Papua is not alone in Poverty

We often heard stories and news about poverty in Papua and West Papua provinces. We also heard about how bad the social and economic condition in both provinces. But do we realise that poverty problem is a national problem for Indonesia?

Social and economic disparities between regions across Indonesia remains a serious hindrance to development. Papua together with other eight provinces including North Sulawesi, West Java, Jakarta, West Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Banten share the problem of poverty.

By realising that we Papuan are not alone in fighting poverty, we can work together with other provinces  by the support of central government of Indonesia finding solution to increase the economic condition of our people. In the free market era, we cannot isolate ourself from the world by retreating to the jungle. We should work hard and think positively for the shake of our children and grandchildren.

The article written by Desy Nurhayati in Jakarta Post is worth to be read by all elements of Papuan.

UNDP – Bappenas report shows regional development uneven

Desy Nurhayati

Wide social and economic disparities between regions across Indonesia remains a serious hindrance to development, a new report on regional development for the 2004-2007 period says.

These gaps were indicated by, among other things, different levels of prosperity and the uneven development of infrastructure, the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) joint report said.

Military purpose, influence in Indonesia

Juwono Sudarsono, Jakarta

The Indonesian Defense Force was established from a myriad group of student brigades, guerrilla militias and irregulars representing ethnic, religious and provincial identities preceding proclamation of Indonesian independence in Aug. 1945.

These guerrilla forces and student brigades were imbued with the guiding ethos that defined latter-day Indonesian defense policy: “Total people’s warfare”, and later on, “total defense and security”.

All services of the Indonesian Military (TNI) are at once a fighting force (tentara kejuangan), a people’s force (tentara rakyat), a national force (tentara nasional) and a professional force (tentara profesional). Professionalism is deliberately subsumed under the preceding three guiding elements. Every single Indonesian soldier, sailor, airman and marine is honor-bound to think and act first and foremost as an Indonesian, to be “first in war, first in peace and first in emergency response”.

About Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage

Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage went to jail not only because of flag raising issue, but also because of their role as the leader of the mobs who continued to attack police and and create clashes.

The background story of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage in the international fora is incomplete, for example separatist activist in the US, Europe and Australia only stressing on the raising flag as the main reason why those two activist should be put in jail. In reality, what was happen during the riots lead by those two activist was very dangerous to the people.

here the backgroud story from Papua Story about the clash

Warning shots in Indonesia’s Papua, one dead

I am sorry for not taking notes on the Wamena incident which has caused one Papuan dead. However, we successfuly pushed Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights to investigate human rights violations and atrocities in West Papua not only based on the latest incident, but also from historical perspective. Someone from Oxford UK reminds me about what happen in Wamena and I am really thankful for that.

Here is the news

(Recasts with one killed in Papua)

JAKARTA, Aug 9 (Reuters) – A man was killed in Indonesia’s Papua province after police fired warning shots when a group raised a separatist flag at a ceremony, an official said on Saturday.

Thousands of people had gathered in Wamena city to mark U.N. Indigenous Peoples’ Day when the incident happened.

“After the speech, a group of people entered the field and raised an Indonesian flag, a U.N. flag, an SOS flag and the Morning Star flag,” said Fadhal Alhamid, leader of the Papua Tribal Council. The Morning Star is a banned separatist flag.

“When the police saw the flag, they immediately fired warning shots and somebody screamed someone has been shot,” he added.

Commission investigates abuses in West Papua

Source : Survival International

Indonesia’s National Commission on Human RIghts is currently investigating human rights violations and atrocities in West Papua.

Research is being carried out on atrocities committed between 1963 and 2002. The results will be presented at a meeting this month.

Reports say the Commission’s research has been met with protests by the Attorney-General’s Office (AGO) in Jakarta, which holds different views from the Commission on past rights abuses.

‘What the AGO wants are legally recognized facts and physical evidence, not just reports and assumptions,’ said an AGO spokesperson. ‘People can say this or that, but where is the proof?’

The people in West Papua have been the victims of human rights atrocities committed by the Indonesian military and police for forty-five years. Those who stand up to protest against this brutality are regularly tortured and killed.

Papuans want to return: Jakarta

For all Papuans in Europe who want to return to the peace land of Papua, who want to support democracy in Indonesia, who want to bring peace to Papua, who want to develop Papua, who want to contribute positively in finding solution for Papua, please feel free to contact westpapuafree@gmail.com

Sidney Morning Herald

Mark Forbes in Jakarta
August 11, 2008

SOME of the 43 Papuans who sparked a diplomatic crisis by seeking asylum in Australia want to return to Indonesia, according to the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirayuda, who has offered to assist them.

In an exclusive interview before talks today with the Australian Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, Mr Wirayuda revealed that some of the Papuans had indicated a desire to return, a development that would be “good for both Australia and Indonesia”. The move would be a public relations coup for Jakarta.

He said Australian pleas could help spare the lives of those members of the Bali nine on death row and cautioned the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, not to “rush” his push for an Asia Pacific community.

New strategy behind separatism in Papua

I think Benny YP Siahaan article on separatism in Papua is worth to be read and discussed. Many activist such as Rev. Richard Samuelson and Benny Wenda are always trying to provoke conflict in Papua. We should pray that those kind of activists someday realise that they pursue the wrong way.

Jakarta Post

Benny YP Siahaan, Geneva

Separatism in Papua is now perhaps the only remaining serious and long-standing separatist problem in Indonesia after the issue of Acehnese separatism was finally and successfully resolved. Following the Aceh peace deal in 2005, it is expected that the Papuan rebellion will follow in the footsteps of Aceh.

However until now there has been no indication that separatist sentiment in Papua is dwindling, in spite of the Indonesian government’s offer of a special autonomy package and various other efforts to win “hearts and minds” of Papuans.

There is a growing nonviolent separatist movement in Papua. In the last few years, we have noticed an incremental change in the strategy of the Papuan separatist movement. This strategy is two-pronged.

New provinces must work hard to catch up with older ones : President Yudhoyono

News from ANTARA about new provinces in Indonesia can depict the picture of problem in West Papua is part of national problem and it happens in almost every new provinces that was created as a part of democracy and people’s demand.

We can start to understand the atmosphere of democracy throughout Indonesia including in West Papua.

Here is the news:

Pangkalpinang (ANTARA News) – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said new provinces should not merely have the spirit to progress but also work hard to catch up with older and more developed provinces.

“The spirit and ideals should be maintained because everybody wants to make progress,” the president said at a meeting with Bangka Belitung (Babel) community leaders here on Friday.