The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta

In the first-ever informal meeting with the leadership of Regional Representatives Council (DPD) at the presidential office here Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his concern over the social unrest in Papua and simultaneously
his commitment to address the prolonged issue.

The President then instructed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Widodo A.S. to prepare a government regulation in lieu of a law (Perpu) on West Papua
province, whose legal jurisdiction under a 1999 law was annulled y the Constitutional Court following the enactment of the 2001 Papua special autonomy law.

Is that all?

The Papuan issue is not only a matter of social concern and political commitment, but also a question of how to manage the prolonged conflict and determine what needs to be done to calm  down a tense situation.

Not only the President and other state institutions but also the Papuan people and the international world have been worried about the tension. Papuan students have gone down to the streets of Papua's Jayapura, Central Java's Semarang and South Sulawesi's Makassar demanding a self-determination referendum for the province since the seven-year-old special autonomy status has brought no significant changes nor eased decades of
grievances of Papuan people still living in fear of intimidation, torture and violence.

Concerned over the terrible conditions, American Samoan Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, who was barred from visiting Papua last July, has launched a black campaign on the Indonesian government, accusing it of abusing human rights and turning a blind eye to Papuans living in poverty. The Germany-based World Church Council recently delivered an official letter to the President with a similar accusation and a call for immediate measures to fully implement the special autonomy and revive the Papuan people's human dignity.

As head of the government, the President should first identify major problems in the resource-rich province so the government knows what to do to better the real condition. He should also evaluate why the special autonomy, which came at the national consensus, does not work optimally.

The anti-Indonesia campaign abroad and the increasing demand for the province's secession from Indonesia will gradually go down  if the major problems are settled. But we should bear in mind it could go wrong unless the people's disappointment is addressed.

The special autonomy is not only a matter of funds but also of law enforcement and security to return the tense situation to  normalcy. As it was recognized by Governor Barnabas Suebu, despite the annual allocation of huge funds to the province a majority of people are still living below the poverty line and cannot afford the expensive education and health service. The special autonomy fund for the province has drastically increased to Rp 21 trillion (US$2.2 billion) this fiscal year from Rp 3.5 billion in 2003 and around Rp 4.5 trillion in 2006, but only a small part has been used to develop education, health and the people's economic livelihood.

If Jakarta is really concerned with the Papuan issue, the President should have the special autonomy fully implemented. The special autonomy will remain stagnant unless government regulations mandated by the 2001 law on the Papuan special autonomy are issued to allow the provincial government and the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) to issue relevant bylaws as a legal basis for development programs in Papua.

The law mandates the issuance of seven government regulations as technical and operational guidelines for reconciliation and justice, human resource management, the MRP's establishment, Papuans' cultural rights, province symbols, the flag and other marks of identity and population affairs. So far, only a single regulation on the MRP has been issued.

The proposed development of Papua and West Papua into six provinces will meet stronger resistance because it will considerably solve the main issue, except for certain benefits to security and defense authorities.

The President should go down to relevant ministries to have the long-awaited government regulations issued to allow both the MRP and the provincial governments in Papua and West Papua to issue the bylaws.

Justice will be upheld and the people will no longer live in fears and under intimidation if the planned reconciliation is conducted and the unresolved human rights abuse cases are brought to an ad hoc human rights court despite strong resistance from the Indonesian Military and the police. With a special bylaw on Papuans' cultural rights, the MRP will work to educate some 1.5 million indigenous people partly living in the stone age in remote areas and ensure their access to modernity.

The provincial government should also issue bylaws to design pro-poor, pro-growth and pro-environment budget policies and ensure Papuans' civil and political rights and free access to education and health services, construction of public infrastructure and the sustainable management of natural resources. And any party will be barred from activities supporting secessionism inside and outside the two provinces.

The right approach to development will certainly be effective to develop Papua and West Papua into "a land of peace".

The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post.

Suara Pembaruan, 21 March 2008
Abridged in translation

The government has announced its intention to introduce a Perppu (Presidential Regulation in Lieu of Law) to provide the legal framework for the Province of West Papua within the Special Autonomy Law No 21.2001 (Otsus Papua). According to the government,  this would provide the legal umbrella that will resolve this  problem.

