Thursday, February 28, 2013

1) OPM claims responsibility for deaths of Indonesian soldiers.


3) Indonesia: Signs of new thinking on Papua


4) President Yudhoyono Hails Indonesia's Democratic Success
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Posted at 00:15 on 01 March, 2013 UTC
The military arm of the OPM Free West Papua Movement has claimed responsibility for the deaths of eight Indonesian soldiers and four civilians in two separate incidents last week.
The shootings, which occurred in the remote Highlands regency of Puncak Jaya, represent the most serious attacks on Indonesian security forces in Papua for years.
West Papua Media reports that a spokesman for the head of the West Papua National Liberation Army, or TPN, Goliat Tabuni, claims the shootings were carried out to assert West Papuan cultural rights to defend their customary practices against ongoing military brutality.
The spokesman says the shootings were carried out after Indonesian Kopassus special forces continued to build military posts on a local sacred Papuan burial site, despite being requested not to by both community representatives emissaries from the TPN.
The TPN claims to own the land where the military was building.
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Posted at 04:25 on 01 March, 2013 UTC
Indonesian soldiers have reportedly infiltrated villages in the region of Papua province’s Puncak Jaya regency where eight soldiers and four civilians were shot dead last week.
West Papua Media reports that the military has launched a large sweep operation involving more than 1,000 soldiers in the hunt for members of the West Papua National Liberation Army, which has claimed responsibility for the fatal attacks
Reports from local church, human rights and other sources in the area indicate hundreds of soldiers are occupying villages in Sinak, Gurage, Mulia and Tingginambut.
There are fears of a major humanitarian disaster unfolding with the reports of the destruction of food gardens and livestock by soldiers.
Human rights workers say local people are terrified of the military and have fled to the bush.

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http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2013/03/01/Indonesia-Signs-of-new-thinking-on-Papua.aspx

3) Indonesia: Signs of new thinking on Papua

By Gary Hogan - 1 March 2013 2:03PM
Gary Hogan was the first foreigner to graduate from Indonesia's Institute of National Governance (Lemhannas) and was Australia's Defence Attaché to Indonesia from 2009 to 2012.
The 21 February slaying of eight soldiers in two separate incidents by anti-government rebels in Indonesia's troubled Papua province sent shock waves through Jakarta's presidential palace, as well as the country's national defence headquarters in nearby Cilangkap. It was the largest number of military security forces killed in a single day in the restive province, which borders Papua New Guinea. 
The shock was felt as far away as Canberra, since Jakarta's adroit handling of its separatist problem in Papua is crucial to our ability to progress bilateral relations with Indonesia.
Australia's ambassador in Jakarta was the first foreign official to extend condolences and to reaffirm Australia's unequivocal commitment to Indonesian sovereignty over Papua. Canberra knows it would be impossible to engage Jakarta in a comprehensive strategic partnership without a mature and unfettered relationship with Indonesia's powerful defence forces,Tentara Nasional Indonesia or TNI. 
Any undisciplined retaliatory conduct by TNI elements in Papua, such as random reprisals for the eight deaths, would weigh heavily on the current upward trajectory in both our defence and broader bilateral relations. Fortunately, there is cause for optimism that, at least at the top, TNI might adopt some fresh thinking about Papua and the international ramifications of an ongoing cycle of violence.
Nobody is more aware of the potential for an arbitrary, heavy-handed overreaction by security forces in Papua to tarnish Indonesia's international image than President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He has done a great deal in the past eight years as president to try to improve Indonesia's global standing on human rights, investing in security sector reform and attempting to consolidate democracy and economic prosperity.
In Papua, Yudhoyono has promised a new approach based on building a stronger, fairer and more inclusive economy. His key man on the ground is retired general Bambang Darmono, a respected and experienced soldier and diplomat who played an important role in the successful Aceh peace process. 
But Darmono, who the president has charged with overseeing a fast-track development plan for Papua, faces an uphill battle. Indonesia lacks a clear strategy for pacifying Papua, partly because Jakarta focuses on economics when many Papuans cry for political dialogue. 
Moreover, the search for a solution is frustrated by poor coordination and an absence of imagination among government departments, factionalism and corruption in Papua itself, where vested interest is fueled by the prospect of limitless resource wealth, and a reactionary streak in some Jakarta elites, who refuse to even countenance the term 'indigenous' because it implies special rights.
Fallout from the 21 February shootings is still on the cards. The Free Papua Movement (OPM) is proving itself a learning organisation. Recent rebel actions demonstrate an ability to conduct reconnaissance, detect patterns, use intelligence effectively in planning and exploit poor operational security. The OPM now appears capable of moving beyond its basic hit and run tactics of the past. Incidents like the two which killed eight Indonesian soldiers last month could continue and even escalate.
In dealing with the Papua problem, Indonesia has occasionally demonstrated a disconnection between operational directions from Jakarta and tactical actions in the field. This will need to improve under TNI's emerging leaders, and there are promising signs it might. That is the subject of a follow-on post.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
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4) President Yudhoyono Hails Indonesia's Democratic Success
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that Indonesia has successfully managed its transition toward democracy, which started in 1998, a success he attributed to a collective effort involving the people and the government.

