Papua to build four reference hospitals

The regional government of Papua Province will build four major national reference hospitals respectively in Biak, Nabire, Wamena and Merauke districts in 2014.

Head of the Regional Development Planning Board (Bapedda) of Papua Muhammad Abud Musaad said here on Thursday that the four hospitals would be build in the four districts based on regional customary divisions.

The placement of the hospitals in the regional customary divisions is expected to reach local people with fast, quality and modern facilities in providing them with health services.

“The district governments only provided land for the construction of the hospitals while the funds will be provided by the provincial government,” Musaad said.

He said that so far the people of Papua who suffered from certain diseases should be referred to hospitals outside Papua province.

With the presence of the hospital, patients who suffered from certain diseases could be handled immediately, he said.

“In order to provide the hospitals with health equipment, the provincial government will ask assistance from the central government through the ministry of health,” he said.

In the meantime, the National Family Planning and Population Board (BKKBN) said last week the maternal mortality rate in Papua Province was still high.

“The local government should give serious attention to the high maternal mortality rate. It should protect Papuan women and maintain the healthiness of their reproduction,” Julianto Witjaksono, BKKBN deputy for family planning and reproduction health, said.

The organization of cabinet ministers wives (SIKIB) has also visited the Wulukubun village, Keerom District, Papua to observe public facilities and family planning services there.

Julianto Witjaksono said that about 500 mothers died of bleeding during labor every year in the district. It was also difficult for officials to provide family planning services for native Papuan women.

“Of the many family planning service options, they prefer to use the pills, injection and implant methods,” he said.

BKKBN Head for Papua Nerius Auparay said meanwhile a new strategy was needed to introduce the family planning program to Papuan natives.

Source: ANTARA News

Indonesia holds air interception simulation in Papua

The National Air Defence Command (Kohanudnas) held an unidentified aircraft interception simulation with two F 16 combat jets of Indonesia Air Force (TNI AU) at Mozes Kilangin Airport, Timika, Papua.

“Kohanudnas held an interception simulation with code name – 37th of Tutuka – as a climax of national air defence training operation,” said Timika Airbase Commander Lieutenant Colonel Untung Suropati in an interview with Antara on Wednesday (25/9).

He added that the simulation demonstrated an unidentified aircraft without permit infiltrating Indonesian airspace, which was intercepted by two F 16s.

TNI AU deployed a Boeing 737-200 Maritime Surveillance as the unidentified aircraft.

“After TNI AU received a report from Kohanudnas, they launched an F 16 combat jet to intercept the unidentified aircraft. The F 16 conducted visual identification and urged the aircraft to identify itself,” said Suropati.

When interceptor jets come across suspicious cases, they will force unidentified aircrafts to land at the nearest airport.

In the exercise, Boeing 737-200 was forced to land at Mozes Kilangin Airport and TNI AU combed out the aircraft and held the plane until they received the permit license.

“The officers then interrogated the pilot and crew members of the unidentified aircraft. If they do not have a valid license, they should wait until the license is issued,” said Suropati.

The simulation was operated by officers at Mozes Kilangin Airport after 12 p.m. local time when the air traffic was low.

The Boeing 737-200 flew from its airbase at The Fifth Air Squadron Ujung Pandang, while the two F 16s flew from Manua Air Base of Biak, Papua.

The Kohanudnas is holding simulations from Tuesday (September 24) to Thursday (September 26) at Mozes Kilangin Airport to mitigate the impact of air strikes on national vital objects.

“We cannot conduct the simulation above the national vital object of PT Freeport Indonesia and simulate the air exercise above Mozes Kilangin Airport,” Suropati said.

Kohanudnas deployed at least 100 Army (TNI AD) soldiers and several officers from Mozes Kilangin Airport as well as PT Freeport Indonesia.

Source: ANTARA News

Eco-region management center in Papua

Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya is scheduled to inaugurate the Eco-region Management Center (PPE) in Biak regency, Papua province, on Tuesday (11/12).

“I appreciate the establishment of an Eco-region Management Center in Papua,” Biak Numfor Regent Yusuf Melianus Maryen said here on Tuesday.

He said the main objective of establishing the centre was to ensure the conservation of the region’s biodiversity.

The centre in Papua will be the sixth PPE in Indonesia, with the five others being located in Riau, Balikpapan, Makassar, Yogyakarta, and Denpasar.

“Previously, Papua was covered by the Eco-region Management Center in Makassar,” Yusuf stated.

He urged the Papuan community to “actively cooperate in preserving the natural environment”.

Henri Bastamana of the Environment Ministry said the management centre was aimed at discovering the unique natural characteristics of the region.

“Papua has a unique biodiversity, with its coral reefs, seagrass beds, mountains, savannahs, glaciers and herbal medicines,” he noted.

“The management centre will help map Papua’s natural wealth,” Henry continued.

“The main thing is how we can manage the environment by applying the center’s concepts,” he said.

Henry stated that the establishment of the centre would not only help preserve the environment but also benefit the economy.

