Wednesday, December 24, 2014

1) Insight: Treating Papuans as citizens instead of targets in Indonesia’s killing field


2) Jokowi to Celebrate Christmas in Papua
3) Freeport asked to build  smelter in Papua, not in  Gresik
5) 10 Members KNPB Nabire and Dogiyai Freed, Police Chief's Statement
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Insight: Treating Papuans  as citizens instead of  targets in Indonesia’s  killing field 
Neles Tebay, Jayapura | Insight | Wed, December 24 2014, 11:27 AM - 
The shooting of unarmed civilians took place on Dec. 8 in Enarotali, the capital of Paniai regency in the province of Papua. Four were killed on the spot and roughly 17 were wounded. All the victims were indigenous Papuans.

The shooting occurred when hundreds were demonstrating by performing a traditional dance in front of a military office in Enarotali, demanding an explanation for the alleged torture carried out by Indonesian military members of a young Papuan on Sunday night, Dec. 7.

Since Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1963, Papuans have been targeted in all military operations aimed at eradicating Papuan separatism. Consequently, Papuans have been the victims of killings for the past 51 years ever since Papua’s integration.

The Paniai shooting was simply the latest example in a long history of violence, demonstrating once again that indigenous Papuans are not treated as citizens, but rather as Indonesia’s enemy who must be eliminated.

Despite being Indonesian citizens for more than five decades, they are still seen as outsiders in Indonesia. Their citizenship is not fully recognized yet, at least on the practical day-to-day level.

Instead of respecting them as mutual owners of the Republic of Indonesia, they have been treated as enemies who have been trying to break the Indonesian nation into pieces. Hence the justification that they can be killed at anytime.

Therefore, some Papuans describe themselves as illegal passengers in a ship called the Indonesian Republic. As they are considered stowaways, they are always suspected as troublemakers with the potential power of sinking the Indonesian ship. Consequently, they must always deal with the security forces.

Some other Papuans describe themselves as uninvited guests in a house called Indonesia. Despite recognizing them as the owners of the house, they are treated more as uninvited guests suspected of intending to burn down the whole house. Therefore, they never feel at home in Indonesia for they always deal with Indonesian security forces.

Despite government claims of implementing and trying to improve a welfare approach in Papua, the Paniai shooting clearly reveals that the security approach is still being applied on the ground. Consequently, Papuans are still vulnerable for they can be easily killed, even without reason, at any time and anywhere in the western half of the island of New Guinea. Therefore Papua remains Indonesia’s killing field even under the leadership of democratically elected President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. More indigenous Papuans are expected to be victims of human rights violations.

It is now a challenge for President Jokowi to transform Papua into a “land of peace”. Papua’s transformation demands a conflict-prevention policy that can protect the region from the same types of shootings and other forms of recurring violent crime. Such a policy is urgent. The absence of such a policy will perpetuate the status of Papua
as a killing field.

It is important to remind the government not to monopolize the whole process of creating a conflict-prevention policy for Papua. There are other stakeholders who have to be included in the discussions as well.

There are nine stakeholders: indigenous Papuans, migrants to Papua, the local governments, the central government, the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Indonesian Police, multinational and domestic private companies exploiting natural resources in Papua, the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPN PB), the armed wing of the Free Papua movement (OPM) and Papuans in the diaspora. All of them should be included in discussing a conflict-prevention policy. Each of them should be consulted throughout the process of making
of the policy.

The indigenous Papuans, more particularly, should not be excluded from the policy-making. Indeed, their involvement will push the government to change its opinion about them. The government, including its military and police, should not treat the Papuans as foreigners or illegal migrants from other countries. They should not be treated as members of a separatist movement. There must be full recognition of their Indonesian citizenship. Such recognition will help the government to include the Papuans in the process of drafting the conflict-prevention
policy.

It is necessary to develop an inclusive mechanism to work out a conflict-prevention policy for Papua. President Jokowi is encouraged to appoint one person, either the Vice President or one of the ministers, to represent the government in leading the process of consultation with all the mentioned stakeholders. The appointed person, in collaboration with some selected figures, could set up an inclusive mechanism that could provide safe spaces for each stakeholder to participate fully in the discussion of the content of the conflict-prevention
of policy.

By doing so, they would produce a policy that is jointly discussed and agreed to by all parties concerned. They would, in turn, own the policy resulting from the consultations because they were included in the policy-making process. All the stakeholders, then, would be fully involved in implementing, monitoring and supervising the policy.

