VIOLENCE IN THE HIGHLANDS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
EXCLUSIVE: A TIMELINE OF VIOLENCE IN THE HIGHLANDS
A week after Indonesia sent more troops to the highlands of Papua, violent clashes between security forces and West Papua National Liberation Army personnel have seen residents fleeing for safety. Here are highlights from Suara Papua’s exclusive reporting, revealing that three people have been killed and many injured, including a young child.
Are you preparing to go home, or mudik for Christmas? We hope our readers have a safe and happy holidays.
In Papua, as villages in Yahukimo and Sugapa-Intanjaya began preparations for their own Christmas celebrations, residents have been under siege during a shootout between the Indonesian Military and West Papua National Liberation Army.
If you’re not familiar with Yahukimo and Sugapa-Intan Jaya, check out the map below. Yahukimo is in the central highlands of Papua, surrounded by Jayawijaya, Boven Digoel, Asmat, Pegunungan Bintang, and Nduga. Meanwhile Intan Jaya shares a border with the Cartenz highlands and Grasberg-Freeport Mcmoran mine.
We’ve put together a timeline based on the exclusive reporting of Suara Papua’s brave citizen journalists and contributors on the ground. They collect interviews, photo and video evidence of incidents that would otherwise go unreported, given the heavy restrictions on journalism in Papua. If you want this invaluable work to continue, please support Suara Papua’s patreon.
Dec 13-16, Indonesia deploys more troops
Our chief editor Arnold Belau told us that Indonesia began sending more troops to Sugapa-Intan Jaya, Paniai, and Yahukimo from Dec. 13. According to Suara Papua’s report, at least 13 helicopters packed with security forces arrived in Sugapa-Intan Jaya within two days, between Dec 14-16. Watch our exclusive video showing the arrival of Indonesian security forces to the airport, courtesy of the citizen journalists who have documented these events. Meanwhile, a number of helicopters arrived earlier on Dec 13 in Paniai — but it’s not clear how many. We’ll continue to monitor the situation.
Dec 17: Denial by the National police
Despite the fact that Suara Papua has pictures, video, and testimony from the ground, the Papua police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal denied all reports, saying that it was just a routine patrol in order to ‘provide security and safety’ to the people in the highlands ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
But our source said that rather than feeling comforted by the military’s presence, residents felt scared. Residents of Paniai have witnessed the traumatic, recent history of the Indonesian military presence in their area, from Suharto’s New Order regime until today. In 2014, the Bloody Paniai incident saw four teenagers shot to death by security forces, and dozens injured, according to Amnesty International. The perpetrators were never brought to justice, despite the promises of President Jokowi. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch has written about “the chronic lack of accountability for abuses by Indonesian security forces in Papua”. Given this context, it is understandable why residents of this region would not be comforted by the recent statements by police.
In addition — and this is the strange part— the Regional Secretary of Intan Jaya, Asir Mirip, told Suara Papua that ‘they have no idea why the Indonesian government is sending more troops to their region”. He added that there had been no coordination and confirmation with local government. We still have no idea why so many troops have been sent to the highlands ahead of Christmas.
Dec 18: Two security forces personnel killed
OK, so amid the confusion about why Indonesia sent more troops to the highlands, Suara Papua reported two security forces personnel were killed in Intan Jaya. The information has been confirmed by both the National Police and West Papua National Liberation Army. Yet there have been contradictory reports about how this actually happened. Indonesian media outlet Okezone reported that the two men had been carrying out community service, providing food for villagers for Christmas, according to the head of Cendrawasih Information Centre, Lt. Col. Eko Daryanto. Okezone reported that 150 meters from the outskirts of the village, they were attacked by dozens of rebel army members and killed. Significantly, Suara Papua spoke to a village elder, Didimus Embani, who clarified that the two security personnel were not killed during any community service event, nor had any been carried out in the village at the time.
Following the incident, Intan Jaya youth leader Yoakim Mujizau asked the regent office and Intan Jaya’s house of representatives to manage the situation immediately. Moreover, the residents in Intan Jaya are still traumatised and worried about their safety. Meanwhile, Jakarta responded by saying that the security approach is the best solution to combat ‘separatist activity’.
Dec 19: Residents flee for safety
Following the violence, villagers in Sugapa-Intan Jaya fled to the jungle for safety. Others chose to stay in a church during the day, and return to their houses at night.
