now available: West Papua Report June 2013

now available: West Papua Report  June 2013

This edition of the West Papua Report's PERSPECTIVE is by a longtime observer of West Papua. This is the last of a three-part series (see Part 1 and Part 2). In this part, the author, who for his safety asked to remain anonymous, examines the decreased effectiveness of NGOs and the declining influence of elements of the religious community to improve the plight of West Papuans. He also sets out essential conditions for a successful Papuan-central government dialogue.

In UPDATE, Papuan political prisoners have spurned President Yudhoyono's pledge to offer clemency at some future date. The number of political prisoners nearly doubled in May. There has been significant progress in advancing West Papuan interests within the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Government intelligence and defense agencies yet again speculate that foreign agents are at work in West Papua. WPAT notes that such tales are usually created out of whole cloth in order to justify continued restrictions on outside observers. This report also details accounts of a wave of military-on-civilian violence in the central highlands, including the discovery of many mutilated bodies.

In CHRONICLE, we provides links to recent testimony before the U.S. congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on Indonesia and West Papua; to recent UN statements on West Papua's political status and the human rights situation in the territory; to Amnesty International's annual rights review of Indonesia; and to WPAT and ETAN's evaluation of the U.S. State Department's report of the human rights in Indonesia. Also, nearly a dozen international groups appealed to UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression. Finally, President Yudhoyono intends to offer a new version of "Special Autonomy" for West Papua. The new plan is a tacit admission that the existing "Special Autonomy" has failed.

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Groups Urge U.S. Not to Sell Attack Helicopters to Indonesia

Ninety organizations today urged the U.S. government and Congress not to provide deadly attack helicopters to Indonesia. Indonesia has announced that it plans to buy eight AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from the United States.

Apache helicopter

The groups warned that the helicopters will escalate conflicts in Indonesia, especially in the rebellious region of West Papua: "Providing these helicopters would pose a direct threat to Papuan civilians."

The Indonesian military (TNI) regularly conducts "sweep operations," involving attacks on villages where innocent villagers are forced from their homes. The groups write that "Papuan civilians either flee the attacks to neighboring villages or into the surrounding forests where many die or face starvation, cut off from access to their gardens, shelter, and medical care." Sweep operations are now underway in the Central Highlands region of West Papua.

The letter was organized by the U.S.-based East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and the West Papua Advocacy Team and signed by human rights, religious, indigenous rights, disarmament and other organizations based in 14 countries.

see full media release and letter with complete list of signers here: http://www.etan.org/news/2012/03helicop.htm

Call Congress concerning Papuan prisoner Filep Karma

Representative Joe Pitts and Jim Moran are circulating a letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia concerning the case of political prisoner Filep Karma, a prominent Papuan advocate of self-determination. Karma has been serving a 15-year sentence for raising the Papuan Morning Star flag at a peaceful political rally in 2004. Karma is designated a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International for his nonviolent advocacy.

This bi-partisan initiative is currently circulating in the House of Representative. Please call your Representative this week and urge him or her to sign the letter.

Call the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121. Ask for your congressperson's foreign policy aide. Ask that your representative sign on to Representative Joseph Pitt's and Jim Moran's letter to Indonesia's President concerning the case of prisoner of conscience Filep Karma. Urge them to support human rights and the rule of law  in Indonesia. Offer to e-mail them a copy of the letter. Tell them that if your Representative wishes to sign, she or he should contact Carson Middleton 52411 in the office of Rep Pitts. The deadline is Friday, August 12, so call soon.
If necessary leave a detailed message. If you have trouble getting through by phone send an e-mail to the office, but be sure to follow up with a call.

Thank you for your support.

To find out who your representative is go to http://house.gov/

Signers so far include: Reps. Pitts (R-PA), Moran (D-VA), Baldwin (D-WI), Dogget (D-TX), Faleomavaega (D-AS), Farr (D-CA), Filner (D-CA), Hinchey (D-NY), Honda (D-CA, McDermott (D-CA), McGovern (D-MA), Pingree (D-ME), Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rothman (D-NJ), Schakowsky (D-IL), Wolf (R-VA).

If your congressperson has already signed be sure to thank them.

The letter is an initiative of Freedom Now, who represent Karma pro-bono. Please let us know the results of your call.

Background on Filep Karma and his case can be found here from Freedom Now and here from Amnesty International. Background on Indonesia's political prisoners, Prosecuting Political Aspiration Indonesia’s Political Prisoners, can be found here.

