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BERITA JUBBI https://en.jubi.id/first-step-in-protecting-papuas-forests-greenpeace-indonesia-appreciates-jayapura-administrative-court/ Home National & International National & International First step in protecting Papua’s forests: Greenpeace Indonesia appreciates Jayapura Administrative Court Papua Customary Forest - News Desk 27 May 2022

Jakarta, Jubi – Greenpeace Indonesia appreciates the decision of the Jayapura State Administrative Court which rejected the lawsuits of two palm oil companies, PT Anugerah Sakti Internusa and PT Persada Utama Agromulia, against South Sorong Regent Samsudi Anggiluli for revoking their operational permits. Greenpeace considers the Court’s decision favoring the protection and recognition of indigenous Papuans living in the area. “This is good news for the indigenous peoples of Konda District and South Sorong. It’s the first step and the right step to protect Papua’s forests and the rights of indigenous peoples,” said Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner, Nico Wamafma in a written statement received by Jubi on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Nico said the decision was in line with the West Papua Provincial Government’s commitment to protecting indigenous peoples through Special Regional Regulation No. 9 of 2019 and Governor Regulation No. 25 of 2021 on Procedures for Recognition of Indigenous Communities. “It would be better if every related party could comply with and carry out what has become the court’s decision. We will keep an eye on this,” Nico added. He said the expansion of oil palm plantations in Papua’s forests is alarming. The threat of destruction of Papua’s natural forests also threatens the survival of the indigenous people who live in it. Previously, a similar lawsuit occurred in Sorong where three palm oil companies challenged the decision of Sorong Regent Johny Kamuru, who revoked their permits. The verdict of the Jayapura Administrative Court rejecting these lawsuits is a momentum for the House of Representatives to immediately deliberate and ratify the Indigenous Peoples Bill, so that the rights of indigenous peoples over their customary territories can be acknowledged legally in the eyes of the state law and protected thoroughly. “Besides, these steps are proof of the Regent’s courage to revoke a Company’s permit after an evaluation, as well as a lesson to other regional heads not to give permits to companies carelessly,” Nico explained. According to him, legal decisions that prioritize the rights of indigenous peoples are absolutely the rule. This includes following the principle of FPIC (free, prior, and informed consent) before issuing permits to companies. Protection and recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples are one of the efforts to preserve the remaining forests on Bumi Cenderawasih. “Indigenous peoples must have complete freedom in managing their customary territories and be economically independent without destroying the forest,” said Nico. (*) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Home National & International National & International Deployment of forces to Dogiyai adds tension: Komnas HAM Violence In Dogiyai - News Desk 27 May 2022

Jakarta, Jubi — The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) regrets the deployment of hundreds of personnel from the Police’s Mobile Brigade and the Indonesian Military (TNI) following the burning of dozens of buildings in Dogiyai Regency, Papua. Komnas HAM assessed that the deployment of forces actually worsened the situation and added to tensions in Dogiyai. “We hope there was no such deployment for the situation to calm down. We appeal to all parties, let’s go hand in hand to build a safe and secure situation in Dogiyai,” said Komnas HAM commissioner Choirul Anam, as quoted by CNN Indonesia on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Anam said he would check the deployment of the troops by asking directly to the Papuan Police. “We will check with the regional police until when these troops are deployed and for what purpose,” Anam added. Anam also believes that the establishment of the Dogiyai Police Headquarters had worsened the situation because many residents objected. “This is what makes the situation not conducive,” he said. Previously, around 100 people consisting of women and children fled to the TNI-Police post in Dogiyai after their houses and kiosks were burned by an unknown party on Sunday night, May 22. According to police records, 20 units of houses located in the villages of Ikebo, Kimipugi, and Ekimanida were burned down. There were no casualties in this incident. The police then deployed 105 joint personnel to Dogiyai Regency to strengthen security in the area after the riots that resulted in the burning of residents’ houses. Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said the joint personnel consists of members of the TNI Battalion RK 753/AVT and Papua Police’s BKO (under operational control) (*) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Home National & International National & International Pandemic ‘food estate’ full of corruption potentials and threatens Indigenous Papuans: TAPOL Food Estate - News Desk 9 May 2022 Land grabbing for food estates has caused ecological damage, and will further deprive Papuan indigenous peoples - Image: TAPOL Jakarta, Jubi – The Indonesian government launched a plan to establish a ‘food estate’ at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 under the pretext of wanting to guarantee Indonesia’s food security. As the health crisis began in April 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced that one of the implications of the pandemic would be increased food insecurity, which would hit the most vulnerable groups worldwide. Not long after, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto revealed the government’s plan to convert hundreds of thousands of hectares of land in Central Kalimantan Province into new