Embargo until 19.00 Eastern Indonesia Time, December 16th, 2004, Unless President Yudohyono stops military operation in the Highlands the West Papuan people will bar his visit. The deteriorating humanitarian situation in the highlands of the Indonesian province of West Papua has prompted a coalition of Papuan groups from across the country to stage a mass rally in protest at the military operation which has left thousands of tribes people homeless.

Human rights, church and student organizations in West Papua today said the situation in the highlands of West Papua is deteriorating dramatically.

The military operation is still continuing after nearly four months. The influx of troops since September has seen the highlands area become a “zone of military operations”, or DOM. On Sunday an extra 900 troops were deployed.

The coalition of Papuan groups has said it will stop the proposed Christmas visit of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudohyono to the largely Christian province from going ahead unless the operation stops, the refugees are allowed back to their homes and urgently needed care for the displaced is provided by church and aid organizations as well as the Indonesian Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham) investigates the human rights violations that have occurred in the the Highlands. “Unless President Yudohyono stops military operation in the Highlands the West Papuan people will bar his visit,” they stated in their press conference in Jayapura today.

A report from church sources received earlier this month indicated 8 more people had died of starvation, which brought the total deaths from hunger to 23. No reports have emerged since then due to lack of access to aid workers and church officials.

The report also said that the number of the displaced people has now increased from 5000 to more than 6000 people and are still without help and have been prevented from receiving food supplies and medical aid.

A number of incidents have happened in recent weeks which have led to suspicions amongst analysts that the military is orchestrating attacks on police to justify the crackdown and troop buildup. Another policeman (Papuan), Mecky Wenda (21) was shot on Monday, 13 Dec not far from a military check point in Mulia that left his left arm wounded seriously. Friday last week another policeman shot at the same place. All these incidents have occurred at the same place where in the last 3 weeks an ambush took place and caused one policeman killed and two government officials seriously wounded. When asked why such incidents have occurred at the same place and mostly targeted the police , the Head of Information Police Papua, Djabir (Inspector) said, “Well, you know who did that though. If you want to know more you had better come and discuss with the Police Chief as it is a sensitive issue. “ In an interview with Mecky Wenda he said that he believes he was shot by the special forces, Kopassus.

Political prisoners

Yesterday, nine political prisoners were picked up by police and military and taken by force from the correctional centre in Wamena and flown to Makassar. The transfer of the nine detainees has created tensions amongst the people in Wamena and Jayapura, and bears a similarity to a prisoner’s transfer last year which caused outrage amongst the local Papuan communities.

Soewarno, the Director of the police detention unit, told ELSHAM that it was done based on a request from the head of the correctional centre of Wamena, Hery Kuswanto. ELSHAM contacted Kuswanto yesterday, who refused to comment.

“The authorities deliberately try to provoke the people to create conflict in Wamena, to justify a crackdown by the security forces who repress, torture and kill the local inhabitants”, said Sofyan Yoman, President of the West Papuan Baptist Church.

Activists have been intimidated and terrorized by the intelligence agents working in the area. Before this incident dozens of troops were deployed to Wamena.

Hunger strike

Meanwhile, one detainee Philip Karma (45) remains on a hunger strike following the shootings and arrests of dozens of protesters at a flag raising ceremony to commemorate Papuan Independence Day on December 1. Mr. Karma is in poor health after refusing food for over two weeks demanding to be released without any charges.

Doctor Samuel Baso from Jayapura Hospital who today monitored the condition of Philip Karma described Mr. Karma as being “very sick now, because without eating soon he will be dead.” (END)
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Contact: Aloysius Renwarin, Chairman of Elsham in Jayapura, West Papua – Phn. ë(0)967-581520; Sofyan Yoman, MA, Chairman of West Papua Baptist Church – Phn. ë(0)8124888458;
Dr. Beny Giay, Coordinator Bureau of Human Rights and Justice, Bible Camp Church Papua in Jayapura – Phn. ë(0)815-86237462;
Lipius Biniluk, Chairman of Christian Evangelical Church Indonesia in West Papua – Phn. ë(0)81344062678;
John Rumbiak, Coordinator of International Advocacy for ELSHAM in Sydney, Australia, Phn: ë(0)424572475