In the trial, the panel of judges chaired by Col. l Chk Rudy Dwi Prakamto sentenced First Pvt. Rahmat Amin Sese and First Pvt. Risky Oktav Mukiawan to life imprisonment, with an additional sentence of dismissal from the Army service.
Meanwhile, First Pvt. Robertus Putra Clinsman was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Chief Pvt. Pargo Rumbouw 15 years. Both were also dismissed from the Army service.
“The defendants Rahmat and Risky were sentenced to life imprisonment because they played more roles, both planning and mutilating. While the defendants Putra and Pargo were involved in the middle of the planning and were not involved in the mutilation even though they were at the scene,” chief judge Rudy said in Jayapura City on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
Last year, in August, four civilians were found dead with their bodies already mutilated in Mimika on Friday, August 26, 2022. This case involved six TNI soldiers and four civilians, respectively Maj. Helmanto Fransiskus Dakhi, First Pvt. Rahmat Amin Sese, First Pvt. Risky Oktav Mukiawan, First Pvt. Robertus Putra Clinsman, and Chief Pvt. Pargo Rumbouw. The civilian perpetrators consist of Andre Pudjianto Lee or Jack, Dul Umam, Roy Marthen Howai, and Rafles.
Jayapura, Jubi – Head of the Campus Coalition for Papuan Democracy Marudut Hasugian said his team had conducted field research on politics of natural resource management and the livelihoods of indigenous peoples, especially Papuan women in changing situations. The research is conducted in Kendate Village (Jayapura Regency), Aiwat Village (Boven Digoel Regency) and Rayori Village (Supiori Regency).
The results of the research were written by Cenderawasih University lecturers Elvira Rumkabu, Apriani Anastasia Amenes, Asrida Elisabeth, and I Ngurah Suryawan, and published as books, namely “Hidden Villages Thriving: Livelihood Strategies and Change in Demenggong Bay”, “Seizing Control of Life: The Struggle of the Wambon People in Boven Digoel against Massive Investment”, and “Facing Vulnerability: The Livelihood Challenges of the Sowek People in Supiori”.
During his speech at the book launch held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, Hasugian said the books highlighted the presence of investors who came to utilize natural resources but in reality, creating problems in the community.
“The community has been committed to upholding natural resources for generations through farming and hunting. Now they must do that in the midst of the rapid investment in the Land of Papua,” he said.
The indigenous communities are expected to provide input for the local government on natural resource management, including how to create policies that can protect the rights of indigenous peoples in Supiori, Boven Digoel, and Jayapura regencies.
The research has revealed various efforts of indigenous peoples to strategize in seizing control of their lives in the midst of various policies, investments, migrant influx of non-Papuan people to Papua, as well as exclusion of indigenous peoples and vulnerabilities that continue to emerge due to narrowing livelihood space and other ecological changes.
“We hope the government can provide protection and investors can take a stand to protect the community according to existing local wisdom,” said Hasugian.
Meanwhile, secretary of the Campus Coalition for Papuan Democracy Elvira Rumkabu said the findings of the study conducted by her party reinforced the critical reflections published by Benny Giay in his book “Let’s Take Control: Fighting for the Recovery of this Country”.
“In the book Giyai said that ‘changing ourselves to seize the future is very difficult … We [Papuans] need strength and energy. Therefore, there needs to be internal consolidation efforts in the Papuan community in order to regain control of their lives,” he said. (*)
Alas Papua has yet again come under international scrutiny amid the latest chapter in the violence that the country’s easternmost territory has grappled with for decades. This time around the West Papua National Liberation Army (TNPB), an armed wing of the Free Papua Organization (OPM) rebel group, has taken hostage a pilot working for Susi Air, Phillip Mark Mehrtens of New Zealand, after burning his aircraft in Nduga regency last week.
As security forces deploy to track down the armed group, the TNPB released on Tuesday photos and video, which appeared to show that the foreign pilot was alive and well. “He is safe with our boys in the field, and everything is okay. He’s staying with our friends and family at the […] headquarters. He has good skills, and we will look after him and he will train our soldiers how to fly an aircraft,” a spokesman for the group, Sebby Sambom, told RNZ Pacific.
