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IRJA.ORG FWDS THIS AS IS AND HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH THE GROUP. FYI ONLY.

From: Charles Scheiner
Subject: West Papau Tribesman US speaking tour needs sponsors

Forwarded at the request of the organizers. Please respond
to globalaction@angelfire.com, not to me. I don't know any more about this
than the message says, and am uncomfortable with some
of its content -- but am posting it in the spirit of free speech.
.. Charlie Scheiner, list facilitator


From: "Global @ction"
Organization: Angelfire (http://email.angelfire.com:80)
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 21:44:16 -0800
To: globalaction@angelfire.com
Subject: West Papua ("New Guinea") Tribesman US speaking tour needs sponsors

please circulate
--------------------

SUPPORT NEEDED FOR WEST PAPUAN TRIBESMAN'S VISIT TO U$A!! Speaking tour
planned with videos, discussion, and protest.

Mid April- Mid May, 2000
West Coast, U$A and Gulf States, U$A
(possibly the Southwest also)

"We are not terrorists!
We do not want modern life!
We refuse any kinds of development: religious groups, aid agencies, and
governmental organisations
JUST LEAVE US ALONE, PLEASE!"
- The Liberation Army of the Free West
Papua Movement (TPN/OPM) http://www.eco-action.org/opm

In 1962, West Papua (Indonesia's pseudo name 'Irian Jaya') was invaded by
the Indonesians. This was approved by the UN in 1969 because of the
triangular interests of the USA, Holland and Indonesia. Just like the East
Timorese, the Tribal Peoples of West Papua (245 tribes and languages), do
not accept this post or neo-colonialism. As a result they have been fighting
in various ways against all foreign powers since the 1500s. No one ever
heard about them, even the word "West Papua" is totally unfamiliar to many
Europeans. Why? Because giant companies based in the West want to keep all
information regarding what they have been doing, a secret. Even Westerners
claiming to be concerned about environmental and human rights issues, know
remarkably little about it. Resistance comes only from scattered
ill-equipped bands of guerrilla fighters - the Organisasi Papua Merdeka
(OPM) or Free Papua Movement.

West Papua Tribal People are seeking International attention to stop the
EXPLOITATION of their sacred lands, their forests and themselves by dam
projects and Freeport MacMoran multinational mining company, and to resist
assimilation into WESTERN CIVILIZATION itself!

For the first time ever, these tribal people sent one person out of 1
million (and 245 tribes and ethnic groups). He is a tribesman, he speaks a
little English and his mission is to expose the brutality of Indonesian
government. Sam will give his accounts of murder, rapes, tortures,
deforestation, dam project activities that he had seen by his own eyes. His
people are still in tribal way of life. You will find out what the tribal
people themselves are saying. You will learn how and why they want to live
in their own way . We will ask ourselves, "What can we do to help them, be
themselves", not as we want them to be?

Sam will be speaking as a member of The Students' Alliance of West Papua, to
explain the legal status of West Papua within Indonesia.
He is especially interested in talking with students about mounting
solidarity campaigns, and with radical ecologists, about tribal people and
ecological struggle. He will be travelling the west coast, southwest, and
gulf states (because that's where Freeport-MacMoran is headquartered) over a
month's time. Hosts are desperately needed quickly. PLEASE HELP US HELP THE
FUTURE OF WEST PAPUA!!

Hosts will need to help Sam with
- lodging, food and travel arrangements
- publicity and networking for his event
- collecting donations for his expenses

Please pass this along to any student activists, indigenous solidarity and
rainforest groups you may know of. Student groups who can find university
funds to help Sam travel (he will need an Amtrak ticket and food money) are
especially sought. Multiple events could be planned in any city, with
different audiences and formats:
- Teach-Ins
- Rally stages (Earth Day?)
- University and high school classes
- any alternative media exposure such as university, community and
underground radio and print media interviews

In addition to an inspiring and informative talk about the indigenous
resistance to Freeport MacMoran in West Papua, Sam will be showing the
following videos:
- Hostages crises in Southern Highlands, West Papua,
- The Daily Life of the OPM fighters in the jungles of West Papua (Battles
of the Forgotten World)
- The Act of Free Choice
- The Murder of civilians on Dec. 2nd, 1999
- West Papua: Obliteration of a People.

Here's a *very* rough potential itinerary. We are just beginning to plan his
route, so the dates are really flexible. The only event that is even
slightly confirmed is the one in Olympia (where Sam will be speaking
alongside indigenous activists on April 28). If you know of the perfect
event for him to speak at, or can arrange one anywhere during this time
period, PLEASE LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY so we can start building an
itinerary.

Mid April to April 28- SF Bay Area/Santa Cruz, Arcata, Eugene, Portland,
Seattle, Vancouver..
April 28- Olympia
-AMTRAK to Gulf States?
April 30-May 15 - Tucson (?), GULF STATES (Texas and Louisiana)

other events?:
May 21- Portland End Corporate Dominance Conf.??

Please consider hosting Sam in your town or at your school. And if you
can't, or if you live elsewhere in the country, PLEASE pass this on to
people you know who might help out.

To keep informed about the West Papuan liberation movement, check out Sam's
web site:
http://www.fpcn-global.org/tribes/melanesian/west-papua/index.html

...or their British support group's web site at:
http://www.eco-action.org/OPM

Corporate Watch has good background information about Freeport-MacMoran in
West Papua:
http://www.corpwatch.org/trac/feature/freeport/hr.html

Thanks for whatever you can do...

for biodiversity and cultural survival,
Annie
globalaction@angelfire.com
---
GLOBAL ACTION
pob 11331
Eugene, OR. 97440
(541) 302-5020
http://flag.blackened.net/global

VIVA N30!!! WE WON!!
http://damn.tao.ca/wtopage/wto.htm
http://www.infoshop.org/no2wto.html

Laugh in the Face of the Global Economy
MAYDAY 2000- Global Carnival Against Capital
http://www.lobster1.dircon.co.uk/index.htm

RESIST ECOCIDE!
http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/
http://www/eco-action.org/

"Life without an ideal is spiritual death"
-Emma Goldman

==============================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] The Nabire Tragedy
Date: 3/17/00 5:46:28 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

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From: TAPOL via reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

The Nabire Tragedy, 28 February - 2 March 2000


For four days from 28 February, Nabire, a town on the north coast of West
Papua, was in turmoil because of firearms attacks by the security forces on
the local people. Three men were killed when members of Brimob, the
special forces of the Indonesian police, opened fire on three separate
occasions. At least ten Papuans were wounded while a Brimob member was
wounded by an arrow. At least sixteen people were arrested, of whom ten
some are still believed to be under detention.

The events in Nabire are symptomatic of the confusion between a government
policy allowing people to give expression to their aspirations by peaceful
actions such as flag-raising while the security forces regard such actions
as a threat to security.

According to a report by ELS-HAM, the Jayapura-based human rights
organisation, the events in Nabire occurred after months of escalating
tensions dating back to 1 December last year when the local people hoisted
the West Papuan flag, Kejora or Morning Star, alongside the Indonesian
flag. That date was chosen to mark the declaration of West Papuan
independence in 1960 while the territory was still under Dutch control.
Flag-raising is happening throughout the territory and the authorities have
indicated their approval, provided that the Indonesian flag is also flown.

The people of Nabire have been involved in the pro-independence struggle
for many years, in the face of brutal oppression by the Indonesian forces
of occupation. After the fall of the dictator Suharto in May 1998, the
spirit of reformasi spread across the archipelago, leading to a resurgence
of pro-independence sentiment. When one hundred West Papuans met President
Habibie in February 1999 to present West Papua's demand for independence,
Nabire was represented by four people. After they returned home, they were
harassed by the police who declared that activities to socialise the
meeting with the president were unlawful. People in Nabire responded by
creating a local militia force called Laskar Papua in March 1999, to guard
information dissemination posts set up following the Habibie meeting.

The local authorities, civilian and military, were informed about the
militia force and nodded their approval but the police accused them of
engaging in unlawful activities. Laskar Papua grew from 50 to two thousand
members, reflecting the breadth of local support for a free West Papua.

Police hostility latched on to local people's tradition of sporting
traditional weapons, not for offensive purposes but as part of the culture
of mountain tribes, many of whom had moved north to the coastal region and
made Nabire their home. Some Laskar Papua members are in the habit of
carrying these weapons.

Kejora unfurled for three months
The flag-raising which began on 1 December has been going on daily ever
since. However, during the month of February, the local security forces
started to level accusations at the militia and there were a number of
local incidents. On 15 February, additional Brimob troops arrived in
Nabire, which local people saw as the precursor to an assault on the
flag-raisers. A week later, the local police chief wrote to the head of
the local assembly warning him to be prepared for action 'against unlawful
activities by Satgas Papua' (another name by which the militia is known).

So when Laskar members on their way to the flag-raising on 28 February were
attacked by Brimob troops, this it was seen as a premeditated action. The
troops opened fire after seizing and destroying weapons. Menase Erari,
(30), a local government official and a student at the State Administration
College, was hit in the face and died instantly. A witness said that the
victim had been shot from a range of 10-15 metres. Unfortunately, the
witness was mortally wounded two days later.

The following day, troops opened fire near the flag raising; a number of
people were wounded, of whom seven were hospitalised. During a scuffle, one
Brimob member was seriously wounded by an arrow.

On 1 March, as news of Erari's death spread, angry crowds gathered and
marched in protest to the Nabire police headquarters. Once again, police
opened fire. Maksimus Bunay Umur, 27, was shot dead. He had been shot and
slightly wounded two days earlier. Elsewhere, people cut down trees which
they used to block roads leading into the town. Sixteen people were
arrested on suspicion of being members of Laskar Papua. Meanwhile, police
claimed that Erari had not been shot by them but by a Laskar member to
incite people against the security forces. They claimed that the bullet
that killed him was not regular army issue.

On the following day, Brimob troops travelling in convoy to clear road
blocks once again opened fire near the flag raising. People fled in all
directions, including some who were carrying the remains of Maksimus, in
preparation for burial. Willem Manimnwarba, 37, was shot in the arm and
thigh and rushed to hospital. He died the following morning from loss of
blood; his wife complained that he had not been looked after properly in
the hospital.

On 7 March, when ELS-HAM investigated the tragedy, ten people were listed
as still being held, of whom two are teenagers.

Police torture detainees
A 21-year old man named Yance Pekei, a militia member who was detained by
the police for five days, described his maltreatment and torture. He was
arrested by Brimob on 28 February on his way home. When they discovered
that he was armed with traditional weapons, he was beaten, thrown to the
ground, kicked, then driven to Nabire police headquarters. During five days
of incarceration, pieces of plastic were bound round his middle fingers and
shoulder, then set on fire. As the plastic melted, it penetrated the skin.
On another occasion, his earlobe was pierced with a stapler. On the fifth
day, he was struck repeatedly in the chest with a rifle butt; after falling
unconscious with blood streaming from his mouth and nose, he was taken to
hospital. Three days later relatives took him home. Yance told ELS-HAM that
about thirty people were being held by the police, many of whom were
subjected to similar forms of torture.

TAPOL, the Indonesia Human
Rights Campaign 111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322 email: tapol@gn.apc.org Internet:
www.gn.apc.org/tapol Campaigning to expose
human rights violations in Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh
26 years - and still going strong

================================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Kostrad troops arrive in Irian
Date: 3/17/00 5:37:43 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
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The Jakarta Post
March 18th 2000
National News, English Ed.


Kostrad troops arrive in Irian

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Irianese were called upon on
Friday not to worry and be afraid of the arrival of 450 Army
Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) troops.

Local military commander Lt. Col. Susanto said the troops
were brought in not to search for members of the Free
Papua Movement (OPM) separatist group but to help local
people carry out development programs.

The Kostrad soldiers, who were based in Tanggul district,
East Java, will replace their colleagues who will return to
their base in Kariango district in South Sulawesi after 13
months of service.

A local farmer in Nabire regency, Kobogau, expressed his
suspicions to The Jakarta Post on Friday that the troops
were intended to anticipate the Papuan Congress to be
held in April.

"Our experience clearly shows that the presence of military
members or the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) police results in
human right violations," Kobogau said. (08/eba)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

========================================================================== Subj: JP: Irianese leaders accused of plot against the govt
Date: 3/16/00 6:01:10 PM Central Standard Time

From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
March 17, 2000

[This is somewhat confusing as some or all of these people are already on
trial although
little has been heard about the trials since they opened at the end of
January this year. TAPOL]

Irianese leaders accused of plot against the govt

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Local police have officially named nine leading
Irianese figures here as suspects for allegedly plotting against the state.

Irian Jaya Police chief of detectives Col. Tukarno said on Wednesday that the
nine were named suspects for their alleged involvement in a series of
proindependence rallies since late last year.

The suspects are activist leader Theys H. Eluay, Father Herman Awom,
Cenderawasih University lecturer Isaak Ayomi, secretary of the provincial
Development and Planning Board (Bappeda) Don Al. Flasy, former political
prisoner John Mambor, former councillor Beatrix Rumbino and student leaders
Martinus Werimon, Barnabas Yufuway and Laurens Mehue.

The nine were specifically said to be behind three incidents. The first was a
gathering on Sept. 12, 1999, at Theys' house, which declared that the
separatist Morning Star flag would be hoisted on Dec. 1. The second was the
Dec. 1 hoisting of the flag and the third was when the Papuan Congress was
held in Sentani from Feb. 23 to Feb. 26.

All are members of the Papuan Presidium Council, set up by the Papuan
Congress.

The Congress ended with a unanimous rejection of the 1969 plebiscite which
became the basis for the incorporation of the former Dutch territory into
Indonesia.

"Aspirations for independence are acceptable, but don't commit crimes against
the state, including separating from the Republic of Indonesia," Tukarno
said, adding that they were being charged with Articles 106, 110 and 154 of
the Criminal Code.

"The status of the nine is that they are officially suspects based on the
information we have gathered and from witnesses," he added.

Tukarno said two other figures, Amungme tribal leader Tom Beanal and lecturer
Willy Mandowen, were also being questioned.

"Willy Mandowen has fulfilled our summons but Tom Beanal hasn't," he said.

Demands for independence have been on the rise over the past two years in the
province, which is home to one of the world's largest gold and copper mining
industries, amid the backdrop of past human rights violations and the unfair
divisions of revenue earned from exploiting its natural resources. (eba)



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

======================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]INDONESIA WEST PAPUA - FEATURE- Freeport Indonesia urged to share wealth
Date: 3/16/00 12:42:44 PM Central Standard Time
From: news@kabar-irian.com (Editor/s)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

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From: "ICRA INTERNATIONAL BELGIUM"

Wednesday March 15, 8:35 pm Eastern Time
FEATURE-Freeport Indonesia urged to share wealth

By Tomi Soetjipto

JAKARTA, March 16 (Reuters) - Hugely profitable PT Freeport Indonesia is
under pressure to share more of the wealth generated by its massive copper
and gold mine in the eastern province of Irian Jaya, as Jakarta struggles
to stem separatism there.

The highly sensitive issue has split Indonesia's young government.

Rear Admiral Freddy Numberi, governor of Irian Jaya province on the western
half of New Guinea island, has called for Freeport's contract to be
reviewed. But Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab has ruled that out.

Freeport, a subsidiary of New Orleans-based Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold
Inc (NYSE:&d=t">FCX - news), made an average profit of just under $2
million a week in 1999 from the vast mine it operates in mountains near
Timika, 3,375 km (2,100 miles) east of Jakarta.

But although Indonesia's central government has a small stake in the
project, the provincial government has none. Nor do any other Irian Jaya
interests. Historically, decisions relating to the controversial mine
by-passed the provincial authorities, like those relating to other
multinational mining firms in Indonesia.

Now governor Numberi, an indigenous Irianese, says that must change.

``The local government was never involved in the contract. All we knew was
that the contract had been agreed and we all had to comply to it,''
Numberi, who is also minister for administrative reform in the cabinet,
told Reuters.

AUDIT LOOMS

Freeport will soon face a new audit to verify its statements that its
environmental record is fine. The result is expected around June.

