JOINT STATEMENT: CALL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF SIMON MAGAL AND JAKUB SKRZYPSKI - The West Papuan and Polish pair have been charged with treason
London, New York, 7 September 2018 TAPOL and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) call for immediate release of Simon Carlos Magal and Jakub Fabian Skrzypski. In the event that Mr. Skrzypski is prosecuted, we call on all representative parties to ensure that he is afforded a fair trial.Indonesian police arrested West Papuan student Simon Carlos Magal, 29, on 1 September 2018 in Timika, in connection with the arrest of Jakub Fabian Skrzypski several days earlier.[1] According to news reports, Mr. Skrzypski, a Polish citizen, was visiting West Papua as a tourist...
CONDEMNING THE CLAMPDOWN ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN INDONESIA: Nearly one hundred West Papuans arrested in two days (Statement)
A total of 79 protesters from the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) were arrested for engaging in a non-violent protest in Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia, on Tuesday, 4 September 2018. The protestors were expressing their support for the Republic of Vanuatu to raise the issue of West Papua’s self-determination during the 49th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Nauru. Reports indicated that Vanuatu planned to present a draft resolution to the Pacific Islands Forum, calling for Indonesian-ruled West Papua to be inscribed on the United Nations’ de-colonisation list at next year's UN...
Press Release Human Rights Solidarity for Nduga: Stop the Joint Operation in Nduga Regency, Papua Province
Facts Regarding the Joint Apparatus OperationsIn the last two days (11-12 July 2018) the Papuan public has been concerned with the joint military and police operation operation against the alleged armed group TPN / OPM in the civilian village of Alguru, Kenyam District, Nduga Regency, Papua Province. According to various information reported by SuaraPapua.com and TabloidJubi.com, there has been an air attack by a joint apparatus against TPN / OPM group’s headquarter in Kampung Alguru. In the report, the Nduga District Government: the Regent and Vice Regent stated that since the 11th April...
PRESS RELEASE Civil Society Network: Civilians under crossfire in Nduga Regency, Papua, and demands for curtailing potential abuses of human rights
Jaringan Masyarakat Sipil (Civil Society Network) are pressuring President Joko Widodo to allow independent instutions into Nduga Regency, in the province of Papua, Indonesia. The pressure comes due to reports of a crossfire that could threaten residents’ safety. Until now, there have been no confirmations of the situation due to the lack of access. Meanwhile rumours are spreading that residents of Nduga have been terrified and fled to the surrounding forest, paralysing economic activity and education. The results of investigations by Papuan media and local organisations found the bodies at...
Civilians under crossfire in Nduga Regency, Papua, and demands for curtailing potential abuses of human rights
PRESS RELEASE Jaringan Masyarakat Sipil Civilians under crossfire in Nduga Regency, Papua, and demands for curtailing potential abuses of human rights Jaringan Masyarakat Sipil (Civil Society Network) are pressuring President Joko Widodo to allow independent instutions into Nduga Regency, in the province of Papua, Indonesia. The pressure comes due to reports of a crossfire that could threaten residents’ safety. Until now, there have been no confirmations of the situation due to the lack of access. Meanwhile rumours are spreading that residents of Nduga have been terrified and fled to the...
Joint Statement of Solidarity: 20th Anniversary of the 'Biak Massacre', West Papua
Today - July 6 2018 - we stand in solidarity with the people of West Papua in commemorating the 20th anniversary of the torture, rape, killing and disappearances of many children, women and men who gathered near a water tower by Biak Port in West Papua for a peaceful protest against the Indonesian Government.On July 6 1998, the Indonesian security forces open fired directly on the peaceful protestors, killing five people, injuring four, with persons missing. Bodies -dead, alive and injured - were gathered up and taken away in military vehicles. Survivors were taken onto ships where torture...
