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Letter to the Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of the Melanesian Spearhead Group concerning West Papua
Australian West Papua Association (Sydney) - March 26, 2008 26 March 2008
Dear Prime Minister
On behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (Sydney), I am writing to you concerning the issue of West Papua. We would first like to congratulate the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) on the opening of its new Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatu. We note that the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) summit will be held in April in Vanuatu and the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) urges the MSG to discuss,
1. the deteriorating human
rights situation in West Papua at the upcoming meeting
2. the granting of observer
status to the people of West Papua at the MSG
3. Special Autonomy
1) Human rights situation in West Papua.
The Australia West Papua Association believes that the situation in West Papua is dangerously deteriorating and could lead not only to further human rights abuses in West Papua but also lead to instability in the region. We understand that you are aware of the issues of concern in West Papua but we would like to bring your attention to a number of recent reports that raise grave concerns about the human rights situation in the territory.
Reports
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms Hina Jilani, who visited Indonesia in 2007, said in her report on her mission to Indonesia (released January 2008) "that there is a climate of fear in West Papua".
The following is an extract from her report in relation to West Papua.
"A climate of fear undeniably prevails in West Papua, especially for defenders engaged with the rights of the Papuan communities to participation in governance, control over natural resources and demilitarization of the province. The situation of these defenders does not seem to have eased, and despite the adoption of the Special Autonomy Law in 2001, their legitimate activities for the protection of human rights continue to be targeted. The Special Representative heard credible reports of incidents involving arbitrary detention, torture, and harassment through surveillance. She was also informed of cases where human rights defenders had been threatened with prosecution by members of the police and the military. It was alleged that when defenders had attempted to register their complaints, that had been denied and they had been threatened. Instances of excessive and disproportionate use of force when policing peaceful demonstrations were also brought to her attention".
The full report can be found at http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=&docid=47baaeb62
The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak also undertook a visit to Indonesia from 10 to 23 November 2007. His report was released on the 7 March 2008. As the military and police have conducted operations in West Papua over the last few years we would like to bring your attention to the following extract from the report Excessive violence during police and military operations:
"The Special Rapporteur has received consistent allegations about the use of excessive force by security forces[1]. It is reported that in particular in Papua, mobile paramilitary police units (Brigade Mobil or Brimob) have routinely been engaging in largely indiscriminate village "sweeping" operations in search of alleged independence activists and their supporters, or raids on university boarding houses, using excessive force. Recently, allegations have been made about incidents in border areas, where the military is strengthening its presence. The Special Rapporteur considers that these consistent allegations from a number of credible sources, combined with the quasi-total impunity, are of serious concern. He notes that the heavy restrictions placed on travel within Papua restricts effective information flow, which is fundamental to the protection of human rights".
The Special Rapporteur's full report on his mission to Indonesia can be found at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/7session/reports.htm
Amnesty International (USA) is also concerned about reports of human rights violations in Indonesia and in its country report for 2007 on Indonesia stated, 'In Papua, cases of extrajudicial executions, torture and excessive use of force were reported. Across the country, ill-treatment or torture in detention facilities and police lock-ups continued to be widely reported".
Recent events
As recently as the 13 March 2008, at the opening of a regional conference of Baptist Churches in Magi, Jayawijaya regency in the Highlands of West Papua, the Revd Socratez Sofyan Yoman and other delegates to the conference were intimidated by armed soldiers. The Revd Socratez Sofyan Yoman who is President of the Fellowship of West Papuan Baptist Churches reported that the Magi regional Head of Police, the Military Commander, the Head of District and the Post 756 Military Commander came to the opening of the Church conference with five armed Indonesian soldiers. They took photographs and walked amongst the delegates intimating them.
Also on the 13 March in Manokwari at a demonstration, 13 people were arrested for carrying the West Papuan National flag, The Morning Star. Although two were later released a number of people are still held in custody.
