Freeport strike
Workers at the Freeport copper and gold mine
who have been on strike since the 15 September have started to return to work.
On Tuesday and Wednesday (3rd and 4th Jan) Freeport's management sent buses to
collect its workers from the Gorong-gorong terminal in Timika although a
workers’ union official predicts that it will take three or four weeks before
all the company’s employees will get back to work. The workers agreed to end their strike on
Dec. 14, 2011 after Freeport agreed to increase their salaries up to 39 percent
and to improve benefits. However, the return to work was delayed because some
of the contractors and subcontractors insisted on imposing sanctions on
employees who went on strike which was a violation against the agreement
between PT Freeport and the SPSI. Union deputy chairman Virgo
Salosa (Head of the Mimika chapter of the
All Indonesian Workers’ Union) and who used to be an
executive of SPSI’s unit at Freeport, urged the company’s contractors and
subcontractors to cooperate in the mobilization process of the workers. The
strike had paralyzed Freeport Indonesia's giant copper and gold mine with losses for the company reported
as high as $18-million (U.S.) per day.
There
have been a number of shootings around the mine since the
strike started and nine people have been killed. In one
incident Petrus Ayamiseba, a striking worker was killed when Indonesian
security forces fired on striking workers in Timika. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in its urgent appeal of 13 October 2011 (AHRC-UAC-204-2011) raised concerns about the
extrajudicial killing of Peter W. Ayamiseba and the injury of several persons
in police shootings during the union protest. In a follow up urgent action (15
December) the AHRC reported that another protester who was shot in the back on
October 10, Leo Wangadau, died on October 15, at 2pm at his home. http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAU-049-2011
During the strike the police also admitted
that they accepted millions of dollars from Freeport to provide security for
the mine (Jakarta Globe 28 Oct).
Production at the mine had been crippled and infrastructure sabotaged
including a pipeline. Another
incident occurred on December the 17th when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a
helicopter carrying workers and family members from Freeport. The gunmen opened
fire a few minutes after the chopper took off from the mining town of
Tembagapura. Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachyono said there was only
“slight damage to the body of the aircraft, the Russian pilots were able to
continue on to Timika, where they landed safely”. An Al Jazeera's report (video) looks at some of the
incidents around the Freeport mine (7 December) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2011/12/201112794630736416.html
Military
operations in the Paniai region
Military operations have been ongoing in
the Paniai
region causing the displacement of thousands of people,
villages burned and reports of villages be strafed by helicopters. According to a report in Jubi (29 December) “The operation has
been on-going ever since Brimob troops from East Kalimantan were sent to Paniai
in the second week of November” Jubi also believes that this operation will continue
as the security forces hunt for the OPM who have moved from Eduda (one of their base camps into woodland areas following an attack
by the security forces. The Free Papua Organization
says 14 of its members were killed during the attack http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/opm-says-14-guerillas-were-killed-in-police-raid-on-hideout-in-paniai/485002 VIVAnews reported that – “In the aftermath of the occupation of the
OPM headquarters by Indonesia's security forces in Eduda, Paniai, the situation
has become more tensed. Hundreds of villagers around Eduda were
evacuated” http://us.en.vivanews.com/news/read/272754-papua-witnesses-another-acts-of-violence
During the military operations local people have fled their
homes becoming internal refugees. The Jakarta Post (7 December) reported that “about 500 inhabitants of Dagouto village in Paniai Regency, Papua, have
opted to leave their homes and seek refuge following the deployment of 150
Mobile Brigade officers to their area, Paniai tribe council chief John Gobai
said Wednesday”. “Our people have become refugees at Uwatawogi Hall in
Enarotali, Paniai, for several weeks. They are now afraid they may not be able
to celebrate Christmas at home,” John told reporters at the National Commission
on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).” http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/12/07/fearing-police-500-villagers-take-refuge-paniai.html
An article in JUBI, (17 December) reported that the
National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) had “urged the chief of police to
immediately withdraw his Brimob troops from the district of Paniai”
Extract from article
“The National Human Rights Commission
(Komnas HAM) has urged the chief of police to immediately withdraw his Brimob troops
from the district of Paniai and not to send any more troops there. This request
is made in a letter signed by the deputy head of Komnas HAM, M. Ridha Saleh,
which is a follow-up of the complaint made by the chairman f the
Regional Traditional Council (DAD) in Paniai several days ago. He said that the
complaint was made because of two recent incidents involving members of the
police force. One was shooting in the vicinity of the copper-and-gold mine in
Degheuwo which led to the death of a civilian and the other relates to the
situation following the dispatch of 150 additional Brimob troops who arrived in
Enarotali on 11-14 November 2011. In the
second place, the Brimob post which was set up in the midst of several
kampungs. should be removed. Thirdly, to immediately conduct an investigation
into what caused the death of Mateus Tenouye. Fourthly, to restore a conducive
situation so as to enable the people in the district of Paniai to go about
their daily activities. And fifthly, to speedily hold dialogue with all parties
involved in conflicts and to help the community to resolve problems that have
occurred in the district of Paniai”.
