I began to explore the problems of West Papua during the COVID pandemic through human rights forums Amnesty International, Tapol.UK, ICNC and other sites. With the extra time I had during COVID lockdowns in 2020 here in France, I launched the bilingual (French/English) blog, Markus Haluk Papua, on the struggle of West Papuans against Indonesian colonization, as a way to engage in activism as a member of the Indonesian diaspora in France.
I have always enjoyed writing. I’m committed to using my residency in France, where freedom of expression is recognized, as an asset to the West Papuan independence struggle. This is a struggle that is invisible in international news and one that few people know about, beyond those directly involved or affected by it. But I have continued my blog activism, because I am committed to raising the visibility of this largely ignored but pressing conflict. As one of very few online platforms about West Papua, my blog has been visited almost 30,000 times and has about 4,000 readers per month. It is in this context that I recently contacted Markus Haluk, executive director of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), who is based in Jayapura, Indonesia. He has been arrested many times by the Indonesian police for his activism; however, he has such a high profile now and benefits from the protection of church leaders and international organizations.
Jayapura — Victor Yeimo, leader and political figure of the West Papuan independence struggle, has just been awarded the 2023 “Voltaire Empty Chair Award”. The international award in the field of human rights was given to Yeimo by the Australian organistion Liberty Victoria on Friday November 10.
The spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the Papuan People’s Petition (PRP), according to libertyvictoria.org.au, received the award for his persistent struggle for human rights, freedom of speech and civil liberties in West Papua, and because he was considered a strong fighter for West Papuan independence from Indonesia.
It was noted that Yeimo has gone through a long struggle, having been arrested repeatedly, thrown into a police cell, charged with treason and being tried when he was seriously ill. He has been in and out of Indonesian prison many times.
Liberty Victoria is Australia’s longest-standing civil liberties organisation which for the last seven years has continued to aggressively fight for civil and human rights in the world.
Since being established in 2016, the Voltaire Empty Chair Award has been given to people deemed worthy of receiving it even though they have sometimes not been able to attend in person as a consequence of their defense of human rights, freedom of speech or civil liberties.
Victor Yeimo, a pro-independence activist and staunch human rights defender was once placed on the police’s wanted persons list (DPO) by Indonesian authorities after he led a demonstration against racism directed at Papuan students in Surabaya on August 16, 2019,
He has been arrested and imprisoned three times — in October 2009, May
2013 and May 2021 — for exercising his civil rights in leading peaceful demonstrations.
Yeimo’s most recent arrest and imprisonment was on charges of makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) for leading a peaceful protest against racial discrimination in West Papua in 2019. Yeimo was placed in solitary confinement for three months and denied access to his lawyers, family and even medical treatment. His health had deteriorated during the trial process.
In May 2023, the Jayapura District Court ruled that Yeimo had violated the Criminal Code (KUHP) on the pretext that he has disseminated prohibited information. However the was verdict was annulled in July
2023 and he was sentenced to one year in prison.
After serving 28 months in prison, Yeimo was finally released from the Jayapura Penitentiary on Saturday November 23, 2023. Thousand of Papuans took to the streets to greet him and held a parade to Waena to celebrate his release.
During the award ceremony, Liberty Victoria stated, “We are proud to announce that the 2023 Voltaire Empty Chair Award was awarded to Mr.
Victor Yeimo, a strong supporter of West Papua’s independence from Indonesia and international spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee and the Papuan People’s Petition”.
“We are honored that Mr Victor Yeimo has received the 2023 Liberty Victoria Vacant Chair award.”
Comments by Victor Yeimo
After receiving the award, Yeimo spoke about racism in Indonesia, which he said was deeply rooted.
“Racism is a disease. Racism is a virus. Racism is first propagated by people who feel superior. The belief that other races are inferior. The feeling that another race is more primitive and backward than others”, said Yeimo.