“The concepts used to develop areas in Java cannot be directly implemented in Papua,” he pointed out.

Source: ANTARA News

Bombs found in Wamena

The Jayawijaya Police said on Wednesday that they found a 3-kilogram bomb in Abusa hamlet, Kurulu District, Jayawijaya, after a number of recent bombings in Wamena.

“From our investigation, the suspects said that there were around 20 kilograms of bombs across Wamena. So far, we have found 5 kilograms, so there are still many bombs left out there,” said Papua Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta in Jayapura on Wednesday.

In September, a bomb blast rocked a room of the Jayawijaya Legislative Council, followed by another explosion at a police post.

The police so far have detained 10 suspects and they are still pursuing an additional five more suspects. Previously, the police discovered a bomb in Honai Lama.

“The 10 suspects violated the Law No. 21/1951 on Possession of Explosive Materials, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison,” said Sumerta, adding that the bombs were transported from Biak.

“It was also revealed that the gang had plans of bombing a number of regions across Papua on the same date and the Wamena bombings were just the beginning of the Papua bombing [campaign],” added Adj. Sr. Comr. Parlin Silitonga, head of the Papua Police’s Crime Unit.

Parlin went on to say that one suspect in the Wamena bombing was allegedly involved in a murder in Jayapura on August, which left four people dead.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Japanese ambassador visits Biak

Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yoshinori Katori

Japanese ambassador to Indonesia Yoshinori Katori paid a working visit to Biak Numfor regency in Papua to explore mutually beneficial cooperation with the local administration.

The Japanese envoy was welcomed by Biak Numfor regional secretary Johanis Than MM and some other local officials at the grass house of the Biak Regent.

Johanis Than hoped the Japanese ambassador`s working visit to Biak on Wednesday (Oct. 5) could establish cooperation, including in education for the local civil service.

“The Biak Numfor regency administration positively hailed the Japanese ambassador`s working visit hoping it would be followed up with the establishment of bilateral relations,” Johanis Than said.

In the meantime, Yoshinori Katori through his interpreter Ayako Masuda said the aim of their visit is to get acquainted with the condition and situation of Biak regency, develop cooperation in the economy, politics and culture.

“The relations between Japan and the Papua administration and Biak Numfor regency are very important,” Yoshinori hoped.

In the meantime, chairman of Biak legislative assembly Nehemia Wospakrik said many Japanese officials in Indonesia had already made working visits to Biak Numfor regency, but none have established concrete cooperation programs with the regency administration and people of Biak.

“The local legislative assembly said many Japanese officials had often made working visits there but none of them had established concrete cooperation or contributed to Biak Numfor regency,” the local legislative chairman Nehemia Wospakrik said.

He meanwhile hoped the Japanese government could give concrete assistance to the Biak regency administration and people so that the cooperation between the two sides would be beneficial to the interest of the people in the region.

In Biak, the Japanese ambassador and an entourage will visit several schools in Biak, inspect the famous Japanese cave, Second World War monuments, and several popular places and parks of recreation in Biak and surroundings.

Source: ANTARA News

Minister says there are no political detainees in Papua

Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsudin said Wednesday (13/06) that the Indonesian government had never detained any Papuans, as well as other citizens elsewhere, without clear and honest legal procedures.

“We have never detained anybody for expressing his/her freedom of speech as has been accused by some parties,” he said.

He continued that the people, who had been under detention, including those in Papua, were those who had obviously violated Indonesia’s laws.

“Therefore, it’s misleading to address them as political detainees,” Syamsudin told reporters on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law and human rights.

The minister’s was responding to lawmakers’ questions on the escalating violence in Papua.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Garuda considering Papua – China flights

National airline company Garuda Indonesia has been exploring possibilities of Papua – China flights to support the Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Economic Development (MP3EI).

General Manager of Garuda Timika Office Nano Setiawan said in Beijing Wednesday (06/06) that besides the MP3EI plan for the Papua-China flights, there is also a plan to accelerate the development of Papua and West Papua as the East is an important hub.

“Garuda will facilitate the traffic movements between the two countries in the development of the economy and tourism,” Setiawan said. Garuda Timika and Biak offices and several travel agents are making trips to Beijing and Guangzhou.

With regard to Garuda’s strategy for increasing the comfort of Chinese tourists to Papua in the long trip, he said the long hauls to Papua will be combined with other destinations, such as the package from Jakarta, Jogya, Denpasar and then Papua.

The flights to China by Garuda Indonesia have always been via Jakarta.

Beijing General Manager of Garuda Asa Perkasa said the Jakarta-Beijing flights will be five times a week, Jakarta-Guangzhou and Jakarta-Shanghai flights every day.

On the flights to Papua he said Garuda flies on the Jayapura-Biak-Makassar-Jakarta or Jayapura-Timika-Denpasar-Jakarta routes. “With the route from Papua there will be a connection to Australia, Korea and Japan via Denpasar,” he said.