rice fields. Then in July 2020, the government held regular planning meetings and expanded the food estate planning to several other provinces in Indonesia. Similar projects have now been announced in the provinces of North Sumatra, South Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, and Papua. On July 7, 2020, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo invited Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto to oversee the implementation of the food estate program. Jokowi said the Ministry of Defense was deemed capable to react quickly in a crisis. The Ministry of Defense, indeed, enthusiastically took up this mandate and even started its own search for land across Indonesia, apparently independent of a process coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK). This marks the revival of the food estate concept: the government’s plan to create large new agricultural production areas. A recent report of TAPOL and AwasMIFEE! demonstrated how the food estate plan has the potential to fuel corruption and produce food for export markets that only benefit agro-industrial oligarchs. Looking at the prior and current plans, the food estate has and will cause ecological devastation, and will further deprive West Papuan indigenous peoples, the report asserts. The report also highlights the serious weaknesses of the plan from its inception, namely the potential that it will weaken regulations designed to protect the environment, primary forest clearance and drainage of wetlands, land grabbing, and the potential for irreparable damage to indigenous culture in West Papua. The government’s strong support for plantation agriculture corporations in southern Papua and other locations in Indonesia has the potential to increase corruption. The Minister of Environment and Forestry has also been accused of having regressed on her commitment to halt deforestation in Indonesia as declared at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow in 2021. The 29-page report by TAPOL and AwasMIFEE! includes: • A chronology of past agricultural development plans with a top-down approach in West Papua, most of which were poorly planned and short-lived but pose a long-term threat to the entire landscape of southern Papua Province; • How the food estate plan has the potential to foster corruption, wherein corporate and state actors and their families and friends – who are not West Papuans – benefit from the allocation of land for the food estate; • How the corruption potentials are facilitated by a new law that gives the central government additional powers to seize land for the food estate while evading environmental safeguards; • How the growth of the plantation industry in West Papua over the past decade has had the negative impacts that caused indigenous peoples to suffer – including frequent incidents of horizontal conflict between communities and increasing local food insecurity; • How the livelihoods and culture of indigenous peoples are threatened by the food estate when most of the workforce on existing plantations already employs non-Papuan workers, thus placing indigenous communities ‘suppressed at the bottom’ on their own land and reinforcing existing structural discrimination. TAPOL chairman Steve Alston in his comments quoted by the Asia Pacific Report at the end of April said that people in the southern province of Papua for more than 15 years have endured land grabbing and forest clearing for large-scale plantations. “They had been promised jobs on the plantations but were then sidelined because migrant workers from other parts of Indonesia had replaced them,” he said. Through this report, TAPOL hopes to provide a complete understanding of the food estate to the public, policymakers, as well as the people of West Papua and Indonesia, particularly highlighting the confiscated customary lands, the potential for ecological damage caused, and all the dubious reasons behind the food estate construction. The full report can be downloaded here. (*) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Home Headlines Headlines, National & International, West Papua Investigation into Bloody Paniai strange and not serious: Civil NGOs Bloody Paniai - News Desk 23 April 2022

Illustration of Papuan people commemorating the Bloody Paniai tragedy - IST Jayapura, Jubi – A number of rights NGOs comprising KontraS, YLBHI, Amnesty International Indonesia and the families of the victims of the Bloody Paniai case (7 – 8 December 2014) highlighted many irregularities in the investigation of the case by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO). The investigation, which began on December 3, 2021, is considered to have caused confusion due to the use of the term “general investigation” which is not stated in Law No. 26/2000 regarding Human Rights Court nor the criminal procedure law in Indonesia. “We are monitoring the process through public channels of the AGO and the media. According to Komnas HAM, there are a number of things that must be addressed in the investigation to the case that killed four teenagers and injured at least ten people,” said Tioria Pretty, the Head of Impunity Monitoring Division of KontraS in a written statement received by Jubi on Monday, March 28, 2022. According to at least eight press releases made by the AGO from December 2021 to March 2022, 61 people consisting of civilians and members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police have been questioned by AGO investigators. The process took place in at least three locations, namely Jakarta, Papua, and West Sumatra. However, based on the credible information Jubi received, there has been no communication from the AGO to the victim’s family or their lawyers to date. Whereas in the criminal justice system for gross human rights violations, ideally, the Prosecutor is a defender and companion for victims to achieve justice. KontraS, YLBHI, and Amnesty International Indonesia all agreed that the AGO had yet to exercise its authority to appoint ad-hoc