“After Indonesia became independent, it succeeded in driving out colonialism, but failed to eliminate the racism engendered by European cultures against archipelago communities. Currently, racism has developed into a deeply ingrained cultural phenomenon in Indonesian society, leaving them with a sense of inferiority as a result of their history of colonisation.”
Yeimo also said that the struggle by the people of the West Papuan nation will never end.
“The 1962 New York Agreement, the 1967 agreement between Indonesia and the United States regarding Freeport’s work contract, and the Act of Free Choice in 1969 were without the participation of the Papuan people.
This exclusion was rooted in the belief that Papuans were viewed as primitive and not entitled to the right to determine their own political fate.”
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Gigih Perjuangkan HAM Papua, Victor Yeimo Raih Penghargaan Voltaire Empty Chair”.]
Jayapura, Jubi – Students and indigenous advocates protested at the Southwest Papua Forestry Office in Jayapura’s Kilo 7 on Monday (13/11/2023), pleading to the Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry to revoke the licenses issued to PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri and PT Hutan Hijau Papua Baratfor forest exploitation.
The spokesperson and action coordinator, Yordan Malamuk, articulated the collective sentiment of 27 indigenous sub-tribes and clans whose custodial rights extend over these lands.
Malamuk staunchly urged the head of the environment and forestry office in Southwest Papua to uphold their aspirations and repel the intrusion of these companies into their ancestral domains.
“As custodians of these lands, we emphatically reject and oppose any operational endeavors by PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri and PT Hutan Hijau Papua Barat within our ancestral territories,” said Malamuk.
Malamuk highlighted the staggering scope of land encompassed by PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri (97,529 hectares) and PT Hutan Hijau Papua Barat (92,158 hectares) within the customary territories of the Moi Tribe, spanning Sorong Regency, Maybrat Regency, and South Sorong Regency in Southwest Papua Province.
The primary concern resonated around the imminent impact on sacred ancestral sites and vital ecological habitats, prompting an ardent defense of the remaining customary lands and forests for the betterment of present and future generations.
Esau Klagilit, the Chairperson of the Papua Indigenous Youth of the Archipelago, echoed the urgency of the situation, appealing to the environmental office to swiftly align with the aspirations voiced by indigenous youth. Klagilit underscored the profound threat posed by these companies to the indigenous community inhabiting the Salkam area and urged the immediate intervention of local government to direct the community’s concerns to the central government.
The collective outcry during the demonstration voiced numerous apprehensions, flagging the presence of PT Hutan Hijau West Papua within the community’s customary territory as a dire menace to societal harmony. Concerns extended to the predicted loss of forests, biodiversity, and habitats, foundational to the sustenance and cultural fabric of indigenous peoples.
Moreover, there was palpable anxiety about the potential repercussions of these corporations’ activities, namely deforestation in indigenous territories leading to global warming and the erosion of environmental integrity, irreparably damaging the cherished and sacred cultural values deeply interwoven with customary forests. (*)
In Indonesia old soldiers never die; they just infiltrate civic affairs, then grab jobs from the worthy and talented young, slowing the economy.
After two decades of being confined to barracks, the Indonesian army is marching back into civil and political life in a country that claims to be a democracy.
This is bad news for smart grads, society and neighbour states. It comes just ahead of next February’s presidential election so the winner will be stuck in the dry concrete of a law they didn’t make and sure to shrink their authority.
During the dictatorship (1966-1998) of General Soeharto the military was ‘participating in every effort and activity of the people in the field of ideology, politics and economics and the sociocultural field.’
The dwi fungsi (two functions) doctrine had the army bossing the cops. There were 38 seats in the national parliament reserved for senior officers and sinecures in the public service.
Soldiers behaved like born-to-rules, demanding free food in restaurants and barging to the front in queues. Some arrogance remains: This story is being keyboarded in a garrison town where siren-shrieking convoys on routine missions jump lights and force other traffic off the roads.