“The social conflicts in Maluku, West Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Papua and Aceh were successfully handled and solved through a joint understanding for the sake of the state’s unity,” Yudhoyono said, as quoted by presidential adviser on regional development and autonomy Velix Wanggai  in a press release sent out on Thursday.

Velix said that the president saw Indonesia’s grand idea of nationalism, social integration, harmony and Bhineka Tunggal Ika, or Unity in Diversity, as a collective language that should be embraced by all citizens. The president also stressed that the country was founded on tolerance, justice, social virtues and the supremacy of the law.

“President SBY recently said that if we don’t want to see the arbitrary use of power, all of us who have power must prevent ourselves from abusing power,” said Velix, adding that the president also encouraged all citizens to lead a polite, ethical and peaceful democratic life — a crucial foundation for democracy.

The president last month called on Indonesians to aspire to the qualities personified by the Prophet Muhammad in order to achieve social harmony.

Speaking to thousands of Muslims attending an event to mark the birthday of the prophet, Yudhoyono said that these qualities were most needed now, ahead of the 2014 legislative and presidential elections and all their attendant issues and controversies.

“We have to aspire to the example set by the prophet, who led a diverse group of people,” he said.

He added that history showed that although Muhammad had followers from a wide range of backgrounds, he still managed to keep the peace among them and prevent their differences from spilling over into violence.

The president said the same spirit of solidarity amid diversity was needed in the run-up to the polls, which in the past have proved fractious and polarizing
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Summary of events in West Papua for February 2013


Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088

Summary of events in West Papua for February 2013

Attacks on the security forces
An attack on the security forces on the 21 February resulted in 8 soldiers and 4 civilians killed in two separate incidents in Sinak and Tingginambut in the Puncak Jaya region. A helicopter trying to evacuate the bodies of the victims was also shot at the following day, injuring the pilots which halted the evacuation.  Media coverage of the incidents and of West Papua itself has been ongoing (and causing outrage in the Indonesian press) with editorials  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/02/28/editorial-aceh-way-papua.html and opinion pieces offering solutions. If President  Yudhoyono opts for what he calls the welfare approach other government officials do not. Antara News reported that Indonesia`s Deputy Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said that the TNI will take a firm stand by conducting tactical action against the armed groups that killed the soldiers and civilians in Papua last week.  "The tactical action includes to chase, apprehend and destroy". Statements such as this create fear in the West Papuan people who are well aware of what sweeping operations against so call separatists mean.


At first media reports referred to the attackers as unknown gunmen and Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian’s linked the shootings to the recent regional elections although Goliath Tabun of the TPN denied this saying they TPN had “no interest in money or power and that it was purely fighting to achieve an independent Papua”. Anton Lego Obet Tabuni, secretary general of the TPN-OPM, told Suara Pembaruan in a phone call “We want to be fully independent,” and “We know that [we’re being chased],” Anton said. “We will not surrender and we will not back down even slightly in maintaining our ideology.

The security forces have also been building military posts in the region and encroaching close to OPM areas. Although the OPM are  committed to peaceful ways forward they reserve the right to self defence and the protection of their people.  AWPA is concerned that local people in the areas where the attacks against the Indonesian military occurred will suffer as security operations are conducted in the hunt for the perpetrators of the attacks. The attacks occurred in Sinak and Tingginambut in the Puncak Jaya District.

AWPA media release re the incidents at
AWPA letter to Senator Carr

Al Jazeera video report “Papua on alert after deadly attack on troops”
West Papua media has reported that a large security operation has begun to hunt for those responsible for the attacks on the military.


