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Fears for Papuan activists

TAPOL Urgent Action - October 16, 2012

Indonesia: Police shoot an unarmed civilian and spread a false report on the incident in Nabire, Papua - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. October 3, 2012
Indonesia: Fears for human rights lawyer after threats - Amnesty International Urgent Action. September 25, 2012
Indonesia: Papuan political activist at risk: Yusak Pakage - Amnesty International Urgent Action. August 24, 2012
Indonesia: Three Papuans engaged in a peaceful demonstration were killed allegedly by security officers while 45 others were arrested - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. June 29, 2012
Indonesia: Police shot civilians in a petty fight in Papua resulted in one person died and four others injured - Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal. June 28, 2012

Papuan political activists and human rights defenders are living in increasing fear as a result of an intensifying crackdown by Indonesian police, military and intelligence officers against activists, particularly members of the non-violent West Papua National Committee, KNPB. There are concerns that further acts of terror, intimidation, arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings against activists are imminent.

According to reports received by TAPOL, in the early hours of Tuesday 16 October Indonesian intelligence officers raided student dormitories at the University of Cenderawasih (UNCEN) in Waena, Jayapura in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest Fanny Kogoya, a member of the TIKI network of women human rights defenders, and other activists.

Last week, on 9 October, Simson Yohame, another activist was unlawfully detained and forced by intelligence officers to reveal the whereabouts of Fanny Kogoya and Viktor Yeimo, leader of the KNPB.

These incidents followed the arrests in late September of eight people in the highland town of Wamena after police targeted homes and offices of KNPB members.

The targeting of KNPB activists appears to have intensified after the killing of the KNPB leader Mako Tabuni, on 14 June 2012. Officers of Indonesia's counter-terrorism unit, Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88), funded and trained by Australia, the US and the UK, are thought to have been involved in the killing of Mako Tabuni and the arrest of the KNPB members in Wamena.

Please call or write to the authorities urging them to:

End the campaign of terror, intimidation and violence against human rights defenders and political activists, particularly members of KNPB

Guarantee the safety of Fanny Kogoya, Viktor Yeimo, and others who have been targeted.

End the deployment of Densus 88 to Papua, investigate all allegations of human rights violations by Densus 88 officers and other security forces personnel and bring those responsible to justice.

Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of Republic of Indonesia
Istana Negara
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara
Jakarta Pusat 10010
Indonesia
Tel: +62 21 386 3777
Fax: +62 21 344 2223
E-mail: presiden@ri.go.id

Inspector General Tito Karnavian
Papua Police Chief (Kapolda)
Jl. Samratulangi No. 8 Jayapura,
Papua,
Indonesia
Tel: +62 811 161 777
Fax: +62 967 531717

See also:

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