Vitorio Mantalean, Jakarta — The General Elections Commission (KPU) was again the target of scores of demonstrators on Wednesday January 18.
This time it was a protest by a group calling itself the Indonesian Independent People’s Union National Leadership Board (DPN SRMI).
The demonstrators began arriving at the KPU along with the command vehicle at 2 pm. They wore red clothing, brought banners with the SRMI logo on them and carried posters with criticism against the election organising institution.
“Continue the elections? An audit first KPU”, read a message on one of the posters brought by the demonstrators.
“The KPU must be fair in its thinking”, called a speaker. “There were parties that didn’t pass [the verification process] but were then passed, there were parties that passed but then were not passed. The KPU must not side with the oligarchy, but side with the people”, reiterated the speaker.
These calls were related to reports of alleged electoral fraud committed by the KPU during the factual verification process for political parties to take part in the 2024 elections.
Last week, this alleged fraud was the conveyed to the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II by a groups of non-government organisations (LSM) calling themselves the Civil Society Coalition for Safeguarding Clean Elections.
“Many figures have reported fraud by the KPU, some have gone to the DPR, the Bawaslu [Elections Supervisory Board], the DKPP [Election Organisers Ethics Council], saying that the KPU is not working professionally and is an accomplice of a certain group. Yet the KPU is not allowed to be involved in politics, let alone be a party accomplice”, said another speaker.
The protest action proceeded without incident although Jalan Imam Bonjol in front of the KPU offices became congested. Aside from the demonstrators, there were also children on the command vehicle.
Earlier, DPN SRMI General Chairperson Wahida Baharuddin Upa said that they have three demands for the KPU.
“Immediately audit the KPU. Reveal the Sipol (Political Party Information System) data on the political parties to the people. Halt the election process”, said Upa, who is also the Chairperson of the Justice and Prosperity People’s Party (PRIMA).
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Massa SRMI Demo KPU RI Minta Pemilu Ditunda dan Audit Data”.]
Jakarta — The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy has reminded President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo that there is still widespread opposition to minority groups performing worship and the establishment of houses of workers in several parts of Indonesia.
Setara Institute research director Halili Hasan said that the factual situation is that the problems of performing worship and establishing places of worship in Indonesia are far more serious than conveyed by Widodo.
“It needs to be pointed out that the factual situation on problems of performing worship and establishing places of worship in Indonesia are more serious than what was conveyed by the President”, said Hasan in a press release on Tuesday January 17.
Hasan noted that between 2007 and 2022 there were 573 incidents of harassment related to performing worship or places of worship. This harassment targeted minority groups and ranged from disbanding or opposing worship, rejecting places of worship, intimidation, vandalism to arson.
“There were 573 incidents of harassment of worship and places of worship over the last decade”, he said.
Hasan is urging Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian to abolish the discriminative stipulations in Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) 2.
According to Hasan, the administrative requirements in the decree requiring support from 90 congregation members and 60 people outside of the congregation to build a house of worship obstructs the constructional rights of people to freedom of worship.
“The Setara Institute proposes that permission for the establishment of place or houses of worship be taken over by the central [government] through administrative mechanisms that are made easier and are simplified”, he said.
Earlier, President Widodo reprimanded village heads over cases of intolerance when non-Islamic religious communities faced difficulties performing worship because they are a minority in the area.
Widodo emphasised that all religious communities are entitled to freedom of religion and worship. He reminded them that this is guaranteed under the 1945 Constitution.
“Careful! Those who are Christians, Catholics, Hindus, and Confucians, be careful, they have the same rights in terms of performing worship, the same rights to freedom of religion and worship”, said Widodo at a
2023 National Village Head Coordination Meeting and Regional Leadership Coordinating Forum in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday January 17.
Widodo said he does not want rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution ignored. He warned the village heads not to let residents’
rights be revoked by agreements.
“There’s a FKUB [Forum for Religious Harmony] for example, there’s an agreement that they’re not allowed to build a place of worship. Careful, the constitution guarantees this. There are regulations by mayors, there instructions by regents. Careful, we must understand this problem”, he said. (mnf/fra)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Setara Ingatkan Jokowi Masih Ada Masalah Pendirian Rumah Ibadah”.]
