From: "Tapol" <tapol@gn.apc.org>Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 10:07 AMTo: <indonesia-act@igc.topica.com Subject: [wp]
Tempointeraktif on Faleomavaega's visit to West Papua
> No. 14/VIII/December 04-10, 2007
>> National>> Papua> A String Bag for Eni>>
After long being opposed by the Indonesian government, Eni Faleomavaega > was finally allowed go to Papua.
>> ON Tuesday last week, Frans Kaisiepo Airport in Biak, Papua, had been
> turned into a sea of people. Since early morning, the usually deserted
> parking area had been packed with some 500 demonstrators, singing, dancing
> and beating drums. They were there to welcome a long-awaited guest: US
> Congressman Eni Faleomavaega.
>> After a decade or more, this was the first visit by a United States member
> of Congress to Papua. In the past, foreign access to Papua*from diplomats
> to journalists*has been restricted on the grounds of security. The visit
> was even more interesting because the person coming was none other than
> Eni Faleomavaega, a Congress member from Samoa who has long been known for > actively campaigning for Papuan independence.
>> It was because of this that many were anxiously waiting to see what dramas
> would unfold over the three days that Eni would be in Papua. In many
> corners of the city that Eni stopped to visit, soldiers and police could
> be seen on guard.
>> At around 9am, the Airfast plane transporting the US entourage finally
> landed at Biak. The crowd tried to force their way onto the runway. Police
> security however was extremely tight and not one person succeeded in
> approaching the aircraft. "Whereas we only wanted to welcome [him]," said
> Papua People's Council speaker Agus Alue Alua, who was also blocked by
> security personnel.
>> Eni and the US Ambassador to Indonesia, Cameron Hume, were met by an
> official convoy of cars right at the foot of the plane's passenger ramp
> and rushed through the side gates, close to the air force's base in
> Manuhua. The demonstrators, who had prepared a greeting, felt cheated. "I
> was very angry," said Agus. Because he didn't have a vehicle, Agus was
> forced to walk to the venue for the meeting at the Biak-Numfor regency
> state building, together with hundreds of other demonstrators. "We walked
> for an hour," he said.
>> By the time they arrived, Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu was already giving > the opening speech. Systematically, Suebu outlined the regional
> government's plans to utilize trillions of rupiah in special autonomy
> funds. Eni listened attentively.
>> When it was his turn to speak, Agus Alue Alua didn't mince his words. The
> former head of the Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology in the
> Papua capital of Jayapura bluntly criticized the unsatisfactory
> implementation of Law No. 21/2001 on Papuan Special Autonomy. "The
> regional government has not yet been given enough authority," he said.
>> He then drew attention to the dispute between the Department of Forestry
> and the Papuan regional government on the prohibition of log exports.
> Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban believes that Governor Suebu's
> policies on forest conservation are not in accordance with Law No. 41/1999
> on Forestry. "Meaning, there are still many regulations that overlap,"
> said Agus. He also didn't hold back from criticizing the controversial
> formation of the West Irian Jaya province and the lack of human rights
> guarantees in Papua.
>> He also warned Eni to listen to the wishes of the common people. "Don't
> just meet with government officials," he said. "You must go into the
> markets and settlements."
>> When Eni nodded in agreement, Agus launched straight in. "There are
> parties that must be heard here, but they are still being held outside,"
> he said. He then cited the names of Papuan Traditional Council head
> Forkorus Yaboisembut and other traditional Papuan figures Tom Beanal,
> Willy Mandowen, and Mananuir Yan Piet Yarangga. None had been able to
> attend the meeting as they were being detained outside the venue.
>> Agus's request was granted. A short time later Tom Beanal and several
> other Papuan Traditional Council figures entered the meeting hall. When
> invited to speak, Tom asked the US congressman to listen to the
> aspirations of people who want independence. "Bapak Tom didn't speak for
> long, only two or three minutes," said Agus.
>> Eni himself made few comments over the course of the day. In his
> speech*after thanking President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for allowing him
> to observe the situation in Papua directly*Eni asked Papuans to be > patient. "Change won't take place overnight," he said.