Urgent Actions
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released a number of urgent actions concerning prisoners been tortured and which people can respond to.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-025-2013
Guards torture 20 prisoners at the Abepura Correctional Facility, Papua”.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of twenty prisoners at the Abepura Correctional Facility, Papua, on 21 January 2013. Information gathered by local activists reveals that the torture was conducted by three prison guards with the acquiescence of the head of the prison. The victims were beaten with bare hands as well as whipped with thick wire until some parts of their bodies were bleeding. Despite the injuries suffered the prison guards did not give any medical treatment to the tortured prisoners.


Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-024-2013
Seven Papuans are arrested and tortured on false allegations of having a relationship with pro-independence activists
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the arbitrary arrest and torture of seven Papuans which took place on 15 February 2013. The victims were driving home in two cars when the police stopped them as they were looking for two pro-independence activists. The victims were later brought to the police station where they were further questioned on the whereabouts of the activists. They were severely beaten, kicked and electrocuted before being five of them were released without charge the next day. However, as at the time of writing two of the victims remain in police custody. http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-024-2013
Amnesty International also released an urgent action in relation to this incident at

 
Benny Wenda’s Freedom Tour
West Papuan leader Benny Wenda has been travelling on a freedom tour to raise awareness and concerns about the situation in West Papua. Benny has received great media coverage on his trip and in particular in New Zealand where thanks to the NZ speaker of parliament blocking his appearance at  Parliament House.

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee also wrote to NZ Foreign Minister Murray McCully to condemn his failure to meet with West Papuan leader Benny Wenda. Letter and media reports at
http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/1-ihrc-media-release-fact-finding.html On his trip around the world Benny met with representatives of human rights NGOs and politicians including at Parliament House in Canberra.

Tension on PNG border
There have been a number of incidents between the Indonesian military and PNG citizens in the border area .A report by Johnny Blades of RNZI at



In brief
RNZI posted at 02:44 on 25 February, 2013 UTC
A leading researcher on West Papua says last week’s fatal shootings in Puncack Jaya represent a serious escalation in tensions in Indonesia’s Papua region. Eight Indonesian soldiers and four civilians were killed in two separate shooting incidents in the remote Highlands regency, for which military chiefs have blamed the separatist OPM Free West Papua Movement. Following the shootings, Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government would use a welfare-based approach rather than a military one to keep the peace in Papua. But Jim Elmslie of Sydney University’s West Papua Project fears the violence will grow.“The whole province of West Papua is highly militarised now which might well have helped to lead to this escalation in the conflict. Obviously, there are a lot more weapons floating around and more dark forces that are not under the government control or are conducting black operations. I think the President’s words probably don’t carry much weight in the jungles of West Papua.” Jim Elmslie   http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=74244


RNZI Posted at 01:40 on 28 February, 2013 UTC
Regional representatives in Indonesia’s Papua and West Papua provinces have strongly urged the government to cease military operations and withdraw special forces from the region. The Jakarta Post reports that the Regional Representatives Council, or DPD, says cessation of military operations is necessary to end the prolonged violence in Indonesia’s easternmost provinces.
Last week, eight Indonesian soldiers and four civilians were killed in two separate shooting incidents in Puncak Jaya regency. The DPD says the presence of elite forces within the Indonesian military has caused animosity among local groups who have launched attacks against them.
The DPD deputy chairman Laode Ida says if Jakarta wants to end violence, the militaristic approach has to stop. He says the presence of special forces and their irregular operations have triggered attacks on garrison troops and innocent civilians. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=74327

RNZI Posted at 09:03 on 26 February, 2013 UTC
The former Vanuatu prime minister Barak Sope says that the government should not accept security forces assistance from Indonesia.
The comment from one of Vanuatu’s outspoken leaders on the West Papuan self-determination issue follows a donation by Jakarta of a thousand police uniforms to Vanuatu’s Police Force. The donation was announced by the newly appointed Indonesian ambassador to Vanuatu, Nadjib Riphat Kesoem, who today presented his credentials to Vanuatu’s President, Iolu Johnson Abil. The ambassador presented a model of the Vanuatu Police Force uniform to the acting Prime Minister, Ham Lini.
Mr Sope says the assistance is unacceptable. “How can Indonesia help Melanesians in Vanuatu and other places when they’re also killing them, especially the military, killing Melanesians in West Papua? We cannot accept that.” Barak Sope says that Vanuatu should maintain its traditional support for the self-determination cause of West Papuan people.


