West Papua: Shootout Before 'Indepence Anniversary'

1) Papua Shootout Shatters Calm Before 'Independence Anniversary'
2) Papua’s Bibida office allegedly set fire by OPM
3) Tensions high in Papua ahead of OPM day
4) We will celebrate 'National Flag Day' peacefully: OPM
5) Police: ‘We Are Proud of and Love Papua’
6) Suspicions Surround Death of Papuan Student

-----------------------------

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/papua-shootout-shatters-calm-before-independence-anniversary/481920

1) Papua Shootout Shatters Calm Before 'Independence Anniversary'

Troops from Cendrawasih military district command patrolling on a combat vehicle in Timika, Papua on Wednesday. Police and military deployed more officers to secure the celebration of the Free Papua Organization anniversary on Thursday where the Morning Star flag will be raised. (Antara Photo)

Banjir Ambarita & Ulma Haryanto | November 30, 2011

A shootout between security forces and guerillas has rocked the restive province of Papua, already on high alert for today’s planned demonstrations by pro-independence activists.

Gunshots were heard on Tuesday evening in a village in Papua’s Paniai district as officers from the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) clashed with members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM).

“The shooting started at about 6 p.m.,” a resident, Yafet Gobay, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday. “Some people have sought refuge in other villages.”

As part of a government plan to quell security disturbances in the province, it has sent more police officers and soldiers into districts it says are known OPM bases.

“Yesterday 96 officers attempted to set up posts here but then the OPM came and started shooting at them,” Yafet said.

Both sides, he said, were only trying to scare each other off, and they were all shooting from a significant distance.

“Nobody was hurt, but after awhile the Mobile Brigade troops left the area,” he said.

Hanok Pigai, the director of Yapkema, an NGO that works to improve health services in the region, said the appearance of the soldiers and police officers had intimidated residents.

“People feared that it would turn into another big military operation, while we still don’t know what the OPM is planning to do for tomorrow,” he said.

“In Paniai around 500 Mobile Brigade officers have set up new posts at several villages in anticipation for Thursday.”

Officers, he added, had also conducted raids for weapons and OPM-related paraphernalia at checkpoints and harbors.

A prominent Papuan priest, the Rev. Neles Tebay, said OPM guerillas led by John Yogi might be behind the latest shooting.

“They burned several government offices and damaged bridges connecting one subdistrict to the next,” he said.

Fifty years ago today, Papuans declared independence from Dutch colonial rule.

Believing Papua to be part of the country, Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, responded by launching a military operation in the region on Dec. 19, 1961. A bloody war ensued before Papua was formally recognized as part of Indonesia in 1969.

But resistance to Indonesian rule continues today, with pro-independence activists still observing the Dec. 1 declaration by raising the Morning Star flag.

From his cell in Jayapura, Papuan independence leader Forkorus Yaboisembut on Wednesday called for “a peaceful December 1 celebration” and condemned acts by the armed OPM militias.

“We just want recognition, a show of respect for indigenous Papuan rights to self-determination,” he said in a statement.

Forkorus was arrested last month for treason after the Papuan People’s Congress named him president of an independent Papuan republic.

Markus Haluk, secretary general of the Papuan Central Highland Student Association, said thousands of activists in 20 cities across Papua and West Papua would observe the celebration.

He did not specify what they were planning to do or whether the banned flag would be raised.

In Jayapura, the capital of Papua, the celebration will take place at the grave site of Papuan leader Theys Eluay, where activists will hold prayers, he said.

Papuan students in Manado, Makassar and Jakarta also plan to stage similar rallies in their respective cities.

Maj. Gen. Erfi Triassunu, commander of the Cendrawasih Military Command, which oversees military operations in Papua, said the Army was on alert ahead of possible large demonstrations.

“[Papuan] Police have asked for our help, especially anticipating any possible chaos,” he said.

He said the military had deployed 100 troops to each district in Papua to assist the local police.

“There are no troops from outside Papua,” he added.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachyono said they had received additional officers from South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan, as well as Brimob officers from Depok.

