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...
Urgent Appeals Filed with UN by 63 Political Prisoners in Indonesia Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
(London, Sydney, 15 April 2020) Sixty-three political prisoners detained on treason charges in Indonesia have made a joint urgent appeal to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and UN Special Rapporteurs.The 63 political prisoners instructed Jennifer Robinson and Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, with the support of human rights organisation TAPOL, to bring their cases to the UN. The urgent appeal demonstrates that all 63 prisoners are being arbitrarily and unlawfully detained, in violation of Indonesia’s international human rights obligations.The...
NGO Joint Statement - 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council
43rd Session of the Human Rights CouncilItem 4: General DebateNGO Joint statement - 10 March 2020Delivered by Ms. Latifah Anum SiregarMadam President,My name is Anum Siregar, a human rights lawyer from West Papua. I am delivering a joint statement of Franciscans International and Geneva for Human Rights with the support of the International Coalition for Papua, TAPOL and Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua (ALDP) and West Papua Netzwerk. The Indonesian Provinces of Papua and West Papua remain to be the key region of human rights violations and conflicts.I would like to...
Indonesia: Officers in Office
TAPOL BriefingThe proposed insertion of serving military officers into civilian government postsMarch 1, 2020IntroductionIt has been more than two decades since a process of democratic reform was initiated in Indonesia under which the military stepped back from its political role. As part of the reforms, the military were gradually removed both from legislative posts that guaranteed it political representation and also posts in Indonesia’s civilian bureaucracy. However, in 2019, the military indicated its wishes to re-insert serving military officers into the bureaucracy, in Ministries and...
Indonesia: Officers in Office
TAPOL BriefingThe proposed insertion of serving military officers into civilian government postsMarch 1, 2020IntroductionIt has been more than two decades since a process of democratic reform was initiated in Indonesia under which the military stepped back from its political role. As part of the reforms, the military were gradually removed both from legislative posts that guaranteed it political representation and also posts in Indonesia’s civilian bureaucracy. However, in 2019, the military indicated its wishes to re-insert serving military officers into the bureaucracy, in Ministries and...
OHCHR Statement to the Indonesian Government on the Protection of Rights and Freedom of Expression in the Current West Papua Situation
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have expressed their concern at the Indonesian government increasing the presence of police and military personnel in West Papua and continued crack down on human rights defenders using criminal law over reporting on West Papua.On Monday 16 September, the UN human rights special experts made an appeal to the Indonesian government for immediate measures to protect freedom of expression and stop the harassment, intimidation, restrictions and threats against those who report on the protests in West Papua. To the...
VERONICA KOMAN, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER AND SURYA ANTA, ‘FREE WEST’ PAPUA ACTIVIST SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND HONOURED, NOT CRIMINALISED (Translated statement)
Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman has been consistent in defending West Papuan activists, and Free West Papua activist Surya Anta has been consistent in fighting for the right to self-determination for the indigenous West Papuan population. Veronica Koman protects activists who speak about West Papua across Indonesia, and Surya Anta has supported the right to self-determination with various groups and networks. This is extremely rare, as there are very few non-Papuan Indonesian lawyers and pro-democracy activists who are ready to take on this kind of work. Both Vero and Surya Anta have been...
Joint Statement on the 'Act of Free Choice' Judicial Review Submission
TAPOL and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) are calling attention to an application for judicial review of the “Act of Free Choice” by the Indonesian Constitutional Court. Recently filed by human rights lawyers on behalf of West Papua customary leaders and churches, the submission states that the highly contested self-determination “referendum” held in 1969 must be deemed contrary to the rights granted under Indonesian constitution, including the rights to freedom of thought and conscience, right to life, right to feel safe, and the right to not be tortured.The “Act...
Joint Submission Indigenous IDPs of Nduga, West Papua, Indonesia
14 March 2019ToThe Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.CC:The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intoleranceIndonesia: Security force operations in the regency of Nduga cause the displacement of thousands of indigenous peoplesIssues: internally displacement, right to food, indigenous peoples rights, minority...
URGENT ACTION: Indonesian Security Forces use treason laws to restrict rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in West Papua
URGENT ACTION: Indonesian Security Forces use treason laws to restrict rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in West PapuaTAPOL, Franciscans International, International Coalition for Papua, Watch Indonesia!, West Papua Netzwerk and Geneva for Human Rights Global Training would like to draw your attention to the cases of the violation of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression as well as the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association of the members of West Papua National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat - KNPB)1 in Mimika Regency, Papua Province,...
