West Papua Report
May 2007
This is the 36th in a series of monthly reports that focus on
developments affecting Papuans. This reporting series is produced by
the West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) drawing on media accounts, other
NGO assessments and analysis and reporting from sources within West
Papua. The West Papua Advocacy Team is a non-profit organization.
Summary
David Defeats Goliath in West Papua
Indonesia experienced an earthquake of sorts on April 22 when
peaceful but determined workers scored an unprecedented victory in
West Papua, forcing the gold and copper mine giant Freeport McMoRan
to concede virtually all the demands workers had pressed in a brief
but well-organized strike that shut down production.
Freeport McMoRan has faced many popular risings in desperate
reaction to decades of rapacious mining practices which robbed local
Amungme and Kamoro people of their patrimony, its complicity in
Indonesian military human rights abuse and its environmental
devastation. But this confrontation was different in one key
respect: Freeport lost and the people won. The Papuan strikers were
not intimidated by a military and police show of force in the Timika
area during the strike.
Workers won nearly a doubling of a workers' monthly basic salary.
Freeport also agreed to reestablish its Papuan Affairs Department
and replace several executives who the workers saw as disrespectful
in their dealings with Papuan employees.
Clearly not all Papuan concerns were addressed in the settlement.
Papuans make up only approximately one third of the 9,000 employees
at the West Papua mining site. Moreover, few Papuan employees rise
to management level reflecting a latent racism that infects
corporate and government structures throughout West Papua. As a
Jakarta Post editorial noted: "Human rights abuses, the unequal
distribution of wealth and the disrespect shown by the central
government toward Papuans are among the major complaints in the
province."
April 28 marks a great victory for Papuan workers and more
broadly for the Papuan people. The victory scored by these peaceful
workers vindicates a strategy of peaceful but assertive non-violence
advocated by Papuan civil society in the face of enormous
provocations. Papuan workers at Freeport have scored a victory that
may have reverberations like those of other earthquakes in places
and times of racial, social and political repression such as in the
U.S. in the 1960s and South Africa in the 1980s and 1990s.
Growing Popular Discontent over Failure of Special Autonomy
Approximately 1,000 Papuans staged a three-hour demonstration on
May 1 in Manokwari. Demonstrators, organized by the Communication
Center of Cenderawasih Youth, demanded the dispatch of a U.N. mission
to West Papua, to conduct a review of the "Act of Free Choice"
through which Indonesia annexed West Papua, the inclusion of West
Papua in the UN's Decolonization Committee as a territory whose
political status has yet to be justly addressed, possibly through a
referendum, and for the Government of Indonesia to acknowledge the
failure of "Special Autonomy." During the demonstration, Indonesian
jet aircraft flew low over the demonstrators in an apparent,
unsuccessful effort to intimidate the demonstrators.
On April 27, the "Coalition of Students and people Who Care about
Papua" issued a declaration with similar demands as those voiced by
the Manokwari demonstrators. The declaration documented specific
human rights violations committed by security forces since the
implementation of "Special Autonomy," noted the absence of basic
services in West Papua ranging from health care to education,
underscored the problem of worsening unemployment and the problem of
endemic corruption which has siphoned off funds purportedly provided
under "special autonomy." The declaration also noted Papuan
opposition to the creation of new provinces and regencies absent
consultation with the Papuan people and in violation of the "special
autonomy" law. The declaration demanded a senior level dialogue
between Papuans and Jakarta by August 10, 2007. If such a dialogue
is not initiated, the declaration calls for consideration of
"another option."
Meanwhile, a group of Papuan business people has called for an
end to the "Special Autonomy" status for Papua. It claimed that after six
years the special status has failed to produce tangible benefits for
the Papuan people, notably in the areas of health and education. The
group, the "Papuan Indigenous Business People" in demonstrations at
the Provincial Parliament building in Jayapura, called for a
comprehensive dialogue between Papuans and the Indonesian Government
with the participation by an independent third party. The model appears
similar to that successfully embraced in addressing decades of
repression in Aceh in 2006. The Papuan Indigenous Business People is
part of the Council of Customary West Papuan Chiefs which, in 2005,
organized a 10,000-person demonstration to formally reject "Special
Autonomy".