The superiority began to dissolve early this century when the fourth president Abdurrahman ‘Gus Dur’ Wahid separated police and defence. He also tried to make the force professional. The Australian Federal Police have been involved in the reform, but now all could unravel.
Senior military officers have long wanted dwi fungsi back and this year President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo agreed. Regional military commands (Kodam) will be set up in all 37 provinces, ‘to strengthen the national defence system.’ This gives the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI – national armed forces) the chance to spot carpers and subversives.
There’s also a pragmatic reason: The army has waiting rooms of gold braid nearing the 58-year retirement age. With life expectancy above 72 and rising, relevance-deprivation syndrome threatens.
Even though banned from public affairs the relationship continued, though subtly. However innocuous the ribbon-cutting there’s usually a glad-handing man (occasionally a woman) in uniform, an armchair ready on the stage
Comrade isn’t there to guard the invitees, but to show he’s one of us – and to get a feed. They’re good at making speeches and swapping name cards.
That’s not all. Last month came a surprise new law letting TNI retirees take civilian jobs and seats on State-owned company boards. A commentary published by Melbourne University worried about the speed and opacity:
‘The sudden inclusion of the contentious clause, without a draft being made publicly available on the website of the national legislature undermines the role of the (Parliament) of scrutinising laws to hold government accountable.’
The world’s third largest democracy already exists in ‘a state of disorder’ according to a bleak analysis by the Australian-educated Indonesian academic Dr Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir.
He reckons government by the people ‘has never been deeply held onto by the country’s politicians. The growth of illiberal policies is more a norm than a symptom of a decaying liberal order.’
These changes will shove the Republic further down The Economist’s Democracy Index where its been slipping for the past nine years under Jokowi who’d rather focus on civil engineering than civil liberties.
Dr Abdil has argued that from the get-go the President ‘accommodated military figures associated with past human rights violations in his cabinet.
‘This is not simply because Jokowi was surrounded by anti-democratic elites that forced him to abandon his promises of advancing human rights.
‘Rather, Jokowi partnered with corrupt politicians, military figures, bureaucrats and businesses, who then used their influence to repurpose democratic institutions for the interests of their survival.’
The Civil Society Coalitionfears a ‘politicisation’ of the TNI ahead of the election, alleging ‘an aroma of nepotism’ over senior appointments given to the President’s friends.
Electoral democracy is a wriggling beast but this definition is a useful catch-all: ‘A political system in which political leaders are elected under comprehensive voting rights in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.’
Linked is the separation of powers – the administration, the police to enforce internal law and order, and the military to protect the nation from external hostiles.
Indonesia doesn’t face too many because of its size and refusal to join the US or China blocks in their contest for power in the region. It has about 400,000 active personnel.
Recruiters parade patriotism, a desire to serve and to protect the motherland – or fatherland if you’re a misogynist – from real or imagined threats. Essential personal qualities include a family tradition, unquestioning acceptance of discipline, and reluctance to think as an individual. The weak seek a brotherhood.
The more pragmatic and less sentimental joiners list security, pension, pay, travel, learning a trade and getting an education.
Less noble motives are bedroom warriors’ under-sheet fantasies on the power of lethal weapons to solve problems when words fail.
Are these the right people to run jobs in civil society and fill seats on company boards? The Indonesian government thinks so, and will be marshalling retirees from the armed services into civilian affairs including agriculture through the ‘food barn’ programme.
Soldiers who drove desks, counted beans and signed orders to buy munitions may have skills that can be transferred. But those capable only of thrusting bayonets into bodies will have problems sticking paperclips onto files.
Indonesia’s education system is slowly improving. The best tech colleges and universities are turning out bright young pros keen to get working. But they’ll struggle if Dad’s Army gets their first.
That’s not just dispiriting for ambitious candidates with needed qualities. If state-owned businesses can’t pick staff on merit they’ll fail to be competitive.
