Student action in Yogyakarta calls for troops out of Papua

Tribune News - June 11, 2012

Mahasiswa Papua di Yogya: Tarik Militer dari Papua - Tribunnews.com. Senin, 11 Juni 2012

Yoseph Hary, Yogya — Responding to the brutal actions by Indonesian security forces against Papuan civilians, Papuan students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta are to hold a peaceful action and long-march from the Papuan student dormitory on Jl. Kusumanegara No 119 to the zero kilometer point in the centre of the city this afternoon.

Speaking during preparations at the dormitory, the spokesperson for the Papua Student Association (PMP) in Yogyakarta, Andi Umagi, said the theme of the demonstration would be calling on the government to withdraw Indonesian troops from Papua.

The reason being, the troops in Papua are clearly committing human rights violations. “The action is planned for 10am. We’re currently making preparations, we’ll start in a moment. But it will be a peaceful action”, said Umagi on Monday June 11.

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Jakarta protest calls for concrete action to resolve conflict in Papua

Kompas.com - June 14, 2012

Bumi Cendrawasih Rindu Kedamaian. Kompas.com. Kamis, 14 Juni 2012

Vitalis Yogi Trisna, A. Wisnubrata, Jakarta — West Papua is a region of Indonesia that is extraordinarily rich in natural resources and culture. Parts of Papua have even been designated as “a heaven that has been lost” because of its beauty.

This richness and beauty however is not in proportion to the recent security situation in West Papua. In the month of June alone 11 people have been killed and five wounded as a result of mysterious shootings.

This concern over the situation in West Papua was expressed in an action in Jakarta by the group Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup), who held a long-march to the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday June 13. Through this protest action they demanded that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono take concrete steps to end the violence in Papua.

The protesters also demanded an evaluation of the performance of the national police and the TNI (Indonesian military) in relation to the widespread shooting incidents, calling on the police and the TNI to coordinate to resolve the conflict.

“Peace is what is being longed for by all the people of the land of the Cendrawasih [Bird of Paradise]”, shouted one of the demonstrators during the action.

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’Stop stigmatising all West Papuan as separatists’: Activists

Seruu.com - June 15, 2012

Solidaritas untuk Kemanusiaan di Papua Desak Pemerintah Hapus Stigma Terhadap Masyarakat Papua - Seruu.com. Jumat, 15 Juni 2012

Jakarta — Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is urging all government institutions to end the stigmatisation of the Papuan people as separatists in responding to developments in West Papua.

“Security personnel must change their paradigm. Don’t immediately view minor unrest as separatism. The presence of the national police and the TNI [Indonesian military] should be aimed at crating a sense of security not fear”, said Ray Rangkuti during a press conference held by Skup at the offices of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of Friday June 15.

Up until now, according to Rangkuti, the TNI and police are still committing acts of violence that are making the situation in Papua increasingly unfavorable. Yet, he said, the presence of security personnel in Indonesia’s eastern-most island should be to provide a solution to the conflict in Papua. “The [counter-terrorism unit] Detachment 88 has been sent to Papua. What for?”, asked Rangkuti.

Rangkuti said the government should see that the various incidents in West Papua cannot be separated from each other. “This represents part of an integral [approach]. Starting from the security sector to welfare. The NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] can only be upheld if the government upholds justice for the Papuan and Indonesian people as a whole”, he said. [simon]

Notes

Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is made up of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Institute for Public Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), the Papua NGO Cooperative Forum (FOKER LSM Papua), National Papua Solidarity (NAPAS) the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP), the Papuan Traditional Social Community Against Corruption (Kampak), the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), the Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (DEMOS), the Indonesian Human Rights Committee for Social Justice (IHCS), Asian Justice and Rights (AJAR), the Coalition for Justice and Revelation of Truth (KKPK), the Indonesian Association of the Families of Missing Persons (IKOHI), the Jakarta consulate of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), (Komite Nasional Papua Barat), the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan), the People’s Liberation Party (PPR), the Indonesian Civic Network (Lima) and the Jayapura Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jayapura).

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Workers call for end to violence by security forces in West Papua

Berita Jatim - June 21, 2012

Tolak Kekerasan di Papua, Buruh Datangi Makodim 0815/Mojokerto -Beritajatim.com. Kamis, 21 Juni 2012

Misti P., Mojokerto — Scores of activists from the United Indonesian Labour Movement (PPBI) went to the 0815 Mojokerto District Military Command Headquarters in the East Java city of Mojokerto on June 21 to demand an immediate resolution to all the forms of violence and human rights violations that are taking place in West Papua.

Carrying symbols of the trade union, the activists held the action at the Mojokerto city square where they conveyed their demands including an end to all forms of violence by security forces against activists and the Papuan people and the withdrawal of non-organic troops from Papua.

Arrest and try the military and police perpetrators of violence, murder and shootings in Papua, free the Papuan people and activists that are currently in jail (Filep Karma, Buchtar Tabuni) and form an independent fact finding team to conduct a fast and effective investigation that can uncover the truth and bring perpetrators to justice.

They also called for a broad dialogue that is open, democrat and free from pressure or repression for and by the Papuan people under the supervision of national and international observers. After giving speeches union representatives handed over a list of demands to the district military command headquarters.

Action coordinator Thoha Maksum said that their aim in coming to the headquarters was to convey a letter of protest over violence by rouge TNI (Indonesian military) and police officers in Papua. “We hope that the 0815 District Military Command will assist in conveying this letter to the TNI headquarters”, he said earlier this morning.

After handing over the letter of protest the demonstrators continued the action at the Mojokerto branch of Bank National Indonesia (BNI) on Jl. Mojopahit where they demanded that severance pay be given to some 30 sacked workers from the company Karya Kompos Bagas (KKB) in the Jatirejo sub-district after the Industrial Relations Court (PHI) found in their favour.

KKB’s assets are under the control of the Mojokerto branch of the BNI as collateral for the company’s debts. Although the sacked workers won in the PHI hearing they are yet to receive outstanding severance pay. [tin/but]

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