He said 300 officers would be deployed to the conflict hot spots of Puncak Jaya, Timika and Paniai districts.

The three districts have seen sporadic shootouts between rebels and security officials.

------------------------------

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/30/papua-s-bibida-office-allegedly-set-fire-opm.html

2) Papua’s Bibida office allegedly set fire by OPM

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/30/2011 9:00 PM

The separatist group Free Papua Movement (OPM) allegedly set Papua’s Bibida office on fire on Wednesday.

Papua Peace Network coordinator Neles Tebay said as quoted by tempo.co that seven bridges were also destroyed by the group.

“This group might be angry after a Police Mobile Brigade raided several villages and confiscated their weapons,” he said.

---------------------------------

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/30/tensions-high-papua-ahead-opm-day.html

3) Tensions high in Papua ahead of OPM day

Bagus BT Saragih and Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Jayapura | Wed, 11/30/2011 7:53 AM|

Authorities are beefing up security in Papua amid rumors of unrest ahead of events scheduled for the 50th anniversary of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) on Dec. 1.

Residents in several cities in the nation’s easternmost province have reported receiving fear-mongering text messages warning of possible unrest or violence on Thursday.

The rumors come in the wake of a series of shootings by unidentified gunmen, allegations that authorities were involved in the wrongful deaths of native Papuans and violent protests led by striking workers against mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said 1,688 officers had been dispatched to key locations in Papua and would be supported by an additional 400 Mobile Brigade special operations unit officers temporarily assigned to the province.

National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Lt. Gen. Marciano Norman said the agency had intensified talks with community leaders on security issues.

“Building communication with all stakeholders is necessary in order to avoid any bad things from happening on Dec. 1,” Marciano said, adding that he had persuaded community leaders to ignore calls from some groups demanding Papuan independence.

Markus Haluk, the head of a Papuan student association, said students would hold peaceful activities on Thursday. “The Dec. 1 commemoration is the political right of all Papuans. We should not be afraid to celebrate it,” he said, adding that Papuans should ignore rumors of violence.

Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Alfred Papare denied that the police had taken part in distributing alarmist text messages about OPM’s anniversary.

One such text message read: “Emergency: those who do not originate from Papua are advised not to leave their houses after 9 p.m. The political issues concerning the OPM have been heating up. The movement has allegedly been picking-up power and support.”

“This info is from the police,” the massage continued. “Pass it on.”

Jayapura Mayor Benhur Tommy Mano also dismissed the rumors.

“Don’t buy into such rumors coming from irresponsible culprits. Keep going about your daily business,” Benhur told reporters in Jayapura on Tuesday.

Previous celebrations of OPM’s anniversary have been marred by contentious incidents, such as the raising of the group outlawed “Morning Star” flag, leading to the arrest of several Papuans for treason.

A Papuan studying in Jakarta, Oktovianus Pagau, said that some of his fellow students had returned home due to an intensifying campaign of intimidation, including several raids on Papuan student dormitories.

“Some who have decided to stay in Jakarta and Yogjakarta will hold rallies against the government on Dec. 1,” Okto said.

Papuan students in Jakarta would go on a long march from the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta to the Presidential Palace to mark the anniversary, he said.

A student from Timika, Papua, Carly Wilson Takimae, died on Tuesday. His colleagues alleged the student activist was killed to prevent him from mobilizing Papuan students in Jakarta on Dec 1.

The police allege that Carly died due to an illness. The third Papuan Congress in Abepura in October devolved into mayhem, leading to four deaths. (rpt)

-----------------------------

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/30/we-will-celebrate-national-flag-day-peacefully-opm.html

4) We will celebrate 'National Flag Day' peacefully: OPM

Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/30/2011 6:24 PM|

The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has played down circulating rumors of unrest ahead of events scheduled for the 50th anniversary of the “independence” of West Papua on Dec. 1, saying that they would hold peaceful activities to commemorate the day.

“The OPM and Papuans will still celebrate the historical day in many places. We will hold peaceful rallies and other activities such as communal prayers,” the international spokesperson of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), John Otto Ondawame, told The Jakarta Post via email on Wednesday.