An earlier report by a consultant appointed by Freeport said its
environmental record was good. However, its operations have inflicted
massive damage on forests to the south of the mine, with some literally
buried under 'tailings', or crushed waste ore.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, recently named as an
adviser to President Abdurrahman Wahid, has pressed Jakarta to honour its
contract with Freeport.

Kissinger is on the board of Freeport's U.S. parent.

Freeport is mining one of the world's largest deposits of copper and gold.
It began operations in Irian Jaya in 1968 and in recent years has become a
constant target of public criticism, particularly since former President
Suharto was forced out of office two years ago.

Freeport is also one of Indonesia's largest corporate income tax payers. It
argues that it makes significant economic contributions to the country
through taxes and a scheme to donate a small proportion of its revenues to
ethnic groups in the area of its mine. One major project was to build a
hospital for the local people.

Freeport is, directly or indirectly, the main employer in and around Timika
and Tembagapura. Neither town existed before the mine opened.

The company employs a number of Irianese, but their jobs tend to be
lower-paid because they generally lack the right skills for the better paid
ones. Freeport says it is trying to promote employment at the higher
levels in the long run through a scholarship scheme, but it is years away.

The company says it has complied fully with Indonesian environmental
regulations and says any move to amend or review its contract will impede
the flow of foreign investment to Indonesia, which is still on the
recovery track after its worst economic crisis in decades.

``It will have a negative impact. Foreign investors would question the
legal certainty in Indonesia,'' Freeport spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan told
Reuters.

But allegations of corruption, something much of Indonesia's mining
industry is tainted with, as well as environmental damage and ignoring
local needs have blighted its image.

DEAL LEAVES OUT LOCAL GOVT

Freeport's first contract was signed in 1967 and extended in 1991 following
the discovery of the world-class copper deposit in the Grasberg mine site.
The mine sits at an elevation of just over 4,000 metres (13,120 feet)
above sea level.

Soon after Suharto resigned in May 1998, several members of parliament
alleged that corrupt practices took place when the contract was awarded.

Freeport has denied any wrongdoing. But its massive profits are in stark
contrast to the poverty of most Irianese, many of whom cannot read and
write.

They are, however, aware of Freeport. They know it makes a huge amount of
money and bitterly resent it.

Governor Numberi says the company should ``donate'' some of its equity to
the local government.

``Ideally, the local government should have a 20 percent stake in the
company,'' said Numberi, adding that this would help defuse calls for
independence.

Irian Jaya is one of the most strongly pro-independence provinces in
Indonesia and the armed Free Papua Movement has waged a low-level guerrilla
campaign for decades.

Environmentalists also want the contract reviewed and say the river near
Timika has silted up with tailings.

Environment Minister Soni Keraf told Reuters that he had received many
complaints about environmental damage caused by Freeport.

Freeport's operations, currently an average of 200,000 tonnes of ore daily,
have to be reduced, he said.

The government's own environmental audit will follow up a report by
independent consultant Montgomery-Watson -- appointed by Freeport -- which
applauded its environmental management.

``The team consists of officials from several key departments which are
involved in this mining project,'' said Keraf.

The report would serve as a basis on which a decision on reviewing the
contract would be taken, he added.

``From the complaints and reports which I have received from various
groups, I can say that the level of destruction which Freeport caused to
the local environment is pretty bad.''



KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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=======================================================

Subj: New York Agreement
Date: 3/15/00 7:16:45 AM Central Standard Time
From: osimopiaref@netscape.net (Ottis Simopiaref)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF
THE NETHERLANDS AND THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
CONCERNING WEST NEW GUINEA (WEST IRIAN)

The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia,
Having in mind the interests and welfare of the peoples of the territory of
West New Guinea (West Irian) hereinafter referred to as "the territory",
Desirous of settling their dispute regarding the territory,
Now, therefore, agree as follows:

Ratification of Agreement and Resolution of the General Assembly of the
United Nations
Article I
After the present Agreement between the Netherlands and Indonesia has been
signed and ratified by both Contracting Parties, the Netherlands and
Indonesia
will jointly sponsor a draft resolution in the United Nations under the terms
of which the General Assembly of the United Nations takes note of the present
Agreement, acknowledges the role conferred upon the Secretary-General of the
United Nations therein, and authorizes him to carry out the tasks entrusted
to
him therein.

Transfer of Administration
Article II
After the adoption of the resolution referred to in Article I, the
Netherlands will transfer administration of the territory to a United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA), established by and under the
jurisdiction of the Secretary-General, upon the arrival of the United Nations
Administrator appointed in accordance with article IV. The UNTEA will in
turn
transfer the administration to Indonesia in accordance with article XII.

United Nations Administration
Article III
In order to facilitate the transfer of administration to the UNTEA after
the adoption of the resolution by the General Assembly, the Netherlands will
invite the Secretary-General to send a representative to consult briefly with
the Netherlands Governor of the territory prior to the latter's departure.
The Netherlands Governor will depart prior to the arrival of the United
Nations Administrator.
Article IV
A United Nations Administrator, acceptable to the Netherlands and
Indonesia, will be appointed by the Secretary-General.
Article V
The United Nations Administrator, as chief executive officer of the UNTEA,
will have full authority under the direction of the Secretary-General to
administer the territory for the period of the UNTEA administration in
accordance with the terms of the present Agreement.
Article VI
The United Nations flag will be flown during the period of United Nations
Administration.
With regard to the flying of the Netherlands and Indonesian flags, it is
agreed that this matter will be determined by agreement between the
Secretary-General and the respective governments.
Article VII
The Secretary-General will provide the UNTEA with such security forces as
the United Nations Administrator deems necessary; such forces will primarily
supplement existing Papuan (West Irianese) police in the task of maintaining
law and order. The Papuan Volunteer Corps, which of the arrival of the
United
Nations Administrator will cease being part of the Netherlands armed forces,
and the Indonesian armed forces in the territory will be under the authority
of, and at the disposal of, the Secretary-General of the same purpose. The
United Nations Administrator will, to the extent feasible, use the Papuan
(West Irianese) police as a United Nations security force to maintain law and
order and, at his discretion, use Indonesian armed forces. The Netherlands
armed forces will be repatriated as rapidly as possible and while still in
the
Territory will be under the authority of the UNTEA.
Article VIII
The United Nations Administrator will send periodic reports to the
Secretary-General on the principle aspects of the implementation of the
present Agreement. The Secretary-General will submit full reports to the
Netherlands and Indonesia and may submit, at his discretion, reports to the
General Assembly or to all United Nations Members.

First Phase of the UNTEA Administration
Article IX
The United Nations Administrator will replace as rapidly as possible top
Netherlands officials as defined in Annex A with non-Netherlands,
non-Indonesian officials during the first phase of the UNTEA administration
which will be completed on 1 May 1963. The United Nations Administrator will
be authorized to employ on a temporary basis all Netherlands officials other
than top Netherlands officials defined in Annex A, who wish to serve the
UNTEA, in accordance with such terms and conditions as the Secretary-General
may specify. As many Papuans (West Irianese) as possible will be brought
into
administrative and technical positions. To fill the remaining required
posts,
the UNTEA will have the authority to employ personnel provided by Indonesia.
Salary rates prevailing in the territory will be maintained.
Article X
Immediately after the transfer of the administration to the UNTEA, the
UNTEA will widely publicize and explain the terms of the present Agreement,
and will inform the population concerning the transfer of Administration to
Indonesia and the provisions for the act of self-determination as set out in
the present Agreement.
Article XI
To the extent that they are consistent with the letter and spirit of the
present Agreement, existing laws and regulations will remain in effect. The
UNTEA will have the power to promulgate new laws and regulations or amend
them
within the spirit and framework of the present Agreement. The representative
councils will be consulted prior to the issuance of new laws and regulations
or the amendment of existing laws.

Second Phase
Article XII
The United Nations Administrator will have discretion to transfer all or
part of the administration to Indonesia at any time after the first phase of
UNTEA administration. The UNTEA's authority will cease at the moment of
transfer of full administration control to Indonesia.
Article XIII
United Nations security forces will be replaced by Indonesian security
forces after the first phase of the United Nations administration. All
United
Nations security forces will be withdrawn upon the transfer of administration
to Indonesia.

Indonesian Administration and Self-Determination
Article XIV
After the transfer of full administrative responsibility to Indonesia,
Indonesian national laws and regulations will in principle be applicable in
the territory, it being understood that they be consistent with the rights
and
freedoms guaranteed to the inhabitants under the terms of the present
Agreement. New laws and regulations of amendments to the existing ones can
be
enacted within the spirit of the present Agreement. The representative
councils will be consulted as appropriate.
Article XV
After the transfer of full administrative responsibility of Indonesia, the
primary task of Indonesia will be further intensification of the education of
the people, of the combating of illiteracy, and of the advancement of their
social, cultural and economic development. Efforts also will be made in
accordance with present Indonesian practice to accelerate the participation
of
the people in local government through periodic elections. Any aspect
relating to the act of free choice will be governed by the terms of the
present Agreement.
Article XVI
At the time of the transfer of full administrative responsibility to
Indonesia a number of United Nations experts, as deemed adequate by the
Secretary-General after consultation with Indonesia, will be designated to
remain wherever their duties require their presence. Their duties will,
prior
to the arrival of the United Nations Representative, who will participate at
the appropriate time in the arrangements for self-determination be limited to
advising on and assisting in preparations for carrying out the provisions for
self-determination except in so far as Indonesia and the Secretary-General
may
agree upon their performing other expert functions. They will be responsible
to the Secretary-General for carrying out of their duties.
Article XVII
Indonesia will invite the Secretary-General to appoint a Representative
who, together with a staff made up, inter alia, of experts referred to in
Article XVI, will carry out the Secretary-General's responsibilities to
advise, assist and participate in arrangements which are the responsibility
of
Indonesia for the act of free choice. The Secretary-General will, at the
proper time, appoint the United Nations Representative in order that he and
his staff may assume their duties in the territory one year prior to the date
of self-determination. Such additional staff as the United Nations
Representative might feel necessary will be determined by the
Secretary-General after consultation with Indonesia. The United Nations
Representative with his staff will have the same freedom of movement as
provided for the experts referred to in Article XVI.
Article XVIII
Indonesia will make arrangements, with the assistance and participation of
the United Nations Representative and his staff, to give the people of the
territory the opportunity to exercise freedom of choice. Such arrangements
will include:
a. Consultation (Musyawarah) with the representative councils on procedures
and appropriate methods to be followed for ascertaining the freely expressed
will of the population.
b. The determination of the actual date of the exercise of free choice
within
the period established by the present Agreement.
c. Formulation of the questions in such a way as to permit the inhabitants
to
decide (a) whether they wish to remain with Indonesia; or (b) whether they
wish to serve their ties with Indonesia.
d. The eligibility of all adults, male and female, not foreign nationals to
participate in the act of self-determination to be carried out in accordance
with international practice, who are resident at the time of the signing of
the present Agreement and at the time of the act of self-determination
including those residents who departed after 1945 and who return to the
territory to resume residence after the termination of Netherlands
administration.
Article XIX
The United Nations Representative will report to the Secretary-General on
the arrangements arrived at for freedom of choice.
Article XX
The act of self-determination will be completed before the end of 1969.
Article XXI
After the exercise of the right of self-determination, Indonesia and the
United Nations Representative will submit final reports to the
General-Secretary who will report to the General Assembly on the conduct of
the act of self-determination and the result thereof.
The parties to the present Agreement will recognize and abide by the
results of the act of self-determination.

Rights of the Inhabitants
Article XXII
1. The UNTEA and Indonesia will guarantee fully the rights, including the
rights of free speech, freedom of movement and of assembly of the inhabitants
of the area. These rights will include the existing rights of the
inhabitants
of the territory at the time of the transfer or the adminstration to UNTEA.
2. The UNTEA will take over the existing Netherlands commitments in
respect of concessions and property rights.
3. After Indonesia has taken over the administration it honor those
commitments which are not inconsistent with the interests and economic
development of the people of the territory. A joint Netherlands-Indonesian
commission will be set up after the transfer of administration to Indonesia
to
study the nature of above-mentioned concessions and property rights.
4. During the period of the UNTEA administration there will be freedom of
movement for civilians of Indonesians and the Netherlands nationalities to
and
from the territory.
Article XXIII
Vacancies in the representative councils caused by the departure of
Netherlands nationals or for other reasons, will be filled as appropriate
consistent with existing legislation by elections, or by appointment by the
UNTEA. The representative councils will be consulted prior to the
appointment
of new representatives.

Financial matters
Article XXIV
1. Deficits in the budget of the territory during the UNTEA
administration
will be shared equally by the Netherlands and Indonesia.
2. The Netherlands and Indonesia will be consulted by the
Secretary-General in the preparation of the UNTEA budget and other financial
matters relating to United Nations responsibilities under the present
Agreement; however, the Secretary-General will have the final decision.
3. The Parties to the present Agreement will reimburse the
Secretary-General for all costs incurred by the United Nations under the
present Agreement and will make available suitable funds in advance for the
discharge of the Secretary-General's responsibilities. The Parties to the
present Agreement will share on an equal basis the costs of such
reimbursements and advances.

Previous Treaties and Agreements
Article XXV
The present Agreement will take precedence over any previous agreement on
the territory. Previous treaties and agreements regarding the territory may
therefore be terminated or adjusted as necessary to conform to the terms of
the present Agreement.

Privileges and Immunities
Article XXVI
For the purpose of the present Agreement, the Netherlands and Indonesia
will apply to United Nations property, funds, assets and officials the
provisions of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United
Nations. In particular, the United Nations Administrator, appointed pursuant
to Article IV, and the United Nations Representative, appointed pursuant to
Article XVII, will enjoy the privileges and immunities specified in Section
19
of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

Ratification
Article XXVII
1. The present Agreement will be ratified in accordance with the
constitutional procedures of the Contracting Parties.
2. The instruments of ratification will be exchanged as soon as possible
at the Headquarters of the United Nations by the accredited representatives
of
the Contracting Parties.
3. The Secretary-General will draw up a procès-verbal of the exchange of
the instruments of ratification and will furnish a certified copy thereof to
each Contracting Party.

Entry into Force
Article XXVIII
1. The present Agreement will enter into force upon the date of the
adoption by the General Assembly of the resolution referred to in Article 1
of
the present Agreement.
2. Upon the entry into force of the present Agreement, the
Secretary-General of the United Nations will register it in accordance with
Article 102 of the Charter.

Authentic Text
Article XXIX
The authentic text of the present Agreement is drawn up in the English
language. Translations in the Netherlands and Indonesian languages will be
exchanged between the Contracting Parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly
authorized
for that purpose by their respective Governments, have signed the present
Agreement.
DONE at the headquarters of the United Nations, New York, on this
fifteenth
day of August 1962, in three identical copies, of which one shall be
deposited
with the Secretary-General and one shall be furnished to the Government of
each of the Contracting Parties.