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ng Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian to abolish the discriminative stipulations in Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) 2.
According to Hasan, the administrative requirements in the decree requiring support from 90 congregation members and 60 people outside of the congregation to build a house of worship obstructs the constructional rights of people to freedom of worship.
“The Setara Institute proposes that permission for the establishment of place or houses of worship be taken over by the central [government] through administrative mechanisms that are made easier and are simplified”, he said.
Earlier, President Widodo reprimanded village heads over cases of intolerance when non-Islamic religious communities faced difficulties performing worship because they are a minority in the area.
Widodo emphasised that all religious communities are entitled to freedom of religion and worship. He reminded them that this is guaranteed under the 1945 Constitution.
“Careful! Those who are Christians, Catholics, Hindus, and Confucians, be careful, they have the same rights in terms of performing worship, the same rights to freedom of religion and worship”, said Widodo at a
2023 National Village Head Coordination Meeting and Regional Leadership Coordinating Forum in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday January 17.
Widodo said he does not want rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution ignored. He warned the village heads not to let residents’
rights be revoked by agreements.
“There’s a FKUB [Forum for Religious Harmony] for example, there’s an agreement that they’re not allowed to build a place of worship. Careful, the constitution guarantees this. There are regulations by mayors, there instructions by regents. Careful, we must understand this problem”, he said. (mnf/fra)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Setara Ingatkan Jokowi Masih Ada Masalah Pendirian Rumah Ibadah”.]
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When is a purge a genocide? When a young Australian researcher finds solid evidence that’s long eluded international scholars, proving the minds of millions have been poisoned with lies.
Dr Jess Melvin is an award-winning academic at Sydney Uni. In 2018 she published The Army and the Indonesian Genocide using official Indonesian documents.
Her book – since released in Indonesian – conclusively showed that the mass slaughter across Indonesia of real or imagined Communists in 1965 and 66 was not an impulsive uprising of angry peasants, but government-organised mass murder.
Almost six decades after the mutilated bodies of at least half-a-million were thrown in rivers and shallow graves, relatives and friends of the victims have often been too frightened to speak. That’s because the official version has become embedded as the one truth ensuring all other accounts are heretical.
Now the deceived may find the courage to condemn as President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo has spoken: ‘With a clear mind and earnest heart, I as Indonesia’s head of state admit that gross human rights violations did happen in many occurrences. I have sympathy and empathy for the victims and their families.’
The apology follows recommendations made by a team he set up to look into severe cases of human rights violations and suggest non-judicial resolutions. There are 11 others, but the post-coup killings are the worst. Significantly he included West Papua where a prolonged and poorly reported insurgency continues.
In Indonesia the President’s statement has been getting applause, but the clappers forget that 23 years earlier the late fourth president Abdurrahman (Gus Dur) Wahid had already publicly apologised to victims and survivors of the massacres and detentions.
Some background:
During his 1945-1965 rule, founding president Soekarno ran an anti-imperialist Jakarta, Beijing, Pyongyang axis’ policy terrifying the West. When he started Konfrontasi with Malaya as the former British colony moved towards independence, Western strategists feared a second front would weaken the war in Vietnam.
Not all were on Soekarno’s side. The military imagined a peasants’ revolt as the Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI) cracked its knuckles, so aroused the West. General Soeharto ousted Soekarno after the coup, consolidating his position by declaring martial law, banning free media and launched saturation promotion of only one narrative.
A crude film Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI (Treachery of G30S/PKI) was regularly telecast on the state channel TVRI. Viewing was compulsory at schools every October, though the graphic scenes would rate it R in the West.
Hundreds of thousands of intellectuals, artists and writers were exiled on remote Buru island for years. None faced court.
Although the coup is still officially labeled Communist, it was long suspected the military was involved, covertly aided by UK MI5 and US CIA operatives.
Following the putsch, a massive slaughter of real and imagined reds began. The army said the killings were spontaneous, driven by the people’s anger at the generals’ deaths. In reality soldiers were handing lists of suspects to civilian militias, and supplying machetes and guns to the vengeful.
That didn’t concern Australian PM Harold Holt who told the New York Times: ‘With 500,000 to 1 million Communist sympathisers knocked off, I think it’s safe to assume a reorientation has taken place.’
