1) Indonesian officials response to Apia protest ‘arrogant’

2) WOMEN ARE ASKED TO REPORT VIOLENCE

3) 12 WITNESSES OF PAOMAKO SHOOTING BEING QUESTIONED

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/339177/indonesian-officials-response-to-apia-protest-arrogant

1) Indonesian officials response to Apia protest ‘arrogant’

4:40 pm today 

Indonesian officials have been criticised for the manner of their condemnation of a West Papua protest during the Pacific Forum summit in Apia.

A protest in support of West Papua's independence movement was held outside the venue of the Pacific Island Forum Leaders summit in Samoa's capital last week.

Subsequently, Indonesia's Ambassador to New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga, Tantowi Yahya, condemned the protest in a heated press conference.

"In our perspective, talking about West Papua in this conference is not the place because from the beginning there is no agenda as such," said the ambassador who was attending the summit as part of a large Indonesian delegation.

The Samoa Observer reported that voices were raised during the conference held by Mr Tantowi and another Indonesian government representative, Franzalbert Joku, attracting the attention of police.

Mr Joku, a West Papuan, said the Forum was not the place for the Papua issue to be raised, and accused Pacific Islanders of being misled on a human rights situation that had largely improved.

"It's regrettable that Pacific Islanders all of the sudden want to address the Papua issue, now," he said.

"The Papua issue has been at the forefront since the late 50s and early 60s. We have seen our worst. Where the hell were the Pacific Island nations when we really needed that kind of expression and that kind of concern coming from them?

The co-ordinator of the workers union Samoa First, Jerome Mika, who earlier led the protest, said Mr Joku's response to media in regards to West Papua was appalling.

"I think it's arrogant and we won't be bullied by people like the Indonesian representative," said Mr Mika.

"It also shows just the sort of behaviour and the condescending behaviour that we're getting as a Pacific when we should be standing together for our West Papua brothers and sisters. We should also be speaking out as a collective rather than as individuals."

A Vanuatu-based West Papuan who had campaigned for independence for decades, Andy Ayamiseba, said he generally respected Mr Joku's efforts to strive for a better Papua within the Indonesian system. But Mr Ayamiseba noted Mr Joku's "amateur reaction" at the press conference.

"As far as I am concerned this explained that the Indonesian lobby in the Pacific Region has come to a dead end," Mr Ayamiseba said.

Tuilaepa defends Forum leaders over West Papua

Samoa's prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has defended the brief wording about West Papua in the communiqué from last week's Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit.

The previous two Forum summits agreed for Pacific leaders to push Indonesia's government on the matter of human rights abuses in Papua region.

However Jakarta knocked back the Forum's aim of a fact-finding mission to Papua.

Despite this, the communiqué from last week’s summit said leaders noted "constructive engagement" with Jakarta on Papua and that they would "continue a dialogue in an open and constructive manner".

Speaking after he and fellow Pacific leaders concluded their summit, Tuilaepa denied a suggestion that the language used was weak.

"It's the most powerful wording we could find. You know, these issues are very sensitive," said the Samoan prime minister whose government recently embarked on a trade relationship with Indonesia.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Foreign Minister indicated there was concern in the Pacific Islands about the West Papua situation, and stressed the importance of keeping the lines of communication open.

According to Gerry Brownlee, engagement with Jakarta over West Papua was predominantly about human rights issues.

“Of course if you think about Timor Leste started out as being a similar dialogue with the Indonesian government and I think what it is really saying is (there's) no desire to see this escalate into out-and-out warfare," he said.

While, the Apia Forum did not advance the West Papua issue to any significant degree, regional countries with the Forum who are concerned about Papua are taking it up at the United Nations level.

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http://tabloidjubi.com/eng/women-asked-report-violence/

2) WOMEN ARE ASKED TO REPORT VIOLENCE

AdminSep 11, 2017

Illustration of Papua women with her children – unicef – IST

Jayapura, Jubi – Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, and Family Planning Office of Papua Province asked women not to be afraid to report the acts of violence experienced by women and children in the area.

The Office of Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, and Family Planning of Papua Province, Annike Rawar, believes that there are still women who are reluctant to report the violence for fear.

“We are ready to provide legal assistance to women so that the perpetrators can be penalized according to the rules of law,” said Annike, in Jayapura, Sunday (September 10).

According to her, the number of domestic violence in Papua and West Papua since 2016 has touched the number of 2000 cases.

“This number is recorded in the police and the Department of Women Empowerment,” she said.

By 2017 it has 19 cases of violence, most of which are rape of women and minors.

“The case is we have asked the police to process because this is a criminal act that must be processed according to the rule of law,” he said.

Chairman of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) Azriana, suggesting the government and the people to use the opportunities given the special autonomy law to move forward in fulfillment of Papuan women, especially those who experience violence and human rights abuses.

“When talking about the welfare of Papuan women who are experiencing violence and layered discrimination, we must see this law as an opportunity which is not yet fully uphold,” Azriana said. (*)

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http://tabloidjubi.com/eng/12-witnesses-paomako-shooting-questioned/

3) 12 WITNESSES OF PAOMAKO SHOOTING BEING QUESTIONED

AdminSep 11, 2017

Mimika, Jubi – Twelve witnesses being questioned on the case of civilians shooting in Paomako Port area, Timika Papua. The incident was on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 had caused the death of Theo Cakatem (20) and other injured citizens.

“We’re in the process. To this day (September 8) we have questioned about 12 people,” said Mimika Military Police Commander, Lieutenant Two (Pelda) Eddy Harry, while receiving the victim’s family attorney, Friday (Septembr 8 ).

According to Eddy, the investigation process was conducted toward civilian witnesses and military person by Mimika resort police investigator since August 11 2017, or two days after the shooting incident.

A number of witnesses included four members of the Police, one Member of Babinsa Mimika, three non-indigenous fisherfolk, Head of RT Paomako Port, who were among the injured and a civilian parent of Theo Cakatem.

He explained that the witness is still lacking because there are still two expert witnesses that have not been checked. “They are officers of RSUD Timika, including doctors,” said Eddy.

Efforts to request expert witnesses from the hospital related to the death of Theo Cakatem who was stay at RSUD Timika from August 9 in the afternoon until August 10 morning.

Eddy mentioned the two expert witnesses as a complementary which then forwarded the completeness of the file to POMDAN Jayapura. “Next will be further investigation. However, if the file completeness is still lacking, it will be returned to Timika POM for completion, ” he said.

Representatives of Advocates/Human Rights Lawyers for Papua, Merci Waromi and Evander Dekeniap said they have received a letter of authority to advocate the case to court.

“The letter of authority from the victim’s family on behalf of Theo Cakatem, as well as other citizens who are victims in this case,” said Merci.

The defense team wanted to meet with the Timika POM Commander for confirmation because the perpetrators of TNI members were still active in the work area of ​​Mimika Regency.

“There are a number of things we have to prepare, including meeting with the Timika POM Commander (Ferdinan Ramadan),” she said.

Unfortunately Merci and the advocacy team have not been able to meet the POM commander. He said they are busy of receiving official guests from outside Timika. (Willem B)

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