Press Release: Gross human rights violation in Wasior, 17 years on and still looking for justice
Press Release: Gross human rights violation: Wasior, 17 years on and still looking for justice13 June, 2018"Bloody Wasior" is an unresolved case of gross human rights violations caused by the Indonesian State between April and October 2001 primarily in the area of Wasior district, West Papua province. It started with protest of local communities who demanded compensation from PT Dharma Mukti Persada (PT DMP), a logging company operating in Wasior district, who had illegally occupied community customary land and harvested timber resources.The company, with the support of Brimob (Mobile Brigade...
Statement by Papuan Civil Society on the Visit to West Papua by the Solomon Islands Delegation
Dear Sirs/Madams, We, West Papua civil society, consisting of people from Non-Government Organisations, youth, students, women, and indigenous peoples, welcome the government and civil society delegates from the Solomon Islands to our country, West Papua. We sincerely apologise that because we are not free to express ourselves in the land of our ancestors we cannot welcome you well and honorably as Melanesian relatives. To be honest we just heard about this visit. We did not expect this visit would be arranged secretly and unilaterally by the government of Indonesia through its foreign...
Press Release: Stop the sweeping and attacks against civilians in Nduga, Papua
Five civilians allegedly shot, four were persecuted, two houses were burned by the Indonesian military/police. Press contact details below. (Papua/Jakarta, 20th December 2017) The Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights in the Central Highlands of Papua, Civil Liberty Defenders and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) request that the Indonesian security forces, militrary and police do not act indiscriminately in the Mugi district of the Nduga regency, Papua. The tense situation in Mugi District resulting from the intimidating the presence of...
LP3BH calls on President Jokowi to immediately deal with conflict in West Papua
Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive-Director of LP3BH Manokwari, has called on President Jokowi to immediately take action with regard to the conflict now underway in the region of Tembagapura, West Papua. LP3BH calls on President Jokowi to immediately deal with conflict in West Papua As yet, there has been no response from the President to reports about an armed conflict that is currently underway between the Indonesian security forces (Army and Police) and the TPNP (Papuan National Liberation Army) in the vicinity of Freeport's massive Grasberg mine. However, there have been a...
Indonesia: Government must make public the 2005 fact-finding report on Munir’s case
JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT6 September 2017Indonesia: Government must make public the 2005 fact-finding report on Munir’s caseIn commemorating the thirteen years after the killing of human rights defender Munir Said Thalib, 7th of September 2017, the undersigned regional and international human rights organizations call on the Indonesian President Joko Widodo to take decisive and concrete action to ensure those responsible – including those at the highest levels – are brought to justice. As a first key step towards establishing the truth, President Widodo must release the 2005 report prepared by...
Statement from Advocacy Team for Citizen Freedom - Tools of State Repression: Abolish treason articles in the Indonesian Criminal Code
Tools of State Repression: Abolish treason articles in the Indonesian Criminal CodeAdvocacy Team for Citizen FreedomJakarta, 22 March 2016 — Political expression by those critical of the Government of Indonesia for not ensuring it’s citizens’ rights if often faced with repressive acts, especially in Papua where those who challenge the state are commonly labelled as rebels, separatists, and guilty of treason [makar].To challenge the State’s usage of the criminal code as an instrument of repression, we, the Advocacy Team for Citizen Freedom, have submitted a petition to the...
Joint oral statement at the 34th regular session of the Human Rights Council
Joint Oral Statement at the 34th regular session of the Human Right Council Item 4: General Debate – human rights situations that require the Council’s attention. March 14, 2017 Delivered by: Andrzej Owca Mr. President VIVAT International, Franciscans International, the World Council of Churches and Geneva for Human Rights with support of the International Coalition for Papua, Tapol and Westpapua-Netzwerk, would like to draw the Council’s attention to the human rights situation in West Papua in particular regarding the rights of the indigenous people, including their right...
Indonesia: Close gap between rhetoric and reality on 1965 mass human rights violations
PUBLIC STATEMENT1 October 2016Indonesia: Close gap between rhetoric and reality on 1965 mass human rights violations Despite President Joko Widodo’s repeated commitments to address human rights violations committed in 1965 – such as extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and torture – more than five decades later millions of victims and their families are still waiting for truth, justice and reparation. On the 51st anniversary of these violations, Amnesty International, Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), East-Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN), La’o Hamutuk, TAPOL, Watch...
