A tribute to Alex Flor
London, 7 May 2021Yesterday we lost a dear colleague in Berlin, Alex Flor, the co-founder of Watch Indonesia! and its leader until 2019, after a short but serious illness. In the early 90s, from our tower in London we looked out with excitement at the birth of a new watchdog in Berlin. A group of Indonesian exiles in Germany, hand-in-hand with a group of German students, mostly returning from volunteering and visits in Indonesia, were forming aptly named Watch Indonesia! Among them was Alex Flor, known by his nickname ‘anak nakal’ at snafu in the early days of the cybernet. Anak...
OPM Bukan Kelompok Teroris
(London, 31 Maret 2021) TAPOL menolak keras usulan yang diajukan Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme untuk menggolongkan Organisasi Papua Merdeka sebagai organisasi teroris. Langkah tersebut akan menimbulkan lebih banyak lagi pelanggaran HAM berat di Tanah Papua/West Papua. Datasemen Khusus (Densus) 88, unit khusus anti-teroris di Indonesia, yang menerima pelatihan dan peralatan dari Amerika Serikat dan Australia, sudah sering mendapat kritik dari berbagai organisasi HAM atas tindakan yang buruk dan berlebihan serta berlaku dengan impunitas. Sepuluh tahun yang lalu Densus 88 dikerahkan...
The Free Papua Organisation is Not a Terrorist Group
(London, 31 March 2021) TAPOL strongly denounces the proposal put forward by the Indonesian National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT/Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme) to categorise the Free Papua Organisation (OPM/Organisasi Papua Merdeka) as a terrorist organisation. Such a move will lead to more serious human rights abuses in West Papua.Detachment 88, the anti-terrorism unit in Indonesia, which receives training and equipment from the United States and Australia, has been widely criticized by human rights groups for its notorious and disproportionate actions and being allowed to act...
TAPOL Stands With the People of Myanmar
(London, 22 March 2021) TAPOL condemns the coup d’etat and violence against protestors by the Myanmar military, also known as the Tatmadaw. While we appreciate the work of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar on this crisis, we regret the inaction of many United Nations (UN) member states which for the most part have done little despite the deteriorating situation. TAPOL is a London-based human rights organization campaigning for democracy in Indonesia. Our recent work has focused on the rights of political prisoners, rights to freedom of expression and assembly, and continued...
New report details numerous violations by PT Freeport Indonesia in West Papua
Indigenous tribes such as the Kamoro and the Amungme have been claiming their communities have been afflicted with poverty, violence and mostly environmental degradation since the Grasberg mine operated by PT Freeport Indonesia began its activities 48 years ago. Turning the spotlight again on this critical issue, the ICP, together with the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Initiative Action for Ecology and Peoples' Emancipation (AEER), the Center for Study, Documentation and Advocacy on Peoples' Rights (PUSAKA), Friends of the Earth Papua (WALHI Papua), the Lokataru Law and Human...
Militerisme yang Mengakar, Pendekatan “Kesejahteraan”, dan Politik Pengecualian di West Papua
TAPOL BriefingMiliterisme yang Mengakar, Pendekatan “Kesejahteraan”, dan Politik Pengecualian di West Papua8 Desember 2020 PendahuluanSejak rezim Orde Baru (1966-1998) tumbang, kecuali dalam satu periode singkat antara 1998-2001, kekuasaan dan otoritas pasukan keamanan Indonesia di wilayah West Papua secara umum tidak pernah berkurang. Menurut kami, hal itu terjadi karena dua alasan, dan kedua alasan itu berasal dari kegagalan menjalankan reformasi politik yang sejati di West Papua dan Indonesia.Pertama, kekuasaan militer dan polisi di West Papua tetap tidak terkendali oleh lembaga-lembaga...
