Oxford City Council: Stop Provoking Conflict by Flying West Papua Separatist Flag – Papuan Lives Are at Risk

The Papuan people are growing more nervous every day as tensions between Free West Papua Separatist Group and Papuan Local Security Apparatus continue to mount. Rather than turning to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) policy for guidance on how to help Papuan, Oxford City Council have decided to provoke conflict in Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia: flying separatist flag at Oxford Council extension Town Hall building. Link: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20002/your_council/1241/flag_flying_and_bell_ringing_at_council_buildings

Guess what? It’s not only instigated conflict but also created a misperception of UK Foreign Policy.

For Oxford City Council, flying West Papua separatist flag is not a big deal because they simply only support or sympathise to Oxford based Free West Papua Campaign. However, that is engaging in reckless policy that puts Papuan lives at risk. On top of that, Oxford City Council has continually shown ignorance in all sorts of matters concerning the situation in West Papua, especially regarding false news from Free West Papua Campaign.

It’s time for Oxford City Council to stop provoking conflict in West Papua and let the diplomats from the FCO do the peaceful engagement by supporting peace development in West Papua.

Nobody expects all members of Oxford City Council to know everything. However, we do expect representatives of Oxford people to be aware of the safety of the people who live far away from Oxford, which is something better than deepening conflict by flying separatist West Papua flag.

Please sign this petition asking Oxford City Council to stop instigating conflict by flying West Papua separatist flag!

 

Richard Di Natale’s Political Propaganda Against British Petroleum and Indonesia

I see a lot of political writing that reads smoothly, has rhythm, but ultimately makes no sense. Richard Di Natale’s article: Green Leader Richard Di Natale Calls For BP Rethink On West Papuan Gas Field is one of them. In short, this article is a typical cheap propaganda based on unreliable sources to convince readers that BP should rethink their investment and project. 

West Papua Indigenous Peoples Discussion on Women and Children

Source: inactive website freewestpapua.co

West Papua Indigenous Peoples Opinion on Women and Children in the Land of West Papua was held by the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection in Biak Numfor. The meeting attended by representatives from seven customary areas representing 260 tribes in West Papua. The totals of representatives are eighty-four traditional leaders.

West Papua Indigenous Peoples opinion on Women and Children in the Land of West Papua was held by the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection in Biak Numfor. The meeting attended by representatives from seven customary areas representing 260 tribes in West Papua. The totals of representatives are eighty-four traditional leaders. Besides, there are also religious figures, women leaders of West Papua, Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection in Biak Numfor, Representatives from members of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Regional Representatives Council, and Provincial Regional Body. (The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection)

Sasi Nggama: An Indigenous Tradition to Preserve the Environment in Kaimana, West Papua

This article is taken from an incative website freewestpapua.co

 

Sasi Nggama @KabarPapua.co

 

Indigenous peoples in Kaimana District, West Papua, have a unique tradition of preserving the environment and natural ecology both on land and sea, called Sasi Nggama. That is also applied to maintain the environment in the waters of Kaimana.

 

Conservation Area and Policy Management Manager in West Papua Province Conservation International (CI) Indonesia Alberth Nebore said the local wisdom is owned by a number of tribes in Kaimana. This tradition is a form of traditional conservation that has been preserved for generations as a form of local wisdom. Kaimana Water Conservation Area is an asset of Kaimana community and local government. This tradition of Sasi Nggama aims to ensure sustainable fisheries management in order to be utilized for the welfare of the community.

The tradition is also carried out as an effort to promote the tourism sector of the waters. Sasi Nggama is a cultural identity. In the past, Sasi Nggama used by the ancestors of the community to regulate the utilization of natural resources. This local wisdom that protects nature and natural resources in the area. Sasi Nggama is a traditional ceremony to protect an area from exploitation. This tradition has to be obeyed by every community within a certain period of time before the specified territorial status is revoked.[1]

On Saturday, November 11, 2017, the local government of Kaimana Regency through the Tourism and Culture Office of Kaimana Regency held a process to open Sasi Nggama. The event was attended by various customary figures, religious figures, community leaders, government institutions and conservation institutions such as Conservation International Indonesia.

Because of to the tradition of Sasi Nggama an area will be maintained its natural resource management system in a controlled manner because it is protected by customary law. Protected areas are free to be determined by customary heads and can be opened. While the opening of Sasi Nggama means to re-open the sea area to be utilized its resources after several years forbidden to be exploited. This activity has become a tradition for Kampung Kayumerah, Namatota, Nasaulan, Adijaya, Kambala and other villages in the Kaimana area. The opening on November 11^th was conducted on Nawarum Island located in Siawatan village after four years ago performed Sasi Nggama ceremony.

“Kaimana residents fully support the management of natural resources with the Sasi system. People understand that Sasi aims to maintain the sustainability of natural resources, “said Assistant II Regional Secretary Kaimana, Martinus Furima.

