"No one cares about the tragic fate of the Papuan minority, who suffer from the injustices of the ruling powers and the Indonesian military, who accuse them of being separatists," said Father Alexandro Rangga.

Speaking by phone from Jakarta, the 37-year-old Franciscan, originally from Flores and living in Jayapura, the capital of Indonesian Papua for 20 years, summarised the tragedy and violence the Papuan minority has suffered since their territory's annexation in 1969, largely hidden from the world.

Papua lives under constant tension

"Majority Christian and Catholic," Father Rangga noted, "the Papuans hope to hear a message of support and hope from Pope Francis, who is attuned to issues of injustice, migration, and environmental destruction."

Closed off to journalists and UN diplomats seeking to investigate human rights abuses by the Indonesian military, Papua remains tense.

While neighboring Papua New Guinea, with a population of 10 million, gained independence from Australia in 1975, Indonesia forcefully took control of the other half of the island, Papua, home to 6 million people, in 1962, officially annexing it in 1969 after a sham referendum endorsed by the United Nations.

A militarised province

"It's Indonesia's original sin against this province, rich in natural resources," lamented a Jesuit priest recently returning from Papua.

The wealth from copper, gold, nickel, gas, and precious timber does not benefit the people of Papua, who remain the poorest in Indonesia.

Underdevelopment and discrimination have fueled an independence conflict that has displaced 100,000 people and claimed 150,000 lives.

For five decades, the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) has waged a low-intensity guerrilla war against the Indonesian military, which tightly controls the region.

"Since 2001, there's been a special autonomy law, but it's had little impact on local populations who demand a fairer share of the mining profits.

"What's happening is both a genocide and an ecocide, while the military presence has never been stronger," asserted Ayu Utami, a Catholic writer and human rights activist in Jakarta.

"She believes "Papua is a disaster because the government only approaches the issue through a security lens. The army should be withdrawn to pacify the region, but local oligarchs, politicians, and generals are in collusion."

Delivering messages to the Pope remains a challenge

For weeks, the Justice and Peace Commission in Jayapura has been trying to send a message to Pope Francis about the humanitarian catastrophe in Papua.

However, an Indonesian priest, speaking anonymously, revealed there are "obstacles and significant pressure, even from within the Catholic hierarchy, to prevent the pope from receiving these messages or addressing the Papuan issue."

A book written by 34 Papuans, including priests, detailing the history of Papuan Catholics and translated into Italian, was meant to be presented to Pope Francis in Jakarta by the Bishop of Jayapura, but this was prohibited.

"We still have hope," said Father Rangga.

"For the Papuans, even a simple mention of their existence by the Pope would be a form of recognition of their suffering and a political success that could improve their future."

• First published by La Croix International
• Dorian Malovic is a French journalist, winner of the 2007 Grand prix catholique de littérature.

"We are very concerned with this incident which targeted church servants," Father Marthen Kuayo, apostolic administrator of Timika Diocese, told UCA News on Oct. 28.

Tigau, 28, was reportedly killed on Oct. 26 after being shot near his home in Jalae village of Intan Jaya district by soldiers. A 6-year-old boy, Herman Kobagau, was also reported injured.

The army and police insisted that Tigau was a member of the Armed Separatist Criminal Group.

Read More

A separatist conflict has simmered in Papua since it became part of Indonesia after a disputed UN referendum in 1969.

An Amnesty International report found at least 95 deaths in 69 incidents. It says these happened between January 2010 and February 2018.

Of those, 39 happened during peaceful political activities like demonstrations, Amnesty says.

In one case, it says police killed a mentally disabled man after he hit a police officer with a piece of sugar cane.

Amnesty says there have been no independent criminal investigations into any of the killings.

Indonesia president breaks promise

The report criticises Indonesian President Joko Widodo. It says he failed to fulfil his promise to improve human rights in Papua when he took office in 2014.

Local activists say the killings continue despite Widodo's promises to end them.

Father John Djonga is a prominent rights activist in Papua. He says the report contradicts government denials.

"The report is the most concrete evidence confirming lack of progress in human rights enforcement in Papua," Djonga says.

Another Catholic activist is Yuliana Langowuyo. He is deputy director of the Franciscan commission for justice, peace, and integrity of creation. Langowuyo says the government has to look at these cases and be transparent.