Entrenched militarism, the ‘prosperity’ approach and governance by exception in West Papua
TAPOL Briefing Entrenched militarism, the ‘prosperity’ approach and governance by exception in West Papua December 8, 2020 IntroductionSince the fall of the New Order regime (1966-1998), with one brief period of exception between 1998-2001, the power and authority of the Indonesian security forces in the region of West Papua have remained largely undiminished. We attribute this to two reasons, both of which stem from a failure to implement genuine political reform in West Papua and Indonesia more broadly. First, the power of the military and police in West Papua has remained unchecked by...
Indonesia: The New Omnibus Law
TAPOL BriefingRecent changes to Indonesian labour law: why the country's workers are protestingOctober 19, 2020On 5 October 2020, the Indonesian Parliament passed an ‘Omnibus’ law. At the time of writing, the legislation has not yet been signed into law by President Widodo and reportedly has gone through further revisions since being passed by Parliament. The draft law remains the subject of extensive street protests across Indonesia. This was met with a significant security force crackdown in response, including violence committed against demonstrators - labour and environmental activists...
THE 2019 WEST PAPUA UPRISING: FULL REPORT
THE 2019 WEST PAPUA UPRISING: FULL REPORTLondon, 30 September 2020TAPOL, in collaboration with human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, has today published an extensive report on the 2019 West Papua Uprising ('the Uprising') on the anniversary of its last day in 2019. The written report is supplemented with a short video.The report, summarised in an executive summary, is a compilation of analyses and stories focusing on the human rights violations committed during the Uprising, including the racism which triggered it and the impunity which its perpetrators have enjoyed. The report shows that...
THE 2019 WEST PAPUA UPRISING: FULL REPORT
THE 2019 WEST PAPUA UPRISING: FULL REPORTLondon, 30 September 2020TAPOL, in collaboration with human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, has today published an extensive report on the 2019 West Papua Uprising ('the Uprising') on the anniversary of its last day in 2019. The written report is supplemented with a short video.The report, summarised in an executive summary, is a compilation of analyses and stories focusing on the human rights violations committed during the Uprising, including the racism which triggered it and the impunity which its perpetrators have enjoyed. The report shows that...
TAPOL and ETAN Letter to UK and US Ambassadors to UN on Anniversary of 30 September Movement
TAPOL and ETAN Letter to UK and US Ambassadors to UN on Anniversary of 30 September Movement HE Dame Barbara Woodward,Permanent RepresentativeUnited Kingdom Mission to the UNNew York, NY and HE Kelly CraftPermanent RepresentativeUnited States Mission to the UN
New York, NY 30 September 2020Dear Ambassadors,We write to you on the fifty-fifth anniversary of the so-called September 30th movement (G30S) in Indonesia. The movement, which led to the mass killing of hundreds of thousands of people accused of being communists by the military and its proxies, marked the beginning of the New...
TAPOL Statement on the Killing of the Papuan Church Minister
TAPOL condemns the killing of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, a church leader from Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province. It has been reported that Pastor Zanambani was killed by members of the Indonesian military (TNI) on Saturday, 19th of September. Pastor Zanambani was found dead near his pig pen, 300 meters from his home, with bullet and stab wounds. According to various reports, tensions in the area had increased since Saturday 18th September after an Indonesian soldier was killed by unknown individuals. The Indonesian military claims that the West Papuan National Liberation...
THE 2019 WEST PAPUA UPRISING IN SUMMARY
PRESS RELEASETHE 2019 WEST PAPUA UPRISING IN SUMMARY(London, 19 August 2020) Today marks the first anniversary of the West Papua Uprising. The Uprising swept across 22 towns in West Papua, 17 cities in Indonesia, and 3 cities overseas during the period of 19 August to 30 September 2019. The trigger of the Uprising was the racist persecution of West Papuan students in the Indonesian cities of Malang on 15 August, in Surabaya on 16 and 17 August, and in Semarang on 18 August 2019. The most significant of these incidents was, however, the incidents in Surabaya where Indonesian soldiers shouted ‘...