The writer is a lecturer at the Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology and coordinator of the Papua Peace Network in Jayapura
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2014/12/24/055630700/Jokowi-to-Celebrate-Christmas-in-Papua
WEDNESDAY, 24 DECEMBER, 2014 | 10:26 WIB
2) Jokowi to Celebrate Christmas in Papua
TEMPO.COJakarta - President Joko Widodo will attend National Christmas celebration in Jayapura, Papua. According to Papua regional secretary Heri Dosinaen, several ministers have held a coordination meeting with leaders in Papua regarding Jokowi’s arrival. “The meeting discussed the locations that Jokowi will visit,” he said on Tuesday.
Heri said besides Jokowi and his cabinet members, there are 400 invitees that will be present in Mandala Stadium in Jayapura. After Christmas event in December 26, Jokowi will visit three cities in Papua and West Papua. In December 27, Jokowi will visit Jayapura and continue his trip to Wamena in Jayawijaya Regency the next day. Jokowi will end his visit in Sorong, West Papua in December 29.
Additionally, Jokowi will meet with some public figures in Cendrawasih University and Jokowi volunteers in Waringin Kotaraja sport center. In Jayapura, Jokowi will also visit Holtekamp Bridge construction project and several traditional markets.
Heri hoped the first National Christmas celebration in Papua can foster new movement to improve the region. He also asked the central government to see the real condition of Papua that has been more enclosed than other regions in Indonesia. “We hope there are more attentions for developments in Papua.”
 
CUNDING LEVI
---------------------------------------------------------------
3) Freeport asked to build  smelter in Papua, not in  Gresik
Raras Cahyafitri, The Jakarta Post | Business | Wed, December 24 2014, 4:28 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/24/freeport-asked-build-smelter-papua-not-gresik.html#sthash.QmrlK4YC.dpuf
The government has asked Freeport Indonesia to build a smelting facility in Papua, where the company’s giant copper and gold mine is located, instead of in Gresik, East Java, as it initially planned.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s director general for mineral and coal, R. Sukhyar, said in Jakarta on Tuesday the Pa-pua smelter would encourage industrialization in the area.

“If we want to improve this sector, we will also need to reduce Papua’s dependency on Freeport’s mining business. Therefore, we will need to see other developments there,” Sukhyar said.

He added that Freeport Indonesia has to complete the Papua smelter development by 2020. The smelter development, according to Sukhyar, will also increase the refining capacity to absorb growing concentrate supply due to the company’s underground mining development.

Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US copper giant Freeport McMoRan Inc., contributes around US$500 million in tax, royalty and other financial supports to the country in 2013, according to its website. It also reported a total contribution of $15.2 billion during 1992-2013 period. In addition, it also disburses money for community development.

Freeport Indonesia starts its operation in Timika, Papua, under a contract of work sealed in 1967. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to renegotiate its work contract as the government tries to adjust several terms in the contract with regulations under the 2009 Mining Law.

Under the MoU, which highlights Freeport Indonesia’s principal agreement over amendments to its contract, the company agrees to comply with the Law, including the obligation to establish a smelter in Indonesia to process its concentrates. Considering infrastructure facilities and power supply availability, the company has picked Gresik as the location of the new smelter.

The company has also deposited $115 million as a guarantee that it will finish the smelter development. The guarantee has convinced the government to allow the company to continue exporting copper concentrate until 2017.

However, to date — five months after the MoU was sealed — the progress of the Gresik smelter remains unclear.

“There are no reports of progress [from Freeport Indonesia] to us. They haven’t decided the exact location in Gresik. Also, there is still no feasibility study,” Sukhyar said.

He added that the government would give no relaxation to the 2017 deadline for Freeport Indonesia.

At present, Freeport processes a small part of its copper concentrate in a smelter in Gresik it jointly owns with several Japanese companies including Mitsubishi.

Starting on Jan. 12, the government bans the export of mineral ores. However, following an outcry of major mining companies, it allows exports of the concentrates — which are considered to be semi-processed products instead of ores — until 2017.

Freeport Indonesia president director Rozik Soetjipto said his company was still working on the Gresik smelter development plan.

“We are still working on the basic engineering. For locations, there are alternatives. However, the location will likely in Gresik,” Rozik said.

Failure to make significant progress for the Gresik smelter will make Freeport loses the permits to export its concentrates. The company’s current permits for copper concentrate exportation will only be valid for six months, which is until January.