Finally the government says it will investigate the killings. It says it wants to find out who, how and whether people were killed.

Amnesty says it visited towns across Papua in its two-year investigation. It says it talked to authorities, victims' families, activists and church-based groups among others.

Sources:

• Channel NewsAsia
• UCA News

Image credit: UCA News

He says their fear stems from growing Islamisation in all spheres of life, particularly the economy.

"Most of the people who are well-connected and who are prospering are Muslims, while Papuans are getting left out," said Bahang, a lecturer at the Fajar Timur College of Philosophy of Theology in Jayapura.

Islam symbols are becoming more commonplace in public spaces, he said.

"These are public service spaces for Christians and Muslims alike, but now Muslims control them."

Jayapura city has over 80 mosques and mushollas (mosque-like prayer rooms) built in or near local markets, residential areas and government offices.

The neighbouring district of Sentani has 24 mosques while Jayapura District has 52.

Papua has a population of about 3.6 million people, 61.3 percent of whom are Protestants, 21 percent Catholics and 17.4 percent Muslims.

From the perspective of religious psychology, this growing Islamisation can be seen as a bid to try to marginalise other people's religious beliefs, Bahang said.

He said many indigenous children are already being educated or groomed to serve as the next leaders of Islam in the region.

"These children will someday have to face their own people."

Bahang suggested the authorities prepare a regulation specific to the region to control interreligious tolerance in Papua, in accordance with the Special Autonomy Law.

Religious leaders also need to work on building a dialogue to preempt further problems and involve people at a grassroots level, he added.

When asked to comment on this issue, Saiful Islami Al Payage, chairman of the Papua chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council, said that "all of these things need to be discussed internally."

Source

• ucanews.com
• Image: ucanews.com

Their call has been echoed by Papua's Peace Network (JDP) coordinator.

Father Neles Tebay says that prioritising only infrastructure will not be enough in developing Papua and must be balanced with the empowerment of its human resources.

He said that without skilled human resources, the Papuan people would only become "spectators" of various economic achievements happening in their own home.

"In some areas, locals can only watch economic activities happening in [other] villages, because they don't have access to ongoing development or cannot get involved because they don't have skills. They are alienated from activities in their kampung," Neles said.

"If this continues, the government's efforts to develop Papua will be fruitless […] This is what President Jokowi must pay attention to," he added.

Jakarta has recently unveiled plans for major roads, rail and hydro-development in Papua and West Papua.

"We appreciate the infrastructure development initiated by the President [Joko ‘Jokowi' Widodo]."

"We also feel he has given a lot of attention to Papua. It is only President Jokowi who has visited Papua twice a year, something that was never done by our previous presidents," Neles said in Jayapura meeting with Jokowi along with 12 other Papuan leaders.

Despite its rich resources, Papua is among the poorest regions in Indonesia and shootings of civilians is very common, activists say.

According to the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, there have been 16 shootings in Papua since August last year — none of the perpetrators have been caught.

The latest was on 1 August in which one person was killed and seven injured.

Source

• Jakarta Post
• Scoop
• RNZ
• UCLA
• UCA News
• IMAGE: West Papua Daily

"My family couldn't accept my condition," Dewi, not her real name, says in reference to the virus that affected her immune system.

Following her diagnosis, Dewi underwent medical treatment for two weeks in Jayapura diocese-run Dian Harapan Hospital in Jayapura, Papua province.

It was there that she met Franciscan Brother Agustinus Adi who works there as a nurse. He also manages a transitional house called for those living with HIV/AIDS, which Dewi ended up going to.

"After the hospital I went to the transitional house for further medical help and spent a whole month there," she says.

Besides medication, Dewi also had regular psychological counseling at the transitional house.

"It helped me slowly re-embrace my family who struggled with my having HIV," she says.

In early 2010, Dewi went back to her parents' home but she will never forget what Brother Adi did for her.

"Brother Adi even gave me 1 million rupiah (US$ 110)," Dewi says.

"I used the money to start a small kiosk that I built in front of my parents' house. There I began to sell basic necessities such as sugar, cooking oil, tea, coffee and soap," she says.