RNZI Posted at 02:44 on 25 February, 2013 UTC
Papua New Guinea’s Defence Minister, Fabian Pok, says a two-million US dollar military aid grant from China will be spent on armoured cars, troop carriers and uniforms.
The grant follows Dr Pok’s talks with his Chinese counterpart General Liang Guanglie in Beijing last month and meetings there with exporters of military ware.
The visit comes as PNG plans a five fold increase in troops over the next decade.
Dr Pok says PNG will also ask China to help maintain swimming pools and gymnasiums at PNG’s military barracks.
“They want to be seen as not being too involved in our military issues here. China is also trying to export things like uniforms and armoured cars and all these things. So it’s also in the business interests of not the Chinese military but people who are building these things to market their products to countries like Papua New Guinea.”PNG’s Defence Minister Fabian Pok   http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=74243

Fears civilians may suffer in West Papua reprisal attacks
Submitted by stevenr on Thu, Feb 28, 2013 - 2:10pm
Supporters of the West Papuan independence movement in Australia are concerned civilians may be targeted in reprisal attacks after eight soldiers were shot dead in the Indonesian-occupied territory on February 21.



A report on the tragedy of HIV/AIDS in West Papua 
by Michael Bachelard , Indonesia correspondent for Fairfax Media at 

Papuans Behind Bars Update: January 2013
Papuans Behind Bars is a new project about political prisoners in West Papua. Our aim is to provide accurate and transparent data, published in English and Indonesian, to facilitate direct support for prisoners and promote wider debate and campaigning in support of free expression in West Papua. AWPA has posted details at



Two members of the OPM to face charges: Others are being hunted by police
Bintang Papua (27 February 2013) reported that two members of the OPM were arrested in Kampung Ayaigo, sub-district of Kebo, District of Paniai and will face charges in court. The police stated that the men  were in possession of explosive materials and ammunition in violation of Emergency Law  12/1951 which allows a sentence, if convicted, of twenty years or life imprisonment. A policespokesperson, I Gede Sumerta Jaya, head  of public relations of the Paniai chief of police, also said that the police were engaged in operations to find other persons on the 'wanted list' (DPO) for a series of actions such as shootings and other acts of violence that have been occurring in the area. These other persons were identified by the initials JY, SY and DY.

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1) Papua Liberation Army Leader Pledges No Surrende


1) Papua Liberation Army Leader Pledges No Surrender
2) Fears civilians may suffer in West Papua reprisal attacks
3) Secession and the limits of sovereignty
4) Papuans want to call in UN negotiators
5) TWO OPM members to face charges: Others are being hunted by police


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1) Papua Liberation Army Leader Pledges No Surrender
Robert Isidorus | February 28, 2013
Jayapura. 
The National Liberation Army of the Free Papua Movement, led by Goliath Tabuni, said it had no interest in money or power and that it was purely fighting to achieve an independent Papua.

“We want to be fully independent,” Anton Lego Obet Tabuni, secretary general of the organization known as TPN-OPM, told Suara Pembaruan in a phone call.

“We know that [we’re being chased],” Anton said. “We will not surrender and we will not back down even slightly in maintaining our ideology. This is serious.” 

Asked to comment on Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian’s statement linking the shootings that killed eight military officers to the regional elections, Anton denied it. 

“We’re not looking for positions and therefore the allegation is inaccurate.”

Tito said police and military heightened security in Sinak and Tingginambut after an ambush killed soldiers and four civilians. 
Tito said the number of officers increased as the regional election process was still ongoing.

“I will not withdraw members of the forces in Ilaga, Puncak district, to preempt any unwanted incidents. Right now the condition is quite conducive,” he said.

Tito said that the incidents in Sinak and Tingginambut could have been arranged by candidates who took part in the elections. 
“The shootings in Tingginambut and Sinak were not related to the Free Papua Movement issue, but to another.”

A leading human rights group has blamed poor law enforcement for the recent murder of the eight soldiers and four civilians in Puncak Jaya.

In a statement on Saturday, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) questioned police effectiveness in the restive province.

After expressing sadness over the deaths, Kontras coordinator Haris Azhar said, “This series of violent acts are crimes that have to be responded to by law enforcement.”