At one point in the video sent to the media, including The Jakarta Post, the pilot said the rebel group would keep him in captivity for the rest of his life unless Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel are withdrawn from Papua. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said the government was seeking every path to release Mehrtens.
Mahfud asserted that the government would take a persuasive approach in dealing with the abductors, but would remain open to “other options”. A team comprising the Nduga regent and several members of the local legislative council have been dispatched to the outlying district of Paro to negotiate with the group for the pilot’s release, with the police expecting the mission to be accomplished sooner rather than later.
But looking back at the way the government has dealt with the OPM, or popular dissent in general in Papua, there are reasons for us to worry about the endgame of this hostage taking. In 1996 the government entrusted the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus), led by their commander at the time Brig. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, to launch a military operation to release 11 researchers, including four Britons and two Dutch, in Mapenduma district in the Jayawijaya highlands, now part of Nduga. Two of the hostages were killed in the operation, which marked a bloody end to a 130-day drama.
To quell the low-intensity rebellion in Papua the government, except under then-president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid who briefly served in 1999-2001, has consistently maintained a security approach, which is marked by the deployment of military and police.
With two military commands (Kodam) and an Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) brigade, plus military taskforces assigned along the borders with Papua New Guinea and a number of vital state facilities, such as a gold mine and gas refinery, the military deployment in Papua far exceeds that in other provinces.
At the same time, the government has continued to force its will on the Papuans, as most recently evident in the formation of new provinces and regencies there without proper and meaningful consultation with local people. Unless this decades-long approach changes, conflict will continue to plague Papua and other hostage takings will recur and the cycle of violence will persist.
Last November, without much fanfare the government reached an agreement in Geneva with the rebel groups on a humanitarian pause in Papua. But the deal, which aims to temporarily stop hostilities and violence in Papua, has not worked, which rights groups have blamed on a lack of transparency and a failure to involve all stakeholders.
The negotiations to release the Susi Air pilot should serve as a precursor to another initiative toward a dialogue to end the ongoing violence in Papua and bring peace back to the land.
One of the conditions for such dialogue to take place must be the government’s willingness to curtail its ego and listen to the grievances of the local people. For a long time Jakarta has opted to make compromises with the local political elites, which has meant that Papua remains mired in poverty despite the billions of dollars in special autonomy funds transferred to the territory. A genuine, dignified dialogue will free Papua from poverty and hence violence.
“Wah Wah Wah!” came the jungle cry as I watched dozens of OPM (Free West Papua) guerrillas stream down mountain ravines towards our village, adorned in cassowary feathers, smeared in pig fat (to stay warm in the mountain air) and armed with bows and arrows.
They descended for an independence flag-raising ceremony and pig feast in Mapenduma village, in the Nduga highlands of West Papua. They had come to hear speeches from their commanders, including Daniel Kogeya and to meet me, the first journalist to ever venture there.
Nearly 30 years ago, I reported for this masthead on their struggle for independence which had many of the characteristics of neighbouring East Timor’s quest, but none of the publicity. Today their situation remains much the same: a long-running guerrilla war, an estimated 200,000 dead since Indonesia’s invasion in 1963, plus tens of thousands of refugees both internally displaced and along the Papua New Guinea border. Forgotten.
West Papua remains the most significant war in our immediate region, yet few hear about it. That’s because Indonesia forbids all foreign media from visiting, or any INGOs from operating there. It continues to target local journalists. In fact, across the entire Asia Pacific region there is only one other place so deliberately cut off from the world – North Korea. The war undermines Indonesian claims of support for democracy and a free press, while also highlighting the hypocrisy of Australia’s claims to support peace and the “Pacific family” in our region.
Australia continues to back Indonesian forces there. Yet for all the new concentration on Australia’s defence, the only war in our actual neighbourhood is never mentioned in “white papers” or “defence reviews”. Why? It’s the only real war in the Pacific that continues at a time everyone is focused on China.
In late 1995, it was Commander Daniel Kogeya and his men who took seven Europeans hostage some weeks after I left them. An Indonesian special forces operation intervened after three months. While the Europeans were rescued, two Indonesian students – who got caught up in the stand-off – were shot and killed. Afterwards, many villagers were murdered in payback by Indonesian forces.