Should the next president try to scrap the jobs-for-the-boys policy he’ll face the might of the military that’s recovered its power – delivered by a civilian president..
Duncan Graham has been a journalist for more than 40 years in print, radio and TV. He is the author of People Next Door (UWA Press) and winner of the Walkley Award and Human Rights awards. He is now writing for the English language media in Indonesia from within Indonesia.
Erdy Nasrul, Jakarta — Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is monitoring a case of alleged intimidation by security forces against University of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM UI) Chairperson Melki Sedek Huang.
Hamid feels that this kinds of thing should not happen in a democratic country and has condemned the intimidation directed at Huang along with this parents and teachers.
“We know Melki as a student who articulates his views on state policy.
He is critical of the Constitutional Court’s decision on the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates. This is Melki’s constitutional right”, Hamid told reporters on Friday October 10.
Hamid emphasised that intimidation against citizens who criticise the state is a serious threat to freedom of expression and warned that this adds to the list of cases of threats to civil liberties in Indonesia.
“Everyone has the right to state their thoughts without being afraid of threats and punishment”, said Hamid.
Hamid is therefore urging the authorities to investigate the intimidation against Huang, his family and teachers, as well as fellow students, which was allegedly carried out by state security forces.
Hamid is asking that the perpetrators be prosecuted through a fair and transparent legal process.
“The state is obliged to prevent intimidation against individuals who express their thoughts peacefully. The state must also ensure that the duties of the security apparatus are to provide guidance, service and protection. Not suppress criticism”, said Hamid.
Earlier on Tuesday November 7, Huang claimed that he had been intimidated directly and through his parents and teachers in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
“My mother was visited by security personnel at home. Officers from the TNI [Indonesian military] and the Polri [national police] asked my mother, ‘When does Melki usually come home? What are Melki’s activities at home'”, said Melki in a video recording obtained by Amnesty International on Wednesday November 8.
Melki also claimed that he had received threats since becoming the BEM UI chairperson in early 2023. The threats increased leading up to and after demonstrations rejecting the Constitutional Court’s decision on the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates on October 16 2023.
Amnesty International data as of October 2023 has recorded that since the beginning of this year there has been at least 78 cases of physical attacks against human rights defenders with at least 226 victims. These attacks include intimidation and physical attacks, being reported to the police, attempted murder, criminalisation, arrest and attacks against human rights institutions.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was
“Amnesty: Usut Intimidasi terhadap Ketua BEM UI”.]
With spines like a hedgehog, feet like a mole and snout like an anteater, this bizarre-looking animal is hard to miss. But that’s exactly what it has been excelling at for more than half a century, eluding scientists to the point that this weird hybrid-looking species had been presumed extinct.
Now, remarkably, the animal has been spotted casually strolling past the field of view of a movement-triggered camera trap, one of 80 such devices deployed during research project Expedition Cyclops, in the remote and inhospitable Cyclops Mountains in Indonesia’s Papua province.
Full story can be found at link below including video . We have included this story to show the diversity of animals in West Papua and also the link between Echidnas in Australia . The two countries were once joined not that long ago .
The animal in question is actually the Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi), which has, of course, been named after the beloved British presenter Sir David Attenborough. It’s only been scientifically recorded once before, in 1961, by Dutch botanist Pieter van Royen.
“Because of its hybrid appearance, it shares its name with a creature of Greek mythology that is half human, half serpent,” said James Kempton, a biologist from the University of Oxford who led the expedition. “The reason it appears so unlike other mammals is because it is a member of the monotremes – an egg-laying group that separated from the rest of the mammal tree-of-life about 200 million years ago.”
Much like its Australian echidna cousins, this species is notoriously people-shy and does most of its wandering in the dark, usually well hidden in ground cover.
Along with three other echidna species and the platypus, it’s one of only five remaining monotremes on the planet. It’s also listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and has never been recorded outside of the Cyclops Mountains.
