|
 |
West Papua Report |
||||||||||||||
|
|
As in previous egregious instances of security force abuse the U.S. government called for an investigation and punishment for those responsible. Such a call, while appropriate, fails to address the pattern of such abuses - and unaccountability - over many decades. |
The October
23 Jakarta Post reports that
Djoko Suyanto, Coordinating minister for Political, Legal and Security
Affairs, said that "the perpetrators are indeed military soldiers." In
response to calls from the U.S. and other governments, the Yudhoyono
administration has launched an investigation into the incident, though it
has apparently ignored calls from Indonesian and international NGOs (such as
Imparsial and Amnesty
International) to include the Indonesian National Commission for Human
Rights (Komnas Ham) in that investigation. Some Papuans have called for an
international investigation (see below).
Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro stated that the perpetrators
would be brought before a military tribunal. Military tribunals routinely
mete out light sentences for security force crimes committed against
civilians.
WPAT Comment: Indonesian
security forces are recipient of significant U.S. and other international
training and other assistance. The
Obama administration recently
expanded that long-standing assistance, extending it to Indonesia's
notorious special
forces (Kopassus) which has a particularly notorious record in West Papua (e.g., see
Human Rights Watch June 2009 report, What
Did I Do Wrong).
As in previous egregious instances of security force abuse the U.S.
government called for an investigation and punishment for those responsible.
Such a call, while appropriate, fails to address the pattern of such abuses
- and unaccountability - over many decades. the U.S. government complicit in
the ongoing abuse by refusing to make cessation of Indonesian security force
human rights violations and meaningful accountability for past and ongoing
violations a sine qua non for its continued support. For decades the U.S.
government provided military aid and diplomatic cover to the Suharto
dictatorship's brutal repression in East Timor. The U.S. Government's
feckless response to years of human rights atrocities inWest Papua is
reminiscent of Washington's collusion in the repression of East Timor.
|
|
|
|
Stills from video via Sydney Morning Herald |
|
Papuan Officials Demand and End to Security
Force Violence Against Papuan
Civilians
In the wake of clear evidence of security force torture, the
destruction of Bigiragi village, and extrajudicial killings, three party
groups in the Papuan legislative assembly (DPRP) charged security forces
based in Papua with
behaving very arrogantly. Speaking on behalf of the groups two of the
lawmakers on October 26 called
on the government to take action to end such abuses.
Papua legislative
members Yan Mandenas and Ruben Magai observed that violence against Papuan
civilians continued to be problem "due to light punishments given to
perpetrators, sending the message that taking the life of a civilian could
be a normal matter." The legislators noted that since Papua's
annexation by Indonesia "cases of human rights violation have continued to
increase and none of them has been legally resolved."
Mandanas said that the three party groups
would urge the DPRP to set up a special team to investigate the situation,
adding that "If there are no efforts by the army chief and the chief of
police to solve the problems, we will call for them both to be dismissed.
Calls for
Withdrawal of Security Forces in Puncak Jaya
Bintang Papua reported
on October 29 that officials from the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) are calling for the withdrawal of security forces from parts of
the Puncak Jaya area to enable investigations of recent human rights
atrocities to proceed.
Mathius Murib, deputy head of the Papua branch
of Komnas HAM, explained that following worldwide circulation of the torture
video, the Commission had established a special team and undertook "internal
co-ordination" in Jakarta as well as in Jayapura. He added that a
representative of the central Komnas HAM and a team of six persons have just
returned from Jayapura. Their next step, he explained, would be to
co-ordinate with the TNI and police. That coordination would entail a
temporary withdrawal of forces specifically from the Tingginambut area of
Puncak Jaya. Murib explained, "if the security forces remain in the area, it
will not be possible for Komnas HAM to conduct any investigations there."
Amnesty International among others called for a Komnas HAM investigation of
the recent atrocities. Many have noted that any investigation conducted by
the security forces would lack credibility.
Buchtar Tabuni Speaks
from Prison on Need for an International Investigation
In response to security force violations of
human rights in the Puncak Jaya area, the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB)
called on the government to allow international access to the region to
facilitate an investigation by an "independent team." KNPB Chairman, Buchtar
Tabuni, who is in prison under a 'treason' conviction, addressed a large
crowd in Senatani through a spokesperson on October 28.
|
|
As in We strongly reject any one-sided team that is set up by TNI/Polri, the DPRP, the central government or the Komnas HAM, but we call on the TNI/Polri and the government to allow international access for an independent team to come to Puncak Jaya and Jakarta, and allow access to Papua. |
A summary
of his statement, reported in Bintang Papua on
October 29 and translated by TAPOL follows:
The people of West Papua as
represented by the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB)
along with other elements in society firmly reject an option suggested by
the deputy chair of the Papuan legislative assembly - DPRP - to set up a
fact-finding investigation team to gather information about the violence
recently experienced by Papuan people in Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya.
We strongly reject any one-sided team that is set up by TNI/Polri, the DPRP,
the central government or the Komnas HAM, but we call on the TNI/Polri and
the government to allow international access for an independent team to come
to Puncak Jaya and Jakarta, and allow access to Papua.
There must be an independent team and we reject any investigation set up by
the security forces. Moreover the security forces must be withdrawn from
Puncak Jaya, the security approach must end and a referendum must be held in
order to reach a peaceful solution.
For many years and right up to the present, the Papuan people have been
tortured, robbed and killed by the TNI/Polri. Ever since Papua was
under control, in the interests of Indonesia and the USA, Papuans have been
treated like animals; the video was concrete evidence of the many other
cases happening in West Papua.