Sasi means protection or prohibition against biota that can be done both on the land and in the sea.With the custom of Sasi, the existing natural resources will be given an opportunity to recover, grow and multiply. When custom is done, a place will be a place of pamali which means that there is absolutely no activity. Sasi has been a part of the formal law in customary law since 2016. So that every offender Sasi will be given sanctions such as paying custom fines or social sanctions such as prohibited to be involved in the opening ceremony and harvest results. The Sasi Tradition is proof that Papuans have understood the importance of a conservation effort to conserve and preserve the resources that exist in the region.[2]

Keywords: West Papua, Papua, Sasi Nggama, Kaimana, tradition, local wisdom, environment, sustainable development, tourism, natural resources

Sakhiyatun Kamilah (MaCDIS Researcher)

[1] Mengenal Sasi Nggama, Tradisi yang Menjaga Lingkungan Kaimana, diakses dari laman https://travel.tempo.co/read/1033521/mengenal-sasi-nggama-tradisi-yang-menjaga-lingkungan-kaimana

[2] Bagus Ramadhan, Adat Sasi, Tradisi Adat Penjaga Kelestarian Alam Turun-Temurun dari Papua, diakses dari laman https://www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/2017/11/21/adat-sasi-tradisi-adat-penjaga-kelestarian-alam-turun-temurun-dari-papua

PLN Gives Rp4 Trillion to Eastern Regions

Friday, 10 June, 2011 | 15:32 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The state electricity company, PT PLN (Persero), disbursed Rp4 trillion to improve electrification in Indonesia’s eastern regions. These areas have the lowest rate of electrification or electrification ratio, among all PLN subscribers in Indonesia.

Most of Indonesia’s eastern regions can only access an average of 50 percent electrification. For example, Central Kalimantan has 50 percent, Southeast Sulawesi has 45 percent, and West Papua has 42 percent. To match the national scale, the electrification ratio target in these areas must reach 60 percent.

One Side of the Papua Story from Australian Institute of International Affairs

(Papua Story – Melbourne) The philosopher John Stuart Mill said that to understand an issue it is necessary to learn the arguments on both sides equally well. This comports with the idea we all are taught that there are two sides to every story. However, an academic institution in Australia namely Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) prefer to hold a one-sided story from a Papuan troubled activist and the infamous Deakin university academic for his prejudice.The event will be held at Dyason House in East Melbourne, and unsurprisingly not attended by many people because of its lack of credibility.

The AIIA vice-president tried to defend the shameful conference by saying that the the Institute’s policy was to present all views without favour. Indonesia is now democracy, so there is no need to ask for the cancellation of the one-sided conference, and maybe there is no need to discuss about the development of Papua with a bunch of dishonest people in Australia. People in the world and academic circles will see the cheap propaganda and dishonesty of the conference.

Report on Benny Wenda

True Story from Media Papua

Benny Wenda is a 35-years-old and lives in Oxford, UK and it was 10 years ago that he masterminded and led the attack on the Abepura Police station and burned two shops in the small township on December 7th 2000. Benny Wenda led 50 Papuan people and attacked a police station and torched two shops. A policeman was killed in the attack and a security guard was found dead near the shopping compound.

No doubt about Indonesia sovereignty over Papua and West Papua Provinces

(Papua Story – Jayapura) Papuan people and Indonesian government have no doubt about Indonesia sovereignty over the western part of New Guinea Island. The principle of self determination as set out in the UN charter applies. The status of the Province of Papua as part of Indonesia is final and was endorsed in 1970 by General Assembly Resolution 2504.

Questioning the decolonization process serves no purpose at all. The main pretext used by certain quarters to meddle in Papua is about upholding and promoting human rights, justice and welfare for the Papuans. Admittedly, these are all important issues that have to be pursued honestly of which the present-day democratic Indonesia serves as the best framework. Hence, justifying separatism is wrong and will lead nowhere in terms of redressing those important grievances.

We must be aware of  a group of people led by a villain named Benny Wenda tried to create conflict in Papua with vicious lies, luckily God will always on the Papuan side and those efforts will never succeed.

Benny Wenda will never gain the trust of the people of Papua who love peace. Benny Wenda with malicious intent have been lying to the British people and people of Indonesia, including the communities in Papua.

O God help us from those villains.

Return to Papua: There is no place but home

In early April 2010, at the office of Indonesian Embassy-Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, a family of Dusay consisting of six people had come with the intent to convey their desire to return to Jayapura. This case reminds us of the universal proverb that There is no Place but Home. In addition, this also indicates that Papuan people who live in the PNG are aware about the improvement of Papua and West Papua Provinces as part of the democracy process in the Republic of Indonesia.

Indonesia To Review Requirement For Papua District Heads To Be Ethnic Papuans

Worldwide news distributed by Tapol:

On 7 May 2010, Presidential Special Staffer for Regional Autonomy and  Development Velix Wanggai said that the Papuan People’s Council (MRP)

regulation that states that district head and mayoral positions must  be filled by ethnic Papuans needs further consideration before it is implemented.