United Nations News Centre - Vanuatu calls for UN probe of alleged rights abuses in Indonesia’s Papua provinces

United Nations News Centre - Vanuatu calls for UN probe of alleged rights abuses in Indonesia’s Papua provinces

28 September 2013 – Vanuatu today called on the United Nations to appoint a Special Representative to investigate alleged human rights abuses in the Papuan provinces of Indonesia and their political status, with its Prime minister declaring that the West Papuans have been consistently denied any sort of recognition by the world body.

“We are now deliberating on the issue of Syria, but when it comes to the issue of the rights of the people of West Papua, our voices are muted even in this podium” Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil told the General Assembly’s annual General Debate, referring to the civil war that has killed some 120,000 Syrians, driver some 6.6 million from their homes and seen the use of chemical weapons.

“How can we then ignore hundreds of thousands of West Papuans who have been brutally beaten and murdered? The people of West Papua are looking to the UN as a beacon for hope… Let us, my colleague leaders, with the same moral conviction yield our support to the plight of West Papuans. It is time for the United Nation to move beyond its periphery and address and rectify some historical error.”

In May UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay voiced concern over a crackdown on mass demonstrations in the Papuan provinces and called on the Indonesian Government to allow peaceful protests and hold accountable those responsible for the violence. “There has not been sufficient transparency in addressing serious human rights violations in Papua,” she said.

During the crackdown, Indonesian police reportedly shot and killed two protesters on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the former Dutch New Guinea, occupying the western half of New Guinea Island, becoming part of Indonesia. At least 20 protesters were arrested, many for raising pro-independence flags.

“It is clear from many historical records that the Melanesian people of West Papua were the scapegoat of Cold war politics and were sacrificed to gratify the appetite for the natural resources which this country possess,” Mr. Kalosil said. “Today they are still the victims of ignorance of the UN.”

PNG promotes engagement with Indonesia over West Papua - 44th Pacific Islands Forum - News - Islands Business magazine

PNG promotes engagement with Indonesia over West Papua - 44th Pacific Islands Forum - News - Islands Business magazine

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has called for engagement with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the way forward for the issue of West Papua.

Attending the Pacific Islands Forum in Majuro this week, the PNG Prime Minister said: “We are generally encouraged by the response that we are getting from the Indonesian government – especially the President – where he has stated to us very clearly that he wanted to engage with us to resolve issues in West Papua, so there is a level of autonomy for the people of West Papua.”

The issue of West Papua was high on the agenda at the June 2013 summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in New Caledonia, where delegations from the Indonesian government and the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) both addressed the summit plenary.

However the topic of West Papua was not on the Forum agenda in Majuro and there was no mention of human rights concerns in the final Forum communique.

At the time of the MSG Summit, Prime Minister O’Neill and PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato were leading a major delegation to Indonesia.

This week, O’Neill stressed the importance of engagement with Indonesia, given their opposition to independence for the western half of the island of New Guinea, which Jakarta administers as the provinces of Papua and West Papua.

“I want to make it very clear again that any resolutions we may have to come to in respect of West Papua will always include Indonesia,” O’Neill said. “It pays for us to stay engaged with Indonesia.”

The major focus of O’Neill’s June visit to Jakarta was trade and investment, but security issues and border relations were discussed.

“We look forward to working closely with them and also developing joint economic areas with the border area,” O’Neill said. “Some of the vast natural resources we have around the border area we can develop together.”

The PNG Prime Minister said that over time there has been improved dialogue on the issue: “I’m encouraged by the events that are taking place, including the Melanesian Spearhead Group ministers are going to have a tour to West Papua. But I’m also happy that the Indonesian government has asked us, the Papua New Guineans, to resolve some of the issues in West Papua.

As yet, details of the proposed MSG Ministerial Mission to Jakarta and Jayapura have not been finalised. In Majuro, Vanuatu’s Deputy Prime Minister Edward Natapei confirmed to Islands Business that no dates have yet been set for the visit.