Another article in the Jakarta Globe (22
December) reported that “The Australian government has confirmed that it is
investigating reports that an Australian-owned mining company was involved in
ongoing Indonesian military operations in Paniai, West Papua”.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/australian-owned-miner-involved-in-papua-military-operations-report/486320
In the article the Institute for Human
Rights Study and Advocacy (Elsham), reported that Densus 88 had been embedded
with police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) units during operations against suspected
members of the West Papua Liberation Army (TPN), based at Eduda, Paniai.
(Note. Australia has been involved in helping
train this unit, Detachment 88 or Densus 88).
Senator Richard Di Natale, the Greens’ spokesperson for West
Papua, has called for urgent action in response to reports of conflict, deaths
and displacement in the Paniai region of West Papua “Australia can no longer
stand silent while West Papua burns,” said Senator Di Natale.
In other news Amnesty reported that People in over 80 countries in every region of the world
have come together to demand the release of Indonesian prisoner of conscience
Filep Karma, who is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for taking part
in a peaceful http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/27446/?mid=5533
A reply from
AusAid to AWPA letter re food shortage at http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/
and reply from DFAT re concerns around 1st December at http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2012/01/reply-from-ausaid-to-awpa-letter-re.html
------------------------------
News in
brief
Maternal deaths in West Papua remain high: Health agency
The Jakarta Post | /11/2011
The number of maternal deaths in West Papua is still high due to
inadequate health facilities and medical personnel in the region, the local
health agency has said.
Papua Health Agency official Victor Nugraha said on Sunday that in 2010,
50 woman died during pregnancy. He predicted that the figure would be about the
same in 2011, but that the actual number could be double that figure. “The
number is probably less than the real figure, because many cases remain
unrecorded due to a shortage of medical personnel,” he said in Manokwari,
Papua, as quoted by kompas.com.
Victor added that the main causes of maternal death were hemorrhage,
post-pregnancy infections and hypertension. Hemorrhaging is caused by
anemia due to an iron deficiency. Beside low iron levels due to poor nutrition,
anemia can also be caused by malaria, which is common in Papua. Victor said
late pregnancy checks and poor surgery facilities for caesareans in clinics
also contributed to maternal deaths.
----------------------------------
Hundreds afflicted with TB in Paniai
JUBI, 9 December 2011 .Abridged in
translation by TAPOL
Poor homes and an unfavourable environment
are the cause for many people being afflicted with TB in Paniai. Medicines have
been distributed but they are not taken regularly by the patients. The head of
the Contagious Diseases Unit of the Health Department in Paniai said:
'According to our data, from January to November 2011, 104 people are suffering
from TB. The number of cases continues to rise because patients who have been
supplied with medication do not take their medication regularly.' He said that
quite a few of the patients have given up even though they have been supplied
with medicines and as a result, instead of getting better, their condition
deteriorates. TB sufferers are highly susceptible to HIV infection. 'We urge
patients to take their medication regularly because, once their TB is
cured, they are less likely to be affected by the HIV virus.' He said
many peopl prefer to use alternative remedies, . 'They prefer
traditional remedies but this cannot ensure full recovery. The
traditional medicines have not been tested clinically for their ability to
cure.' Wahab also said that a factory will be built in 2012 and it is hoped
that by 2014, the crop will have been harvested and we are able to produce red
sugar, . 'This is the target for the company and it must be realised,' he said.
----------------------------------------
Papua
hospital requires all patients to undergo HIV/AIDS test
Thu, January 5 2012
Sentani,
Papua (ANTARA News) - Yowari General Hospital in Jayapura district requires all
its patients to undergo a HIV/AIDS test, the hospital`s director, Nikodemus
Barens, said here Thursday. He said, in view of the high incidence of HIV/AIDS
in Papua, the hospital was continuously disseminating information on HIV/AIDS
among its patients. "We ask every patient who comes for treatment to
undergo a HIV/AIDS check, especially when they are pregnant women," he
said.