Previous expeditions in 2022 had given scientists hope, after discovering distinctive ‘nose pokes’ in soil, a tell-tale sign of the long-beaked animal foraging for ground insects. However, the Expedition Cyclops team had almost given up after four weeks of no sightings despite deploying the 80 cameras across an expanse that, over multiple ascents, saw them scale over 11,000 meters (36,089 feet), a height greater than Mount Everest.
Finally, though, they got lucky: On the last day, on the last memory card retrieved, they had not just images but video of the lumbering, spiky echidna. While hard to mistake, researchers made sure and had its identity confirmed by Professor Kristofer Helgen from the Australian Museum Research Institute.
The team worked closely with the local communities. The echidna holds cultural significance for one such community, the people of Yongsu Sapari, who have inhabited the northern slopes of the mountains for 18 generations. It’s said that when there is conflict, one side is sent up into the ranges to search for an echidna, while the other side heads to the ocean to find a marlin. Because they were both so hard to find, it would often take decades to do so. However, once found, the animals symbolized the end of the fight.
“The discovery is the result of a lot of hard work and over three and a half years of planning,” Kempton said. “A key reason why we succeeded is because, with the help of [Indonesian NGO] YAPPENDA, we have spent years building a relationship with the community of Yongsu Sapari, a village on the north coast of the Cyclops Mountains. The trust between us was the bedrock of our success because they shared with us the knowledge to navigate these treacherous mountains, and even allowed us to research on lands that have never before felt the tread of human feet.”
The echidna is also an EDGE species, which are considered ‘one of a kind’ and close to extinction. This night wanderer has also evolved independently of other mammals for around 200 million years.
The team made many other discoveries on the challenging trip: several dozen new insect species, the rediscovery of Mayr’s honeyeater (Ptiloprora mayri) for the first time since 2008, and a new genus of ground- and tree-dwelling shrimp.
“We were quite shocked to discover this shrimp in the heart of the forest, because it is a remarkable departure from the typical seaside habitat for these animals,” said Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and lead entomologist on the expedition. “We believe that the high level of rainfall in the Cyclops Mountains means the humidity is great enough for these creatures to live entirely on land.”
It was anything but a walk in the park, however. The region is known for being extremely challenging on foot – the researchers found themselves cutting new paths through the dense jungle, where no humans have ever stepped foot before. This is one reason why the Cyclops Mountains is a treasure trove of new species, compared to life beyond the region where human disturbance has been so devastating for the natural world.
Over the course of the fieldwork, Davranoglou broke his arm in two places, someone contracted malaria, and another team member had even worse luck, with a leech attached to his eye for nearly two days before it could be removed in hospital.
“Though some might describe the Cyclops as a ‘Green Hell,’ I think the landscape is magical, at once enchanting and dangerous, like something out of a Tolkien book,” said Kempton. “In this environment, the camaraderie between the expedition members was fantastic, with everyone helping to keep up morale. In the evening, we exchanged stories around the fire, all the while surrounded by the hoots and peeps of frogs.”
The team also collected 75 kg (165 lb) of rock samples and expect many more new animal species to be discovered in future research. The scientists hope to name their future discoveries after members of the local community.
“Tropical rainforests are among the most important and most threatened terrestrial ecosystems, said Davranoglou. “It is our duty to support our colleagues on the frontline through exchanging knowledge, skills, and equipment.”
Krisiandi, Jakarta — The Civil Society Coalition is concerned that there is a politicisation of the TNI (Indonesian military) occurring in the lead upt to the 2024 elections.
Coalition member Julius Ibrani, who is also the chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Foundation (PBHI), said this concern emerged after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo nominated General Agus Subiyanto as the replacement for TNI commander Admiral Yudo Margono.
According to Ibrani, an aroma of nepotism has begun to be apparent because of Widodo’s closeness to Subiyanto who was the Surakarta (Solo) district military commander (Dandim) from 2009 to 2011 when Widodo was mayor.