He added that with the route, flights from Papua can also reach Europe, China and Asean via Jakarta,”.

Source: ANTARA News

Papuans ‘should have their identity recognized by govt’

Papuan activists and scholars have called on the government to allow the use of the region’s traditional symbols and stop prosecuting locals who promote them.

Franz-Magnis Suseno, a Catholic priest and philosophy professor at the Driyarkara School of Philosophy, said that the Indonesian government should stop treating the hoisting of the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag as an act of treason. The flag has long been associated with the Papuan separatist movement.

“Why not let Papuans fly the flag as a symbol of their land? We must also allow them to express their opinions in an assembly,” he said.

Papuan peace activist Neles Tebay said that the close association between the flag and the Papuan separatist movement had often been used as an excuse to abuse the human rights of native Papuans.

Neles also said that the central government should drop its security approach and start a dialogue with the locals.

“All elements in Papua from the local governments, the natives, and the business community, must sit down and start a dialogue. Dialogue is the key to end what has been happening there,” he said.

Farid Hussein, a former mediator in the talks between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) said that the dialogue should also include discussion about the flag.

“One of the most arduous issues [in the Aceh talks] concerned the GAM logo,” he said.

Papuan activist Filep Karma is serving a 15-year prison sentence for promoting separatism. Filep was first detained in 1998 when he led a ceremony to raise the Bintang Kejora flag in Biak.

In the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Universal Periodic Review last week, Germany in particular challenged the government on whether it intended to release Filep and other political detainees who have been held arbitrarily and accused Indonesia of violating Article 20 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which states that “everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association”.

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday (30/05) that Indonesia continued to promote and protect human rights in the country, including in Papua, and that some foreign governments had changed their views on the issue.

“Several countries have changed their stance regarding our policies in Papua. The Republic of Vanuatu, for example, has encouraged us to continue implementing the special autonomy program there,” he said.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Papua receives four rescue boats

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has allocated four rescue boats for Papua and West Papua provinces.

The agency’s head, Daryatmo, said the boats, each of which has a maximum speed of 30 knots and a 3 x 1080 horsepower engine, have been presented to SAR Jayapura, SAR Merauke, SAR Biak and SAR Sorong.

“We try to save lives instead of recovering bodies,” Daryatmo told reporters after an official handover ceremony at the Porasko Port in Jayapura on Tuesday (03/04).

The 36-meter-long boats, according to Daryatmo, also came with night vision devices and had the ability to cover a distance of up to 2,000 sea miles.

Previously, the same type of rescue boat had been given to the SAR team in Mimika regency.

Source: The Jakarta Post

Russia offers to RI to build satellite launching base in Papua

Russia has again urged the Indonesian government to conclude a much-delayed agreement on a milestone satellite station project, offering the idea of Indonesia becoming a “prestigious space nation”.

Russian Ambassador Alexander A. Ivanov

Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Alexander A. Ivanov reiterated on Tuesday (14/02) his country’s keen interest in the project to develop a satellite launch station on the Indonesian island of Biak, which is situated off the northern coast of Papua and 3,200 kilometers northeast of Jakarta.

The plan was first made public in 2006, but no agreement has so far been concluded to pave the way for its implementation.

“To tell you frankly, the draft agreement is almost ready with the exception of one article. It is on missile technology immunity,” Ivanov told a media briefing in Jakarta, adding that the Biak project would utilize technology possessed only by Russia that had not been used anywhere else in the world.

He said Indonesia was still troubled by the article, but Russia kept pushing for it given that Indonesia was not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime; an informal and voluntary partnership between 34 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying a 500-kg payload at least 300 km.

Ivanov said Russia, as a member of the regime, had “international obligations” on the safeguards.

Contacted separately, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Michael Tene refused to discuss why the Indonesian government still objected to the contentious clause, citing only “technical issues” behind the prolonged negotiations over the Biak project.

“As the negotiations are still ongoing, I cannot add anything more,” Michael told The Jakarta Post.

Ivanov explained that the Biak station would be an air-launch station, meaning satellites would be launched from a “mothership” aircraft instead of from the ground.

He said this was more “ecologically friendly”, adding that ground-based launches usually caused pollution on the ground and in the air.

“If this project is implemented, Indonesia will become a space nation. Indonesia will have the opportunity to launch commercial satellites from all over the world, especially countries situated in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Ivanov refused to share what was in the project for Russia, but added that it would be very “beneficial” and “prestigious” to Indonesia.

He added Biak was chosen due to its proximity to the equator, reducing the cost of satellite launches.

“The cost of launching is eight times cheaper in comparison to launching satellites, for example, from territories in Kazakhstan or Russia.”

Ivanov also reiterated on Tuesday Russia’s interest in boosting its trade and investment partnerships with Indonesia.

He said a delegation of about 40 representatives from major Russian private companies would visit Indonesia at the end of the month to seek business opportunities in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

They include representatives from the space technology, oil and gas, railway and agriculture sectors, Ivanov said.

Source: the Jakarta Post