One thing that Dewi, now 30, can still remember is the love shown to her at the transitional house.

"If I forget to collect medicines from the transitional house, Brother Adi calls me or texts me. The service is very good, full of love," she says.

A whisper

Since it was established in August 2009, the transitional house has become a refuge for people living HIV/AIDS, particularly those neglected by their families.

Built on land provided by the diocese, the house has taken care of 350 such people. Of this number, 90 have past away, and the rest continue to take their medication. Continue reading

Sources

• An article by Benny Mawel in Global Pulse.
• Image: UCAnews.com

The protest in Jayapura by the Union of Catholic University Students of Indonesia and Catholic Youth organisations was in response to police treatment of Fr John Djonga.

Last month, Fr Djonga led a prayer service at the opening of an office of the Papuan Indigenous Council, from which a banner of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua was displayed.

Four days later, Fr Djonga was subjected to an intense grilling by police.

According to police, Fr Djonga was considered a witness to a violation of Indonesia's criminal code pertaining to treason.

Protesters from the Catholic Youth and the Union of Catholic University Students of Indonesia organisations marched several kilometres to the police headquarters to hold their protest.

They called on police to stop harassing Fr Djonga.

The priest said he was told police may call him in for further questioning, but insisted he was unfazed by police scrutiny.

This is not the first time Fr Djonga has faced scrutiny by Indonesia's authorities.

In 2012, he was charged with colluding and supporting pro-independence leaders in hiding in the forests and abroad.

His phone, which contained phone numbers of pro-independence leaders, became evidence.

In his defence, Fr Djonga asked authorities also to reveal a phone list of his containing the numbers of Indonesian police and military officials, and announce the names of all Jakarta officials, including ministers, who had contacted him and communicated with him.

He told investigators at that time that, as a pastor, it was his duty to bridge communication and dialogue with all parties, without resorting to the use of violence.

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has been urged by West Papua Action Auckland to express concern to Indonesian authorities about the intimidation of peaceful human rights activists.

Sources

• Radio New Zealand
• Scoop
• UCA News
• Image: UCA News

Six houses, eleven kiosks, and a mushala (small mosque) were burned, and a man was shot dead.

"We regret the burning of mushala and the attack on Muslims in Tolikara, which caused the loss of life during the celebrations," said the leaders in their statement.

"In regard of this event, we also push the authorities to immediately solve the problem completely and professionally by processing the actors according to the law."

"We also ask the people not to be provoked by false issues [spread by] irresponsible people."

A group of people believed to be members of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI) went to Baitul Mustaqin Mosque in Tolikara when Muslims were performing an Eid prayer on Friday.

They protested the use of a loudspeaker during the prayer, stating that it was disturbing an event their church was holding at the same time.

A police spokesman had said that the incident was incited by a letter spread by local Christian leaders in Papua's Tolikara Regency last week, calling on Muslims not to perform the Eid el- Fitr prayer near where Christians were to attend a seminar.

On Wednesday police reported they were set to charge several suspects.

National Police chief General Badrodin Haiti said that police were investigating all claims surrounding the incident, including the spreading of flyers purportedly from the GIDI — the largest religious group in the district.

GIDI has denied distributing the flyers and instead accused police of inciting the riot by firing at some GIDI youths "peacefully protesting" the use of loudspeakers in the mass prayer.

Source

• globalindonesianvoices.com
• shanghaidaily.com
• antaranews.com
• radionz.co.nz
• thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com
• Image: muslimvillage.com

Examples of crimes by the Indonesian security forces include:

• The bombing of the parliament Jayawijaya building on 1 September 2012 by OTK (Orang Tak Dikenal)
• the throwing of bombs at the Jayawijaya police station traffic on 18 September 2012
• the discovery of a bomb in Timika, Friday, October 19, 2012
• the discovery of three bombs in Manokwari on October 9, 2012
• Explosion of three homemade bombs in Sorong on Sunday, October 28, 2012.

The press release states that 7.62 calibre ammunition has been discovered in nine different places, "5 TJ 5.6 bullets in as much as 121 points, 5.6 servant bullets in 20 points and the arrest of four youths known by the initials DIH (26), a resident of Organda, YP (28), a resident Sampan Timika, AK (24) a woman, a resident of Organda, and YJW (27) a Karubaga citizen. (Cenderwasih Pos News, Wednesday, October 31, 2012)".

