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The
Newsletter of West Papua Action. June 1998. No. 4 |
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Contents |
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Donations
to develop the West Papua campaign are always welcome.
Money can be lodged to:
West Papua Action,
Bank of Ireland,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laoise,
Ireland.
A/C no. 59691993.
Sort Code: 90-18-88.
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The number of people who have died due to the famine in West
Papua is unknown. Various international agencies such as Caritas,
the International Committee for the Red Cross ( ICRC ), Médicines
Sans Frontiéres, and the United Nations Department of Humanitarian
Affairs ( UNDHA ) and local church groups have been trying
to do what they can. Various governments, including the Irish
Government, who channelled IR£125, 000 through the UN and
the Red Cross, and the British, Danish and Australian governments
have channelled monies for the effort. Recently, the Australian
Government allocated military flying equipment to help distribute
supplies.
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Interference
of Indonesian Military |
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West Papua Action has publicly criticised the Indonesian military
on two occasions, the first time in a letter to the Irish
Times, April 1998. Both John O'Shea of Goal and Tom Hyland
of the East Timor Ireland campaign responded to this letter.
The second time we criticised the military was in a press
release picked up by the Irish Times on May 26, 1998.
We are calling on the Irish Government and the EU to press
the new Indonesian President Habibie to withdraw troops from
the south central highlands immediately. A recently released
church report has levelled serious allegations against the
Indonesian military for serious human rights abuses in this
area over the past two years.
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Launch
of Human Rights Church Report in Jakarta |
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The Indonesian Evangelical Church ( GKII ), The Catholic Church
of Three Kings Parish, Timika and the Christian Evangelical
Church of Mimika, Irian Jaya compiled and presented a report
entitled "Human Rights Violations and Catastrophe in Bela,
Alama, Jila, and Mapnduma, Irian Jaya" at the offices of the
Indonesian Commission on Human Rights on May 26th, 1998 in
Jakarta. We are told that thirty to fifty journalists turned
up to cover the report.
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From Bela and Alama, located some 150 kilometres to the east
of Tembagapura, officials and members of the Gereja Kemah
Injil Indonesia (GKII, the major Protestant church in Irian
Jaya) report that between December 1996 and October 1997,
sixteen people becamevictims of human rights violations during
military operations. Thirteen of the victims were from Bela
and Alama, two were from Jila and the others were from Mapnduma.
Eleven of the victims were shot and killed; two "disappeared";
and three sustained injuries.
In the same military operations, in which military forces
were not only tasked with crushing the Free Papua Movement
(Organisasi Papua Merdeka or OPM) but with securing the "vital
project" of PT Freeport Indonesia Inc. (PTFI), the troops
burned 13 church buildings in 13 different hamlets, 166 homes,
and 29 rumah bujang or "men's houses," a traditional structure.
The human rights violations occurred after an operation to
free a group of researchers from the World Wildlife Fund (Team
Lorentz '95) who were taken hostage by a group of OPM led
by Kelly Kwalik and Daniel Yudak Kogoya. The operation, led
by units of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus); Infantry Battalion
753 from Paniai; Infantry Battalion 752 from Sorong; and Infantry
Battalion 751 from Jayapura, resulted in the flight of people
living in the Bela and Alama valley. They fled out of fear
to caves and to the forests surrounding Bela and Alama, as
well as Ilaga. They felt they had to flee to protect themselves
because in the course of the military operation, the troops
had shot both people and their animals (pigs, chickens and
dogs), burned their homes, and burned the churches of the
GKII.
In the course of this operation, a man was shot in Wajitagala
in December 1996; another in March 1997 on the banks of the
river Mokogom; and another in April 1997 on the banks of the
river Tomogong. Six people were shot dead in May 1997, and
another was killed in Mapnduma in October 1997. With respect
to the bodies of these victims, six were simply covered with
leaves and later found by their families and buried, while
four others were buried by the military. In addition to these
shooting victims, two civilians were declared missing, and
two others were wounded.
The people who were shot were civilians returning to their
gardens near their hamlets to gather food, such as yams and
corn, since they had run out of food in the places where they
had sought refuge. The lack of food had made them weak and
vulnerable to disease, with the result that 15 people died
while displaced. The physical weakness of this population
was still visible after they had left their hiding places
and returned home. Eighteen more people died of illness after
returning around December 1997.
The rate of death has tended to rise over the last three months.
Between January and March 1998, 28 people died in three hamlets,
Tagalarema (19); Ningimtagalao (6); and Onimogom (3). The
total number of those who died in five other hamlets in Bela
and four in Alama is not known. The last report received from
Bela in April 1998 stated that 65 others had died. The deaths
of those who died during and after their flight were caused
by general weakness as a result of insufficient food and hunger
linked to the military operations in the hamlets of Bela,
Alama, and Jila.
The Indonesian armed forces also burned 13 churches: eight
in Bela and five in Alama; and burned 166 homes: 66 in Bela
and 100 in Alama. Of the 29 men's houses destroyed, 17 were
in Bela and 12 in Alama. The military also destroyed one traditional
meeting house and two health clinics (puskesmas) and took
one SSB (single side band) radio.
Given these grave human rights violations, we request the
government, through the National Commission on Human Rights
(KOMNAS HAM) and other relevant parties to:
1. Open the affected areas so that the churches and
other social institutions can channel food aid and medical
supplies to help overcome the famine and disease that have
struck our people in Bela, Alama, Jila, Ngeselema, Mapnduma,
and other hamlets in the area of the southern part of the
Central Highlands.
