News on West Papua's human rights and conflict situation
- Two Papuans shot dead in Mimika - Military members allegedly mistook victims for resistance fighters
- Urgent appeals filed with UN by 63 political prisoners in Indonesia amid the COVID-19 pandemic
- Police officers arrest Papuan human rights activist and her relatives in Mimika Regency - five allegedly beaten during custody
- Trial update on killing of Govt contractors in Nduga Regency - Mispo Gwijangge released
- One employee killed and six injured during TPN PB attack on Freeport office
- Jokowi's Omnibus Law for job creation - Observers fear far-reaching consequences for West Papua
- Coronavirus has reached West Papua
- Papuan student in Ambon arrested for wearing a net bag with Morning Star symbol
- Armed conflict in West Papua aggravates - CSO demands access for the Indonesian Red Cross
- Public Worship in Nduga overshadowed by armed clash - Security forces kill one indigenous woman, at least three others injured
- Police officers fail to protect truck driver during a mob attack in Dogiyai Regency
Two Papuans shot dead in Mimika - Military members allegedly mistook victims for resistance fighters
Human rights defenders and media outlets reported the killing of two Papuan young men by members of the Indonesian military on 13 April 2020. According to relatives, Eden Armando Bebari (20 years) and Ronny Wandik (23 years) entered the Freeport concession area in the morning to catch fish. In the evening, relatives looked for Eden and Ronny because they had not returned to their homes. Around 11.30 pm, rumors spread in the town of Timika that soldiers of military mobile border security units had shot dead two members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). The following day the relatives were informed that the bodies of Eden and Ronny had been brought to the public hospital in Mimika.
Urgent appeals filed with UN by 63 political prisoners in Indonesia amid the COVID-19 pandemic
By: Jennifer Robinson and Veronica Koman with the Support of TAPOL(London, Sydney, 15 April 2020) Sixty-three political prisoners detained on treason charges in Indonesia have made a joint urgent appeal to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and UN Special Rapporteurs. The 63 political prisoners instructed Jennifer Robinson and Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, with the support of human rights organisation TAPOL, to bring their cases to the UN. The urgent appeal demonstrates that all 63 prisoners are being arbitrarily and unlawfully detained, in violation of Indonesia’s international human rights obligations.
Police officers arrest Papuan human rights activist and her relatives in Mimika Regency - five allegedly beaten during custody
Police officers arrested five indigenous Papuans in the regency of Mimika on 7 April 2020. Papuan human rights activist Ema Natkime and five of her relatives were driving to the village of Jayanti as police officers stopped their car. When the officers found basic food supplies in large quantities inside the car, they suspected the six passengers were supplying food to members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). Subsequently, the police officers arrested and detained the six passengers. Ema Natkime claimed that the officers beat her and four relatives during police interrogation in order to force a confession. All detainees were released on 8 April 2020 at 5.00 pm.Trial update on killing of Govt contractors in Nduga Regency - Mispo Gwijangge released
Judges at the Jakarta Central Jakarta District Court have rejected the public prosecutor’s indictment against Mispo Gwijangge in their interlocutory verdict on 8 April 2020. The judges’ decision brought an end to 333 days of arbitrary detention. During previous court hearings Mispo Gwijangge’s lawyers and the Indonesian Commission for the Protection of Children requested a forensic examination of his teeth due to substantial indications that the defendant was still a minor. Forensic experts estimated Mispo Gwijangge age to be around 16 years old – too young to be prosecuted under adult law. The team called on the National Police (Polri) and the Attorney General’s Office to launch an investigation into the allegations of abuse of authority by law enforcement officers.One employee killed and six injured during TPN PB attack on Freeport office
Media sources reported that members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB) attacked the office of mining company PT Freeport Indonesia (PT FI) in Kuala Kencana on 30 March 2020. Around 2.00 pm, a group of TPBN PB fighters armed with three firearms and traditional weapons reportedly attacked PT FI workers in front of the office building. One employee was killed during the attack, two others injured by bullets. Four workers sustained minor injuries and received ambulant medical care at the Freeport Hospital. The TPN PB demanded PT Freeport Indonesia to stop all operations at the Freeport mine. The Vice President for Corporate Communications, stated in a media interview that PT FI does not intend to stop its operations, but will increase the security force presence at the mine.Update on trials and detentions after Anti-Racism Riots in West Papua
