Yawan Wayeni: death of an activist

The issue of Papuan independence has been thrown into the spotlight with the controversial death of an activist.

Graphic mobile phone footage of Yawan Wayeni’s final moments is being circulated on the internet.

It shows Indonesian police officers taunting him as he lies dying from the gunshot wounds they had inflicted upon him.

Al Jazeera’s Step Vassen reports from Jakarta.

*The video contains disturbing images*

West Papua: an issue whose time has come

5 August 2010

By Maire Leadbeater

A leaked video clip from Indonesian controlled West Papua should be as
unsettling for Indonesia as the Wikileaks 2007 video showing a helicopter
strike in Baghdad was for the United States. It would serve as a good
introduction to the discussion on West Papua at this week’s Pacific Island
Forum.

The clip shows a Papuan man severely wounded in the stomach, surrounded by
armed paramilitary police who taunt him as lies dying from the injuries they
inflicted on him. Yawan Wayeni was an escaped political prisoner – in his
dying moments he raised an arm to call for freedom from Indonesia, as a
policeman asks “How are you going to get freedom when you are like this?”
Long minutes pass before someone calls for a stretcher and a sarong to bind
Yawan’s wound.

Yawan died a year ago on remote Serui Island, but it is only recently that
the 7 minute clip has gained international media attention – it was the
focus of an August 1 story in the Los Angeles Times. Gradually the conflict
in West Papua is coming out of the shadows.

Despite Indonesia’s restrictions on the entry of journalists and human
rights activists, a small stream of undercover reports has emerged in the
international media including the BBC, Al Jazeera and The Economist.

In June, the advisory Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) came out with set of
radical recommendations. The MRP called for the Regional Parliament to hand
back the ‘Special Autonomy’ law of 2001, for an independently mediated
dialogue with Jakarta and a referendum on Papua’s future political status.
To show their support for these resolutions, Papuans mobilised in
unprecedented numbers – up to 20,000 – and marched twice over a 17 kilometre
route from the MRP base to the Jayapura parliament buildings.

Special Autonomy’s package of financial and legislative measures might sound
good on paper but it has delivered neither wellbeing nor empowerment. The
people were promised a fairer share of the abundant wealth from their
mineral and timber resources, but living standards continue to fall. In
the highland areas schools and health clinics don’t function because they
have no staff. Due to the high level of migration from other parts of
Indonesia, the indigenous people are close to becoming a minority in their
own land.

The Papuan people have effectively been subjected to a dual colonisation. A
border was drawn down the middle of the island of New Guinea by European
colonialists at the turn of last century, with the Dutch assuming rights
over the western half. By the early 1960s the Dutch had begun to cede
political control to the Papuan people but Jakarta insisted that the
territory should join the other former Dutch territories as part of the
Republic of Indonesia. Under pressure from the United States, the
Netherlands backed out and in 1969 Indonesia ‘legitimated’ its rule by a
fraudulent Act of Self-Determination called the Act of Free Choice. At a
time when the population was around a million, 1,022 hand picked elders
unanimously voted for Indonesia in a process manipulated by the military.
The OPM or Free Papua Movement mounted a poorly armed guerrilla resistance
and over the years it is estimated that the David and Goliath conflict has
led to the deaths of up to a hundred thousand Papuans.

West Papua has had consistent support from only one of its Melanesian
neighbours: Vanuatu. In July, Vanuatu’s Parliament passed a unanimous
resolution which commits that country to concrete and practical measures to
promote freedom for West Papua. These include raising the issue at the
Pacific Islands Forum and calling on the UN General Assembly to ask the
International Court of Justice to arbitrate on the legitimacy of West
Papua’s incorporation into Indonesia.

The New Zealand Government has a well-practised approach called ‘quiet
diplomacy’ that equates to polite and ineffective representations on human
rights. Under the umbrella of ‘engagement’ New Zealand has resumed defence
ties consisting mainly of bilateral officer training exchanges. New Zealand
has also provided training in community policing to the West Papuan police.