“The president’s proposed TNI commander, namely Agus Subiyanto, was once the Surakarta Dandim when Jokowi held the post of mayor in the same city”, said Ibrani in a written release on Monday November 6.
According to Ibrani, the replacement of Margono seems to be leading towards practical politics and partisan group interests.
Ibrani said that these interests can be seen from Widodo’s meddling
(cawe-cawe) in the 2024 elections, particularly in relation to his eldest son and Solo Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka who has been nominated as Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto’s vice presidential running mate.
“I our view, the name Agus Subiyanto is rife with political dimensions.
This proposed name also has great potential for misuse by the president in the 2024 electoral contest”, he said.
“Therefore, the wider community should also be concerned about the potential politicisation of the TNI as an institution in the upcoming
2024 electoral contest”, he added.
In addition to this, the Coalition also noted that during his term in office Widodo has often gives posts to people based on their closeness to him.
Such as national police chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo who was Solo municipal police chief when Widodo was the mayor of the city.
TNI commander (now retired) General Andika Perkasa, who once held the post of Presidential Security Guard Commander (Danpaspampres) in
2014-2016 during Widodo’s first term in office.
“[And] TNI commander Air Chief Marshal (now retired) Hadi Tjahjanto, who served as the commander of the Adi Soemarmo Air Base in 2010-2011 when Joko Widodo was mayor of Solo and military secretary to the president in
2015-2016 when Joko Widodo served his first term as president”, asserted Ibrani.
General Subiyanto has not responded specifically to the issue of being “close to” Widodo. When asked by journalists he just smiled and claimed to still be focusing on his position as Army Chief of Staff (KSAD), a position he was appointed to by Widodo only a week earlier.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Koalisi Sipil Khawatirkan Politisasi TNI Jelang Pemilu 2024”.]
Jakarta — The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy is urging Anwar Usman o resign from his position as a Constitutional Court (MK) judge after being proven to have committed a serious violation of the ethics code due to a conflict of interest in the court’s ruling on the minimum age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates.
As has been reported, in the Constitutional Court Honorary Council
(MKMK) ruling, Usman was only removed as the Constitutional Court chief justice and prohibited from taking part in future hearings that could potentially give rise to a conflict of interest.
“The MKMK decision is a momentary opium and an antidote to address the public’s anger which was disappointed and angry with the 90/PUU-XXI/2023 decision [to change the minimum age limit], which has became a culmination of constitutional evil and the death of democracy in Indonesia”, read an official statement by Setara Institute management board chairperson Ismail Hasani on Wednesday November 8.
Hasani said that the public’s angry reaction to the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the minimum age for presidential candidates was not just over the issue of smoothing the way for President Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka to step forward in the 2024 presidential elections. But also about how power can interfere in legal affairs and the country’s constitution.
“Democracy has transformed into vetocracy, where a very limited group of people and interest groups, have orchestrated the Constitutional Court to make it easier for Gibran Rakabuming Raka to participate in the presidential elections by blocking the will of democracy and the constitution”, said Hasani, who is also known as a lecturer in constitutional law at the Jakarta Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN).
Setara believes that the MKMK’s decision proved that the court’s earlier ruling regarding the requirement for a vice presidential candidate was not decided “for the sake of justice based on belief in the Almighty God”, as stated in the Constitutional Court’s ruling, but rather, continued Hasani, was made in the interests of cultivating power.
On this basis, Hasani said that they are of the opinion that Usman should resign from his position as a Constitutional Court judge. “The Setara Institute is urging Anwar Usman to resign from his position as a MK judge, so that it will no longer a burden on the court”, he said.
Separately, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and its 18 Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) offices across Indonesia said that the MKMK’s decision on Usman’s ethical code violations is still problematic and does irreparable damage to the principle of equality before the law.