It is very clear that  a Perppu for the Province of West Papua would create a precedent. If the government does indeed introduce this regulation, West Papua would become a very special province indeed, because it would be the only province in Indonesia that is created not by law but by a presidential regulation (Perppu).

This would convey the message to Indonesians, especially those living in the Land of Papua, that a new province can be created by the Central Government, if need be, by force, although the basis in law has not been established. It would mean that a law will no longer be necessary to create a province.

Further consequences could ensue from this move. Although the President has announced a moratorium on the creation of new provinces, the enactment of a Perppu for the Province of West Papua would raise expectations and reinforce the determination of those who are campaigning to bring about the creation of other new provinces in the Land of Papua as well as in other parts of Indonesia. They would no longer need to go to all the trouble of providing the status in law for creating new provinces.

These people would draw the conclusion that, by using the Perppu for West Papua as the model,  they can go ahead and declare the creation of new provinces such as South-west Papua, Central Papua and South Papua simply by means of a Perppu.

Those who want new provinces to be created would demand the same treatment from the central government. If the government were to refuse, they would accuse it of discrimination.. They would say, what is so special about people living in one part of the country if their own wishes were not heeded. This opens up the possibility  that people anywhere could get together and demand that their regions should also become a new province..The political elite and bureaucrats in Papua  and in other places  could demand that the government can simply produce a Perppu to create the province for which they are campaigning.  They could try to get
Parliament (DPR)  to pass a resolution or, if not, get the President to issue a Perppu. If this happens, the Perppu for the Province of West Papua will create a very bad precedent indeed.

The creation of new provinces in Papua cannot be equated with other parts of the country because Papua enjoys a special status, namely that it has special status because of the Special Autonomy Law 21. 2001 which was introduced  for the Province of Papua.   The existence of the special province  is protected within the 1945 Constitution, in particular Article 18 (b) which states that special governments are permissible. This means that if the government  approves the Perppu for West Papua, the President is acting in violation of the Constitution.

In my opinion, this inconsistency from the government will have fatal consequences. The confidence of the Papuan people in the government will suffer drastically.and could reach the lowest point ever.  They would come to the conclusion that if the country's Constitution can be violated, then other government regulations can also be ignored by the government. How can the Papuan people be expected to hope that the Special Autonomy Law can be properly implemented  if the government itself violates the country's Constitution?

For this reason, the government should consider these matters very seriously indeed before going ahead with the Perppu for the Creation of West Papua.

The writer is a lecturer at the Fajar Timor College of Philosophy and Theology, Abepura, Papua.

FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
MARCH 12, 2009 1930 AEST

WEST PAPUA, Wednesday March 12 2008: As West Papuan Youth and students prepare for another series of demonstrations across West Papua tomorrow, key leaders and human rights workers are being terrorised and intimidated by the Indonesian military and police, and threatened with arrest on charges of Subversion.

Information received from sources in Manokwari report that Indonesian government and security forces are increasing repression on West Papuan people ahead of continued peaceful assemblies to draw international attention to the human rights and dysfunctional political situation currently inside West Papua.

On 11 March 2008, 16:58:28 PM, five Indonesian intelligence agents arrived with black Taff Car to surveille a meeting of eighty Papuan students and youths. The five Indonesian spies are:

1. Yoris May, intelligence from Manokwari Regional Military Commando (INTEL KODIM Manokwari).
2. Mikael Marisan, specialist hunting and attacking from Manokwari Regional Police (BUSER Polisi Manokwari).
3. Pak Jefri, specialist hunting and attacking forces from Manokwari Regional Police (BUSER Polisi Manokwari).
4. Pak Sul, specialist hunting and attacking forces from Manokwari Regional Police (BUSER Polisi Manokwari).
5. Pak Arif, specialist hunting and attacking forces from Manokwari Regional Police (BUSER Polisi Manokwari).

The first target of the operation now is to hunt and attack Jack Wanggai, Coordinator of peaceful demonstrations in Manokwari and spokesperson of the West Papua National Authority in West Papua. Wanggai's family in Manokwari had received an official letter from Indonesian police for the arrest of Mr Wanggai.  Mr Wanggai and his family in Manokwari were intimidated and terrorised by 7 members of TNI and Police, when they came to Wanggai's house with automatic weapons, causing family to believe TNI wanted to shoot Wanggai if he was at home. However Jack was elsewhere organising large Papua wide protest on 13 March unaware of the intimidation of his family.