“We would never celebrate the day violently. If violent incidents occur, that will have been the orchestration of ‘the enemy’,” John said, without elaborating.

He also warned that “certain irresponsible groups” might abuse the celebration to “promote certain political agendas such as discrediting the OPM.”

Over the past few days, residents in several cities in Papua have reported receiving fear-mongering text messages warning of possible unrest or violence on Dec. 1.

Authorities have been beefing up security measures, deploying more than 2,000 police officers to numerous key places in the country’s easternmost provinces.

In the email, John also explained that Dec. 1 was neither OPM day nor the independence day of West Papua.

“Dec. 1, 1961, was the first time the Morning Star flag was allowed to be raised beside the Dutch flag. There was no such a declaration of independence on that day. Therefore we always call it National Flag Day rather than West Papua Independence Day,” he said.

----------------------------

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/police-we-are-proud-of-and-love-papua/481827

5) Police: ‘We Are Proud of and Love Papua’
November 30, 2011Despite a plan to deploy two-thirds of Papua’s police force to ensure security on the anniversary of the Free Papua Organization on Thursday, police said on Wednesday that they love Papua.

“We advise all people to maintain public order,” National Police spokesman Ins. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said on Wednesday. “If they want to conduct religious services, please do it. We are proud of and love Papua.”

Papuans plan to raise the Morning Star flag, an independence symbol, to celebrate the anniversary on Thursday.

“Papua police will deploy two-thirds of its force to secure several regions, among others Puncak Jaya, Timika and Jayapura,” Saud said.

The national police will also send a mobile brigade company from North Sulawesi to secure the celebration in Jayapura, Puncak Jaya and Paniai. Another 800 police officers will secure the Freeport mining area in Mimika.

“Preventive action will be done by regional and provincial police by patrolling in all regions,” Saud said. “There will also be vehicle searches.”

Saud said police will try and persuade people not to raise the Morning Star flag.

“If we can advise and guide them, why should we arrest?”

Antara

------------------------------------------

6) Suspicions Surround Death of Papuan Student
Markus Junianto Sihaloho | November 30, 2011

A Papuan student, Carly Wilson Takimai, died mysteriously on Monday night just weeks after his Jakarta dormitory was raided by security officials.

On Tuesday, Siprianus Bonai, chairman of the Jakarta Papuan Students Association, said that on Monday afternoon Carly was chatting with two of his roommates inside his dormitory in Tebet, South Jakarta, when he abruptly fell ill and began foaming at the mouth.

Carly was rushed to St. Carolus hospital in Central Jakarta.

“What is surprising to us is that we saw one of the police officers who raided our dorm at the hospital [on Monday],” he said.

Because of the suspicious circumstances, Siprianus said, Carly was taken to Tebet Hospital in South Jakarta instead.

Carly died on the way to Tebet, Siprianus said, but not before his stomach ballooned to twice its normal size.

“We can’t tell for sure if he was poisoned,” he said.

Siprianus said he regretted Carly’s family’s decision not to conduct an autopsy on the body.

“The remains will be taken home [to Papua],” he said. “The body is still at Carolus.”

On Nov. 12, the day of the Third Papua’s People’s Congress, security forces in Jakarta and Bali raided the dormitories of some Papuan students.

About 10 soldiers and police officers searched Carly’s dormitory. Some officers were armed and students there said they did not have a warrant.

Security forces also raided dormitories in Lenteng Agung and Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, and in Denpasar. The officers searched through the students’ belongings but did not say what they were looking for.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has condemned the raids, calling them “a form of intimidation and direct terror.”

After the incident, only Carly and his friend Edi Pakage stayed at the Tebet dorm, while other Papuan students moved out.

Siprianus said Carly had a history of gastric acid problems but had not complained about his health for five months.

The Papuan students plan to stage a rally in Jakarta on Thursday, the anniversary of the Free Papua Organization.

“We do suspect this is a way to foil the plan, but we won’t back down,” Siprianus said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media