Gerakan West Papua Melawan 2019 - sebuah ringkasan
PERS RILIS
RINGKASAN GERAKAN WEST PAPUA MELAWAN 2019(London, 19 Agustus 2020) Hari ini tepat satu tahun Gerakan West Papua Melawan. Gerakan Melawan menyapu sepanjang 22 kota di West Papua, 17 kota di Indonesia, dan 3 kota di luar negeri selama periode 19 Agustus hingga 30 September 2019.Pemicu dari Gerakan Melawan ini adalah persekusi rasis terhadap mahasiswa West Papua di Malang pada 15 Agustus, di Surabaya pada 16 dan 17 Agustus, dan di Semarang pada 18 Agustus 2019. Namun insiden yang paling berpengaruh adalah yang di Surabaya ketika tentara Indonesia meneriakkan kata ‘monyet’...
Press Release: West Papua 2019 Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly Report
London, 12th August 2020 Surveillance, intimidation and harassment, protest dispersals, torture, arbitrary arrests and extra-judicial killings continued in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, and in Indonesia more broadly, as the state tried to crack down on the contentious issue of West Papua’s self-determination in 2019. Alarmingly, the Indonesian Government also used new tactics such as internet shutdown and cyber-attacks during the anti-racism protests and riots which culminated in the ‘West Papuan Uprising’ in August and September 2019. Last year, the Indonesian security...
West Papua 2019 Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly Report by TAPOL
Between August and September 2019, students, political activists and civilians held mass demonstrations in West Papua, and in Indonesia, against racism and in favour of West Papuan self-determination. These events, collectively known as the ‘West Papua Uprising’ were triggered by racism from state security ser- vices and nationalist groups directed against West Papuan students in Java during August 2019. This led to an exodus of West Papuan students who returned from other provinces in Indonesia to West Papua.The Indonesian Government responded to the West Papua Uprising by deploying more...
Tribute for Ganius Wenda by TAPOL and PBB
(Monday, August 3, 2020) TAPOL and Papuans Behind Bars were deeply saddened to hear that our dear friend and colleague, Ganius Wenda, passed away today, August 3rd 2020 in Jayapura, West Papua. Ganius Wenda was a young lawyer and a highly valued member of the West Papuan legal community. At the time of his death, he had been working as a legal advocate for West Papuan Political Prisoners for two years. In his final case, Ganius Wenda was part of the legal team that defended the West Papuan Political Prisoners, known as the ‘Balikpapan Seven’ earlier this year. Genius Wenda was a tireless and...
Carmel Budiardjo 95 years young
“It is my fervent wish that future generations uphold the principles of political freedoms, peace and anti-militarism”(London, 18 June 2020)Ninety-five years ago today Carmel Brickman was born in London, later taking her Indonesian husband's last name to become Carmel Budiardjo. Having been an activist since a young age as a student, she carried on to set up TAPOL in 1973 on her release as a political prisoner in Indonesia. TAPOL carries on her legacy. Happy birthday, Carmel!The Right Livelihood Award's tribute on Carmel’s birthday: https://www.rightlivelihoodaward.org/media/...
TAPOL regrets Court sentencing of ‘Balikpapan Seven’ political prisoners
(London, 17 June 2020) TAPOL regrets the sentencing of seven West Papuan political prisoners today in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan province. The Seven were arrested in early September 2019 and accused of being the masterminds behind the ‘West Papua Uprising’, mass anti-racism protests in August and September last year. Prosecutors demanded that harsh prison sentences should be handed to the Seven, which has caused a rise in tensions in recent weeks in West Papua. However, judges took a different view and displayed more leniency:Buchtar Tabuni was sentenced to 11 months in prison after...
Indonesia: Free the West Papuan Political Prisoners
Join TAPOL and ETAN in a LIVE WEBINAR exploring the consequences of a racist justice system for political activists in West Papua. Please see the invitation attached for details about how to join!About the WebinarThe anti-racism movement is sweeping across the globe, inspired by Black Lives Matter in the United States. The activism has resonated in Indonesia with the emergence of the Papuan Lives Matter movement. Both the current uprising in Minneapolis and in West Papua last year were triggered by recorded incidents of racist police violence.Last week Indonesian prosecutors demanded...