>> The Director-General of Information and Public Diplomacy from the Foreign
> Affairs Department, Andri Hadi, confirmed that demands for a referendum
> were aired during the meeting in Biak. "But Pak Eni Faleomavaega didn't
> respond to them," he said. "Pak Eni's responses were very guarded." Andri
> was the Department of Foreign Affairs official who arranged the visit. In
> Papua, he accompanied Eni wherever he went.
>> ...>> THE name of Eni Faleomavaega came under the Indonesian media's radar in > July 2005. At the time he was the driving force behind the ratification of > a draft US foreign policy regulation, better known as HR 2601. In the
> draft, Congress asked the US Secretary of State to monitor the application
> of the special autonomy law in Papua and review the 1969 referendum, which
> was the basis for Papua's incorporation into Indonesia.
>> Despite Eni's persistent efforts to push the law through it ran aground
> four months later. The US draft law on Papua failed to be ratified. After
> not being heard of for some time, Eni's name became news again in early
> July this year when he came to Jakarta to meet with President Yudhoyono.
>> After an hour of detailed discussions with the President, Eni had
> apparently softened his stance. He conceded to have only begun to
> understand the significance of the special autonomy law for the country's
> easternmost province. "I appreciate President Yudhoyono's commitment to
> Papua," he said.
>> At the time, Eni was actually already preparing to visit Papua. His
> request however was refused on security grounds. In the first week of
> July, the Papuan Traditional Council was in fact holding its Second
> Congress in Jayapura. The event was marred by an incident involving the
> unfurling of the Morning Star independence flag.
>> Only last week was Eni finally allowed to enter Papua. "We wanted to give
> Eni an opportunity to see the situation in Papua for himself," said Andri.
> According to Andri, right from the start the Indonesian government was
> sure that Eni was sincerely interested in developing a dialog and learning
> about the Papua question more deeply. "If he had had a different purpose,
> of course we wouldn't have been able to cooperate," he said. Over the > three days traveling around Timika, Biak, and Manokwari, Eni never in fact
> mentioned the issue of Papuan independence. "Not even a single word," said
> Andri.
>> ...>> NOT all of Eni's meetings in Papua went smoothly. An incident occurred on
> Tuesday afternoon last week when Eni's entourage landed in Manokwari, West
> Irian Jaya. As soon as the man who has now been a member of the US
> Congress for 18 years entered the VIP room, the head of the Traditional
> Papuan Council in Manokwari, Barnabas Mandacan, placed a noken around his
> neck*a unique Papuan knitted bag*containing several pages of statements
> made by the Papuan people.
>> It is very possible that it was this incident that resulted in Eni's
> planned meeting with West Irian Jaya residents*which had initially been
> prepared at the Manokwari Swiss-Bel Hotel*to suddenly be moved to the West
> Irian Jaya Governor's office. The only person present to meet him there
> was Deputy Governor Rahimin Katjong.
>> This was despite the fact that some 500 people from districts in the
> vicinity of Manokwari were already waiting for him at the Swiss-Bel Hotel.
> Disappointed, they then moved off to the airport and broke through the
> runway fence. Once inside they surrounded the Airfast plane with Eni's
> entourage on board. In addition to unfurling protest banners, the
> protesters also raised the Morning Star flag.
>> When Eni reappeared, the protesters called on him to pay attention to
> their demands. A mini-dialog even took place on the plane's passenger
> ramp. "I have heard what you want," said Eni. "Just be patient." Hearing
> this, the protesters slowly dispersed.
>> Wahyu Dhyatmika and Tjahjono E.P. (Papua)
>>> TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign> 111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 8HW, UK.> tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322>
tapol@gn.apc.org TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
FREE WEST PAPUA (UK): URGENT ACTION & THANK YOU from Benny Wenda!
FREE WEST PAPUA (UK): URGENT ACTION & THANK YOU from Benny Wenda! -
03-12-07, 04:01 PM
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