Kogeya was eventually captured, tortured and killed by Indonesian forces. But his movement continues with the OPM Central Command in the mountains above Freeport mine and is responsible for the latest kidnapping of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens.
The pilot, who has flown for Jetstar and other airlines in Indonesia and Hong Kong, is reportedly unharmed, but there are risks if Indonesian forces attack his OPM captors like they did in 1996. Amid negotiations, the New Zealand government has intervened to stop one Indonesian rescue operation, fearing a violent outcome, perhaps with the 1996 situation in mind. West Papuan leader Benny Wenda has called for his release and blames the situation on Indonesia continuing to block a visit by the UN Human Rights Commissioner for the past three years.
Kidnapping can never be condoned, but context is important. In a region completely cut off from international media and scrutiny, West Papuans have few avenues to publicise their struggle. This is another desperate cry for international intervention since the UN and regional powers have failed them. The UN bears much responsibility since its fraudulent Act of Free Choice in 1969 officially handed West Papua to Indonesia.
More than 50 years later, it appears we can never offend Indonesia even as its military operates with impunity in West Papua. Why are we forging closer defence ties with Indonesia, which maintains strong military and security links with Russia, attacks regional interests and undermines our Pacific “step up”?
Locals believe Indonesia was most likely behind a massive cyberattack on Vanuatu recently which brought down the entire government’s intranet, paralysing its ability to function online for six weeks. This was the most serious cyberattack on any Pacific nation so far and feels like an “Estonia moment” – when that Baltic country became the first nation to come under a sustained cyberattack, by Russia.
For decades Jakarta, Washington and Canberra have been complicit in the greatest injustice found in our immediate region – allowing Indonesia to continue its brutal occupation of West Papua unhindered so as to profit from its considerable resources, mainly by US-owned Freeport which operates the world’s largest gold mine there.
In the end, American corporate interests in West Papua should not be allowed to trump legitimate Australian and Pacific security interests at a time when building a regional Pacific alliance to counter China (and Russia) is the main game. Indonesia seems not to have got the memo and does not appreciate how much criticism Australia gets in Melanesia because of its appeasement of Indonesian aggression. Thus, Pacific nations seek to minimise Indonesian influence while welcoming Chinese engagement.
At a time Australia is pushing its climate change credentials, it seems unconcerned the most significant ecocide going on in our region is the destruction of West Papuan rainforests by oil-palm conglomerates. This is happening in the second-largest wilderness area in the world after the Amazon basin.
Just across the sea from us, 4 million West Papuans remain hostages to war, greed and timid diplomacy. No-one comes out of this long-running tragedy looking good; not Indonesia, not the UN, America, Australia or the paralysed Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), supposed to represent Melanesian interests.
Some see West Papua as “the Ukraine of the Pacific”. So it’s ironic that Australia is helping faraway Ukraine but not the one next door to us whose struggle is equally justified and ultimately more consequential for us.
In West Papua, we remain on the wrong side of history, and humanity.
Ben Bohane is a Vanuatu-based photojournalist and producer who has reported the Pacific since 1994. He is co-founder of the Australian war photography collective DegreeSouth.
Yogi Ernes, Jakarta — Non-active Papua governor Lukas Enembe has spoken out about the issue of Free Papua Organisation (OPM) figure Benny Wenda coming to his defense and allegations that money from his alleged corruption has flowed to the OPM.
He denies that any money had flowed into OPM. “There isn’t any”, said Enembe at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Friday February 10. He was responding to the issue of the flow of proceeds from his alleged corruption to the OPM.
Enembe says that he does not have any links with the OPM and that he is loyal to Indonesia. “There’s isn’t [any link]. Note what I say, NKRI [the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] is non-negotiable”, explained Enembe.
Enembe also claimed that he is not acquainted with Wenda or the Indonesian pilot Anton Gobay who was recently arrested in the Philippines over the trafficking of firearms.
Enembe again insisted that NKRI is non-negotiable. “There’s no link, I don’t know [Wenda or Gobay]. For me NKRI is non-negotiable”, he said.
Potential flow of funds to OPM
United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) leader Benny Wenda’s defense of Enembe has triggered suspicions. The KPK subsequently said that they are ready to investigate whether or not there has been a flow of funds from Enembe to the OPM.
