Background Information for Letter to PNG Government

Papuan people demanded for Dialogue with Jakarta since five years ago, through various ways, approaches and at different occasions. We declared West Papua as a Peace Zone and according to the mandate of the Papua National Congress II 2000; -Papuan independence movement will be carried out non-violently without any kinds of armed conflicts or violence.

However, the Government of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) has ignored and responded brutally by carrying out various militia and Jihad Troops activities as well as operations of “mysterious gangs” all over West Papua. It has deployed battalions of troops, declared war against West Papua and deployed special troops for war with a “war flag” into West Papua. It has trained the Red-and-White militia troops under the command of Drs. John Djopari, MA, the NKRI ambassador for PNG as the Commander in Chief. It has deployed Jihad Troops and other Islamic Troops into West Papua in the name of Islamisation and Indonesianisation, i.e., national integrity and sovereignty of Indonesia.

Moreover, Indonesia has deployed its Special Forces to carry out clandestine operations under the name of “unknown gang men” or “mysterious gangs” or “mysterious killers” all over West Papua. The outcome has been obvious. The kidnapping and assassination of the Late Ondofolo Dortheys Hiyo Eluay (11 Nov. 2001)[i], the mysterious murders of Col TPN PB Simon Alom, Col TPN PB William Onde, Brig. Gen. TPN PB Hans Bomay (all in 2001) as well as the poisoning of Tribal Elder  from Wamena, Yafeth Yelemaken (May 2002) and the poisoning of Tribal Elders from Serui, Yusuf Tanawani are the work of these “mysterious gangs”. In addition, the Special Forces stirred up conflicts that cost the lives of 34 innocent villagers in what is called “Bloody Wamena” (6 Oct. 2000) and also encouraged Papuan people to attack police post in Abepura and the police reacted and chased students into their dormitories, arrested and tortured them to death arbitrarily in what is known now as “Bloody Abepura.”[ii] The same “unknown gang” kidnapped Benny Wenda, S.Sos, the Secretary-General of Demmak on 26 October 2002. The Indonesian government blamed the Papuans taking him away from prison, even though the prison was under a heavy guard and “these special forces” were widely operating around and inside the prison.

Under the Umbrella of Matoa Operation[iii], this Special Forces successfully carried out an ambush on 30 August 2002, and killed two American teachers, one Indonesian and one Papuan. This was used to justify the cancellation of the Meeting of 7 Nations planned to be held in Timika on 7 September 2002 and to deploy more troops into West Papua.

On 16 December 2002, the same “unknown gunmen” under the same command carried out an ambush against the Papuan people along the border and attacked the TPN/OPM troops, killing five and injuring two of TPN/OPM troops. This attack was carried out on the same day and time when their ambassador for PNG, the commander of Red-and-White Militia Group was passing the PNG-West Papua border, Wutung. According to our sources in the village, two Papuan people were injured and five were shot dead. Five TNI troops were dead on the same day. The ambush was carried out on the same day and time when their ambassador for PNG, the commander of Red-and-White Militia Group was passing the PNG-West Papua border, Wutung. Following this, on 28 December 2002, an ambush was carried out, suspected by the same ‘unknown’ gangs operating in West Papua since the last five years. This incident injured three civilians; all are the families and members of human rights defenders in West Papua, the ELSHAM. On 1 January 2003, another clash between the Liberation Army of Free Papua Movement (TPN/OPM) and the Indonesian Armed Forces happened, causing at least one Indonesian troop injured. The Indonesian army responded by sending more troops into the region, and declared war against anyone they suspect. While the TPN/OPM Supreme Commander has denied that the ambushes were orchestrated by the Indonesian armed forces to create violence in the region. [iv]

These are clearly typical tactics of the Indonesian armed forces to tell its central government and the world that the border areas are unsafe, and therefore the deployment of more troops in this region is urgently required. A classic way for the Indonesian military and police, who prefer war than peace, to create chaos, conflicts and deploy more troops and generate more income for the generals. The goal of these all is to put pressure on the Papua New Guinea Government to send back West Papua refugees who were denied their rights for asylum in PNG and to send them back even though their lives are under death threat at the hands of Indonesian police and armed forces.

