tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265038962024-03-13T23:39:13.152+09:00Papua Prospects : Indonesian New GuineaNews from Papua & West Papua provincesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-21379120944124582942007-03-21T10:18:00.000+09:002007-03-22T10:37:55.419+09:00More Papuans want to work for Freeport mining<div align="justify">At least 400 demonstrators from the <strong>Amungme and Kamoro Job-seekers Solidarity </strong>orgnisation rode public buses from the Mimika regency capital of Timika to the N<strong>emangkawai Mining Institute's </strong>office demanding that they be given priority for employment at the <strong>PT Freeport Indonesia </strong>mining operations in Papua province, <strong>Markus Makur</strong> reported for <em>The Jakarta Post</em>.<br /><br />"As far as we can see, PT Freeport Indonesia and its subsidiaries have disregarded the local people. Now, in our rally we demand that Memangkawai employs local people at PT Freeport," said <strong>Gerson Meno Imbir</strong>, the head of the protest group. "Now in the era of special autonomy, indigenous people should be given priority in PT Freeport recruitment," he said.<br /><br />Deputy chief of the solidarity group <strong>Pontius Kelanangame </strong>questioned the achievements of the <strong>Mimika Manpower and Resettlement Office</strong> and said that he felt nothing had been done by the office to help the local people. "We want to be involved in development in Mimika regency rather than simply being made development objects. We support progress in Mimika regency but please pay attention to the indigenous people," he said.<br /><br /><strong>Yusuf Tapa</strong>, one of Nemangkawai Mining Institute's staff members, said his office had received notification of the aspirations of job-seekers from Amungme and Kamoro as well as five other tribes. Nemangkawai, he said, has been committed to recruiting at least 57 workers per month for employment at PT Freeport's underground, operations and mechanic sections and another 120 have joined training sessions as apprentices.<br /><br />"Nemangkawai has contributed greatly to the seven tribes in terms of the development of worker's skills. Those learning enough skills will be transferred to PT Freeport," he said. From 26 to 30 March there will be a recruitment test for local apprentices in Mimika. If they pass the test they will be trained, Yusuf said. If not they will be given another chance to try again at a later date, he added. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-48902951967038961692007-03-21T10:12:00.000+09:002007-03-22T10:18:22.716+09:00British accounting program for Papuan officials<div align="justify">The British government in cooperation with the public sector accounting study center of Yogyakarta-based <strong>Gajah Mada University</strong> is conducting a 10-day financial management training course for Papua provincial officials in Jayapura. Yesaya Sombuk of the Papua training center said participants will be taught new budget regulations according to the framework for the preparation of the 2008 budget.<br /><br />"The implementation of the special autonomy status involves a large of amount of funding and requires skilled financial officers. We will help prepare them through this training. Good financial management will help the implementation of the special autonomy status succeed, thereby creating a new Papua," Theressa Mahoni of the British Embassy in Jakarta told <em><a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20070321.G10&irec=9">The Jakarta Post</a></em>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-64621425830381973362007-03-21T09:38:00.000+09:002007-03-22T10:01:51.685+09:00Border concerns as new road gets ready to open<div align="justify">Residents of <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Vanimo</span></strong> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Papua</span> New Guinea have protested against the opening of a new cross-border road linking their township with the capital of Indonesia's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Papua</span> province, <strong>Jayapura</strong>. According to the Port <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Moresby</span> <em>Post-Courier</em>, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">demonstrators</span> are concerned that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">PNG</span> does not seem prepared and ready to handle the influx of visitors passing through the border post at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wutung</span> onto the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">PNG</span> side.<br /><br />"The opening of the highway could cause far more serious problems for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">PNG</span> as a new wave of illegal immigrants could be passing through the border post and then disappearing into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">PNG</span> like others have done in the past. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PNG</span> needs to provide the infrastructure and staff to secure the border post and provide quarantine, immigration, customs, police, Defence Force, taxation and other services needed to ensure strict compliance with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">PNG</span> laws by anyone wishing to enter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">PNG</span>," the newspaper commented.<br /><br />"The government should not rush into any opening ceremony until all required services and manpower are ready to administer movements across the common border. It should also ensure the people of West <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Sepik</span>, the churches, women's groups and the youths clearly understand the full implications of opening up their border town to visitors from the Indonesian side. The opening of links between the two countries needs to be carefully done to ensure the common border does not become a transit point for transnational criminal activities such as human smuggling, drugs and guns trafficking, prostitution and importation of illegal products into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">PNG</span>," it said.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Vanimo</span> protesters have delivered a petition regarding their concerns to their provincial governor, <strong>Carlos <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Yuni</span></strong>, to give to the prime minister.