Indonesian Police Accuse West Papuan Clergy

Indonesian Police Accuse West Papuan Clergy of Being Members of the West Papua Guerrilla Army

In an attack on religious freedom and the church in West Papua the Indonesian Police have accused the Kingmi Church of being the religious arm of the OPM (Free Papua Movement).

The increase in repressive Indonesian Government action in West Papua is occurring at time when the Australia Indonesia security treaty is to be ratified by Australian Parliament & would mean Australia Government would not involve itself in the civil rights issues in West Papua.

Two Kingmi Church clergy, Rev Benny Giay & Rev Noakh Nawipa are accused by Indonesian Police of cooperating in an armed attack, close to the Freeport gold & copper mine in August 2002, which resulted in the deaths of two U.S and one Indonesian teacher.

These latest allegations come after a peaceful demonstration by some 400 members of the church & Papuan students outside the Kingmi Church Synod Office in Jayapura two days ago (30th of December 2006).

Police had forcibly occupied the Synod Office in Jayapura, injuring two clergy, Rev. Seblum Karubaba and Rev. Noakh Nawipa, in the process. The police occupied the office for nearly 24 hours but were forced to concede to the church demands and vacate the office.

Rev. Benny Giay, the Chair of the Kingmi Church Bureau of Justice and Peace, says that this unprecedented action by Indonesian police is a blatant attack on rights of religious freedom & free speech.

Rev Benny Giay said today, “I believe that the Rev Paul Paksoal, who is the President of the Tabernacle Bible Church of Indonesia (Gereja Kemah Injil Indonesia), who is informed by the Indonesian military intelligence, is promoting the idea that our church supports political activity of the OPM. Rev Paul Paksoal is saying that myself and Rev Nawipa supported the OPM political activity, that was executed by the Antonius Wamang, which resulted in the murders of the two US & one Indonesian teacher.”

Rev. Benny Giay and Rev Noakh Nawipa vigorously deny all the accusations and insist that they are being targeted because their nonviolent work for justice and peace in West Papua.

Benny giay said today, “ This action is a strategy by Indonesian security forces to use the church of Indonesian to overturn the right of the Kingmi Church to maintain an independent Synod in West Papua.

Rev Benny Giay said today “The victims of Indonesian brutality are the members of the church. The church has the right to stand up for the rights of the people. It is an attack on the institution and legitimate work of the Kingmi Church itself.”

Rev Ishak Onawame, Kingmi church and Antonius Wamang case

Matthew Jamieson representing the Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights said today, ‘Initial investigations by Human Rights workers on the ground in Timika and the Indonesian Police implicated the Indonesian military in the attack near Freeport on September 2002. Antonious Wamang publicly admitted on Australian television (SBS West Papua – Ambushed, 01/09/2004, Antony Balmain) that he was involved in the incident.”

“The arrest by Indonesian police of Antonius Wamang and twelve others, including Rev Izhak Onawame from the Kingmi Church, occurred in January 2006. The arrest involved an initial act of deception by US FBI agents, who promised Wamang that he would travel to the US to stand trial. In a highly irregular & politicized trial Wamang and seven co-defendants were convicted by an Indonesian court in Jakarta on September 2006. “

“At the time of the arrests Rev Izhak Onawame, was the District Super-intendant of the Kingmi church in the Mimika region, which includes Timika, Tembagapurra and the Freeport mine. I believe that Rev Izhak Onawame was present at this time as a witness in the negotiations between Wamang and the FBI.”

“The arrest of Wamang and others coincided with a US Government decision to renew military ties with Indonesian in January 2006. The US had previously denied continued military funding and training to Indonesian Government after the military were implicated in the murder of the two US teachers at Freeport in 2002. Military funding to Indonesian was initially stopped after the Indonesian military supported militia actions which razed East Timor after the Independence referendum.”

Matthew Jamieson representing the Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights also said today, “The sentencing of the defendants of the Timika case by the Indonesian Court in Jakarta was very dubious. There was not fair and proper defense of the accused as their lawyers had limited access to the defendants.”

“It is highly questionable that Rev Isahk Onawame and most of the others charged had any involvement in the 2002 incident at all.”

“This action of the Indonesian Police to also implicate Rev Benny Giay and Rev Noakh Nawipa is highly repressive, unjustified & politically motivated.” Matthew Jamieson said.

Security treaty between Indonesian & Australia

Matthew Jamieson went on to say today “The increase in repressive Indonesian Government action in West Papua directly correlates to the recent security treaty negotiated between Australia and Indonesia. When the Australia Indonesia security treaty is to be ratified by Australian Parliament will mean that Australia Government would not involve itself in the civil rights issues in West Papua. Such an action by the Australian Government is unjust and will be very bad for the people of West Papua.”

Matthew Jamieson said, “The attack on the Kingmi Church and TNI preparedness to carry out further military operations in the Mulia and Bolakme region of the highlands shows that even before it has been ratified by Parliament in Australia, the new security treaty has effectively given the Indonesian police and military a green light to crack down on the West Papuan community.”

ends

© Scoop Media