In unprecedented language, the final communique of the MSG Summit in Noumea supported “the inalienable rights of the people of West Papua towards self-determination” and criticised “human rights violations and other forms of atrocities relating to the West Papuan people.”

The West Papuan nationalist movement has been lobbying for the Forum to follow the MSG’s example, and address these issues in their meetings, as occurred at the time of the “Papua Spring” in the early 2000s.

In the lead up to the Majuro Forum, the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) said the Indonesian government was unlikely to allow a ministerial visit, despite the commitment given to MSG leaders.

WPNCL Secretary General Rex Rumakiek told Radio Australia: “Their way of breaking MSG solidarity is a divide and rule policy. They’ve done that to the West Papuan people and been very successful, and they think they can do it to the MSG leaders as well.”

He says the agreement was for MSG Foreign Ministers to visit West Papua for an inspection tour together, but, Jakarta is “using the tactic of divide and rule by inviting the Group's leaders one by one.”

For the Vanuatu government led by Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil, the MSG’s engagement with Jakarta must be conducted together.

The leader of Vanuatu’s delegation in Majuro, Deputy Prime Minister Natapei told Islands Business: “We believe that the MSG should conduct this ministerial mission together, with all of us intact.”

Last month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo made a state visit to Indonesia - the first Solomon Islands leader to visit the South East Asian nation.

In a statement after the visit, the Solomon Islands government said: “Prime Minister Lilo’s recent trip not only produced greater technical cooperation, trade commitments and people-to-people relations, but has been hailed by Indonesia for the country’s ongoing active role in multilateral forums such as the Coral Triangle Initiative, the G7 Plus and also APEC.”

Orang Papua Menutut NKRI untuk Berdialog: "Apakah karena Orang Papua Percaya NKRI Pasti Mau Berdialog?"

Oleh Sem Karoba *)

Judul yang merupakan pertanyaan intisari ini pasti sudah dijawab saat membaca judulnya saja, yaitu "Tidak! NKRI pasti TIDAK bersedia dan tidak akan rela berdialogue dengan bangsa Papua!". Tetapi pertanyaan selanjutnya ialah, "Kalau sudah tahu begitu, kenapa terus-menerus tuntut dialogue?"

Barangkali pertanyaan tanggapan atas jawaban terhadap judul inilah yang lebih menarik untuk kita simak. Dari berbagai jawaban yang mungkin ada, kita ambil dua dari kemungkinan yang ada, yaitu dua yang kami anggap laing ekstrim ditambah dengan satu kemungkinan yang agak netral.

Ekstrim yang satu karena NKRI menganggap masalah Papua telah tuntas saat Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa mencatat hasil Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (PEPERA) yang dilaksanakan di Irian Barat pada Juli - Agustus 1969. Resolusi PBB waktu itu "mencatat" hasil dari pelaksanaan Pepera dimaksud. Oleh karena itulah, maka tuntutan untuk berdialogue tidaklah tepat. Yang harus diminta orang Papua ialah keadilan, keamanan dan kemajuan ekonomi, bukan kemerdekaan politik.

Di sini NKRI berharap orang Papua menuntut internal self-determination, dan bukan "external self-determination". Dan mekanisme untuk internal self-determination itu telah ada pemerintah daerah di tingkat terbawah sampai tingkat provinsi sehingga siapapun yang mau menyampaikan aspirasi haruslah disampaikan lewat koridor hukum dan mekanisme birokrasi pemerintahan Indonesia yang sudah ada, sah dan resmi berlakuk di dalam NKRI. Dialog boleh diadakan antatra Pemerintah Indonesia dengan orang Papua, yaitu dalam konteks bingkau NKRI, yaitu antara Pemda Papua dengan orang Papua, antara DPRP dengan orang Papua yang mereka wakili, antara DPR RI dengan DPRP atau Utusan Daerah. Itulah prosedur administrasi birokrasi pemerinahan NKRI yang ada, bahkan demikian birokrasi pemerintah di seluruh dunia.