Nikodemus said pregnant women needed to be
examined for HIV/AIDS so that they could be immediately treated if they tested
positive, and their about-to-be-born babies protected from the virus. Meanwhile,
male patients and unpregnant women who tested positive for HIV/AIDS were asked
to refrain from intercourse for a while while they were given special
treatment. "We always try to give patients accurate information about the
disease so that they can overcome their reluctance to take up voluntary
counseling," Nikodemus said. He hoped the hospital`s effort could minimize
HIV/AIDS cases in Papua, in the Jayapura region in particular where the number
of sufferers was growing. In order to encourage people to take the HIV/AIDS
test, Yowari Hospital was providing the service free of charge in a special
clinic equipped with adequate facilities and staffed by specialists. (T.KR-LWA/HAJM/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
RNZI December, 2011
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation has announced the
establishment of the West Papua Decolonisation Committee. The coalition says
the Committee will petition the United Nations Decolonisation Committee for the
re-inscription of West Papua in order for it to be granted the due process of
decolonisation. Membership of the Committee will consist of the coalition’s
leaders and dignitaries of Vanuatu including former Presidents and Prime
Ministers. Membership would be open to people with relevant expertise from
other countries. The coalition’s Vice Chairman, John Ondawame, says the
establishment of the Committee is their response to the ongoing violence
committed by Indonesian forces in Papua. Dr Ondawame says the violence has
continued despite years of pleas by Papuans for peaceful dialogue. He has
called upon the people of the Pacific and the International community to
support the diplomatic effort.
---------------------------------------------------------
Opinion
pieces/reports/urgent actions etc.
"Birds of a feather: Conflict and unity with
West Papua's independence movement",
Latest PhD
thesis on West Papiua "Birds of a feather: Conflict and unity with
West Papua's independence movement", by Cammi Webb-Gannon
online at
University of Sydney thesis database:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Indonesia:
The state of human rights in 2011 - The Decay of Pancasila and Contitutional
Protections
In 2011,
the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has witnessed a deterioration of the
human rights situation in Indonesia in terms of religious freedom, the role of
the judiciary and accountability for violence by security forces. This report,
which is based on the organisation’s documentation and monitoring work, shows
that Indonesia remains heavily affected by serious human rights violations and
shortcomings in the rule of law.
--------------------------------------
Papuan
path to peace
Neles Tebay, 12/22/2011
Papua,
under Indonesian rule since May 1, 1963, has been a land of conflict. It has to
be transformed into a land of peace. For this transformation, a Papuan path to
peace is urgently needed. Seeking to find a proper path to peace, we need to
review all polices applied in Papua by the Indonesian government over the past
48 years……….
-----------------------------------------------
Papua's Rage
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja - Straits Times
Indonesia | December 24, 2011
Mimika. Mimika's population is just 184,000 but
it is one of the top three richest regencies in Indonesia. Millions in
development funds from Jakarta have poured into it over the past decade. But
as one drives into its capital Timika, a question comes to mind: Where did all
the money go? The streets are punctured with potholes, while intersections do
not have traffic lights. And where are the native Papuans? Shops and
restaurants that line the main street are owned and operated by people from
South Sulawesi, Java, West Sumatra and other parts of Indonesia. The indigenous
Papuans, with their distinctive Melanesian features, are a rare sight in the
town center. ………………….
----------------------------------------------------
Women
and girls reduced to poverty by HIV/AIDS in Indonesia
Dec
19, 2011
Although the prevalence of
HIV/AIDS is much lower in Asia than in some other regions, women and children
in Indonesia are facing a growing threat from the disease.
Nationally, only around 0.2% of the population is
infected. However, this represents a doubling in the numbers of people living
with the disease in just a few years. In 2005, there were 170,000 people
infected with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia; this had risen to 300,000 in 2009. Up until recently, most infections
occurred in specific regions, such as Papua and West Papua, or among high-risk
populations, such as sex workers, drug users and men having sex with men…………………………..
------------------------------------------------
Don’t Demean Us, Papuan Church Leaders Tell SBY
Ismira
Lutfia | December 19, 2011
In stark contrast
to government figures who say Papuan unrest stems from a lack of prosperity
among native inhabitants, senior Papuan church figures say the real problem is
a history of injustice and the island’s problematic integration into
Indonesia.
“The problems in Papua are not to do with wealth, but respect
for human dignity, justice and an unclear history of integration that is still
disputed,” Rev. Socratez Sofyan Yoman, the head of Papua’s Baptist church, said
in a press conference on Saturday in Jakarta.
The press conference
followed a private meeting a day earlier between four church figures, three of
them Papuan, and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the national leader’s
private residence in Cikeas, Bogor……………………………………..
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