The modus operandi of operations in West Papua is clear: trigger war and declare the territory as unsafe, then deployment of more troops is justified. This is one way. The second way is killing Papuan people under the command of so-called “mysterious gangs” or “Special Forces”. The third way is, by creating tensions among Papuan people and our organisations. The attack on the TPN/OPM post at this time is apparently current method set up when the TNI realized that peace talk between Free Acheh Movement (GAM) and Indonesia was about to become a reality.

Betrayal of Papuan people is not a new story. The Netherlands, the USA, and the United Nations betrayed Papuan people by promising independence for West Papua in 1970, by setting up scenario for handing over West Papua to Indonesia under the so-called New York Agreement of 12 August 1962[v], and by approving the fraudulent and undemocratic Act of Free Choice[vi] in West Papua in 1969.

Since 1962, Indonesia has killed at least 100,000 documented Papuans, and 200,000 more undocumented.[vii] While talking to the Free Acheh Movement, Indonesia has ignored our demand, a discrimination policy due to differences in our religion and race.

The Koteka Tribal Assembly
(Dewan Musyawarah Masyarakat Koteka - Demmak)
For Papua Panel & Papua Presidium Council
-------------------------------------------------------------
Betrayed but NOT Defeated! 

27 January 2003 

To UNHCR Offices:
1. For Australia, N. Zealand, Papua N.G. & South Pacific, 9, Terrigal Crescent O'Malley, Canberra, A.C.T. 2606, Australia, Email: aulca@unhcr.ch
2. Jakarta: P.O. Box 4505, Jakarta, Indonesia, Email: insja@unhcr.ch
3. Japan: 4-14 Akasaka 8-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107, Japan, Email: jpnto@unhcr.ch
4. Dublin: 27 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Email: iredu@unhcr.ch
5. The UK and Ireland, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London SW1P 4PQ, UK, Email: gbrlo@unhcr.ch

Dear Sirs,

Papuan Refugees are to be Deported by Force: An unwise & unpopular policy.

It is a matter of whether or not there is good political will within the hearts and minds of the Indonesian and PNG Governments to hold political dialogue.

I would like to once again kindly put forward my people's appeal for help to the UNHCR office for Pacific Region, UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Populations, and OHCHR to help Papuan refugees in Vanimo in relation to the following disturbing messages: 

"MEMBERS of the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) have been issued notices ordering them to dismantle camps in the Sandaun province and to move out. ... He said the directives were that the OPM members act before January 29, or risk being dealt with by the law." 

"Massive operation against the Papuans will be carried out on 29 January 2003, i.e., just one day from now. The operation will start from Vanimo and it is highly possible that it will spread into other refugee camps across Papua New Guinea." 

The news from West Papua to Demmak via the Papua Press Agency, International Office clearly indicates worrisome situation already threatening humans' lives along the border areas between West Papua and Papua New Guinea that needs our serious consideration and urgent action to save the lives of Papuan refugees who escaped from death threats by Indonesian armed forces since 1960s.

The PNG and Indonesian governments are determined to repatriate Papuan refugees by force. Whereas Papuan refugees are asking the following:

• In no way, they will be prepared to go back to West Papua despite their precise knowledge and experience that their lives are under serious threat.
• They want a third party country to help deport them out from PNG as PNG government is aiming at killing them by sending its people back to West Papua. 
• They urged UNHCR and International NGOs as well as Vanuatu, Nauru, Fiji and New Zealand Governments to be their country of destination rather than allowing themselves being killed after returning by force to West Papua 

It is an urgent task for us all to act proactively as it is already late. We are obliged to ensure that the well-trained and well-equipped East Timor style-militia groups in West Papua do not carry out massacres that will spill more blood in Indonesia in front of our eyes. 

I humbly urge the UNHCR, the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Populations and OHCHR to remind the Indonesian and PNG Governments that there is no other way out to bring conflicts in West Papua to an end. No dialogue means war, no war means dialogue. 

The world community should help and encourage Indonesia and PNG governments to build their confidence that dialogue is the most civilised, democratic and humane way of resolving conflicts in this century. Indonesia needs to learn once again that the use of force is unpopular, brutal and unacceptable in our civlised and globalised community.