The Indonesian government and military are doing extra work to stop Jack Wanggai and other peaceful protesters in Manokwari through terror, intimidation and the threat of violence.  Previous arrests and interrogations of student leaders indicate that the TNI and POLRI are
escalating operations against civilians and the guaranteed right to peaceful political expression. These threats are currently ongoing and escalating.

Today Wednesday 12 March 2008 POLRI in Manokwari published the letter delivered to Wanggai’s family quoting the following:

1. Police justification under Law: SP.gl/147/III/2008/Reskrim base Dasar paragraph 7, Article (1) sub-paragraph G, sub-paragraph 11112 Articles (1) and  (2) and paragraph 113 KUHP (Indonesian Criminal Code). This is the Indonesian law that classifies the peaceful rally coordinated by Jack Wanggai as “Subversion, terrorism and related crimes”.
2. Indonesian government regulation No.2/2002 (UU No. 2/ 2002) About Indonesian National Police.
3. Indonesian Police report No. Pol:LP/13/III/2008/SPK.III, Dated 3 March 2008

These Interrogations have been conducted by the following personnel:
• First interrogator is Captain police Nyoman Sudama, NRP:78061319.
Captain Nyoman Sudama is a head of the Criminal intelligent Unit of National police of Manokwari Regency.
• Assistant interrogator is Sergeant POLRI Aris Patandung, NRP: 72110227
These charges, or even threat of these charges against Papuan exercising their rights to peaceful expression of aspirations guaranteed under Indonesian law, are a throwback to the days of the Suharto New Order (Orde Baru).  It is proof that the Indonesian government is nothing but a military dictatorship: New Order Chapter 2 (Orde Baru bagian Dua).
The same threats and intimidation as in Manokwari are also being endured by:
• Mr. Zakarias Horota, Head of National FNMPP and another democracy activist in Jayapura;
• Mr. Michael Mandobayan, Coordinator FNMPP and ather democrat actist in Sorong Regency;
• Mr. Wilson Uruwaya, Youth Chief of Papua National Council based in Serui, the Regency Capital of Yapen Waropen;
• and is also including other Papuan democracy activists in Serui.
The Indonesian personnel responsible for giving orders to BUSER ( BU = Buru-  hunting; and SER - attack. BUSER is part of the “anti terrorist” Detasmen 88). POLICE and BIN (Badan Inteljien Nasional) in both provinces in Papua is KAPOLDA (Head of Police Province Level) and PANGDAM (Supreme Commander Province Level). The distribution order operating by KAPOLRES (Head of Police Regency Level) and KODIM (Commando Military Regency Level).  Please contact the numbers in Manokwari below to ask respectfully why West Papuan leaders are being threatened with Suharto era charges.
• Police Papua province hp:967 531 014
• Indonesian Criminal Intelligence Unit Manokwari: + (62 986) 211363
• Indonesian TNI Commander of Manokwari regency/DANDIM phone Number: +62 (986) 211703
• Head of Police Manokwari Regency (KAPOLRES) phone No. +62 (986) 211359
• Deputy Police Manokwari Regency level (WAKAPOLRES) phone NO. +62 (986)
211826
• rmh dins kapolres tlp.0986 211355;
•  Waka (Deputi Commander) Polres.tlp.0986 211826.

Tomorrow, Thursday 13 March 2008, West Papuan people, more than 500 Papuan youth and students and the Executive president of West Papua National Authority will continue to hold simultaneous peaceful rallies calling for Referendum in Sorong, Manokwari, Serui, Nabire and Jayapura.

Melanesian people of Papua are calling to the international community to continue monitoring of the situation inside Papua, calling to Jakarta to allow international observers to go inside Papua as soon as possible, especially from the Australian, New Zealand and Pacific community. West Papuans are calling on the International community make immediate protests on the brutal and systemic repression of people’s legitimate right to peaceful expression by the Indonesian military, intelligence, police, and state sponsored jihadists and militias..