“Under six month assessment, smelter development must reach at least 60 percent of its target. If it is missed, we will stop the exports,” Sukhyar said.
---------------------------------------------


JAKARTA: Freeport-McMoRan Inc needs to build two Indonesian copper smelters at a cost of around $4 billion by 2020, a government official said, as talks resumed between the miner and Jakarta over the firm's future in the Southeast Asian country.
The proposal comes five months after Freeport signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesian government that ended a six-month tax dispute and paved the way for the company to resume copper concentrate exports.
As part of July's MOU, the country's largest copper producer agreed to pay a $115 million "assurance bond" to develop a $2.3 billion smelter by 2017. The government is now asking Freeport to build a second one by 2020 at a cost of around $1.5 billion.
"We have asked Freeport to build another smelter in Papua that is different than the one in Gresik," Coal and Minerals Director General Sukhyar told reporters on Tuesday.

Freeport Indonesia's chief executive officer, Rozik Soetjipto, declined to comment on the Papua smelter proposal as negotiations were still ongoing.
Freeport is working with fellow US miner Newmont Mining Corp on the building of the first smelter. A location for the facility, expected to annually process 1.6 million tonnes of copper concentrate into copper cathode, has yet to be finalised.
The Papua smelter is expected to process at least 600,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year, Sukhyar said.
"This (second smelter) is aimed at processing more of Freeport's production of (copper) concentrates after the development of underground mining," he said.
Freeport wants assurances its contract will be extended beyond 2021 before agreeing to invest more than $15 billion to turn its Grasberg complex into an underground mine after 2016.
But government officials say formal talks on renewing the contract cannot under law commence until 2019. The July MOU was seen as a way to bridge that gap and offer the assurances Freeport needs to invest in underground mining.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

A google translate of article in majalahselangkah.com. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic. 
Original bahasa link at

5) 10 Members KNPB Nabire and Dogiyai Freed, Police Chief's Statement
  Author: Admin MS | Wednesday, December 24, 2014 11:15 Viewed: 337 Comments: 0
Share:

Chairman KNPB Nabire, Sadrak Kudiai, et al during a press conference after being released. Photo: MS

Nabire, STEP MAGAZINE - 19 September 2014 Date of last, the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) celebrates Birthday (HUT) IV with action and prayer throughout Papua (Papua and West Papua. The celebration of this anniversary, in a number of place, tinged shootings and arrests of members of the KNPB.

Action and prayer in the District Dogiyai example ended with the arrest of 12 members of the KNPB and shooting on 3 KNPB members. They were shot and arrested while trying to return after prayer and action.

While arrests in Nabire occurred while trying to start the action. Police (Police) Nabire arrested 13 people and seized equipment KNPB member action. Arrest in Nabire occurred in the rallying point of the action, the action fails.

After a few days, Nabire Police freed 15 others.

Meanwhile, 10 people were detained in the Detention Police Nabire. They were arrested from Nabire is 6 activists from Nabire, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of West Papua (PNWP) Nabire region, Yavet Keiya; Chairman of the Regional KNPB Nabire, Sadrak Kudiai; Secretary KNPB Nabire region, Alex Pigay; Action Field Coordinator Kalibobo, Agus Tebay; BEM USWIM, Hans Edoway; and Secretary II KNPB Nabire, Deserius Goo.

While 4 KNPB activists from KNPB Dogiyai Dogiyai is Chairman, David Pigai; Secretary KNPB Dogiyai, Aneas Anou; Spokesman KNPB Dogiyai, Marsel Edowai; and Members KNPB, Agus Waine.
After 35 days in detention in Nabire district police detention center, 10 members of KNPB was finally released, Tuesday, December 23, 2014, At 11:00 local time.

Nabire police chief Assistant Commissioner of HR Situmeang say, 10 members of the KNPB is released as a Christmas present in 2014. In addition, he said, there is pressure from the community and tribal leaders to liberate.

"The police chief said, he frees us as a Christmas gift and because there is pressure from the head of the tribe," said Chairman of the KNPB Nabire, Sadrak Kudiai, in a press conference held on Tuesday (23.12.14) yesterday.

Sadrak Kudiai Kepolres denied the statement.

  "It's not a Christmas present or not because of the pressure. We were released because police did nothing to hold our proof. We do not do anarchists. At that time, we just celebrated the anniversary of the KNPB. We were held not in accordance with applicable law in Indonesia," he said . (GE / 003 / MS)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.