Atas dasar pemikiran ini, tuntutan orang Papua menghadirkan pihak ketiga, apalagi diadakan dialogue di tempat yang netral (di luar wilayah hukum kedaulatan politik NKRI) merupakan sebuah tuntutan yang bukan saja tidak masuk logika politik NKRI, tetapi bertentangan dengan hukum NKRI dan harus disikapi sebagai merong-rong kedalatan negara.

Di satu sisi NKRI berpegang kepada produk hukum Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa: Resolusi 2505, pada tanggal 19 November 1969 tentang pelaksanaan Pepera dan hasilnya. Tetapi di sisi lain hampir semua orang Asli Papua menolak hasil Pepera dimaksud. Dengan kata lain, orang asing mengakui hasil voting orang Papua untuk menerima NKRI tetap di Tanah Papua, tetapi di sisi lain orang yang dikatakan memberikan suara dimaksud membantah dan bahkan menolak hasil pemungutan suara dimaksud.

• Pertanyaannya sekarang apakah NKRI mau mendengarkan suara orang Papua ataukah menutup mata entah sampai kapanpun dan tetap bersiteguh kepada Resolusi 2505 PBB 1969 dimaksud?

Semestinya kalau demokrasi ada di Indonesia, kalau era reformasi ialah era demokratisasi, dan demokrasi ialah suara rakyat, dan suara rakyat itu ialah suara yang mayoritas, maka Indonesia seharusnya mendemokratisasi dirinya dalam mendengarkan aspirasi bangsa Papua.

• ORANG PAPUA MEMANG TAHU, NKRI PASTI tidak akan  mengabulkan permintaan dialogue, terutama dengan alasan pengakuan internasinal.
• Akan tetapi orang Papua akan terus menuntut, menutut dan menuntut, sampai kiamat-pun, tetap menuntut.

Orang Papua akan terus dan tetap menuntut Jakarta untuk BERDIALOGUE bukan karena NKRI akan akhirnya terpaksa merelakan dirinya untuk berdialogue dengan orang Papua, TETAPI justru sebaliknya, agar supaya akhirnya NKRI DIPAKSA untuk berdialgue.


Ekstim Kedua orang Papua terus menuntut berdialogue dengan NKRI karena NKRI akhirnya akan menyediakan waktu dan tempat untuk berdialogue setelah ada seorang Presiden NKRI yang demokratis seperti Prof. Dr. B.J. Habibie dan Prof.Dr. Amien Rais dan lainnya terpilih menjadi presiden Republik Indonesia yang ke sekian. Proses dialgoue itu akan berlangsung seperti yang telah terjadi di era BJ Habibie, dan era Alm. KH. Abdurrahman Wahid. Orang Papua akan dengan terbuka menyampaikan pendapat, pemerintah Indonesia akan terbuka menerima pendapat orang Papua, dan proses interaksi itu akan membentuk opini di Indonesia dan di Tanah Papua bahwa Papua dan NKRI harus berdialogue.

Itulah sebabnya walaupun saat ini orang Papua tahu tidak akan pernah ada kesediaan NKRI untuk berdialogue, tetapi mereka tetap konsisten menuntut Jakarta berdialogue.