Rallies will continue until Indonesian and the international community hear and implementing referendum to the people of West Papua. West Papua needs a referendum on its future as a political solution to the ongoing genocide.


Ongoing information, please contact:


Dr Jacob Rumbiak
Australia, Mobile +61 (0)4313 88 976 or +61 (0)3 9510 2193   
Co-ordinator, Foreign Affairs, West Papua National Authority

SORONG:
Michael Mandobayan, West Papua National Youth Chief of Council/
Coordinator WPNA Sorong + (62) 85254517800
Topan Baho, Spokesperson of WPNA Sorong +62 85254559143

MANOKWARI
Jack Wanggai, Spokesperson of WPNA Manokwari,: +62 85244340479
Abner Aisoki, HP: +62 85282919155

SERUI
Wilson Uruway, Coordinator WPNA Yapen/Waropen , HP: +62 81240009398
Simon Dom (spokesperson) +62 85254934740

NABIRE
MS Yetty Yoweni, Coordinator Ground Action of WPNA Nabire, +62 81344463429

JAYAPURA
Terrianus Yoku, Head of National Congress, WPNA, HP: +62 85244357673
Markus Yenu, Coordinator Ground Action of WPNA, HP: +62 81344531793


MEDIA CONSIDERATIONS. The situation is being monitored closely, and update will be available from people on the ground.  Photographs will be provided as soon as we have them. Please visit www.manukoreri.net to accessphotographs.

This Alert and Media co-ordination has been prepared by Nick Chesterfield, Independent Human Security and Media Consultant to West Papua Movement.www.manukoreri.net +61(0)409 268 978 manukoreri@riseup.net GPG Key available on request.

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
 
18 February 2008
 
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnation.asp?fileid=20080218.G01
<http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnation.asp?fileid=20080218.G01&irec=0>
&irec=0
 
Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Saturday asked Papua to use local wisdom to accelerate development and achieve the true potential of the resource-rich province.
 
Addressing high-ranking Papuan officials during a work meeting here to evaluate development programs in the province, Kalla said governors, regents and mayors in Papua needed to be more creative in crafting policies and carrying out development programs to achieve significant advances in all sectors.
 
"When constructing a building in a remote area, for instance, a regional administration should call on local wisdom and use wood which is affordable and easy to get, instead of stones and cement which could cost some Rp 1 million per pack because of the costly transportation fees," he said.
 
The Vice President said this fiscal year, Papua province would receive Rp 21 trillion (US$2.2 billion) in development funds and West Papua Rp 7 trillion. He said these were significant amounts, especially considering the total population was only about 2.8 million.
 
"If these huge amounts of funds were distributed equally to the population, everyone would receive Rp 11 million. The funds will have significance for the people if the development programs change their lives. Therefore, the government must be efficient and the funds should not wholly be absorbed for bureaucracy expenditures," he said.
 
Under the 2001 special autonomy law for Papua, the province received about Rp 3 trillion in 2002, Rp 5 trillion in 2005 and Rp 6 trillion in 2006 from the government as its share of revenue from the exploitation of natural resources in the province. This includes the copper and gold mined by PT Freeport McMoran Indonesia in Timika.
 
Jakarta has been criticized for its handling of Papua, with the latest outcry coming after the government introduced a bill that would split Papua into four new provinces and allow the central government to send more security personnel into the country's easternmost province.
 
Most Papuans oppose the bill, and have called on Jakarta to settle unresolved human rights abuses in the region and fight corruption in the
provincial bureaucracy.
 
Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said in a report at Saturday's meeting that 80 percent of Papuans were officially defined as living in absolute poverty.
 
According to unofficial data from local NGOs and churches, some 60 percent  of Papuans are illiterate. Papua has also seen the fastest spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
 
"They are poor and cannot survive despite their natural wealth. This condition has been worsened by the corrupt governance and poor infrastructure and the low quality of human resources," Suebu said.  The three-day work meeting will last until Monday. It is being held so officials can discuss the problems facing Papua and how to improve the welfare of Papuans.
 
The meeting is also expected to seek a legal solution and basis for the controversial formation of West Papua province following the annulment bythe Constitutional Court of Law No. 45/1999 on the province's formation.