Chronology Leading Up To Protest In West Papua

Chronology Of The Events Leading Up To The July 8 Demonstration In West Papua

1. June 9-10 2010 open forum convened by the MRP and Traditional Papuan people. Consensus reached that Otsus has “totally failed”.

2. 15 June 2010 MRP publicise the results of the public deliberations and a list of demands.

3. 18 June 15,000 Papuans from 7 districts coordinated by the United Democratic Forum of Papuan People (popularly known as Forum Demokrasi or FORDEM) converge on the DPRP to officially hand over the people’s decision. All components of the struggle, including previously competing resistance groups are involved. A list of demands was received by the head of the DPRP and head of parliamentary commissions A and C as well as by other parliamentarians. However, all members of the DPRP were not present.

4. FORDEM reps tell DPRP reps that they want the DPRP was to sign an agreement (MoU) that they would hand back Otsus to Jkt. A full list of the demands are as follows:

1. That the Special Autonomy Law should be handed back to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia;

2. That the Papuan people demand that a DIALOGUE be held, mediated by a neutral international mediator;

3. That the Papuan people demand the holding of a REFERENDUM directed towards political independence;

4. That the Papuan people demand that the Government of the Republic of Indonesia recognizes the restoration of the sovereignty of the People of West Papua which was proclaimed on 1st December 1961;

5. That the Papuan people urge the international community to impose an embargo on international aid being provided for the implementation of Special Autonomy in the Land of Papua;

6. That there is no need to for revisions to be made to Law 21/2001 on Special Autonomy for the provinces of Papua and West Papua, with reference to Law 35/2008 on Revision of Law 21/2001, bearing in mind that the said law is proven to have FAILED;

7. That all proceedings for the election of heads of district throughout the Land of Papua should be halted, and call on the Governor of Papua and the Governor of West Papua, the DPRP, the DPRD-West Papua, and district heads and mayors throughout the Land of Papua to immediately discontinue the provision of funds for the holding of these elections;

8. That the Central Government, the Province of Papua and the Province of West Papua as well as all districts and municipalities in the Land of Papua end transmigration from outside Papua and impose strict supervision on the flow of migration by people from outside the Land of Papua;

9. That the Papuan people urge the Central Government, the Government of the Province of Papua and the DPRP and the DPRD-West Papua to release all Papuan political prisoners being held in prisons everywhere in Indonesia;

10. That the Central Government immediately carry out demilitarization throughout the whole of the Land of Papua;

11. That the Consultation held by the MRP and Papuan indigenous groups calls for the Freeport Indonesia company (of which Rio Tinto and Cairns based company International Purveying Incorporated are key partners) to be closely down immediately.

These demands reflect both desires for independence and a willingness on the part of some Papuans to secure more intermediate goals, such as the release of political prisoners. Demonstration leaders warned the DPRP members that failure to meet these demands within three weeks would result in a mass demonstration on July 8 by Papuans from both Papua and Papua Barat provinces. This peaceful demonstration would show the seriousness and determination of the Papuan people to reject Otsus.

5. In the weeks leading up to July 8 threatening and divisive sms circulate. A naval vessel lands at Jayapura with marines. Naval personnel are seen handing out weapons to migrants in civilian clothes. Papuan witnesses taking photos have their phones seized by Naval intelligence. The younger brother of a prominent student activist is tortured to death and his body dumped in Manokwari.

6. Activists begin a period of intense training and preparation.

7. Yunus Wenda, deputy chairman of the DPRP says that the DPRP does not have the power to meet demands such as a referendum. All they can do is pass these demands on to the central government. In an article published in Bintang Papua Wenda urges activists to recognize that parliament is made up of competing parties (none of which are Papuan parties – these are banned). He also urges activists to use conventional political mechanisms to resolve the conflict.

8. July 8. Around 10,000 people converge on the MRP building in Kotaraja, Jayapura. Delegates from all round Papua gather (Wamena sends 5,000 people). Demonstrations are also held in Merauke, Fak Fak, Sorong, and Manokwari. People start to gather outside the DPRP building in Jayapura.

9. July 8. Press release lists 2 central demands: essentially local and national dialogue. 1. To hold a special session of parliament to state clearly that Otsus has failed and that it needs to be handed back to Jakarta. 2. The central government has to create space to sit down with the Papuan people to find a just and dignified solution. The press release is signed by Benny Giay, moderator of the Kingmi Church in Papua, the largest indigenous church, on behalf of FORDEM.

10. July 8. 9am Frans Huby from KNPB arrested after a public speech at Dok 2 in Jayapura. Huby is detained at the police station.

11. Political prisoners Cosmos Yual detained after demonstrations in March 2006 and Yusak Pakage, sentenced to jail for 10 years after a flag-raising in 2004 are released. Filep Karma (sentenced to 15 years for the same flag raising as Pakage) remains in jail.

12. July 8. People march to the DPRP building. Thousands more from Keerom, Arso and elsewhere converge on Jayapura by truck. The police and military are present and armed but overwhelmed by the sheer volume of demonstrators. The head of DPRP, Jhon Ibo is in Jakarta.

13. Police violently break up a peaceful demonstration in Manokwari, an organizing base of WPNA. The demonstration in Sorong proceeds without violence from the police. Papuans maintain discipline.

14. 5,000 demonstrators outside the DPRD building in Jayapura commit to staying overnight.

15. A block of 10 parliamentarians privately tell protest leaders that they support FORDEM’s demands.

16. Late in the afternoon police threaten to use force to break up the demonstration. Protest leaders negotiate.

17. Thousands more pour into the downtown area. By 8pm there are reports that up to 20,000 people are camped outside the DPRP building.

18. 8pm police stand down.

19. A rumour circulates that a high level delegation from Jakarta will travel to Jayapura to begin negotiations in the morning.

ENDS

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