ETAN Letter to Rep Patrick Kennedy on leaving Congress

December 13, 2010 

Rep. Patrick Kennedy
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Via fax

Dear Representative Kennedy,

As the Executive Committee of the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, we write to wish you the best in your post-Congressional career and to express our deep gratitude for your tireless work in solidarity with the people of East Timor and Indonesia during your 16-year tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives. Over those years, we have greatly valued our collaboration with you, as you initiated numerous congressional letters, resolutions and legislation to protect and promote human rights in the region. It is heartening to see a public servant work so tirelessly in support of justice and the rights of others, not for personal gain or public acclaim but simply because it is the right thing to do.

President Suharto underscored the efficacy of your work in the House in an angry letter to President Clinton shortly after the bill’s introduction, canceling a planned purchase of nine F-16 planes from the US government and withdrawing from participation in the Expanded International Military Education and Training (E-IMET) program.

Shortly after your arrival in Washington, you established yourself as one of the key House leaders on human rights and related issues in Indonesia and East Timor. You visited East Timor in 1996 to support Bishop Belo on his return to his homeland after he received the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1997, you introduced bold and important legislation – the Indonesia Military Assistance Accountability Act (HR 1132) – baring government-to-government weapons sales and some military training until critical human rights improvements in East Timor and Indonesia were achieved. 

Indonesia’s President Suharto underscored the efficacy of your work in the House in an angry letter to President Clinton shortly after the bill’s introduction, canceling a planned purchase of nine F-16 planes from the US government and withdrawing from participation in the Expanded International Military Education and Training (E-IMET) program. 

The introduction of HR 1132 is only one among many examples of your leadership in Congressional efforts to maintain and expand restrictions on arms sales and military training for Indonesia – efforts that put Indonesia on notice that international support for their illegal occupation of East Timor was beginning to crumble.  In 1998, you lead efforts which placed the U.S. Congress firmly on record as supporting self-determination for East Timor. 

Over time, your efforts gave critical support to the broad-based pro-democracy movement that ended the reign of the Indonesian dictator Suharto and helped enable East Timor’s historic referendum for independence in 1999. 

Over the ten years since East Timor’s independence vote, you have demonstrated your commitment in support of a strong and stable East Timor (Timor-Leste). Throughout the 2000’s, you continued to shine a spotlight on events in East Timor. You urged your colleagues and the administration to strongly support the UN mission as the country continued to rebuild during its transition to full independence. You advocated for meaningful U.S. assistance to East Timor and supported its demand for its rightful share of natural resources in negotiations with neighboring Australia. You have also been outspoken in your support for justice and accountability for the many atrocities and crimes against humanity committed by U.S.-backed Indonesian forces during the occupation.

Finally, we are appreciate for your efforts to draw attention to the human rights crisis in West Papua through among other initiatives, your recent sponsorship of HRes 1355, calling for the release of political prisoners and greater access for international organizations to West Papua. We know that this issue remains particularly important to you and we hope we can continue to work together to ensure justice and peace for the people of West Papua as you enter this new chapter of your life and career. 

Wishing you all the best in this holiday season,

Sincerely,

John M. Miller, National Coordinator

For ETAN

West Papua Report - October 2010

full report here


Summary:

An historic U.S. Congressional hearing regarding West Papua revealed ongoing human rights abuse and impunity for the Indonesian military and broad Papuan rejection of Jakarta's failed policy of "special autonomy." The hearing also cast light on a U.S. policy that appeared not to have evolved to address the deteriorating conditions in West Papua or an unreformed Indonesian military intent on resisting accountability and civilian control. Subcommittee Chair Faleomavaega's description of "slow motion genocide" set the tone of urgency that enveloped the hearing. A senior State Department's prediction that migration and demographic trends would soon make Papuans a minority in their own land underscored that tone of urgency. A Pentagon representative cited reforms scored a decade ago to justify recent expansion of U.S. military assistance to the Indonesian military. The hearing heard a Papuan call for a Jakarta-Papuan dialogue about Papua's political future and an end to U.S. support for an unreformed Indonesian military.

In other developments, Indonesian security forces killed two Papuans and wounded a third in Manokwari. The victims were a religious leader, his son and his wife. Non-judicial, administrative sanctions against those responsible were shockingly light. A prominent Papuan academic has welcomed the presidential decision to undertake an audit of "special autonomy" fund flow to West Papua, but lamented the reality that the funds have been unaudited over the past decade.
 

House Hearing on West Papua - Wednesday, September 22, 2010

On Wednesday, September 22, at 3 p.m. (room 2172, Rayburn House Office Bldg), the Asia, the Pacific and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold a hearing on West Papua. Come support those testifying. A number of Papuans are coming to DC for the hearing and, in addition to the hearing, will be going to meeting on Capitol Hill. If you can help with these meetings. please let us know.

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING NOTICE

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515-0128

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA, THE PACIFIC AND THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT

Eni F.H. Faleomavaega (D-AS), Chairman

You are respectfully requested to attend an OPEN hearing of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, to be held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building (and available live, via the WEBCAST link on the Committee website at http://www.hcfa.house.gov):

DATE:  Wednesday, September 22, 2010

TIME: 3:00 p.m.