“It hurts the sense of justice of citizens who have long been traumatised by the New Order government [of former president Suharto] where corruption, collusion and nepotism destroyed the basic pillars of national life, namely the rule of law, democracy and human rights. The MKMK’s misguided justice is repeating the same mistakes”, read a joint statement by the YLBHI and the LBH offices on Wednesday.
“We are disappointed with the MKMK panel’s decision because the decision is a compromises on the disgraceful actions of the chief justice of the Constitutional Court. The MKMK should have made a decision to dishonorably dismiss him. Aside from this, the MKMK made a mistake by allowing the earlier 90/PUU-XXI/2023 ruling to remain in force, which should have been declared invalid”, they added.
The YLBHI and its regional offices said that the MKMK decision that was read out on Tuesday November 7 appears to confirm the public’s doubts about the ad hoc panel led by Jimly Asshiddiqie.
“If you abide with the prevailing legal provisions under Article 41 c in conjunction with Article 47 of Constitutional Court Regulation Number
1/2023 on the Constitutional Court Honorary Council and are consistent with the legal facts proven by Anwar Usman’s serious violations, the entire MKMK panel of judges should have decided to dismiss Anwar Usman from his position as a MK judge and as MK chief justice, not just dismissing him as chief justice of the MK”, said the YLBHI.
Out of the three MKMK members, only Bintan R Saragih had a dissenting opinion that Anwar Usman should be dishonorably dismissed from the Constitutional Court all together.
Furthermore, the YLBHI and its regional offices believe that Usman’s presence will become a burden and a time bomb for the Constitutional Court related to the issue of its integrity, independence and impartiality as a the guardian of democracy and the constitution.
“Therefore, YLBHI and the 18 LBH offices urge Anwar Usman as the perpetrator of nepotism to be self-aware and immediately resign as a Constitutional Court judge because he is no longer fit to hold that position”, they said.
Earlier, the MKMK decided that Usman was proven to have committed a serious ethical violation related to a conflict of interest in the Constitutional Court’s ruling that granted an appeal on the minimum age requirement for vice presidential candidates.
The MKMK also removed Usman from his position as chief justice and prohibited from nominating himself or being nominated as the head of the Constitutional Court until his term as constitutional judge ends.
Responding to demands that he resign from the Constitutional Court, Usman said he has consistently stated that the position belongs to God, as he did when questioned by the MKMK. Therefore he claimed that he will continue to participate in and carry out his activities as a constitutional judge.
“Yes, yes, [I will still carry out my duties as a member of the MK judges], this position belongs to Allah”, said Usman at the Constitutional Court building in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Then at today’s press conference, Usman denied all of the accusations that he was involved in a conflict of interest in ruling on the requirements for running as a presidential and vice presidential candidate. (dis/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “SETARA Desak Anwar Usman Mundur dari MK Usai Langgar Etik Berat”.]
Jakarta, Jubi – Several prominent figures in Indonesia issued a collective plea for a humanitarian ceasefire to stop the ongoing armed conflict in Papua.
In Jakarta on Thursday (9/11/2023), Gomar Gultom, the General Chairperson of the Association of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) announced several notable signatories including Sinta Nuriyah of Nahdlatul Ulama (Former First Lady of Indonesia 1999-2001, Wife of KH Abdurrahman Wahid), Yanuarius Theofilus Maatopai You (Bishop of Jayapura), Siprianus Hormat (Chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference), Marzuki Darusman (Former Attorney General of Indonesia during the presidency of KH Abdurrahman Wahid), and Alissa Wahid (Chairperson of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board).
Franz Magnis Suseno, Makarim Wibisono, and Abdul Mu’ti, though did not attend the event, were declared as supporters of the Call for Peace in Papua.
The call for peace was prompted by the signatories’ reflections on global challenges, including the crises in Ukraine and Palestine, emphasizing the need to address domestic issues.
