News on West Papua's human rights and conflict situation
- Anti-racism riots in Wamena affect education and medical services in the regencies Jayawijaya and Yahukimo
- Update on Biak police detention suicide case - Victim's family demands transparency and justice
- Update: Crackdown on student protest in Jayapura - four killed victims confirmed
- Mysterious death of student in Enarotali - Police exclude murder as cause of death
- Amnesty International - Papua visit shows Widodo still neglecting human rights
- Riot in Wamena - Chronology of events and consequences of the riot
- Appointment of Prabowo as Defense Minister met with criticism by human rights activists
- Update Anti-Racism Protests - 93 protestors and activists charged within the past two months
- Update Nduga Regency: Security force operation still ongoing - death toll estimated 189
- West Papua conflict exacerbates after racist assault against Papuan students - An Analysis
- Human Rights Update West Papua - 3rd Quarter 2019
- President Jokowi willing to meet with representatives of independence movement
- Amnesty International deeply concerned about increasing use of "makar" charges against Papuans - Open Letter to President Joko Widodo
- Ecumenical Forum of Papuan Churches further appeal to President Joko Widodo
- Papuan Church Leaders urge the Indoensian Government to withdraw army and police from Papua
Anti-racism riots in Wamena affect education and medical services in the regencies Jayawijaya and Yahukimo
The anti-racism riot in Wamena continues to affect education and medical services in the central highlands. Many non-Papuans who work in the central highlands of West Papua – among them many teachers, doctors and health workers – left in fear of ethnic violence. In the regency of Jayawijaya, the riot has caused the demolition of 25 education facilities. In the regency of Yahukimo, the fear of ethnic violence has left education and medical facilities paralysed since over a month.
Update on Biak police detention suicide case - Victim's family demands transparency and justice
The national human rights mechanisms in Indonesia remain highly ‘unattractive’ for victims of human rights violations and their relatives, creating conditions in which perpetrators of security forces enjoy impunity while the victims fail to access justice and restitution. The alleged suicide of Ronaldo Yawan during police custody is emblematic for the shortcomings of Indonesia’s national human rights system. The Biak district police claims to have taken disciplinary sanctions against nine police officers for negligent behavior and violations of the police code of conduct. However, Ronaldo’s relatives were neither informed about the outcome of the disciplinary procedure, nor was the autopsy report shared with the family.
Update: Crackdown on student protest in Jayapura - four killed victims confirmed
One month has passed since security forces cracked down on a peaceful student protest in the Papuan city of Jayapura, on 23 September 2019. While early information regarding the circumstances of the incident and the number of victims varied among different sources, the identities of the killed protesters have now been confirmed. The four students Ason Mujizau, Jery Murib, Otier Wenda and Eremanus Wesareak, were killed as security forces opened fire at the crowd in Waena, Jayapura. Human rights organisations are still investigating the tragic incident, which occurred almost simultaneously as anti-racism riots in Wamena. According to information received the four students died as a result of bullet injuries.
Mysterious death of student in Enarotali - Police exclude murder as cause of death
The body of senior high school student, A. Mote (17 years), was found on 25 September 2019 in Ekeitadi Village, Enarotali, Paniai Regency. Villagers found the body – the clothes were broken and showed signs of blood. The victim's trousers were partly ripped off the body. The alleged cause of death was a deep injury on the backside of the neck which appeared to have been caused by external violence. The local police brought the body to the Madi General hospital for an autopsy and later concluded that A. Mote died as a result of a traffic accident. Relatives suspect that the police are trying to avoid a criminal investigation into the case.
Amnesty International - Papua visit shows Widodo still neglecting human rights
As President Joko Widodo concludes a three-day visit to Papua, Usman Hamid, Amnesty International Indonesia's Executive Director said: "Time and time again, President Widodo has made grand promises to appease Papuans. As he embarks on his second term, his government still fails to recognize that there is still a human rights crisis in Papua. A few photo opportunities and speeches about infrastructure and economic incentives will not paper over it."
Riot in Wamena - Chronology of events and consequences of the riot
The riot in Wamena must be understood as part of a series of anti-racism protests in all major cities across West Papua. In contrast to previous riots, the outbreak of violence in Wamena was reportedly triggered by a specificÂÂÂÂ incident that occurred in a public school in Wamena several days prior to the other riots. The riot in Wamena marked the worst outbreak of violence in a single incident since the end of the military dictatorship under President Suharto. This article was compiled based on information from independent human rights defenders and news articles published by multiple media outlets.Appointment of Prabowo as Defense Minister met with criticism by human rights activists
Mr. Prabowo Subianto lost the April election to Joko Widodo by around 17 million votes, accused the government of electoral fraud and urged supporters to take the streets to oppose the electoral outcome, which resulted extreme political violence. However, in a twist of events, Mr. Subianto expressed his support to President Jokowi and his willingness to unite and help. Some months after the two men took selfies together at the presidential palace and were apparently in discussions about joining forces in a coalition, President Jokowi has officially appointed his former opponent as Defense Ministry as he inaugurated his new Cabinet.