SUBJECT: Crimes Against Humanity: When Will Indonesia's Military Be Held Accountable for  Deliberate and Systematic Abuses in West Papua

WITNESSES:

Panel I

Mr. Joseph Y. Yun

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary

Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

U.S. Department of State

Mr. Robert Scher

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia

Asian and Pacific Security Affairs

U.S. Department of Defense

Panel II

Pieter Drooglever, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Institute of Netherlands History

Mr. Octovianus Mote

Founder, West Papua Action Network

President, Papua Resource Center

Mr. Henkie Rumbewas

International Advocate

Australia West Papua Association (AWPA)

Mr. Nicholas Simeone Messet

West Papua

Mr. Salamon Maurits Yumame

Head of FORDEM (The Democratic Forum)

S. Eben Kirksey, Ph.D.

Visiting Assistant Professor

The Graduate Center

The City University of New York

Sophie Richardson, Ph.D.

Asia Advocacy Director

Human Rights Watch

NOTE: Witnesses may be added

Even the Pentagon...

Newsweek writes that "Even the Pentagon, which cut ties to the Indonesian military after massacres in East Timor two decades ago, was pushing for renewed links including increased U.S. assistance for Kopassus, the Indonesian special forces." 

Even the Pentagon! When did they ever support not training Kopassus?

Congress and the administration (in response to Congressional pressure) first cut IMET military training in 1992. The Pentagon did everything it could to resist and undermine that policy. In 1998, the East Timor Action Network, journalist Allan Nairn, and members of Congress released documents that showed that the Pentagon had continued training under a program (JCET) not explicitly banned by legislation, defying Congressional intent not to further the skills of a military brutalizing people in East Timor and elsewhere. Kopassus were the shock troops of this repression. JCET then ended in mid-exercise as the Suharto dictatorship was in its death throes.

Training Kopassus remains a really bad idea, and the U.S. should not indulge Indonesia by resuming training. It will only further stall efforts in Indonesia and East Timor to hold them accountable for past and recent human rights violations. 

Training will only embolden unreformed elements of the military and clearly won't discourage future crimes.

Sign the petition opposing U.S. cooperation with Kopassus

see also ETAN's Guide to U.S. Security Assistance to Indonesia and East Timor

ETAN Action ALERT: Call Congress on human rights and W Papua

ETAN Action ALERT

Call your representative in Congress. Urge him or her to co-sponsor H. Res. 1355, The resolution, submitted by Rep. Patrick Kennedy urges the government of Indonesia to improve  human rights in West Papua.

Prisoners of Conscience Filep Karma,Yusak Pakage and others may spend the next decade or more in prison in Indonesia for peacefully raising a flag. Indonesian assaults on freedom of expression and abuse in its prisons are well-documented. A year ago, the Indonesian government expelled the International Committee of the Red Cross in West Papua.

What YOU can do:

Call your Representative today. Urge her/him to co-sponsor House Resolution 1355 supporting human rights in Indonesia's West Papua. A copy of the Resolution is below.

When you call, ask to speak to the foreign affairs legislative assistant. The Congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 (ask for the office of your Representative), or check www.congress.org for contact information. To sign on to the resolution, the office should contact Daniel Murphy in Rep. Patrick Kennedy's office (5-4911).

Your call can make the difference.  Please keep us posted of the results of your calls by writing to etan@etan.org. Go here to check on current go sponsors. Be sure to thank your representative if she or he is on the list.  Support ETAN's work by donating today. Thank you!!

Talking points:

1. The U.S. Department of State, UN investigators and human rights organizations have documented threats to freedom of expression and dire prison conditions in the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua.

2. The government of Indonesia must demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression by releasing people convicted for peacefully expressing their political views, improving prison conditions, and allowing access to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

3. The U.S. Congress needs to be a strong advocate for human rights in Indonesia and elsewhere. Representative Kennedy's resolution is an opportunity for members to express their commitment to the rule of law and freedom of expression in Indonesia. This can only strengthen democracy.

4. The Congressmember should support human rights by co-sponsoring House Resolution 1355 by contacting Dan Murphy in Rep. Patrick Kennedy's office.

You can e-mail your member of Congress on the Resolution via Amnesty International USA.

text of the resolution after the break

Congress writes about Kopassus training

Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515

May 13, 2010

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.     
Washington, D.C. 20520  

The Honorable Robert M. Gates
Secretary
U.S. Department of Defense Room 3E880,
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1000

Dear Madam Secretary and Mr. Secretary: 

We welcome the Obama Administration's commitment to broaden U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia. The President's upcoming trip to Indonesia is a positive step in strengthening our ties with a key ally and the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. We also appreciate the long-term U.S. interest in engaging with all elements of the Indonesian military. However, we do have serious concerns with the Administration's intention to reengage with Unit 81 of the Indonesian Special Forces, known as Kopassus.