The fifth and sixth update articles provide an overview of trials and the situation of detainees related to Papua-wide anti-racism protests between late August and late September 2019. Significant developments in the legal proceedings between mid-December 2019 and early February 2020 have been summarized in previous articles. Statistical data suggests that Indonesian police officers reportedly conducted at least 525 arrests between 18 August and 25 September 2019 and initiated legal processes against at least 116 suspects. Twenty-two of them have been charged with treason for participating in demonstrations against racism or peacefully advocating for the right to self-determination.Jokowi's Omnibus Law for job creation - Observers fear far-reaching consequences for West Papua
In the third quarter of 2019, economic growth in Indonesia decreased to a three-year low of 4.97 percent as a result of shrinking exports and investments. President Jokowi reacted by drafting the Omnibus Bill on job creation as an effort to boost the economy. The business owners and investors claim that Indonesia is over-regulated, with heavy bureaucracy through central government regulations as well as ministerial-, agency- and regional-level rules posing a burden to business owners and companies. The Omnibus Bill on job creation suggests amendments to 73 laws and consists of 15 chapters and 174 articles to reduce bureaucracy and make Indonesia more attractive for investors.Coronavirus has reached West Papua
The new Coronavirus has reached West Papua. On 26 March, local hospitals were able to identify seven cases of COVID-19 in the Papuan cities of Merauke, Jayapura and Biak. The patients’ age ranged from 21 to 51 years old and they all had returned recently from trips to Jakarta or other cities in West Indonesia. Local Governments reacted immediately and took various measures to prevent the quick spreading of the virus. The Governor of Papua ordered the closure of airports and harbors for travelers. The Minister for Home Affairs, Tito Carnavian, stated in a public interview that he did not agree with the Governor’s decision to close access to the province of Papua. He added that the central Government had only urged the provinces to prevent public activities or assemblies.
Papuan student in Ambon arrested for wearing a net bag with Morning Star symbol
On 15 March 2020, Papuan student Yakob Kocu was helping a friend whose motorcycle had run out of fuel, as two military members stopped their bike and began to take pictures of Yakob Kocu because he was wearing a traditional net bag with the Morning Star symbol. In order to avoid any trouble, Yakob Kocu decided to walk away from the sight. Subsequently, the two military members intercepted Yakob Kocu and arrested him. The military members did not respond when Yakob and his friends asked them for the reason of the arrest and brought him to the nearby police station.Armed conflict in West Papua aggravates - CSO demands access for the Indonesian Red Cross
The armed conflict in West Papua has significantly aggravated throughout the past weeks. Armed clashes between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army were reported from the Papuan regencies Nduga, Pegunungan Bintang, Kerom and Mimika. Many of the clashes resulted in the deaths of security force members. Multiple armed attacks in the regency of Mimika reportedly caused the displacement of over 1,500 indigenous Amungme people from four villages. The Papuan Legal Aid Institute has demanded the Indonesian Government to take urgent measures to provide humanitarian help to victims of internal displacement in multiple regencies of West Papua through the Indonesian Red Cross. Despite the legal foundation for the provision of Red Cross services during social conflict and natural disasters, the Government has not taken meaningful steps to help IDPs in West Papua through the PMI.Public Worship in Nduga overshadowed by armed clash - Security forces kill one indigenous woman, at least three others injured
On 26 February 2020, parliament members of Nduga Regency organised a public worship in the town of Kenyam, to which many indigenous peoples from nearby districts came. The public event was overshadowed by an armed clash between members of the West Papua National Liberation Army and the Indonesian Security Forces. During the exchange of fire, the security forces shot dead 25-year-old Wislina Tabuni. Another indigenous Papuan named Yosman Wasiangge was severely injured by a bullet during the shooting. Local human rights defenders reported that military members tortured two indigenous Papuans shortly after the exchange of fire. All victims were admitted to the general hospital in Timika on 27 February 2020.Police officers fail to protect truck driver during a mob attack in Dogiyai Regency
Police officers have failed to protect a truck driver named Yus Yunus during a mob attack in the regency of Dogiyai on 23 February 2020. The incident was allegedly triggered by a traffic accident near the village of Ekimani which resulted in the death of a local resident. Police officers were present at the site of crime but failed to protect Yus Yunus from the angry mob. He died as a result of the injuries he sustained during the attack. A video recorded during the incident shows that Yus Yunus sought protection behind fully armed mobile brigade police officers, as multiple attackers repeatedly hit his head with sticks and stones.