investigators from the community as stipulated in Article 21 paragraph (3) of the Human Rights Court Law. The ad-hoc investigators must be the one with a proven track record of working for human rights and has victims’ perspectives. This step is important to make the investigation participatory and independent in order to obtain and use the best evidence in the ongoing judicial process. The time limit for investigation of gross human rights violations as stipulated in Article 22 of the Human Rights Court Law must also be considered by the AGO so that the next process (the prosecution) can proceed effectively and properly according to the values, principles, and provisions of law and universal human rights. “Looking at the Human Rights Court process for three other gross human rights violations, namely the Abepura case, the Tanjung Priok case and the Timor Leste case only presents doubts for the victim’s family and also the public,” Tioria said. The three NGOs not only criticized the lack of coordination between the AGO and the families of victims but also the AGO’s weak indictments as seen in current and previous cases. The AGO has failed to hold those in the chain of command accountable, it only named one field actor suspect and therefore, cut off the accountability of policymakers for what happened at Paniai in 2014. Civil society groups suspected the AGO was also not optimal this time during the investigation into Bloody Paniai. Not to mention the fact that only one out of the 15 gross human rights violations whose status elevated into investigation during nearly eight years of President Joko Widodo’s leadership. This makes the doubts of the victims’ families valid. The families of the victims of the Paniai case also expressed their doubts that the current law enforcement process could lead to justice. They said there had been too many unresolved cases of violence by security forces in Papua, such as the Dogiyai case which killed two people (Dominokus Auwe and Alwisus Waine) in 2011 and the murder of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in 2020. Apart from the Paniai case, there are several other serious human rights violations that have occurred in Papua. These cases have not yet been advanced to the investigation stage despite presenting sufficient preliminary evidence, including the cases of Wasior 2001 and Wamena 2003. The human rights situation in Papua continues to decline throughout the years. Instead of fulfilling Papuan people rights, the government keep using a security approach to Papua’s problems that often turns into violence. The massive deployment of TNI personnel, the operation against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) that made civilians victims, residents who had to live in evacuation camps, racism, murder, and various other human rights violations are situations experienced by Papuans on a daily basis. Therefore, the victim’s family together with the three NGOs urged the Attorney General’s Office to appoint an ad-hoc human rights investigator from the community who has the capacity in the field of human rights and side with the victim to participate in the investigation of the Paniai case. The people also asked the AGO to hold several high-ranking TNI and police officials responsible for the Paniai case, and Jokowi to stop the human rights violations in Papua by changing the security approach to dialogue that upholds human rights. (*) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII https://en.jubi.id/papuan-students-abroad-ask-for-dialogue-with-jokowi-on-scholarship-termination/ Home Headlines Headlines, National & International Papuan students abroad ask for dialogue with Jokowi on scholarship termination Scholarship Termination - News Desk 12 April 2022 screenshot of the zoom meeting between IMAPA-USA administrators and journalists discussing the termination of scholarships by the government, Saturday (9/4/2022). Jubi/Hengky Yeimo Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan Student Association in the United States (IMAPA USA-Canada) again asked President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and the Papua provincial government to have a dialogue with them and find a solution regarding the termination of scholarships for several Papuan students abroad. Papuan students abroad have expressed this concern for months now. “The scholarship termination is due to the issuance of Law No. 2/2021 on the Second Amendment to Law No. 21/2001 on Papua Special Autonomy or Otsus. Through the new Otsus Law, the government cut the rights of Papuan students abroad,” said IMAPA USA-Canada President Dimison Kogoya in a virtual conference on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Kogoya said Papuan students in America, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia had tried to reach the government but to no avail. There has been no response from both the central government in Jakarta and the Papua provincial government. “We hope that the government will immediately hold a dialogue with students from various study cities abroad. We must talk this through. The government cannot just terminate the funding assistance for our study,” he said. Currently, there are hundreds of Papuan students studying abroad on the brink of being sent home. “In the letter of termination of the scholarship to students, it is stated that the student who receives the letter is considered late in completing their studies until the end of 2021 and is asked to prepare for their return to Papua. That’s the government’s reason without looking at the students’ condition,” said Kogoya. IMAPA USA-Canada advisor Anis Labene said that the scholarship termination had affected the students mentally and threatened their future. “Most grantees come from lower middle-class families, this is something that the central government must pay attention to,” Labene said. She said the Indonesian government must be wise in issuing policies because these students really wanted to finish their studies. The reason