Since the shooting incident which took place in Nduga Regency in early
December 2018, joint police and military forces have been carrying out a
'military operation' with the stated aim of evacuating victims and searching for
the TPNPB (West Papua National Liberation Army), who have been accused of
carrying out the shooting.
Nduga is not a safe place at the moment. As the joint forces carry out their
operation, a fear of the sort of violence known from previous experiences in
Mapenduma, Yigi and Mbua has emerged. So far, civilians from 34 churches from
the Mbua, Mbulmu Yalma, East Yigi, West Yigi and Mugi Classises (a Classis is an
administrative divisions of the Protestant Church) have reported being forced to
leave their villages and go to take refuge in nearby forests to avoid being caught
up in brutal shootings, violence, intimidation and so on. These refugees are
pushed to the limit, living in fear, and under threat of starvation because of the
high probability they will not find sufficient food and will experience health
problems.
We are worried about these refugees' safety and security. There have been
reports that three civillians have died in Mbua and Dal: one middle school
student, one high school student from the Emmanuel church and another young
person, as well as one more victim in the Mbulmu Yalma area. Nearby where the
victims were found in Mbua sub-districts, local people discovered hand-grenades
and grenades from grenade launchers made by Indonesian state-owned
armaments firm PT Pindad, so people suppose the victims died because of
weapons used by the joint security operation.
The forest in the Nduga area is part of the Lorentz National Park which is home
to around 1200 species of plants, 118 mammals, 66 amphibians, 403 birds, 51
butterflies and various micro-organisms. Because of the importance of this
biodiversity, Lorentz National Park has been made a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. We fear that a widespread military
operation in this forested area will also damage or disturb this ecosystem, as
well as eliminating the local communities' living space and the areas they
manage.
Military operations and all forms of violence occurring in Nduga are adding to
the terrible record of violations of indigenous Papuans' human rights. This
clearly runs contrary to the 1999 Human Rights Law and the 1948 Declaration
on Human Rights which establish regulations ensuring the right to life, the right
to justice, the right to individual freedom, the right to feel safe and the right to
security, as well as the right to a good and healthy environment.
Papua's long journey which led to the birth of Papuan Special Autonomy has also
still not answered indigenous Papuans' hopes of a decent life, despite the
considerable sums of money which have been sent to Papua, but which never
seem to be enough. Special Autonomy still does not give a space for indigenous
Papuans' self-determination and self-determined development. Today,
indigenous Papuans are mere spectators on their own land, they still suffer from
hunger in their own homes, despite the abundance of natural riches and
resources found in the Land of Papua. In the end, Special Autonomy is only a
sweet-sounding phrase which can be the banner heading over a long story of
suffering, impoverishment and never-ending human rights violations.
Based on this background, we as the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for
Justice, Human Rights and the Environment in the Land of Papua, wish to express
our sincere solidarity and condolences to the civilian victims and survivors who
have taken refuge or who are in temporary accommodation.
1. We express our strong criticism of shootings and other acts of violence in
which civilians have become victims, or have been targeted and subjected to
violence in Nduga.
2. We ask the President as Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces to stop this
Military Operation which has resulted in civilian victims and caused the people
of Nduga to flee from their own lands, and also has the potential to cause the
destruction of the environment, forests and the areas indigenous Papuans
depend on for their livelihood, especially those who live in Nduga Regency.
3. We support the statement of the Governor of Papua Province and the
Provincial Legislative Council, who have asked the Indonesian Government to
withdraw all military and police personnel who are currently on security duties
in Nduga Regency. We also support the Governor's statement that he will form
an independent team, made up of local government, the Papuan Provincial
Legislative Council, the Papuan People's Assembly, religious and community
leaders, NGOs, the National Human Rights Commission and other related parties,
which will take on the role of investigating violent events in Nduga and finding
out what really happened.
4. We support all efforts to enforce the law based on justice and responsibility
which protect, restore and guarantee the safety of civilians and witnesses in the
Nduga case.
5. We urge the National Human Rights Commission to form and investigative
team, involving church organisations and CSOs in Papua to carry out verification
and discover the facts behind the violence which has occurred in Nduga, in a just,
responsible and transparent way.
#SALAM ADIL DAN LESTARI !!!
Jayapura, 24 Desember 2018
Contact Person: Aiesh Rumbekwan: 0813 4452 4394
Koalisi Organisasi Masyarakat Sipil Pro Keadilan, HAM dan Lingkungan di
Tanah Papua:
1. WALHI ED Papua,
2. Yayasan PUSAKA,
3. YALI Papua,
4. Pt. PPMA,
5. LBH Papua,
6. YPMD Papua,
7. TIKI Papua,
8. YADUPA,
9. YPPWP
10. YALHIMO Manokwari,
11. LP3BH Manolwari,
12. RUMSRAM,
13. LMA Swamemo Nabire,
14. Elsham Papua,
15. LEMASA,
16. LEMASKO,
17. YBAW Wamena,
18. Dewan Kepala-Kepala Suku Jove’mamba,
19. iWaTaLi Papua,
20. Papuan Voices,
21. SKPKC Fransiskan Papua,
22. KPKC GKI di Tanah Papua,
23. Perkumpulan Belantara Papua,
24. Komunitas Transparansi Pangguna Anggaran Papua Baru (KOTRAPENGARU),
25. Yalhimo,
26. GSBI Papua Barat,
27. Perkumpulan Bin Mdag Hom Bintuni,
28. Yay. Konsultasi Independen Pemberdayaan Rakyat (KIPRa) Papua,
29. JERAT Papua,
30. Filep Karma, Pembela HAM,
31. Dr. I Ngurah Suryawan, Akademisi Unipa,
32. Asep Komaruddin, aktifis,
33. SOS untuk Tanah Papua,
34. Dewan Masyarakat Adat Momuna Kab. Yahukimo,
35. Koalisi Peduli HAM dan Lingkungan Hidup (KAPHLING) Papua,
36. Walhi Eksekutif Nasional, Jakarta,
37. Walhi Kalimantan Tengah,
38. Walhi Sulawesi Utara,
39. Walhi Sulawesi Selatan,
40. Walhi Sulawesi Tengah,
41. Walhi Bali,
42. Walhi Aceh,
43. Walhi Jawa Timur,
44. Walhi Bengkulu,
45. Walhi Jambi,
46. Walhi Kalteng,
47. Dr. Cahyo Pamungkas, S.E, M.Si, peneliti LIPI,
48. AJAR (Asia Justice and Rights), 49. Protection International.
