Tag Archives: Bintang Kejora

Nicolaas Jouwe: Netherlands Created OPM To Oppose Indonesia

Nicolaas Jouwe

Nicolaas Jouwe

A Papuan community leader, Nicolaas Jouwe, said the Netherlands officers created the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in 1965, to oppose Indonesia and disturb the security of eastern Indonesias territory.

“I am a leader of the National Liberation Council of West Papua. I am not OPMs member. In fact, OPM was created by Netherlands officers in 1965 to coincide with the crackdown on the Indonesian Communist Party,” Jouwe said on Monday (12/5) in Jakarta.

In the lunch that was held for a journalist of Australian TV SBS, Mark Davis, Jouwe said the Netherlands officers trained the Papuan youths to become volunteers in fighting Indonesia.

“The Papuan youth who had been trained were then asked by the Netherlands to establish the OPM,” Jouwe noted.

Jouwe, born in Jayapura on November 24, 1923 and who had designed the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) Flag, also explained conditions in Papua after more than 50 years of integration with the Unitary State of Indonesia, since the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) handed over the governance of West Papua (used to be called Irian Jaya) to Indonesia on May 1, 1963.

Jouwe underlined that the Papuan peoples state of minds cannot be separated from the Netherlands treatment, who had isolated and banned them from attending schools since the Orange Kingdom colonized the land in 1828 until independence was proclaimed by Soekarno and Hatta on August 17, 1945.

“During the 117 years, we the people of Papua practically lived in the Stone Age,” he said.

The obsession of Jouwe with the struggle for Papuas development was captured in a book titled “Nicolaas Jouwe Back to Indonesia: Step, Thought and Desire” that will be published in 2014.

On Jouwes book, the figure who used to oppose Indonesia, said he had come back to the Unitary State of Indonesia marked by his visit to Jayapura, Papua, in 2009, to support Papuas development, after tens of years of living in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, during his stay in Indonesia, Mark Davis will organize an investigative report in Jayapura between May 6 and May 11, 2014.

Source: ANTARA News

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OPM attacks security officers in Papua

Joint security officers of Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police, who were patrolling Aimasa area in Sorong District, West Papua, were attacked by an armed group of Free Papua Organization (OPM) at 2 am on Wednesday (01/05).

One of TNI personnel, identified as Second Sub-Lieutenant Sultony was injured in the ambush.

The joint security officers monitored the area after they got information that Isak Kalaibin would lead several people in the area to hoist the “Bintang Kejora” flag of the banned OPM.

The OPM ambushed vehicles of security personnel by using sharp weapons when the troupe approaching the area.

The assault also caused car window of Deputy Chief of Aimas Resort Police Commissioner Pinem`s vehicle shattered.

The ambush forced several personnel to conduct protection shoots and quickly left the scene.

Public Relation Chief of Papuan Police Senior Commissioner Gede Sumerta said the forced shoot of the join security officers caused one armed person, initialed SK, experienced wounds in left thigh, stomach and left arm.

“However we cannot ensure does the victim`s wounds were caused by military personnel`s shooting or not,” Sumerta said.

Police secured several evidences related to the ambush, include a unit of arrows and arc, two slingshots and a bayonet as well as cleaver.

Source: ANTARA News

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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

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OPM tried to disrupt the celebration of Indonesia’s Independence Day

Free Papua Organzation (OPM) conducted series of gunshots in Papua during the celebration of Indonesia’s Independence Day. The shootings occurred in several areas, ranging from Paniai to Puncak Jaya, on Wednesday, August 17.

As hoisting flag ceremony was carried out at Paniai Regency Office, Maddi District, a series of gunfires were heard causing people who attended the event to get their nerves.

Paniai Regent, Naftali Yogi said the OPM members were willing to disrupt day. “They had planned to disrupt the Independence Day as a few days earlier there was information that there would be an interruption during the flag flying ceremony,” said the regent.

He went on to say that the OPM was trying to spoil the Independence Day celebration by entering the city and fired a series of shots. “This has to do with the schedule on last August 2 in London, UK, where lawyers held a congress on West Papua,” said Naftali.

The Independence Day celebration in Papua also saw a a number of Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag flying ceremonies in as many places as Tanah Hitam Abepura, Jayapura city and Pikhe Mount, Wamena, Jayawijaya.