Yang ketiga ialah skenario yang netral sekaligus universal. Orang Papua secara terus-menerus menuntut dialogue dengan NKRI karena ada hukum alam yang universal yang berlaku bagi setiap orang, setiap benda, setiap makhluk dan kehidupan ini secara universal, yaitu bahwa SEGALA SESUATU ADA MASANYA dan ada tempatnya. Yang penting bagi orang Papua ialah "menciptakan" waktu dan tempat itu dengan "berkata", "berfirman", karena pada mulanya ialah "Firman" dan "Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Allah" atau "Allah itu punya firman" dan "Firman itu ialah Allah" (Allah dan apa yang dikatakannya ialah satu") dan tanpa dia tidak suatupun yang jadi dari semua yang telah diciptakan. Maka dengan demikian orang Papua "mengucapkan kata-kata", menuntut, mengeluarkan pernyataan yang berdayacipta, karena itu ucapan manusia yang serupa dan segambar dengan Sang Pencipta sendiri. Maka "perkataan" itu akan mendatangkan fakta, yaitu NKRI akan berdialogue dengan bangsa Papua. Itu hukum universal, bukan hukum kolonial Belanda, bukan hukum neo-kolonial Indonesia, bukan hukum revolusi West Papua. Hukum universal tidak ada hubungan dengan politik atau negara, dengan suku-bangsa atau ras, ia berlaku sepanjang masa, dan di manapun juga.

Oleh karena itu, menuntut sebuah Dialogue Politik antara NKRI dan West Papua haruslah terus didengungkan, kepada media lokal, media internasional, kepada manusia, kepada hewan, kepada roh, kepada tumbuhan, kepada batu-batu, kepada apapun dan kepada siapapun. Karena "perkataan manusia" berdayacipta, ia sanggup mengadakan yang tidak ada, menciptakan yang baru, menghilangkan yang lama.

Jadi, orang Papua selalu menuntut NKRI untuk berdialog bukan karena NKRI akan serta-merta mengiyakan tuntutan mereka itu, bukan juga untuk mengambil hati orang lain agar memaksa NKRI untuk bergialogue, tetapi terutama agar dunia tahu, agar kehidupan tahu, agar moyang dan leluhur, anak-cucu dan segala yang ada tahu bahwa "Dialogue ialah solusi terbaik dan bermartabat, solusi beradab dan bukan biadab untuk menyelesaikan konflik apapun yang ada di muka Bumi, termasuk konflik NKRI-West Papua". Kalau kedua belah pihak tidak menemukan jalan keluar, maka sejarah ini akan mengajar kita dengan memberikan jalan keluarnya, sebab sejarah selalu berpijak kepada KEBENARAN, yaitu KEBENARAN MUTLAK, bukan kebenaran Papua ataupun KEBEBARAN NKRI, bukan juga kebenaran PBB, tetapi KEBENARAN ITU SENDIRI sebagai dirinya sendiri tanpa embel-embel kepentingan apapun dan siapapun.

Jadi orang Papua menuntut dialogue bukanlah sebuah upaya sia-sia karena "perkataan yang berdayacipta sudah mengudara dan pasti berbuah" dan "karena kebenaran tidak dapat dimanipulasi apalagi  dikalahkan oleh siapapun, kapanpun, bagamanapun dan di manapun juga". Akan tetapi orang Papua jangan berharap NKRI menjawab "Ya!" hari ini atau besok atau lusa. Jawaban yang pasti ialah "Tidak!" Tetapi jawaban "Tidak!" itu jawaban saat ini, sekarang, hari ini. Hari esok bukan hari kita, karena kita hanyalah manusia, yang terbatas dalam waktu, tempat dan kemampuan untuk memahami kehidupan ini secara hakiki dan universal. Kata-kata yang berdayacipta telah keluar "Papua tuntut Dialogue dengan Jakarta/ NKRI", maka biarlah perkataan itu terus bergema di Bumi Cenderawasih, di Bumi Pertiwi dan di planet Bumi ini. Pada waktunya, ia pasti "menghadirkan dialogue yang tidak mungkin itu menjadi FAKTA sejarah!" sama seperti langit dan bumi dicptakan oleh Firman Sang Khalik.


*) Sem Karoba, Tribalist, Aktivis Hak Asasi Masyarakat Adat
Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/

Yohana Susana Yembise: A first for Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | People | Fri, April 26 2013, 1:53 PM 

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/04/26/yohana-susana-yembise-a-first-papua.html

 

 

Yohana Susana Yembise is the pride of the Papuan community, particularly Papuan women, for being the first female Papuan to achieve the highest academic rank.