All these cases of torture in Puncak Jaya, whether they have been filmed or
not, are clearly the work of the TNI/Polri.
Since the military operations began in Tingginambut, hundreds of people had
been tortured and murdered, and their homes, gardens and livestock had been
torched. Thousands have fled to the forests and had died of starvation. On
15 September 2010, Brimob shot dead three inhabitants of Manokwari but the
perpetrator had been incarcerated for only 14 days on 4 October 2010.
We Papuans are being treated like animals on our own land, and sooner or
later, we will be exterminated. This is why we call on Indonesia to end the
military operations and hold a referendum in order to solve the problem
peacefully.
Sophisticated Cyber
Attack Targets NGO Websites
Carrying Indonesian Security Force Torture Video
On October 27-28, a cyber attack was launched against several
international NGO websites that had posted video footage revealing
Indonesian security forces torturing Papuans (see above). The massive cyber
attack shut down a number of the websites for extended periods. Experts
analyzing the worldwide attack assessed that the coordination and
sophistication of the effort required resources available only to a
government or government agency. It would be unlikely for a single hacker or
a small group of hackers to conduct such an operation.
WPAT Comment: This
cyber attack, almost certainly the work of Indonesian security and/or
intelligence agencies, is consistent with long-standing Indonesian
Government policy and practice of precluding any international monitoring of
developments in West Papua.
The US
Government's Inadequate Response to Indonesian Security Force Atrocities
The Obama Administration, rather than simply condemning the
torture of Papuans by Indonesian security personnel revealed in the infamous
footage which so shocked the international community, has suggested a
specious silver lining. US officials, media reports noted, were "quick to
praise Indonesia for its upfront approach" in acknowledging the role of
security forces in the torture. Media also reported U.S. officials as saying
the undeniable evidence of security force employment of torture against
civilians "would not affect military ties, which form one component of a
comprehensive partnership agreement President Barack Obama is to sign in
Jakarta."
|
|
This U.S. administration, in resuming contact with the Indonesian Special Forces (Kopassus) in particular, demonstrates an even greater willingness than the Bush and Clinton administrations to provide diplomatic cover for human rights violations by the security forces in Indonesia. By foregoing use of its military assistance programs as leverage to insist on an end to abuse, and real accountability for past and ongoing criminality in the Indonesian military and police, the Obama administration is squandering a unique opportunity. |
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence Bob
Scher who visited Jakarta just as the torture video was revealed,
inexplicably told the Straits
Times that "'The TNI has
made great strides in addressing human rights issues and accountability."
Scher, in full spin mode, contended, "The first part is ensuring they have
the right doctrine, they're doing the right training and there's an
awareness of human rights issues. I think it has done tremendous work on
that."
He continued, "The next part is moving forward and ensuring they understand
how they deal with people who abuse human rights. The third piece they need
to address is accountability for past behaviour - and that's obviously the
harder part." Scher also defended the Obama Administration's decision,
announced in July, to resume contact with Indonesia's notorious "special
forces" (Kopassus).
WPAT Comment: The Obama
administration's limp response to the undeniable evidence of security force
criminal actions (atrocities) revealed in the "torture video" makes clear
that like its predecessors the Obama administration is prepared to play the
role of apologist for those forces. This U.S. administration, in resuming
contact with the Indonesian Special Forces (Kopassus) in particular,
demonstrates an even greater willingness than the Bush and Clinton
administration to provide diplomatic cover for human rights violations by
the security forces in Indonesia. By foregoing use of its military
assistance programs as leverage to insist on an end to abuse, and real
accountability for past and ongoing criminality in the Indonesian military
and police, the Obama Administration is squandering a unique opportunity to
secure real reform of these often rogue Indonesian security forces.
Indonesian Security Forces Incinerate Papuan
Village
Sources
in West Papua report the
incineration of a Papuan village named Bigiragi in the West Papuan
central highlands (Puncak Jaya). The assault on the village by 16 personnel
wearing police uniforms transpired on October 11. The perpetrators destroyed
29 homes. There were no reports of casualties among the Papuans or police
who were apparently responsible for the assault. Two villagers treked over a
two day period to report the
attack to the Papua Customary
Council (DAP). They then returned to the village with cameras provided by
the officials and have since sent back photos of the destruction which can
be seen
here.
This Brimob attack targeting civilians is similar to assaults against
villages throughout the Puncak Jaya that have continued for many years. It
is not clear whether this assault was in the context of an ongoing "sweep
operation" which in the past has driven thousands of civilians into the
forests where lack of access to adequate food, shelter and medical attention
has led to the deaths of hundreds.
Human Rights Champion
Passes
|
|
|
|
Asmara Nababan. Photo from vhrmedia.com. |
|
Asmara Nababan, former Secretary General of
the National Human Rights Commission and founder and chairman of the Center
for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (Demos), had succumbed
to pulmonary cancer at the age of 64. Nababan was a courageous advocate
for the protection of human rights and among other responsibilities served
on the National
Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Violations in East Timor (KPP
HAM). That body documented the involvement of many senior military and some
civilian officials responsible for human rights atrocities in East Timor in
1999. None of those named in the report were
ever effectively prosecuted.
Nababan was an early advocate for protection of human rights in West Papua pressing
in particular for prosecution of crimes committed against Papuan civilians
in 1995 military torture, rape and killing of Papuans. He demonstrated
courage in particular by pressing for investigation and prosecution of
military personnel guilty of rape of Papuan women and girls. He concluded
that the ultimate failure to prosecute any of the well-substantiated rape
cases was due to racism.