We are also complicit in the resource exploitation of West Papua. The
tropical hardwood, kwila, most of it logged illegally or in dodgy
concessions backed by the military, finds its way here as outdoor furniture
and decking. Several New Zealand institutions such as the Super Fund and the
ACC Corporation have investments in West Papua’s Freeport mine, one of the
most environmentally destructive in the world.

It is not too late for New Zealand to take a fresh look at the tragedy on
our doorstep. The Papuans are calling for a peaceful dialogue with Jakarta
and they want international mediation. New Zealand has played regional
peacemaker once before for war torn Bougainville. We could do the same
again either on our own or in concert with Vanuatu and other Pacific Island
Forum nations.

Al Jazeera interview with Filep Karma

Around 200 people raised the Morning Star flag in Indonesia’s Papua province in December 2001, in a symbolic move to mark the Papuan independence campaign that has been pursued since 1962.

Filep Karma was arrested at that ceremony and jailed 15 years for flying the outlawed Papua flag.

And he warns, in a secretly recorded interview with Al Jazeera, that the decision to renew military co-operation between the US and Indonesia could have dangerous consequences for the Papuan people.

Step Vaessen reports.

Click here to watch the video:

Al Jazeera: Interview with Filep Karma

Palmed Off

‘Palmed Off’ is a short film by LifeMosaic based on the voices of indigenous people’s in 20 Indonesian communities. All have directly experienced the impacts of oil palm plantations taking over the land that they have lived on and worked on for generations. The community members offer testimonies on the impacts of oil palm plantations on their local economies, on the local environment, on their culture and on the prospects for the future generations. They feel it is urgent to tell their story. If you or your organisation would like a DVD copy of the film please contact us at info(at)lifemosaic.net

No Kwila timber on Trade Me!

by Catherine Delahunty

On 27 May 2010 the Green Party, Rainforest Action and the Indonesian Human Rights Group went to visit “Trade Me” headquarters in Wellington to ask them to stop the trade in illegal kwila (a tropical hardwood) on their site. Our campaign to ban the illegal and unsustainable logging trade has a focus on kwila because 80% of the illegal imported timber is kwila, which is used for decking and furniture. My Members Bill was voted down last year, but the groups have continued protesting and pressure on retailers has brought some very positive results. We want to close the internet loophole and make sure companies that are using the “Trade Me’ site to trade in kwila are blocked.

Click here to read full article: No Kwila timber on Trade Me!

Norway-Indonesia forest deal: US$1 billion dollars worth of continued deforestation?

Here’s a copy of the Letter of Intent (pdf file 1.5 MB) signed yesterday by Norway’s Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister RM Marty M. Natalegawa. One billion dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it’s worth putting in perspective.

In 2010 alone, Norway will invest US$21.7 billion in its petroleum industry, including oil exploration. Every day, Norway produces 2.2 million barrels of oil. Oil production is declining, according to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, but gas production is increasing. This then is where Norway’s money comes from. Similar to its dual role in Amazon conservation and destruction, Norway is simultaneously ensuring that climate change gets worse, while claiming to address climate change through financing REDD.

Will the Norway-Indonesia forest deal at least reduce deforestation in Indonesia? Not very likely, at least judging from the Letter of Intent.

Click here to read more:

“Up for Grabs: Deforestation and Exploitation in Papua’s Plantations Boom“

Sari Rosa Moiwend: Talk in Auckland, Wednesday 17 March 2010

Marginalised in Their Own Land

Sari Rosa Moiwend will make a presentation on the situation of her people in Jayapura, West Papua

The Mama-mamas of West Papua
at
The Peace Place

2f/22 Emily Place

Auckland Central

7.15 Wednesday 17 March 2009.

The presentation will be preceded by a finger-food supper, commencing at
6.30 pm.

ALL WELCOME BRING A PLATE

Rosa has been in New Zealand since April 2009, studying English at UNITEC.
Her study has been funded by Caritas Aotearoa-New Zealand.

She has been a researcher and staff member of the Justice and Peace Office
of the Catholic Diocese of Jayapura.