In 2017 a US National Security Archive release of Jakarta Embassy papers showed diplomats ‘were documenting tens of thousands of killings by the military, paramilitary groups, and Muslim militias’.
Most visitors don’t know Bali’s sands are blood-soaked. The death squads were brutally active on the so-called isle of peace and harmony where Australians love to frolic. Few of the 80,000 victims, including women and children, were active PKI members but targeted in revenge killings often involving land and community disputes.
On the island of Flores, Catholic priests stood back while their parishioners were chopped and shot.
Overseas historians reckoned – but couldn’t prove – the slaughter was engineered by the military. That assumption is now concrete, thanks to Melvin collecting 3,000 pages of original army documents during a field trip to Aceh.
During the 2014 presidential campaign Widodo promised an investigation into the genocide. That was wiped from his agenda. Instead he’s been photographed watching and approving the ghastly film.
In 2012 a Komnas HAM ( the National Commission on Human Rights) report to the Attorney General recommended a full legal investigation to bring the perpetrators to account. The Attorney General refused, claiming ‘not enough evidence’.
“This is simply a lie,’ Melvin told this column. ‘I think it’s hard to see the President’s announcement as anything other than a cynical attempt to salvage his legacy ahead of next year’s general election.
‘He came to power with the promise of resolving Indonesia’s past human rights abuses and yet he has done very little in this regard. This latest announcement is further evidence of just how hollow these attempts have been.
‘My greatest concern is that the latest charade may actually make the situation more difficult for survivors. Similar promises were made in 2020 to provide ‘urgent assistance’ to civilian conflict victims in the province of Aceh (North Sumatra) but not a single rupiah has been received. (An intermittent independence campaign between 1976 and 2005 took an estimated 15,000 lives and displaced thousands. In 2006 the World Bank gave US $20 million to 1,724 ‘conflict affected villages.’)
‘If Jokowi is serious about salvaging his legacy, he should begin by accepting Komnas HAM’s recommendations and launch a judicial investigation into the events of 1965-66. At the same time, he should concentrate of ensuring that promised assistance is actually delivered to human rights victims and their families.’
(Some background info first appeared in Pearls & Irritations in 2020).
Dozens of Wouma residents above and below when blocking the Wouma – Kurima road access and burning car tires from 09 – 11.20 Papua Time on Wednesday, 17/1/2023 morning.(Jubi/Imma Pele)
Wamena, Jubi – Dozens of residents from the Upper Wouma and Lower Wouma of Jayawijaya Regency, Mountainous Papua Province blocked road access, precisely at the junction of Wouma, Welesi and Assolokobal which connects Wamena and Kurima.
Based on Jubi‘s observation, dozens of residents have blocked road access and burned car tires in the middle of the road since Wednesday morning, January 18, 2023, at 9 a.m. local time.
One of the action coordinators, Kaitanus Ikinea, said the reason for blocking the road access was related to the planned grant of 72 hectares of land by the Welesi community to the Mountainous Papua Provincial Government.
Some time ago, representatives of the Welesi Customary Territory Care Team came to the Governor’s office and met with Mountainous Papua Acting Governor Nikolaus Kondomo and Acting Secretary Sumule Tumbo discussing the plan to grant 72 hectares of land to the provincial government.
The people, however, disputed because the land offered are borders between the Welesi and Wouma regions. The Wouma residents said there was no coordination or joint meeting involving them regarding the land grant.
Jayawijaya Police chief Adj. Sr. Hesman Napitupulu who arrived at the location of the blockade, then made negotiation efforts with local residents.
Napitupulu invited Wouma residents to the police headquarters to discuss the problem. The residents were willing to reopen access to the road and extinguish the fire so that the traffic flow returned to normal.
Furthermore, at the Jayawijaya Police Headquarters, residents of Upper and Lower Wouma discussed the issue with community leaders and the Mountainous Papua Administration officials.(*)
Jakarta, Jubi – Inactive Papua Governor Lukas Enembe was taken by investigators of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital on Tuesday night, January 17, 2023, at around 8 p.m. Jakarta time, or 10 p.m. Papua time.
“Lukas Enembe was admitted to the Kartika II Room of Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital. I got the notification of the Suspension Notice at 9 p.m., therefore I estimate that Lukas Enembe was admitted to the hospital at around 8 p.m.,” said Emanuel Herdyanto in a written statement received by Jubi on Wednesday, January 18.