The situation in the region continued to heat up, as our sources on the ground confirmed that three more helicopters had arrived in Sugapa-Intan Jaya.
Dec 20: Regent speaks out, finally
Intan Jaya’s regent, Natalis Tabuni, gave his first statement about the situation in his region. He asked both the Indonesian military and West Papua National Liberation Army (WPNLA) to leave Intan Jaya. The regent is scheduled to meet the Indonesian military and other parties to discuss the current situation.
Despite the regent speaking out, the violence continued. This time, Suara Papua reported that three rebel army members were injured. The details were confirmed in an exclusive interview with the WPNLA Operation Commander for Intanjaya, Hen Tigau.
Meanwhile in Yahukimo, a police officer was killed, allegedly after being attacked by locals. As a result, Yahukimo police arrested five suspects. In another event, three residents from Kosarek District were shot. A three year old toddler who happened to be in the area was injured from bullet flakes. Villagers said they were just sitting in front of their houses when the police mobile brigade suddenly attacked and shot them. The family were about to bring those injured to Jayapura Hospital, but they claimed they were stopped by police.
Tempo reported that a clash broke out between the police and locals in Yahukimo. One police officer was killed. The police claim that locals provoked the officers.
Our trusted source, Tabloid Jubi journalist Piter Lokon, witnessed the event but was beaten by the police. He was sent to hospital. It is yet another very concerning sign of the state of media freedom in Papua.
Dec 21: Villagers return to their houses
Suara Papua reported that hundreds of villagers who fled to the jungle had returned to their homes.
Dec 22: Another shootout
Indonesian military and rebel army were reportedly involved in crossfire at 2 AM in the morning in Sugapa-Intan Jaya. According to our source, the security forces raided a house, allegedly used by the rebel army, in the village.
We are still watching to see how the situation develops. We hope to send you another wrap up in the new year, based on the incredible reporting by Suara Papua and other local Papuan media outlets. Once again, please consider supporting Suara Papua through Patreon. A small contribution each month makes an enormous difference to journalists working under stressful and restrictive conditions.
What we read:
Referendum in Bougainville. The region of Bougainville, a collection of islands in the South Pacific, has voted overwhelmingly to become independent from Papua New Guinea, aiming to become the world’s newest nation. In a referendum linked to a peace agreement that ended a civil war between separatists and Papua New Guinea security forces nearly 20 years ago, nearly 98 percent of those who voted supported becoming an independent nation.
20 years for Papuan activists. An Indonesian prosecutor charged five men and a woman with treason on Thursday, accusing them of organising a protest in Jakarta demanding independence for the easternmost province of Papua. The six could face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty. According to human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, Ariana Elopere, one of the first two Papuan women charged with treason since 2000, is facing life imprisonment for attending a peaceful protest where the Morning Star Flag was flying.
Mega palm oil plantation’s permit in Papua were falsified. An area nearly the size of Paris has already been cleared on the basis of the allegedly fraudulent permits, cutting a hole in a vast stretch of rainforest on the island of New Guinea. The companies clearing the forest have denied the allegation, insisting their permits are legitimate. The case emerged as world leaders gathered in Madrid for the 25th UN climate summit, with stemming Indonesia’s deforestation deemed critical if the nation is to meet its targets for reducing carbon emissions.
Polish citizen jailed in Wamena. The Supreme Court has increased the prison sentence of Jakub Fabian Skrzypski, a Polish national and reportedly the first foreigner convicted of treason in Indonesia, to seven years in prison for his role in assisting a separatist group in Papua.
ACP’s solidarity for West Papua. The 79 member states of the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) group are seeking international action over human rights abuses in West Papua.
Terrorism in Papua. Indonesian police said they have arrested seven suspected Islamic militants in the country’s easternmost Papua province as authorities beef up security ahead of Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The last cannibal in West Papua. Incredible images of the last tribe on earth to practice cannibalism have been captured by an adventurous photographer, who traveled deep into the Indonesian jungles to their remote location where the Korowai people live. The tribe lives just as they did 10,000 years ago practising witchcraft and are believed to still eat human flesh.
That’s a wrap for this newsletter. We’ll be back next year!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Voice of Papua team:
Arnold, Ligia, Febri and Belinda
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