Gunfires also took place in Moenamani, Dogiyai Regency, causing dozens of trucks carrying basic food and passengers heading to Paniai to be caught in idle lines in Dogiyai. Bram Mauri, Commander of the Moenamani Police in Dogiyai District, said trucks and cars had been put on hold in front of Moenamani police station since Tuesday night due to the unlikely security conditions.

“Exchange of fire took place around the street of district border between the Dogiyai and Paniai, precisely in Madi District, Paniai. It went on from 1 a.m. local time until morning. As a result, dozens of vehicles transporting food were held back,” he said.

One of the group members was shot dead by the security officers. Meanwhile a local motorbike taxi driver was also hit by an arrow in his arm.

Bram Mauri said, the group was helmed by John Yogi, son of the OPM Commander of Paniai region, Tadius Yogi.

Papua Peace Network coordinator Father Neles Tebay said currently Paniai residents in Maddi District were in fear and many fled to the mountains. Some stores were shut down as rumor saying that Tadius Yogi-led National Liberation Army of Free Papua would raise arms against the Indonesian Military (TNI) was in circulation.

The exchange of fire between Indonesian Military and National Police personnel and Free Papua Movement guerillas in Paniai, lasted from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. local time. Consequently, in addition to one killed OPM member and a wounded motorbike taxi driver, two policemen were also injured.

Morning Star flag flying also took place in Wamena. Papua Police spokesman Chief Comm. Wachyono acknowledged this. “There was indeed Morning Star flag flying in Wamena,” he said.

Source: VIVANews

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Prof. Pieter Drooglever tidak senang dengan Benny Wenda cs.

Pada 6 February 2010 sejarawan Belanda Pieter Drooglever meluncurkan buku tentang Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (Pepera) 1969 edisi Bahasa Inggris di Oxford. Peluncuran buku itu dirayakan dengan seminar sehari bertemakan “Justice and Self-Determination in West Papua” yang diselenggarakan oleh kelompok ilmuwan Oxford Transitional Justice Research di gedung Social Legal Studies Centre, Manor Road. Salah satu pembicaranya adalah Benny Wenda.

Selain Benny, pembicara yang tampil adalah Prof Pieter Drooglever (Institute of Netherlands History), Dr Albert Kersten (University of Leiden), Jos Marey (tokoh Papua di Belanda), Benny Wenda (Free West Papua Campaign England), Dr Charles Foster (University of Oxford), Dr Agus Sumule (Penasihat Gubernur Papua), Budi Hernawan (Australian National University Canberra), Jennifer Robinson (Sekretaris International Lawyers for West Papua) dan Dr Muridan Widjojo (LIPI Jakarta).

Benny Wenda yang mendapat giliran bicara pada sesi kedua datang agak siang bersama rombongan sekitar 8 orang termasuk anak dan istrinya. Anak buahnya segera memasang foto-foto kekerasan, poster tuntutan referendum dan anti-Indonesia, dan tidak ketinggalan bendera Bintang Kejora. Salah satu anggotanya sibuk membuat rekaman foto dan video dari kegiatan hari itu. Benny tidak bergabung dengan pembicara lain di depan. Namun ketika mendapat giliran tampil, Benny maju ke depan dengan satu pengawal sebelah kanan memegang Bintang Kejora dan dua di sebelah kiri masing-masing memegang poster tuntutan referendum dan tolak Indonesia.

Pada saat Agus dan saya selesai berbicara, sesi pertanyaan dibuka. Selain para peserta lain, beberapa anak buah Benny Wenda angkat tangan. Dengan nada emosi mereka menyatakan bahwa mereka tidak percaya pada Indonesia. Sambil menunjuk saya dan Agus, seorang dari mereka mengatakan, “kamu orang Indonesia tidak berhak bicara tentang orang Papua.” Kepada Agus, mereka katakan bahwa Otsus adalah tipuan pemerintah Indonesia. Mereka juga marah kepada panitia yang ternyata mengundang orang Indonesia dan membahas Otsus. Mereka hanya mau mendengar pembahasan tentang review Pepera di PBB.

Kepada saya dikatakan bahwa gara-gara tipuan ajakan dialog, Kelly Kwalik telah dibunuh oleh aparat Indonesia. Pada saat saya menjawab, saya hanya katakan bahwa upaya dialog adalah kehendak sebagian besar rakyat dan pemimpin Papua. Selama ini, di Jaringan Papua Damai (JDP), dari 25 orang fasilitator, 22 fasilitator adalah para pemimpin muda terbaik orang asli Papua yang berasal dari berbagai faksi politik, berbagai denominasi Gereja, berbagai LSM, dan termasuk organisasi Muslim Papua. Kami peneliti, dosen dan aktivis Papua lainnya hanyalah fasilitator yang membantu mempersiapkan dialog Papua-Jakarta.