<br /><br />Across the border, special petrol stations are being built for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">PNG</span> visitors to <a href="http://indonesiannewguinea.blogspot.com/2007/02/png-visitors-prevented-from-buying.html">prevent</a> them from purchasing diesel oil and gasoline subsidised by the Indonesian national government. But <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Papua</span> provincial governor <strong>Barnabas <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Suebu</span></strong> <a href="http://indonesiannewguinea.blogspot.com/2007/02/indonesia-ready-to-open-papuapng-border.html">expects</a> a surge of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">PNG</span> visitors, particularly from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Vanimo</span>, because Jayapura's prices are cheaper. "There are benefits to be had by both sides. They get cheaper prices and we will be able to sell our commodities," he said. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-74901563290396617862007-03-19T09:20:00.000+09:002007-03-22T10:03:49.508+09:00MRP backs first local political party in Papua<div align="justify">The <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Papua</span> People's Congress</strong> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Majelis</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Rakyat</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Papua</span>), the regional upper house <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">institution</span> comprised of representatives of indigenous community, cultural and women's organisations, supports the formation of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Papua</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">province's</span> first local political party, the <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Partai</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Kebangkitan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Rakyat</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Papua</span></strong> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Papua</span> People's Awakening Party). <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">MRP</span> Second Vice Chairwoman <strong>Hanna <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Wikoyabi</span></strong> said the movement that led to the new party's establishment could lift the indigenous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Papua</span> people's esteem and dignity as it accorded with a provision in Law No 21 on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Papua</span> province's Special Autonomy and would enable more indigenous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Papuan</span> people to run in legislative elections at national and regional levels.<br /><br />"The local political party must be a means for people from various walks of life, including women, clergymen, youth, customary communities, to have a chance to win seats in legislatures," she told <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Antara</span></strong> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">newsagency</span>. She said although <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Papuans</span> already served in the Indonesian national parliament and the provincial and municipal assemblies, efforts were needed to increase their numbers in the 2009 general elections.<br /><br />"So far, there are various groups or people in legislatures who claim to represent the indigenous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Papua</span> community but they in reality are unable to voice the aspirations of indigenous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Papuans</span> or are just motivated by personal interests so that indigenous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Papuans</span>' political rights remain neglected while <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Papuans</span> themselves are often left to bear certain stigmas within the frame of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia," she said.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">MRP's</span> blessing for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">PKRP</span> needed to be followed up by the provincial administration by issuing a special regional government regulation on the mechanism for the representation, on the classification and specification of the political rights of indigenous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Papuans</span> so that local political parties would have a firmer and more detailed legal umbrella, she said. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-60138525372647156682007-03-19T09:07:00.000+09:002007-03-22T09:19:16.049+09:00Repair work on Timika airport to start in April<div align="justify"><strong>PT Freeport Indonesia</strong> subsidiary, <strong>Airfast Aviation Facilities Company</strong>, which manages the <strong>Moses Kilangin International Airport</strong> in Timika, Papua province, will commence a 4-5 month repair work program on its runway in April. However arrivals and departures of Hercules transports and Boeing 737-200 jetliners will not be affected.<br /><br />According to the Timika air base commander <strong>Lt. Col Bambang</strong>, the work includes a seven-centimetre overlay on a 200-metre cracked section of the 2,395-metre runway. "Overlaying runways periodically is compulsory for the sake of flight safety, especially for Moses Kilangin which is an international airport. Cracks on the runway could cause punctures," he told Antara newsagency.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-83485812839560952092007-03-18T00:41:00.000+09:002007-03-19T00:50:32.520+09:00Air Force to add radars to Papua and Papua Barat<p align="justify">The Indonesian Air Force plans to install air defense radars in Timika, the capital of Mimika district in Papua province and in Kaimana town in Papua Barat (West Papua) province in 2008. "The radar will be installed to monitor and anticipate air violations of foreign airplanes as well as sea crimes," Timika Air Force Base Command chief <strong>Lt Col Bambang Triono</strong> told <strong>Antara </strong>newsagency. "The radars will be set up next year and fully operational in 2010. The gadgets are capable of monitoring air zone within a radius of 250 nautical miles," he said.<br /><br />As the Air Force currently operates only one radar in western New Guinea, in Papua province's Biak island, it must rely on Boeing 737-200 air patrols to observe vast areas of the region prone to illegal logging and poaching. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-23142181088088578272007-03-18T00:37:00.000+09:002007-03-19T00:40:53.316+09:00'Moderate' 5.4 earthquake shakes Papua province<div align="justify">Another 'moderate' earthquake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, struck <strong>Papua</strong> province at 11:24 a.m. (0224 GMT), an official at the <strong>Indonesian National Metereology and Geophysics Agency</strong> confirmed to <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUKJAK25604._CH_.242020070318">Reuters</a>. It was centred 147 km northwest of the provincial capital, <strong>Jayapura</strong>, at a depth of 78 km, the official said.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-41460483565442214172007-03-16T14:08:00.000+09:002007-03-17T14:28:44.377+09:00Rural-assigned Papua Barat teachers "still in city"<div align="justify">The Provincial Government of <strong>Papua Barat</strong> (West Papua) is concerned at the high number of teachers who had been assigned to the countryside but were still effectively spending time in Manokwari city. Evidently, due to the low level of welfare extended to them, the teachers need to spend time in the city to make extra income or to meet other needs.<br /><br />"This problem is not only about the lack of teachers but also about their distribution," AR <strong>Wasaraka</strong>, Papua Barat's Section Head for Education, Culture, and Tourism said in Manokwari on <a href="http://www.infopapua.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4531&amp;mode=thread&order=0&thold=0">Wednesday</a>. He said the local governments (regencies and city) must work with the province to increase teachers' welfare and motivation so that teachers felt at home in the countryside and really needed.<br /><br />Because of the constitutional responsibilities of the province's eight regencies and one city, they needed to make a commitment together to play an active role in supporting the availability of teachers in the countryside, he said. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-68927343223935164772007-03-16T01:02:00.000+09:002007-03-19T01:23:51.035+09:00How to return human remains from Dutch museum<div align="justify">When the <strong>Amsterdam Museum for the Tropics</strong>, the <strong>Tropenmuseum</strong>, rediscovered a forgotten collection of hundreds of human skulls, bones and even organs stored in formaldehyde in glass jars, it lead to uneasy ethical questions. Many of the human remains are from indigenous inhabitants of Papua and Java, sent to the Netherlands between 1915 and 1965.<br /><br />The bones were used by the Tropenmuseum for physical anthropological scientific reasearch, an area of study under intense scrutiny because of the infamous racial studies conducted by the German Nazi terror regime before and during World War Two which culimated in the Holocaust (the Nazis' systematic massacre of millions of European Jews).<br /><br />The remains were rediscovered six years ago. Since then the museum has categorised them and documented the collection in detail. Recently, the museum announced it wanted to find a good home for the remains, possibly returning them to where they came from.<br /><br />"But the question of what to with these remains is not an easy one to answer," <strong>Michel Walraven</strong> of <a href="http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/ned070316a-mc">Radio Netherlands</a> noted. "It raises many more questions, such as: who officially owns them? The museum itself, or perhaps the Indonesian government? Or maybe the tribes themselves or relatives of the people whose remains they are? And the questions don't end there. For example,does anybody want the remains back? And if not, should they be buried somewhere or should they perhaps be cremated ...?<br /><br />"Now the main question would probably be, when it comes to the Papua remains, what does the community itself - wich consists of close to 300 tribes - think of all this? After all, the bones and skulls in question were once their great great grandparents.<br /><br />"<strong>Viktor Kaisiepo</strong> is Papuan himself and also represents the Papuan community abroad. He's pleased the museum is not making any decisions on its own, but he still needs to talk to people in Papua about what to do with the remains: 'I am challenged that the remains of my people are found. But we have to talk about the ownership. We need to approach this carefully because there may be a lot of emotions involved. I will need to speak to my people to see what we want to do with these remains. I will be in service to my people. I will ask them if they can and will receive them back and how that would happen.'"<br /><br />He says that, when it comes to the matter of human remains, the indigenous people should be in charge of deciding on what to do with them. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-61597930610674296442007-03-15T13:41:00.000+09:002007-03-17T14:51:39.191+09:00PNG dance troupe to perform in Papua province<div align="justify">Dr Jacob Gris Jumogot MP, Governor of the Papua New Guinea province of <a href="http://www.pngtourism.org.pg/png/cms/provinces/manus/manus.htm">Manus</a> announced a cultural tour to Indonesia's Papua province on 15-20 March. He made the remarks during a meeting with Indonesia's Consul in Vanimo, Ign. Kristanyo Hardojo and Maria Wagey, a cultural team liaison officer. "I will directly head the artists troupe of Manus province in a visit to Papua. The troupe of artists is called Paksonon Heritage Cultural Dancing Group," Jumogot told Antara newsagency, adding that cooperation in fishery and maritime affairs will follow.<br /><br />The 45 dancers and seven other members of the troupe will perform on the Melanesian Cultural stage in Jayapura and Keerom districts in Papua province. Governor Jumogot opined that it "was a proper cultural cooperation because people of PNG's Manus and Papua province have the same culture and tradition."</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-39112899644855385202007-03-13T14:00:00.000+09:002007-03-13T14:06:19.094+09:00How "Papua" originated in western New Guinea<div align="justify">From <em>Letters Page</em> of <em><a href="http://www.thenational.com.pg/0308/letter1.htm">The National</a></em> (Port Moresby)<br /><br />"... the name Papua originally derived from “Pua-pua” in Eastern Malay dialect which means frizzy hair referring to inhabitants of the Western part of New Guinea mainland. This is attributed to the Portuguese explorer who then pronounced it as Papua."