Our concerns relate to the Indonesian military's willingness to cooperate with the United States and Indonesian civilian justice institutions in permanently removing human rights violators from military ranks and in holding senior officers accountable for past abuses. In addition, there are questions about the effectiveness of the vetting process. We understand that discussions with the government of Indonesia have been ongoing and that the Administration is working to resolve these issues before President Obama and President Yudhoyono sign a U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership Agreement. However, we are not aware of any significant progress in those discussions.

We understand that the Administration presented the government of Indonesia with certain conditions before a "phased engagement" with Unit 81 can proceed. Information provided by Embassy Jakarta indicates that one of the reported preconditions has already been met - namely, a "public" renunciation by Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro of past abuses and enumeration of structural reforms still to be enacted to enhance civilian control of the military. Apparently, a Jakarta Post article from March 22, 2010, entitled, "TNI reforms and respect for rights have come a long way," was deemed to have met the reported precondition. However, the Minister's comments were notable for failing to address the issue of past abuses, and the Jakarta Post is written in English and read by only two percent of Indonesia's population.

A subsequent Jakarta Post article from April 16, 2010, entitled "Kopassus chief asks
public to forget its dark past at anniversary celebration," suggests that Kopassus is not ready to take full responsibility for its past. The article quotes Kopassus Major General Lodewijk Paulus, who said the allegations of past rights violations were a "psychological burden" to Kopassus and that the public should "no longer associate" Kopassus with past abuses. We understand similar comments have been made by other TNI officials. Such comments seriously undermine the claim that Kopassus accepts the principle of accountability and is committed to regaining the public's trust and embracing reform.

We would appreciate knowing the specific steps the government of Indonesia, the TNI leadership, and Kopassus have been asked to take prior to engaging with Unit 81. Does the TNI agree to cooperate with civilian investigations and prosecutions of past as well as any future crimes? Which individuals who have been credibly alleged to have violated human rights have you asked to be removed from Kopassus, and how were those individuals identified? Will they be prosecuted? Did you insist that those convicted of abuses be removed from the military entirely, or simply from Kopassus?

We believe a reliable vetting process is critical for identifying Kopassus officials who have violated human rights. Will the commander of Unit 81 and each member of the Unit be vetted and deemed to have a clean record in order for U.S. training to proceed, and how?

Additionally, given the lack of credibility of the military justice system, we believe the transfer of jurisdiction over human rights crimes committed by members of the military to civilian courts should be a pre-condition for engagement with Kopassus. We understand there is currently legislation in the Indonesian Parliament that seeks to do this. The United States should support this effort toward judicial independence, and assurances are needed that credibly alleged violations of human rights will be investigated by civilian authorities with TNT's cooperation. We would also appreciate knowing if it has been conveyed in writing to the government of Indonesia that, should it fail to fulfill the requirements and obligations set out for this "phased engagement," any funding would be suspended.

Finally, we believe that prior consultation with Congress before engagement with Kopassus and an annual review would be necessary to ensure that our assistance meets the requirements of U.S. law and fulfills our broader interests.

We look forward to discussing this with you as we develop closer relations with Indonesia consistent with our commitment to accountability and the rule of law.

Sincerely,

[Please note: party affiliation, state and committee assignments added by ETAN]

HOWARD L. BERMAN U.S. House of Representatives  (D-CA) Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee

JOHN F. KERRY United States Senate (D-MA) Chair, Foreign Relations Committee

NITA LOWEY U.S. House of Representatives (D-NY) Chair, State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations Committee

PATRICK J. LEAHY United States Senate Chair, State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations Committee

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH House of Representatives, (R-NJ) Ranking Member,
                        
RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD United States Senate(D-WI) Member, Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Foreign Relations Committee

FRANK R. WOLF U.S. House of Representatives - (R-VA) Co-chair. Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission; Member, Appropriations Committee

ENI F. H. FALEOMAVEGA  U.S. House of Representatives, (D-AS) Chair, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Committee on Foreign Affairs

DONALD A. MANZULLO U.S. House of Representatives  (R-IL) Ranking, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Committee on Foreign Affairs

JAMES P. MCGOVERN U.S. House of Representatives (D-MA) Co-chair, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission

JOSEPH CROWLEY  U.S. House of Representatives, (D-NY) Committee on Foreign Affairs

MICHAEL M. HONDA  U.S. House of Representatives  (D-CA) Committee on Appropriations

RUSS CARNAHAN U.S. House of Representatives, (D-MO) Chair, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Committee on Foreign Affairs