Defense Minister Sudarsono Fails to Answer Questions Regarding
Plight of Yamo People
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, meeting with human rights
advocates in Washington DC on April 18, was unable to offer any
information about the plight of the Papuan people in the Yamo area
of the central highlands, who were forced from their homes by
December 2006-January 2007 military operations. Questioned about
whether these people had been allowed to return to their homes, or
whether the security forces in the area had continued to impede the
flow of food and medicine to these civilians, Sudarsono simply
responded that there had been "some overreaction" in the conduct of
the Indonesian military.
Sudarsono denied plans to move a new TNI division to West Papua
(although earlier reports of such plans were based on statements
from the Defense establishment). He contended that there were only
12,000 organic and inorganic troops in West Papua and that there had
been no recent augmentation of those numbers. The only movement of
troops into West Papua were part of normal troop rotation.
Responding to questions about restriction on travel to and within
West Papua on UN personnel, journalists, researchers and even
diplomats he acknowledged that this was a frequent topic of
discussion in Jakarta. He said that while the government would like
to allow regular diplomat and defense attaché visits, there many
cases of visa "misuse." "Some people go to places they should not go
and engage in political propaganda," he said. "Papua is an issue
with a high international profile," he said and as a result,
problems are posed for security officials in the area of security
and human rights. He added that the desire for "recognition" among
Papuans was a "legitimate issue," just as it had been for the people
of Aceh.
Displaced Yamo People May Be Able to Return to Their Homes
A respected Papuan in Jayapura has told the West Papua Advocacy
Team that the replacement of the Bupati (Regency Leader) in Puncak
Jaya by a Papuan may set the stage for the return of the several
thousand Yamo villagers displaced by military operations to their
homes. The previous leader, a non-Papuan, had worked with the
military and police to generate conflict in the area. Papuan Pastors
are preparing a team to go to the area to assist the Yamo villagers
in their return to their homes.
Court Supports Papuan Kingmi Church Synod
A May 1 decision by an Indonesian court awarded control of Synod
assets in West Papua to the new Papuan Synod, ending control of
those assets by the Indonesian Synod from which the Papuan Synod
broke away earlier this year. Radio broadcasts have claimed that the
new Synod has a non-religious agenda. It appears that retaliatory
pressure may be aimed at the new Synod leadership.
Papuan Muslims Meet
In early April, Papuan Muslims held an inaugural three-day
congress in Jayapura with several hundred participants. The Papua
Muslim Solidarity group coordinated the gathering. According to
media accounts, the meeting focused in part on strengthening
relations with other Papuan religious organizations as well as with
the public and the provincial and local administrations in Papua.
The Jakarta Post (April 6) noted that Papuan Muslim leaders are
pursuing dialog with the Papua GKI synod, the Jayapura diocese, the
Baptist synod, the World Church Council, tribal leaders, cultural
observers and state and security officials. Plans were to change the
name of the Congress during the session from Papua Muslim Solidarity
to Papua Muslim Council. The Council will have as its principal aim,
improving relations with traditional Papuan Muslim communities, as
well as the promotion of human rights, education, health and
improvements in the community's economy.
Papuan Muslims and Muslims who have settled in West Papua from
other parts of Indonesia comprise over 340,000. This compares with
over 1,150,000 Protestants, almost 410,000 Roman Catholics and
Hindus, and Buddhists numbering less than 6,000. There are an
unknown number of Papuans who practice traditional beliefs. The
Muslim minority in West Papua tend to reside in coastal communities notably
in the West and South with many communities in the disputed new
province of West Irian Jaya.
Efforts by both Christian and Muslim clergy leaders in West Papua
have been successful in precluding serious communal tension although
the continued marginalization of native Papuans as a consequence of
the arrival of more immigrants and Jakarta policies which favor
non-Papuans generate chronic communal tension.
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