The US Ambassador inquires about security situation in Papua

United States ambassador Scot Marciel sought information about the security situation in Papua during a visit to the regional military command headquarters here on Monday, according to command spokesman Lt Col Jansen Simanjuntak.

“During his recent visit to the Cenderawasih military regional command headquarters, Mr Marciel asked the command`s chief of staff, Brigadier General I Made Agra Sudiantara, about the security situation in Papua,” Lt Col Jansen stated.

In response, Brig. Gen. I Mada Agra Sudiantara said the situation in Papua was “peaceful” and security problems were handled by the police, with the military ready to assist upon request – in line with Law No. 34/2004 on TNI (military).

“The law is implemented using `soft power` through territorial supervision, while efforts are being made to accelerate economic development, including improving human resources, in the inland regions so Papua can catch up with other provinces,” he explained.

“The command`s chief of staff stated that the presence of TNI forces in Papua is in line with the legal mandate, while maintaining security is the job of the police,” Brig. Gen. Sudiantara said.

During his short visit, Marciel also expressed the US government`s support for Indonesia as a sovereign country.

“The US government is also proud of the current developments in the country, especially the changes that have happened in the TNI over the past 15 years,” Brig. Gen. Sudiantara pointed out.

“He also called for increased cooperation between the two countries in education, culture and military,” he added.

Source: ANTARA News

Scouts find Jayapura secure, beautiful

“It turns out that Jayapura is beautiful and comfortable. It’s nothing like what I imagined before I come here,” girl scout Sri Lestari of North Maluku said upon her arrival at the Cenderawasih campground in Waena, Jayapura, Papua, on Thursday.

Sri, one of the participants of the Indonesian Scouts Movement’s Raimuna X national camping event in Waena from Oct. 8-15, said that prior to her arrival in Jayapura, she heard a number of negative things about the province of Papua.

She said she was told that Jayapura was not safe and frequently marred with rapes, kidnappings and riots, and leaving home, these worries still weighed on her mind. Yet, her impression changed as she met other fellow scouts from Papua on board the passenger ship KM Doloronda that took her to Jayapura. “They are friendly and quick to make friends,” Sri said.

Boy scout Misbakul Aulat of North Halmahera regency shared the same experience. “We were welcomed very warmly. It was completely different from the incidents we often see in the media,” he said.

Abdul Latief, a scout supervisor from Central Sulawesi said, “In fact, we don’t have such worries anymore after we moored at Jayapura Port.”

Unlike previous years, the participants in this year’s event do not need to erect tents as the organizing committee prepared uniquely designed huts whose walls and roofs were made of woven palm leaves, locally known as nipah.

Water containers have also been prepared at the campsite to allow the participants to conduct their activities during the event.

Some 4,000 scouts from across the country are attending the event that was officially opened by Vice President Boediono.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Army chief visiting Papua

Army Chief of Staff General Pramono Edhie Wibowo visited Papua Province on Friday (9/9).

The general arrived at Sentani airport on Friday morning and immediately proceeded to the regional military command headquarters to meet local army personnel, Lt Col Harry Priyatna, deputy chief of the XVII/Cenderawasih Regional Military Command`s public information office, said here on Friday.

“The visit of the Army Chief of Staff in Papua is to give directives to a number of TNI (Indonesian Defense Forces) officers, and at the same time get first hand information form the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Commander about the security situation in Papua,” Harry Priyatna said.

General Pramono Edhie would also hold meetings with local prominent figures, religious leaders, and journalists, he said.

In addition to Jayapura, he is also scheduled to visit Wamena, Timika, and Merauke.

“After visiting Wamena, Timika and Merauke, the army chief of staff will go back to Jayapura and visit the Keerom border area to personally see the condition of soldiers and weaponry in the area,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will soon issue a decree on accelerating development activities in Papua and West Papua provinces.

“I think we all have agreed that there should be a presidential decree to speed up development there. The decree will allow us to coordinate the existing programs to ensure that all accelerated programs in Papua will work well,” Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said after attending a coordination meeting on political, legal and security affairs in Jakarta, last August 2011.

He said the accelerated development programs in Papua and West Papua would focus on infrastructure projects, including crucial programs in the educational and public welfare sectors.

“Every thing will be coordinated among the ministries concerned,” he said.

Source: AntaraNEWS

TNI chief supports literacy program in Papua hinterland

“The eradication of illiteracy program in Papua must be continued to help villagers be able to read and write”

Chief of the National Defense Forces (TNI) Admiral Agus Suhartono has fully supported the involvement of the Military Regional Command (Kodam) XVII/Cenderawasih in the literacy program in the hinterland of Papua.

The eradication of illiteracy program in Papua must be continued to help villagers be able to read and write, Admiral Agus Suhartono said here Saturday.

“The program has been implemented since few months ago by Kodam Cenderawasih, and it`s still going on. I fully support the program to help the local people,” he said.