Wenda’s statement in defense of Enembe was initially conveyed in a posting on his Twitter account. He said that Enembe is in danger and must be released. He also claimed that the corruption case that has ensnared Enembe is fabricated.
“Indonesia must immediately release Governor Lukas Enembe who was arrested on false corruption charges. Governor Enembe is paralysed and needs immediate medical attention. Meanwhile he is being detained by Indonesia, his life is in danger”, tweeted Wenda on Thursday January 12.
The KPK then investigated the potential flow of funds from Enembe to the OPM. The KPK is currently gathering evidence.
“Regarding the flow of funds we are gathering evidence, we are of course following the money. So of course we will then investigate the flow of money, we are also studying if other articles can be applied aside from the articles on bribery and gratification”, said KPK spokesperson Ali Fikri at the KPK building on Friday January 13.
Enembe has been declared a suspect in a bribery and gratification case valued at 11 trillion rupiah. KPK investigators are in the process of tracing Enembe’s assets that may have originated from corruption.
“We assure you the KPK is also investigating the flow of funds in the form of converted assets or where the money flowed, if it was given to another party after allegedly being received by the suspect LE (Lukas Enembe), we assure you this is also being delved into”, said Fikri.
(ygs/haf)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Lukas Enembe Bantah Dugaan Aliran Duit ke OPM: NKRI Harga Mati”.]
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Nirmala Maulana Achmad, Jakarta — Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman says that every province in Indonesia will have a regional military command (Kodam) headquarters.
This includes establishing regional military commands in the four new provinces in Papua, namely the provinces of South Papua, Central Papua, Papua Highlands and South-West Papua.
“In line with the order by the Menhan (Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto), and the TNI [Indonesian military] commander (Admiral Yudo
Margono) we agree, later each province will have a Kodam. Later we will propose to the TNI commander, it’s already been proposed. The commander will later propose this to the Kemhan [Department of Defense]”, said Abdurachman following an Army leadership meeting at the Army’s headquarters in Jakarta on Friday February 10.
After being agreed to by the Defense Department and the TNI commander, the next step in the process is to submit the proposal to the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan-RB).
“Of course it will also be discussed with the Finance Minister (Sri Mulyani), because it’s related to the budgetary issues”, said Abdurachman.
It is planned, continued Abdurachman, that the proposal for a Kodam in every province can be agreed to this year.
“This year, it’s just a matter of transfers. For example, at the Lampung Korem [Sub-Regional Military Command] the one-star Danrem [military commander] becomes a Pangdam [regional military commander], later the Danrem becomes a Kasdam [Jakarta Military Command Chief of Staff]”, said Abdurachman.
The TNI currently has 15 Regional Military Commands throughout Indonesia. They are the Kodam I/Bukit Barisan (Medan, North Sumatra), the Kodam II/Sriwijaya (Palembang, South Sumatra), the Kodam III/Siliwangi (Bandung, West Java), the Kodam V/Brawijaya (Surabaya, East Java), the Kodam VI/Mulawarman (Balikpapan, East Kalimantan), the Kodam IX/Udaya (Denpasar, Bali) and the Kodam XII/Tanjungpura (Kubu Raya, Central Kalimantan).
Then there is the Kodam XIII/Merdeka (Manado, Central Sulawesi), the Kodam XIV/Hasanuddin (Makassar, South Sulawesi), the Kodam XVI/Pattimura (Ambon, North Maluku), the Kodam XVII/Cenderawasih (Papua), the Kodam XVIII/Kasuari (West Papua), the Kodam Jayakarta (Keramat Jati, Jakarta) and the Kodam Iskandar Muda (Banda Aceh, Aceh).
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Sepakat dengan Menhan dan Panglima TNI, KSAD Sebut Setiap Provinsi Akan Punya Kodam”.]
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Yogyakarta, Jubi – At least 700 residents fled to four different locations after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. This was stated by the Acting Head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information and Communication of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari through a written statement on Thursday.
Abdul stated that the BNPB Control and Operations Center (Pusdalops) recorded that 50 families fled to the CV Thomas Complex, Entrop. In addition, there were 50 families who fled to the BTN Bank Office in Jayapura City.