Yo, as Yohana is affectionately called, was installed as professor of syllabus design and material development by the rector of Cenderawasih University, Festus Simbiak, in Jayapura on Nov. 14, 2012.

Yo is also the fourth Papuan professor after Frans Wanggai, former University of Papua rector in Manokwari, West Papua; Balthazar Kambuaya, former Cenderawasih University rector in Jayapura and now environmental affairs minister; and Karel Sesa, current rector of Cenderawasih University.

Along with Yo, one other woman, Onnie Mentang Lumintang, was installed as professor on the occasion.

“I hope these distinguished ladies, the first two female professors at Cenderawasih University, will continue to produce monumental works like the ones in their scientific orations and set an example to be followed by the teaching staff of this university,” said then rector Festus.

For Yo, it was a long and winding road to professorship with many hurdles to overcome. “But all the barriers had to be removed in order to reach the peak of my career. I’m not the type of person who likes to boast. I’m cool but I keep moving ahead without fear, clearing the way of all snags.”

In Papuan culture, women have to submit to their spouses, which is even more the case if brides receive gifts from their grooms at their weddings.

“This tradition prevents most Papuan women from further career advancement as they may think that women will eventually return to the kitchen. But I resisted and got past all the restrictions and managed to achieve this rank, in spite of being ridiculed,” she said.

Yo became a professor after earning her doctorate in 2007 from the University of Newcastle in Australia. “For the status of professor I had to gather 850 points, which I accumulated for six years through various activities like seminars, research and international journal writing,” she said.

In her scientific presentation, she dealt with English language teaching in Papua, focusing on Papuan children.

“The English language curriculum in Papua should be changed, without following the national curriculum, which requires a command of Indonesian before learning English. The curriculum should allow for the use of the local language to help students better understand,” she said.

In her inauguration speech titled “English Education in Papua: Ongoing socio-cultural issues, groundbreaking solutions towards a new Papua”, she said that although English is taught from an early age, only a small number of college graduates in Papua can really speak the language.

“It’s because the study material given comes from outside Papua, so teachers find it hard to teach local students. By using the local tongue, it will be easier for them to teach English,” she said.
Apart from English teaching, her speech also referred to the importance of cross-cultural local curricula not laden with too many global theories, and the application of teaching methods through cultural approaches.

Born in Manokwari, West Papua, on Oct. 1, 1958, Yo has lectured at the school of pedagogy and teacher training at Cenderawasih University since 1987.

After earning an applied linguistic diploma from the Regional Language Center (RELC), SEAMEO Singapore in 1992, she completed a Master’s degree program in the Education Department of Simon Fraser University in Canada in 1994. In 2011, she was a member of the joint selection team of the Australian Development Scholarship in Indonesia.

Yo’s childhood friend in Padangbulan Jayapura, Lien Maloali, now executive director of the Cooperation Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations in Papua, described Yo as a strong Papuan woman capable of surmounting all obstacles to pave the way for her achievements.

“She’s a woman who dares to challenge storms. While women’s lives in Papua are packed with limitations and constraints due to customs that can be likened to storms, she can overcome all obstacles, which makes us wonder if we can still find other such storm challengers,” Lien said.

Yo has three children: Marcia, 27, who obtained her Master’s degree in information technology from Loyola University in Chicago; Dina Maria, a third-year student at Buper Waena Senior High School; and Bernie, a third-year student at Jayawijaya Kuala Kencana Junior High School in Timika.

Although she was born in Manokwari, Yo’s parents are from Biak, and at present she is a candidate for regent in Biak Numfor. In Biak, posters and banners bearing Yo’s photo are now up in all corners of the city.

“The local community has asked me to run for Biak regent so I’ve registered for the candidacy. If later I’m not elected to the position, I will remain on campus,” she said.