessive use of force by security forces, harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention in Papua."

He added that the Indonesian government had invited the UN to visit West Papua. "I think it's important that we travel there and see for ourselves what's going on there [...] and I hope this can happen as soon as possible". His office is now preparing for an observation mission. An exact time for the visit was not announced during the press conference.

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Presence of militant Islamic leader in Kerom creates tensions

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Published on Monday, 19 March 2018 00:22

The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Desk (JPIC) of the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua (GKI-TP) has reported of growing concerns over the presence of prominent radical Islamic leader Jafar Umar Thalib (JUT) in the Papuan regency of Kerom. JUT is the founder and head of  ‘Laskar Jihat’, a militant and radical Islamic organization in Indonesia. Official government letters indicate that JUT has moved away from Yogjakarta (Central Java) and is currently residing in Kerom. The presence of JUT has lead to rejection and anxiety among many people in Kerom and Jayapura. According to JPIC, JUT has begun to build an Islamic boarding school (Pesantren) in Kerom and carried out multiple activities promoting the spreading of Islam in Kerom, Jayapura and various other places in Papua.

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BBC Journalist has to leave West Papua because her tweets “hurt feelings of the Indonesian military”

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Published on Monday, 26 February 2018 20:55

The journalist Rebecca Henschke (see image on the left) and her camera team was forced to leave West Papua in early February for allegedly offending members of the military on her Twitter account. Henschke was in the Asmat region to cover the health situation in the area. A measles epidemic and associated malnutrition had caused the deaths of more than 60 children.

Rebecca Henschke, who has been working in Indonesia for 12 years, posted a picture of shipped goods at the port on Twitter and commented "these are the humanitarian supplies for the extremely malnourished children in Papua - instant noodles, sweetened soft drinks and biscuits". The military issued a complaint stating that the journalist had hurt the feelings of soldiers who intended to help the people in the Asmat Regency. They also claimed that Henschke’s photo shows deliveries to local shops, not the humanitarian supplies.

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Indigenous woman shot dead in Timika – seven mobile police brigade officers under investigation

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Published on Wednesday, 28 February 2018 19:49

The Papuan news outlets ‘Tabloid Jubi’ and ‘Suara Papua’ have reported the killing of 55-years-old Emakulata Kolaka Emakeparo, an indigenous Papuan woman of the Kamoro tribe. The incident occurred on 3 February 2018 around 10 pm, as Emakulata Emakeparo and her husband were  crossing the river in a small canoe near the Amamare cargo dock in search for drinking water. An autopsy showed that her death was caused by a head shot which penetrated the forehand. The vice chief of the Papuan regional police (POLDA Papua) Yakobus Marjuki stated in a public interview that the death was caused by a ricochet during a conflict escalation between police officers and local villagers.

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Military members torture Papuan man to death - Asian Human Rights Commission launches urgent appeal

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Published on Monday, 26 February 2018 19:28

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has launched an urgent appeal in response to the to death of Mr. Isak Dewayekua (23), an indigenous Papuan who was severly tortured by three army personnel of Yonif 755/Yalet in Kimaam, Merauke Regency, Papua Province. The army personnel forced Isak’s family to accept monetary compensation and sign a letter which demanded that the family drop the case. Currently, the Investigation is still being conducted by the Military Police of Merauke Regency. Later, the case was transferred to the higher Military Police Institution in Military Regional Office (Pomdam) XVII/ Cendrawasih from December 29, 2017.

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