<br /><br />Noah Omaleh Kaiyo,<br />Vanimo, West Sepik province<br />Papua New Guinea </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-89798555407513097392007-03-13T00:50:00.000+09:002007-03-19T01:01:45.108+09:00Squatters endanger Jayapura water catchments<div align="justify">The future of nature conservation water catchment areas serving the Papua provincial capital city of <strong>Jayapura</strong> and the nearby town of <strong>Sentani</strong> is under threat from human settlement and resultant land clearance. According to <strong>Jayapura Regent Habel Melkias Suwae</strong>, 4,330 people have illegally settled in the <strong>Cycloop</strong> conservation areas, because government bans on people living in the conservation areas were not being heeded. "These people have illegally felled trees and developed farming ... They claim the land belongs to them so that they feel they can do as they like. But when their activities cause flooding, it is the local administration which is to blame," he said.<br /><br />Suwae explained that out of the 22,500 hectares earmarked for nature conservation in the area, 9,374 hectares had been classified as 'critical land'. Illegal logging in the conservation areas had already caused landslides in three locations and caused flooding in parts of Sentani, Habel said as reported by <em>The Jakarta Post</em>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-27303823417684590692007-03-12T15:02:00.000+09:002007-03-12T15:06:41.482+09:00Papua invites investors for Biak satellite station<div align="justify">The Papua provincial administration will build a satellite telecommunication station in Biak Numfor regency within the next five years to improve communications in isolated areas. Papua Vice Governor Alex Hesegem said improvement in the telecommunications sector will enable Papuans to communicate with the outside world.<br /><br />Hesegem said the administration had invited people interested in investing in Papua to join the project, a top priority in the administration's five-point development program. "The administration needs to work hard to realize this project. It will be directly overseen by Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu. We are positive about the satellite station because Papuans have already realized the importance of sophisticated telecommunications technology," he said. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-18168826000012846482007-03-12T14:45:00.000+09:002007-03-12T15:02:27.346+09:00Tribal fighting kills nine in isolated Papuan town<div align="justify">Nine people were killed and more than 150 hurt in Indonesia's Papua province after a murder accusation triggered clashes between tribesmen armed with spears and arrows. A woman accused of poisoning her husband to death encouraged members of her clan to attack members of a rival group which her accuser -- and her dead husband -- belonged to, according to police spokesman Kartono Wangsadisastra. Nine people were killed in the ensuing clashes between the Kobagau and Sani tribes and 154 others were injured, including a policeman hit by an arrow, the spokesman told AFP. "We have managed to curb the violence, but as long as no customary peace-making ceremony has been held, it may well erupt again," he said. According to tradition, a death should be avenged by another death or the killer's tribe must pay a hefty fine of prized pigs and hold a feast to seal peace.<br /><br />Provincial deputy police chief ,Brig. Gen. Max D Aer, told Nethy Dharma Somba of <em>The Jakarta Post</em> that the violence, sparked by the death of a local, thirty-year-old teacher named Hendrikus Sani, had been focused in Yoparu village, Sugapa district in Paniai regency, which is far from the nearest police station and can only be reached by foot. The man's family believed Hendrikus was poisoned with a substance called Minaba.<br /><br />Police in Sugapa, with the help of traditional and religious leaders, were able to get the two clans to agree to end the hostilities on 8 February Aer said. However, that agreement lasted only until 26 February when members of the two clans fought each other with bows and arrows and knives. The violence continued despite the efforts of authorities. On 3 March an officer with the Sugapa Police, Second Brig. Yafet Turembi, was shot by an arrow. The officer survived the injury and was transported to Nabire Hospital in Nabire for treatment.<br /><br />Four of the nine dead were from the Sani clan. They have been identified as Hendrikus Sani, 30; Yan Sani, 30; Rafael Sani, 35; and Niko Sani, 50. Another 20 members of the clan were seriously wounded in the fighting, and another 30 suffered minor injuries. Five members of the Kobogau clan have died in the violence. They are Alfons Kobogau, 36; Herman Kobogau, 11; Enos Jegeseni, 28; Boka Kobogau, 38; and Daniel Kobogau, 40. Twelve clan members suffered serious injuries and 92 minor injuries.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-37462789341037559642007-03-12T14:18:00.000+09:002007-03-13T14:36:41.613+09:00"Tanah Papua will be more advanced than PNG"<div align="justify">Indonesian Papuan citizens living in Papua New Guinea and abroad for the past 40 years can now return to rebuild their homeland in western New Guinea, Logohu Award winner and PNG journalist <strong>Franz-Albert Joku</strong> told a 'West Papuan' community gathering in Erima Parish, Gordon, PNG. He had just returned to Port Moresby after negotiating with Indonesian central government and Papuan provincial government officials on the special autonomy and how West Papuans in PNG and abroad could participate.<br /><br />The PNG government supports the special autonomy process in the two Indonesian provinces, Papua and Papua Barat and PNG officials will be liaising with the Indonesian government and the Papua province government to register West Papuans who fled Indonesia in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s who agree to return home.<br /><br />"Mr Joku appealed to the West Papuans fighting for independence in the bushes and mountains to reach a compromise and work together under the new special autonomy process," <strong>Harlyne Joku</strong> reported in <em><a href="http://66.114.70.144/cgi-bin/terjem.rex?Indonesia_prepares_to_change_West_Irian_Jaya_s_name_to_West_Papua___PN-70312001">The National</a></em> (Port Morsby). "He said under the special autonomy, West Papuans would have 85 per cent freedom to empower themselves on their own land. He said now, a positive pace had been set and the special autonomy process passed by the Indonesian government in October 2001 was beginning to work. Leaders were being elected in a democratic process."<br /><br />Joko also appealed to educated West Papuans not be spectators of the autonomy process but make it work, adding there was freedom of speech, movement and elections. Although their fathers had demanded political independence, the Indonesian government had given special autonomy.