The press release goes on to say that on the part of the Indonesian security forces there is a "systematic effort to thwart the Papuan demands to work towards a peace dialogue, to destroy the peaceful struggle of the Papua people for self-determination and to brand those Papuan who strive for independence as terrorists.

It says that "The security forces of the Republic of Indonesia must stop committing crimes against humanity by an engineered situation of bombs and ammunition discovery at the houses of indigenous Papuans" and that "The Government of the Republic of Indonesia immediately open a space for an unconditional peace dialogue between the Government of Indonesia and the Papuans, mediated by a neutral third party, as a political solution to the Special Autonomy has FAILED to answer the complexity of the issue of Papua".

The press release is signed by Sofyan Yoman Socratez, Chairman of the Central Body for the Fellowship of Baptist Churches in Papua.

Sources

• West Papua Media Alerts
• Image: Around the Fire

The three — Jefry Wandikwo, Zakius Saplay and Calvin Wenda — allegedly acted in conjunction with slain independence activist Mako Tabuni to perpetuate a series of shootings in Jayapura, including a seemingly random attack on a German tourist.

Mako, who was deputy chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), was shot dead earlier this month by plainclothes police sent to arrest him.

The officers said they had to shoot Mako because he resisted arrest and made a grab at one of their guns. But witnesses interviewed by the National Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) say the police were in their cars when they gunned him down.

"This is nothing new, these gross human rights violations against those accused of being supporters of separatists," Rev. Benny Giay, told the Jakarta Globe after the event. "This is how they try to weaken, try to control the civilians."

Source

• The Jakarta Globe
• Image: Scoop World

"The Indonesian government and the West Papua representative should come to the negotiation table to talk peacefully," he said.

Pastor Socratez has suggested that a neutral "referee" mediate the dialogue.

"Let's put it this way: There are two parties who are fighting, and it needs to be refereed," he said. "If the government tries to mediate, that is not fair — how could the murderer become the referee? It's nonsense."

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto is currently on a working visit to Papua after being dispatched by the president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to address the escalating conflict that has taken lives of both civilians and security officers.

A Papua specialist, Dr Richard Chauvel, a senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences and Psychology at Victoria University, Melbourne, says the prospects for international intervention in Papua are not good.

"The president's recent statements saying that the killings weren't on all that large a scale, we shouldn't worry about them too much, is certainly not the sort of statement that a political leader would make who would welcome international intervention," he said.

Source

• PACNEWS
• The Jakarta Globe
• Image: Pacific Scoop

On Tuesday 28 February the Australia-Pacific chapter of International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) was launched at Parliament House, hosted by the Greens and attended by some parliamentarians. It is worrying that acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Craig Emerson told Labor MPs not to attend (a rightly ignored by some of the more lion-hearted, including Laurie Ferguson).

That the Greens organised the meeting and that Labor recognises West Papua as an integral part of the Indonesian Republic are not sufficient reasons to expect Australian MPs to ignore the serious human rights abuses on our doorstep.

Letters to our Government by frustrated Australians are answered for the most part by reminders that we recognise the territorial sovereignty of Indonesia, that internal security is a matter for the Indonesians themselves, that the situation in West Papua and Papua is improving, that Australia is dedicated to the promotion of human rights everywhere and that we continue to train the Indonesian military because they are our partners in the region and we help to raise their standards.

This official line fits the Australian-Indonesian partnership, but ignores the Papuan people. The rights of nation-states are not absolute, and where there is engagement in systematic maltreatment of people, no matter where, the rest of the world has an obligation to protest.

There is noble rhetoric in claims that Australia condemns human rights abuses and urges investigation of them. But this is not the experience of the Australian-East Timor relationship.

The previous Australian Government dismissed the findings of the 2005 CAVR Report on the crimes against humanity in East Timor as containing 'errors' (read: accusations against Australia). Official Australian comment on this very large human rights document thereby evaporated, and the recommendations concerning Australia have languished ever since. Read more

Sources

• Sr Susan Connelly in Eureka Street
• Image: A K Rockefeller