Haris said that greater transparency in the legal process following such crimes would likely reduce instances of violence in Papua, given the current extent of secrecy imposed.

Kontras data showed that in Puncak Jaya there were 15 cases of violence since the start of last year, including two incidents in which unidentified people snatched firearms from officers.

In the 15 incidents, nine military officers, two police officers and 10 civilians died. One military officer and nine civilians were also hurt.
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2) Fears civilians may suffer in West Papua reprisal attacks

Supporters of the West Papuan independence movement in Australia are concerned civilians may be targeted in reprisal attacks after eight soldiers were shot dead in the Indonesian-occupied territory on February 21.
It comes after allegations emerged about the torture of prisoners in the Abepura Correctional Facility on January 21.
It is alleged two guards - Bonifasius Manuputy and Eli Asip Wamuar – whipped 20 prisoners with a “thick white wire” about the arms, back and shoulders resulting in cuts and bruising, with one prisoner suffering from a broken arm as a result.
The Asian Human Rights Commission says the head of the Facility and head of the Security Unit were present when the beatings were taking place.
It’s not the first time officials at Abepura has faced such allegations. In June last year the head of the Facility was replaced by the current office holder, Nuridin, after it was revealed 42 prisoners were tortured at Abepura.
This latest allegation comes after claims that two men were arrested and tortured by West Papuan police on February 15 because they were “related” to two pro-independence activists.
4ZZZ reporter Steven Riggall spoke to Joe Collins, head of the Australian West Papua Association about the case and the pro-independence movement more broadly.

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3) Secession and the limits of sovereignty

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Paper Edition | Page: 7
Unsurprisingly, many fingers have pointed to separatist rebels following the shootings that killed eight Indonesian soldiers and four civilians in remote areas of Papua last week.

To my understanding, such an allegation appears inescapable. This so-called “self-determination” movement has long been instigating hostile activity in the area with one unswerving aim: to secede from Indonesia.

Separatism has been an issue since the birth of the nation-state system and persists in both developed and developing countries, in democracies and non-democratic states. One thing that should be highlighted at this point is the changing nature of secessionism, particularly on how to achieve independence.

Human rights norms have proliferated through various instruments, creating a kind of “humanization approach” in international relations. Arguably, since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, states have striven for legitimacy from a legal point of view.

Apart from the many bloody secessionist conflicts around the world, the issue of secession seems to come within the United Nations’ framework, that is to say the issue becomes one of peace and security, of respect for human rights.

Human rights instruments clearly prohibit war of any kind. The mere use of force in pursuing independence is contrary to the human rights principle.

The act of raising arms by secessionists legitimizes the mother state to suppress the movement for the sake of territorial integrity and national security.

Nevertheless, from a standpoint of the extant state, using territorial integrity as the basis for oppression and to suppress separatist movements also violates human rights norms.

In the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on Kosovo in 2010, Judge Cançado Trindade opines that, “No state can invoke territorial integrity in order to either commit atrocities [...] or perpetrate them on the assumption of State sovereignty, or commit atrocities and then rely on a claim of territorial integrity notwithstanding the sentiments and ineluctable resentments of the ‘people’ or ‘population’ victimized.”

While human rights impede a state’s exclusive authority in its territory, human rights protection should breed legitimacy for a state’s handling of separatist movements.

John Rawls, a leading figure in moral and political philosophy, defined three roles of human rights.

First, human rights lend legitimacy to any regime and decency to its legal order.

Second, an excellent human rights record is sufficient to prevent forceful intervention by other peoples in a state’s internal affairs, say by economic sanctions or, in grave cases, by military force.

Third, they set a moral baseline for pluralism, ethnic and religious tolerance.

The bottom line is interdependence rather than independence in resolving issues of secession. Interdependence requires interchange between fundamental freedoms, democracy, development and the protection of human rights.

In my view, this kind of approach in Papua would considerably reduce armed conflict between separatist groups and security forces.

As for the latest killing of civilians and soldiers, military measures could be necessary but ought to be proportionate.

Military advantages gained must be balanced against any collateral damage that might occur. Military measures would demonstrate Indonesia’s prerogative for a monopoly on the internal use of force.

Forceful demonstration of this prerogative should be followed by a firm commitment to preserve human rights and a clear manifestation of this commitment by bringing to court previous human rights violators.