<br /><br />"Not like before when people were ruled under the barrel of a gun. If all goes as expected under special autonomy, between seven and nine years time, in development than PNG," he said.<br /><br />The meeting was a first of a series of meetings in Port Moresby for the West Papuan community to discuss the special autonomy process. The next meeting is set for next month.<br /><br />References to "West Papua" appear to include both Papua and Papua Barat (West Papua) provinces of Indonesian New Guinea. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-13735079794889186132007-03-12T02:36:00.000+09:002007-03-13T14:53:50.525+09:00Central Govt confirming Papua Barat name change<div align="justify">Indonesia's <strong>Ministry of Home Affairs</strong> is preparing to official confirm the change of name of the province of Irian Jaya Barat to <strong>Papua Barat</strong> (West Papua) as requested by the province's governor <strong>Abraham O Artururi</strong> and the province's parliament (DPRD) "We are composing a draft government regulation. In line with Law No 32/2004, changing the name of a province needs to be put forth in a government regulation," the Ministry's Director General of General Governance, <strong>Sodjuangon Situmorang</strong>, told <em>Kompas</em>. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-69627948981911824632007-03-09T22:24:00.000+09:002007-03-11T22:28:14.593+09:00Papuan Christians say Muslims a 'genocidal' threat<div align="justify">A separatist leader claims the Papuan people are in danger of being wiped out because of Indonesian rule. "We are at risk of genocide," Benny Wenda, a British resident, told <a href="http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.393541178&par=0">Adnkronos International</a>. "I fear that in 30 years the Melanesian race will be wiped off Papua. The international community must force Indonesia to stop its military operation and leave Papua," he said.<br /><br />According to the AKI report, the Reverand Socrates Sofyan Yoman, leader of the Baptist church of Papua, said that the risk of genocide also comes with the flow of immigrants that continue to arrive from other parts of Indonesia. "Genocide is also seeing our culture and religion disappearing with the arrival of migrants," the religious leader told AKI. <br /><br />Neles Tebay, a Catholic priest and local accademic said that the presence of immigrants is evident everywhere. "There are mosques at every corner. Migrants are by far the majority in the main cities of the region," Tebay told AKI.<br /><br />The article also quoted a 2003 study conducted by Yale University, that reportedly said that the migratory flow of people towards Papua could be considered "an act of genocide".<br /><br />"The Indonesian government has denied these accusations. Jakarta has said that with respect to human rights, the situation in Papua has significantly improved in the last few years and that the desire for independence is not shared by most in the population. The government also said that the provinces in the Papua region - Papua and [Papua Barat] - are ruled by Papuans, as stipulated by a special statute giving these area provincial autonomy in 2001. The government also said that in Indonesia, citizens can move freely from one island to another," AKI commented.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-74711861248242250922007-03-09T22:19:00.000+09:002007-03-15T11:15:23.311+09:00Papuan Catholic says religions 'working together'<div align="justify">If Islam's jihad, "in its authentic sense manifests in people's endeavors to build peaceful coexistence," wrote Neles Tebay, a Catholic priest and lecturer at the Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology in Abepura, Jayapura, "Muslim and non-Muslim communities everywhere in the world, then, can work together." In an article in <em><a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/Archives/ArchivesDet2.asp?FileID=20070308.F05">The Jakarta Post</a></em>, he reported that since 2000, the leaders of all religions -- including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism -- in Papua have been united in promoting peace. The campaign aims to build 'Papua, the land of peace' and that the religious leaders believe all peoples, regardless of their different religious traditions, are determined to establish a lasting peace and want to build Papua as a peaceful territory.<br /><br />The shared concept of "Papua, the land of peace" consists of eight fundamental values: awareness of and respect for plurality, justice, unity, harmony, solidarity, togetherness, sincere brotherhood and welfare. These values examine which plans and activities should be supported and/or rejected by the people of Papua. Based on the fundamental values, the religious leaders are committed to jointly speaking out about injustice and all forms of oppression experienced by the community, particularly the indigenous Papuans. They see the necessity to boost effective cooperation and communication among interfaith leaders, with other civil society groups, and with all people of good will.<br /><br />"The religious leaders have repeatedly called on all people across Papua to take part in the campaign, love one another as an expression of their faith, recognize and accept ethnic, religious and cultural diversity as a gift from God, give priority to dialog as a way of resolving problems, maintain harmonious relations with God, fellow members of the community and nature and resist provocation and avoid being provoked by conflicts taking place outside Papua," he wrote. "To create a peaceful Papua, the religious leaders have jointly called upon the local and central governments to build good and clean governance, engage in dialog with the people through the regional assembly regarding the implementation of Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua, take actions in cooperation with non-governmental organizations against the spread of HIV/AIDS through the adequate provision of health services and efforts to tackle the root causes of its proliferation."<br /><br />The leaders also emphasise the necessity for the governments to engage with communities -- including customary, religious, youth communities and women's organizations -- in planning, deciding, implementing and evaluating development programs, and choose dialog as the first course of action in addressing problems in Papua. "<br /><br />"For the sake of peace, they call on the governments to guarantee all people living in Papua the right to live, uphold justice by addressing gross violations of human rights in Papua without impunity, give Papuans the opportunity to take their rightful place as the primary actors in the process of development and the use of natural resources, and utilize natural resources for the welfare and prosperity of the Papuan people.