2. Send a fact-finding team to investigate and publicly
announce and disseminate findings about human rights violations
and other problems in Bela, Alama, Mapnduma, and other areas,
linked to military operations following the rescue of the
hostages. The southern part of the Central Highlands was the
main target of those operations.
3. Investigate and punish, in accordance with existing
law, the perpetrators of human rights violations and those
responsible for the policies which led to the commission of
human rights violations in the area.
4. Undertake to calm the fears and create a sense of
peace among the people of Bela, Alama, Ngeselema, Mapnduma
and other hamlets in the region that have up until now been
the targets of military operations.
5. Withdraw military forces which up until now have
been responsible for operations in the area in order to create
the atmosphere mentioned above in the areas of Bela, Alama,
Ngeselema, Mapnduma and other hamlets in the region.
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Human
Rights Concern Group Demonstrate in West Papua/Irian Jaya |
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Several hundred people demonstrated in Jayapura, the capital
of West Papua/Irian Jaya on 29 May 1998, issuing a statement
on the churches' findings: "As an expression of our solidarity
and our sense of moral outrage at the events which have befallen
our compatriots in these areas, we, students, youth and members
of the general public wish to make known our reactions to
these contemptible actions. We also call upon the provincial
administration, the armed forces and all those involved in
these happenings to accept responsibility for ensuring a thoroughgoing
resolution of these human rights violations."
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US
Congress Human Rights Chair on West Papua/Irian Jaya |
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The Chairman of the Human Rights sub-committee of the United
States Congress, Mr Chris Smith, met President Habibie on
May 27, 1998, and pressed for the release of all political
prisoners in Indonesia and the opening up of a dialogue with
the people of both East Timor and Irian Jaya [ West Papua
] on a "just solution to their political status", according
to the Sydney Morning Herald of the following day.
According to Carmel Budiardjo of TAPOL, the London-based Indonesia
Human Rights Campaign, Mr Smith had met, amongst others, when
visiting Cipinang Prison the week of his statement, Jacob
Rumbiak, an OPM ( Free Papua Movement ) prisoner being held
there. He "must have raised the issue" [ of West Papua ] with
him, said Ms Budiardjo.
A letter presented by Mr Smith to Dr Habibie asks the new
Indonesian Government to free political prisoners, initiate
direct and "good faith" dialogues with the East Timorese and
Irianese [ Papuans ] on human rights issues and their political
status, and recognise other cultural and religious minorities
in the process of political reform.
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Suharto is gone, Habibie is in, the military remain.
According to Survival International of London, "Habibie is
responsible for one of the largest planned developments in
Irian Jaya, an enormous hydro-electric project which will
displace up to 9,000 tribal people from their land". Survival
also quote an "influential spokesperson" for the Papuan people
who said on Suharto's resignation:
The people of Irian Jaya want regional autonomy
now. We want an end to the human rights violations, to the
exploitation of our resources and the land grabbing which
has caused us so much poverty. We can only survive within
the Indonesian republic if our rights as a people are recognised.
We don't want people from Jakarta deciding things for us
anymore.
The system is so sick and corrupt. Harmony between the peoples
of Indonesia and the integrity of the nation will only truly
happen if the people can organise and do things for themselves.
Reformation for the Papuan people of Irian Jaya means regional
autonomy. It means our right to express ourselves as a people;
to manage our own resources; to be the master of our mother
land. Anything less will simply mean more suffering, more
oppression, more deaths.
The human rights demonstrators ( see above ) have said in
their statement: "Former President Suharto must take responsibility
for the loss of thousands of lives in Irian Jaya during the
time of his regime".
A spokesperson for the Free Papua Movement ( OPM ) said
on May 22nd:
We welcome Suharto's resignation and congratulate the students
for bringing about his demise. Suharto took power in 1965
under similar conditions. He has now been forced out of office
in disgrace by the students. Suharto's military dictatorship
has caused much suffering in West Papua. Over 300,000 lives
have perished at the hands of Suharto's military forces. Currently,
there are over 140 political prisoners in jail, most of them
in Java. Suharto was responsible for the fraudulent "Act of
Free Choice" in 1969 that resulted in the annexation of West
Papua from the rest of New Guinea. His military operations
in the Central Highlands of West Papua during the year long
drought (1997-1998) stopped humanitarian aid reaching the
people causing the death of over 1,000 innocent people. We
DEMAND Suharto stand trial for all the crimes his regime has
committed against the people of West Papua. We DEMAND the
immediate release of all West Papuan political prisoners,
whose only crime was wanting to be free on their own land.
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Portlaoise
students for West Papua |
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The students of Presentation College secondary school have
been active in lobbying the Irish government on the issue
of West Papua, in particular due to the ongoing food shortages
and drought there.
Many of the students are active on related issues such as
the environment, human rights, fair trade, women, and the
arms trade. The students have also helped to host Earth '98
this year, at which West Papua concerns featured.
Thanks to all at Scoil Chríost.
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West Papua Action has prepared a short booklet outlining the
history and issues affecting West Papuans and their environment.
It is called "West Papua in the Global Community". Subscribers
to West Papua News will receive a copy in the post. Other
people interested in receiving a copy or copies, please send
a stamped self-addressed envelope to West Papua Action at
the address below.
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West Papua Action
gratefully acknowledges the financial support of Trócaire.
The contents of this publication
are solely the responsibility of West Papua Action,
c/o AfrI,
Grand Canal House,
Lower Rathmines Road,
Dublin 6.
Ireland.
Tel. 353 1 496 8595.
Fax. 353 1 4968592.
E-mail. wpaction@iol.ie
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