Papuan students slow in finishing their studies An aeronautical student at Embry-Riddle University in Oregon, United States, Daniel Game, revealed the reasons that made some students unable to complete their studies on time. “Some students are late because sometimes, the government is slow in sending allowance for living expenses. When classes start, we automatically need to purchase books and other materials. Sometimes the delay in student allowance takes up to two weeks, three weeks, even a month, leaving us unable to buy the books we need, thus unable to finish our tasks. Not completing our tasks resulted in bad grades. Of course, that would delay our study,” he explained. Game said another reason was the delay in sponsorship letters. This is a letter issued by the Papua Human Resources Development Agency. “The letter states the ability of the Papuan government to finance Papuan students. The letter is a guarantee from the Papuan government to the campus. Well, this letter is sometimes delayed, I experienced it myself. In June-July 2019, I graduated from a community college, I wanted to continue to Embry-Riddle, it took a year and six months before I finally got my sponsorship letter,” he said. (*) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Home National & International National & International Govt prepares strategy to end armed conflict in Papua Armed Conflict In Papua - News Desk 14 April 2022

People from Nduga Regency who took refuge in Muliama District, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua. - Jubi/Islami Jayapura, Jubi – The Indonesian government is changing strategies in dealing with armed conflict in Papua, particularly to prevent civilians from falling victims, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin says. As quoted from the official website of the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ma’ruf Amin said the government was preparing steps that were expected to handle the security situation in Papua. “I think the government is currently not passive defensive in its strategy to deal with armed groups but rather use dynamic and active defensive methods,” Ma’ruf said in a press conference in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. He further said that Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD was formulating a new strategy with various parties to deal with armed conflict in Papua. The formulation of the new strategy involves the commander of the Indonesian Military, the National Police chief, the State Intelligence Agency, and other related parties. “This is to make steps forward and make the community safe, and support the welfare development of Papua. Security is correlated with welfare development issues,” he said. Meanwhile, responding to the recent student protest on April 11, which protested the price increase of basic commodities, Ma’ruf said the government was always willing to listen to various demands. He said a protest is part of democracy. “That’s part of our democracy. As long as it’s done properly and peacefully, that’s the community’s aspiration. The government certainly hears these demands,” he added. Regarding the demand for the government to reduce the price of cooking oil and fuel, Ma’ruf said that the government kept trying to ease the burden of public spending through various steps such as controlling prices and providing social assistance. Ma’ruf emphasized that the increase in prices for various basic necessities was not only due to a surge in demand during the Ramadan holy month and ahead of the Eid al-Fitr celebration, but also triggered by uncertain global economic conditions, such as climate change and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war. (*) armed conflict Government Strategy papua Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Home National & International National & International Indonesia to reopen Papua New Guinea borders Indonesia To Reopen PNG Borders - News Desk 5 April 2022

President Joko Widodo and PM Papua New Guinea, PM James Marape - IST Jakarta, Jubi – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has conveyed Indonesia’s plan to reopen border posts in Papua New Guinea to increase trade between the two countries, especially in cross-border areas. “Indonesia is ready to reopen the border in Papua New Guinea to restore cross-border trade and the economic of the people living in border areas,” said Jokowi in a press conference after receiving an official visit from Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, on Thursday, March 31, 2022. The President said his meeting with PM James Marape took place in a friendly and productive atmosphere. The two leaders discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields and exchanged views on cooperation in the Pacific region. In the trade sector, Jokowi welcomed efforts to increase trade between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In 2021, the trade value between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea was increased by 87 percent compared to 2020, or higher than the trade value before the COVID-19 pandemic. Jokowi was also confident about the economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic and increase trade opportunities through the reopening of the Indonesia-PNG border at Skouw Wutung, Muaratami District, Jayapura City. “I’m also glad about the launch of a feasibility study for the establishment of a preferential trade agreement between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea,” Jokowi added, as quoted by Antara. Meanwhile, PM James Marape expressed his gratitude to President Jokowi and the ministers of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, who had held a welcoming ceremony even though it was on short notice. “We would also like to invite the Indonesian government to visit Port Moresby next year so that we can hold our annual bilateral meeting there,” said Marape. (*) Bilateral Trade borders Papua New Guinea PNG Writer: News DeskEditor: News Desk BERITAJUBI