<br /><br />"Given the resistance movement waged by the Free Papua Movement (OPM), any peace initiative could be mistakenly interpreted as advocating an independent state in Papua. The Indonesian authorities could, therefore, be suspicious of all peace-building initiatives in Papua. Addressing this suspicion, the religious leaders have made it clear the peace campaign has nothing to do with the campaign for an independent state in Papua. These two campaigns are not identical. For the main aim of the "Papua, the land of peace" campaign is to ensure peace prevails in Papua, irrespective of whether Papua remains an Indonesian province or becomes an independent state.<br /><br />The goal of the campaign, therefore, is wider than an independent state. It includes all aspects of human life from physical health, social relationships and prosperity, mutual trust and respect, justice, fair opportunities for development, socioeconomic development, cultural rights and human security. In order to highlight their peaceful campaign and reflect its significance in everyday life, the religious leaders lead the celebration of Papuan Peace Day every Feb. 5 and International Peace Day on Sept. 21."</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-69444578732256531702007-03-09T02:54:00.000+09:002007-03-13T15:55:48.830+09:00Mellish: Why it’s all quiet on the West Papua front<div align="justify"><strong>Morgan Mellish</strong>, a journalist representing the <em>Australian Financial Review</em> in Jakarta, Indonesia, perished when Garduda Indonesia flight GA-200 burst into flames when it crashed on landing in Yogyakarta on 7 March. Mellish was a member of the Jakarta Foreign Corresponents Club and regularly contributed to its newsletter. The following is from its December 2006 edition.<br /><br /><em><strong><em>JFCC Jalan-Jalan</em></strong> is a newsletter feature chronicling the highs and lows of correspondents' experiences following the Indonesian story. Submissions are welcome. In this <a href="http://www.jfcc.info/jfcc.php?id=0400">edition</a>, <em>Australian Financial Review</em> correspondent <strong>Morgan Mellish </strong>drops a dime on the stranglehold of official "security" that obstructs foreign journos reporting legally from Papua:</em><br /><br />In September, Australian television journalist Naomi Robson created headlines in that country when she and her crew were booted out of West Papua without getting beyond Jayapura. Robson's attempted journey inside the restive Indonesian province highlighted the difficulties of reporting from this tightly-controlled police state.<br /><br />Within days of the Channel 7 crew being unceremoniously ejected, three other Australian journalists managed to travel inside West Papua and all encountered official interference and intimidation.<br /><br />The three - myself, the ABC's Jakarta correspondent Geoff Thompson and <em>The Australian's</em> Jakarta correspondent Stephen Fitzpatrick came away with exactly the same conclusion: If this is how the Indonesian security forces treat the western pres, then pity the poor Papuans.<br /><br />Unlike Robson and her crew, who entered the desperately poor province on tourist visas, the three of us had "surat jalans".These are the official government travel permits needed to legally enter West Papua, which is one of the most militarized areas in Indonesia.<br /><br />But this didn't stop the overzealous and at-time thuggish secret police from trying to stop us reporting at almost every turn. There may be some goodwill in Jakarta towards solving West Papua's problems, but it's clear the security forces on the ground remain a law unto themselves.<br /><br />The difficulties for western journalists start well before you arrive in Papua. To get a surat jalan requires the approval of Indonesia's Department of Foreign Affairs (Deplu), the State Intelligence Body (BIN and the Indonesian police.<br /><br />Our permits were among only a handful approved this year and took about six months to get. The vast majority of applicants are knocked back by DEPLU on the trumped-up grounds that the country's easternmost province is too dangerous for journalists. The <em>Sydney Morning Herald/Age</em> Jakarta correspondent Mark Forbes went into West Papua with a surat jalan in March.<br /><br />Each surat jalan specifies where you can travel and what you can report on. Mine said Jayapura, Timika and Wamena and that I could only report on the investment climate. <em>The Australian's</em> and the ABC's said they could only report on an Asmat tribe arts festival.<br /><br />Upon arriving in Jayapura, the provincial capital, all westerners must register with the police. I, along with my assistant, went to police headquarters to register with deputy director of police intelligence, Yan Pieter.<br /><br />After grilling us on our intentions, he casually took a picture of us with his late-model Nokia flip phone. He then showed us a picture on the phone of Fitzpatrick, who'd been in the office a few days earlier.<br /><br />"Stephen was very bad and was deported [from the province] for covering politics," he said, maintaining a friendly demeanor. "Now, you won't do anything like that, will you?"<br /><br />While in West Papua, all three of us were tailed by plainclothes secret police known as "intels"and threatened for attempting to interview human rights activists and Papuan community leaders. Thompson's ABC crew got the worst treatment.<br /><br />They filmed a pro-independence ceremony just outside Jayapura and were later detained and shouted at during a one-hour interrogation. Later, In Timika location of the massive Freeport-McMoRan mine and much of the province's unrest - Thompson's ABC crew were again harassed and detained for a total of five hours. The intels demanded to see and then copied all of their footage. A local ABC employee was interrogated separately behind closed doors and asked to sign a written statement cataloguing the ABC's activities in Papua.<br /><br />In the end, the ABC sought help from Australian embassy consular staff who spoke via phone to the intels. This, according to Thompson, related the level of scrutiny. However, the intels said because the Asmat tribe arts festival wasn't in Timika and wasn't on for another week, there was nothing for the ABC to do in Papua.<br /><br />Meanwhile in Jayapura, Fitzpatrick was told to go to police intelligence headquarters or officers would come and get him. Police intelligence's Yan Pieter demanded to see his notebook which Fitzpatrick showed, knowing his hurried longhand would be illegible.