Some 200 residents fled to Christ the King Catholic Church in Dok 5. There were also 400 residents who fled to Bhayangkara I. The residents evacuated because a number of aftershocks occurred in Jayapura City on Thursday afternoon and evening.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 occurred in Jayapura City on Thursday at 3:28 p.m Papua time. The shallow earthquake with an epicenter of 10 kilometers deep and located at coordinates 2.60 South Latitude and 140.66 East Longitude caused four people to die and injured five people.
As of Thursday night, the BNPB’s Pusdalops recorded the damage of at least five houses (three of which heavily damaged and two moderately damaged). In addition, a cafe collapsed and fell into the sea, while the building of Jayapura’s Dok 2 Hospital, two churches, a mosque, and a hotel were damaged.
The earthquake also caused the top part of the Cendrawasih University Postgraduate Building to collapse. The Jayapura Mall building in the city center also suffered cracks on the left side of the building, and the roof of the right side of the 4th floor of the building collapsed.
“As an effort to handle the disaster emergency, the Jayapura City Disaster Management Agency together with the Papua Province BPBD and related agencies have set up emergency tents, provided evacuation sites, public kitchens and basic support for the evacuees. The urgent needs are emergency tents and generators for electricity,” Abdul Muhari said, as quoted from his press statement. (*)
. 300 patients treated in tents following earthquake in Jayapura City
News Desk – Earthquake In Jayapura City
10 February 2023
Jayapura, Jubi – Director of Jayapura’s Dok 2 Regional General Hospital Anton Mote said about 300 inpatients were evacuated from the hospital after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. They are now being treated in tents set up on the hospital grounds.
“There are six tents that we set up, and all patients are treated in the tents because the hospital rooms were cracked by the earthquake. The patients accommodated in the tents are from the baby care and the intensive care unit. There is also an obstetrics tent and a mixed tent of internal medicine and pediatrics,” Mote told Jubi on Thursday.
Mote said there were four people from Jayapura City who died in Thursday’s earthquake. They were taken to Dok 2 Hospital but could not be saved.
“There were no fatalities among the hospital’s patients. The victims were from outside,” he said.
Mote said that on Thursday afternoon he had contacted the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to check the condition of Dok 2’s treatment room. The establishment of tents in the yard of Dok 2 Hospital followed the recommendation of BMKG Region V Jayapura.
“The BMKG suggested that several rooms not be used due to cracks caused by the earthquake, therefore we evacuated 300 patients to six tents,” he said.
Mote said the BMKG Region V Jayapura also did not recommend the use of the Emergency Room (IGD) at the hospital. The hospital will soon build tents to provide emergency services.
Mote said he received tent assistance from BPBD Papua Province and the Ministry of Social Affairs. “We are still coordinating with them, if we need tents, we will contact them again. For now, it is sufficient,” he said.
According to him, a number of services at Dok 2 Hospital were disrupted because the earthquake damaged a number of medical facilities and equipment. “Radiology and laboratory examinations are inside the buildings that collapsed due to the earthquake, so the equipment is not functioning. We will do another mapping,” he said.
Nevertheless, Mote emphasized that Dok 2 Hospital would remain open and accept patients. “We will always be ready to accommodate people who come to Dok 2 Hospital seeking health services,” he said. (*)
Translator Ricky Mohammad Nugraha Editor Laila Afifa 1
0 February 2023 12:57 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A spokesperson for one of Indonesia’s most notorious separatist groups known as the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Free Papua Movement (OPM), Sebby Sambom, in a written statement on February 7, explained the reason behind the recent hostage situation. He wrote the reason they took hostage of New Zealander Philips Max Marthen – who piloted a Susi Air plane that was arson by the separatists – is because of foreign countries’ contribution to supporting the Indonesian military.
Sambom claimed countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and European nations must be held responsible for providing arms and training the Indonesian army (TNI) and Police in fighting Papuans.
“Due to this reason, the pilot will be the collateral for the UN, Europe, America, and Australia to talk. Because they sent war equipment to Indonesia and trained them to murder us for 60 years. This is why one pilot has been taken hostage,” said Sambom in a voice recording on February 7.
X
Representatives of the United States in a reply to Tempo’s email regarding Sambom’s demand did not mention weapons and training sessions. The US Embassy did not answer whether they are in communication with the New Zealand pilot. Emails were sent to representatives of the UN, Australia, and European Union in Jakarta but have yet responded to.
Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Yudo Margono on Tuesday said the joint law enforcement team mobilized in Papua has detected the location of the missing Susi Air pilot. He was reportedly taken hostage by local Papuan separatists – identified by Indonesian law enforcement as an armed criminal group (KKB) – at the Paro District in Nduga Regency, Papua, on February 7.
The pilot who operated the Susi Air plane – which was burned by separatists at the airport runway – was Philips Max Marthin. Prior to that incident, the plane lost contact on Tuesday morning.
“Not yet [being evacuated] but [they] have been detected. After we managed to evacuate 15 [local community health center workers], now the priority is to look for the pilot,” said Yudo Margono to journalists on Wednesday, February 8.
However, he rebutted that the Kiwi pilot had not been taken hostage by separatists but had escaped capture after the plane was burned by the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
“The pilot was threatened but eventually was likely rescued by a local resident,” he explained.
The hostage situation was assumed after the separatist group led by Egianus Kogoya claimed responsibility for the incident with the plane and the hostage situation.
Moreover, the separatist leader also demanded that the construction that had been carried out by the Indonesian government on Ndugama land be completely stopped. If development activities are still found, said Sebby, they will threaten to wipe out all existing developments.
“Jakarta cannot play games with us. We are ready personally, physically, mentally, and geographically, we are ready. TPNPB will take over our land again through a total revolution. Jokowi still wants to ‘play’ with us,“ said the Papuan separatist in the audio recording on February 7.
Highlands-based Defense Region Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army, or TPNPB. Photo: TPNPB
A researcher at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta is calling for the immediate release of the hostages including a New Zealand pilot being held by a rebel group in Indonesia’s Papua region.
The rebels in Highland Papua are threatening to execute Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens if their demands are not met.
Five other people were also believed to have been taken hostage in the attack.
The West Papua National Liberation Army has posted an ultimatum on social media demanding Jakarta negotiate with them over independence for the region.
“Pilot is still alive and he will be held hostage for negotiations with Jakarta, if Jakarta is obstinate, then the pilot will be executed,” the statement read.
“We will take the New Zealand citizen pilot as hostage and we are waiting for accountability from the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, the European Union Governments, and the United Nations, because for 60 years these countries have supported Indonesia to kill Indigenous Papuans.”
Researcher Andreas Harsono knows the main spokesperson of the rebel group Sebby Sambom after decades of research in the field.
He made a call to him personally to let the hostages go.
“I call on this group to immediately release all of the hostages including the pilot – it is a crime to kidnap anyone including this pilot,” he told RNZ Pacific.
“I do not know how to measure the seriousness of such a threat but this is a hostage situation, things could be out of control. So the best way is to negotiate and ask them to release the pilot.”
Andreas Harsono Photo: Human Rights Watch
Harsono noted the difficulties in New Zealand attempting to negotiate with the group, particularly given their demands.
“I don’t think it is easy or even internationally accepted to pressure the New Zealand government to negotiate for West Papuan independence from Indonesia.
“It is way too complicated for any country in the world including New Zealand to negotiate the independence of this particular territory but of course the Papuan people have suffered a lot and the Indonesian government should do more to end impunity and human rights abuses in West Papua.
“But this is a hostage situation. The most important thing is to call on this group to immediately and unconditionally release all of the hostages including the New Zealand pilot.”
Harsono said he does not know whether the passengers have been taken hostage, nor does he know if they are indigenous Papuans.
“The area is very remote, only certain people go there, mainly construction workers, and there were killings against Indonesian workers back in 2018,” he said.
Indonesian authorities say it’s facing difficulties locating Merhtens because of the lack of telecommunications facilities in Paro District and the absence of any Indonesian Military or police post in the area.
Jubi TV quotes Papua Police spokesperson Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo saying his party continued to track the whereabouts of Mehrtens and are preparing to go to Paro District.
He said that before the burning of the plane, rumours had been circulating that a rebel group had threatened 15 construction workers who were building a health centre in the district.
“The New Zealand embassy in Indonesia is working on the case,” New Zealand’s prime minister, Chris Hipkins, told Radio New Zealand.