Pax Christi Aotearoa-New Zealand has just completed the first stage of a
project to help the Mama-mamas hold their traditional place in the
market-places of West Papuan cities and towns.

International Crisis Group Jakarta/Brussels Asia Report Nº188

11 March 2010

Radicalisation and Dialogue in Papua

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua saw an upsurge in
political violence in 2009, continuing into 2010. One factor was
the increased activity of militant activists from the central
highlands, many of them members of the West Papua National
Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB). They decided
there was no longer any hope of achieving their main objective –
a referendum on independence – through peaceful means, and led
some to advocate violence and in some cases directly participate
in violent acts. Their tactics are decried by many Papuans, but
their message resonates widely, and the frustrations they
articulate are real. A dialogue between Papuan leaders and
central government officials, if carefully prepared, offers the
possibility of addressing some longstanding grievances, without
calling Indonesian sovereignty into question.

Click here for the full article: International Crisis Group Asia Report Nº188: Radicalisation and Dialogue in Papua

US Department of State: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour

2009 Report on Human Rights Practices: Indonesia

March 11, 2010

Indonesia is a multiparty democracy with a population of approximately 245 million. On July 8, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was reelected president in generally free and fair elections. April 9 legislative elections were complex, but domestic and international observers judged them generally free and fair as well. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, although the fact that the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) continued to be partly self-financed weakened this control.

The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens and upheld civil liberties. Nonetheless, there were problems during the year in the following areas: killings by security forces; vigilantism; harsh prison conditions; impunity for prison authorities and some other officials; corruption in the judicial system; limitations on free speech; societal abuse and discrimination against religious groups and interference with freedom of religion, sometimes with the complicity of local officials; violence and sexual abuse against women and children; trafficking in persons; child labor; and failure to enforce labor standards and worker rights.

During the year the country continued to make progress in strengthening and consolidating its democracy. For example, the Indonesian National Police adopted a use of force policy that strictly proscribes the use of deadly force and allows it to track and minimize the use of force by police. The government also continued the prosecutions of high-level officials for corruption.

RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:

a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life

The government or its agents did not commit any politically motivated killings; however, security force personnel committed a number of killings in the course of apprehending alleged criminals and terrorists.

On April 2, the North Jakarta police allegedly beat and shot Bayu Putra Perdana while he was in custody. According to a hospital autopsy, Bayu died as a result of torture.

The police continued vigorous action against accused terrorists. On August 7-8, the following members of the terrorist Jemaah Islamiya (JI) were killed in the course of raids on terrorist safe houses: Ibrohim, Air Setyawan, and Eko Joko. On September 16-17, in an exchange of gunfire, police killed the following additional JI members: Noordin M. Top, Hadi Susilo, Bagus Budi Pranoto, and Ario Sudarso.

Violence affected the provinces of Papua and West Papua during the year. For example, on the legislative election day, April 9, a group armed with traditional weapons attacked a police station in Bepura, police killed one of the attackers; in a separate incident, police in Nabire reportedly arrested protestor Abet Nego Keiya and allegedly punched, kicked, and beat him with rifle butts and stabbed him with bayonets until he died. On June 6, police killed two persons while recapturing an airstrip in Memberamo Raya District; a local official was also killed and four police were seriously injured. On June 24, police shot and killed Melkias Agape in the city of Nabire. On June 30, Police Mobile Brigade (BRIMOB) officers shot and killed Mika Boma and injured another four persons during a clash with rioters in Paniai. On August 3, members of the BRIMOB allegedly shot and killed tribal leader and former political prisoner Yawan Wayeni at his house in Mantembu village, Yapen Island, Papua. On December 16, the well-known separatist leader Kelly Kwalik died following a reported exchange of gunfire with police. Kwalik was armed and reportedly resisted arrest. His body was turned over to his family for burial. At year’s end there was no publicly available information regarding a police investigation.