(sd.) J.H. VAN ROIJEN (sd.) SUBANDRIO
For the Kingdom of the Netherlands For the Republic of Indonesia
(sd.) C. SCHURMANN
For the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Annex A
Top Netherlands officials to be replaced as rapidly as possible with
non-Netherlands, non-Indonesian officials.
I. Government
Head Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. 1
Head Popular Information Service . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
II. Department of Internal Affairs
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
. . . 1
Divisional Commissioners ('Residenten'): . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1. Hollandia
2. Biak
3. Manokwari
4. Fakfak
5. Merauke
6. Central Highland
Administrative Head of the General Police . . . . . . . . . . 1
III. Department of Finance
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . 1
IV. Department of Social Affairs and Justice
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . 1
V. Department of Public Health
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . 1
VI. Department of Cultural Affairs (including Education)
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . 1
Head Broadcasting System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
VII. Department of Economic Affairs
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
. . . 1
VIII. Department of Transport and Power
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
. . . 1
IX. Department of Public Works
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
. . . 1
_____
Total . . . . . . . 18


Nr. I
15 August 1962
Sir,
On behalf of our respective Governments, on the occasion of the signature
of the Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the
Netherlands concerning West New Guinea (West Irian), we have the honour to
bring to your attention the Memorandum of Understanding arrived at between
our
Governments concerning the cessation of hostilities in West New Guinea (West
Irian), the signed original of which is contained in Annex A to this note.
In bringing the annexed Memorandum of Understanding to your attention we
have the honour to request, on behalf of our respective Governments, that you
indicate your willingness to undertake as an extraordinary measure the
functions conferred upon the Secretary-General in it in order to give the
earliest possible effect to the cessation of hostilities, reserving your
right
to report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations at the appropriate
time. Our respective Governments have in mind, in making this request, the
urgent necessity for your assistance and that of United Nations personnel in
implementing the agreement on cessation of hostilities.
The Memorandum of Understanding sets out the agreement arrived at between
our respective Governments that our Governments will, on an equal basis, meet
all costs incurred by you in carrying out your responsibilities under the
Memorandum. To this end, our Governments have agreed to make available in
advance such sums as you may deem necessary.
Accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest consideration.

(sd.) SUBANDRIO
Representative of Indonesia

(sd.) J. VAN ROIJEN
Representative of the Netherlands

(sd.) C. SCHURMANN
Representative of the Netherlands
U Thant
Acting Secretary-General
United Nations
New York


Annex A

Memorandum of Understanding on cessation of hostilities constituting an
Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the
Netherlands

1. Cessation of hostilities in West New Guinea (West Irian), hereinafter
referred to as "the territory", is to take place at 00.01 GMT on Saturday 18
August 1962. As from that moment the following rules will be observed:
(a) Cease fire by both parties.
(b) Indonesia and the Netherlands will not reinforce their military forces
in
the territory nor resupply them with military material.
(c) The Secretary-General of the United Nations will assign United Nations
personnel (i) to observe the implementation of this agreement and (ii) in
particular to take necessary steps for the prevention of any acts endangering
the security of forces of both parties to this agreement.
(d) Any incidents that might occur will be immediately reported by the party
concerned to the United Nations personnel in order that they may take
necessary measures to restore the situation in consultation with both
parties.

2. The cessation of hostilities will be communicated to the Netherlands
and Indonesian armed forces by the following means:
(a) Messages transmitted through Indonesian and Netherlands radio stations
and via other means of communication.
(b) The dropping of leaflets in the areas concerned in accordance with the
provisions of paragraph 3 hereof.
3. In order to overcome the special difficulties in communicating the
cease fire to Indonesian forces in the territory pre-arranged flights will be
carried out by Indonesian aircraft, with the purpose of dropping leaflets on
which a text approved by the Secretary-General will be printed. The
Indonesian authorities agree to enable the distribution of this pamphlet to
isolated posts as soon as possible and not late than a fortnight from the
cessation of hostilities. On these flights United Nations personnel will be
on board to report, in advance and after the flight, on the time and the
route
of the flight the areas of dropping leaflets.
4. To facilitate resupply of Indonesian troops in the territory and in
order that they may be under the authority of and at the disposal of the
Secretary-General at the appropriate time, Indonesia will make the necessary
arrangements with regard to their location in selected areas, in agreement
with the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General will act in consultation
herein with the Netherlands Administrative Authorities.
5. The resupply of non-military material to the Indonesian armed forces
in
the territory will be effected by the United Nations personnel in
co-operation
with Indonesian and Netherlands authorities. United Nations personnel may
use
one or two unarmed Indonesian vessels for transport to one or more ports
agreeable to the Netherlands authorities. Air supply will be carried out
under the direction of the United Nations personnel in United Nations
aircraft.
6. With a view to carrying out the arrangements mentioned under paragraph
3, 4 and 5 hereof, each consisting of three officers, will be established at
a
Netherlands forces headquarters in the territory. Military Liaison Officers
will be included in the Permanent Missions to the United Nations of the
Netherlands and Indonesia for liaison with the Secretary-General's Office.
7. As soon as possible after the adoption by the General Assembly of the
United Nations of the resolution referred to in Article I of the Agreement
between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands
concerning West New Guinea (West Irian), and not later than 1 October 1962, a
United Nations security force including an infantry battalion with ancillary
arms and services will be placed by the Secretary-General at the disposal of
the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) in the territory
primarily supplement the existing Papuan Police in the task of maintaining
law
and order.
8. The Netherlands will make arrangements through the intermediary of the
Secretary-General to repatriate Indonesian prisoners as soon as possible
after
the signing of the Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the
Kingdom
of the Netherlands concerning West New Guinea (West Irian).
9. Indonesia and the Netherlands will jointly request the
Secretary-General to undertake the functions conferred on him in this
agreement.
10. Indonesia and the Netherlands will share on an equal basis all costs
incurred by the Secretary-General under this agreement, and will make
available in advance such sums as he deems necessary.

DONE on this fifteenth day of August 1962.

(sd.) SUBANDRIO (sd.) J.H. VAN ROIJEN
For the Republic of Indonesia For the Kingdom of the Netherlands
(sd.) C. SCHURMANN
For the Kingdom of the Netherlands


Nr. II
15 August 1962
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note of today's date
addressed to me by the Representative of the Republic of Indonesia and the
Representatives of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, concerning the cessation
of
hostilities in West New Guinea (West Irian), reading as follows:
(See Note Nr. I)
In reply I have the honour to inform you that, subject to the terms and
conditions of the note under reference, I am prepared to undertake the
responsibilities specified in that note and its related annex.

Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(sd.) U THANT
Acting Secretary-General
The Representatives of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands



Memorandum of Understanding constituting an Agreement between the Republic of
Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on certain financial matters
during the period of administration of West New Guinea (West Irian) by the
United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA)

1. With the view to preparing the budget for the period of administration
of the territory of West New Guinea (West Irian) by the United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) in accordance with Article XXIV of the
Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the
Netherlands
concerning West New Guinea (West Irian), a committee will be set up as soon
as
possible consisting of representatives of the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of
the
Kingdom of the Netherlands in order to collect the necessary information and
to make appropriate recommendations to the Secretary-General. The committee
will make recommendations to the Secretary-General concerning the amount to
be
placed at the disposal of the United Nations Administrator by the Netherlands
and the Indonesian Governments at the beginning of the UNTEA period.
2. In establishing the budget for the UNTEA period, the United Nations
Administrator will make his calculations on the basis of a rate of exchange
for the New Guinea guilder at US $ 1.00-N.G. fl. 3.62.

DONE on this fifteenth day of August 1962 in three original copies.

(sd.) SUBANDRIO (sd.) J.H. VAN ROIJEN
For the Republic of Indonesia For the Kingdom of the Netherlands
(sd.) C. SCHURMANN
For the Kingdom of the Netherlands


Nr. III
15 August 1962
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to the discussions that took place on 13 and 14
August 1962 at the United Nations Headquarters between representatives of the
Government of Indonesia, the Government of the Netherlands and the
Secretariat
concerning certain financial arrangements which are envisaged in connexion
with United Nations Administration of West New Guinea (West Irian).
In response to the request of the representatives of the two Governments
these agreements are set forth below.
The Secretary-General will prepare, in consultation with the two
Governments, a budget covering the total anticipated costs involved in its
administration of the Territory, and will request the two Governments to make
advances of funds in such currencies and at such time(s) as may be required
to
cover the anticipated costs.
The funds made available by the Governments to the Organization will be
treated as "trust funds" in accordance with United Nations Financial
Regulations 6.6 and 6.7 and will be administered in accordance with the
established United Nations financial regulations and rules relating to trust
funds, reserve and special accounts, and, in particular, United Nations
Financial Regulations 10.1 (d), 10.2 and 11.3 relating to the arrangements in
respect of (a) the maintenance of an internal financial control to provide
for
an effective current examination and/or review of financial transactions in
order to ensure the regularity of the receipt, custody and disposal of the
funds, the conformity of obligations and expenditures with the purposes and
rules relating to the trust funds, and the economic use of the resources; (b)
providing that no obligations shall be incurred until allotments or other
appropriate authorizations have been made in writing under the authority of
the Secretary-General and (c) maintaining a separate special account for all
funds received in trust from the Governments.
As soon as possible after the termination of the United Nations
responsibility for administration of the Territory an audited statement of
the
income and expenditures arising from and in connexion with its administration
of the Territory will be rendered to the two Governments, and any balance of
funds in the trust fund that are not required to cover commitments entered
into by the Organization in this connexion will be refunded in equal shares
to
the two Governments.
If, after preparation of the initial budget, unforeseen developments
should
occur giving rise to the need for additional funds from the two Governments,
the Secretary-General would prepare a supplemental budget in consultation
with
the two Governments, and request such additional deposits in the trust fund
as
would be required.
It may be anticipated that the budget estimates would consist of two major
parts, the first relating to what may be described as the normal territorial
operations and accounts, and second relating to expenses to be incurred by
the
United Nations for staff and other costs (salaries, United Nations pension
contributions, insurance, travel expenses, communications costs, etc.) which
may not be dealt with appropriately as part of the normal territorial
operations. The second part of the budget would also include the costs of
any
security personnel that might be required and for which no provision has been
made in the existing budget for the Territory.
It is my understanding that the representatives of the two Governments
participating in the discussions expressed agreement with the arrangements
set
forth above, but I would be pleased to have you advise of your Government's
concurrence regarding them.
Accept, Sirs, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(sd.) U THANT,
Acting Secretary-General
His Excellency
Dr. J.H. van Roijen
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands to the United
States of America
His Excellency
Mr. C.W.A. Schurmann, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the
United Nations
711 Third Avenue, New York 17, N.Y.

Nr. IV
15 August 1962
Sir,
On behalf of our respective Governments, on the occasion of the signature
of the Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the
Netherlands concerning West New Guinea (West Irian), we have the honour to
bring to your attention the following Agreement arrived at between our
Governments and hereby placed on record, concerning the issue of passports
and
consular protection during the period of the administration by the United
Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) provided for in the aforesaid
Agreement:
"1. The UNTEA shall have the authority at its discretion to issue travel
documents to Papuans (West Irianese) applying therefore, without prejudice to
their right to apply for Indonesian passports instead.
2. The Governments of Indonesia and of the Netherlands shall at the request
of the Secretary General furnish consular assistance and protection abroad to
Papuans (West Irianese) carrying the travel documents mentioned in the
previous paragraph, it being for the person concerned to determine to which
consular authority he should apply."
Should the above be acceptable to you, we have the honour further to
propose that the note and your reply to the above effect shall be regarded as
constituting and placing upon record the agreement reached in this matter.
Accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest consideration.
(sd.) SUBANDRIO
Representative of Indonesia
(sd.) J. VAN ROIJEN
Representative of the Netherlands
(sd.) C. SCHURMANN
Representative of the Netherlands
U Thant
Acting Secretary-General
United Nations
New York


Nr. V
15 August 1962
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note of today's date
addressed to me by the representatives of the Republic of Indonesia and the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, concerning the issue of passports and consular
protection during the period of the administration by the United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) of the territory of West New Guinea
(West Irian) and reading as follows:
(See Note IV)
In reply I have the honour to inform you that I am prepared to instruct
the
UNTEA, when it is established as provided for in the Agreement between the
Governments of the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands
concerning West New Guinea (West Irian), to undertake the function referred
to
in the note under reference. I would like to take this occasion to request
your Government to undertake consular assistance and protection abroad to
Papuan (West Irianese) as provided in paragraph No. 2 of the note under
reference.
Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(sd.) U THANT
Acting Secretary-General
The Representatives of the Netherlands


Nr. VI
15 August 1962
Sir,
We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of today's
date,
indicating your willingness to undertake certain functions concerning issue
of
passports during the period of the administration by the United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) of the territory of West New Guinea
(West Irian) and requesting our Government to undertake consular assistance
and protection abroad to Papuans (West Irianese) requesting such assistance
and protection during the period of UNTEA Administration. We have the honour
to inform you that our Government will undertake such consular assistance and
protection.
Accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest consideration.
(sd.) J.H. VAN ROIJEN
Representative of the Netherlands
(sd.) C. SCHURMANN
Representative of the Netherlands
U Thant
Acting Secretary-General
United Nations
New York


Nr. VII
15 August 1962
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of today's date,
indicating your willingness to undertake certain functions concerning issue
of
passports during the period of the administration by the United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) of the territory of West New Guinea
(West Irian) and requesting my Government to undertake consular assistance
and
protection abroad to Papuans (West Irianese) requesting such assistance and
protection during the period of the UNTEA Administration. I have the honour
to inform you that my Government will undertake such consular assistance and
protection.
Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(sd.) SUBANDRIO
Representative of Indonesia
U Thant
Acting Secretary-General
United Nations
New York


New York Agreement terdapat di dalam Tractatenblad van het Koninkrijk der
Nederlanden
Jaargang 1962 Nr. 77 dan tersedia di perpustakaan Kementrian Luar Belanda di
kota Den Haag.

******************************
OTTIS SIMOPIAREF
Van Uvenweg 134-I
6707 BH Wageningen
The Netherlands
Ph.: +31.6.25575496
Email: osimopiaref@netscape.net
FREE West Papua from the Indonesian Colonialism
******************************

===================================================================================

Subj: Extra troops arrive in West Papua
Date: 3/15/00 7:06:28 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

KRI Teluk Lampung 540 docks in Biak

According to a report received today, 15/3 from the Jayapura-based human
rights organisation, ELS-HAM, a troop carrier, the KRI Teluk Lampung,
docked in Biak on 14 March, bringing extra troops, in anticipation of an
upsurge in demands from the community for 'Free Papua'. The ship was on
its way to Jayapura, having already docked in Sorong. ELS-HAM says that the
aspirations of the West Papuans has led the security authorities to incite
conflict as happened recently in Merauke and Nabire and are now bringing
more troops in

According to ELS HAM sources, the troopcarrier docked before dawn on 14
March, carrying a number of troops. including Kopassus men and troops from
Kostrad Infantry battalion 515. Ten men disembarked in Biak and the
remainder of the troops continued the journey to Jayapura.

The appearance of the vessel including green-berets spread a sense of fear
among those who witnessed the ship's arrival. This was the same ship which
came to Biak in July 1998 when troops arrive to attack and break up a
peaceful pro-independence flag-raising rally which resulted in a number of
people disappearing (as well as a number of deaths from gunshot wounds).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

===================================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Extra troops arrive in West Papua - KRI Teluk Lampung 540
Date: 3/15/00 10:05:42 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org

docks in Biak
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: admin@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
http://www.irja.org/conf.htm



From: TAPOL via reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org


According to a report received today, 15/3 from the Jayapura-based human
rights organisation, ELS-HAM, a troop carrier, the KRI Teluk Lampung,
docked in Biak on 14 March, bringing extra troops, in anticipation of an
upsurge in demands from the community for 'Free Papua'. The ship was on
its way to Jayapura, having already docked in Sorong. ELS-HAM says that the
aspirations of the West Papuans has led the security authorities to incite
conflict as happened recently in Merauke and Nabire and are now bringing
more troops in

According to ELS HAM sources, the troopcarrier docked before dawn on 14
March, carrying a number of troops. including Kopassus men and troops from
Kostrad Infantry battalion 515. Ten men disembarked in Biak and the
remainder of the troops continued the journey to Jayapura.

The appearance of the vessel including green-berets spread a sense of fear
among those who witnessed the ship's arrival. This was the same ship which
came to Biak in July 1998 when troops arrive to attack and break up a
peaceful pro-independence flag-raising rally which resulted in a number of
people disappearing (as well as a number of deaths from gunshot wounds).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

=========================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] More on ICRC travesty
Date: 3/14/00 6:24:26 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

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Tuesday, March 14 4:26 PM SGT
Red Cross accuses military over British, Dutch hostages rescue
JAKARTA, March 14 (AFP)

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday
accused troops who freed British, Dutch and other hostages in Irian
Jaya province of abusing the ICRC's role in the crisis.