Former Vanuatu Prime Minister (PM) Joe Natuman says allowing Indonesia (by former Prime Minister Mr. Sato Kilman) into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) was a mistake.
“We (Melanesians) have a moral obligation to support West Papua’s struggle in line with our forefathers’ call including first former Prime Minister, Father Walter Lini, Chief Bongmatur, and others,” he said.
“Vanuatu has cut its canoe over 40 years ago and successfully sailed into the Ocean of Independence and in the same spirit, we must help our brothers and sisters in the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP), to cut their canoe, raise the sail and also help them sail into the same future for the Promised Land.”
The former PM graced the West Papua Lobby Team on its appointment with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jotham Napat, this week when he agreed to an interview to confirm his support for the West Papua Struggle as above and admitted the mistake.
During their discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Natuman thanked the Minister and Minister for Climate Change Mr. Ralph Regenvanu and Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, for their united stand for ULMWP to achieve full membership into the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
“When we created MSG, it was a political organisation before economic and other interests were added,” he said.
“After our Independence on July 30 of 1980, heads of different political parties in New Caledonia started visiting Port Vila to learn how to stand up strong to challenge France for their freedom.
“I joined the Team this week because I was involved under then Prime Minister Father Walter Lini, we advised the Political Leaders of New Caledonia at the time to form one political umbrella organisation to argue their case, and they formed FLNKS.
“We created ULMWP in 2014 here in Port Vila, to become your political umbrella organisation. After the child that we helped to create, we must continue to work with it to develop it towards its destiny.”
Like the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Natuman challenged both the Government and the Lobby Team to continue to lobby for ULMWP victory when all MSG Leaders unanimously vote West Papua in as the latest full member of MSG.
“But now that Indonesia is inside, it is not interested in the ULMWP issue but its own interests. So we must be careful here. We have passed resolutions regarding Human Rights and the United Nations have agreed for the UN Human Rights Commissioner to visit West Papua to report on the situation on the ground and Jakarta has blocked the visit,” he said.
Mr. Natuman challenged the Government whether or not to allow Indonesia to continue to behave towards MSG by ignoring the ULMWP demands.
Meanwhile, then Prime Minister Kilman had the same reasoning for allowing Indonesia into the MSG believing that the occupier would sit on the same table to be allowed to discuss the West Papua dilemma. However, it did not work out.
In the latest development, Mr. Natuman thinks new Fiji PM Sitiveni Rabuka is not going to govern in the same manner as former PM Bainimarama, now that he has already ordered the revival of Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs which his predecessor had revoked.
“I also think PM Manasseh Sogavare (of the Solomons) still stands in support of ULMWP. I think the Foreign Affairs Minister of Papua New Guinea has to talk to PM James Marape,” he added.
In his opinion, based on the Mr. Napat’s briefing to the Lobby Team this week, the MSG Secretariat suddenly seems to follow every line to the book regarding the ULMWP Application for full membership of MSG.
“There is no need for the Committee of Officials to control the processes towards a positive outcome to the ULMWP Application. I suggest that you recommend to the PM to revisit the processes,” Mr. Natuman suggested.
“At the Leaders’ Summit, it is the (MSG) Leaders who decide what to talk about in their Meeting and do not allow ‘smol-smol man’ to dictate to you what or how you should talk about in your meeting.”
In addition, he said he was a member of an Eminent Group made up of Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola of Fiji, Roch Wamytan of FLNKS of News Caledonia and Solomons’ Prime Minister Sogavare who produced an MSG Report.
“In the Report we suggested that it was good that Indonesia came in and I personally recommended a Melanesian Nakamal Concept which in Polynesia and Fiji, it is called Talanoa (Process),” Mr. Natuman continued.
“This would allow Indonesia to sit down within a Melanesian umbrella to discuss their issues. Such a session should be chaired by an independent person such as a church leader or chief.
“The Report is there and it should allow Indonesia to talk about their human right issues. Indonesia could use the avenue to hear ULMWP’s view on their proposed Autonomy in West Papua.”
Indonesia could also bring in their other supporters to place their issues on the table for discussion.
Foreign Affairs Minister Napat recommended his “top to the bottom” approach instead of from a bottom up approach, allowing the ‘smol-smol man’ to dictate to the leaders how to make their decisions.
Australia West Papua Association Adelaide 