Sincerely Yours,


Sem Karoba
Spokesperson for International Community of the AMP of Demmak, Member of Papua Panel, 
Assistant Mediator/Facilitator of the Papua Presidium Council (PDP)
Contact: Mobile +353 (0)87 631 7539; Email: koteka@westpapua.net 

CC: 
1. United Nations Secretary-General, New York, USA
2. Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland
3. UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Populations, Geneva, Switzerland
4. Amnesty International Office, London, UK and Human Rights NGOs Worldwide

The Koteka Tribal Assembly
(Dewan Musyawarah Masyarakat Koteka - Demmak)
For Papua Panel & Papua Presidium Council
------------------------------------------------------------------
Betrayed but NOT Defeated! 

16 January 2003 

To UNHCR Offices:
1. For Australia, N. Zealand, Papua N.G. & South Pacific, 9, Terrigal Crescent O'Malley, Canberra, A.C.T. 2606, Australia, Email: aulca@unhcr.ch
2. Jakarta: P.O. Box 4505, Jakarta, Indonesia, Email: insja@unhcr.ch
3. Japan: 4-14 Akasaka 8-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107, Japan, Email: jpnto@unhcr.ch
4. Dublin: 27 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Email: iredu@unhcr.ch
5. The UK and Ireland, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London SW1P 4PQ, UK, Email: gbrlo@unhcr.ch


Dear Sirs,

"Thus, states may not refoule, or forcibly return, refugees to a territory where they face danger. They may not discriminate between groups of refugees. They should ensure that refugees benefit from economic and social rights, at least to the same degree as other foreign residents of the country of asylum. Finally, states have an obligation to cooperate with UNHCR…."

Indonesia wants war in West Papua. In its 52 years of service, the UNHCR is obliged to act proactively for peaceful solutions. 

Shootings and clashes at the end of last year and early this year at the border villages between West Papua and PNG are clearly orchestrated by the Indonesian army to first of all justify the deployment of more troops to West Papua and secondly to put pressure on PNG government to deport Papuan refugees to West Papua.

On behalf of the Koteka Tribal Assembly and Papuan people in New Guinea Island, I would like to draw your kind attention to the show of force and power occurring at the border villages between East Papua (PNG) and West Papua. The Indonesian and PNG governments are planning to deport Papuans who have fled to PNG on various occasions since the 1960s due to the fear of arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, unfair punishment, extra judicial execution and disappearance and murder. The gross violations of human rights in West Papua since West Papua's annexation into Indonesia are the causes the border crossings, not because they wanted to have a better life on the other part of the Island.

Their forced return to West Papua will bring about disastrous impacts on the lives of the people. Many families, friends and relatives are about to lose their beloved ones. The law enforcement in Indonesia is ineffective, as far as the fact, not the political rhetoric is concerned. Unjust and unfair punishments, extra judicial killings and disappearances are common in the region for over four decades.

Since their refuge to PNG, I have been updated on their situation that in fact the UNHCR Office in the region has refused to respect, recognise and protect their rights as refugees. These people fit into the definition of refugee as defined by the UNHCHR: "Refugees are defined as those who have fled their countries because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group, and who cannot or do not want to return."

Both PNG and Indonesia as members of the UN and UNHCR as its organ should to carry out the UN's mission in this world and comply to the UN Charter, UN Bill of Rights, UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Geneva, 28 July 1951, Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, New York, 31 January 1967 and other applicable International standards. Sending them back despite the fact that they are under a serious threat of death is an unwise decision and violates basic human rights, i.e., the right to live and to the right to live freely as human beings. In fact the UN Charter guarantees their rights to seek refuge if there is a serious fear or threat of death.

It is an urgent task for us all to act proactively before it is too late. It is our task to ensure that the well-trained and well-equipped East Timor style-militia groups in West Papua do not carry out massacres that will spill more blood in Indonesia in front of our eyes. The UNHCR is obliged to remind the Indonesian and PNG Governments that there is no other way out to bring conflicts in West Papua to an end. No dialogue means war, no war means dialogue. The world community should help and encourage Indonesia to build its confidence that dialogue is the most civilised, democratic and humane way of resolving conflicts in this century.
Sincerely Yours,


Sem Karoba
Spokesperson for International Community & Supervisor of Demmak, Member of Papua Panel, 
Assistant Mediator/Facilitator of the Papua Presidium Council (PDP)
Contact: Mobile +353 (0)87 631 7539; Email: koteka@westpapua.net  

CC: 
1. United Nations Secretary-General, New York, USA
2. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland
3. UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Populations, Geneva, Switzerland
4. Amnesty International Office, London, UK and Human Rights NGOs Worldwide