He added that earlier on Tuesday morning, the legal team planned to visit Lukas Enembe at the KPK Detention Center but were unable to because Lukas Enembe was taken to the KPK Red and White Building for questioning. Later at noon, the legal team received news that KPK investigators took Lukas Enembe to the Army Hospital to be examined because his leg was swollen.
“The results of the examination came out at 7 p.m., saying Lukas Enembe had to be hospitalized,” said Emanuel, adding he did not know Lukas Enembe would be hospitalized for how long.
Emanuel said the legal team had coordinated with the KPK so that Lukas Enembe’s personal physician, Anton Mote, could examine Lukas Enembe’s condition.
“The KPK allows personal doctors to visit but first we must send a letter of request to the KPK,” said Emanuel.
Responding to the results of the medical examination, Emanuel said that Lukas Enembe was indeed in a state of illness and needed to be treated at the hospital. “Indeed, Lukas Enembe is sick and needs to be hospitalized,” said Emanuel. (*)
News Desk – Viktor Yeimo’s Treason Trial 18 January 2023
Viktor Yeimo left in red shirt and hat with his legal counsel Emanuel Gobay while waiting for a hearing at Jayapura District Court 8211 JubiTheo Kelen
Jayapura, Jubi – International spokesperson of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Viktor Yeimo, who is currently tried for alleged treason, complained about the condition of his detention room at Abepura Prison. He conveyed it during the reading of the Public Prosecutor’s response to his exception at the Jayapura District Court on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
On February 21, 2021, the public prosecutor charged Viktor Yeimo with treason for his involvement in the Papuan anti-racism rally that turned into a mass rampage in Jayapura City on August 29, 2019. The public prosecutor charged four different articles, namely Article 106 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (jointly committing treason with the intention to separate part and territory of the state), Article 110 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code (conspiring to commit treason), Article 110 paragraph (2) to 1 of the Criminal Code (attempting to move others to commit or participate in committing, or providing assistance at the time of committing, or providing opportunity, means or information to commit the crime of treason), Article 160 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (orally or in writing inciting to commit a criminal act, violence against the public authority or disobeying either the provisions of the law or an official order given under the provisions of the law).
In Tuesday’s hearing, Yeimo’s legal team asked the panel of judges to give Yeimo the opportunity to convey the conditions of the cell where he was detained. Yeimo then explained that his detention room at Abepura Prison was cramped he could not straighten his legs when lying down and sleeping.
During sleep, he has to fold his legs in order to sleep. According to him, if it rains, rainwater will enter his detention room. “My detention room in Abepura prison is small, therefore I have to fold my legs to sleep. If it rains, rainwater enters the room,” Yeimo said.
Yeimo also complained about the absence of a bed in his cell. Yeimo, who has tuberculosis, is worried that his health will worsen if he sleeps without a bed.
“I sleep on a mattress on the floor. I’m worried that my lungs can’t stand it,” he said.
Yeimo said he had discussed the condition of his cell with the head of Abepura prison. “I hope they will consider a solution so that I don’t have to sleep without a bed,” he said.
In the hearing, Yeimo’s legal counsel, the Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition said it had submitted a letter requesting that Viktor Yeimo’s detention status be transferred to city detention. Lawyer Emanuel Gobay said the letter was submitted on January 11, 2023 for the sake of their client’s health.
“I have submitted to the court a letter requesting a transfer of status to city detention. I hope the panel can consider it,” said Gobay.
However, Chief Judge Mathius said the panel of judges had not yet received the Coalition’s request. Mathius said the panel of judges would consider the matter after receiving the letter. He also asked the legal counsel to coordinate with the prosecutor regarding the condition of Viktor Yeimo’s detention room at Abepura prison.
After listening to complaints from Viktor Yeimo and the presentation of his legal counsel, the panel of judges adjourned the hearing until January 24, 2023. The next session will hear the reading of an interlocutory decision from the panel of judges on the defense counsel’s exception and response to the exception submitted by the prosecutor. (*)
Plh Immigration Office Class II TPI Merauke, Rohtuhaman Saragih – Jubi/documents
Merauke, Jubi – The Merauke Class II Immigration Office continues to monitor the presence of 79 foreign nationals in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province. These foreigners work in a number of companies, and some are clergy.