Oral statement at the 33nd regular session of the Human Rights Council
Oral statement at the 33nd regular session of the Human Rights CouncilItem 4 General debate – Human Rights situation that requires Council’s attention.19th September 2016Delivered by Andrzej Owca Mr. President, VIVAT International, Franciscans International, the International Coalition for Papua and TAPOL welcome and encourage the commitment and the efforts that have been already made by the government of Indonesia on human rights.However, we remain deeply concerned about the continuous violations of human rights in West Papua, as one of the most vulnerable regions of...
Pernyataan Terbuka Pengangkatan Jenderal (Purn) Wiranto sebagai Menteri mengukuhkan adanya impunitas berurat-akar di Indonesia
Pernyataan TerbukaPengangkatan Jenderal (Purn) Wiranto sebagai Menteri mengukuhkan adanya impunitas berurat-akar di Indonesia27 Juli 2016 – Tiga lembaga hak asasi manusia, TAPOL, ETAN, dan Watch Indonesia!, hari ini mengritik keputusan Presiden Joko Widodo (Jokowi) yang mengangkat Jenderal Purnawirawan Wiranto sebagai Menteri Koordinator bidang Politik, Hukum dan Keamanan. Wiranto menggantikan Jenderal Purnawirawan Luhut Pandjaitan.Sekretaris Kabinet Pramono Anung mengatakan kepada media bahwa Wiranto terpilih “karena ia telah teruji dan berpengalaman dalam menangani berbagai tugas, terutama...
Open Statement: Appointment of Retired General Wiranto as Minister confirms the deep-rooted impunity in Indonesia
Open StatementAppointment of General Wiranto (Retired) as Minister confirms the deep-rooted impunity in IndonesiaJuly 27, 2016 - Three human rights groups, TAPOL, ETAN, and Watch Indonesia!, today criticized President Joko (Jokowi) Widodo’s appointment of former Indonesian Military (TNI) commander General (Ret.) Wiranto as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. Wiranto replaces General (Ret.) Luhut Pandjaitan. Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, told the media that Wiranto was appointed “because he had been well-tested and was experienced in resolving various...
Indonesia: End impunity and arbitrary arrests in West Papua
(London 24 June 2016) –A new report by Papuans Behind Bars (PBB) exposes the Indonesian government’s increased use of arbitrary arrests to shut down protests in West Papua in 2015. At the launch of the report, held at the Amnesty International Secretariat in London on 24 June, UK-based NGO, TAPOL, urged the Indonesian government to answer for ongoing impunity, state violence and increased arbitrary arrests in West Papua.“The Indonesian government must end mass arrests at peaceful demonstrations as freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are in accordance with Indonesia’s obligations under...
Oral Statement of the 32ndsession of the UN Human Rights Council
On June 22nd 2016, an oral statement regarding the human rights situation in West Papua was heldbefore the UN Human Rights Council. The statement was supported by several organisations, including TAPOL.Mr. President,
We would like to draw the Council’s attention to the human rights situation in West Papua. As one of the most isolated areas in the world, it remains one of the last conflict regions within Indonesia. Local activists continue to report cases of arbitrary arrests by Indonesian security forces of predominantly-indigenous Papuans participating in peaceful gatherings...
Melawan impunitas dan kesewenang-wenangan atas nama negara dan agama!
Kami menyambut baik kunjungan Presiden Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) di Berlin pada tanggal 18 April 2016. Terpilihnya Jokowi sebagai presiden juga membangkitkan harapan banyak orang di Jerman akan babak baru proses demokratisasi di Indonesia. Tata kelola pemerintahan yang lebih baik, pemberantasan korupsi, perbaikan sistem hukum dan penghapusan segala bentuk impunitas hanyalah sebagian dari begitu banyak harapan yang ditujukan kepada presiden yang terpilih ini.Kunjungan singkat di Berlin akan difokuskan pada tema-tema ekonomi, khususnya pembangunan infrastruktur, yang bagi Jokowi menjadi...