<br /><br />After this, Fitzpatrick started receiving strange phone calls. This included a text message attempted "sting" by an intel who pretended to be an independence activist and offered to meet him.<br /><br />When I arrived in Timika, I received similar treatment. I was having lunch with two Freeport employees when an intel marched in and aggressively demanded to know who we'd talked to and to see our notes.<br /><br />To try and resolve the tension, my assistant offered to photocopy several pages of notes from a press conference with the Papuan Governor. We then explained that I didn't take notes because I simply remembered everything. A Freeport employee later apologized and said the company had little control over the intels.<br /><br />We then returned to Jayapura and, by keeping a low profile, managed to interview two jailed activists inside Jayapura prison who'd been tortured and then get out of the province without the intels realizing.<br /><br />The worrying thing is the treatment of local journalists is a lot worse. On top of intimidation and threats, they are often physically assaulted. <strong>Cunding Levi</strong>, a Jayapura-based stringer for national magazine <em>Tempo</em>, says he is often harassed when covering sensitive stories.<br /><br />"I was taking pictures of police hitting a demonstrator during the Abepura incident,"he says, referring to a riot in March in which five Indonesian security personnel were killed. "Police hit me on the back with a rattan cane and told me not to take that picture, but take a picture of the demonstrators killing their colleague."<br /><br />Journalist <strong>Tjah Jono</strong> from <strong>radio KBR 68H</strong> in Timika says: "We don't have access to information from public institutions. No journalist has ever got the official data on the local budget. It makes it difficult to reveal corruption or abuse of power."<br /><br />"Freeport also closes all access to information. If there is an incident in the Freeport concession area, we can't enter. A Freeport communications officer will usually give us information, but we don't believe them."<br /><br />The debate about whether Papua should be independent is for another time and place. But given the way journalists are treated and the allegations of ongoing human rights abuses, it's easy to conclude many Papuans still live in a climate of fear.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-18754165642922121652007-03-08T22:09:00.000+09:002007-03-11T22:19:20.921+09:00Student activist agrees with Minister on regencies<div align="justify">A Papuan student leader apparently agrees with the Indonesian Minister of Home Affairs that a number of Papua districts belong considered for local government status are not yet ready for the responsibility. In February, Minister M. Ma'ruf, asked that discussion on bills for the creation of six new regencies, Yalimo, Central Mamberamo, Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Dogiyai and Puncak, be further clarified before deliberations continue as he believed none are yet viable as separate administrative entities. "Autonomous regions will only enrich a certain group of people and allow for greater corruption," the head of the Indonesian Central Papua Highland Alliance, Markus Haluk, told a crowd of 200 students at the Papuan governor's offices in Jayapura.<br /><br />According to Haluk, the political elite and government officials are the ones who favor the creation of more autonomous regions. "Some push for the creation of an autonomous region after losing elections, some after being denied government positions and others because their terms in office are about to end. There are also those people who eye the natural wealth of an area and work together with investors to fund campaigns for an autonomous region, as well as those involved in corruption who are trying to run away by forming an autonomous regency," he said, adding that the creation of autonomous regions would also lead to human rights violations and environmental destruction by investors exploiting an area's natural wealth.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-19398583133605344702007-03-08T21:37:00.000+09:002007-03-11T22:09:22.980+09:00Separatist claims crimes continue against Papuans<div align="justify">One of 42 Papuans separatists granted asylum after reaching the Australian mainland by traditional boat in January.2006, <strong>Herman Wainggai</strong>, has thanked Australian politicians, academics, <strong>Australia West Papua Associations</strong> around Australia, NGO¹s and others who have written submissions to the government of Australia advising them not to sign a security agreement with the Indonesian government.<br /><br />"The agreement is not useful for Australians, Indonesians and West Papuans. It only serves the Indonesian government policy of continuing their crimes against West Papuans, Indonesian civilians and foreigners. Signing the agreement is encouraging the infiltration of the internal affairs of Australia by Indonesian intelligence agents. For example, there are Indonesian spies in Australia posing as students in education institutions," he <a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00153.htm">announced</a>. "The Indonesia and Australian governments should be protecting human rights, encouraging the development and implementation of democratic principles, and upholding the supremacy of law for the people of Indonesia, the Indigenous people of West Papua, Australian citizens, and the peoples of the Pacific island nations. We will never, never, never, give up."<br /><br />Wainggai, <a href="http://www.kerrynettle.org.au/300_campaigns_sub.php?deptItemID=46">promoted</a> by Australian Greens senator, Kerry Nettle, as "leader of the West Papuans" <a href="http://www.parasindonesia.com/read.php?gid=246">reportedly</a> served time in Indonesia for treason. His uncle Tom Wainggai, also a leading academic and separatist, was sentenced to 20 years in jail for organizing a flag raising event in 1988 and died in Jakarta’s Cipinang prison in 1996, prompting allegations he was poisoned or denied proper treatment.<br /><br />The references to "West Papua" appear to include both Papua and Papua Barat (West Papua) provinces.