"There can be no doubt that the military forces who took action on
May 9, 1996 in Ngesselema made perfidious use of the ICRC's role in
the affair," Paul Grossrieder, the director general of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told a press
conference here.

The troops who mounted the operation flew into the remote Indonesian
province in a white helicopter -- apparently to delude the
population there that they were not troops but ICRC workers.

The organisation was involved in negotiations between the
authorities and the separatist kidnappers.

Grossrieder said the ICRC's belated investigation had been unable to
establish if the troops had painted a Red Cross emblem on the
helicopter -- an act which he said would have constituted "a breach
of international humanitarian law."

He refuted as groundless four-year-old charges that any Red Cross
officials had taken part "directly or indirectly" in the operation,
in which several civilians, including two hostages, were killed.

The raid was led by Indonesian special forces who, according to
unconfirmed reports at the time, were accompanied by British
mercenaries.

Grossrieder said the ICRC had asked the authorities in Jakarta to
investigate the use of the white helicopter and had also requested
further information from Britain to help clarify the affair.

He admitted that the ICRC had been "regrettably" tardy in
commissioning its own probe of the allegations. Its conclusions have
been passed to the British, Dutch and Indonesian governments, he
added.

The 1996 hostage crisis arose when rebels from the Free Papua
Organisation (OPM) abducted 26 people, including seven foreigners,
near Mapnduma in the Baliem Valley in Irian Jaya.

The foreigners included Dutch and British nationals.

The ICRC became involved as negotiators in February after which
several of the hostages were released, and continued their role
until May 9, when it pulled out because of the heightened risk,
Grossreider said.

He conceded that communications to the effect that their role was
over were inadequate but said the independent inquiry, carried out
by a former ICRC staffer Piotr Obuchowicz, had completely cleared
the ICRC.

"The conclusions of the report are very clear ... no interaction of
the ICRC can be proved," and it was "absolutely impossible" that any
delegates were involved," Grossreider said.

"The ICRC has been cleared by this inquiry."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday, March 15, 2000
'Lured to death by fake Red Cross'
By Lindsay Murdoch, Herald Correspondent in Jakarta

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has asked the
Indonesian Government to investigate findings that its armed forces
lured villagers to their deaths by using a helicopter disguised to
look like a Red Cross transport.

The ICRC believes the deaths occurred while Indonesian military
forces were making "perfidious use" of their mediating role in
storming a village where West Papuan rebels held foreign and
Indonesian hostages in 1996.

An independent investigation commissioned by the ICRC backs some of
the main findings of a documentary on the ABC's Four Corners program
last year, titled Blood on the Cross.

It concluded Britain's Special Air Service may have been involved in
the rescue mission during which eight civilians died.

The ICRC's director-general, Mr Paul Grossrieder, told journalists
in Jakarta yesterday that the organisation's investigation had
concluded Indonesian soldiers used a white helicopter in the
operation that was probably seen by local villagers as an ICRC
helicopter.

Misuse of the ICRC's emblem is regarded by the organisation as a
serious violation of international law.

The ICRC's investigation confirmed accounts that Westerners were on
the helicopter and said that only a "serious and transparent
investigation" by government authorities would establish who they
were.

The operation was led by former army lieutenant-general Prabowo
Subianto, son-in-law of former president Soeharto, who was forced to
resign from the armed forces after widespread bloodshed in Jakarta
in mid-1998.

The ICRC had frequently flown its own helicopter to the southern
highlands of Irian Jaya, now being renamed Papua, in the early
months of 1996 to try to negotiate the release of a team of seven
European biologists and Indonesian researchers held hostage by Free
Papua Organisation (OPM) guerillas.

Officially, eight OPM rebels were killed by Indonesian Kopassus or
special forces troops in a battle that reached its climax after two
of the Indonesian captives had been killed by the guerillas.

But Mr Daniel Start, one of the captives, told the ABC that
civilians had been lured to their deaths by a Red Cross flag and
gunned down by four or five white people and Indonesians behind
them.

The ICRC's investigation concluded that the Westerners were either
members of the SAS, mercenaries from the British-based company
Sandline, or Indonesians of European extraction. "It is nevertheless
certain that Western advisers ... helped the Indonesian forces
prepare the operation," the investigation report said.

"What is certain ...is that a white helicopter appeared ... on the
afternoon in question and that it could have been perceived by the
local population only as an ICRC helicopter, whether displaying the
red cross emblem or not. Deceiving the local population in this
manner could have had only one effect in military terms: total
surprise."

Mr Grossrieder said he had asked Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Mr
Alwi Shihab, to launch an official inquiry into the possible misuse
of the ICRC's emblem.

"There can be no doubt that the military forces ... made perfidious
use of the ICRC's role in the affair ... for example the white
helicopter," the investigation report said. "They may also have
misused the emblem, though this has not been definitely proved."

The report denied that any ICRC member was involved in the military
operation but criticised the Geneva-based organisation for not
properly dealing with its staff and the media after the rescue
mission.


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: Prabowo used fake 'Red Cross' helicopter to lure villagers to theirdeaths
Date: 3/14/00 4:50:41 PM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Sydney Morning Herald
15/03/2000

Lured to death by fake Red Cross'

By LINDSAY MURDOCH, Herald Correspondent in Jakarta

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has asked the Indonesian
Government to investigate findings that its armed forces lured villagers to
their deaths by using a helicopter disguised to look like a Red Cross
transport.

The ICRC believes the deaths occurred while Indonesian military forces were
making "perfidious use" of their mediating role in storming a village where
West Papuan rebels held foreign and Indonesian hostages in 1996.

An independent investigation commissioned by the ICRC backs some of the main
findings of a documentary on the ABC's Four Corners program last year, titled
Blood on the Cross.

It concluded Britain's Special Air Service may have been involved in the
rescue mission during which eight civilians died.

The ICRC's director-general, Mr Paul Grossrieder, told journalists in Jakarta
yesterday that the organisation's investigation had concluded Indonesian
soldiers used a white helicopter in the operation that was probably seen by
local villagers as an ICRC helicopter.

Misuse of the ICRC's emblem is regarded by the organisation as a serious
violation of international law.

The ICRC's investigation confirmed accounts that Westerners were on the
helicopter and said that only a "serious and transparent investigation" by
government authorities would establish who they were.

The operation was led by former army lieutenant-general Prabowo Subianto,
son-in-law of former president Soeharto, who was forced to resign from the
armed forces after widespread bloodshed in Jakarta in mid-1998.

The ICRC had frequently flown its own helicopter to the southern highlands of
Irian Jaya, now being renamed Papua, in the early months of 1996 to try to
negotiate the release of a team of seven European biologists and Indonesian
researchers held hostage by Free Papua Organisation (OPM) guerillas.

Officially, eight OPM rebels were killed by Indonesian Kopassus or special
forces troops in a battle that reached its climax after two of the Indonesian
captives had been killed by the guerillas.

But Mr Daniel Start, one of the captives, told the ABC that civilians had
been lured to their deaths by a Red Cross flag and gunned down by four or
five white people and Indonesians behind them.

The ICRC's investigation concluded that the Westerners were either members of
the SAS, mercenaries from the British-based company Sandline, or Indonesians
of European extraction. "It is nevertheless certain that Western advisers ...
helped the Indonesian forces prepare the operation," the investigation report
said.

"What is certain ...is that a white helicopter appeared ... on the afternoon
in question and that it could have been perceived by the local population
only as an ICRC helicopter, whether displaying the red cross emblem or not.
Deceiving the local population in this manner could have had only one effect
in military terms: total surprise."

Mr Grossrieder said he had asked Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Mr Alwi
Shihab, to launch an official inquiry into the possible misuse of the ICRC's
emblem.

"There can be no doubt that the military forces ... made perfidious use of
the ICRC's role in the affair ... for example the white helicopter," the
investigation report said. "They may also have misused the emblem, though
this has not been definitely proved."

The report denied that any ICRC member was involved in the military operation
but criticised the Geneva-based organisation for not properly dealing with
its staff and the media after the rescue mission.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

===================================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] TNI accused of abusing Red Cross emblem
Date: 3/14/00 1:40:37 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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TNI accused of abusing Red Cross emblem

JAKARTA (JP): The International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) accused the Indonesian Military (TNI) on
Tuesday of abusing the Red Cross emblem during a 1996
raid to release hostages in Irian Jaya.

ICRC Director General Paul Grossrieder said the
conclusions of an inquiry commissioned by the ICRC
found that "military forces involved in the operation made
perfidious use of the ICRC's role by employing a white
helicopter that could have been perceived by the local
population as an ICRC helicopter".

The ICRC appointed an independent consultant named
Piotr Obuchowicz to lead a team to look into the May 1996
incident when the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) raided
an Irianese rebel hideout in Geselama mountain to free 13
researchers who were held hostage for nearly five months.

Kopassus, which was at the time led by Lt. Gen. (ret.)
Prabowo Subianto, were able to free eleven hostages. Two
died in the rescue.

But a report from Irian Jaya's Institute for Policy and
Human Rights Advocacy (Elsam) chapter alleged that ICRC
insignias and members were involved in the attack.

The report was then used as a basis for a documentary
titled Blood on the Cross released in July last year.

It was following the release of this documentary that ICRC
then commissioned an investigation.

The inquiry team visited Indonesia in October.

The final report, which alleged that TNI had misused the
ICRC logo, was presented to the ICRC some three months
ago.

"Use of the Red Cross emblem is a serious violation of
humanitarian law," Grossrieder, who was on a 10-day visit
here, said.

He added the report vindicated that ICRC members were
not involved in the raid.

"It's a little bit late, I have to admit," Grossrieder
said about
the report, which cleared ICRC of any wrongdoing.

"We should have done it before, but the ICRC probably
underestimated the seriousness of the problem at the time,"
Grossrieder said.

Grossrieder said the ICRC had also presented the report to
the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 7 in a
bid to seek clarification on the matter.

"We need to seek clarification from the Indonesian
government as we (ICRC) were declared clean in the
investigation," Grossrieder said.

However, the ministry has not given a response yet.

Officials from both the ministry and TNI could not be
reached for comment on Tuesday.

Refugees

In a separate development, the spokesman for the Irian
Jaya Governor's office, F.X. Soeryanto, said at least 170
Irianese living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) would return
home to Merauke regency by the end of this month. "They
are returning out of their own desire and not because of
any pressure," Soeryanto told The Jakarta Post.

Soeryanto claimed that a total of 903 Irianese in Papua New
Guinea had also decided to return home. However, no
timeframe was given.

The returning villagers have reportedly lived in Papua New
Guinea for several years after they were forced to flee their
homes in Mindiptanah district near the border when a clash
erupted between security forces and the Irianese separatist
group, the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Soeryanto said the people would be repatriated with the
help of the Mission Association Fellowship (MAF).
(Admin note: Correction: Mission AVIATION Fellowship)

He said MAF had scheduled 12 flights using a Twin Otter
plane to transport the returning villagers from Kiungga,
Papua New Guinea, to Mindiptanah.

Soeryanto added that local authorities were also assessing
the necessary facilities for their return, such as schools,
health clinics and roads.

"The local government has been ready to receive the
villagers since last year," he said. (eba/emf)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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================================================================================

Subj: US Ambassador to Indonesia Frustrated Over Freeport
Date: 3/14/00 4:26:52 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

[also: Joyo note]

Indonesian Observer
March 14, 2000

US envoy frustrated over Freeport

JAKARTA (IO) — US Ambassador Robert S. Gelbard says he is dismayed by
"unsubstantiated" allegations that American companies have engaged in corrupt
practices in Indonesia.

He vowed to take legal action against the companies in the US, if any
evidence is found.

"I’m extremely frustrated that all the time we just hear allegations of
corruption, even from the [Indonesian] minister of finance. But he never
provides any proof," he said.

"He better start showing some proof or not talk about this issue," Gelbard
added.

The ambassador, who met with President Abdurrahman Wahid on Saturday, denied
allegations of corruption leveled against US companies operating in
Indonesia, including gold and copper mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia.

"I don’t believe there is any corruption. I will say this," he said.

Gelbard said he has met with Attorney General Marzuki Darusman to discuss the
corruption allegations, and was seeking to talk about the same issue with
Finance Minister Bambang Sudibyo.

"I talked to the attorney general and I kept saying do you have proof. He
does not have any proof," the envoy added.

"As American ambassador, I have an obligation under the American law that if
I hear about any proof of corruption, I have to report this to the Justice
Department of the US," he said.

"So I have been waiting for five and half months, but nobody gives me any
proof," he added.

PT Freeport has frequently been accused of corruption and environmental
damage in the troubled province of Irian Jaya, where the firm operates.

"Freeport, we believe, is sticking absolutely to its contract. We believe
they are doing an excellent job on the environment. It’s unfortunate that
certain people are showing emotions rather than looking at the facts,"
Gelbard said.

Following the alleged environmental damage, officials have called on the
government to review its contract with Freeport, which was signed by former
president Soeharto’s regime.

But President Abdurrahman Wahid has said Freeport’s contract won’t be torn
up.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alwi Shihab has said the government would not change
its deal with Freeport, but would instead raise concerns over human rights
and environment issues.

Gelbard warned the government and other parties not to accuse US companies of
corruption in Indonesia, otherwise US investors will cancel or stop their
businesses here.

"I want to know if they [Indonesians] have any kind of proof, otherwise it is
dangerous to do this. No American companies will come here if they make any
kind of unsubstantiated allegations."

Gelbard also accused the Soeharto government of not sharing trillions of
rupiah in revenue from Freeport with people in Papua or Irian Jaya, where
locals have long demanded more profits from the US-based mining company.

"Freeport has paid almost US$1.3 billion in taxes, royalties and dividend to
the government of Indonesia over the past several years. I think maybe the
previous government did not give the money to the people of Papua," he said.

"That’s a very important question," the ambassador stressed.

PT Freeport Indonesia is an affiliate of US-based Freeport McMoRan Copper &
Gold Inc., headquartered in New Orleans.

--------------------

[Note: As far as Joyo knows, not one U.S. company has ever been prosecuted
under The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If the U.S. really wants to uncover
corruption by U.S. firms in Indonesia, why not set up a multi-million dollar
whistleblowers fund? This will never happen of course, as long as donations
by U.S. corporations (such as Freeport) and their lobbyists play such an
influencial role in paying for the campaigns by which U.S. politicians are
elected. Much also depends on one's definition of corruption. It's not
confined solely to cash in suitcases and bank transfers to numbered Swiss
bank accounts via proxies. Isn't giving Bob Hasan and Suharto a share of the
company a form of corruption? Isn't paying the military 'donations' to act as
a company's private army against local protesters classified as corruption?
If the U.S. Ambassador wants to hold Freeport up as a paragon of social and
environmental responsibility -- a model of exemplary U.S. corporate behavior
abroad -- he better be very careful indeed. He may end up biting off much
more than he can chew -- putting considerably more than his proverbial foot
in his mouth. Shouldn't Ambassador Gelbard and the U.S. government remain
neutral on Freeport? As one of the most politically connected US firms --
with the likes of Henry Kissinger, squads of high paid lawyers and PR experts
going to bat for its interests -- can't Freeport defend itself against
'unsubstantiated' accusations -- and not need to bring the full weight of the
US government to bear to push its interests at US taxpayer expense?]

==================================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Warnings of drug-resistant malaria
Date: 3/13/00 10:02:42 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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The Jakarta Post, Monday March 13, 2000
Warnings of drug-resistant malaria

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): With fear of a malaria
outbreak high on people's minds due to the climatic shift
from the wet to the dry season, a scientist specializing
malaria treatment warned that the common drugs used may
no longer be effective in treating the illness.

Gene mutation expert Syarifuddin cautioned that while
there had yet to be indisputable evidence, there was a
worrying trend that the medication normally used to treat
malaria would be ineffective due to the resistance or gene
mutation of the bacteria.

Syarifuddin pointed out that this trend was based on an
assumption taken from a recent study conducted in several
areas across the country which found that medication used
for treating malaria was no longer effective.