Jean Bodin, a 16th century French jurist and political philosopher, and professor of law in Toulouse, once stated that, “the best way of preserving a state, and guaranteeing it against sedition, rebellion, and civil war, is to keep the subjects in amity with one another, and to this end, to find an enemy against whom they can make common cause”.

Men are susceptible to “barbarous acts” and “tyranny and oppression”.

It is not subversive acts or movements that should become our common enemy. The real enemy is those who seek to deny meaningful, universal access to fundamental rights and freedom.

The writer is a researcher at the human rights research and development agency, Law and Human Rights Ministry. The opinions expressed are personal.
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4) Papuans want to call in UN negotiators

UN involvement only way to end violence, says leader
Ryan Dagur, Jakarta
Indonesia
2013-02-28 15:42:16
photo
Lambert Pekikir, chief of Free Papua Movement
The head of the main Papuan independence movement says conflict in Papua can only be resolved with UN involvement.
“Problems in Papua must not only be resolved by Papuans and the Indonesian government,” Lambert Pekikir, commander of the National Liberation Army of the Free Papua Movement (TPN-OPM) told ucanews.com on Thursday.
TPN-OPM believes the handover of then-West New Guinea by the Netherlands to Indonesia in 1969 resulted in unfair management of natural resources and human rights abuses by security personnel. It does not recognize the sovereignty of the Indonesian government in Papua.
“I am sure the Indonesian government has a hidden agenda. The United Nations must get involved and serve as mediator,” he said. “The United Nations must be responsible for problems faced by Papuans because it played its part in the integration."
Father Johanes Djonga, an activist priest who received the 2009 Yap Thiam Hien Award, said UN involvement would be good.
According to him, Papuans have bitter experience about the way the Indonesian government deals with conflicts in the area.
“This military approach creates hatred, which has become bigger. It seems that conflicts are maintained. On the other hand, there is no significant change in terms of people’s welfare,” he said.
On February 21, approximately 20 men armed with guns and machetes attacked a group of 10 soldiers heading to Sinak Ilaga Airport in Papua's Puncak district. Seven soldiers and four construction workers were killed.
An hour earlier a soldier was killed when gunmen stormed an army post in Tingginambut, in Puncak Jaya district.
“Similar attacks will happen in the near future if there is no serious effort to resolve the problems,” Pekikir said.
The TPN-OPM claimed responsibly for the recent attacks.
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from Tapol
5) TWO OPM members to face charges: Others are being hunted by police
Bintang Papua, 27 February 2013

Jayapura: Following the arrest earlier this week of two members of the OPM (Organisasi Papua Merdeka), a spokesperson for the police has stated that the two men, identified by the initials, AG and PG who were arrested in Kampung Ayaigo, sub-district of Kebo, District of Paniai will face charges in court.

The police officer stated that the men  were in possession of explosive materials and ammunition in violation of Emergency Law  12/1951 which allows a sentence, if convicted, of twenty years or life imprisonment.

The spokesperson, I Gede Sumerta Jaya, head  of public relations of the Paniai chief of police, also said that the police were engaged in operations to find other persons on the 'wanted list' (DPO) for a series of actions such as shootings and other acts of violence that have been occurring in the area. These other persons were identified by the initials JY, SY and DY.

The men are alleged to have been involved in shootings in Paniai,including the shooting of an ojek driver and holding nine employees of a contractor company as hostages who were building a school in Kampung Ukawo, District of Siriwo, Paniai. The men were also alleged to have assaulted women and demanded material goods from local people a short while ago.

''We do not know what the motives for the shootings and violence are because we are still interrogating the men,' the spokesperson said.

Asked about the security situation following the arrest of the two OPM members, the spokesperson described it as 'conducive', following  an armed skirmish between the TNI/Polri and the OPM.

The two men are currently undergoing intensive questioning at police command headquarters in Paniai. The two men were caught during sweeping operations by the TNI/Polri after having engaged in an act of terror against the command post of the Paniai Police.

They were said to have in their possession one unit of HT (?), one bullet caliber 7.56 , a hand-phone, personal identifications tabs and Morning Star flags.

End of Translation
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6) Thousands flee in fear of heavy civilian casualties as TNI begin Highlands reprisal offensive
westpapuamedia.info
Major Reprisals begin with house to house searches, village and church burnings in Tingginambut