2) Granting of observer status to the people of West Papua
We note that observer status is accorded to the people of Kanaky (New Caledonia) at the MSG, represented by the Front de Liberation National Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS). We believe the time is now right for the Melanesian people of West Papua to be also granted observer status at the MSG.
AWPA believes that regional organisations such as the MSG can play an important role in helping facilitate dialogue between the West Papuan leadership and the Indonesian Government. The West Papuan people have been calling on the international community for years to support such dialogue as a way of solving the many issues of concern in West Papua.
We urge the MSG at its upcoming meeting in April to grant observer status to the Melanesian people of West Papua, as it has to the Melanesian people of Kanaky (New Caledonia).
3) Special Autonomy
In 2001, President Megawati and the Indonesian Government approved a Special Autonomy package for West Papua as well as allowing a name change for the province to "Papua". It was hoped this autonomy package would dampen support for independence. Although the package appeared generous in that the central government would return up to 70% of the province's revenue, it was rejected by the West Papuan people. This refusal at what appears to be a very generous package surprised the central government who seem to have great difficulty believing the fact that the West Papuan people want their freedom. But the Indonesian Government was never really committed to Special Autonomy and this was confirmed when President Megawati in 2003, issued Presidential Instruction No. 1/2003, to divide Papua into three separate provinces.
All the divisions of West Papua have contradicted Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for West Papua. It proves to the West Papuan people that the Indonesian government was never really committed to special autonomy and it is one of the reasons that special autonomy has been rejected by the West Papuan people". It now appears that West Papua will again be split into more provinces which will mean more military and more police in an already over militarized West Papua. It also means more bureaucrats and more migrants. The only people who will not benefit from these proposed provinces are the West Papuan people.
As the West Papuan people have rejected Special Autonomy, AWPA believes it is pointless for the international community to continue to say that the West Papuan people should accept autonomy as the best way forward. AWPA urges the MSG to encourage the Indonesian Government to dialogue with the West Papuan leadership concerning "all" the issues of concern in West Papua. This is what the West Papuan people are asking for, dialogue with Jakarta.
Congressmen Faleomavaega and Payne: Comments on autonomy and access to West Papua
In their letter dated March 5, 2008 to Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, and Congressman Donald Payne, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, jointly requested Indonesia to end unreasonable restrictions on international access to West Papua. (We have attached the complete text of their letter).
Congressmen Faleomavaega and Payne concluded their letter by stating,
"Continued refusal by your military to allow our access to Jayapura and other parts of Indonesia will inevitably call into question the seriousness of your government's assurances to us regarding your intent to implement Special Autonomy and to end unreasonable restrictions on international access to West Papua."
Land of peace
The West Papuan people are committed to West Papua being a Land of Peace and all demonstrations by the West Papuan people are conducted peacefully. However, the response by the Indonesian security forces is usually to arrest and intimidate those involved in such protests. These acts of intimidation by the security forces are causing increasing tension and instability in West Papua. The issue of West Papua will not disappear and AWPA believes that regional organisations such as the MSG can play a leading role in helping facilitate dialogue between the West Papuan leadership and the Indonesian Government. For years the West Papuan people have been calling on the international community to support such dialogue as a way of solving the many issues of concern in West Papua.
We know from history that dialogue is the beginning of the political resolution of such conflicts. To quote from Nelson Mandela, "One of our strongest weapons is dialogue".
The Australia West Papua
Association urges the MSG to:
raise the human rights situation
in West Papua with the Indonesian President and urge the Indonesian President
to control his military and police in West Papua.
to ask the Indonesian President
to release all political prisoners in West Papua as a sign of good fate
to the West Papuan people.
to grant observer status
to the Melanesian people of West Papua at the MSG and to also support observer
status for West Papua at the Pacific Islands Forum.
We also urge the MSG to
send a fact finding to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation
in the territory.
Yours sincerely
Joe Collins Secretary AWPA (Sydney)
Australia West Papua Association
(Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction,
Sydney, Australia 2088
Ph/fax 61.2.99601698
email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au
See also:
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