He mentioned areas in South Sulawesi, Central Java, Irian
Jaya, East Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara where
research had found that the usual malaria medication had
not yielded maximum results.

"The medication doesn't work anymore because the
bacteria has undergone gene mutation ... There is
resistance once the medicine is consumed by a human,"
Syarifuddin explained.

Syarifuddin said he arrived at the conclusion after
thorough research under the Eijkman Research Center and
the America-Indonesia Medical Resources (AIMR) using
the method of biology molecular technique for malaria.

"Almost 100 percent of malaria patients tested across the
country find their illness is resistant to croloquin
(krolokuin) which is made from quinine, because the
malaria bacteria had also undergone an almost 90 percent
gene alteration," he explained.

Besides gene mutation, irregular usage or an overdose of
drugs used to treat malaria is also a factor to people not
responding to the drugs, he said.

Syarifuddin suggested that the use of croloquin be
combined with tetracycline to balance the bacteria's
mutation process. (27/edt)


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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==================================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] resettlement of W. Papua's Komoro tribe
Date: 3/13/00 9:55:03 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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From: TAPOL via reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

(IRJA.org note: This relocation is not the first of its kind. In 1989 the
government tried to move a number of tribes from East of Wamena to the
lowlands North west of Wamena. This included Yali, Hupla, Kimyal and Momina
tribes. They wanted to settle them in square houses in rows in the
lowlands. Many people died who were not used to malaria or that way of
life. The move failed)

Title: INDONESIA: 'Modern' Way of Life Brings Insecurity for Native Folk

By Kafil Yamin

TIMIKA, Indonesia, Feb 29 (IPS) - Their houses will be brand new,
and they will be together in a 95-hectare enclave carved out of
the lush jungle in eastern Indonesia.

But the sense of loss is palpable among the Komoro tribe, which
has already seen its traditional domain shrink and its ways altered
by outsiders in the last three decades.

Now members of the tribe, indigenous to the Timika district of the
province of Papua which used to be called Irian Jaya, is about to
be resettled in a modern community, courtesy of a giant mining
company that has all but taken over the area.

Abraham Zainuddin, officer for the relocation project, does not
deny that the move will be a major transformation for the Komoro.
''Now they have to stick to one place, do farming in their backyards,
do washing in their washing room,'' he told IPS. ''These (activities)
are not yet familiar to them. It will take much time.''

Indeed, even though they are known as a settled tribe, the Komoro
are semi-nomadic, roaming the lowlands of Timika with a radius
reaching as far as 630 kilometres.

The concept of staying put in the settlement provided by the mining
firm is therefore novel for the tribe, some 300 members or about
87 families of which will be affected by the operations of PT
Freeport Indonesia gold and copper mining company.

But Zainuddin hints that the Komoro may still be better off in the
new settlement. He says the Komoro had been dependent on three 'S's
-- sampan (boat), sungai (river) and sagu (sago) -- that have been
disappearing gradually due to the construction of the tailings
disposal site of the PT Freeport.

PT Freeport, a subsidiary 85 percent owned by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan
Copper and Gold Inc., has been running a huge mining concession in
the Irian Jaya inland of Tembagapura since 1967.

But it was not until 1988, when the so-called Grasberg deposit of
copper which was discovered here in Timika that the company expanded
its operations and accelerated its activities.

PT-FI has since channeled its mine tailings into the Agawagon River,
which flows from the mill site to the Ajkwa disposal site in the
lowlands.

According to the company, the disposal of the tailings is controlled
through a levee system, making possible future revegetation and
reclamation. Critics say this has resulted in the dumping of huge
amounts of waste -- more than 200,000 tonnes -- into the Ajkwa
river river system daily.

The tailings nevertheless severely affect life up to 250 square
kilometres from the end of the mine.

The mine expansion and construction of the Ajkwa disposal site
affected areas grown with the sago palm that is part of the Komoro
traditional diet, as well as made inaccessible parts of the
traditional fishing grounds of the tribe.

The new settlement of the Komoro is actually PT Freeport's way of
compensating the tribe for all the troubles it has caused it. The
Komoro were aided by Sejati Foundation, a non-government organisation
(NGO) that works to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, in
the negotiations with the company.

To be sure, the Komoro are not the only indigenous peoples in the
areas affected by the mining company's activities. There is also
the Amungme tribe, which occupied highland villages, and many of
them have been protesting against the mine's effects on the local
environment and culture. The Komoro had stayed along the coast.

When PT-FI first arrived in the area, fewer than 1,000 people lived
there, most of them Kamoro and Amungme.

But the discovery of the Grasberg deposit in the glacier-capped
mountains in the area led to intense economic activity that attracted
other indigenous Irianese tribes and more than 20,000 transmigrants
relocated from other islands under a programme sponsored by Jakarta.

Today, the population of Timika and Tembagapura is some 70,000.
The entire Papua population stands at some 1.8 million people,
divided almost equally between indigenous people and non-indigenous
residents.

NGO workers note that for all the money-making activities going on
here, it is ironic that food has become more and more of a problem
for both the Kamoro and the Amungme.

After they could no longer use their fishing grounds, both tribes
began to feel a scarcity in sago. In fairness, PT Freeport, in
cooperation with the central government of Indonesia, was quick to
supply tonnes of rice when the problem became acute in 1997.

Then former President Suharto even sent 'tiwul' (dried cassava
cake) as a substitute for the indigenous diet, but the gesture drew
wide criticism.

In time, the Kamoro and the Amungme have become more dependent on
rice, which is now being dispatched from Java and South Sulawesi.

Observes Yen Darussalam, project officer of the Timika Integrated
Development: ''There had never been a food crisis in the past.
People here roamed around the forest to collect sago and fruits.''

''Now, many of the food resources have disappeared and they have
to consume staple food which is not their own,'' he says.
''Development has changed the pattern of their consumption.''

Although the older members of the tribes consume a combination of
sago and rice, the younger ones are total rice eaters.

Still, rice cultivation has yet to become part of tribal activities.
Data at the Papua Logistics Office reveal that some 1,500 tonnes
of rice are imported to Papua each month.

Meanwhile, Jakarta has called for food diversification, saying that
Indonesians should find other staples besides rice because of
periodic supply depletion.

In fact, Indonesia has become one of the world's largest rice
importers as the economy suffered from its worst crisis in decades
beginning 1997. From April to December last year, the country
imported almost two million tonnes of rice. Since January, another
5,549 tonnes have been imported, say customs officials.
(END/IPS/ap-dv-en/ky/ccb/00)

Origin: Rome/INDONESIA/
----

[c] 2000, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: Freeport Indon Sets Aside US$150 Million for Land Reclamation
Date: 3/13/00 5:58:38 PM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News


Freeport Indonesia Sets Aside US$150 MLN for Land Reclamation

JAKARTA, March 13 Antara/Asia Pulse - Copper and gold mining company PT
Freeport Indonesia, that operates in Papua, formerly Irian Jaya, has set
aside US$150 million to rehabilitate 23,000 hectares of the vast land and
forest devastation wrought by its tailing disposal areas, to start in 2016.

Total reclamation could start only after the company has stopped operations
in the Grasberg open pit mines, said Wisnu Susetyo, Freeport's environmental
department manager.

The state minister for the environent has said that Freeport's contract could
be revoked if it fails to observe the environmental preservation regulations.

Wisnu said Freeport had already started gradual reclamation of 75 hectares a
year, but only in certain areas outside those damaged by tailing.

"It would be useless to begin large scale reclamation now as the tailing
would continue to pass over the area until 2015," he said in Timika, Irian
Jaya.

He said with production 220,000 tons of mining material per day, Freeport
would turn out at least 212,000 tons of tailing.

Tailing volume would increase when the production capacity is raised to
300,000 tons as agreed upon with the government, he added.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

==================================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Fw: W Papua Independence Leader on relevance of East Timor
Date: 3/13/00 2:56:06 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
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From: To: < size=2>"undisclosed-recipients:;"@igc.apc.org
size=2>> Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 12:56 PM Subject: W Papua
Independence Leader on relevance of East Timor
also: Summaries of several recent Radio Australia reports for which
transcripts are not available

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Asia-Pacific Report
Monday, March 13, 2000

WEST PAPUA'S INDEPENDENCE LEADER URGES WAHID TO CONVENE MEETING

In West Papua, independence leaders are urging Indonesia's President
Abdurrahman Wahid to immediately convene a round table meeting to discuss
matters pertaining to independence, sovereignty and transfer of state powers.

Since East Timor's independence referendum .. West Papua, formerly known as
Irian Jaya, has been calling for a 1962 New York agreement to be revoked.

That agreement saw the transfer of the province from Dutch to Indonesian
control.

But West Papuan independence leaders say despite similarities with East
Timor, there are some some fundamental differences in their quest for
independence from Indonesia.

Jacob Rumbiak is a West Papuan independence fighter who was smuggled out of
Indonesia to Australia under U-N protection last September.

Tricia Fitgerald spoke to him.

A former pro-independence guerilla commander in West Papua, Mr Rumbiak was
jailed for ten years by Indonesia on sedition charges.

As a political prisoner, Mr Rumbiak forged close ties with fellow inmate
East
Timor leader, Xanana Gusmao.

Mr Rumbiak was released from a Jakarta Prison to house arrest following
former President Suharto's downfall last year.

Mr Rumbiak believes the violence that followed the East Timor referendum has
changed international opinion of Indonesia and could lead to support for a
review of the 1962 New York agreement that signed over his country from
Holland to Indonesia.

RUMBIAK: The independence result in East Timor has increased my hope that
the
US and UN will review the New York Agreement. However, the Papuans must also
be more active in lobbying the United States, UN and the Dutch.
Definitely, I
see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Definitely yes. The democratisation has increased our hope. But most of all,
with Abdurrahman Wahid and Amien Rais at the top, I believe, the 1966
electoral acts, on which the "Act of Free Choice" of West Papua was also
based, will be abolished.

FITZGERALD: He says the fact that the U-N backed an unjust settlement on the
handover of West Papua to Indonesia in the sixties, has meant its former
colonial power Holland hasn't assisted his people, in the way Portugal
assisted East Timorese people.

RUMBIAK: However, there are a number of differences here. First, different
to
the case of East Timor, Papuan independence has never been on the UN agenda.
They consider the Papuan issue as having been been settled and through the
New York Agreement of 1962.....end of story.....Papua has been integrated
into Indonesia.
Secondly, after Portugal left East Timor, Portugal was still directly
responsible for East Timor. And it was obvious too. Portugal successfully
established a network with other countries to build up very strong support
in
the United Nations.

That's not been the case with West Papua. The Dutch stopped and did nothing.

FITZGERALD: Mr Rumbiak says another crucial difference between his country
and East Timor, is that Indonesian backed village militia groups are
protecting rather than attacking West Papauan calling for independence.

He says West Papuan militias were in fact part of a group which attacked an
Indonesian police outpost just over a week ago, in retaliation for the
shooting of a West Papuan student by Indonesian forces.

RUMBIAK: The main difference is that first, the East Timorese militia so
carelessly killed their own people, while the West Papuan militia formed
with
their conscience still intact towards the Papuans.

As you could see in the recent incidents at Nabire, where a Papuan
university
student, a member of the student council of representatives, was shot by the
security force. Seeing this, a number of student task force, the militia,
even themself set up by the military, attacked the soldiers with their
traditional arrows. The soldiers fired back at the students. Three members
of
the student task force died and seven are now in hospital.

FITZGERALD: Mr Rumbiak says so far Indonesia hasn't been able to
successfully
divide West Papuans against each other as they did in East Timor.

He says the the 1998 formation of FORERI, an umbrella organisation, which
brings all levels of West Papuan society to push for independence, is
keeping
diviseness at bay.

RUMBIAK: About this "Foreri", first, may I say, that I myself often called
them a "moral force". Its members are from the Protestant, Catholic,
Adventist, and Pentacostal churches, also from the Islamic faith,
intellectuals, traditional and modern women's group, and traditional tribal
leaders. They hold a very strong social control and have many branches, even
to the most remote areas. Not only do they have strong controls, but they
are
also called to protect the people and to act as a forum between the
government and the Papuans.

So, Foreri is formed to protect not only Papuans but also all people from
outside Papua, including the soldiers. I found that so far Forere is strong
enough to control various groups including the militias which is going to be
formed, and give advice to the govenment and the people.

FITZGERALD: Mr Rumbiak says he's hopeful last years violence in East Timor
has shocked the world and put seperatist struggles in West Papua and Achae,
on the international agenda.

And he says with the election of a West Papuan independence leader due in
April, their fight will gain momentum.

RUMBIAK: It might well be that the UN and US have changed their opinions,
now
that they see Indonesia has produced nothing after 32 years in East Timor.
They might think of reviewing the 1962 New York Agreement. It was the US
that
influenced the Dutch to make the agreement with Indonesia. I see that as a
peace agreement between Indonesia and the Dutch, but the repercussions had
to
be born by the Papuans. I think now, they are wise enough to review the
agreement to conduct the "Act of Free Choice" which in practice gave the
Papuans the "Act of NO Choice".+++

---------------------------

Summaries of several recent Radio Australia reports for which transcripts
are
not available:

Future of organised labour in Indonesia remains in doubt.

But first to Indonesia, where the government has approved a large payrise
for
its public servants, including an 80-percent hike for President Abdurrahman
Wahid. The increase will be delivered across the board to more than four
million government workers. But the decision comes amid widespread hardship,
with Indonesia's trade unions saying many are struggling to make ends meet.
As Indonesia strains to emerge from economic calamity, workers are now
banding together in a plethora of national, regional and plant-level
organisations ... some officially registered, most not. Two years ago in
Indonesia, there was one legal trade union...the SPSI...led by a leading
official of the ruling Golkar Party. But today, freed from the shackles of
Suharto's New Order era, there's been an explosion in union activity. Yet
for
all the colour and movement, the future of organised labour remains very
much
in doubt, as Tom Fayle
reports.

Aceh Merdeka renews its veiled threats against Indonesian forces.

Separatist rebels in Indonesia's northwest province of Aceh have threatened
international oil giant, Mobil and other companies operating in the
province.
The Aceh Merdeka or Free Aceh group says it will attack Indonesian soldiers
used as company guards, and if facilities or staff get in the way - it's not
the rebel's responsibility. It's the latest in a series of veiled threats,
which largely haven't been carried out. But as Di Martin reports, a recent
grenade attack against a paper firm indicates the rebels may be toughening
their position ... or at least wanting to appear that way.

Australia must discard its focus on defence of the continent.

Following its military experience in East Timor, Australia is embarking on
an
intense debate on future security policy. The Australian Government is set
to
release a discussion paper on defence -- a green paper -- to be followed
later this year by a White paper, setting out defence policies for the next
decade. But ahead of these documents, the lobby group, Australia Defence
Association, has released its own discussion paper. The private paper has
been welcomed by Defence Minister, John Moore, who says the Government will
take it into account when preparing its policy statements. The executive
director of the Defence Association, Michael O'Connor, told Graeme Dobell
that Australia must discard its focus on defence of the continent, because
it
ignores regional interests.

The reluctant leader of East Timor's people

In East Timor, Xanana Gusmao is the nation's reluctant leader. He has spoken
of his unwillingness to become this new nation's first President. But his is
the one unmistakeable face. He is the one person that commands respect
across
the board and whether he likes it or not, he remains the people's choice for
President. Ginny Stein reports on the calming role that Xanana played
recently during the visit of Indonesia's President Wahid.




KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: [wpapua] resettlement of W. Papua's Komoro tribe thanks to Freeport
Date: 3/13/00 5:06:46 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Title: INDONESIA: 'Modern' Way of Life Brings Insecurity for Native Folk

By Kafil Yamin

TIMIKA, Indonesia, Feb 29 (IPS) - Their houses will be brand new,
and they will be together in a 95-hectare enclave carved out of
the lush jungle in eastern Indonesia.

But the sense of loss is palpable among the Komoro tribe, which
has already seen its traditional domain shrink and its ways altered
by outsiders in the last three decades.