Merauke Class II Immigration Office acting head Rohtuhaman Saragih told Jubi on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, the 79 foreigners consist of 39 South Koreans, 21 Chinese, six Pakistanis, five Americans, two Dutch citizens, two Thais, two Yemeni citizens, an Indian, and a Malaysian.
“We have an intelligence division and immigration enforcement that supervises the 79 foreigners. In addition, we also monitor the entry and exit of people at Mopah Airport, whenever there are foreigners, they are immediately checked,” said Saragih.
Saragih said that the 79 foreigners in Merauke Regency have different residence permits. Nine people have a permanent residence permit (ITAP), 62 people have a limited stay permit (ITAS), and eight people have a visiting permit (ITK).
“Their documents are complete and registered with Immigration. Even so, we are not careless. We still keep an eye on them, including monitoring at the airport. There are our members who are ready to check whenever a foreigner enters or leaves,” he said.
“If there are violations committed by foreigners, we will take action according to the Immigration Law,” he continued.
If there are violations by foreigners such as staying in Merauke Regency even though their residence permit has expired, then the person concerned will be secured and processed under the Immigration Law.
News Desk – Violence Against Journalists 17 January 2023
Jayapura, Jubi – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has launched a security report of journalists in Indonesia throughout 2022, which says journalists are in a less safe situation. This is based on the increasing number of attacks on journalists. The perpetrators are both state actors and non-state actors.
AJI’s Advocacy Coordinator Erick Tanjung said that throughout 2022 violence against journalists throughout Indonesia increased considerably compared to 2021.
“Cases of attacks on journalists in 2022 reached 61 cases, the victims of which are 97 journalists and 14 media organizations. The number increased from the previous year which was 43 cases,” said Erick Tanjung during the online dissemination of the report on Monday, January 16, 2023.
The types of attacks faced are mostly digital attacks (15 cases), physical violence and destruction of work equipment (20 cases), verbal violence such as intimidation, threats, and terror (10 cases), gender-based violence (3 cases), arrest and criminal reporting of journalists or media (5 cases) and censorship (8 cases).
“As many as 24 cases involved state actors comprising the police (15 cases), government officials (7 cases) and the Indonesian Military [TNI] (2 cases). Meanwhile, non-state actors in 20 cases involved mass organizations (4 cases), political party (1 case), companies (6 cases) and residents (9 cases). We have yet to identify the perpetrators in the remaining 17 cases,” he said.
From the available data, there are five provinces with the highest cases of violence against journalists. DKI Jakarta is the highest with 14 cases, followed by West Nusa Tenggara 6 cases, North Sumatra 5 cases, South Sulawesi 4 cases, and South Sumatra 3 cases.
As for the security situation of journalists in Papua and West Papua throughout 2022, AJI Indonesia recorded 4 cases of violence with 7 journalists as victims, where these cases included exposure (1 case), criminal reporting (1 case), verbal sexual violence (1 case), and physical violence (1 case).
“This number increased compared to 2021 with 3 cases and 3 victims. However, it does not rule out the possibility that many other cases have occurred against journalists outside AJI’s monitoring, due to the difficulty of verifying cases in Papua and West Papua,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of AJI Indonesia, Sasmito, revealed that in the last five years the perpetrators of violence against journalists were mostly police officers.
“This means that there must be efforts to fundamentally change the reform activities carried out within the Police. From the cases reported we see that there is unprofessionalism carried out by members of the Police, wherein several cases that have been handled by the Press Council and declared as journalistic work, but are still processed by the police,” he said. (*)
Papua province’s Governor Lukas Enembe at Indonesia’s Pacific Expo event in Auckland, July 2019 Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
Police officers in West Papua are to be investigated over shootings during a governor’s arrest
One person died after the struggle that followed the arrest of Papua Governor Lukas Enembe over allegations of bribery.
As many as 19 people were detained by the police for attacking security forces.
Papua Police chief Mathias Fakhiri has ordered the head of the Internal Affair Division and director of Criminal Investigation of the Papua Police to immediately investigate the actions taken by police officers.