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-52812268511325258692007-03-08T10:32:00.000+09:002007-03-11T22:35:18.860+09:00Pay dispute hits Mimika health centre services<div align="justify">Hundreds of medical workers from 12 community health centres.in Mimika regency in Papua province rallied at the local government health office over a pay dispute. They demanded the office head, Erens Meokbun, raise the issue with the Mimika regent. According to <em>The Jakarta Post,</em> the protesters said a new salary scheme issued by the regency administration, requiring district administrations to pay the salaries of community health centres.staff, was unfair and overly complicated. They also said they had not been informed of the new policy prior to its issuance. "We went on strike in protest of the government's arbitrary issuance of this policy," said rally coordinator Ibrahim Iba.<br /><br />The healthcare workers had previously been paid by the health office but Health head Meokbun said the new policy was in response to residents in remote areas complaining that medical workers were often not on duty at the community health centres.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-12270333261354440632007-03-06T23:48:00.000+09:002007-03-06T23:57:52.126+09:00Papua province to spend 45% of budget on villages<div align="justify">Papua Governor <strong>Barnabas Suebu</strong> has announced that out of the province's Rp 5.3 trillion budget this year, 45 percent, or around Rp 2 trillion, will be used for development purposes in villages. The budget will also take into account the basic needs of residents, including food, health, education, housing, fresh water and infrastructure.<br /><br />"In total, the funds to be distributed in Papua will reach more than Rp 2 trillion," he told <strong>Nethy Dharma Somba</strong> of <em>The Jakarta Post</em> in Jayapura. He said the notion of village-based development is in accordance with the spirit of the 2001 law on special autonomy in Papua to improve the welfare of Papuans.<br /><br />"We should take into account that the special autonomy fund is for the people so it is natural if the biggest share is for development as most Papuans live in villages," he said. Out of Papua's Rp 5.3 trillion budget this year, Rp 3.2 trillion came from special autonomy funds. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-51992583962930131302007-03-06T23:41:00.000+09:002007-03-06T23:46:33.174+09:00Warning on US$11,000 grants to 3,800 villages<div align="justify">The Papua administration, which currently oversees autonomy funds for both Papua and Papua Barat (West Papua) provinces, has been warned to properly manage a directly distributed grant to over 3,800 villages. Papua Govenor <strong>Barnabas Suebu</strong> announced in February that the 2,700 villages in his province and 1,164 villages in Papua Barat province will each be granted Rp 100 million (about US$11,100) to get them active in specifying their needs and to outline planned development programs, as well as detailing plans for supervising the use of the money.<br /><br />"There needs to be clear guidelines in place before villages receive the money. And villages need to be taught how to properly use the funds so that the money can benefit all residents," <strong>Fadal Alhamid</strong>, the secretary of the <strong>Majelis Rakyat Pa</strong>pua (the bi-provincial Papuan People's Congress), told <em>The Jakarta Post</em> in Jayapura.<br /><br />"Distributing the grants without clear guidelines for their use and effective monitoring mechanisms will potentially create conflict because everyone will want a share of the Rp 100 million. We don't want the distribution of this money to create a situation which could negatively impact on the goal of improving people's welfare," he said.<br /><br />He suggested that the provincial administration recruit qualified village secretaries to oversee the use of this money. These secretaries should be university graduates, he said. "There are many unemployed university graduates in the cities. They could be sent to villages to work as secretaries," he said.<br /><br /><strong>Shopia Maipauw</strong> of the <strong>Association for Women's Policy Awareness</strong> hoped that women's needs will be met. "The percentage of this grant dedicated to women's issues should be made clear. If it isn't, women will continue to be marginalized," she said, adding that is was a concern that women's issues were being ignored in a similar village-based development program that has been in operation in Jayapura for five years. "The money is being controlled by men, so women are not receiving a share to finance their activities," she said.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26503896.post-72539737089345952602007-03-05T22:50:00.000+09:002007-03-06T23:55:49.134+09:00Freddy Numberi hits foreign "plunder" of Indonesia<div align="justify">The highest ranking Papuan in the Indonesian national government, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister, Rear Admiral (ret) <strong>Freddy Numberi</strong> has alleged that foreign 'mafias' are destroying Indonesia's economy by paying locals to plunder its natural resources. He said there had been a rise in illegal fishing by foreigners using large vessels and fresh cases of marine sand being plundered by foreign contractors in cahoots with Indonesian businessmen.<br /><br />"These mafias are from certain countries which want to destroy the Indonesian economy. They know that Indonesia is a country with rich natural resources. They fear that if Indonesia became strong, it would pose a threat," he was quoted as saying by the online <em>Media Indonesia</em>.<br /><br />Two Chinese fishing vessels had been caught 'red-handed' with hauls worth Rp 50 billion in total, said the veteran minister and former Governor of Papua province. "These mafias have been entering the country and offering huge amounts to Indonesians," he said.<br /><br />The minister also hit out at the "plundering" of marine sand in the Riau islands "for reclamation works in Singapore." Marine sand exports were banned by the Indonesian authorities in 2003. The renewed mining was the work of seven foreign contractors, he said.<br /><br />He also repeated earlier claims that the alleged smuggling of marine sand for Singapore's reclamation works was against Indonesian economic and political interests. According to the <em>Straits Times</em> newspaper, he went so far as to call Singapore a United States "puppet", and said reclamation work was meant to enable US warships to call or drop anchor there.<br /><br />His latest remarks were a second salvo after comments in Saturday's <em>Jakarta Post</em>, when he said the ban on sand exports to Singapore would go on until border disputes were settled. Even if Indonesia lets sand sales resume, it wants to renegotiate the price and determine which areas could be mined to avoid ecological damage, he said.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0