Click here for the full article: US Department of State: 2009 Human Rights Report – Indonesia

Letter to Carter: On the NZ government’s inaction to illegal logging

30 January, 2010

Hon Mr David Carter,

Minister of Forests,

Parliament Buildings,

Wellington

Dear Minister Carter,

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Rainforest Action are shocked at the limp measures included in the Government’s recently announced policy to address illegal logging.

We believe that the policy measures are weak, non-specific and about talking rather than taking action. Many of the proposals are also dependent on the uncertain prospect that other countries will take the lead.   These soft measures are unlikely to have any impact on the regional problem of rampant illegal and unsustainable logging of precious old growth forests.  Nor will they stem the steady stream of illegal tropical hardwood imports into this country.

We fully agree with Government’s assessment that the key species of concern with respect to illegal logging practice is kwila (also known as merbau). However we strongly disagree that an approach which relies on a voluntary code of practice on the part of New Zealand importers and retailers will be effective.

While we are pleased that the Government supports the campaign for kwila to be listed on Appendix 11 of the Convention on Internationally Endangered Species (CITES) we urge that New Zealand take the initiative to bring this about rather than simply support the work of other countries and NGOs.

As you know, we have been researching and campaigning on this issue for several years, liaising with other environmental groups such as Greenpeace. We have developed a strategy of dialogue and demonstrations aimed at those retailers that continue to sell kwila outdoor furniture and kwila decking. While it is commendable that some furniture retailers have ceased to stock kwila products this is far from the complete answer.

Kwila decking continues to be sold by several major timber chains and is on offer at cheaper prices on the internet on sites such as Trade Me.  Some furniture retailers sell products which have no legality documentation or grossly inadequate documentation which does not include any independent third party certification of legality.

We are particularly concerned because we have found that most of the kwila products on sale in Auckland are sourced from Indonesian controlled West Papua.  West Papua and its neighbour Papua New Guinea hold the Asia Pacific region’s last significant tracts of undisturbed and unique rainforest.

The exploitation of West Papua’s forest is escalating because of the lure of immediate profits to be made by clearing out the forests and replanting with palm oil plants.

Late last year, a report from environmental groups Environment Investigation Agency (UK) and Telepak (Indonesia) revealed in their joint report  ”Up for Grabs” that  five million hectares of  land in West Papua are being targeted for deforestation by powerful  agro-industrial companies. These companies use all kinds of devious tactics to get the local people to sign contracts, all for the sake of lucrative palm oil plantations.  Often the clearing for new plantations takes place without any permits.

P.T. Sinar Mas, for example, is accused by Greenpeace as being responsible for illegal land clearing and for irreversible damage to forests and peatlands in West Papua as well as Kalimantan and Riau.  Unilever has suspended its purchases of palm oil from Sinar Mas in response to these credible claims.

In West Papua the logging industry is closely intertwined with the security forces. Local community groups in West Papua are trying to stop the destruction of their traditional land and their all important food basket, but they are isolated, lack resources and are subject to military intimidation.   It is estimated that 80% of the logging in West Papua is conducted illegally.

The respected international NGO Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org ) has just published a new report “Indonesia: Timber Corruption’s High Costs”  This report shows that corruption in  Indonesia’s forestry industry costs the Indonesian government US$2 billion  annually taking money away from essential spending on economic and social needs. The extent of corruption, conflicts of interest and poor oversight in this industry strongly suggest that there will be major difficulties for any carbon trading or REDD schemes in Indonesia.

The practice of illegal and unsustainable logging is driven by demand from wealthy countries where some consumers can afford attractive leisure products.  But tropical timber imports come at the expense of local industry and the livelihoods of workers.   A 2007 report commissioned by the Government estimated that illegal logging cost the forest industry NZ $266 million annually in lost revenue.

Both the European Union and the United Stares have begun to address this problem by regulation.  We therefore call on Government to adopt a strong regulatory approach which would prevent the sale of kwila and all illegally and unsustainably logged tropical woods.

Whether the ban is imposed at the border or at the point of sale, what is essential is that the forests of West Papua and Papua New Guinea are saved from exploitation before it is too late.

Yours sincerely,

Maire Leadbeater

On behalf of Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Rainforest Action