He asked his staff to approach families and religious, community and traditional leaders, so that the arrest of Governor Lukas Enembe would not create unrest.
“I ask for the report today. If there is indeed a wrong handling, I ensure there will be law enforcement against members who do not comply with the standard operating procedures,” he said.
“I urge all parties not to spread hoaxes or information that does not match the facts,” he said.
“Let us provide moral support so that the legal process runs as it is.”
Wenda calls for governor’s immediate release
A West Papua Independence leader, Benny Wenda, has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Lukas Enembe.
Wenda said the arrest follows the governor’s criminalisation in September 2022, when he was accused of corruption and banned from travelling abroad for essential medical treatment.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua leader said Enembe’s treatment cannot be separated from his increasingly vocal stance against Indonesia’s colonial policies in West Papua.
Wenda said Enembe opposed Indonesia’s division of West Papua into new provinces, which the exiled figurehead describes as a divide and rule tactic designed to steal the region’s natural resources and allow further militarisation of villages.
The West Papuan independence campaigner Benny Wenda at the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Tuvalu, 2019. Photo: RNZ / Jamie Tahana
The silent action mobilized by the West Papua National Committee or KNPB which was held in front of the Jayapura District Court, on Tuesday (17/1/2023), demanded the unconditional release of Viktor Yeimo. – Jubi/Theo Kelen
Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee or KNPB held a silent demonstration in front of the Jayapura District Court, on Tuesday (17/1/2023). They demanded that Viktor Yeimo be released unconditionally.
The demonstrators carried leaflets and posters as a form of protest against Viktor Yeimo’s detention. In the text of the poster, the demonstrators demanded that Viktor Yeimo be released unconditionally. They considered Yeimo to be a victim of legal criminalization and a victim of racist discrimination.
The National Spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee or KNPB Center, Ones Suhuniap, stated that Viktor Yeimo was a victim of racist discrimination. Suhuniap stated that for more than 60 years Papuans were seen as backward and second-class human beings in Indonesia.
Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee or KNPB held a silent demonstration in front of the Jayapura District Court, on Tuesday (17/1/2023). They demanded that Viktor Yeimo be released unconditionally.
The demonstrators carried leaflets and posters as a form of protest against Viktor Yeimo’s detention. In the text of the poster, the demonstrators demanded that Viktor Yeimo be released unconditionally. They considered Yeimo to be a victim of legal criminalization and a victim of racist discrimination.
The National Spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee or KNPB Center, Ones Suhuniap, stated that Viktor Yeimo was a victim of racist discrimination. Suhuniap stated that for more than 60 years Papuans were seen as backward and second-class human beings in Indonesia.
The silent action mobilized by the West Papua National Committee or KNPB which was held in front of the Jayapura District Court, on Tuesday (17/1/2023), demanded the unconditional release of Viktor Yeimo. – Jubi/Theo Kelen
Currently Yeimo is undergoing trial for alleged treason at the Jayapura District Court. The alleged treason case that was charged against Viktor Yeimo was registered with case number 376/Pid.Sus/2021/PN Jap on August 12, 2021. The trial was chaired by a panel of judges chaired by Mathius SH MH with member judges Andi Asmuruf SH and Linn Carol Hamadi SH (new panel of judges).
On 21 February 2021, the Public Prosecutor charged Viktor Yeimo with treason because he was involved in a demonstration against Papuan anti-racism which led to mass rioting in Jayapura City on 29 August 2019.
The Public Prosecutor used four different articles, namely Article 106 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (jointly committing treason with the intention that all or part of the country’s territory falls into the hands of the enemy or separates parts of the country’s territory), Article 110 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code (concerning the conspiracy to commit treason), Article 110 paragraph (2) to 1 of the Criminal Code (attempting to mobilize other people to commit, order to commit or participate in committing so as to provide assistance when committing or provide opportunities, means or information for committing the crime of treason), Article 160 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (concerning verbally or in writing inciting to commit criminal acts, commit violence against public authorities or not comply with both statutory provisions and position orders given based on provisions Constitution).
Suhuniap stated that Papuans always accept racist discrimination. He stated that in the 19 August 2019 case Viktor Yeimo as a Papuan participated in the demonstration because he did not accept the hate speech.
