Papuan Pastor Yerimia Zanambani killed in Intan Jaya
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- Published on Sunday, 20 September 2020 09:55

Another extra-judicial execution has reportedly occurred in the highland regency of Intan Jaya, Papua Province, on 19 September 2020. According to the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Desk of the Papuan Tabernacle Church (Kingmi Papua), members of the Yonif 711/RKS/Brigif 22/OTA, DAM XIII/MDK Military Unit killed the 68-year-old Pastor Yerimia Zanambani (see intro image). The killing happened near Mamba, a small village in the Hitadipa District. Rev Zanambani was a pastor and bible translator working for the Protestant Evangelical Church in Indonesia (GKII).
However, the military representative Captain Kogabwihan Suriastawa declared in an interview with the national news outlet Kompas, that members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) allegedly killed the pastor. He explained that the TPN PB aimed to draw attention to the armed conflict in West Papua shortly before the annual United Nations General Assembly in late September 2020. Human rights defenders claim that this inaccurate information. They explained that the Indonesian military (TNI) is distributing false information about the incident to seek the support of the public and protect their members from being prosecuted. They stated that the scenario described by the TNI representative is highly unlikely because Rev Zanambani was an indigenous Papuan and well-respected pastor in his congregation. His pastoral activities were an enrichment for the entire congregation, including for those community members affiliated with the TPN PB.
Verdict in treason trial in Sorong - Ten months imprisonment for eleven Papuan activists
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- Published on Thursday, 17 September 2020 09:16
On 17 September 2020, the panel of judges at the Sorong District Court found eleven Papuan activists guilty of criminal conspiracy as stipulated under the article 110 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP). The public prosecutor sought a sentence of 16 months for Daniel Jitmau, Paulus Syama, Lukas Nauw, Simon Aifat, Berto Tomow, Frengky Nauw, Lukas Smass, Marlinda Mangko, Silvester Nauw, Wilson Kofias and Jhosua Kingho. All defendants were arrested on 27 November 2019, after planning a public event through which they allegedly supported the establishment of the separate state ‘West Papua New Guinea’. The police found banners, flags and stickers with the Morning Star during the arrest.
Papuan activists reimburse Veronica Koman's scholarship funds to the Indo govt
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- Published on Wednesday, 16 September 2020 08:48
The Ebamukai Solidarity Movement/Team has collected donations to reimburse the scholarship funds which the Indonesian Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) provided for Veronica Koman’s law study in Australia. The movement has managed to collect donations for an amount of IDR 773,876,918 (about € 44.144) after the LPDP urged Koman to repay the funds. The Executive Director of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Markus Haluk, explained in an interview with the media outlet Jubi that the funds were raised within days and the donations came from Papuan government representatives, politicians, activists, entrepreneurs and Veronika Koman’s relatives. On 16 September 2020, the former political prisoners Ambrosius Mulait and Dano Tabuni, together with the human rights lawyer, Michael Himan, went to the office of the LPDP in Jakarta (see intro image, source: Suara Papua) to return the funds together with an Indonesian flag. They also symbolically returned the Papua Special Autonomy Fund in the form of one million rupiahs (about € 57).
East Timor - 16 people on trial for peacefully protesting in solidarity with West Papua
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- Published on Saturday, 12 September 2020 11:31

Sixteen protesters had to stand trial because they conducted a peaceful protest in solidarity with the people of West Papua in front of the Indonesian embassy in Dili, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly referred to as East Timor. The group of protesters, all members of the Maubere Peoples’ Front for West Papua (FRMWP), had participated in a seminar on the humanitarian crisis in West Papua on 3 September 2020. The peaceful demonstration on 4 September 2020 was a follow-up activity of the seminar. According to the media outlet ‘Suara Papua’, police officers dispersed the demonstration and arrested 16 out of 60 protesters.
Joint security forces kill three indigenous Papuans near Freeport Mine in Mimika
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- Published on Tuesday, 15 September 2020 06:43

The ICP has received credible information regarding the killing of Mrs Demiana Wanmang, 25, Mr Demu Kiwak, 28, and Mr Uterus Newegalen, 18. This happened at Mile 69, an illegal gold panning site near the Grasberg Mine which is operated by PT Freeport Indonesia in the Tembagapura district of the Mimika regency. On 16 August 2020, joint security force members of the Tindak Nemangkawi Task Force opened fire at the group of four gold panners. Three of them died instantly as a result of the fatal bullet wounds. The task force members likely mistook the group for members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). A similar incident already occurred on 13 April 2020, as military members shot dead Eden Armando Bebari and Ronny Wandik at Mile 34, where the two men were fishing.
Joint security force members torture three indigenous Papuans in Boven Digoel for not using face masks
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- Published on Saturday, 12 September 2020 11:17

Independent human rights defenders have documented a case of torture in the regency of Boven Digoel, Papua Province. The incident was confirmed by multiple media outlets. Joint police-military forces allegedly tortured three indigenous Papuans from the indigenous Kombai Tribe – among them one female – during a routine COVID-19 control in Boven Digoel’s largest town Tanah Merah. The security force members had reportedly stopped them because they were not wearing a face mask while riding their motorcycles. The Boven Digoel Government, the local customary council and the victims’ family agreed to settle the case outside the law through a compensation payment of 50 million rupiahs (about € 2,840) and three pigs.
Conflict tension increases in Intan Jaya Regency
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- Published on Monday, 14 September 2020 05:56