Update Anti-Racism Protests - 93 protestors and activists charged within the past two months
According to the spokesperson of the Papuan Regional Police, Commissioner Ahmad Mustofa Kamal, the police has pressed criminal charges against 93 protestors and activists due 10 October 2019. All prosecutions occurred within a time frame of two months. The number excludes a series of arrests that occurred in Jakarta in early September 2019. The majority of prosecutions occurred in relation to the anti-racism riots in the Papuan cities of Jayapura, Wamena and Waghete as well as the violent dispersal of a demonstration by Papuan students in Waena, a suburb of Jayapura.Update Nduga Regency: Security force operation still ongoing - death toll estimated 189
The death toll among civilians from the Nduga Regency keeps on rising. Human rights defenders counted a total number of 189 civilian fatalities between early December 2018 and 10 October 2019. On 9 October 2019, human rights defenders excavated the bodies of three women and two male minors in the forest near Iniye Village, in the district of Mbua, Nduga Regency. As the number of fatalities among internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Nduga is still rising, multiple civil society representatives have criticised the Government for discriminatory practices in dealing with the IDPs.West Papua conflict exacerbates after racist assault against Papuan students - An Analysis
This article provides a summary and analysis of important developments in West Papua between mid-August and end of September 2019. A series of incidents in the island of Java triggered protests and riots in multiple Papuan cities. The subsequent outbreaks of ethnic horizontal violence and human rights violations in relation to violent security force crackdowns mark the worst aggravation of the West Papua conflict since the downfall of president Suharto in 1998. The long-standing conflict has shaken Indonesia’s easternmost provinces Papua and Papua Barat for over 50 years, yet a sustainable solution for the conflict is out of sight.Human Rights Update West Papua - 3rd Quarter 2019
The 3rd quarter of 2019 was characterized by a significant and rapid escalation of the conflict in West Papua since mid-August with riots, horizontal violence and human rights violations taking place in several Papuan cities. The outbreaks of violence were triggered by acts of racial discrimination and assault against Papuan students in multiple Javanese cities. Long-growing tensions between indigenous Papuans and Indonesian migrants have for the first time manifested in outbreaks of horizontal violence against particular ethnic groups causing deaths among the non-indigenous and the indigenous population. The Indonesian police reportedly neglected attacks against indigenous residents while non-Papuans militant groups enjoy impunity.President Jokowi willing to meet with representatives of independence movement
Multiple news outlets reported that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is willing to meet with representatives of the Papuan independence movement. A journalist had asked President Jokowi in front of the presidential palace on 30 September 2019 whether he was ready for a dialogue with pro-independence groups. “I will meet anyone who wants to meet me”, Jokowi replied. The chair of the ULMWP, Benny Wenda, welcomed Jokowi’s statement and published a press release in which the ULMWP listed the conditions for a dialogue.
Amnesty International deeply concerned about increasing use of "makar" charges against Papuans - Open Letter to President Joko Widodo
In relation to the mass arrests and prosecution of activists in Papua in the last weeks, Amnesty International has released on 2 October 2019 an open letter on the increasing use of makar charges against Papuan activists to stifle freedom of expression. AI calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Papuan activists facing treason charges. The letter, addressed to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.Ecumenical Forum of Papuan Churches further appeal to President Joko Widodo
In addition to the pastoral appeal for solidarity and action and the second appeal to withdraw army and police from Papua among other requests, the Church Leaders and from GKI Tanah Papua, GIDI, Fellowship of Baptist Churches and KINGMI Papua have signed on 1 October 2019 an open letter to President Joko Widodo. Through this Letter the Ecumenical Forum of Churches in the Land of Papua made five recommendations and expressed 6 hopes for the newly appointed Papuan Police chief, Mr. Paulus Waterpauw.
Read more
Papuan Church Leaders urge the Indoensian Government to withdraw army and police from Papua
On 13 September 2019, the Church Leaders from GKI Tanah Papua, GIDI, Fellowship of Baptist Churches and KINGMI Papua signed another Pastoral Appeal. Through this Letter of Appeal, the four Church Leaders and members of the Ecumenical Forum of Churches in Papua call for the presence of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, as well as independent Human Rights Organisations and foreign journalists to investigate the crimes. They also urge the Government of Indonesia to release imprisoned protesters, withdraw the army and police from Nduga and all of Papua and agree to dialogue with the ULMWP .
--------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2019 International Coalition for Papua, content from the ICP may be reproduced under the Creative Commons 3.0 Licence. This does not include content originating from third parties.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
About the ICP
Human Rights and Peace for Papua is an international coalition of faith-based and civil society organisations (the Coalition) addressing the serious human rights condition in West Papua and supporting a peaceful solution to the conflict there. West Papua (Papua) refers to the western half of the New Guinea island in the Pacific and comprises the eastern most provinces of Indonesia. Indigenous Papuans are suffering from a long and ongoing history of human rights violations and security forces subject them to violence including killings, torture and arbitrary arrests. Impunity prevails. A lack of adequate access to health care and education as well as demographical and economical marginalisation and discrimination mark the living condition for Papuans. A heavy presence of Indonesian security forces, lack of access for international observers such as journalists, corruption and transmigration from other parts of Indonesia aggravate the situation. Political prisoners and the persecution of political activists shows the extent of repression with which freedom of expression and indigenous peoples’ rights are being violated. Papua’s wealth in natural resources attracts businesses and security forces resulting in exploitation through mining, logging, harmful agricultural projects, and environmental degradation. This dynamic challenges traditional indigenous culture while Papuans demand their right to self-determination.ÂÂÂÂ visit our website at www.humanrightspapua.org