Suhuniap stated that Yeimo was a victim of legal criminalization. Because the alleged treason charge against Yeimo is irrelevant because the anti-racism demonstration was carried out spontaneously by the Papuan people. Yeimo was involved in the demonstration because he felt that his dignity as a Papuan was being humiliated.
“So in the anti-racism protests in Papua because the Papuan people feel their dignity as a human being is humiliated,” he said.
Aksi diam yang dimobilisasi Komite Nasional Papua Barat atau KNPB yang digelar di depan PN Jayapura, pada Selasa (17/1/2023), menuntut pembebasan Viktor Yeimo tanpa syarat. – Jubi/Theo Kelen
Suhuniap stated that the arrest and detention as well as the legal process against Yeimo were a form of criminalization and silencing Papuan activists. Because the perpetrators of racism in Surabaya in 2019 which were allegedly committed by security forces have not been brought to justice.
“Viktor as a pro-independence Papuan activist is deliberately criminalized,” he said.
Until this news was published, the trial with the agenda of hearing the prosecutor’s response to the exception of Yeimo’s legal adviser had not yet taken place. It is planned that the trial will begin at 1 pm Papua time. (*)
2) BEM alliance across Papua calls for Viktor Yeimo to be released unconditionally
News Desk – Viktor Yeimo’s Treason Trial 17 January 2023
Viktor Yeimo (right, in blue shirt and hat) with his legal counsel, Emanuel Gobay in one of the rooms of Abepura Correctional Institution in Jayapura City, Thursday (12/1/2023), to wait for a doctor to check Yeimo’s health before being placed in a detention cell. – Jubi/Theo Kelen
Jayapura, Jubi – An alliance of all-Papua Student Executive Board (BEM) in Jayapura City on Monday, January 16, 2023, called for the unconditional release of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Viktor Yeimo. According to the students, Yeimo is a victim of criminalization and a racial discrimination.
The alliance consists of BEM of Cenderawasih University, BEM of University of Science and Technology Jayapura, BEM of Muhammadiyah University of Papua, BEM of Ottow and Geissler, BEM of Satya Witaya Manda University (USWIM) Nabire, BEM of College of Management and Informatics (STIMIK) Nabire, BEM Nusantara Papua Representative and Economics Student Association Papua Representative.
Cristian Kobak of the Cenderawasih University BEM said the legal treatment for Papuan people was unfair, as shown in Viktor Yeimo’s case, wherein his legal process had not been completed until now.
Yeimo is currently undergoing trial for alleged treason at the Jayapura District Court. The trial was led by a panel of judges chaired by Mathius, with member judges Andi Asmuruf and Linn Carol Hamadi.
On February 21, 2021, the public prosecutor charged Viktor Yeimo with treason for his involvement in the Papuan anti-racism rally that turned into a mass rampage in Jayapura City on August 29, 2019. The public prosecutor charged four different articles, namely Article 106 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (jointly committing treason with the intention to separate part and territory of the state), Article 110 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code (conspiring to commit treason), Article 110 paragraph (2) to 1 of the Criminal Code (attempting to move others to commit or participate in committing, or provide assistance at the time of committing, or provide opportunity, means or information to commit the crime of treason), Article 160 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (orally or in writing inciting to commit a criminal act, violence against the public authority or disobey either the provisions of the law or an official order given under the provisions of the law).
Kobak said the arrest of Viktor Yeimo was not in accordance with the law, because Yeimo voiced the injustice and racial discrimination experienced by the Papuan people. Viktor Yeimo, therefore, according to Kobak, was arrested because the State would not let Papua to separate. He said the State was too imposing in its desire to govern Papuans through policies implemented in the Land of Papua.
“Jakarta [the central government] considers Papuans incompetent. So they think what is good for Jakarta is also good for Papuam therefore Jakarta’s policies continue to be applied in Papua even though it is not necessarily good for Papuans,” he said.
BEM representative of Jayapura University of Science and Technology Holland Silak said that Yeimo’s arrest showed the State still applied racial politics against Papuans. According to Silak, Yeimo is an innocent victim of racial discrimination and should be released unconditionally.
“Viktor Yeimo is a victim of racism itself. He is not the perpetrator,” Silak said. (*)
Australia West Papua Association Adelaide 