“On a different scale, the humanitarian crisis that we witness in the world can also be seen closely in the Land of Papua,” said Gultom.
The call underscores that only a peaceful resolution can prevent loss of life and foster prosperity, justice, and well-being in Papua. The signatories expressed deep concern over the armed conflict, urging the Indonesian government and all parties involved, including armed civilian groups, the ULMWP (United Liberation Movement for West Papua), traditional leaders, and Indigenous Papuans, to engage in dialogue and take immediate steps toward peace.
The signatories called for building trust as a crucial first step, urging state officials to collaborate with all segments of society to address the humanitarian crisis and initiate dialogue for a peaceful resolution. They emphasized the importance of dialogue facilitated by trusted, impartial mediators, including national figures and Papuan Alissa Wahid highlighted the dire consequences of armed conflict, including hunger, displacement, and increasing casualties, and emphasized the need for the government to engage with diverse parties to find a new approach for resolution.
Efforts to initiate a humanitarian pause in Papuawere previously undertaken through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by ULMWP, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas), and the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 11, 2022. However, the process faced setbacks after Komnas HAM revoked it on February 9, 2023.
Prime Minister (PM) Charlot Salwai held discussions with Head of State Nikenike Vurobaravu yesterday, following the Council of Ministers’ (COM) decision to recommend the dissolution of the parliament.
The COM, during its meeting yesterday morning, advised President Vurobaravu to dissolve the parliament on Monday, November 13, 2023, citing various reasons.
Principal Private Secretary to the Head of State,Clarence Marae, conveyed that President Vurobaravu will carefully assess the request throughout the weekend and is expected to make a decision on the matter next week.
One major concern raised by the COM is the frequent changes in leadership, with Vanuatu having its fourth Prime Minister within a year. The COM highlighted the recent terms of Ishmael Kalsakau, Sato Kilman, and Charlot Salwai, emphasising the current Motion of No Confidence faced by Salwai.
The COM cited the instability caused by Members of Parliament (MPs) consistently moving between governments. Allegedly, these MPs have approached PM Salwai expressing their desire to switch sides again, raising concerns about the government’s stability.
The COM further argued that ongoing investigations, court cases, and Commission of Inquiries (COIs) into misappropriations and corruption implicated a majority of MPs in the Opposition, raising concerns about potential consequences if they return to power.
The COM also noted the potential decrease in the number of Opposition MPs, making stability uncertain. They suggested that the country might face by-elections in various constituencies due to ongoing legal processes, making a general snap election a wise choice.
Economically, the COM noted the challenges faced by Vanuatu, including the aftermath of recent cyclones and a forecasted slowdown in economic growth.
They asserted that the dissolution of parliament would provide an opportunity for the country to focus on recovery efforts.
The COM concluded that the majority of the public is supportive of the decision to dissolve parliament, emphasising the need for stability. Despite the current State of Emergency (SoE), the Office of the Attorney General (AG) Kiel Loughman advised that the President, on the COM’s advice, has the authority to dissolve parliament under specific constitutional provisions.
AG Loughman said the President may on advice of the COM, exercise his power under subarticle 28(3) to dissolve, as subarticle 70(5) does not apply because the current SoE was declared under the Disaster Risk Management Act No. of 23 of 2019.
Subarticle 28(3) of the Constitution provides: “The President of the Republic may, on the advice of the Council of Ministers, dissolve Parliament.” While subarticle 70(5) states, “Parliament may not be dissolved under Article 28(2) or 28(3) during a state of emergency. If the life of a Parliament ends in accordance with Article 28(1) during a state of emergency, the former members of that Parliament may meet for the purpose only of considering the state of emergency until the new Parliament first meets. “
The 12th legislature was dissolved on August 18, 2022 following a similar political scenario.
This development comes just days before the parliament was scheduled to convene and debate a Motion of No Confidence in PM Salwai.
Australia West Papua Association Adelaide 