Justice for "Bloody Paniai", 8 December 2014 [TAPOL Statement]
Justice for “Bloody Paniai”, 8 December 2014TAPOL StatementToday, 8 December 2018, we commemorate the four year anniversary of the “Bloody Paniai” incident where the members of the Indonesian military from Special Battalion 753 Team shot live rounds into a crowd, killing four teenagers and wounding 17 others. On 8 December 2014, people from the village of Eneratoli, Paniai Regency, Papua Province, were gathered together on a football field to protest against an incident from the previous night, where members of Special Battalion 753 had beaten and tortured Yulianus Yeimo (14 years of age in...
'Papua is not empty land': Respect the rights of West Papuan peoples (CSO Joint Statement))
Joint Statement11 November 2018We are indigenous leaders and owners of the traditional lands and forests from the Mandobo tribe in Kali Kao, Boven Digoel regency; Malind tribe in Muting, Merauke regency; Mpur tribe in Kebar, Tambrauw regency; Moi tribe in Klasouw and Klayili, Sorong regency; Maybrat tribe in Ikana, South Sorong regency; along with civil society and religious organisations.Currently, we, the indigenous peoples, traditional villagers and forest people, and the places where we are living are under pressure and face sustained injustice and social tension due to large-scale “...
SIDANG UMUM PBB 73: MELURUSKAN INFORMASI TENTANG PELANGGARAN HAM DI PAPUA DAN RESOLUSI PBB TAHUN 1969 TENTANG ‘PEPERA’ [Pernyataan Bersama]
London, New York, 2 Oktober 2018TAPOL dan East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) mengutuk penangkapan massal1 yang lagi-lagi terjadi, kali ini pada minggu awal Sidang Umum Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (UNGA) yang ke-73. Penangkapan massal tersebut jelas-jelas bertentangan dengan pernyataan Republik Indonesia pada 'hak jawab' pertama mereka dalam Sidang Umum bahwa tidak ada "pelanggaran HAM yang sering dan sistematis" di West Papua.2 Kami juga tidak sepakat dengan klaim Indonesia bahwa status politik Papua sudah tuntas dengan Resolusi PBB 2504 tahun 1969.3Pada akhir September,...
TAPOL and ETAN Joint Statement - UN General Assembly 73: Correcting the Record On Human Rights Violations in West Papua and the 1969 UN Resolution Regarding ‘Act of Free Choice’
London, New York, 2 October 2018TAPOL and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) condemn yet another wave of mass arrests1 during the opening week of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The mass arrests clearly contradict the statement of the Republic of Indonesia in their first “right of reply” during the General Assembly that there are not “frequent and systematic human rights violations” in West Papua.2 We also disagree with Indonesia’s claim that UN Resolution 2504 of 19693 has settled the issue of West Papua’s political status.In...
Pernyataan Bersama: SERUAN UNTUK SEGERA LEPASKAN SIMON MAGAL DAN JAKUB SKRZYPSKI Orang Papua dan Polandia dikenakan pasal makar di Indonesia
London, New York, 7 September 2018TAPOL dan East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) menyerukan pelepasan segera Simon Carlos Magal dan Jakub Fabian Skrzypski. Jika kasus Mr. Skrzypski dilanjutkan, kami menyerukan kepada semua pihak terkait untuk memastikan peradilan yang adil baginya. Kepolisian Indonesia menahan seorang mahasiswa Papua bernama Simon Carlos Magal (29 tahun) pada tanggal 1 September 2018 di Timika, terkait dengan penangkapan Jakub Fabian Skrzypski beberapa hari sebelumnya.[1] Menurut laporan media, Tuan Skrzypski, warga negara Polandia, mengunjungi...
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...
Siaran Pers SOHAM Nduga: Hentikan Operasi Gabungan di Kabupaten Nduga, Provinsi Papua
Fakta Operasi Aparat GabunganDua hari belakangan ini (11-12 Juli 2018) publik Papua dirisaukan dengan adanya operasi aparat gabungan militer dan polisi terhadap kelompok bersenjata yang diduga merupakan kelompok TPN/OPM di perkampungan sipil Alguru di Distrik Kenyam, Kabupaten Nduga,Provinsi Papua. Dari berbagai informasi seperti yang dilaporkan oleh SuaraPapua.com dan TabloidJubi.com, bahwa telah terjadi penyerangan udara oleh aparat gabungan terhadap kelompok TPN/OPM yang bermarkas di Kampung Alguru.1 Dalam laporan media tersebut, Pemerintah Kabupaten Nduga: Bupati dan Wakil Bupati...
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...