The conflict situation in the remote highland regency Intan Jaya has become significantly more tense during the past days. Human rights defenders have observed military (TNI) members repeatedly approaching primary and middle schools in Intan Jaya’s major town Sugapa to monitor Papuan pupils who appeared to support the right to political self-determination in West Papua. Moreover, the ICP received credible information according to which military members documented the identities of these pupils and interrogated them after school. The human rights defenders claim that the monitoring activities have been ongoing since early August 2020. The most recent monitoring activity was reported from a middle school in Sugapa on 5 September 2020 (see into image and image on the right).
Papuan Youth Church Leaders raise their voices regarding racism, injustice and Special Autonomy
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- Published on Tuesday, 08 September 2020 11:09
Following repeated calls by Church Leaders, like the open letter from the WPCC released in July 2020, calling for an end of racism and injustice in the land of Papua and rejecting the Special Autonomy "version 2" or "volume II", the West Papua Christian Youth Forum has issued an open letter to President Joko Widodo supporting the Papuan Church Councils position on Special Autonomy and Dialogue as well as the Papuan Peoples Petition rejecting Special Autonomy. They share that "the problem of Papua has become increasingly complex and severe because the root of the problem is racism and injustice, not separatism and treason. It has now been increasingly complicated due to the global mobilization of "Black Lives Matter and West Papua Lives Matter" which has become part of the international community. However, no matter how difficult and complicated, there must be a way out for a win-win solution."
Open Letter in PDF
Armed conflict in West Papua continues: Government deploys 500 soldiers to the central highlands
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- Published on Sunday, 13 September 2020 10:38
The Indonesian government has deployed 500 additional soldiers of the Yonif Raider 432 Waspada Setiajaya Unit to West Papua. According to the national media, the non-organic troops should help the local governments to stabilize the situation and secure infrastructure as well as other development projects in West Papua’s central highlands, which are known as the stronghold of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). Meanwhile, the troops have arrived in Jayapura (see intro image) from where they will be flown to 20 military outposts in the regencies Yalimo, Yahukimo, Nduga, Mamberamo, Lanny Jaya and Tolikara. The non-organic troops are supposed to stay in West Papua between nine and twelve months.
Police officers obstruct journalists at the district police station in Yahukimo
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- Published on Sunday, 06 September 2020 11:03

The Papuan branch office of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI Papua) has condemned the obstruction of two Papuan journalists in the town of Dekai, in the Yahukimo regency, where joint security forces have conducted widespread raids in response to the murder of three civilians. Ruland Kabak (see intro image, source: Suara Papua) and Atamus Kepno wanted to obtain information about the murders and the ongoing investigation. Several police officers intimidated the journalists, refused to provide information on the case and prevented them from meeting with suspects.
More Articles...
- Raids, mass arrests and torture by security forces in Yahukimo
- Police officers open fire at 16-year-old Papuan in Dogiyai Regency
- Papuan suspect killed during police detention in Sorong – Police Chief blames detainee
- Indonesian govt can’t neglect internally displaced Papuans - UN requests detailed information
- Police officers arrest Papuan activist for Facebook post
- Update on prosecution of political prisoner Bazoka Logo
- Police finally takes action against illegal gold mine in Jayapura
- UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women publishes List of issue for upcoming review of Indonesia
- 'Balikpapan 7' finally back in Jayapura
- Joint Security forces torture three indigenous Papuans in Sorong Selatan
- PT Freeport Indonesia conducts Environmental Impact Analysis – Indigenous communities fear expansion of mining area
- Papuan prisoners neglected – Govt fails to arrange return to West Papua
- Police disperse NY Agreement commemorations in Jayapura – 32 protesters arrested, one ill-treated during arrest
- Indo govt continues to pressure human rights defender Veronica Koman
- Trial against 11 political activists in Sorong – Prosecutor demands 16 months for alleged treason
- UN requests Indonesian govt to report on civil and political issues in West Papua
- TAPOL Press Release: West Papua 2019 Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly Report
- West Papua has the worst democracy index in Indonesia
- Deforestation in West Papua – 1,488 hectares forest logged down between January and May 2020
- Public discourse about prolongation of Papuan Special Autonomy intensifies
- Multiple indigenous Papuans subjected to intimidation and torture since establishment of new military bases in Tambrauw
- Student in Ternate under investigation for participating in peaceful rally for Papuan independence
- Allegations of fatal military violence in Boven Digoel Regency
- New Release: The humanitarian crisis in West Papua: Internal conflict, the displacement of people, and the coronavirus pandemic
- Udeido art group launches „Tonawi Mana” virtual exhibition on human rights situation in West Papua
- Military members kill two indigenous Papuans during routine inspection in Nduga Regency
- Police in Wasior alleged of using excessive force and torturing a suspect
- Political prisoner Surya Anta Ginting talks about inhuman conditions at detention centres in Jakarta
- Corruption allegations against Korindo palm oil conglomerate
- Labour Union files lawsuit against Freeport Indonesia and Department of Manpower and Transmigration
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