Wednesday, June 17, 2015

1) Samoa looks into supporting West Papua

2) Editorial: Why We Will Support Indonesia
3) Papua Military Court Jails Two Soldiers for Selling Ammo to OPM
4) Paniai Indigenous Council to Raise Funds to Support Ad Hoc Team

5) Papua Exports Jump Nearly 96 Percent
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1) Samoa looks into supporting West Papua

Updated at 10:08 pm on 17 June 2015
Samoa says it will be looking into supporting a West Papua request for membership in the Pacific Islands Forum
The Samoa Observer reports that Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi made the assurances to the general secretary of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovianus Mote last week.
Mr Mote who the Observer reports is in Fiji this week to lobby for support ahead of West Papua's upcoming bid for membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group also met with Tautua leaders and the Council of Churches in Samoa who also expressed their full support for West Papua.
According to Mr Mote, when West Papua gained independence in 1961, Samoa was one of the few countries represented at the celebrations.
Speaking to the Observer, Mr Mote said that the population of indigenous West Papuans, which was once 1.5 million, is down by 48 percent and his people are a minority in their our land. 
He said should the trend continue, in 2020, the population will be less than 23 percent.
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2) EDITORIAL: Why We Will Support Indonesia

June 17
11:22 2015




When we needed support when traditional allies deserted us after the 2006 events, Indonesia was one of first countries to pledge their backing.

Over the years the relations have grown stronger. Full diplomatic relations were established. Bilateral trade, economic and defence ties continue to grow.
Rosy Akbar, the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, recently returned from Jakarta, where she signed a new Memorandum of Understanding for technical assistance with her Indonesian counterpart. A group of Pacific journalists including Fiji Sun photojournalist Paulini Ratulailai, is in Indonesia. The journalists were invited by the Indonesian Government to have first hand experience of what it tourism industry has to offer.
Last year, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), then Indonesian President, was guest speaker at the Pacific Islands Development Forum summit in Denarau, Nadi. His visit underscored the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries.
More than a decade after being severely hit by an economic crisis that also damaged domestic political stability, Indonesia is rapidly emerging as an economic and political power in South East Asia and global politics. It is the biggest country in that region and has considerable potential.
Just like Fiji, some people did not give Indonesia much chance after the fall of Suharto in 1998. There were predictions that the country, the fourth most populous in the world and the largest Muslim majority, would break into small states.
But Indonesia has defied its criticis as it continues to consolidate its democracy. It came at a cost. People died in street riots after Suharto’s downfall. But the following general elections (both parliamentary and presidential) after have brought peace and stability. In August 2009, general elections (both parliamentary and presidential), incumbent SBY was returned..
According to an Asia Foundation report, the elections showed declining support for Islamic parties which, many in the West had mistakenly feared, could take the nation down a spiral of extremism and violence. Some argued that elections in newly democratic countries with weak political and administrative institutions generated an intense nationalism leading to violence and war. But the Indonesian elections have shown otherwise.
Indonesia, instead of looking inwardly, opened up its foreign affairs policy and established relations with several countries.
Its commitment to human rights and peace in the region has been recognised by the international community.
The West Papua issue is a work in progress and is still a sensitive one as far as Jakarta is concerned. The situation now, though, is a lot better than what it was. President Joko Widodo, has carried on from where SBY left off.
Because of Indonesia’s profile now on the world stage, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will support it in the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in Honiara next week.
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3) Papua Military Court Jails Two Soldiers for Selling Ammo to OPM

By Robert Isidorus on 06:13 pm Jun 17, 2015
Category Crime, Front Page, News
Jayapura. A military court in Papua on Wednesday discharged two soldiers ordered them imprisoned after they were found to have sold ammunition to a separatist militia.
Chief Sgt. Ikrom and Sgt. Maj. Supriadi were sentenced to 10 and 12 years in prison respectively after they were arrested by Papua Police on Jan. 28 for allegedly selling 500 rounds of ammunition worth Rp 450,000 ($33) to members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM).
“The officers were involved in violating the use of ammunition,” Col. Sus Priyo Mustiko, presiding in the court martial, ruled on Wednesday.
Ikrom and Supriadi were among five soldiers apprehended in the bust that led to the recovery of 1,000 rounds of ammunition from the suspected separatists in Jayapura.
The remaining three soldiers are scheduled to hear their verdicts in the court martial on Thursday.
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4) Paniai Indigenous Council to Raise Funds to Support Ad Hoc Team

Jayapura, Jubi – The chairman of the Regional Indigenous Council (DAD) of Paniai, John NR. Gobai insisted that the Independent Investigation Team from the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemenkopolhukam) is not needed to investigate the December 8 shootings.
“The arrival of the investigation team of Kemenkopolhukam RI to Enarotali, Paniai recently was to collect data that have been concluded by the National Commission on Human Rights,” Gobai told Jubi by phone on Tuesday (16/6).
He explained the investigation found human rights violations based on Law No. 39 of 1999, on Human Rights (HAM) and Law No. 26 Year 2000 on Human Rights Court in the incident.
“So we view that the arrival of a team from the Kemenkopolhukam is just to maintain the authority of the state and to produce comparable data or a challenge to the data obtained by the National Commission on Human Rights,” he said.
Thus, it can be said that the visit has been very contrary to the mandate of the laws and regulations in the sector of law enforcement and protection of human rights in Indonesia and internationally.
“In fact the Commission itself has formed an AdHoc team under the provisions of Article 18 of Law No. 26 of 2000 on Human Rights Court,” he said.
He guessed AdHoc team was unable come to Paniai because there was no travel funds, so he asked to do fund raising.
Earlier, the chairman of the Special Committee of Papua Legislative Council (DPRP) on Human Rights Laurenzus Kadepa said all parties in Indonesia should support the work of the Commission in completing Paniai cases.
“All state agencies and institutions, including the TNI / Polri should appreciate and support the efforts of the National Commission on Human Rights. We continue to encourage the completion of shootings that killed four high school students and wounded dozens of civilians. Papua parliament did not want any rival teams formed by a particular party,” Kadepa added. (Alberth You/ Tina)

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5) Papua Exports Jump Nearly 96 Percent

Jayapura, Jubi- Exports from Papua nearly doubled in May, compared to the previous month, the head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Papua Province Didiek Koesbianto said.
“In May, Papua exports increased by 95.99 percent compared to the previous month’s total exports, from 106.44 million dollar to 208.61 dollar rupiah,” he said in Jayapura on Wednesday (17/6/2015).
Cumulatively, he added, the value of exports in 2015 (January to May) was 668.96 million US dollars, nearly tripled that from last year.
“The cumulative export value from January to May 2015 was 668.96 million or 259.67 percent more than the same cumulative total exports in 2014 only reached 185.99 million US dollars,” he said.
Papua entire export value in the period, he added, comes from Copper Ore and Concentrates (HS26), which is valued at 208.61 million dollars.
“This value is higher compared to 123.77 percent in value in April 2015. In May 2015, was not recorded for exports of wooden category (HS44), Fish and Other Water Animals categories (HS03) and other non-oil category,” he said.
He added cumulative export of HS26 from January to May 2015 increased 508.70 million US dollars, amounted to 456.49 percent due to higher volume of exports by 661.96 percent.
Other non-oil export group increased 0.22 million US dollars. Conversely export value HS44 and HS 03 group actually decreased, respectively by 8.40 million US dollars and 17.55 million US dollars. (*/ Tina)
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