Now members of the tribe, indigenous to the Timika district of the
province of Papua which used to be called Irian Jaya, is about to
be resettled in a modern community, courtesy of a giant mining
company that has all but taken over the area.

Abraham Zainuddin, officer for the relocation project, does not
deny that the move will be a major transformation for the Komoro.
''Now they have to stick to one place, do farming in their backyards,
do washing in their washing room,'' he told IPS. ''These (activities)
are not yet familiar to them. It will take much time.''

Indeed, even though they are known as a settled tribe, the Komoro
are semi-nomadic, roaming the lowlands of Timika with a radius
reaching as far as 630 kilometres.

The concept of staying put in the settlement provided by the mining
firm is therefore novel for the tribe, some 300 members or about
87 families of which will be affected by the operations of PT
Freeport Indonesia gold and copper mining company.

But Zainuddin hints that the Komoro may still be better off in the
new settlement. He says the Komoro had been dependent on three 'S's
-- sampan (boat), sungai (river) and sagu (sago) -- that have been
disappearing gradually due to the construction of the tailings
disposal site of the PT Freeport.

PT Freeport, a subsidiary 85 percent owned by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan
Copper and Gold Inc., has been running a huge mining concession in
the Irian Jaya inland of Tembagapura since 1967.

But it was not until 1988, when the so-called Grasberg deposit of
copper which was discovered here in Timika that the company expanded
its operations and accelerated its activities.

PT-FI has since channeled its mine tailings into the Agawagon River,
which flows from the mill site to the Ajkwa disposal site in the
lowlands.

According to the company, the disposal of the tailings is controlled
through a levee system, making possible future revegetation and
reclamation. Critics say this has resulted in the dumping of huge
amounts of waste -- more than 200,000 tonnes -- into the Ajkwa
river river system daily.

The tailings nevertheless severely affect life up to 250 square
kilometres from the end of the mine.

The mine expansion and construction of the Ajkwa disposal site
affected areas grown with the sago palm that is part of the Komoro
traditional diet, as well as made inaccessible parts of the
traditional fishing grounds of the tribe.

The new settlement of the Komoro is actually PT Freeport's way of
compensating the tribe for all the troubles it has caused it. The
Komoro were aided by Sejati Foundation, a non-government organisation
(NGO) that works to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, in
the negotiations with the company.

To be sure, the Komoro are not the only indigenous peoples in the
areas affected by the mining company's activities. There is also
the Amungme tribe, which occupied highland villages, and many of
them have been protesting against the mine's effects on the local
environment and culture. The Komoro had stayed along the coast.

When PT-FI first arrived in the area, fewer than 1,000 people lived
there, most of them Kamoro and Amungme.

But the discovery of the Grasberg deposit in the glacier-capped
mountains in the area led to intense economic activity that attracted
other indigenous Irianese tribes and more than 20,000 transmigrants
relocated from other islands under a programme sponsored by Jakarta.

Today, the population of Timika and Tembagapura is some 70,000.
The entire Papua population stands at some 1.8 million people,
divided almost equally between indigenous people and non-indigenous
residents.

NGO workers note that for all the money-making activities going on
here, it is ironic that food has become more and more of a problem
for both the Kamoro and the Amungme.

After they could no longer use their fishing grounds, both tribes
began to feel a scarcity in sago. In fairness, PT Freeport, in
cooperation with the central government of Indonesia, was quick to
supply tonnes of rice when the problem became acute in 1997.

Then former President Suharto even sent 'tiwul' (dried cassava
cake) as a substitute for the indigenous diet, but the gesture drew
wide criticism.

In time, the Kamoro and the Amungme have become more dependent on
rice, which is now being dispatched from Java and South Sulawesi.

Observes Yen Darussalam, project officer of the Timika Integrated
Development: ''There had never been a food crisis in the past.
People here roamed around the forest to collect sago and fruits.''

''Now, many of the food resources have disappeared and they have
to consume staple food which is not their own,'' he says.
''Development has changed the pattern of their consumption.''

Although the older members of the tribes consume a combination of
sago and rice, the younger ones are total rice eaters.

Still, rice cultivation has yet to become part of tribal activities.
Data at the Papua Logistics Office reveal that some 1,500 tonnes
of rice are imported to Papua each month.

Meanwhile, Jakarta has called for food diversification, saying that
Indonesians should find other staples besides rice because of
periodic supply depletion.

In fact, Indonesia has become one of the world's largest rice
importers as the economy suffered from its worst crisis in decades
beginning 1997. From April to December last year, the country
imported almost two million tonnes of rice. Since January, another
5,549 tonnes have been imported, say customs officials.
(END/IPS/ap-dv-en/ky/ccb/00)

Origin: Rome/INDONESIA/
----

[c] 2000, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS)
All rights reserved

May not be reproduced, reprinted or posted to any system or
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permission from IPS. This limitation includes distribution
via Usenet News, bulletin board systems, mailing lists,
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posting, send a message to . For
information about print or broadcast reproduction please
contact the IPS coordinator at .


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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

==================================================================================

Subj: Indon Should Review Freeport Contract: Soemitro Djojohadikusumo
Date: 3/11/00 2:36:17 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org
CC: plovers@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Indonesia Should Review Freeport Contract:Soemitro

JAKARTA, March 10 Asia Pulse - The request by Freeport McMoran's Commissioner
Henry Kissinger that the government not amend PT Freeport Indonesia's
contract of work would be against Indonesia's interest, said Indonesia's
senior economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo.

The one-time US Secretary of State should also think of the Indonesian
people's interest, because a collapse of the Indonesian people would also
mean Freeport's fall, Soemitro said Thursday.

Freeport Indonesia's contract of work on gold mining in Irian Jaya should be
renewed (sic! reviewed?) because it is no longer in tune with current
conditions, he said.

The condition when the document was signed in 1966 was quite different from
current circumstances, Soemitro said.

He said Kissinger is an intelligent person, but he must also realize that the
contract of work not only covers business, but political and social aspects
as well.

"The Indonesian government should have said (to Kissinger) 'you must think of
my people, not yours'", Sumitro said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: Nostromo: Henry and Gus, with Jim Bob too!
Date: 3/11/00 5:40:29 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

HENRY AND GUS - and JIM BOB TOO!
Nostromo Research, 7 March 2000

Henry Kissinger's newfound role as political advisor to Gus Dur is
perhaps more a reflection on the Indonesian president's distasteful
political pragmatism, than on any new role being performed by the former
US Secretary of State. After all, it's not Kissinger who's changing his
colours, or sense of priorities. He's always been a fixer for US
interests, believing the country's commercial and political aspirations
to be virtually synonymous. As one of his strongst critics, liberal
democrat Congressman Stephen Solarz, put it in 1989 after Kissinger was
accused of endorsing China's brutal massacre of protestors in Tianamen
Square, for personal gain: "Dr Kissinger has always defended oppressive
dictatorships, whether or not he had a financial stake in them"

This is not to minimise the importance of Freeport McMoran and
Britiain's Rio Tinto (joint shareholders with Indonesian interests in
the huge Grasberg copper-gold mine in Papua) now having one of
Freeport's key directors, and its longstanding chief advisor, holding
hands with the leader of the world's fourth largest state, and one of
its biggest potential markets. But we mustn't forget that, through his
eponymous consultancy, Kissinger Associates, the wily doctor has for
fifteen years conscientiously served the interests of around another 20
leading US companies, and a select band of European and Asian
corporations. These include AIG - America's biggest private insurance
underwriter and provider of commercial political risk insurance for
industrial projects (like Freeport-Rio Tinto's Grasberg mine in Papua);
ABB, one of the world's largest engineering contractors for
controversial hydro dams; Union Carbide, the company which killed and
disabled thousands of inhabitants of the Indian city of Bhopal; and
Britain's Midland Bank - before it got taken over by the Chinese HSBC
two years ago.


Kissinger's association with Freeport's chair, the crass and ebullient
James ("Jim Bob") Moffett, goes back to 1989, when he tried
unsuccessfully to broker a deal for the Louisiana-based oil, gas and
minerals conglomerate in Burma. This was just after the SLORC military
junta crushed the country's democracy movement. In March 1991 Jim Bob
was flying into Jakarta with Kissinger at his side, to sign the contract
which would allow Freeport to expand Grasberg into the biggest and most
destructive mine on earth. Not only had the ex-Secretary of State
provided Moffett with an analysis of Indonesia's likely future over the
following twenty years (sic); he was also accompanied on this trip by
former undersecretay of State, William D Rogers, and former US
ambassador to Indonesia, John Holdridge - another old pal, who had
served under Kissinger on the National Security Council.

By the early nineties, Kissinger Associates was raking in more than half
a millon dollars a year from Freeport in consultancy fees and retainers,
in addition to Henry's modest US$30,000 director's compensation for his
service on the company board. Three years ago, the US government agency,
OPIC, withdrew its political risk insurance cover from the Grasberg mine
- on environmental and human rights grounds. At this point Kissinger
earned another fillip from Jim Bob Moffett, when he personally
intervened with OPIC's other customers, urgng them to pressure the
agency into reversing its bold decision Within a year, the agency had
caved in. But, even if the move had backfired, Kissinger couldn't have
been held liable: locked into his contract with Freeport is a clause
which indemnifies him and holds him "harmless" for any bad advice he may
give.

It's tempting to see "Dr Death" (the unflattering sobriquet Kissinger
was given by student protestors at his prosecution of the US war on
Vietnam) now adopting a similar partisan role for Freeport as Gus Dur's
new political advisor. However, this would be to underestimate not only
Dr K's political skills, but also his ideological "mission": to implant
the values of a US-led free market economy among any national leadership
with which he deals. To this end, he will certainly support the
interests of individual companies which empy him - but they could just
as well be Indonesian, Korean or Chinese, as US-based. While he will
never endorse the further "break up" of Indonesia, he may yet counsel
the speeding up of a grant of autonomy to Papua, accompanied by
increased foreign investment, as the best means of defusing the growing
independence movement there. Nor is it beyond him to persuade his fellow
members on the Freeport board, to modify the company's hitherto
aggressive stance against domestic Indonesian critics and actively
redress the environmental and human rights abuses for which it's been
responsble..

In the short term, Gus Dur may think he's got the better part of the
bargain, by taking on the world's best known political "fixer". For his
part, Jim Bob Moffett must be chuckling all the way to the bank. In the
longer term, however- and like all passionate idealogues - Kissinger
plays it by his own rules. We can't say we haven't been warned.

copyright: Nostromo Research, March 7 2000

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=======================================================

Subj: Indon military vows to take harsh action on Papua separatists
Date: 3/10/00 4:04:20 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Indonesian Observer
10th March 2000

Police, military vow to take action on Papua separatists

JAKARTA (IO) — The National Police and the Military yesterday vowed to take
harsh action against any separatist movements made by Papuan groups that plan
to set up a new state within the country.

The vow was made yesterday by West Papua Police Chief, Brigadier General
Wenas, following statements from separatist leaders Theys Eluay and Don Flasi
that they will establish a transitional government on May.

The transitional government is part of the preparation for an independence
declaration on December 1.

Trikora Military Commander, Brigadier A. Inkiriwang, endorsed the statement,
saying that the military will also take harsh action against any groups that
want to declare independence. Earlier the two institutions had been
criticized over their reluctance to crack down on separatist movements in the
province.

Even though there are groups in West Papua that often organize
separatism-oriented activities, such as the hoisting of Free Papua’s flag,
security forces do not ban these activities.

The police chief said the hoisting of Free Papua’s flag will not be banned as
long as the people do not take down the national red and white flag.

But the police will take strong action against plans to declare a
transitional government because such a move could lead to the establishment
of an independent country.

Papuans assembly

The Papuans recently held a gathering from February 23-25 in the province’s
capital of Jayapura.

Sources told Antara that the assembly had concluded with seven decisions.

The Papuans also plan to hold a congress on April as a follow up to the
assembly.

They said that whether or not the security forces allow the congress, it will
be organized to go ahead.

Papuan leaders will on May 1 announce the establishment of the transitional
government.

The transitional government is tasked to gradually take over power from
Indonesia between May and November 2000. And then on December 1, the Papuans
will declare independence.

Earlier the issue was denied by security forces, but following the
announcement from Theys Eluay and Don Flasi that the Papuans will set up a
transitional government, the police and military chief’s responded.

Speaking separately to the press, West Papuan Administration Secretary Progo
Nurjaman said the performance of the local administration is now decreasing
due to the many demonstrations staged in the area.

Hundreds of officials also plan to move from the province. They feel
threatened by the increasing number of demonstrations.

This has caused disturbance to development projects in the province. The
worsening security condition has become the main factor causing the exodus of
state officials from the province, said Progo.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

=======================================================

Subj: Defense minister wants NGOs audited over violence
Date: 3/9/00 10:45:46 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org
CC: slliem@xs4all.nl, dtecampaign@gn.apc.org, dte@gn.apc.org

Indonesian Observer
9th March 2000

Defense minister wants NGOs audited over violence

JAKARTA (IO) — Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says all non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) should be independently audited, because there are signs
that some of the recent bloody violence in various parts of the country was
organized, provoked and funded by certain organizations.

He yesterday acknowledged that public opinion generally says security forces
must be held responsible for the bloody riots. “If the government, including
military and police officials, must be held responsible for the riots, we
also want NGOs to be audited transparently,” Juwono said during a meeting
with legislators at parliament.

He said thorough audits would reveal who has been giving money to NGOs, and
how the cash has been spent. He did not mention the identity of the suspected
NGOs.

Juwono said many NGOs often use human rights issues to disturb the Indonesian
government and to force it to take certain actions.

He said there are two aspects of human rights. “The first is that human
rights are a normal issue and have become the concern of the common people.
The second is that human rights has become an industry which is used by
foreign NGOs to disturb the government.” He said all people must seriously
consider the second aspect.

Commenting on speculation raised by some legislators that the US government
has tried to cause national disintegration in Indonesia by provoking riots in
the province of Aceh, Juwono said the US is trying to give equal attention to
regional problems in Indonesia.

“The US government is accused of paying excessive attention to the East Timor
problem. That is why the US government is now trying to give attention to
Aceh’s problems,” he said.

“If there is any indication that the US government has also provoked and
masterminded riots in Aceh province, we must anticipate this as early as
possible,” said Juwono, who has served as lecturer on international relations
at Jakarta’s University of Indonesia.

The defense minister reiterated that foreign institutions and countries use
human rights issues to dictate certain terms to the Indonesian government,
mainly relating to incidents in East Timor, Maluku and Aceh.

“We must dare to say there is a limit for any foreign countries to comment on
human rights issues, and we must dare to say there are issues which will be
handled only by the government,” he said.

Touching on the state of national defense, Juwono said the country’s
capabilities are not very good. He said the government should be aware of
that other countries in the region are spending more on defense.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=======================================================

Subj: Annan Announces Review Of UN Peacekeeping Operations
Date: 3/8/00 5:23:25 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Associated Press
March 7, 2000

[When will the UN carry out a review of its disastrous 'supervisory'
mission in West Papua in 1969 which
resulted in the West Papuan people being delivered lock, stock and barrel
to the mercies of the Suharto
New Order regime? TAPOL]

Annan Announces Review Of UN Peacekeeping Operations

UNITED NATIONS (AP)--Secretary-General Kofi Annan Tuesday announced a major
study of U.N. peace efforts aimed at preventing a repetition of the
"appalling failures" of the United Nations in Rwanda's genocide and a
massacre in Bosnia.

An eight-member panel will take a critical look at the whole range of U.N.
peace operations - past and present - from conflict prevention to observer
missions and military intervention operations, he said.

We need a clear set of recommendations on how to do better in future in the
whole range of U.N. activities in the area of peace and security, Annan told
a news conference.

The secretary-general said the study was "propelled forward much faster" by
recent highly critical reports he commissioned of the U.N. role in the 1994
Rwanda genocide and the 1995 fall of Srebrenica - when Annan headed the U.N.
peacekeeping department.