Seusai acara, kami minum kopi atau anggur bersama dengan peserta dan penyelenggara. Benny tidak berbaur dengan peserta lain. Sebelumnya saya berharap bisa berbicara dengan Benny Wenda. Bahkan saya sudah menitipkan pesan ke beberapa orang terhormat dari Belanda dan Inggris untuk membantu saya memberitahu Benny agar mau berbicara dengan saya. Tapi dari orang-orang itu dikatakan bahwa Benny tidak memberikan respons positif. Oleh karena itu saya tidak memaksakan diri untuk berbicara dengannya. Dengan anak buah Benny yang sudah kenal saya, di antaranya Oridek Ap (anak Arnold Ap) dari Belanda, saya sempat bersalaman.

Setelah tiba kembali ke Jakarta, saya membaca pernyataan kelompok Benny Wenda yang memasang video rekaman mereka di internet. Demikian pernyataannya, “Video ini, menunjukkan bagaimana agen NKRI (Mudiran, Agus Sumule, Budi Hermawan, dkk) dipermalukan dalam seminar kemarin lalu. Team Dialog dan “Road Map Papua” ternyata tidak dapat bernafas lega karena mendapat perlawanan yang sangat serius dari Free West Papua Campaign UK. Mereka pulang dengan tidak terhormat karena penipuan mereka telah diketahui oleh peserta seminar yang sangat mengerti sekali atas kejahatan NKRI yang selama ini sedang terjadi di Papua.”

Pernyataan di atas ditanggapi dengan serius oleh mantan wartawan Kompas Octavianus Mote yang sekarang bermukim di AS. Mote menganggap pernyataan tersebut rasialis dan tidak rasional. Selanjutnya dia membela Budi Hernawan. “Bruder Budi adalah pekerja kemanusian sudah membuktikan diri membela kemanusian dan bukan macam engkau yang menyebarkan fitnah emosional tanpa dasar. Masalah Papua bukan masalah rasial, ini masalah kemanusian. Dia seorang rohaniawan katolik yang tidak akan membiarkan dombanya dibantai…”

Tentang Agus Sumule dia katakan, “Agus Sumule adalah seorang Dosen Universitas Negeri Cendrawasih yang sudah diangkat sebagai anak negeri Papua. Karya pengabdiannya bukan saja terbukti dari mereka yang dia ajar, tetapi begitu banyak tulisan yang muncul di koran dan buku. Kalau saudara tidak rasialis, saudara akan tahu mengakui kebenaran, Agus adalah seorang guru yang sekalipun secara etnis nampak bukan papua tapi dia besar di Enarotali, makan nota bersama orang Mee dan selama ini menjadi suara orang papua.”

Prof Pieter Drooglever nampaknya juga merasa tidak nyaman dengan perilaku anak buah Benny Wenda dan tulisan yang disebar di internet oleh Free West Papua Campaign UK yang menjelekkan para pembicara dalam seminar tersebut. Oleh karena itu dia mengirim email kepada Agus Sumule, Budi Hernawan, dan saya sendiri untuk meminta maaf. Demikian kutipan tulisan beliau, “Though one may understand the feelings they gave vent to, one certainly cannot approve the way they did, especially so by their completely unjustified and simply insulting personal attacks. As co-organizer of the meeting I feel obliged to apologise for the incident. It is being made even worse by the phantastic public utterings now being distributed by their organization.”

Dari pengalaman ini saya sebagai fasilitator Jaringan Damai Papua (JDP) berharap kepada saudara-saudara Papua, terlepas apa pun aspirasi politik kita, janganlah merendahkan upaya untuk berdialog. Mau perang, referendum, merdeka atau pun otsus di dalam NKRI,pada akhirnya harus diakhiri dengan dialog untuk penyelesaian masalah bersama. Sebaiknya sikap yang rasialis dan menggeneralisasi kebencian pada kelompok tertentu dapat diakhiri. Dengan dialog lah penyelesaian konflik dan perbedaan kepentingan dapat dicapai dengan tetap menjaga martabat dan kehormatan masing-masing. Kita semua, termasuk Benny Wenda dan kawan-kawan, dapat belajar dari pengalaman di Oxford untuk saling menghormati.

Source: http://muridan-papua.blogspot.com/

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