Juli 28, 2002 19:13:32

Tonny Yikwa, a Medical Staff at the Wamena Regional Hospital was Beaten Up Heavily today, 27 July 2002

His body is full of blood, this is the outcome of Matoa Operation 3, 2002

The best way to stop further beatings and arrests of innocent civilians

According to our personal experience in several occassions, ringing the police and army commanders in West Papua has been effective. It does help to stop further beatings and or arrests. 

In addition, letter writings and or protests have been effective only in long term. They do help for long term campaigns, or post-event activities. They do not help to stop the incidents when they happen.

To get the phone numbers, please click here

While Megawati Sukarnoputri's supporters are comemorating the 27th July 1996 attack on her office by Suharto's agents, today, yet another Papuan is suffering badly due to the beatings by the Indonesian army in Wamena, Balieam Valley, West Papua.

He was beaten up after a local member of parliament, Vincent Kosay invited him for meal in a restaurant in Wamena town. 

Tonny Yikwa was on the way to his brother-in-law, to ask him some money to support the publication of Demmak-AMP books entitled: PAPUA MENGGUGAT: 11 November 2001, Hari Kematian HAM, Demokrasi dan Perjuangan Damai di Tanah Papua? and PAPUA MENGGUGAT II: 22 October 2001, 22:30 WIB, Politik Otonomisasi NKRI di Papua Barat. These two books are dedicated to counter controversies of the assassination of Theys H. Eluay and Special Autonomy Package, which the Indonesian government says, "The best way for West papuan peoople".

Vincent Kosay, a local MP for Wamena has been co-operating with the Indonesian special forces and intelligencen in giving information to them on the activities of independence movement as well as human rights activists in Wamena and its vicinity. When Tonny Yikwa was inside the house of his brother-in-law, Vincent asked Lucy, Tony's younger sister to make a short call to a friend of his. The call was in fact to the police/ army personnel in Wamena region. After calling them, Vincent then offered Tonny and his brother-in-law for a meal at a nearby restaurant. After eating, they were on the way out from the restaurant and suddenly three army personnel appeared and asked Tonny to hand over a paper, i.e., list of people who contributed money to publish the abovementined books.

Straight away, he was taken to the police station and beaten up badly. 

Hearing this tragic event, Lucy went to the police station and demanded his brother's release. Tony was released yesterday, but his body is full of blood due to the beatings. His photographs will follow, (as they should come from Wamena to Jayapura or other places near to the internet to send them).

The Koteka Tribal Assembly (Demmak) has been holding a series of meeting to respond to the arrest and beatings. The outcome of the meetings is unpredictable at the moment.

BACKGROUND

Since last week, the Indonesian Police Commander for Papua announced Matoa Operation 3 2002, which aims at eliminating and if neccessary kill the independent activists and organisations throughout West Papua.

Theys Eluay was killed on 11 November 2001 after the Police Commander of Papua announced (secretly) the Matoa Operation 2001. This includes the assassination of Willaim Onde (2001) and Yafeth Yelemaken (2002), as well as Markus Warip (2002).

The Matoa Opeartions have been intended to kill Papuans. The justification has been that "separatists" has to be eliminated from Indonesia territory and that the world "recognises" the territorial integrity of Indonesia over West Papua.

The 2002 Matoa Operation will cost more lives of Papuan people. If the world does not do anything, West Papua will remain just a name of the world map, to the the future generations that Papuan people used to live in this territory. 

Helping to stop further arrests and beatings means helping humans in West Papua survive and move forward for their full fundamental rights to be free from terror, intimidation, massacres, disappearance, and free to live as human beings.