The United Nations was accused of ignoring evidence that a genocide was
planned in Rwanda and of abandoning the Rwandan people when it was underway.
It was also accused of failing to help save thousands of Bosnian Muslims from
a Serb mass murder in Srebrenica because of errors and misjudgment.

The United Nations is currently involved in 16 peacekeeping operations from
East Timor to Sierra Leone, each with a different mandate from the U.N.
Security Council. It is also involved in numerous diplomatic efforts aimed at
preventing or resolving conflicts, such as in Afghanistan and between
Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Annan recalled that when the reports on Srebrenica and Rwanda came out late
last year, he said "we must all do our utmost not to allow such horrors, and
especially such appalling failures by the United Nations, ever to happen
again."

"We must not promise too much, or raise expectations higher than are
justified by the will of governments to act," he said. "But we must do
whatever we can to raise the standards of international behavior and
responsibility. I think we can only hope to succeed in that if we have a very
clear idea of what has been wrong up to now."

There is a need to be clearer about what U.N. missions are trying to do, what
kind of forces are needed, and what to do when circumstances change - "for
instance if the peace you are trying to keep breaks down and large numbers of
civilians are in danger of being massacred," Annan said.

Annan said it was also important to get "the nuts and bolts" of peace
operations right, which the study will focus on, including U.N. planning and
organization, lines of command, coordination and accountability.

Former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi, who has been involved in
U.N. negotiations during conflicts and in running U.N. missions, will head
the panel. Its report will be issued in July and sent to leaders of the 188
U.N. member states to read before they come to New York for the Millennium
Summit in September, Annan said.

Brahimi told reporters the difficulties in U.N. peace-related operations come
either from mistakes or shortcomings that Annan is responsible for - or from
action or inaction by the Security Council and the international community.

"These are the problems - and these are the areas we have to look in," he
said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=======================================================

Subj: TAPOL Urgent Action: West Papua's self-determination must be realised
Date: 3/7/00 1:20:56 PM Central Standard Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk, indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk, andy@sumner93.freeserve.co.uk, robinr@quaker.org.uk

7 March 2000

TAPOL URGENT ACTION

WEST PAPUA'S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION MUST BE REALISED

'The strength of the Indonesian position lies in the fact that…they must
know that, even if there are protests about the way they go through the
motions of consultation, no other power is likely to conceive it as being
in their interests to intervene…I cannot imagine the US, Japanese, Dutch or
Australian Governments putting at risk their economic and political
relations with Indonesia on a matter of principle involving a relatively
small number of very primitive people.'
British diplomat, 1968

Despite the appalling violence and intimidation in East Timor last year,
there is no question that the UN was scrupulous in ensuring that the
administration of the 'popular consultation' was free and fair. The
contrast with the UN's shameful role in West Papua's 'Act of Free Choice'
in 1969 could not be more stark. The cynical betrayal of the West Papuan
people 30 years ago was one of the most shameful episodes in the UN's
chequered history.

A meeting from 23 to 26 February 2000 of the West Papuan Grand Assembly,
attended by 500 representatives from all over West Papua, rejected the
result of the 1969 Act because it was conducted in violation of the 1962
'New York Agreement' between the colonial power, the Netherlands, and
Indonesia, which stipulated that the act of self-determination 'must
conform with international practice'. 'The way in which the Indonesian
Government conducted the act of self-determination abolished the rights and
political freedoms of the West Papuan people, by means of political
intimidation, arrests, imprisonment and murder…by the military… The 1025
persons selected by Indonesia to take part…and secure victory for Indonesia
were a tiny group,…the majority of the people were subjected to
intimidation and were not given the right to vote,' the Assembly said.

It went on to say: 'After being integrated into Indonesia…we West Papuan
people…have been subjected to brutal and inhuman treatment, human rights
abuses, killings, rapes, ignorance, poverty and social injustice and have
been subjected to virtual ethnic and cultural genocide.'

The international community must now act to ensure the West Papuan people
are allowed a proper act of self-determination. The Dutch government has
already announced that it will review the 'Act of Free Choice'.

The 1969 Act took place seven years after Indonesia had taken control of
West Papua under the 'New York Agreement'. The West Papuan people were not
consulted. In 1968, The UN set up a team led by Bolivian diplomat,
Fernando Ortiz Sanz to 'assist, advise and participate' in the Act. In the
event, there was nothing free about the Act and the UN simply connived at
Indonesia's shameless manipulation of the outcome.

Indonesia was determined to prevent a free vote and Western powers, by
then rapidly expanding their economic ties with Indonesia's military
dictator, General Suharto, were not minded to stand in the way.

The Act involved 1,025 hand-picked 'tribal chiefs' out of a population of
800,000, who were forced to decide at gunpoint that their country should
become part of Indonesia. The British Government was well aware of what
went on. A foreign office briefing to the UK mission at the UN said: 'The
Indonesians took great care to ensure, in all ways open to them, that the
chosen representative would vote in favour of West Irian [as it was then
known] remaining in Indonesia.'

In the UN General Assembly, several African countries condemned the
exercise. The Ghanaian delegate denounced it as 'a travesty of democracy
and justice', but with little further discussion, the General Assembly
simply voted to 'take note' of the Secretary-General's report that the
people of West Papua had opted unanimously to remain with Indonesia. This
led to West Papua's removal from the UN agenda and its delivery lock, stock
and barrel to the mercy of the Indonesian military regime.

After the international community decided to avert its eyes from West Papua
in 1969, a veil of secrecy fell over the country and information about the
widespread abuses of human rights reached the outside world only
sporadically. It is no exaggeration to say that tens of thousands have
been killed and abused. Action must now be taken to end the injustice
meted out to the West Papuan people.

ACTION NEEDED

Please ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 475 on West Papua (see below)
and call on the Government (either write to your MP at House of Commons
London SW1A OAA or the Foreign Secretary at Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH) to:

· Recognise that the inalienable right of the people of West Papua to
self-determination has not yet been realised in accordance with
international law.
· Work for the reinstatement of West Papua on the UN's agenda of
non-self-governing territories and for a referendum on the territory's
future ties with Indonesia to be conducted under internationally accepted
conditions.
· Apply pressure on Indonesia to enter into meaningful dialogue with West
Papuan representatives to seek democratic and peaceful solutions to their
grievances.
· Apply pressure on Indonesia to end military repression and state violence
in the territory and to ensure that all those responsible for human rights
violations are made accountable for their crimes before an independent and
impartial tribunal.


EDM 475: West Papua

This House recalls that in August 1969 an 'Act of Free Choice' ('the Act')
took place in the former Dutch colonial territory now known as West Papua
or Papua, then under Indonesian administration, which was intended to be an
act of self-determination conforming with 'international practice'; further
recalls that the Act in fact involved an unrepresentative group of 1,025
persons selected by Indonesia voting under duress to become part of
Indonesia; is concerned that the Act was not free and fair and was not a
proper act of self-determination in accordance with international law;
notes that in December 1999 the Government of the Netherlands agreed to
investigate the circumstances under which West Papua was incorporated into
Indonesia; further notes that in February 2000 the Grand Assembly of West
Papua, comprising representatives from across the territory, voted to
reject the result of the Act because it did not conform with international
practice and took place amidst intimidation and murder by the Indonesian
military; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to recognise that the
inalienable right of the people of West Papua to self-determination has not
yet been realised in accordance with international law and to press the UN
to investigate the Act with a view to carrying out a proper act of self
determination in the territory; and further calls upon Her Majesty's
Government to press the Government of Indonesia to enter into meaningful
dialogue with West Papuan representatives to seek peaceful and democratic
solutions to their grievances.

**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 1420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia,
East Timor, West Papua and Aceh, 1973-1999

=======================================================

Subj: Freeport deal still open to change: Sonny
Date: 3/7/00 5:37:54 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
March 07, 2000

Freeport deal still open to change: Sonny

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of the Environment Sonny Keraf said on Monday
that the mining contract between the government and PT Freeport Indonesia
remained open to change, pending the results of an environmental audit of the
company.

Sonny said there remained the possibility of the government reviewing or
renegotiating the deal if a joint team comprising officials from his office
and the Ministry of Mines and Energy found the contract was flawed.

"No final decision has been made yet. The status of the contract is now
pending the outcome of the examination conducted by the interministerial
team," he told The Jakarta Post.

Sonny was responding to a comment by Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab,
who said the government had rejected calls for amendments to the contract
because it would undermine the country's legal certainty and discourage
foreign investors from entering Indonesia.

Sonny recommended the government amend article 26 of the contract, which
requires that the giant gold and copper mining company safeguard and insure
the sustainability of the environment surrounding its site.

He said the team was gathering data and verifying Freeport's own audit of
environmental conditions and the community development around its mining site
in Irian Jaya. The verification is expected to be completed within three
months.

A team set up by the National Environmental Management Agency, which he
chairs, will soon visit the company, a subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan Copper
& Gold of the United States.

An environmental audit on the company by independent consultant
Montgomery-Watson last year described Freeport's environmental protection
program as exemplary, but Sonny said the audit was incomplete.

Freeport has come under fire for allegedly causing human rights abuses and
environmental damage during its more than 30-year operation in Irian Jaya.

Sonny shrugged off former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger's warning
that Indonesia should honor its contract with Freeport, saying it was
unnecessary for the government to comply with the deal if it was inequitable.

Kissinger, who is also a member of Freeport McMoRan's board of directors, met
with President Abdurrahman Wahid last week. (01/dja)



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subj: W. Papuans demand investigation into Nabire incident
Date: 3/7/00 5:38:10 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Indonesian Observer
March 7, 2000

[This account gives a much higher number of deaths than previously
mentioned in reports about the events in Nabire. We are checking to
discover whether these figures are accurate. TAPOL]

Papuans urge investigation into Nabire incident

JAKARTA (IO) — A group of West Papuan people yesterday staged a demonstration
at Parliament building, urging the government to launch an investigation into
the bloody incident in the district of Nabire. The incident , on February 28,
caused the deaths of 12 people.

In a statement read out by a protester, the West Papuans urged the government
to disclose the incident within the next two weeks.

They also urged that legislators set up an investigating team to deal with
human rights abuses in Papua and bring those involved in the abuses to court.
"If either the military or the police ignore this demand, we call on
legislators from Papua to resign," said the protester, amid chanting of
slogans by fellow.

The Nabire incident took place when dozens of Papuans held a mass gathering
outside the Nabire district police office. They urged the police to release a
resident Aten Dimi, detained by the police.

But on the way to the police office, they were blocked by a police mobile
brigade. Some of the police officials confiscated arrows brought by some of
the protesters and the situation grew tense. A student from the
Administration College Menase Erari, who tried to calm down the situation,
was killed.

Following the shooting of Menase Erari, the situation in Nabire was even more
tense until March 4. At least 12 people were killed during the incident and
15 others seriously wounded and hospitalized.

At yesterday’s demonstration, the protesters refuted claims that the incident
was prompted by a planned attack by the Papuan community against the police.
They said the Papuans brought arrows to the demonstration in Nabire because
arrows are symbol of masculinity. "Wherever the Papuans go, they carry
arrows," the protester said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

=======================================================

Subj: Freeport deal still open to change: Sonny
Date: 3/7/00 5:37:54 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
March 07, 2000

Freeport deal still open to change: Sonny

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of the Environment Sonny Keraf said on Monday
that the mining contract between the government and PT Freeport Indonesia
remained open to change, pending the results of an environmental audit of the
company.

Sonny said there remained the possibility of the government reviewing or
renegotiating the deal if a joint team comprising officials from his office
and the Ministry of Mines and Energy found the contract was flawed.

"No final decision has been made yet. The status of the contract is now
pending the outcome of the examination conducted by the interministerial
team," he told The Jakarta Post.

Sonny was responding to a comment by Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab,
calls for amendments to the contract
who said the government had rejected because it would undermine the country's legal certainty and discourage
foreign investors from entering Indonesia.

Sonny recommended the government amend article 26 of the contract, which
requires that the giant gold and copper mining company safeguard and insure
the sustainability of the environment surrounding its site.

He said the team was gathering data and verifying Freeport's own audit of
environmental conditions and the community development around its mining site
in Irian Jaya. The verification is expected to be completed within three
months.

A team set up by the National Environmental Management Agency, which he
chairs, will soon visit the company, a subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan Copper
& Gold of the United States.

An environmental audit on the company by independent consultant
Montgomery-Watson last year described Freeport's environmental protection
program as exemplary, but Sonny said the audit was incomplete.

Freeport has come under fire for allegedly causing human rights abuses and
environmental damage during its more than 30-year operation in Irian Jaya.

Sonny shrugged off former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger's warning
that Indonesia should honor its contract with Freeport, saying it was
unnecessary for the government to comply with the deal if it was inequitable.

Kissinger, who is also a member of Freeport McMoRan's board of directors, met
with President Abdurrahman Wahid last week. (01/dja)

=======================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Police's Brimob won't quit Nabire
Date: 3/7/00 8:36:58 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

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The Jakarta Post.com
Across the Archipelago
March 07, 2000
Police's Brimob won't quit Nabire

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Despite mounting protest, Irian Jaya Police
chief Brig. Gen. S.Y. Wenas said on Monday he would maintain the
presence of the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in the riot-torn
Nabire.

Wenas said that Brimob would not be withdrawn "because they were
sent here to maintain security and order".

"If the situation in Nabire worsens, many more Brimob troops will be
sent here," he said, responding to the people's demand to withdraw
Brimob from Nabire following a recent deadly clash which claimed
four lives.

He also said that Brimob troops were also assigned to arrest the
provocateurs, referring to Willem Wanimwarba who was shot dead for
allegedly provoking Nabire people to attack police officers last
week. (eba)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
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=======================================================

Subj: Papua Demands a Stake in Freeport Indonesia
Date: 3/6/00 2:27:42 PM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

also: Freeport Contract Must be Amended: Indonesian Minister

Papua Demands a Stake in Freeport Indonesia

JAKARTA, March 6 Antara/Asia Pulse - The regional administration of Papua has
called for amendment of the working contract of PT Freeport Indonesia to
include the province as a shareholder in the U.S. company.

Papua Governor Freddy Numberi said the amendment could put an end to frequent
disputes between the local people and copper and gold mining company.

Freeport, which has been operated in Papua, formerly Irian Jaya since 1968,
has been accused of damaging the environment and robbing the local people of
their traditional land.

"It is important for the regional administration to have the amendment to
prepare for the government's plan of extending autonomy to the regions,"
Numberi, who is concurrently state minister for the empowerment of state
apparatuses, said.

Numberi said it was not fair if the regional administrations had no share in
the companies exploiting their natural wealth.

Herman Afif Kusumo, chairman of the Indonesian association of mining experts,
supports the call made by the Papua governor.

Herman said the amendment proposed by the regional administration would give
the local people a sense of resposibility to protect the company as coowner.

------------------

Freeport Contract Must be Amended: Indonesian Minister

JAKARTA, March 6 Asia Pulse/Antara - The work contract of US gold and copper
mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia with the Indonesian government must be
amended as it is no longer compatible with the current situation and
conditions in the country, State Administrative Reform Minister Freddy
Numbery says.

"We can amend it because the contract contains a clause providing for the
possibility. We need an amendment that will benefit both the government and
Freeport," said Numbery who is also governor of Irian Jaya where Freeport's
mines are located.

One of the articles in the contract that needed to be altered was that about
participation of the Irian Jaya regional administration in the company's
equity, he said.

"During the 30 years Freeport has been operating in Irian Jaya, the local
government was never given a share in the company," the minister said.

Until now US-based Freeport McMorran controlled 80 percent of Freeport
Indonesia shares while the remaining 20 percent was held by the central
government and several businessmen.

The contract should further have a new clause, namely one requiring the
company to contribute to the empowerment of local human resources, Numbery
said.

"We hope with the regional administration also having a stake in the company,
Freeport will be more seriously committed to efforts to uplift the local
people. They would then be able to work in the company not only as clerks but
also have a chance to rise to managerial positions," Numbery said.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Indonesian Mining Experts' Association Herman Afif
said public demand for the amendment of Freeport's contract showed that the
people living around the company's concession area had been treated unfairly.