The program could be implemented by mobilizing `smart house`, `smart car`, and `smart motorcycle` by involving TNI personnel in the region.

In Papua, where the geographical condition is very hard with mountains, hills, and valleys, a connectivity of inter-regions is very much needed, he said.

The development of inter-region connectivity is crucial to boost the economic activities in Papua, he added.

TNI has equipped its personnel being assigned in the remote areas of Papua with transportation and communication facilities such as helicopters and phones.

In addition to the literacy program, TNI also supports other programs such as the family planning in Papua, according to Admiral Agus.

The TNI chief and National Police Chief General Timur Pradopo are on a working visit in Timika for three days, from Friday (May 13) to Sunday (May 15).

On the first day, they visited PT Freeport Indonesia and Grasberg Tembagapura open mining area.

In the evening, they held a dialog with local officials and prominent figures in Timika.

On Sunday, they went to Merauke and met TNI officers guarding the border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. From Merauke, they will go to Jayapura, the capital of Papua, Indonesia`s eastern most province.

Source: Antara News

Regulations ‘needed’ to back Papua autonomy

Nethy Dharma Somba — The government is being urged to immediately issue 19 government regulations to assist the implementation of special bylaws in Papua.

Sophie Maipauw, Regional Representatives’ Council (DPD) from Papua and West Papua, said the Home Ministry should prioritize the regulations to serve as guidelines in implementing the bylaws.

She said that before serving at the DPD, she was active in pushing the Papuan Legislative Council and the governor to approve draft bylaws.

“After I got elected to serve at the council, I saw that the bylaws cannot be enforced without the regulations backing them up,” she said in Jayapura recently.

The regulations, she said, served as technical guidelines for implementing the bylaws.

“We ask Home Ministry to prioritize the 19 government regulations. The special autonomy status [for Papua] has been running for eight years but it was not backed up by special regulation for its implementation.”

Sophie cited the bylaw on the management of Papua special autonomy fund, which was issued in 2007 but could not yet be enforced due to the lack of technical regulation, opening up opportunities for corruption.

Rector of Cendrawasih University, Bert Kambuaya, said the absence of regulations on the management of Papua’s special autonomy fund could serve as a trap that could put officials in jail.

Citing an example, he said Papua regents were directly elected by people, making people feel that as voters they had the right to ask for something in return.

“People come to the regents’ offices to ask for money. The regents then give the money [from the special autonomy fund]. This is a real situation in Papua,” Bert said.

“If what the regents do is considered as corruption based on the latest regulation, then all the regents could be incarcerated.

”We hope the 19 regulations can be immediately issued to ensure the special autonomy in Papua is fully implemented.”

Source: The Jakarta Post

Papuan Students Ask for Better OTSUS

Jayapura — Student council of Cendrawasih University in Jayapura asks the Papua governor and local parliament (DPRP and MRP) to really implement special autonomy (Otsus) for the people of Papua.

“Special autonomy is supposed to accelerate the Papuan development and prosperity,” said Student Council speaker Decky Ovide.

With special autonomy, Papua province and its people have broader authority to manage and develop themselves. It is including the authority to exploit Papuan economy and cultural as well as giving significant role to the indigenous people.

The Indonesian government has accommodated the aspiration of Papuan on indigenous rights. It is stated on UU No.21/2001.

Student Council asks DPRP to form a special committee to watch Otsus implementation and transparency as well. The students ask also the Papua governor to have dialog with the people to discuss the Otsus implementation.

The student council will conduct manifestation if Papua governor, DPRP and MRP do not carry out this suggestion.(wpnn)

Dutch govt helps Papua formulate energy policy

Jayapura — In order to strengthen the cooperation with the Republic of Indonesia, the The Dutch government will extend assistance to the Papua province. This is to improve human resources capabilities particularly in renewable energy and to formulate an energy policy at local level.

“This assistance is given through the CASINDO project manager, and Papua is selected as one of five regions in Indonesia as the location of the renewable energy project,” Casindo coordinator, Nico van der Linden said here on Friday.
Apart from Papua, the project also covered North Sumatra, Central Java, Yogyakarta and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

The capacity development and strengthening for energy policy formulation and implementation of sustainable energy projects in Indonesia (Casindo) is one of the components of the renewable energy program which will be implemented by the Dutch Embassy here.

Nico also said that Papua with its special autonomy status should be able to develop its renewable energy potentials and formulate the regional energy policy while economizing energy measures.

In addition, Nico expressed hope that a regional energy forum can be set for the discussion and formulation of energy policies at regional level.

This policy will be proposed to the local government for approval, he said, adding that it needs an active role of all the stakeholders in the region the government, industries and academicians.

Cenderawasih University has been chosen to implement a work program and make coordination with related parties, said Nico, who is also a researcher at the Netherlands Energy Research Center (ECN).

Casindo which has been operating from 2009 to 2011 was the continuation of the “Contributing to poverty alleviation through regional energy planning in Indonesia (CAREPI) project which has ended in 2008.

Source: Antara News