"It also shows that the central government's policies regarding Freeport have
not properly accommodated the local people's aspirations," Afif said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

======================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Various: Freeport and Nabire
Date: 3/5/00 4:58:14 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
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The Jakarta Post.com
Across the Archipelago
March 06, 2000
Business resumes in Nabire

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Economic activity in Nabire regency showed
signs of recovery on Saturday after almost a week of total
standstill due to rioting, police said.

Nabire Police chief Lt. Col. Faizal A.N. said in a telephone
interview that order had been restored and markets, government
offices and private companies had resumed activities.

He said roadblocks erected by the Papuan Security Force were removed
on Friday afternoon by the security personnel and local residents.

"The roadblocks were cleared following a meeting between Regent A.P.
Youw, local officials, community figures and religious and tribal
leaders," Faizal said.

He confirmed that three people were killed and at least 13 others
injured in the rioting. Witnesses, however, put the death toll at
four.

Armed with arrows, machetes and spears, some 2,000 people attacked
the local police headquarters on Wednesday in retaliation of the
death of a fellow Irianese in Monday's clash. (01/eba)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Business News
March 06, 2000
Government will not amend Freeport contract: Alwi

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab said on
Saturday the government had rejected calls for the amendment of the
contract of giant copper and gold mining company PT Freeport
Indonesia, reiterating the government's pledge to honor its deals
with foreign investors.

Alwi said forcing Freeport to change its contract would undermine
the country's legal certainty and discourage foreign investors from
entering Indonesia.

He made the remarks amid growing criticism over Freeport's operation
and mounting pressure on the government from various parties,
including ministers, to amend Freeport's contract.

Outgoing Irian Jaya Governor Rear Adm. Freddy Numberi, who is also
state minister of state administrative reforms, demanded last week
Freeport's contract be amended, asking the company to donate a 20
percent stake to the people of Irian Jaya.

Alwi, however, said the government would not amend the contract but
it would ask Freeport to give a concession to the local people,
including a stake in the company.

"But, that doesn't mean changing the contract," he said.

Alwi stressed the concession should aim at improving the welfare of
the local people, by, among others things, providing them with more
job opportunities.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by United States mining
company Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold. The Indonesian government
holds a 9.36 percent stake in the company, as does the PT Indocopper
Investama Corporation.

Indocopper is 49 percent owned by Freeport McMoran and 50.48 percent
by Nusamba Mineral Industries, a company linked to former president
Soeharto, while the investing public holds a 0.52 percent stake.

Executive director of the Indonesian Mining Association (IMA) P.L.
Coutrier said the request of the local people for a stake in the
company was reasonable.

"I can understand the request. It was in the interest of Freeport to
relinquish some shares to the locals, as it would make the latter
care more for Freeport," Coutrier told The Jakarta Post over the
weekend.

Legislator Pramono Anung of the House of Representatives' Commission
VIII for mines and energy said any discussion on the divestment of
Freeport's shares should be held in the framework of the contract.

"There is no need for the contract to be amended, since it already
contains a clause regulating the company's divestment obligation,"
Pramono said.

Under the contract, which was signed in December 1991, Freeport is
obliged to divest up to 51 percent of its shares to the Indonesian
government, Indonesian companies or Indonesian citizens within 20
years after the signing of the contract.

However, Pramono said, thus far Freeport had failed to divest its
shares as stipulated in the contract.

According to him, Freeport had taken advantage of a clause in the
contract that allowed it to rid itself of the divestment obligation
should the government issue a regulation allowing it to do so.

In 1994, three years after the signing of Freeport's contract, the
government issued regulation No. 20/1994 allowing foreign investors
to fully own their companies, Pramono said.

Pressure on the government to review Freeport's contract also came
from State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf.

He blasted Freeport for failing to protect the environment around
its mining site.

Freeport vice president Yuli Ismartono rejected allegations that the
company had damaged the surrounding environment and did not care for
the welfare of the local communities.

She said meeting environmental standards was mandatory in Freeport's
contract and the company had been complying with the Indonesian
regulations on this matter.

Independent consultant Montgomery-Watson, which was hired by
Freeport to conduct an environmental audit on the company last year,
described Freeport's environmental protection program as exemplary,
but Sonny said the audit was incomplete.

Yuli also said that during 1991 to 1999, Indonesia had earned more
than US$1.27 billion in taxes, royalties and dividends from
Freeport.

"Some 87 percent of Freeport's earnings were spent in Indonesia,"
Yuli said in statement last week.

Yuli further said the company had been the object of five
independent probes on human rights violations, but none had proved
any wrongdoings by the company.

Former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger visited the country
in the defense of Freeport last week.

During a call on President Abdurrahman Wahid, Kissinger, who is a
member of Freeport McMoRan's board of directors, asked the
Indonesian government to honor its contract with Freeport, warning
that any violation of the contract would impede the flow of foreign
investment. (dja/bkm)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Republika, 4 March 2000
[Slightly abridged]
US government has investigated charges against Freeport re human
rights and environmental abuses
Jakarta,

The US ambassador to Jakarta, Robert Gilbard, has denied charges
against PT Freeport that it committed human rights abuses and
damaged the environment. He said that the military should be
investigated, not Freeport as a company.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, the ambassador said that
the US government had itself undertaken investigations of the
charges levelled against Freeport because the charges had resulted
in threats to revise the contract of work with the company.

'Our investigations showed that the charges were unproven,' said
Gilbard, who was accompanied at the press briefing by Thomas R.
Pickerking, a senior State Department official who has been on a
three-day visit to Indonesia.

The ambassador said that as far as human rights abuses were
concerned, the Indonesian government should investigate the
Indonesian military. 'Any charges levelled against Freeport are
clearly unproven,' he said.

If it was a question of the military using Freeport facilities when
violating human rights, the ambassador said that this was difficult
to avoid. If the military ask to borrow things from Freeport, it is
difficult for the company to refuse

Pickering said that the Indonesian government would respect all
contracts that it had signed. Contracts are integral to the
confidence to invest and investment is integral to the economic
advance of a country.

The official spokesperson of the TNI, Vice Air Mrshal Graito Usodo,
said separately that he had not himself heard the charges being made
by the US ambassador. If he said such things, this would have to be
proven and properly evaluated. 'He can’t put forward a one-sided
view of the matter,' he said. Graito Usodo pointed out further that
the TNI was present in the area precisely in order to protect a
vital enterprise. 'The troops are there,' he said, 'to provide
security so that the employees of Freeport can continue with their
productive activities without fear.'

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
March 06, 2000
Regional autonomy 'not as easy as it sounds'

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid
denied the central government was being tardy in its preparations to
implement regional autonomy, saying officials were painstakingly
drafting the necessary arrangements to make the program workable.

"The implementation of regional autonomy is not as easy as it
sounds. It could bring less changes to regions and even become
unused if everything is done too abruptly," he said in a seminar on
regional autonomy organized by the West Kalimantan Community in
Jakarta (IKKB) here on Saturday.

Many sides, including the IKKB, have criticized the government for
dragging its feet in making preparations to implement the
much-anticipated regional autonomy.

Ryaas defended himself against the criticism, contending that as
much as it would like to, the government cannot act as fast as many
desire as the implementation of regional autonomy requires the
establishment of "strong software and hardware".

"The two laws on regional autonomy and on fiscal balance are not
adequate to be held as a legal basis for implementing autonomy.
Besides issuing a number of new regulations to enforce the two laws,
the government also has to amend many other laws to synchronize them
with the autonomy implementation. And all this work needs a
relatively long time," he said.

He cited as an example that his office in cooperation with other
ministries was drafting at least ten government regulations to start
implementing autonomy in January 2001.

"The most crucial and long-awaited is the regulation on powersharing
between the central and provincial administrations ... The division
of authority must be clear-cut to avoid overlaps in administrative
affairs," he said, adding the regulation would be issued in May at
the latest.

Ryaas also said he and Minister of Finance Bambang Sudibyo would
issue five regulations to enforce the fiscal balance law,
regulating, among others, negotiations on sharing profits from
natural resources and on cross-subsidies from resource-rich regions
to less developed ones.

The government will also revise the 1982 law on spatial zoning and
the 1974 law on regional administrations to make them consistent
with the planned decentralization of much authority to provincial
administrations.

Ryaas said that despite the deadline of Jan. 2001, the
implementation of regional autonomy would partly depend on the
readiness of the regions themselves to carry it out.

A full implementation of regional autonomy will be conducted only in
provinces and regencies, which, if seen from the perspective of
their human resources and managerial skills, are considered
prepared, he remarked.

He said that under developed provinces such as Aceh and Irian Jaya
may not be ready to fully implement regional autonomy.

According to Ryaas, such provinces would likely only be delegated a
certain amount of authority of which they had been assessed as able
to handle.

"To me, regional autonomy is not an efficacious medicine to treat
political and economic problems in provinces because it depends much
on their own preparedness to implement it," he said.

He suggested local administrations immediately begin recruiting
qualified personnel to fill the high demand for skilled officials in
the bureaucracy. Asked about the role of the police in such a
system, Ryaas remarked that they should shift their main deployment
away from urban centers to maintain security and order in rural and
remote areas.

"Police should no longer be concentrated in urban areas, especially
provincial capitals, because their presence will be much needed in
rural and remote areas," he said.

In Saturday's seminar, many West Kalimantan figures called on the
government to give special autonomy to the province in compensation
for the over-exploitation of its natural resources and damages to
its environment in the past.

Ryaas said at the most the government could give special treatment
to help redevelop its forests and local culture. (rms)








KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Environmental Destruction Worst In Irian Jaya
Date: 3/5/00 4:56:55 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
National News
Environmental Destruction Worst In Irian Jaya
Sunday, March 05, 2000/12:42:12 AM
Jayapura, March 5 (ANTARA)

Irian Jaya is ranked the worst in the country in terms of
environmental destruction due to the exploitation of mineral,
forestry and fishery resources, an official said.

Moh. Ali Kestalla, head of the Irian Jaya provincial environmental
impact management board (Bapedalda) said on Saturday his office had
inspected a number of companies, including PT Freeport Indonesia and
PT Santa Fee and found that the environmental destruction in the
country’s easternmost province had reached an alarming level.

Most of the companies were paying minimal attention to the
rehabilitation of the damaged environment creating risks and
liabilities that would be borne by Indonesia’s future generations,
he said.

Even locals can no longer consume marine biotas because they had
been exterminated or polluted by the companies` wastes, he said,
adding that the problem should be reason for national concern.

Citing an example, he said PT Santa Fee, oil mining company in
Sorong, had disposed of its oil waste onto the local environment,
causing locals to suffer from upper respiratory tract infections and
killing plants, such as taro, calladium and sweet potato.

He said the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Ambon’s
chapter, had made a study in the Sele Straits, Sorong district, and
found the waters to be contaminated with heavy metal because the oil
company had never made environmental conservation efforts since the
Dutch colonial era when it started its operations in the area.

This had made it impossible for marine biotas such as fish and
shrimp to flourish, he said.

To date there are 57 forest concession holders operating in Irian
Jaya.

They cut down forest trees at the expense of the environment, he
said.

A number of plant and animal species of high economic value had died
out, he said.


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

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=======================================================

Subj: US ambassador defends Freeport against charges of HR and environmental abuses
Date: 3/5/00 5:41:15 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Republika, 4 March 2000
[Slightly abridged]

US government has investigated charges against Freeport re human rights and
environmental abuses

Jakarta,

The US ambassador to Jakarta, Robert Gilbard, has denied charges against PT
Freeport that it committed human rights abuses and damaged the environment.
He said that the military should be investigated, not Freeport as a company.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, the ambassador said that the US
government had itself undertaken investigations of the charges levelled
against Freeport because the charges had resulted in threats to revise the
contract of work with the company.

'Our investigations showed that the charges were unproven,' said Gilbard,
who was accompanied at the press briefing by Thomas R. Pickerking, a senior
State Department official who has been on a three-day visit to Indonesia.

The ambassador said that as far as human rights abuses were concerned.,
the Indonesian government should investigate the Indonesian military. 'Any
charges levelled against Freeport are clearly unproven,' he said.

If it was a question of the military using Freeport facilities when
violating human rights, the ambassador said that this was difficult to
avoid. If the military ask to borrow things from Freeport, it is difficult
for the company to refuse

Pickering said that the Indonesian government would respect all contracts
that it had signed. Contracts are integral to the confidence to invest and
investment is integral to the economic advance of a country.

The official spokesperson of the TNI, Vice Air Mrshal Graito Usodo, said
separately that he had not himself heard the charges being made by the US
ambassador. If he said such things, this would have to be proven and
properly evaluated. 'He cant put forward a one-sided view of the matter,'
he said. Graito Usodo pointed out further that the TNI was present in the
area precisely in order to protect a vital enterprise. 'The troops are
there,' he said, 'to provide security so that the employees of Freeport can
continue with their productive activities without fear.'


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


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Subj: Governor: Freeport must donate 20% of shares to reg. administration
Date: 3/5/00 5:40:56 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org


The Jakarta Post, 4-3-2000

Freeport told to donate 20%of shares for locals

JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing Irian Jaya Governor Rear Adm. Freddy Numberi petitioned mining-giant PT Freeport Indonesia on Friday to donate 20 percent of its shares and profits to the regional administration in Irian Jaya to support the community where the company exploits the naturalresources.

The current contract stipulates that approximately 20 percent of the company's operation be owned by the Indonesia government and anotherIndonesia company.

Freddy, who also holds the post as State Minister for Administrative Reforms, said that some of the profits should be channeled directly to the surrounding community.

"The local government never got anything from the deal," Freddytold reporters on Friday.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by United States mining company Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold. The Indonesian government holds a 9.36 percent interest in the company along and PT Indocopper Investama Corporation owns an equal interest.

Indocopper is 50.48 percent owned by Nusamba Mineral Industries, which is linked to former president Soeharto. Freeport McMoran holds a 49 percentstake in Indocopper and the investing public holds 0.52 percent.

Freeport has been criticized by many parties believing its mining activities in the Grasberg area of Irian Jaya have adversely affected theenvironment.

State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf last month said his office would audit, and perhaps redo, the environmental impact analysis (Amdal) of PT Freeport Indonesia as the existing report contains severalirregularities.

Sonny did not elaborate on the alleged irregularities in the report but remarked that they included inconsistencies in reports on the company's environmental management and environmental work plan. He further remarked that the tailings disposal system was inadequate.

Some have openly questioned the validity of the environmental auditresults of American auditor Montgomery Watson, who lauded Freeport's environmental protection as exemplary.

Two commissions at the House of Representatives also have recommended areview of the contract of work held by PT Freeport Indonesia.

During a meeting with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who is a member of the company's board of directors, President AbdurrahmanWahid on Monday pledged to honor the government's contract with thecompany.

Nevertheless, he asked Freeport to be more mindful and concerned with developing the community where it conducts its activities.

Speaking during a luncheon with the Indonesian Australian BusinessCouncil here, Freddy also dismissed the idea of annulling the Freeportcontract.

He conceded that he had received numerous reports of detrimental effects of Freeports' activities but asserted that the government will honor itscontract.

"I see it as a legal problem so we'd better settle the problem incourt not by revoking the agreement,' he said of the allegations of environmental destruction by the company.

Freddy said he had also sent an official letter to the World WildlifeFund for Nature asking for assistance in dealing with the environmentalissues.

Freddy, who will officially relinquish his gubernatorial post on March 20, said it was crucial for the government to honor the contract.

"It is the right of the company to do business here, we have torespect that," he remarked.

Nevertheless there should be several changes in the agreement which would allow the people of Irian Jaya a stake in the business. Such changes will be necessary to implement regional autonomy likely to be enacted in thenear future.

"There were some small mistakes made in the past that we have to revise," he said while pointing to the fact that the company was not obligated to deal with the local administration.

Freddy further remarked that the public should view the presence of thecompany objectively.

"The company does bring some advantages for us, like jobopportunities and other profits," he contended. (dja)